When Harris Farm Markets began in 1971, the family’s name went on the door. Fifty-five years later, that same family is now a Certified B Corporation™, not by reinventing the business, but by putting independent verification behind the values it has always operated on.
“We’ve been doing things for the Greater Goodness since 1971, so to be a Certified B Corp now is something we’re really proud of,” said Luke Harris, Co-CEO of Harris Farm Markets. “And we’re excited about what it gives us. B Corp is built to help good businesses get even better, and that’s exactly what we want to keep doing.”
The certification, awarded by independent global standards body B Lab, demonstrates that a company meets integrated social, environmental, and governance standards. More than 10,000 companies hold the certification worldwide. Harris Farm joins a select group of B Corp Certified fresh food retailers worldwide.
Harris Farm Markets has consistently moved early on the issues that matter: single-use plastic bags were removed in 2017 before regulation required it; the business transitioned to cage-free eggs in 2018 before it became industry standard; and the Coloured by Nature commitment removed artificial colours and flavours from shelf ahead of widespread industry adoption. “The Neighbourhood Goodness Program extends that same ethos into Harris Farm Markets’ local communities, supporting schools, charities and community organisations in the neighbourhoods where the business operates,” according to the retailer.
“At the heart of Harris Farm Markets’ model is a belief that doing the right thing and offering real value are not in conflict. Imperfect Picks, launched in 2014, relaxed cosmetic specifications so more of what farmers grow can actually sell, misshapen or blemished fruit and vegetables at lower prices, kept out of landfill.” To date, the program has rescued more than 54 million kilograms of fruit and vegetables that would otherwise have been rejected on appearance alone.
Harris Farm Markets’ supply chain is built around “what nature actually produces”. “Fresh fruit and vegetable buyers are at the Sydney Markets early each morning, moving fruit and veg from farm to shelf within hours. The business buys whole crops directly from growers, including Balmoral Orchards for avocados and Bite Riot for cherries, which means it sees suppliers through both the good seasons and the bad.”
“We want to ensure our suppliers are able to provide season after season,” said Angus Harris, Co-CEO. “Sometimes nature brings a bad crop. It’s our job to see them through it.”
Harris Farm Market’s shelves carry a growing range of fellow Certified B Corps, including Tony’s Chocolonely, Who Gives A Crap and Ecostore, reflecting supplier relationships built on shared values.
“B Corp Certification is not set and forget. The recertification requirements on evolving standards and the public commitment to continuous improvement mean Harris Farm Markets has said, on the record, that it will keep getting better.”
“We are not perfect, and we have never claimed to be,” said Luke Harris. “This is our commitment to keep working at it.”
For more information on Harris Farm Market’s grower relationships, values in practice and community partnerships, visit harrisfarm.com.au/pages/greater-goodness-hub.
