WINNER- Jenny Mercer, APAL Marketer of the Year 2023
1st June 2023
WA Farm Direct’s Managing Director, Jenny Mercer, wins Marketer of the Year Award at the 2023 APAL Awards for Excellence.
WAFD presented with the Innovation & Global Vision Partner Award
29th May 2023
WA Farm Direct was presented with this award from CP Group Thailand in late May 2023. The award recognised WA Farm Direct’s work on the 2022 Australian Bravo apple exports programme throughout Thailand.
WAAVIC- WA Apple Variety & Innovation Conference
28th - 31st March 2023
Our event kicked off with the pre-conference program with Wholesalers and Market Agents on 28th March, ending the day with a Welcome Dinner at Crown Perth. The 29 & 30/3 in Pemberton was filled with technology, orchard tours and events.
WINNER- Jenny Mercer, APAL Marketer of the Year 2023
WA Farm Direct’s Managing Director, Jenny Mercer, wins Marketer of the Year Award at the 2023 APAL Awards for Excellence.
We are thrilled to announce that Jenny Mercer has been awarded the prestigious APAL Marketer of the Year.
This esteemed accolade recognizes Jenny's exceptional contributions, innovative marketing strategies, and unwavering commitment to promoting Australian apples both domestically and internationally.
Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) Marketer of the Year award is a testament to Jenny's expertise and dedication in driving successful Bravo® and Soluna™ apple marketing campaigns, increasing brand visibility, and effectively communicating the unique qualities of Australian apples. Her visionary approach has played a pivotal role in expanding the market reach of Bravo® and Soluna™ apples and elevating the reputation of WA Farm Direct as a leading player in the horticulture industry.
There were 2 other notable WA winners who also work closely with the Bravo® apple program; Ann Lyster, Fruit West Cooperative Chair and Lyster Orchards Director won the APAL Women in Horticulture Award. Along with Murray Collins winning the APAL Grower of the Year Award. These prestigious awards are accolades that are well deserved and highlight the great work each recipient is undertaking in the apple industry.
Jenny’s collaborative approach has fostered strong relationships with her team at WA Farm Direct, industry partners, retailers, and growers, further strengthening the position of Australian apples in the domestic and international markets.
"I am deeply honoured to receive the APAL Marketer of the Year award," expressed Jenny. "This recognition is a reflection of the collective effort of our team at WA Farm Direct and the support of our ANABP 01 growers. It is a privilege to work with such a remarkable team that is dedicated to delivering exceptional Australian apples to consumers across the globe."
Pictured: Mark Scott APAL Director, Ann Lyster Women in Horticulture winner, Murray Collins Grower of the Year winner, Jenny Mercer Marketer of the Year winner, Nardia Stacy Pomewest and Jason Jarvis Chair Pomewest - subcommittee of Agricultural Produce Commission.
Innovation & Global Vision Partner Award
WA Farm Direct is thrilled to have been awarded the prestigious Innovation & Global Vision Partner Award by CP Group Thailand.
WA Farm Direct was honoured to be awarded with the Innovation & Global Vision Partner Award from CP Group Thailand on Monday night in Bangkok. Sean Engelbrecht, Commercialisation Manager at WA Farm Direct was there to accept the award for the 2022 premium Australian Bravo® apple exports program throughout Thailand.
CP Group Thailand, a renowned company in the food industry, has bestowed this esteemed award upon WA Farm Direct in recognition of their exceptional performance and dedication to excellence for premium apple exports in 2022. The Innovation & Global Vision Partner Award showcases WA Farm Direct's cutting-edge practices, technological advancements, and their ability to align with CP Group’s vision for sustainable and efficient food production.
Australian Bravo® apple growers are celebrating a resounding success as their produce gains significant popularity and recognition in Thailand with the prestigious award. The fresh, crisp, and flavourful Australian Bravo® apples have made a remarkable display in Makro supermarkets throughout Thailand, capturing the taste buds of consumers.
Thailand, known for its vibrant culinary scene and discerning consumers, has embraced the premium quality and distinct flavour profiles of Australian Bravo® apples. This newfound appreciation is evident through increased demand, favourable consumer reviews, and the growing presence of Bravo® apple in Thai supermarkets.
"We are immensely honoured to receive the Innovation & Global Vision Partner Award from CP Group Thailand," said Jenny Mercer, Managing Director of WA Farm Direct. "This recognition highlights the dedication and hard work of our team, over a number of years, as well as our passion in the horticulture sector. We are proud to partner with CP Group Thailand and contribute to their vision for the future of Australian premium produce in Thailand."
The entire team at WA Farm Direct would like to express their gratitude to CP Group Thailand for recognizing their efforts and awarding them with the Innovation & Global Vision Partner Award. They also extend their appreciation to their customers, growers, partners, and stakeholders for their continued support and trust.
Sean Engelbrecht said “we are honoured to receive this award and excited about launching the new
Soluna™ brand this season with Makro and Lotus supermarkets in Thailand.”
WAAVIC - WA Apple Variety & Innovation Conference
Our event kicked off with the pre-conference program with Wholesalers and Market Agents on 28th March, ending the day with a Welcome Dinner at Crown Perth. The 29 & 30/3 in Pemberton was filled with technology, orchard tours and events.
WA Apple Variety & Innovation Conference 28 - 31 March 2023 a huge success!
The conference partners, WA Farm Direct, Fruit West, Pomewest and DPIRD were delighted to host and entertain Australian and International growers, packers and over the three days.
WAAVIC commenced at the Crown Perth Astral Ballroom with guests speakers, Heather Brayford, Director General of Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) welcoming the participants and highlighting the successes in their apple breeding program whilst, key speaker Bernard Salt gave his view of current global market trends for premium and luxury brands particularly after the impact of the pandemic.
The conference was based in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, with the base being at RAC Karri Valley Resort and orchards visited throughout Donnybrook, Kirup and Manjimup where the guests travelling by coach, welcomed to the beautiful forest region of Western Australia.
Wednesday and Thursday's program was jammed packed with orchard visits, DPIRD Australian Apple Breeding Nursery tour and new varietal tastings at DPIRD. In addition to the orchard visits there was new technology showcased to assist growers; Croptracker is able to scan a bin of fruit in seconds and provide a size and colour profile directly onto a handheld device; Aero Vine provides scan of the tree canopy to highlight density of fruit set and flowering with Source Certain providing details on the provenance traceability on premium branded fruit. With technology also came trials and growers were provided information for Alternaria trials which were undertaken on Pink Lady apples in Manjimup.
Fruit West also had the opportunity to articulate to Australian growers the international plan for ANABP 01 being Soluna™ with TopStar. There will be some exciting export opportunities for Australian growers in the very near future.