Tasmanian Horticultural Industry Launches New Branding and Website

Tasmanian Grown, a new branding and web-based showcase for fresh produce and other horticultural products from Tasmania, launched earlier this month at the Asia Fruit Logistica trade show. Created by Fruit Growers Tasmania and supported with state and national funding, Tasmanian Grown aims to showcase Tasmania’s fresh produce and nut offerings and join its growers with buyers from across the globe.

According to Fruit Growers Tasmania, the platform aims to leverage the international market recognition already achieved by Tasmanian products such as cherries, apples, onions and carrots and expand the benefits across more horticultural producers. 

“Buyers of Tasmanian cherries are often asking us what else is available from Tasmania,” said Fruit Growers Tasmania’s CEO, Peter Cornish. “This website will showcase the fresh food that we grow, when it is available and how to buy it.  Importantly, it will give us a digital presence all day, every day.”

Tasmania has a long history of providing produce to global markets, with apple exports stretching back to the 1800s. According to Fruit Growers Tasmania, over half of Australia’s cherry exports are grown in Tasmania, as well as half of all onion exports. Furthermore, over 90% of Australia’s peas are produced in Tasmania, along with around a third of all potatoes and a quarter of all green beans.  Tasmania is also the largest producer of raspberries and blackberries, and the second largest producer of blueberries.

“Tasmania’s food production sector continues to go from strength to strength and our recent trade missions to New Zealand and Vietnam have showcased the best the state has to offer,” said Tasmanian Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Jo Palmer. “The Tasmanian Agri-Food Scorecard for 2019-20 showed the value of our berry industry grew to $128 million while cherries were worth $68 million. The value of Tasmanian food exports increased to a record $954 million.”

The Tasmanian Grown website and branding focus on communicating the unique value propositions offered by Tasmanian produce. These include its pristine environment, favorable climate and the natural barriers to pests created by its island geography—not to mention counterseasonal availability.

The website also includes matchmaking functions. Potential buyers can submit inquiries specifying the types of products they are looking to source. Tasmanian growers, meanwhile, can register on the site to access a growers’ portal and receive relevant sales inquiry leads.

“The Tasmanian Grown showcase is a celebration of what is so special about our horticulture.  It is a great example of Tasmania’s leading fruit, vegetable and nut growers working together, with the tremendous support of the Australian and Tasmanian Governments, the Tasmanian Fruit and Vegetable Export Facilitation Group and Fruit Growers Tasmania,” said Cornish.

Images: Fruit Growers Tasmania