Kiwifruit and avocados exporter Global Fresh NZ Ltd has set up a Brisbane-based subsidiary company.

Called Global Fresh Australia Pty Ltd, it begins operations on April 1 and is designed to get closer to the point of sale for a significant portion of its product range.

New Zealand kiwifruit, supplied by Global Fresh, on sale in an Australian supermarket.

Global Fresh managing director Andrew Darling says currently, 100 per cent of the company's kiwifruit and more than 80 per cent of avocado sales are being made in Australia. 'So faced with an increasing market share, and the ever-changing market dynamics not so easily read from New Zealand, we felt it was time to invest in the market and get closer to our customer base.”

The company has initiated a recruitment search for a senior in-market representative to help drive sales and service for its nationwide customer network, both for direct retail programmes and wholesale activity.

Additionally, GFA will also provide a platform for the expansion of Global Fresh's Australian-sourced produce exports back to New Zealand for niche retail programmes being developed here.

'In the past 12 months we took our first steps into the global-sourcing arena, handling premium tomatoes and mangoes from one of our Australian associates,” says Andrew.

'Further products are planned, as well as the extension of import-export activity involving a USA-based global produce company specialised in sourcing and selling a range of fresh fruit and vegetable lines to and from all parts of the world.

'For the New Zealand product range being sold within Australia, GFA has a very simple founding objective and that is to lift sales values, reduce logistics costs and add to customer value. Improved grower returns will be delivered back as a result,” says Andrew.

Global Fresh has about a 13 per cent share of kiwifruit to Australia and 22 per cent of the avocado category in New Zealand, through its subsidiary Just Avocados Ltd.