Understanding the market environment for the foodservice sector and impacts for fresh produce growers

This webinar revealed the extent of impacts caused by COVID-19 for industries and provided perspectives on how growers can focus and respond to the current market challenges

Past event (Thursday 18 June, 2020)

Watch the webinar recording

What was the webinar about?

The foodservice sector is an important market channel for the fresh produce sector. In 2018/19 approximately 17 per cent of all fresh fruit and vegetable volume was marketed through foodservice. With the majority of the foodservice sector being impacted by market interruptions from COVID-19, this webinar revealed the extent of these impacts for industries and provided perspectives on how growers can focus and respond to the current market challenges.

Insights

• The extent of the impact of foodservice channel closures for the fresh produce sector across the major produce lines
• How the foodservice market interruptions have impacted other food channels
• The foodservice sector market outlook response
• What indicators to look for as the new foodservice 'normal' evolves.

Agenda

• Introductions to topic, the panelists and housekeeping
• Brief overview and definition of the foodservice sector including current market volumes and growth drivers within fresh produce
• Brief presentation from Martin on how the foodservice sector has been impacted from the market closures. Which sectors were more exposed, which foodservices channels most impacted
• Questions from Adam to Martin
• Q&A from the participants
• Summary, closing and ‘What’s next’.

The host and guest presenters

Adam Briggs, Head of Data & Insights, Hort Innovation

Adam drives Hort Innovation’s Data & Insights function. He leads the management of the industry analysis R&D portfolio and the undertaking of investment analysis, and supports the delivery of the Monitoring & Evaluation Framework.

Martin Kneebone, Managing Director, freshlogic

Martin has over 25 years’ experience working in fresh food supply chains. He has deep experience in the management, supply and analysis of fresh food categories across fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood and has a strong reputation for his ability to extract useful, commercial applications from his reviews and analysis. Martin has worked at senior management level in supermarket retail and has directed numerous consumer and trade channel studies including developing the first large-scale direct buying links between growers and retailers in Australia.

Act now: View projects and resources related to this event

• The whole-of-horticulture investment Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2018/19 offers the most comprehensive and contemporary data available on all sectors of the Australian horticulture industry.  
• The Harvest to Home platform is a collaboration between Hort Innovation and Nielsen, and is funded by a range of industry levies. COVID-19 updates relating to fresh produce can be found at the top of the Harvest to Home main page here.
• Read the Harvest to Home Covid-19 Fresh Produce Update April for analysis relating to fresh produce for the four weeks to 19 April, 2020.
• Read about Hort Innovation’s The Good Mood Food initiative that is delivering an immediate and enduring behaviour-change message to motivate more Australians to eat more fruit, vegetables and nuts, both during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a direct-to-consumer marketing initiative playing out across the country using a range of channels, including TV, newspapers, radio, online, social media and retail partnerships.

About the Hort Innovation Insights webinar series for growers

The Hort Innovation Insights webinar series connects you with the people closest to the research and investments you want to know more about. Each short online session features subject matter experts, project delivery partners and Hort Innovation staff discussing key topics, opportunities and challenges for horticulture growers.

Grab a cuppa and attend a live session to ask questions and discover essential insights and tools to implement in your business today. Webinar recordings are also be available after each event if you can’t join us live.

See more here