United Fresh celebrates 31 years

The organisation was incorporated in 1991, when it brought together representatives from the fruit and vegetable value chain.

United Fresh President Jerry Prendergast says the organisation’s drive for continuous improvement has seen it evolve through ever-changing industry issues over the past three decades.

“From seed to table, it’s amazing to see the new ideas and innovations from our sector change and develop through many challenges,” Prendergast says. “But, if anything, the last few years have reminded us just how vital fresh fruit and vegetables are for health and wellbeing and how fortunate we are to live in a country whose climate and soils enable us to grow more than enough to feed us all.

“We’re a primary industry responsible for supplying essential nutrients every Kiwi needs to survive. That’s a responsibility we take very seriously,” he says.

United Fresh general manager Paula Dudley says the celebrations were originally scheduled for the organisation’s 30^th anniversary in 2021 but Covid-19 restrictions prevented a formal gathering.

“We’re excited to share this commemoration of over 30 years of advocating for our members,” Dudley says. “We’re committed to continuing our mahi towards a fresh fruit and vegetable industry that is united and connected, an industry that puts healthy kai on plates at home and around the world.”

She says that commitment was reflected when United Fresh received the Primary Industries NZ Summit Team Award for delivering 300,000 boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables to families during the Covid-19 lockdown.

“The award was a testament to the long-term relationships between United Fresh members and the professionalism of the food distribution centres we worked alongside,” Dudley says.

“The networks we have had for many years enabled us to work quickly and efficiently to ensure fresh produce didn’t go to waste and whanau struggling in isolation had a way to put healthy food on their tables.”

A significant part of United Fresh’s work was establishing the 5+ A Day concept in New Zealand in 1994, followed in 2004 by the Fruit and Vegetables In Schools (FIS) initiative.

“Our commitment to encouraging every Kiwi to eat at least five or more servings of colourful, fresh vegetables and two servings of fruit daily for health and vitality remains unchanged,” says Dudley. “This year through FIS, we delivered nutritious, locally grown produce to a record 566 schools around Aotearoa, benefitting over 120,000 tamariki and Kaiako.”

Unite Fresh is also involved in conducting large industry projects that will shape the future of horticulture work in New Zealand and across the globe.

“Our UF Technical Advisory Group (TAG) works behind the scenes on technical projects and resources important to our members, such as biosecurity, food safety, traceability and sustainability,” says Prendergast.

“ We also work alongside several international cohorts such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the Global Coalition of Fresh Produce. Aotearoa might seem like a small country on the world stage, but our expertise in horticulture is world-class, and we’re proud to share it to help other nations feed their whanau.”