Customer care proves key for Fruitlink | MARKETS PROFILE

Fruitlink is a secondary wholesaler that has been operating in the Brisbane Markets for 27 years.

It was founded by Adam Dilworth and Doug Rylance, our two owners and directors.

What sets your business apart from other wholesalers?

Our quality and service is our point of difference. We have developed a very strong reputation in the market for our quality and service and we have always strived to maintain a competitive advantage over our fellow wholesalers based on our innovation.

Even in the early days we were the first secondary wholesaler at the Brisbane Market to have a refrigerated warehouse, the first to implement a quality assurance system and in more recent years the first to expand into gourmet ranges.

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What do you specialise in?

We specialise in the highest quality premium produce that we can buy. Over the years we have evolved from a fruit and vegetable wholesaler into a fruit and vegetable and gourmet food wholesaler.

Where do you source your produce from?

We source most of our produce from the central market.

Who are your customers?

We supply independent supermarkets such as IGA, Foodworks, SPAR Australia and Friendly Grocer. We offer exemplary customer support.

We have a team of five retail merchandisers who go out and help merchandise our customers' produce departments.

We don't just buy and sell produce and send it out to our customers; we actually help our customers sell more by helping them with in-store displays, maintain standards, merchandising and staff training.

Therefore, the more they sell the more we sell.

How did you get into the fruit and veg business?

I was born with fruit and vegetable blood in my veins. As a little boy, I spent a lot of time in and around the market.

My dad was a wholesaler for a long time and my mum and dad owned many fruit shops over the years.

I have been working at the markets for almost 30 years including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. I started when I was 19, and have been with Fruitlink for 13 years.

What has changed at the market over the years?

The single biggest change has of course been the supermarket chains monopolising the market resulting in less independent retailers.

As a consequence of this we are now seeing businesses operating smarter with more vertical integration; wholesalers becoming growers and retailers.

We are definitely getting smarter at managing our supply chains, and looking at our value chain.

As a whole, the industry is becoming more strategic, rather than just getting caught up in the everyday hustle and bustle of the market floor.

What would you change at the market if you could?

I would like to see more consistency of high quality produce available at the Brisbane Market, as a lot of the premium produce tends to go to Sydney and Melbourne where there is more demand.

What is the best thing about working at the market?

Working at the market is vibrant and exciting; every day is a little bit different. I like the competitiveness of the market, and enjoy working with the seasons.

I also enjoy the hours, starting and finishing work early. I personally really love the industry and it would be hard to think of doing anything else.

What is most challenging about the industry?

The biggest challenge continues to be growing a business in a shrinking market.

We are seeing the decline of independent retailers including independent supermarkets, combined with a change in people's eating habits where they are buying more pre-prepared produce and eating out more. We need have to adapt to these changes.

What is the secret to a successful business?

Good people are the key to a successful business. I think any business is only as strong as the people operating it.

We encourage an innovative culture in the business in which we empower our staff to make decisions, offer new ideas and share their passion and dedication for the business and the industry.

As a result of this we have quite a low staff turnover and a lot of our staff have been with us for 10, 15 and 20 years.

What would you say to young people who want to join the industry?

I would encourage young people to join the industry. There are lots of opportunities and as an industry we are getting smarter and more reliant on education.

I would propose to any young person who wants to get ahead in our industry to go to university and get an agribusiness degree or some substantial qualification relevant to our sector rather than rely on the old tradition way where you work from the ground up.

What does the future hold for the fruit and vegetable industry?

I think we are lucky enough to work in the food industry and everybody will always rely on food.

We can be fairly confident that there will always be a market for fresh fruit and vegetables but I am now sure how that market will look in 10 years.

We will just have to anticipate customer demands to keep our business viable.