55 DEC 2020 ISSUE
of affairs
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Stir Fry galore at the Melbourne Market
Good food starts with good produce
The proposed Melbourne Market Expansion
ISSUE 55 — DEC 2020
Contents 06
5 – Letter from CEO Letter from Jason Cooper, Fresh State CEO
6 – The proposed Melbourne Market Expansion The Melbourne Market Authority announced the release of a further expansion to the market
10 – A ‘A better choice!’ Christmas Giveaway To celebrate the festive season, the A better choice! team gave away thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes!
Christmas Messages
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11 – Stir Fry galore at the Melbourne Market
14 – Good food starts with good produce
Fresh State, The Melbourne Market Authority and A better choice! hosted a Melbourne Market Plate of Origin Cooking Demonstration by runner up Thanh Truong
Our very own Melbourne Market wholesaler and Fruiterer, Chef, and contestant on Channel 7’s Plate of Origin, Thanh Truong, wants to push the message of being a fruiterer
13 – 40 years and counting
16 – Hayden’s EB Story
Congratulations to Phillip Brancatisano, Giuseppe Toscano, Vince LaManna, Frank Madafferi and Ralph Caparello for receiving their 40 year service awards
Hayden’s EB Story, as told by Mum Kimberley
4 – Fresh State Ltd 8 – Louis Melbourne 9 – Perfection Fresh Australia 9 – Nutrano Produce Group 12 – LaManna Premier Group 12 – Granieri’s Fresh Produce
20 – Christmas Mini Pavlovas Recipe
19 – Ferrinda Fresh 12 – Brescia Wholesalers 17 – Toyota Material Handling 19 – The Melbourne Market Authority Australia Pty Ltd 21 – Barkers Fresh Produce 18 – Flavorite Group 25 – Melbourne Market 18 – Produce Time Credit Service 19 – Morco Fresh Please note all Christmas message photos were taken in 2019
Published By:
CEO: Jason Cooper jason@freshstate.com.au Editor/Advertising: Dee Sherry dee@freshstate.com.au
W: freshstate.com.au P: (03) 9408 6627 2
Photography: Dee Sherry
Design & Print:
Distribution: Fresh State of Affairs is produced by Fresh State Ltd. and is a free publication.
ISSUE 55 — DEC 2020
President’s Message
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22 – Contactless is the way of the future Exciting new changes were made at the Fresh State Gas Station
24 – Epping Innovation and Food Export Hub Announced in the North and West Melbourne City Deal Plan 20202040, Epping is getting a ‘Epping Innovation and Food Export Hub’ right next to the market
27 – Calendar of Events
Out of lockdown and back to a ‘COVID normal’ state, we have so much to be grateful for and celebrate during the festive season this year. What a tough year we’ve had; I’m sure we’ll all be happy to relax with a few beers on Christmas day. Thankfully the end of 2020 is on an upward turn with many restrictions lifted. Again, I hope everyone is continuing to stay healthy and safe throughout the summer and into the new year. Once again, this edition of Fresh State of Affairs is a Bumper Christmas issue filled with many Christmas messages from the market community. Like always, there are some great topics for you to have a read of; The Market expansion plans, all things A better choice! and many more! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy the last Fresh State of Affairs Magazine for 2020! We look forward to coming back in the new year with more exciting topics for you to read.
Shane Schnitzler President Fresh State Ltd.
