Congratulations to the 2009 Greengrocer of the Month Award recipients.

Monthly Winners 2009

• November
• October
• September
• August
• July
• June
• May
• April
• March
• February
• January

 

November 2009 – Mother Nature Top Fruit Market, Coffs Harbour

LONG hours and hard work have paid off for the crew at Mother Nature’s Top Fruit Market in Coffs Harbour. The Orlando Street greengrocer has taken out the Sydney Markets Greengrocer of the Month award for November.

Mother Nature’s Top Fruit Market in Coffs Harbour is a large store, with high ceilings, wide aisles and neatly presented fresh fruit and vegetables. They have an extensive range of quality produce that come directly from Sydney Markets several times a week and they also support local growers by stocking local produce, such as bananas, stonefruit and tomatoes. The smartly attired staff are very helpful and have sound product knowledge.

Located in the industrial area a distance from the nearest supermarket or shopping centre this store is excelling, as it attracts customers in their droves who want quality and top customer service. Store manager Grahame Steel has worked for the Lagudi family the owners of at Mother Nature’s Top Fruit Market for 14 years and been the manager for the last two years and together with his staff is working hard to mark this regional store a winner.

Details: 191 Orlando Street, Coffs Harbour, NSW 2450. Tel: 02 6652 7800

 

October 2009 – Go Troppo Fruit Market

Go Troppo’s original store was in the Fyshwick Markets and it was here that Frank Commisso’s Go Troppo brand developed a reputation for offering value for money and ‘good old-fashioned’ customer service.

Frank Commisso has been retailing and wholesaling fresh produce in the ACT for over 20 years and in November 2007, Go Troppo opened a second store at the Jamison Shopping Centre in Macquarie, 17 kilometres north of the Fyshwick Markets, to tap into an increasing demand on the north side on Canberra.

Go Troppo in the Jamison Shopping Centre is located at the shopping centre entrance and close to the large car park.  The store has a generous frontage that works well at attracting customers with tidy, colourful fruit and vegetable displays.

The interior layout enables customers to move around easily with about 70 percent of the store allocated to fresh produce – and the range is comprehensive.  The remaining 30 percent of the store offers customers quality smallgoods from a serviced deli counter, gourmet groceries and refrigerated and frozen lines such as salads, frozen pasta, gelato and pre-packed cheeses and olives.  The store is brightly lit and has an interesting lime green disc like ceiling.

Go Troppo, Macquarie trades 7 days a week and with experienced Store Managers Enzo Focarile and Tony Fichetti overseeing the day to day running of the store, Frank Commisso now has more time to spend with family and to undertake the buying from Sydney Markets.

Details: Jamison Centre, Cnr of Bowman St & Redfern St, Macquarie 2614. Tel: 02 6251 8006

 

September 2009 – Ziggy’s , Belconnen

Ziggy’s is a family-owned business operated by the Irvines- Ken Irvine, his wife Toni and three sons Brendan, Sam and Todd.  The name Irvine has been associated with fruit and vegetables for three generations with the family owning fruit markets previously in Yass, Young, Cootamundra and Wagga.

Since moving to Canberra and taking over Ziggy’s in the Belconnen Fresh Food Markets in 2004 the Irvine’s have lovingly polished this gem of a business into a smart and exciting place to shop.

Ziggy’s has a splendid sense of order; the fruit and vegetables are displayed impeccably in a traditional style, colour and shapes are utilised to maximize the impact of the overall presentation.
A refrigerated cabinet at the side of the store ensures the perishables maintain their freshness and has one of the inspiring mushroom displays we have seen.

Ziggy’s has a modern feel with brightly coloured walls and accent lighting ensuring the stock is shown to its best effect. The grocery lines add interest to the shopping basket and are displayed immaculately. The free recipe cards are a bonus for shoppers.

A pool of around 14 part-time and full-time employees is kept busy looking after customer needs, helping to make shopping here a memorable experience.

Details: Shop 7-8, Lathlain Street, Belconnen Markets ACT , 02 6251 3568

 

August 2009 – Trim’s Fruit, Casula

Decorated in the eye catching colours of orange and black and adorned with large gloss fruit and vegetable images, Trim Fresh Casula has a distinct style; this Western Suburbs’ store delivers on quality, variety and freshness and is neatly presented. This store offer good value in the fresh produce section and in the numerous grocery lines. The service is warm and helpful with staff enthusiastically assisting customers.

Owner Tony Trimboli has grown up in the fruit and vegetable industry, and whilst he may not have liked getting his hands dirty on the family farm, Tony’s passion for fresh fruit and vegetables has not waived. After leaving school Tony gained value experience working with the Duffy Bros chain before opening his first fruit and veg store in 1999 which he fittingly named Trim Fresh.

