N&A Group celebrates 70 years in the Australian produce sector

The N&A Group, an Australian fresh produce business owned by the Cathels family, is marking 70 years of operation.

The company traces its origins to 1956, when David Cathels Snr purchased N&A Fruit Distributors while the Sydney Fresh Produce Markets were based at Haymarket. In 1967, the business expanded into production with the purchase of the Ardrossan apple orchard in Batlow, New South Wales, following years of sourcing fruit from growers in the region.

Over the following decades, David’s sons, Rob and Ian Cathels, joined the business. The company expanded its operations to include five orchards in Batlow and multiple sites within the Sydney Markets complex. Rob Cathels managed sales and distribution activities in Sydney, while Ian Cathels oversaw production operations in Batlow.

Today, the N&A Group includes sales operations at the Sydney Markets, orchards in Batlow, an organics division, an export division, and a 7,500-square-meter distribution and cool storage facility in Western Sydney. In 2022, the company acquired Victorian stone fruit producer Sunland Fresh Fruit in partnership with the DeMaio family.

A third generation of the Cathels family has also joined the business, with Davey and Hannah Cathels and Jack Cathels working across different areas of the company.

Rob Cathels said: “Our key supply partners make up a network of like-minded, family-run fresh produce businesses throughout the country… these relationships have been built over 40-plus years of working together and without them we wouldn’t be where we are today”.

The company said it remains focused on developing its operations, investing in new opportunities, and supplying Australian-grown produce to domestic and export markets.

Source: Retail World