Australia’s largest glasshouse producer of fresh fruit and vegetables, Flavorite, has continued to expand further in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District (GMID) with the addition of a six-hectare glasshouse at their Tatura site.
The family-owned operation began in 1993, with 1,200 square metres of greenhouses built in Warragul, Gippsland Victoria with the intention to produce the best tasting Australian-grown tomatoes 12 months of the year.
The business now spans four farms throughout Victoria in Warragul and Mansfield, in addition to the GMID region in Katunga and Tatura, with over 70 hectares (ha) of produce under glass. The business produces tomatoes, capsicums, cucumbers, blueberries and has already diversified into healthy snack size varieties within each of these segments.
Energy efficient expansion at Tatura
The Tatura glasshouse opened in July 2022 and was developed with support from the Victorian Government’s Victorian Business Growth Fund and Regional Jobs Fund.
“This new six-hectare glasshouse will produce a further 4,000 tonnes of tomatoes a year and increase our employee base from 110 to 170 employees,” Flavorite chief executive Mike Nichol said.
“This project will help grow our business, diversify our product range, create more jobs for regional Victoria and drive sustainable agriculture.
“Without these initiatives and partnerships, we wouldn’t be able to achieve our vision for growth. It just shows what can be achieved when government and industry work together.”
Unlike traditional field farming, Flavorite’s glasshouse production enables them to control all aspects of the growing environment. With access to the latest technology and extensive growing experience, Flavorite glasshouse tomato production yields 80kg per square meter versus field tomato production which yields 6.9kg per square meter. Further to this, glasshouse production only requires 22 litres of water to produce 1kg of tomatoes versus field production which requires 116 litres of water to produce 1kg of tomatoes.
Moving forward, more efficient supply chain processes and new technologies will be implemented to reduce waste, food miles and increase the quality assurance and compliance of Flavorite’ s fresh produce.
Preparing for the future
Flavorite is focused on the future with confidence that the GMID has the regional support systems in place to achieve their business goals.
“This region is resilient and ever advancing with new technologies and innovations to remain efficient and competitive on the global stage,” Mike said.
There are plans to expand the business with another 12-hectare glasshouse, 40 megalitre dam and 12,000 square metre state-of-the-art packhouse and logistics facility at the Tatura site. All of this will create more jobs for the local communities.
