THE disappering choice of products on major supermarket shelves.

Deetric · Veteran Member

THE disappering choice of products on major supermarket shelves.

KFT · Guru

I felt the same when I went looking for aussie asparagus

all I could find was Brazilian or chinese.

so what happened to all the edgells farms in aus that used to grow asparagus,corn,caulies,carrots and other vegies?

frank

Hendo · Guru

Me and her went on the Harvest Trail for 2 months back in 2005, worked on an orchard near Shepperton thinning Pink Lady apples ( picking off excess fruit, leaving only two apples per stem ). Commented to the owner that it seemed such a waste, couldn't they be used for juice as the Ardmona Juice factory was only 7ks away. His reply.... they can import juice cheap from California! Go figure!!!!

SnowT · Guru

IT's a Sad Day when we have import's on our selves that are cheaper than Home Grown..

USA - subsidies there farmer's..
We do nothing.. the Only way to help out Farmer is to be Consistent and Pay for Aust Good's..
- 1 of the major issues is the fact that Our major supermarket's are mainly owned from Overseas company's and they want to maximize the Profit's they get..

They Don't Pay the Australian Farmer a Fair enough Price so they can cover their cost's..
- Our Dairy industry is a major factor where the Farmer's are getting cent's on the dollar.. You would think that they could get more for what their produce but they don't..

A number of Farm in the Shepparton Area have Bulldozed their crop's as they were not getting enough money to cover cost.. The Land was worth more..

Me.. I really think that the Farmer's Need to diversify into other thing's.. For Example.. Apple Grower's, uses their Excess Apple to make Apple cider of the Alcoholic type.. Make their Own Boutique cider..
I know of a Tiny little Brewery that import's[brings in the material's] and Makes a Small Killing in the Boutique Brewery market.. [RedHill] they do their Special Brew's and sell the slab's for about $70-130 each..

They do alright for a small business..

So Why can't the Farmer's do the same.. Use their own Product and Increase the Value of it.. They should Add Value to their Raw Material's..

Juergen

-- Edited by SnowT on Sunday 29th of December 2013 04:17:12 PM

Nelly · Guru

I think SnowT is that there is too much red tape here in Australia for this to happen. Just think of the quantities of grain (when there is not a drought out there) also the numbers of sheep and cattle for people to do this - it would be good but to many 'do gooders'' perhaps. Farmers wouldn't be able to afford the infrastructures that it would take also. Imagine the number of animal libos that would turn up - the mind boggles.

SnowT · Guru

Hey I'm Not Talking Grain..

I'm Talk'n about all the Fruit that is left to rot Because the farmer's can't get a Buyer or the Supermarket's decide to IMPORT product because it Cheaper and gives them a GREATER profit..

Look at WEST FARMER, Woolies, coles... They Price the Product so THAT THEY get the profit's..

I don't think it would be to much of a stretch to set something up..
- Farmer Market's..

Look If I knew how to make cider I know that I would Give it a Go..

If you Looked at the number of Grower in the Region, I don't think it would be to had to get a Co-op going and help each other survive..
- I think that is where SPC came from..

Juergen

grill n chill · Senior Member

Not only supermarkets but large variety stores also.

i wanted to buy new shoes today and visited a westfields complex to do so. No half sizes at all , I take a 8 1/2' and simply wanted ordinary men's black for work. None at all in the complex except in some of the boutique and fashion shops.

my guess is if a shop stops selling half sizes then they also half their stock valuation. Customer service once existed it doesn't anymore. Now it seems the new trend is to reduce the range depth so they can make more money and the customer can like it or leave. Only problem with that they are all doing it.

Kaid · Guru

Here in the Scenic Rim area of SE Qld. We have a dairy farmer who not only produces but bottles his own mil.
The smaller Independent shops sell it.
It is called 4 real milk.
It is milk remembered from years ago where the cream is still on the top.
Have not bought milk in a supermarket since.

turbopete · Senior Member

And I cant get jam in cans anymore especially marmalade

Cloak · Guru

We read every label at the supermarket before the item is dropped into the trolly, looking for Aussie made and grown.

It's like the game I used to play in the early 70's in Melbourne - spot the Aussie.

This one comes down to us the consumer not Govt in my opinion. We all need to make the buying choices that may cost us a little more at the checkout.

When we were last in Mildura we spoke to 100's of locals who were on the edge, seriously these folks were under stress and it was sad to experience.

A few years before at Shepparton was even worse. The local economy was a basket case because of poor buying choices of consumers.

It's not always about price is it.

GaryKelly · Guru

There's a farmer not far from Taree who grows chillies and various fruits and veg and makes his own liquers - Ghinni Winery. He does quite well too. I've tasted some of his concoctions made from chillies and different fruits and they're wicked!

Nelly · Guru

I agree about all the fruit that goes to waste - I remember Dick Smith made a comment one day when he was flying around - he couldn't work out what the orange 'thing' was on the ground so he flew lower and it was a heap of oranges thrown away because the farmer couldn't do anything with them. I did hear that SPC was in financial trouble - has anyone else heard this. This is, I think, the last fruit processing Australian owned plant left.

SnowT · Guru

It might be..

Seriously the Crap that they are going thru is just stupid..
- they have sacked the People that keep the machine's running.. All of the Maintenance People because they get paid Real Wage's and Care about what they Do..
Now the same job's will be done By contract worker's.. I'll bet that they will not have a full time Presence on site and will be the call in break down Crew..

