Being in the thick of it with his customers is what has kept Andrew Gartrell’s produce marketing business, A.B. Gartrell, thriving since relocating to the Philippines in late 2013. “The Philippines represents a cost effective base to service the Asian market with a easy going western style culture located in the heart of Asia,” notes Mr Gartrell. The main office is located in the Special Economic Zone, about two hours outside Manila, and close to a small international airport servicing most of the rest of Asia.
That means that the business is accessible to customers, providing cost effective representation and negotiating the best rates on behalf of customers. Mr Gartrell can also respond in a way he would never be able to from his Australian base. “We are on the spot to review product outturns and provide timely market reconnaissance,” he says.
The main problem for Australian growers and producers is one of bureaucracy, and it has made life very difficult for those with an oversupply trying to make a living through exporting their produce, according to Mr Gartrell.
“Australian growers are in a difficult position in many instances due to the ongoing failure of the Australian bureaucracy to develop workable market access protocols,” he says. This impacts the Cherry industry in particular, as Mr Gartrell points out. “My US growers can access almost every market in Asia with a phyto but mainland Australian cherry growers continue to lose markets across Asia each year with only Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong readily accessible with genuinely workable air freight protocols.”
A.B. Gartrell has a range of value added products, including cherry liquor and Biteriot cherry and apple juices. The fresh produce it markets is imported from Australia and the US, and includes cherries, table grapes, nectarines, peaches, plums, apples and pears.
AB Gartrell also maintains an Australian base, at Nashdale in New South Wales. As for what’s coming next? ‘’A B Gartrell Philippines would like to expand into a broader range of fruit products including an expanded range of wines and beverages, European Pome and Stone fruits into Asia and build a position in the export of Philippine tropical fruit products’’ says Mr Gartrell
For more information
Andrew GartrellA.B. Gartrell
Phone: Australia +61 401 338 684, Philippines +63 454 995 193