Abbotsleigh and Seven Fields join forces with a focus on farm gate returns

Abbotsleigh Citrus have joined with Seven Fields to have all of their citrus production marketed through Seven Fields. Together with Seven Fields’ own production in Katherine and Sunraysia, the volume of produce covered will mean Seven Fields is able to offer lemons to the domestic market for 12 months of the year, and easy-peel mandarins from March until November. The exports of both businesses will also be combined so that Abbotsleigh’s Honey Murcott mandarins will be added to Seven Fields’ navel orange and easy-peel offerings.

Until recently Abbotsleigh Citrus had its supermarket sales managed by Seven Fields, but now that relationship will extend to all domestic wholesale market sales and export lines.

Head of Produce Marketing at Seven Fields, Brett Jackson is excited by the prospect of being able to serve citrus customers for the whole year from a number of regions. “Being able to source such a high volume of quality produce from a diverse number of properties and facilities means that together all of the growers supplying Abbotsleigh and Seven Fields are able to benefit from building regular and long-standing relationships with citrus buyers”.

Abbotsleigh Citrus managing partner, Michael McMahon is already enjoying the benefits of the relationship with Seven Fields on his supermarket sales. “Seven Fields provide the service my supermarket customers need, and they do it in a fully transparent way where I remain in touch with the customers but am not over-burdened with the day-to-day operations. This means I can get on with growing good fruit.”

Joining forces across with all of their marketing business further cements the close ties between Abbotsleigh Citrus and Seven Fields who also share knowledge, resources, and achieve economies of scale when dealing with suppliers to both businesses.

Jackson believes that being as both businesses are growers, both have a long term commitment to increasing farm gate returns. “Both Abbotsleigh and Seven Fields have made big investments in permanent tree plantings and are vertically integrated. Sales and marketing strategies have to support the whole business, and it’s this long term thinking which sets us apart from many of our competitors.”

For more information:
Brett Jackson
Seven Fields
Tel: +61 7 3120 3330
Email: Brett.Jackson@sevenfields.com.au
www.sevenfields.com.au

Publication date: Tue 22 Apr 2014