Retail Market Week 7
/QUICKLINKS
BANANA OVERVIEW
SUPPLY UPDATE
The national banana cut last week increased by 32,812 cartons to a total of 480,488 cartons which represents a further increase of 7.3% on the previous week. National production is expected to be within the range of 460-480K cartons next week. The weather in the past week has seen minimum temps of 20.5 - 24.7C and maximum day temps of 28.3 to 32.3C across all North Qld growing regions. North Qld also experienced a couple of days of heavier rainfall with 3.4 mm in Mareeba last Wednesday; whilst the Tully region since Monday has had a further rainfall of 143mm for the week up to today with the heaviest day being today with guages reading of 83.2mm; meanwhile Innisfail had a further fall of 42.4mm today. There is further rain forecast for Friday and Saturday, if this continues to be in the vicinity of 80-100mm per day there is a high risk of flooding, particularly in the Tully district.
Quality has been quite mixed with bat and bird damage seen on shelves, a little rust thrip damage, sap staining and minor skin marking detracting from fruit appearance. Our own farm has been affected by bats and we are wasting in the vicinity of 30-40% of each days pack out due to the amount of damage. Our Farm Manager and his packing team are working hard to grade out as much as possible so that our fruit has good shelf appearance and will still meet quality specifications. Dependent upon the direction the bat population are travelling, some blocks are worse affected than others.
Retail ticket pricing in Queensland for cavendish varied significantly between the major supermarkets with Aldi's ticket price at $2.99/kg; Woolworths at $3.00/kg and Coles offering fruit at $3.00 to $3.90/kg. Quality also varied greatly with a number of lines having visible skin marking, sap staining, rust thrip damage, neck injuries and rub marking - it was also noted that a number of stores had fruit with girths that exceeded spec.
BANANA SNAPSHOT
Left to Right: Woolworths, Aldi and Coles Cavendish Displays
AVOCADO OVERVIEW
SUPPLY UPDATE
Fruit still primarily coming from New Zealand accounting for 56% of the production last week; followed by North Qld with 34%; WA’s contribution has fallen to 8% and the remaining 2% coming from Central NSW/Tristate regions. Pricing is vey mixed in the market place Chilean fruit is selling from $5.00-$15.00/tray, NZ fruit is selling $10 --$40/tray whilst there is still some Australian Hass selling up to $60.00/tray and new season Shepards main sales for premium in the range of $40 --$45/tray last week. New season North Qld Shepards, have again increased slightly in volume and this is expected to gradually climb reaching approximately 250,000 trays per week in another two - three weeks time to be harvested/ week. Presentation is generally good with fruit having good shape and glossy skins. Rain in the region has continued to impact harvesting for a number of farms this week, with some very heavy falls today up to 83mm and more expected in the latter part of the week. Premium quality NZ tray fruit still selling in the range of $40 --$45/tray dependent upon size - still good volumes of NZ fruit within the marketplace which is expected to continue for at least another fortnight. Pricing for class one fruit (main sales) is ranging $28 --$34 per tray; whilst the bulk market has been experiencing prices for premium in the range of $42 --$50/ctn and for class one and 2nds $10 --$25/ctn. The availability of suitably sized Shepards for formulation of prepacks at this stage of the season whilst is picking up slowly is still limited as most growers are still focusing on picking larger fruit and allowing smaller fruit to continue to size up on the tree. New Zealand sourced fruit continues to be the main supply when it comes to the formulation of 5 and 6 piece value propositions for all major supermarkets on the east coast of Australia with changeover to Shepard prepack options expected at the end of this month.
In terms of Shepard retail pricing in Qld shelf prices were as follows: Aldi had celebrated the commencement of their Shepard season with a catalogue price special on count 23/25's at $1.99ea; whilst Woolworths had prominently positioned instore displays of Shepards ticketed at $2.50 ea. Coles in Qld were still displaying NZ Skylark Hass on shelf with a multi-purchase offer of 2 for $5.00 or if purchased singularly $2.90ea - this fruit was of sound quality but quite firm. Fruit quality on display this week in general, saw a reasonable mix of maturity, the Shepards on display in Woolworths stores were of mixed quality - with the presence of some anthracnose rot and breakdown found throughout trays in the stores visited.
AVOCADO SNAPSHOT
Left to Right: Woolworths Shepards, Aldi Shepards and Coles NZ Hass Avocados
Source: Avocados australia 2021 - avocado weekly dispatch forecast vs actual
STOCK IN STORES
QUICKLINKS
BANANAS AT ALDI
ALDI KENMORE
Cavendish bananas priced at $2.99/kg with more than a few clusters having a grey or dull appearance
Ladyfingers presented well and were retailing at $5.99/kg
ALDI CALAMVALE
Cavendish Bananas were priced at $2.99/kg - with fruit stacked on top of one another, minor skin marking will be exacerbated.
Lady Fingers exhibited a little rub and maturity bronzing selling at at $5.99
ALDI GARDEN CITY
Cavendish bananas at $2.99 - mixed condition and again stacking of fruit causes more skin damage.
Kids packs priced at $2.49 for 750g.
