MARKET TOURS
Q: Where does the fresh fruit and vegetable in Sydney come from?
There is no better way to get inspired by fresh produce, than to brave the early morning hustle and bustle of Sydney Markets with an experienced buyer as your guide. With an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables sold through Sydney Produce Market and Sydney Growers Market annually, knowing the who, what, where and why of the markets, is the key to serving up quality produce all year round.
After more than 35 years navigating produce markets around Australia, Simon George & Sons Director, Damian George is a more than qualified host. Damian’s broad product knowledge and relationships with the wholesalers, makes for a morning packed full of information, banter and fresh flavours.
The Market Tour kicks off at the largest Flower market in Australia before moving on to the functional mayhem of the Produce and Growers Markets. Here you get to see first hand the vast range of produce on display and learn the characteristics that buyers look for in their stock. These unique insights can successfully give you the edge on the competition, whether it be a reminder that purple carrots exist or what not to buy that week. To complete the experience, the tour wraps up at Scala Café, where a good breakfast and a hot coffee sets the perfect tone for the day ahead.
A: The Sydney Markets are the main source for the fruit and vegetables in supermarkets, restaurants, greengrocers, exporters and food processors in Sydney. Approximately 120 Wholesalers, 394 Produce Growers, 172 Flower Growers-Sellers and over 160 supporting businesses are located on site at Flemington. The combined sales from the Produce and Growers markets reach an impressive $3 billion annually.
SAFETY DOESN’T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT
Sourcing product from accredited suppliers is the best way for businesses to protect themselves from the very real cost of unsafe food practices. It only takes one bad egg for your business to be left facing litigation, hefty fines, forced closure and widespread bad publicity.
The deadly ‘Spanish cucumber’ Ecoli outbreak in Europe (which ended up actually being caused by sprouts grown from contaminated seeds) reminded the culinary world that no matter where you fall on the food chain, taking chances with food safety is not an option.
Here are some good questions to ask your suppliers, if you want to avoid headlining the morning rag and the dreaded ‘Name and Shame’ website:
- Have you had any contact with a person with a shiny badge (Food Authority)?
- Are you HACCP accredited? If so can you provide current HACCP and Food Authority certificates? HACCP is an internationally accepted food risk management system. Accreditation demonstrates the investment of time and money to establish and maintain world-class food safety protocols
- If pending, when will your HACCP accreditation be finalised? The average timeframe for achieving HACCP accreditation is 6 months. The process may take longer if the amount of work required to meet the set criteria is extensive or complex
- What are you accredited for? This question ensures compliance for all areas of the business- i.e. processing , storage, transport
- Are your agents/suppliers required to provide HACCP accreditation?
- Does your Food Authority licence cover all products/areas of the business? This is important as specific licences are issued for transporting high risk products such as eggs and plant material, as well as high risk areas such as processing stations
- If contamination is discovered, are you able to trace and recall goods promptly?
- Do you undertake regular micro-testing of your processed goods?
- Do you undertake regular micro-testing of your environment?
- Are your goods transported in an approved , temperature controlled vehicle?
- Do you regularly check the temperature of your vehicles and cool rooms?
- Do you have an ongoing pest control program?
- Have your food handling staff undergone thorough training in safety procedures?
The estimated annual cost of food poisoning in Australia is $1.25 billion. NSW and the public health system bear roughly 1/3rd of these costs. On average 5.4 million Australians contract food poisoning each year, resulting in 120 deaths, 1.2 million doctor’s visits, 300,000 prescriptions and 2.1 million sick days.
THE BIG CHILL
Q: What was the first refrigerated vehicle for transporting fresh food on land?
At Simon George & Sons we keep our cool in our new fleet of refrigerated delivery vehicles. Custom built by Hino and Therma Truck, the fleet’s cutting-edge design makes it possible for Simon George & Sons to deliver the freshest produce safely and reliably every time.
The bespoke Therma Truck bodies are made of the highest quality materials, going over and above standard product handling requirements. Moulded fibreglass panels with a polyurethane foam core insulate the vehicle and aid temperature recovery, ensuring the last delivery of the day is as fresh as the first. The panels are seamless, easily cleaned and fitted with load restraints; making the trucks efficient, hygienic and secure.
To help us improve our service, a state of the art tracking system has been installed in all Simon George & Sons vehicles. The system allows us to provide instant feedback on the location of deliveries, monitor potential delays and streamline delivery routes to better serve our clients. The upshot, no more 'Car 54, where are you?’!
Simon George & Sons strives to deliver the highest quality product and reliable service to our business partners. We are committed to offering an innovative approach to fruit and veg that that will benefit both our clients and the industry as a whole... while we stay cool!
A: Refrigerated railroad cars. In 1867, J.B. Sutherland of Detroit, Michigan patented the refrigerator car, designed with ice tanks at either end of the car it had ventilator flaps near the floor which created a draft of cold air through the car.