Last few Maintenance Jobs I had, where based on site.. if something Broke it was drop what ever you were doing and get the problem fixed.. Right-away.. No having to wait for outside help..
- Most Maintenance Crew do general shutdowns[Preventive work's..] between running batches of product..

Do the work right once and you don't need to Look for fault's later on..
- One of the Task that I did, was to go around open up all the Switchboards and use a hand scanner[ Temperature ] to find Hot spot's..
in some case all it was, was a simple Terminal on a contractor that or terminator that was Loose.. If it could be fixed right then it Was if not it was Noted that at the next production change over the work was done..
Being Electrical the stuff had to be with a full shutdown of the system's..

so yes I do think it is the only canning plant in Aust going thru the ringer's at the moment..

Went to Safeway today..
- From having 4 section's of Cordial to just 2.. the number of brands not on the self is stupid..

We are getting force/limited to what we can have..

Juergen

bronnie · Senior Member

I will only buy fruit from Australia and sometimes New Zealand, no other countries. A lady in coles asked me did I want to try some peaches, when I suddenly realised it was winter and not in season here, so asked and they were from California!! So with a no thankyou, and I only eat in season Australian fruit, she was quite surprised. The problem being many people want to eat their favourite fruit all year round. I feel so very sorry for our farmers......

cheers Bronnie

The Phantom · Guru

SPC suffer from a couple of major problems that will eventually force them to make the decision to shut down or drastically restructure the business.

1. They pay their worker way above the going rate for the surrounding area. I do not intend to discuss the merits of unions, management or reasons why. Suffice to say it is a major factor.

2. The Australian public just do not buy canned fruit products any longer. In other words, a large part of their packaged product is no longer relevant to the market.

Any pontification about buying Australian made/grown products is really just that when I will wager that nearly every person here making a comment about it, drives an imported vehicle, watches a Korean TV or wears shoes made overseas.

I rest may case, Your Honour

The Phantom

Nelly · Guru

I did hear that NZ don't have the same laws on food as we do and a lot of fruit and veges from China are coming through there and packaged as NZ's and then come to Australia.

dorian · Guru

www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/sa-business-journal/discount-supermarket-chain-aldi-to-open-40-stores-across-south-australia/story-e6fredel-1226576224850

"[Aldi Australia managing director Tom Daunt] said the retailer was committed to Australian-made produce. He said 100 per cent of Aldi's fresh meat, 94 per cent of its chilled dairy and 97 per cent of its fruit and vegetables were Australian."

... if you can believe it, and assuming you understand what "Australian" actually means.

SnowT · Guru

Actually I just got back from doing a bit of shopping at Aldi..

Any yes I do Agree about the general food stuff they sell..
- If you read their Statement of commitment World Wide. they have basically said they will Aim To source 0ver 95% of the Food they sell in the country that the store is in..

In Australia they have done so and are continuously expanding their operations in such a way that they don't overstretch their supplier's..

Juergen..

On the Wages thing for SPC..
I don't know why they did not just go to the workforce, like they did years ago and see if they are will to take a Wage cut for share's of the company..?

Also Are you Saying that a SKILLED Tradesmen is Not worth the Wage they Get..?
- Especially if they know what they are doing..

Cloak · Guru

That's encouraging about Aldi I also note that Wollies have made a commitment to SPC to stock and maybe "house brand" SPC production.

Not sure what Coles are doing I'll ask them next time I visit.

It's also encouraging that others here are making local product choices in their trollies - well done.

Maybe Dick Smith is wrong when he says that Aussies are stupid consumers and don't think strategically. To be honest I felt sick when he said that.

It could be possible that the fewer options on the shelves are a result of less imported produce?? I have no idea yet so it's just a guess.

You know what, I really want to go back to Mildura and Shepparton in 2014 and want to be able to look these people in the eye.

Cheers

Cloak · Guru

Well it looks like Coles is doing it's bit as well.

www.skynews.com.au/businessnews/article.aspx

It really comes down to the consumer now.

Cheers

2foot6 · Senior Member

I think Coles and Woollies have got many of their customers off side by reducing the variety of products and the Australian content.I'm one of those customers,I tried to buy Cookers cookies and Orange Power bathroom cleaner in my home town from Woollies,they don't stock them any longer ,although I saw them in a bigger Woollies in another town.Luckily Aldi have started building their next store in our town.Great some competition ,look out Woollies.....Peter smile

Big Gorilla · Guru

SPC is in trouble. Only time will tell. The overall effect on Shepparton will be catastrophic. Woolies and Coles may currently have the market, Aldi are too small to compete, but a giant is coming .................Costco !!

http://www.costco.com.au/index.shtml

Sheba · Guru

If any-one has found where to buy Pine-apple Jam, can you please let me know ?

Cheers,

Sheba.

rockylizard · Guru

Sheba wrote:
If any-one has found where to buy Pine-apple Jam, can you please let me know ?
Cheers,
Sheba.

Gday...

AHHHHHH .... pineapple jam - my favourite. When I woz a kid we were somewhat poor and the cheapest jam on the market was large tins of plum jam. It was OK but got boring having it all the time.

Whenever mum got a cuppla spare pennies she would buy a 'normal size' tin of pineapple jam. We used to be overjoyed and so happy. It was the best treat I used to look forward to.

And yeah, where the hell are tins (or bottles/jars) of pineapple jam these days. I haven't seen it for donkeys ages either.

Another jam we loved but rarely got was rosella jam (not the brand Rosella - made from rosellas the fruit). We only got it homemade from a friend who lived a fair way away and got it only when she visited us.

Cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Wednesday 1st of January 2014 10:29:57 PM

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.

Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.