Today Mr Trimboli owns and buys for his five Trim's Fresh stores which are located in Casula, Wetherill Park, Green Valley, Bankstown and Leichhardt and is proactively involved in the marketing of fresh produce within the industry.

Details: Shop 39-40, Casula Mall, Kurrajongs Rd, CASULA, 2170, 96021411

 

July 2009 – Mitchell’s Fruit, Warilla

Regional greengrocer Mitchell’s Fruit, Warilla is the latest recipient of the Sydney Markets Greengrocer of the Month Award for 2009. 

Mitchell’s Fruit is a family run business that has been servicing the Illawarra community for 30 years. What started out as a small greengrocer based in the Warilla Grove Shopping Centre has grown into a thriving, award winning and customer focused retailing and wholesaling business that services the Illawarra and South Coast region. In 2007 Chris Kambouris and his family opened a second store - Mitchells Fruit, Dapto.

As a retailer and businessman Chris Kambouris has consistently demonstrated a ‘we can do better attitude” and then set about making improvements to his business. Last year Mitchell’s Fruit underwent an extensive renovation and since reopening, this store has never been busier or looked smarter. The wide frontage is a showcase of the weekly specials, the displays are eye catching and the quality and service top off the shopping experience.

Mitchell's Fruit is your ultimate one stop shop providing all your fruit and veggie needs plus  a range of delicious surprises, such as frozen seafood, pasta, pastry, cheeses and yoghurts and smallgoods. This store has also incorporated a juice and salad bar and set up a commercial kitchen equipped with a resident chef to prepare the salads and semi prepared fruit and vegetables dishes for customers to take home or enjoy for lunch at the shopping centre

Details: Shop 10, Warilla Grove Shopping Centre, WARILLA, 2528, 02 42955377

 

June 2009 – Norton St Grocer, Leichhardt

Located in the heart of “Little Italy” a precinct renowned for good food, Norton St Grocer has been attracting customers from across Sydney for almost a decade.

Owned by the charming George Angelidis and Claudio Guerrera, Norton St Grocer is a stylish store with superb visual impact. The store’s presentation works well to attract customers, it entices them to enter, convinces them to linger and most importantly inspires them to want to buy! 

The displays of quality fruit and vegetables are stacked skillfully; their variety is admirable and extremely fresh. The leafy salad greens and delicate Asian vegetables look like they have just been picked and the fresh fruits are aromatic and tempting.

Another attraction of this store is its extensive range of continental groceries and a deli counter that is stacked with cheeses, semi prepared meals, cold meats, marinated figs and so much more.
Our mystery shoppers found the Norton St Grocer staff to be smartly attired, well trained and customer service focused. 

This is the third time Norton St Grocer has been awarded Greengrocer of the Month, having won previously in 2005 and 2003. They have also collected Distinction in Retailing awards in 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2004 and a Greengrocer of the Year award in 2001.

Details: Norton St Grocer - Shop B1 Norton Plaza, 51-57 Norton Street, LEICHHARDT, 2040. Tel 02 9572 7511

 

May 2009 – Kareela Fruit Market

Owned and operated by the enthusiastic Adrian Coluccio since November 2006, Kareela Fruit Market is a fine example of what a small, local, community-focused greengrocer can achieve.

This boutique store is well presented, inviting and well patronised.  The produce quality and range is first rate and the store is pristine.  Large colour graphics brighten up the walls, the floors and benches are sticker-free and highly polished and the overall display of quality produce, herbs, fresh cut flowers and small selection of gourmet goodies appealing.

The fresh fruit and yoghurt bar positioned at the front entrance looks appetising and is a great draw card, while the small refrigerated cabinet on the back wall offers ready-to-bake stuffed mushrooms, salad mixes, pre cut vegies and fresh and tasty vegetable dips.

While Kareela Fruit Market is open 7 days a week the store is busiest between 3pm and 7pm when school’s out and families pop in to gather their ingredients for dinner and pick up fruit to fill school lunch boxes.

Kareela Fruit Market staff members are attentive, neatly dressed in branded polo shirts and the store is well known amongst the kids as a place to collect a free sample of the season’s best from store manager Sam Mirando.

Details: Kareela Fruit Market, Shop 4, Kareela Shopping Village, 5 Freya St, KAREELA – Tel: 9528 3071

 

April 2009 –Eastgardens Fruit Centre, Eastgardens

Prominently located on the ground floor of Westfield Eastgardens, Eastgardens Fruit Centre is a 405 m2, open plan greengrocer that offers an outstanding selection of quality fruit and vegetables, ready made salads, freshly squeezed juices and assorted groceries.

The Principal, Moses Saleh has over 30 years experience in buying and selling fresh fruit and vegetables and his eye for quality is highly regarded amongst wholesalers, growers and with his valued customers. Moses’ third son Saleh has worked with is father for the last 15 years and is responsible for the successful day to day management of this busy store.

