The Ryan Navel, better known as the 'Koala Easy Peel' orange, is a relatively new development in commercial citrus fruit. The original variety has been around for over 60 years since it was first discovered as a limb sport near Sydney.
Belvedere Fruit Growers, located in Mildura undertook extensive research and development over the years to overcome the previous limitations of the Ryan Navel oranges to reinvent great eating oranges and evolve into Koala Easy Peel. Koala Easy Peels have a softer skin, making it easier to peel like a mandarin, the fruit is also sweeter and juicier than regular orange varieties on the market; far less messy and segments into pieces easily which makes for a perfect snacking fruit for eating on the go or kids lunch box treat.
“For Belvedere, ongoing research and investment into tree management and procurement provides guaranteed quality, consistent sweet fruit as increasingly demanded by consumers and the development of quality partners and wholesalers. Our track record since its inception has shown that Koala Easy Peels have flourished when grown under permanent protective shade netting and on the appropriate rootstock in the rich red loamy irrigated soils of Sunraysia,” commented Paul Scopelliti, Grower and Company Director of Belvedere.
The fruit is harvested from early June through to October and already is in high demand from various outlets that include, independent supermarkets and selected grocers domestically and internationally.
“Overall, this season’s start has been steady for Koala Easy Peels. We have experienced positive trends in terms of both outputs and quality. In terms of volumes, we have seen a good start to production of our Koala Easy Peel oranges and other citrus varieties. With a cooler than normal summer, followed by favourable weather conditions, we have seen increased volumes but somewhat smaller size profile, which will allow us to meet the growing demand for our Koala Easy Peel in our popular 1kg convenient snack pack. Last season was longer than usual (we were picking right up until early November); therefore we expect this year's yield to revert back to normal time frames of finishing early October.”
The company has implemented rigorous quality control measures throughout the entire production process to ensure high quality fruit grading and also ideal weather conditions playing a vital role in ensuring the exceptional flavour, juiciness, and overall quality of the oranges.
Brand refresh
Koala Easy Peel has recently had a brand refresh to reflect the commitment to quality, freshness, and convenience. The brand refresh aims to capture the core essence of the product – innovative farming, product legacy and evolving markets for our oranges.
“One of the most noticeable changes is our updated Koala logo. We have retained the adorable and iconic koala, a recognised character of our brand locally and internationally, but have applied a more modern and friendlier look, our aim is to ensure our brand awareness remains amongst customers whilst continually reaching out to new audiences.
“Overall, the brand refresh of Koala Easy Peel orange aims to rejuvenate our image and better connect to audiences of all ages and cultures. With our fruit being available in more locations; it made sense to update the Koala logo to something that is more present and has the adaptability to be showcased digitally. Aligned with the recent logo update, we’ve also overhauled our website which displays the new creative suite in full, along with a platform highlights the history of our farms and a convenient stockist location page, that allows customers find their closest Koala Easy Peel stockists.”
Expanding markets
Belvedere have strategically expanded their markets with Koala Easy Peel oranges, to cater to the growing demand for convenient and high-quality citrus fruit. Domestically, they supply to major outlets such as Woolworths, wholesale fruit markets and local grocery stores across the southeast border of Australia and as far as Darwin. This year working closely with Sam Vasala and his export arm, Sai World, Koala brand has entered into markets across Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Korea, Canada and additional Asian regions.
Beyond the Easy Peel oranges, Belvedere also supplies other lines of citrus fruits to domestic and international markets. Their portfolio includes a wide variety of oranges, including Late Lane navels, Washington Navels, Cara Cara, M7, Blood oranges, and specialty citrus lines like Imperial and Afourer mandarins and lemon varieties. These products are distributed across the same local and export markets as the Koala Easy Peels.
“We have been witnessing a significant and growing demand for citrus fruits in Australia, citrus fruits have long been a favourite among local consumers, and their popularity continues to rise especially since the pandemic era. During winter, when the availability of fresh local produce is limited, citrus often tends to emerges as a vibrant and refreshing option for consumers.
“Additionally, the convenience and easy peeling feature of our Koala Easy Peel oranges have contributed to their popularity in the local citrus market. Our oranges help save time and effort for consumers who desire a quick and hassle-free citrus experience. This convenience factor has resonated well with busy individuals and families, who appreciate the accessibility and simplicity of enjoying a juicy and nutritious orange, especially during the colder months.”
History
Paul Scopelliti (Senior) first settled in Mildura (located in North West Victoria) in the early 1950's after migrating from Italy; Where he pioneered the Mediterranean culture of growing fruit and vegetables acclimatized to the Australian conditions. He soon established himself as one of the districts most successful and profitable growers of fruit and vegetables focusing on zucchinis, green beans and glasshouse variants including capsicums, eggplant, tomatoes and rockmelons (which he was known as the Rockmelon King) whilst experimenting with other fruit such as citrus, dried fruit and wine grapes using innovative techniques to extract higher than usual production yields off minimal input.
It was later that he formed the company Belvedere Fruit Growers (meaning ‘beautiful to see’), which he passed down to his sons.
Since the formation of Belvedere Fruit Growers the team have continually expanded and grown to become a diverse innovative business being recognized for their premier brand and services in both national and global markets. In total Belvedere has now seen their operations expand since its inception in 1975, to over 280 hectares of citrus, table grapes, avocados and mango production.
For more information:
Paul M Scopelliti
Belvedere Fruit Growers
Tel: +61417395965
sales@belvederefruit.com
www.koalaeasypeel.com.au
www.belvederefruit.com.au