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HAVE A SAFE
AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE TEAM AT
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Letter from the CEO A COVID normal Christmas is on the cards for us this year. I’m sure the end to all these restrictions will be a welcomed relief after this year, but in the meantime, 30 extra people invited to our homes will have to do. After Victoria’s challenging stage 4 lockdown with stricter rules and conditions, the market has been a stressful environment for most over the last couple of months. I’m glad as we move through summer and the end of 2020, a more cheerful mood has spread around. I hope everyone is keeping healthy and safe; thank you for continuing to abide by the market rules. I'm very glad to see masks now not mandatory in the Market but our priority is always to keep the market a safe environment to work in so please social distance where possible. Thankfully we had very few cases of the virus in the market, but to those who contracted the virus, I hope you had a speedy recovery and hope that you and your families are well and safe. Though we cannot go ahead with our Christmas BBQ this year, we hope to hold an event in the new year to thank all of our members. The A better choice! cooking demonstration by Thanh Truong was a great success, and I hope everyone had the opportunity to taste his delicious stir fry. Thank you to the wholesalers who donated produce to make up a fruit salad, which was handed out on the day. I hope everyone’s Christmas and New Year are festive and enjoyable. We have much to celebrate and be grateful for this year. Please don’t hesitate to contact me or the Fresh State office for any assistance; we are always here to assist businesses in any way.
I hope everyone is keeping healthy and safe.
Jason Cooper CEO Fresh State Ltd.
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The proposed
Melbourne Market Expansion Recently the Melbourne Market Authority announced the proposed release of a further expansion to the market. They have requested expressions of interest from tenants regarding the future plans of the undeveloped market land. The MMA has proposed the development of these six separate facilities to be located on the northern and eastern side of the Market boundaries. 44,000 m2 of on-site warehousing has been included in the predetermined plan, as well as office/ commercial spaces and showroom opportunities, with works estimated to be completed and ready for leasing by March 2022. MMA’s development plans have been distributed and include intentions of building five new warehouses’ and one Commercial Building. All developments consist of single-story and
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double story plans to accommodate office spaces, showrooms, and loading docks. New parking bays will also be a part of the expansion proposal. The MMA has named this as ’a unique opportunity to secure a lease for the new state of the art, and world-class facilities at the Melbourne Market’. In these early stages of planning, the MMA called for expression of interest for new leases of the warehousing and commercial offices from existing tenants, Market users, and allied businesses which closed recently. If the development goes ahead it will be a welcome addition to the Epping facility.
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MERRY
WE SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE TRUST AND SUPPORT YOU CONTINUE TO BESTOW ON US OVER THE YEAR AND WE WISH ALL OUR TRADING PARTNERS A SAFE AND PROSPEROUS CHRISTMAS.
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Christmas messages
TO ALL OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS,
WISHING YOU ALL A HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A SAFE NEW YEAR
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A ‘A better choice!’ Christmas Giveaway From November to December, the A better choice! team gave away thousands of dollars’ worth of prizes as a Christmas promotion in Victorian and New South Wales. As a way to celebrate the festive season, customers of local fruit and veg shops had the chance to win an iPad, Nintendo switch, a coffee maker, dyson hand-held vacuum, kitchenware, pasta maker, $100 gift vouchers to ABC retailers and much more. The huge prize giveaway commenced, online and in-store, where A better choice! retailers received a point-of-sale merchandise pack complete with A3 posters, wobblers, and stickers. Retailers hung the posters from their ceilings or on walls, placed the wobblers on shelves, and the stickers were stuck
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straight onto employee’s aprons where customers could see them. The team visited Biviano and Son’s in Fairfield to film a short video which included information about the competition for Retailers. After a hard year, especially with Victoria being in and out of strict lockdowns, the A better choice! team wanted to ‘give back’ to the community. It was also a way to bring the winners into their local fruit and veg shop, aiming to build that relationship between customer and greengrocer.
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Stir Fry galore at the Melbourne Market
Fresh State, The Melbourne Market Authority and A better choice! hosted a Melbourne Market Plate of Origin Cooking Demonstration on Thursday 10 December. One of our very own Market Wholesalers, Thanh Truong from AusAsia, came runner up on the Reality TV series Plate of Origin on channel 7. Thanh cooked up a delicious Water Spinach Stir Fry that he prepared for the Plate of Origin semi-final. The dish was cooked right on the Market floor, in front of the market community. Amazing fruit salads, consisting of produce donated from wholesalers including Perfection Fresh, Ten Farms, Flavorite and Barkers Fresh Produce, was also given out during the morning. To showcase the A better choice! program within the market, banners and posters were propped up on the market floor and starred on the
A better choice! and Thanh’s social media platforms. Held in a COVID safe manner, the event was a great way to celebrate the end of 2020 and what has been a difficult year for many. The demonstration was a way of thanking the Market community for their continuous support and gives back to the growers, wholesalers and axillary businesses who support the A better choice! program every day. Thanh’s recipe has now been developed into an A better choice! recipe and made available online for everyone and anyone to cook up at home. Videos of the event have been placed on the Fresh State, MMA and A better choice! social platforms.
