One of Australia's largest fresh produce companies, Perfection Fresh, is celebrating 45 years in business. Michael Simonetta, CEO and son of its founder Antonio (Tony) Simonetta, said his father would be ‘immensely proud’ of its operations today.
Simonetta said his father founded the company in 1978, determined to build trust and reliability within the market. It initially sold mainly lettuce, cauliflower, and broccoli.
“He would be honoured that we’re still working with some of the same families we began this journey with many years ago,” said Simonetta.
Michael Simonetta joined the business in 1984 in sales. He recognised a growing consumer demand for more choice, so set about transforming the company by branching into a broader range of produce and varieties.
A highlight of this was introducing Broccolini in 1999. Simonetta said it resonated extremely well with Australian customers and set Perfection Fresh on the path of marketing proprietary products with trademarked varieties.
Perfection Fresh chief marketing and innovation officer, Luke Gibson, said innovation was at the heart of the business.
“Delivering solutions and new ideas is in our DNA, and that commitment to innovation has enabled Perfection Fresh to meet the ever-evolving demands of the market,” said Gibson.
Some highlights of Perfection Fresh’s 45-year journey:
- Introduced vacuum cooling of field-grown lettuce in Gatton and Werribee, resulting in superior product quality and extended shelf life;
- pioneered the branding of fresh produce, starting with the introduction of Broccolini in 1999, resulting in a market-leading portfolio of proprietary branded products today;
- introduced grape tomatoes into Australia in 2001 called ‘The Original Grape Tomato’; and
- during the early 2000s, introduced flow-wrapped truss tomatoes to the market, enhancing product quality and shelf life.
Launched this month, Perfection Fresh introduced its new Air Fryer Vege range, offering the 62 per cent of Australian households that own and use an air fryer (or an oven) greater cause to include fresh produce at mealtimes.
While Perfection Fresh continues expanding its product offerings and investing in sustainable practices, Simonetta says one constant has remained - its people.
“It's proven in tenure time. As the business grows, so do all the people in it,” said Simonetta.
