Development of Australia’s feijoa market is set to increase, as awareness of the exotic fruit continues to grow.
Produce Art founder and self-confessed feijoa fan Rohan Bicknell says he realised there was an untapped market for the fruit when he first imported some from New Zealand six years ago.
“At the time, I was importing New Zealand passionfruit because there was a shortage at the time, and one of the growers asked if I’d like some feijoa as well. So I got some and they sold within a week and that’s how it all got rolling,” he says.
He has since found there is huge demand for the fruit in Australia, primarily driven by ex-pat New Zealanders.
“The demand is incredible, and it’s largely thanks to the majority of New Zealanders living here. Feijoa are that quite a distinct childhood memory for many of them, and being in Australia it’s nice for them to have that again,” he says.
“There’s around 650,000 kiwis living in Australia and their passion for feijoa is overwhelming. But you also get others that have heard about the fruit or are familiar with it, like some Eastern Europeans and we also probably 5-10% of what we sell goes to just everyday Aussies.”
Produce Art supplies both Australian and New Zealand feijoa to the major markets in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.
Mr Bicknell says they currently sell about 20 tonnes of feijoa per season, and expects that number to rise with demand and an increasing number of growers.
“There is huge demand for the fruit, and a real need for more growers to get into it and I’d be happy to point growers in right direction to build this market,” he says.
“At the moment we have about 10 established feijoa growers in Australia, and I’m actually going to have an established orchard in South East Queensland from next year.”
Mr Bicknell says the season in Australia varies depending on the growing region, which has given Produce Art an opportunity to extend the supply period.
“The first farm to have fruit this year was on the Sunshine Coast [in Queensland], and that was in February,” he says.
“Then there’s a grower in Tasmania who can have fruit in late July or August, which is unheard of for most people. Normally the fruit all comes in a massive hit, so you need to get several varieties and different growing regions to extend supply for as long as possible.”
Produce Art currently sells feijoa across Australia from late March to the end of May. It also produces feijoa juice and puree, and sells grafted feijoa trees.