Lady Fingers at $5.99/kg - rub, skin scarring and some light bat scratches present.
BANANAS AT COLES
COLES KENMORE
Cavendish bananas priced at $3.90/kg with a few clusters having rust thrip damage and minor scarring. Approximately 40% of displayed fruit was semi condition in terms of colour - display only half full.
Kids packs at $3.90 presented cleanly and had good colour, ladyfingers at $7.90/kg were mixed in size and still quite backward, red tips were priced at $5.00/kg with one cluster found with a split on the shoulder also exhibiting neck damage.
COLES INDOOROOPILLY
Cavendish bananas priced at $3.90/kg, quite a number of clusters exhibiting minor skin marking, some clusters very full with respects to girth and a few with a dull appearance with respects to bloom. Approximately 40% of the display was semi condition.
Ladyfingers with a ticket of $7.90/kg exhibited moderate to heavy rub marking.
Kids banded clusters selling at $3.90, primarily all semi condition, presented well.
COLES GARDEN CITY
Cavendish priced at $3.00/kg , with approximately 30% of display being semi coloured fruit, some light bat marking found and a few clusters presenting with a dull appearance.
Red tips ticketed at $5.00/kg but display area was empty and Lady Fingers at $7.90/kg with fingers exhibiting minor skin scarring, bruising and rub marking. Kids banded clusters ticketed at $3.00 each - these were of good quality.
BANANAS AT WOOLWORTHS
WOOLWORTHS KENMORE
Cavendish bananas priced at $3.00/kg - some light bat scratches found on a number of clusters. Good colour and bloom.
Lil Sana/Kids packs also at $3.00, ladyfingers at $6.90/kg
Red tip banana variety at $4.50/kg - presented nicely.
WOOLWORTHS INDOOROOPILLY
Cavendish bananas at $3.00/kg
Organic variety on special at $4.50/kg and red tips at $4.50
Ladyfingers at $6.90/kg
Kids packs at $3.00
WOOLWORTHS GARDEN CITY
Cavendish were priced at $3.00 and kids packs the same at $3.00
Organic variety were $4.50 on special and Lady Fingers were priced at $6.90
AVOCADOS AT ALDI
ALDI CALAMVALE
Aldi Catalogue promoted new season Shepards at $1.99ea - none in stock at this store.
Loose NZ Skylark Hass avocados from Avoco priced at $2.49ea - fruit very firm.
Avocado 6 packs at $8.99ea also containing NZ Hass
ALDI KENMORE
Shepard Avos count 23’s supplied by Costa’s displayed in two locations stock presented well were on special at $1.99
Shepard packed 27th Jan making them 21 days old.
6 piece packs of NZ Hass were priced at $8.99
ALDI GARDEN CITY
NZ Hass Avos supplied by Avoco packed 22nd Jan meaning fruit was 26 days old selling at $2.49
NZ Hass 6 piece packs were priced at $8.99
AVOCADOS AT COLES
COLES KENMORE
Loose NZ Hass avocados displayed on a table display just inside the entrance to the Produce department priced at 2 for $5.00 or sold singularly for $2.90. Fruit was very firm.
5 piece nets of NZ Hass selling for $8.90 ea.
COLES INDOOROOPILLY
Loose NZ Skylark Hass avocados at 2 for $5.00 or singularly for $2.90
Fruit was displayed on table top and was all very firm
5 piece nets selling for $8.90 of NZ Hass.
COLES GARDEN CITY
Loose NZ Hass Count 25 Avocados supplied by Deluca Banana Marketing (Freshmax) packed 25th January meaning fruit is 23 days old and on multi-buy offer of 2 for $5.00 or singularly $2.90. A mix of maturity was on offer at this store.
Hass 5 piece packs at $8.90
AVOCADOS AT WOOLWORTHS
WOOLWORTHS KENMORE
Greenskins count 20 Shepard avocados packed 2nd Feb (15 days old) and Leadwood count 20’s supplied by Mackays packed 4th Feb (13 days old) selling at $2.50 ea packed located just inside the entrance to the store - an impressive display but too much stock on floor as part of spillover. Upon closer inspection Greenskin stock was breaking down with appearance of anthracnose and other body rots in a number of trays.
This store also had a new 3 piece Australian Hass net selling at $9.00 ea - large fruit but very firm. Also the 5 piece nets of NZ Hass for $8.50 a bag.
WOOLWORTHS INDOOROOPILLY
Count 20 Shepard avocados from Obie Plantations packed 4th Feb presented beautifully in most trays and terranova Farming fruit packed on the 29th Jan on special at $2.50ea. Great signage "Know your Shepard Avocados” as header.
Both lines of stock had a percentage of fruit with bruising/rot development and significant discolouration
This store had the large 3 pack of Australian Hass (packed by Greenskins) on offer for $9.00 and also the NZ Hass 5 nets for $8.50 and a 1kg Odd Bunch bag for $9.50.
WOOLWORTHS GARDEN CITY
Costa has supplied these Shepards selling at $2.20 - count 23’s packed 29th January (19 days old) - fruit was of good quality.
6 piece packs were also on display at $8.50 and 1 kg Odd Bunch packs at $9.50
