James Poulimas, Director, Spiro's Fresh, Brisbane Market, Rocklea, Queensland
Tell me about Spiro's Fresh
Spiro's Fresh is a secondary wholesaler which is family owned and operated.
We have been in operation at the Brisbane Market for 10 years although the Poulimas family has been in the fruit and vegetable industry for over 60 years.
What sets your business apart from other wholesalers?
We are a secondary wholesaler run by my father Spiro, myself and my two brothers Michael and Chris.
With four family members in the business we all care about the success of the business, and in return our customers and producers receive extra care and attention.
They always get to speak to an owner, which really does make a difference when it comes to quality and service.
What do you specialise in?
Rather than specialise in anything in particular, we make it our priority to source whatever our customers want.
Where do you source your produce from?
We mainly source our produce from Queensland, where-ever we can, whether it's in the Brisbane Market or direct from local growers.
Who are your customers?
We mainly supply the hospitality industry, including restaurants, cafes, schools, nursing homes, hotels and pubs.
How did you get into the fruit and veg business?
My father Spiro went into the retail side of the business when he first came to Australia from Greece and then 10 years ago we decided to go into wholesale and my two bothers and I joined him in the venture.
I have been in the industry for 14 years and have now taken over operations, although Spiro is still around to offer advice and tell me and my bothers when we go wrong.
It was just a natural thing for me to go into the industry, I never really had any desire to do anything else.
What has changed at the market over the years?
A lot has changed now with technology - mobile phones and ordering apps.
Although it has become a lot easier because you are no longer dealing person to person anymore; it has taken away a lot of the atmosphere and vibe of the market floor.
I personally miss having that one on one, face to face contact with our customers that we used to have.
A lot of things happen behind closed doors and after hours now so it has taken way some of the buzz.
It was certainly more dynamic and more enjoyable before.
What is the best thing about working at the market and in the industry?
I love being able to eat a lot of fruit and veg and maintain a healthy diet. Every day is different and exciting; different customers from different industries with different needs.
What would you change at the market if you could?
I would probably change the hours if I could, the early 2am starts.
What is the secret to a successful business?
Hard work is the secret to any success. Just really hard work and determination, and the ability to ask for advice from more experienced people when you need it.
What is most challenging about the industry?
Battling the weather is one of our biggest challenges - when it's too hot, too dry, too wet or there are cyclones or bushfires - and it impacts on the availability, quality and quantity of the produce available.
How do you think the Coronavirus is going to affect business?
It's going to have to be business as usual for us as much as possible, especially because we supply quite a few nursing homes who still have to feed their residents.
We just have to take each day as it comes and try to get as much information from the Brisbane market as we can.
Dealing with fresh produce as we do makes this extra challenging. At the end of the day we all have to eat and we need our fresh fruit and veg to stay healthy.
What does the future hold for the fruit and vegetable industry?
I think technology will continue to streamline our day to day business activities.
However, from a produce perspective, we really need to protect our locally grown produce, reduce imports and teach people to cook and eat our fresh fruit and vegetables seasonally when they are more affordable and at their best.