Eastgardens Fruit Centre’s high standard of retailing excellence has earned them a Sydney Markets Greengrocer of the Year in 2004.

Ever mindful of the need to provide a top shopping experience for their customers, Moses and Saleh modified the store in December 2008, expanding the well patronised salad bar, relocating the checkout area and incorporating a gourmet grocery section.

Eastgardens Fruit Centre has a pleasing sense of abundance and freshness and caters to the quality and price conscious shopper.

Details: Eastgardens Fruit Centre - Ground Floor, Eastgarden Westfield, 52 Bunnerong Road, Eastgardens. Tel 02 93141895

 

March 2009 –Royal Randwick Fruit Market

Royal Randwick Fruit Market, located on Belmore Road in the Royal Randwick Shopping Centre is a large and welcoming greengrocer. The frontage has multiple entries and the floor plan delivers wide, easy to manoeuvre about aisles. The displays of quality produce are neat and tidy and there are loads of interesting produce to fill your basket with including cavolo nero, Ecco bananas, celeriac, Jerusalem artichokes, Bethanga pineapples, quinces and fresh horseradish together with the traditional and long standing seasonal favourites.

In 2007 Royal Randwick Fruit Market had a comprehensive store makeover and two years later this store is still spick and span and professionally run. From the store signage to the uniforms Royal Randwick presents a strong brand and is an inviting place to gather fresh product and gourmet groceries.

The customer service is warm and efficient and it’s obvious that the staff take pride in their work as they scurry about restocking shelves, trimming vegetables and sweeping the floors and attending to customer request. The day to day management of this busy store is carried out by Houng Vang who is well known to his customers having worked at this store for 15 years.

Owner Claudio Guerrera who has over 30 years of fresh produce experience has owned Royal Randwick Fruit Market for the last 19 years; he is also a partner three other successful greengrocers Norton Street Grocer, Leichhardt and Bondi Junction and Metro Grocer in Marrickville and we hear Claudio is opening another store just north of the harbour around June.

Details: Royal Randwick Fruit Market, Royal Randwick Shopping Centre, 73 Belmore Rd, Randwick

 

February 2009 –Jesmond Fruit Market, Caringbah

What started out as a modest fruit and vegetable store operated by Mick Pasquale in 1988 has grown into a successful and ultra smart looking greengrocer and thriving HACCP accredited providore business that supplies hospitals, childcare centres,nursing homes, restaurants and cafes.

In June 2008 Jesmond Fruit Market underwent a significant makeover.The walls are now a gloss red, the lighting is bright, flooring shiny, shelving is smart and the professional looking price tickets are set high,allowing a clear view around the store.

The staff uniforms have been updated and the new store logo is boldly displayed on signage, ticketing, shopper dockets and uniforms. Jesmond Fruit Markets stocks a diverse range of quality produce, all of which is displayed in a traditional method creating a feel of order and interesting colour blocking. The new shelving allows the Jesmond team to stock the shelves with a minimal amount of produce whist still ensuring the shelves look full. “The advantage of this system means that the stock stays fresher and we just have to top up more regularly” said Carlo Pasquale.

Mick Pasquale travels to Sydney several times a week to undertake the buying and leaves his son Carlo and sons-in-law Domenic Iacono and Denis Jelenic to manage the store. The team are trained in the traditional methods of store display and obviously take great pride in their work.

Details: 23 Bluegum Road, Jesmond NSW 2229. Phone: 02 4951-6783

 

January 2009 –Best Fresh Farm Market, Caringbah

What is it that makes this Sutherland Shire greengrocer stand out from the pack and keeps them winning them recognition from their customers and praise from the Sydney Markets Anonymous shoppers alike? The answer is consistency. Best Fresh Farm Market, Caringbah consistently offer their customers high-quality produce, a visually appealing store, friendly engaging customer service and they make a concerted effort to educate their customers with great ticketing and by offering brochures and recipe cards.

Since taking out the Greengrocer of the Year title in 2007, this successful business, operated by a partnership that includes Frank Mirabito and the Zappia brothers, Steve, Ben and Victor has also achieved a top ten position in the 2008 Greengrocer of the Year awards.

“Business has never been better” says Victor Zappia. " We have owned this store since 1995 and Sydney Markets Anonymous Shopper Program has helped us lift our game. Since taking out the 2007 Greengrocer of the Year title we have not rested on our laurels and we are busier than ever. " added Victor.

Best Fresh Farm Market, Caringbah stocks and superb selection of quality fresh fruit and vegetables, a wide selection of gourmet grocers and the deli is a bonus that complements the shopping experience.

Details: 54 President Ave, Caringbah NSW 2229. Phone: 9540-4489