Australia Fruits: AFL proves great for relationship building

Australia Fruits has returned from Asia Fruit Logistica in Hong Kong, where it exhibited alongside some of Australia’s leading fresh produce businesses. The company shared its booth with two of its key grower partners, Wandin Valley Farms and VF Siciliano & Sons.

According to Australia Fruits’ Vince Brullo, the event provides an important opportunity to meet customers face-to-face and strengthen existing relationships.

“It 100% boosts our business and our exposure each year. We introduce customers to our growers so everyone can discuss what is required and what is preferred. Asia Fruit Logistica has been great for our business.”

Australia Fruits is currently focused heavily on citrus, with oranges and mandarins among its main lines. The company also continues to build mixed containers featuring pears, apples, onions, carrots and other Australian produce.

“Our main focus is our mixed shipments, which we load for our Pacific Island customers, along with straight loads for customers in Thailand and Cambodia,” Brullo says.

The company has established a strong niche by servicing smaller customers who prefer the flexibility of mixed containers. While larger growers often manage their own export programs, smaller growers and customers can benefit from Australia Fruits’ ability to consolidate a range of products into a single shipment.

“We focus on mixed containers of citrus for smaller customers who prefer to mix items in one container. We have the facility to do this, and we load all our own containers.”

As the Australian mandarin season winds down, availability of Murcotts from Queensland has become limited, with Victorian Afourers now playing an important role in the market.

However, Brullo says the current citrus market remains challenging, with China continuing to supply Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia with competitively priced end-of-season varieties.

Despite the challenges, Brullo remains positive about the outlook for Australian produce and believes quality remains Australia’s key point of difference.

“I’m an optimistic person. I never really focus on problems, just finding solutions. I’m optimistic about the coming summer fruit season. Our customers are still very keen to continue buying the highest-quality fruit and vegetables from Australia.

“We certainly don’t do the volume that Chile and Peru may do, but we focus on high-end, high-quality premium products. It’s what Australia is known for. Demand for these products will never go away.”

For Australia Fruits, maintaining a strong presence at Asia Fruit Logistica is an important part of its international business strategy.

The company has exhibited at 18 of the 19 Asia Fruit Logistica events held, making the show an important annual fixture for its export business.

“We find it a great place to meet our existing customers and international suppliers, but we also meet many new and potential customers each and every year,” Brullo says.

For Australian fresh produce exporters, building and maintaining strong relationships throughout Asia is critical. Asia Fruit Logistica provides an opportunity to bring customers, growers and suppliers together in one location, allowing exporters to conduct multiple meetings and strengthen relationships without the need for extensive international travel.

“AFL helps us strengthen our relationships while saving us from having to make so many trips to visit customers and suppliers. It’s a one-stop shop for us.

“We no longer have to fly to China, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other markets individually. They’re all there, and we see them at our scheduled meetings over the three-day event.”

For Australia Fruits, the focus remains clear: building long-term relationships, supplying premium Australian produce and continuing to find opportunities for Australian growers across Asian and Pacific markets.

For more information:
Vince Brullo
Australia Fruits
Tel: + 61 3 9338 8245
vince@austfruits.com.au
www.austfruits.com.auPublication date: Wed 9 Sep 2026

© FreshPlaza.com / David Rule