Franceschis have fresh take on exports

Jennie and Wayne Franceschi, Advance Packing and Marketing Services and Fresh Produce Alliance, based in Manjimup, are opening international doors with their fresh approach to exports.

They have developed a baby food range which utilises fruit and vegetable produce that doesn't meet fresh market specifications, along the way winning awards for agricultural innovation and being named the Department of Regional Development's overall State winner.

They are also collaborating to export other goods, including fruit juices, seafood and a range of avocado-based products.

The breakthrough is due to the Franceschis' investment in a high pressure processing (HPP) machine and BOC instant quick freeze technology, which uses cold pasteurisation and intense pressure to kill bacteria and preserve food, while maintaining nutritional integrity, colour and flavour.

Ms Franceschi said a due-diligence process was underway to get the juice products into international markets, including Japan, Singapore and Malaysia,

"The difference is that we have been approaching those markets and asking what they wanted, instead of trying to sell a product to them," Ms Franceschi said.

"We have been doing a lot of research, finding out what the consumer wants and going to them with some suggestions."

Ms Franceschi said Japanese importers asked for a range of juices, which they were able to supply.

"The selection of juices, which are top secret, have been at a trade show in Japan," she said.

"The range was a huge success and we hope to have them commercially ready this year."

Ms Franceschi will travel to Japan next month as the interest grows in the WA juice brand and also in their HPP avocado products.

"We have smoothies and juices that the consumers are very interested in," she said.

"With any market or whoever we do business with, we research what the market wants or the gaps that require filling.

"If we feel we are a good fit then we will develop what they are looking for.

"There is a process and we are doing our due-diligence to get the stock on the shelves.

"It won't be in two weeks, but I expect most boxes will be ready to go by March - these things always take time."

The juice range will include eight different blends, as well as its avo-vita range, including its avocado-based smoothies.

Ms Franceschi said the baby food range was the only one in Australia to use high-pressure processing for sterilisation, and had created huge growth opportunities since it was launched.

The company has also been working with the seafood industry.

Abacus Fisheries' Peter Jecks trialled processing blue swimmer crab meat through the HPP machine in Manjimup.

Ms Franceschi said the trials have shown the technology's significance to the fisheries industry.

"It is a game changer," she said.

"The technology significantly extends the life of cooked crab products from five days to beyond a month, which is fantastic for that industry as it opens more doors."

Ms Franceschi said collaboration in agriculture will be important in the future.

"We need to work together and collaborate," she said.

"We need to support each other, just as we have done with the seafood industry - it will grow all business in Australia and it opens more doors."

The Franceschis' mission is to support generational farming families.

"My mission is to create sustainability for future farming generations by harnessing modern technology to create and produce healthy, tasty and nutritionally sound food," Ms Franceschi said.

"Foods that make use of all the harvest and reduce food waste in the process.

"Foods that sustain and nourish humanity.

"Foods that are real, pure and truly good for the body. Foods that make healthy delicious.

"By achieving these goals, we know we can make a difference to growers and family farms across Australia - and fair trade farmers around the world."