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COLES’ NEW $43M RIPENING FACILITY Coles has invested $43 million in a new ripening facility in Melbourne that it says will support banana, avocado and mango growers in North Queensland and provide customers with “top- quality” fresh fruit all year round. The facility in Melbourne’s west – said to have the capacity to ripen 350 million pieces of fruit every year – was built as part of a five-year agreement between Coles and growers collective Mackays Marketing. Coles will use this facility to ripen fruit from farmers across Australia, including the North Queensland growing regions such as Tully, Lakeland, Innisfail and Mareeba, before being sold in more than 270 supermarkets across Victoria and South Australia. Using “best in class” new reversible-air-flow ripening technology, the 7280sqm facility is claimed to be 70 per cent more energy efficient than traditional ‘tarped’ ripening systems, producing fruit that has been ripened as it’s needed, improving shelf life for customers and reducing waste. Mackays Marketing CEO Richard Clayton says the partnership with Coles will be instrumental in encouraging greater consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables to create a healthier nation. “This project has bought best practice ripening technology to Coles and this will help us continue to regularly provide the very best quality bananas, avocados and mangoes to consumers,” he said. “Our farming families are proud of the produce they grow and excited to see a reduction of waste produce as we extend the shelf life of the fruit. “Australians need to keep their immune systems strong and there’s no better way to do this than a regular diet of fresh fruit and vegetables.” The facility, rated 5-star under the Green Building Council NEWS of Australia’s Green Star national, voluntary rating system for buildings and communities, incorporates sustainability measures, including rainwater tanks with a combined capacity of 100,000lt, and more than 1790 solar panels (which are said to be capable of generating electricity equivalent to the annual usage of more than 86 average Australian homes). Coles Group Chief Commercial Officer Greg Davis says the ripening facility will help drive generational sustainability for Coles and Australian farmers. “We’re delighted to be supporting horticulture jobs across Queensland and other growing regions by replacing old technology with more sustainable alternatives,” he said. “Bananas are one of the most popular products in our supermarkets, and by partnering with key growers and investing in sustainability throughout our supply chain we can continue to offer top-quality Australian fruit to our customers. COLES LAUNCHES DIGITAL ‘SPECIALS AND INSPIRATION’ CHANNEL Coles has launched coles&co, which it describes as a brand-new experience that will offer the “very best” specials alongside exclusive content to inspire customers with new products, tips, and recipes. “With COVID-19, we’ve really seen a shift to online shopping in the last few months, as lots of our customers try our contactless home delivery and Click&Collect services for the first time,” Coles Group CEO Steven Cain said. “We’ve also seen an increase of more than 50 per cent in readership for our digital catalogue since March. “We are living at a time of unprecedented societal change, including a surge in the diversity of consumer tastes and dietary needs. As customers add more fresh food to their diet they’re shopping more often, and their appetite for immediacy and digital information means a weekly, one-size-fits-all catalogue in their letterbox is no longer as relevant for them as it once was. “We’re using our digital capabilities to replace it with something more personalised. As we add new features, this could include recipes that change daily rather than weekly, as well as tailored content on food and drink trends. “We will be investing more in digital content and capability for customers and suppliers, as well as better value by lowering the cost of breakfast, lunch and dinner, and improving our sustainability by reducing our reliance on paper.” Coles&co features “shoppable specials”, allowing customers to shop straight from the screen. “Just tap on a product to add it to your basket,” the retailer said, “and then check out via our online shopping services – or save it as a shopping list to take with you when shopping in-store.” Coles chefs and other contributors, including “customer favourite” Curtis Stone, are set to provide new content every day, including tips and tricks on how to make the most of in-season fruit and veggies, and recipes for quick, simple and “healthy” meals to help customers eat better while saving money. AUG, 2020 RETAIL WORLD 7