Fresh from farm to table
CAIRNS’ demand for fresh fruit and vegetables has kept a community food network in business.
A growing number of Far North farmers set on shaking up the supply chain are turning to RealFood Network and their biggest customers are in the city.
The group delivers produce boxes to dozens of customers every week, packed with produce sourced exclusively from the region.
Tablelands farmers make up the majority of suppliers, but RealFood Network’s managing director Chris Gloor said demand was largely driven by clients in Cairns, hungry for locally-sourced food.
“Without Cairns, we would shut down as we would not have enough business on the Tablelands,” he said.
“There’s more support down here on the consumer side (but) Cairns is supporting the Tablelands in more ways than one. Cairns households buy the food from the region’s farmers but they also support the Tablelands consumers who we do deliver to by allowing us to reach critical mass and have enough food to justify the whole endeavour."
The COVID-19 restrictions initially created challenges, with consumers believing Rusty’s Markets – where they also have a stall – was closed.
“They put some fences up and people driving by could easily mistake it for being shut,” Mr Gloor said.
“We hit a low point, but the last three weeks our business has increased (and) we’re climbing back out of the hole.
“Many new people have come to us because their stall has closed and we’ve have 100 new customers.”
He wanted to change the Far North’s relationship with farmers and believed people should eat locally-grown produce in season rather than expecting year-round supply by buying imported goods.