It’s quite often hard to discern what’s what when shopping for Australian Made products, according to Ruth Gallace, co founder of Matilda’s Frozen Berries, which announced it will be in production from next month on Thursday. "Working in the industry I'm pretty well informed in terms of knowing what to look for and what to buy, but I understand that it can be confusing," she says. When coming up with the Matilda’s brand and packaging, clear and honest information was at the forefront for her and her husband. “That’s what we wanted to address. All we really need to have on the packaging is ‘100% Australian Grown’ but we've gone a step further than that.” That means that Matilda’s labelling will include information on where within Australia the fruit was grown.
The Gallace family owns Sunny Ridge farms which are on the Mornington Peninsula and the Yarra Valley in Victoria, and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, which ensures year round supply. “I think the more information we can provide to customers the more they will trust us. It’s important that the information is there, and it can be changed seasonally.”
While fresh berries are only one ingredient, Mrs Gallace says that she does understand why country of origin labelling is more of a challenge for products with a longer ingredients list. “The industry has to forecast 12 to 18 months worth of packaging at a time, and with so many tiers in the supply chain, and so many products with ingredients that have to be imported for other producers, I can see how it could get difficult.”
Although the product is still in trial mode, Mrs Gallace told Fresh Plaza that support for the 100% Australian grown and packaged berries Matilda’s has sourced has been ‘amazing’. “We've got distributors in every state who are eager to come on board. There’s been a lot of work going on in the background to set things up too.”
The Matilda’s product will also be somewhat more expensive than imported alternatives, however Mrs Gallace says she expects consumers to understand the reasons for that. “We aren’t operating like our competitors from other countries where the costs of labour might be much lower, and I think the more information like that that you provide to the customer the better they understand the economics.” Ultimately, she says, that adds to the appeal of the brand for customers who are looking for quality, ethical produce.