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Christmas messages
from the team at LaManna Premier Group
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 12
Thank you to our customers for your business throughout the year. We wish the Melbourne Market Community a very Safe and happy festive season.
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40 years and counting
Congratulations to Phillip Brancatisano, Giuseppe Toscano, Vince LaManna, Frank Madafferi and Ralph Caparello for receiving their 40-year service award. Our very own board member and member of Fresh State for many years, Phil Brancatisano, has now been in the industry for 42 years. Phil started in the Market as a young boy working with his late Father every school holiday's until he was 16 and then left school to work in the Market full time. "I have now clocked up 42 years as a retailer and wholesaler in this industry. The fruit and vegetable industry is just one big family and has taught me a lot about life, especially honesty, integrity, and
RESPECT. I feel very proud to walk through the Market and say hello and chat with so many people. Sometimes you can look over the other side of the fence and think, is there a better life than waking up at midnight and going to work? Possibly… but I always tell people to enjoy what you do and do it well, which I love this industry and wouldn't change it. "I recall my Father getting his 40-year service award and thinking how proud I was of his achievement, and now today I've received mine," said Phil.
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Good food starts with good produce
‘Good food starts with good produce’, a slogan that Thanh lives by and strongly believes nobody can ever debate. In our hectic, convenience-driven lifestyles, this message can be forgotten, and the knowledge behind knowing your produce, how to use and cook it is sometimes left behind, especially by new starters to the fruit and vegetable industry.
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Our very own Melbourne Market wholesaler and Fruiterer, cook, and contestant on Channel 7’s Plate of Origin, Thanh Truong, wants to push the message of being a fruiterer and the importance of knowing your produce when selling it to consumers. Now studying a Master of Food Systems and Gastronomy, Thanh is extremely passionate about where his produce comes from, how to use it, and how to pass on knowledge to customers. He’s urging wholesalers and market users to do their best to gain more knowledge and make it their mission to try to excite and engage their consumers about produce. “There’s a huge difference between people who say ‘you can use these potatoes as chips’ with no further context and the people who say ‘you can use these potatoes for chipping because they’re
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starchy, but what I do is boil them first and then double fry them, first time at 120° and the second at 180°'. You need that personal connection and to understand your produce better to engage and excite consumers about fruit and veg,” said Thanh. After working in the industry for many years and being a part of Coles before entering the market, Thanh knows how difficult it is to compete against big companies like Woolworths and Coles. “Knowledge about our produce is where we can add better service in the market to consumers. As a fruiterer, you don’t need to cook all the time, but if you’re selling the produce for somebody to cook, you need to know how to do it. Food is such an integral part of people’s lives; we want to push this message to excite and engage consumers, ultimately making them go out, buy fresh produce from their greengrocers and cook more.”
It’s not about educating, it’s about exciting. Being a fruiterer is a profession, and knowing your produce is the difference between being a fruiterer and being a salesperson. Fruiterers in the market can give consumers an engaging experience and the best advice, if we always remember the meaning behind ‘Good food starts with good produce’. And this is where we may see increased purchases that support our industry.
Knowledge about our produce is where we can add better service in the market to consumers.
Thanh’s nickname ‘The Fruit Nerd’ was given to him by his friends because he is very passionate and excited about produce. “I’m passionate about the industry, I want it to succeed, and I want people to have the same level of excitement that I have about fruit and veg,” said Thanh.
