About Berries Australia
Berries Australia Limited is a joint venture between Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association (ABGA), Strawberries Australia Inc (SAI) and Raspberries and Blackberries Australia Incorporated (RABA). The initiative has resulted in a new proprietary company, limited by guarantee, and managed by a board of directors appointed by the shareholders (ABGA, SAI and RABA).
Berries Australia now represents the single biggest fresh produce line in our supermarkets and our combined value is more than $1 billion. The peak berry industry bodies (ABGA, RABA and SAI) still exist and each has two Directors on the Berries Australia Board, with Anthony Poiner as the independent Chair.
Anthony Poiner took on the role of Berries Australia Chair in 2022, taking over from Peter McPherson who has held the roles of Treasurer and President of the ABGA, and Treasurer for the International Blueberry Organisation (IBO), and in September 2016, was honoured to be elected President of the IBO.
Anthony is the Executive Director of Fresh Produce Group who supply high-quality fruit to customers across Australia and in Asia.
Their mission is to anticipate what customers and consumers will prize in eating quality, presentation and availability of premium fruit. In Australia, the group grow grapes, citrus and berries based on the best genetics and smart farming practices for Australian and Asian customers.
Berries Australia Board of Directors
Directors representing the Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association (ABGA)
| Andrew Bell | Christian Parsons |
|---|---|
| Andrew is the Managing Director of Mountain Blue – a diversified blueberry company, comprising a genetics company, farming operations, commercial nursery and a marketing company. Mountain Blue has significant farming operations, along with a network of third-party growers around Australia that grow genetics owned by Mountain Blue. | Christian is the National Operations Manager for Costa Berries, overseeing more than 725 hectares of berry production across Queensland, New South Wales, Tasmania and Western Australia. Christian has been in senior horticulture roles for over 10 years and has industry committee experience within Rubus, blueberries and avocados. Costa grows blueberry, raspberry, blackberry and strawberry crops which enables Christian to have a whole of berry category perspective as well as a detailed understanding of the challenges of each berry commodity across the country. |
Directors representing Raspberries and Blackberries Australia (RABA)
| Gavin Scurr | Richard McGruddy |
|---|---|
| Gavin is a seasoned fresh produce grower and industry leader respected for farming innovation and commitment to quality. A hands-on visionary, Gavin heads a management team and board of directors. He is former chairman of the Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA), a director of the Raspberry and Blackberry Australia board (RABA) and also the Australian Fresh Produce Alliance (AFPA). Gavin is also on the NT Farmers Association board, is a member of the pineapple industry marketing advisory committee and managing director of joint venture company, BerryWorld Australia. | Richard is the Director of Red Hill Berries based in south-east Queensland. The farms operations use protected cropping, comprehensive IPM strategies and high tech irrigation to grow both strawberries and raspberries. Founded in 2003 on an old pineapple farm at Caboolture, Red Hill Berries now operates across 5 separate sites including Wamuran and Applethorpe on the Granite Belt. |
Directors representing Strawberries Australia (SAI)
| Simon Dornauf | Jamie Michael |
|---|---|
| The Dornauf family has been farming in the Meander Valley just north of Launceston for three generations. Their life in berries began 30 years ago, when Simon’s father, Robin, began growing raspberries for both domestic and export markets. Simon is the Director and Farm Manager of the current family farm, Hillwood Berries in the Tamar Valley. They grow all four of the major berry types; Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries & Blueberries. | Jamie founded Ti Produce Marketing with Lam Ti Muir in 2003 after they recognised a need for a specialised strawberry export company based in Western Australia. Ti Produce largely handles Western Australian winter strawberries. They source fruit from their grower base of approximately 20 growers in the Wanneroo/Carabooda area with a combined planting of approximately 7 million plants. |
