A new three-year project led by Delytics is now underway to improve the quality of Australian cherries and strengthen consumer confidence.
This project aims to raise the overall quality of Australian cherries by developing and supporting the adoption of an agreed minimum maturity standard across the industry. Through an industry-led process, the project will develop guidelines to support all producers - whether they are already consistently producing high quality fruit or need help to meet the agreed standard. By improving eating quality consistency and overall acceptability, the project will enhance consumer satisfaction and strengthen the reputation of Australian cherries in both domestic and export markets, which will lead to increased demand.
A Hort Innovation project, led by Delytics for Melons Australia, is already delivering measurable results as it approaches its halfway point in August 2025. Early improvements in dollar sales, volume growth quality and compliance with the new industry maturity standards have been verified through retail monitoring and Nielsen Harvest to Home data, with further progress expected as the project continues.
A new project is now underway to help growers meet the new minimum maturity standards that were set by the Australian melon industry last year.
A project to improve the eating quality and consumer demand of Australian melons is progressing well, with a series of grower meetings across Australia completed 3 May.
Retailers have applauded Citrus New Zealand’s navel orange quality programme for providing seven consecutive seasons of reliably high consumer acceptability, which hit a record 99% this year.
Work is now underway to help boost the eating quality and consumer demand of Australian melons.
New Zealand navel oranges have demonstrated the ongoing benefits of maturity standards, with six consecutive seasons of high consumer acceptability.
The New Zealand navel orange industry’s ongoing commitment to optimum eating quality has resulted in a record 97% consumer acceptability in the first three weeks of the season.
Fruit marketers wanting to achieve the same consumer response in every country they sell to can now develop maturity standards for each specific market to optimise demand and repeat purchases.
Retail analysis carried out by Delytics Ltd in collaboration with James Hutton Ltd has identified a significant opportunity to increase consumer demand for blueberries in the UK.