Using technology to digitalise supply chains, improving coordination, production and supply chain efficiency, food journey transparency, reduce losses and improve cross-border trade for the food and agribusiness sector.
The Story family has been producing leafy vegetables for generations. Wishing to innovate, it recognised a market need for cut, washed, and packaged product, supplied as ready-to-eat options for fast food restaurants (QSR), cafes, restaurants, and foodservice markets.
It produces ready-to-use shredded lettuce, carrot, and onion, as well as baby leaf products including spinach, wild rocket, and mesclun. It services customers year-round.
Its products are sold around Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Asia.
Story Fresh credits its relationship with regional industry group Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) as significant to its business transformation. It provided much-needed support, from organising trade missions to fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration.
Story Fresh transformed into a vertically integrated ‘seed-to-plate’ business. From its seeding line, nursery and farms, crops are cut, vacuum-cooled, washed, packed, and on their way as soon as 24 hours after harvest. There is no transport or storage between the farm and processing, resulting in a fresher product.
It implemented leading-edge processing, cold chain management, food safety technology, and traceability, meaning customers can trace the origin of the food from field to plate.
Using more efficient supply chains improves profitability at the farmgate. It also increases consumer confidence in the quality of Australian products, benefitting Australia’s agriculture and rural industries.
This case study is from FIAL's 2022 edition of Celebrating Australian Food and Agribusiness Innovations 2022
