Plant-Based Everything Veg

Meet The Fresh Grower

Plant-based isn’t just about alternative proteins, it’s also about the wonderful and vibrant world of vegetables.

Allan Fong

Arecent study by Bioversity International scientists in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture

Organisation of the United

Nations revealed that a total 1,097 vegetable species, with a great variety of uses and growth forms, are cultivated worldwide.

With approximately 6,000 growers in New Zealand, we are incredibly lucky with an abundance of local produce to choose from.

Meet The Fresh Grower

Allan Fong’s family has been in the growing business since the 1940s.

“My brother and I ended up on the farm after high school. We did a lot of mixed growing but about 12-14 years ago we transitioned into specialty growing, and The Fresh Grower was born.

“We went through many ups and downs from commodity growing to process growing and supplying foodservice. But we transitioned into specialty growing because the industry is getting competitive in commodities, and we were constrained by land area.”

Fong wanted to offer something different by bringing niche products to the mainstream market.

“Anything from specialty baby lettuce or broccolini to Asian vegetables, spinach and coriander,” he explained, adding that the foodservice sector had been good to The Fresh Grower, purchasing produce that consumers were too conservative to buy.

“10 years ago, people didn’t know what to do with pak choy, but it is now a part of Kiwis homes. One of my sons was a chef and he did a lot to help us with food shows, promotions and marketing.”

The day starts bright and early with a 6 am meeting to get the teams organised.

“Everything is hand-picked, packed, washed, and packed again, but we are governed by the weather. The weather determines our schedules and priorities such as seeding, planting, cultivation and harvesting.”

As a family business, Fong’s three sons also work on the farm, and the younger generation helps with the technological side of things.

“Technologically, I’ve been left in the dust. If I have to measure the field for example, instead of stepping it out, the young ones open an app and it tells you the exact measurements.

“We’re also trying to become more paperless, and all the compliances are cloud-based - all the irrigation, cultivation and spray data is loaded into an iPhone, which saves time and work.”

Technology has helped with farming practices as well.

“We’ve lessened our cultivation practices, therefore saving fuel, reducing emissions, and creating more efficiency. We are also reducing our fertilising as much as possible, as well as focusing on water conservation, soil retention and structure.”

The Fresh Grower grows a lot of specialty crops just for hospitality.

Fong loves what he does, despite it not being a “sexy business.” “Farming is tough”, he said, “but it’s rewarding to grow something and bring it to the consumer.”