Supporting domestic produce
AU: Coles loans mango grower $500k
The announcement came as Manbulloo managing director Marie Piccone was recognised as Entrepreneur of the Year at the National Telstra Business Women's Awards in Melbourne recently for the success of her business.
Manbulloo Mangoes is the nation’s largest producer of Kensington Pride mangoes.
The Manbulloo team will sell more than 4.5 million mangoes through Coles this season.
As demand for the tropical fruit increases, Manbulloo will embark on a major expansion project over the next four years, planting nearly 22,000 new mango trees on 130 hectares at its Katherine farm.
To kick start the project, Manbullo will use funding from the Coles Nurture Fund to prepare 30 hectares of land, install a bore and irrigation system, and plant 5500 trees.
Coles managing director John Durkan said Manbulloo Mangoes had supplied Coles with top quality mangoes for nine years.
As part of the project, Manbulloo will employ about 60 additional people during peak season to harvest the extra volume and work in a second shift in its existing packing shed.
The business will also invest about $1 million in an additional 15 picking machines to pick the extra volume of mangoes once production increases.
Ms Piccone said the company sees a bright future working closely with Coles.
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