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Hayden’s EB Story, as told by Mum Kimberley
“My name is Kimberley and my 5 year old son Hayden has Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) Symplex. I had never heard of EB before my son was diagnosed just before his first birthday. He was showing signs of his skin peeling on his hands, feet and knee just after he started to crawl. During an appointment with Sam, our EB nurse, and Simone from DEBRA, we learnt what EB was and how we can assist Hayden with his everyday life. We didn’t realise how many small everyday simple things needed to change — soaps (no harsh ingredients or strong smells), clothing (can rub & cause blisters), temperature (too hot and he blisters instantly), tooth brushes (extra extra soft brush due to sensitive gums), and the healing time for any bruises or cuts/sores. There are definitely tough days where Hayden is upset due to the pain. It is truly heartbreaking when your child asks you if his skin will get better. The support that DEBRA and their amazing staff gives us is amazing. I’m not sure I would be able to get through all of this without them. They provide financial and emotional support for the families which we are forever grateful for!
There are definitely tough days where Hayden is upset due to the pain. It is truly heartbreaking when you child asks you if his skin will get better.
EB is the worse disease you have never heard of — nothing is truer than this, but we can get through it with support, love and understanding of this incurable condition.” Though the Melbourne Market isn’t holding a Golf Day event next year, raising donations for DEBRA Australia is still a major priority. The Melbourne Market Golf Day Committee would still like to spread the word about DEBRA and how we can support them. Please go to the DEBRA Australia website to donate and show your support: donate. everydayhero.com/d/7rIBbKhPUsivECMHAqRDBQ/ amount/8ef1186b-f8c4-4c9f-8463-ab13ae29dc83 All proceeds raised will go straight to DEBRA Australia. By donating you are directly impacting the lives of sick children, and together we are turning ideas into life-changing programs. Your consistent support will ensure that DEBRA can continue to make this impact on EB families across Australia ensuring that they are receiving the best possible care.
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BRAD, RUSS, FRANK, ELDEM, AND RAY WOULD LIKE TO WISH ALL THE FRESH STATE MEMBERS A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO ASSISTING AND SERVICING YOU IN 2020.
SALES ENQUIRIES — BRAD 0438 271 279
SERVICE ENQUIRIES — RAY 0403 183 898
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Christmas messages
Merry Christmas Wishing All Our Customers a Safe and Happy Holiday Season
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FRO M TH E TE A M AT
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ISSUE 50 — DEC 2019
Recipe: Christmas Mini Pavlovas It isn’t Christmas in Australia without a pavlova (don’t argue with us on that, Kiwis!). This airy dessert is made of a meringue shell that is topped with cream and fresh fruit, and these mini individual pavlovas are the perfect centrepiece for the table! You can store them in a sealed container as they can keep for a day or two, which means you can make the bases ahead of time and do the final assembly before serving them to your guests. Ingredients
Method
¡ 2 egg whites
1.
¡ 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar ¡ 300ml thickened cream, whipped ¡ Berries of your choice ¡ Figs ¡ Mint for decoration
Preheat oven to 150°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Place egg whites into a clean bowl. Beat with electric beaters until soft peaks form. Gradually add caster sugar, beating well between each addition. Beat until mixture is thick and glossy — this will take at least 5 minutes.
2. Spoon heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto baking trays.
Flatten meringue into a disc. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until crisp. Cool completely in the oven with the door ajar.
3. Add your choice of toppings before serving immediately.
We used whipped cream, season-fresh berries and figs!
