WA Grower Magazine Winter 2020

Page 78

YOUR BUSINESS

Ahead of the curve 3 LIZ and Roger Fahl.

BY MELISSA DENNING LABOUR SCHEME FACILITATOR

3 A key element to Fruitico’s success has been its diversification of labour.

Current circumstances have required a changed process for most businesses. Some businesses have gone online only, others have reinvented how they operate. Fruitico has had to do this also, however their ‘change’ came about in 2016. 2016 was the tipping point for Roger and Liz Fahl. After 20 years in the industry they were starting to see more and more overseas produce arriving onto West Australian supermarket shelves. Rather than continue in the same fashion they realised they had to get ahead of their own curve, for their company’s survival.

New plant varieties, new markets and a new joint venture all contributed to their adapted business model, but a key element to their success has been their diversification of labour. Originally the Meelon farm used local Australian and international labour. 20 years ago, Australians would travel from crop to crop following the harvest trail to gain employment. Spending the summer in South-West WA was pleasant and bountiful for work, however this type of Australia

PHOTOS © Fruitico

76

F

ruitico is in an enviable position, some might say lucky. Whilst most companies have been dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic, Fruitico has quietly and efficiently continued to provide amazing produce to local and international markets.

WA Grower WINTER 2020


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Articles inside

Growing butternut pumpkins

10min
pages 114-117

Product provenance

5min
pages 112-113

Australian and Asian vegetables

8min
pages 109-111

Export Facilitators Project update

7min
pages 106-108

Regional mental health

8min
pages 102-105

Juggling training

6min
pages 94-95

DWER licensing needs

3min
pages 98-99

drumMUSTER operations update

3min
pages 100-101

How to stay connected

5min
pages 96-97

Keeping your business going

3min
pages 92-93

Is your business in good shape?

7min
pages 90-91

vegetablesWA benchmarking

6min
pages 88-89

Report sheds light on profitability

4min
pages 86-87

Growing the labour supply

3min
pages 82-83

Redundancy rights and entitlements

5min
pages 84-85

Ahead of the curve

3min
pages 78-79

Labour hire providers

3min
pages 80-81

Will you miss out on labour?

4min
pages 76-77

Adapting to a pandemic crisis

10min
pages 72-75

Points of interest

1min
pages 70-71

Indonesian promotions wrapup

1min
page 69

Protecting our business

2min
page 63

R&D goes on-line

2min
page 64

From the industry

2min
page 62

Social media strategy

2min
pages 60-61

Tips to keep apples fresh in retail

2min
pages 58-59

Challenges of harvest 2020

3min
page 57

Chair’s chat

4min
page 56

Potato nachos

2min
pages 52-53

Executive Officer’s Report

2min
page 48

New Hort Innovation position in WA

2min
pages 46-47

VegNET IEO Update

4min
pages 44-45

Melon variety trials go virtual

3min
pages 42-43

Celebrating our WA Food Heroes

3min
pages 36-37

Aus-QUAL food safety audit update

3min
page 41

Total Quality Assurance Systems

1min
page 40

Avocado fruit drop investigations

9min
pages 26-29

Unrestricted pumping in Carnarvon

3min
pages 38-39

How to examine your soil structure

5min
pages 32-35

Sanitation in the food industry

4min
pages 24-25

The value of pollination

2min
pages 22-23

Tomato spotted wilt virus

5min
pages 14-15

Mixed species cover crops

4min
pages 20-21

CEO’s Report

2min
pages 6-7

Fall armyworm in Western Australia

4min
pages 10-11

Weed cost

1min
page 19

Fresh produce dual-action coating

5min
pages 16-18

Queensland fruit fly eradication

5min
pages 12-13

President’s Report

4min
pages 8-9
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