Makes 20 individual pavlovas. 20
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Contactless is the way of the future Exciting new changes were made at the Fresh State Gas Station over the last month. A new contactless FOB reader machine was installed at the Fresh State Gas station in late November. The reader changed from the old card swipe system to a 'tap and go' method. Fresh State Administration Manager, Carolyn Dyson, said the new system would allow quick and easy transactions. "The FOBs are easily accessible, you can keep them on your keys or hang them off your forklifts, making it simpler to purchase gas." While this year has made us aware of many things, the reminder to keep clean and minimise the spread of germs is a big priority now. "The FOBs reader minimises contact which keeps both customers and gas station staff safe," said Carolyn. Frequent users of the gas station, Brett Collins from Perfection Fresh, said, " Thank you Fresh State we love the new fobs for the gas station. They are so convenient and made purchasing gas quicker as we no longer have to find the old gas cards that always went missing — I purchased some key tags and hooked the Fobs to the forklift key so we won’t lose them ever again — I once asked Fresh State who in the market loses the most cards and guess who won Perfection Fresh was the worst. Great initiative Fresh State.”
The FOBs reader minimises contact which keeps both customers and gas station staff safe.
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Epping
Innovation and Food Export Hub Announced in the North and West Melbourne City Deal Plan 2020–2040, Epping is getting a ‘Epping Innovation and Food Export Hub’ right next to the market. Aiming to create employment and economic development opportunities in eight key precincts, Cloverton/Beveridge, Epping, La Trobe, Broadmeadows, Cobblebank, Footscray, Sunshine and Werribee, the plan hopes to kickstart economic recovery after this difficult year.
“The MMA has been involved in several stakeholder engagement activities over the past year with the State Government, and we look forward to learning next steps in what would be a significant development for not only the market community but for Victoria itself.”
Melbourne Market Authority CEO, Mark Maskiell, said “The proposed Epping Food Hub on the adjacent 51-hectare site next door would play a significant role in the development of jobs, investment and growth in the region. The project has the potential to expand the Melbourne Market precinct into a food, logistics, export and innovation hub of international significance; bringing business opportunities to market tenants, market users and the local economy.
The proposal will help create 300,000 new jobs, reboot business, boost social and economic inclusion, and leverage the region’s existing strengths in health, food production, manufacturing and logistics.
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Major transformative projects already announced or commenced, such as the West Gate Tunnel and Melbourne Airport Rail Link, form part of the plan along with new projects in Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal, Epping Innovation and Food Export Hub and an Outer North Hospital.
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Introducing Sarah! You may have already seen her walking around the market or had one of many phone calls with her. We’d like to give a warm welcome to Sarah! Sarah recently joined the Melbourne Market Credit Service and has been an amazing addition to the team. If you see her around be sure to say hi!
From The Melbourne Market Credit Service team
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Calendar of Events Christmas Day — MARKET CLOSED Friday, 25 December 2020
Christmas Eve —MARKET OPEN Thursday, 24 December 2020
Boxing Day — MARKET OPEN Tuesday, 29 December 2020
New Year’s Eve — MARKET OPEN Thursday, 31 December 2020
— MARKET CLOSED Monday, 28 December 2020
—MARKET OPEN Wednesday, 30 December 2020
New Year’s Day — MARKET OPEN Monday, 4 January 2021
Disclaimer Fresh State Ltd makes this magazine available on the understanding the users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use. Before relying on, or altering any business practices, users should carefully evaluate the accuracy, completeness and relevance of the information for their purpose and should obtain appropriate professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. This magazine contains views and recommendations that do not necessarily reflect the views of Fresh State Ltd. Fresh State does not in any circumstances accept responsibility for the accuracy or suitability or otherwise of any information published in Fresh State of Affairs. Fresh State Ltd specifically disclaims all and any liability for loss or damage of any nature whatsoever and however arising, whether due to accuracy, error or omission or any other cause.
— MARKET CLOSED Friday, 1 January 2021
In addition, by using the information in this magazine, each user waives and releases Fresh State, its staff and agents from any and all claims relating to the use of this document. In no event shall Fresh State Ltd be liable for any consequential damages resulting from using the information in Fresh State of Affairs. © Fresh State Ltd 2019 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior permission from Fresh State Ltd. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to: The Editor Fresh State of Affairs Magazine Store 36, Melbourne Market 35 Produce Drive, Epping, VIC 3076 27
