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Freshcare is Australia’s largest on-farm assurance program that focuses on food safety and farming sustainability.
Oz Group Co-op Grower Members are all either Freshcare Certified or going through the Freshcare (or equivalent food safety) Certification. The Freshcare Food Safety and Quality Edition 4 is a Code of Practice that all growers must comply with in order to maintain their Freshcare Certification.
The growers are audited at their farm annually during harvest season where the auditor checks against Code Elements covering areas including (but not limited to): Water, Facilities and Equipment, Fertiliser and Chemicals, as well as Traceability records.
You can learn more about this certification here.
Every berry we sell has been carefully hand-picked from Australian farms, ensuring only the finest fruit reaches your table.
Our modern packing facility in Coffs Harbour utilises the latest technology while employing over 100 staff during peak season, supporting our local community.
We use integrated pest management methods and sustainable farming practices. All fruit supplied to supermarkets is Freshcare Certified, with certified organic options available.
In January 2019, Oz Group Co-op growers participated in a pilot program with Growcom to learn more about fair employment practices in the horticulture industry.
What a productive day spent with Coffs Harbour berry growers from @Ozgroupco taking part in our #fairfarms pilot. #ResponsibleEmployment Thanks OzGroup Coop, thanks growers! Plenty of insights and learning we took back to BNE HQ, which will inform the Fair Farms design! pic.twitter.com/n5raAkJ0LB
— Fair Farms (@FairFarmsAus) January 29, 2019
Oz Group Co Op is a 100% Australian farmer-owned co-operative. Oz Group works with our members to process and distribute the finest quality berries and berry products for our consumers.
We are passionate about providing the community with the freshest berries through sustainable and best farming practices.
Oz Group Values sit behind everything we do by everyone every day. The Board, senior leadership team and all staff are committed to ensuring that our work schedule, projects and interactions always reflect the following R A I S E attributes.
Oz Group Values are our hallmark, our ‘brand’ definition.
To the outside world, our Values express what Oz Group stands for when it attends to its Purpose and strategy fulfillment.
Oz Group will always be defined and viewed by the staff team successfully delivering on its Purpose or Mission. As it relates to our Values, it is about how we do what we do.
Oz Group has trading relationships with all major food retailers, both locally and in select overseas markets, the central wholesale markets in Australia, with major food service operators and further
processors.
On 1 July 2025, Oz Group acquired a 50% shareholding in The Berry Collective (TBC). A marketer of berry fruits, TBC now markets all Mountain Blue and public varieties of berries grown, received, graded, packed, dispatched and distributed nationally and internationally by Oz Group.
In 2010, the Driscoll’s name arrived in Australia. Through partnering with Driscoll’s, Oz Group has gained access to top varieties of blueberry, raspberry and blackberry plants. Driscoll’s were the sole marketing and distribution partner of all Oz Group-grown berries from 2015 to 30 June 2025. The relationship from 1 July 2025 has changed to Oz Group growing, receiving, grading and packing all Driscoll’s berries and Driscoll’s dispatching and marketing their varieties both Australia-wide and internationally.
Mountain Blue is a family-owned and operated company, established in 1978, and located on the mid-North Coast of NSW with an international presence for developing new genetic berry varieties and commercially producing berries. Through our partnership with Mountain Blue, Oz Group has access to the latest berry genetics and agronomic support.
For a number of years, Multisteps has been Oz Group’s supplier of recyclable punnets. Multisteps Australian office is based in Brisbane and supply a range of SKUs to Oz Group ranging from the standard 125g punnets to the new 170g larger punnets and other SKUs up to 1kg punnets.
While Oz Group transports its own berries from receival depots to the packing centre in Coffs Harbour, Lindsay Transport has been retained by Oz Group for more than 10 years to manage the logistics of berry distribution to market nationwide. Commencing in 1953 on the Coffs Coast, Lindsay Transport undertakes daily runs to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Lindsay Transport also truck our berries to South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.
Opal Packaging provide all of the cardboard cartons or trays that carefully protect our recyclable plastic punnets that contain our berries. Oz Group has a strong relationship with Opal Packaging which has been in place for a number of years. We are well serviced by Opal Packaging in the supply and construction of trays that deliver our fresh berries to our retail customers.
Commenced under the name of Oz Berries Pty Ltd with four grower/shareholders located on the mid-North Coast of NSW growing blueberries.
Purchased a purpose-built packhouse facility in Woolgoolga, NSW.
Changed business name to Oz Group and re-formed the business structure to a co-operative.
Started a business partnership with Driscoll’s Australia.
• Due to volume growth, purchased a new and larger packhouse facility in Coffs Harbour, NSW.
• Expanded our packing capacity with 5 new grading/packing machines increasing our capacity to 7 machines.
In 2015, we moved into our new, up-graded, controlled Packaging Facility. Our new additional equipment now allows us to package 100-150 Clamshells per minute.
Introduction of rubus fruit (raspberries and blackberries) to complement the production of blueberries.
Purchase of a depot for the receival of berries in Macksville, NSW.
Introduction of pick & pack automation to increase packing efficiencies.
Introduction of frozen berries in 2021 to add value to our fresh line of blueberries in Coles supermarkets nationally.
Construction of shed extension at the Coffs Harbour packhouse.
Expanded our sales of frozen berries with the addition of Drakes supermarkets in Queensland and South Australia.
Construction of truck bays for load-out and dispatch efficiency.
Started a business relationship with Mountain Blue by developing a joint venture called The Berry Collective to market Oz Group packed berries.
Oz Group has a relatively short value chain ensuring contact and communication from the farm to the customer and vice versa. This allows farmers to communicate directly to the market on berry attributes but also allow farmers to receive feedback from the market to improve berry quality.
Oz Group sources its plant varieties from local nurseries that grow seedlings from Tissue Culture (TC). Oz Group farmers nurture the plants to produce high quality berries which are then harvested and either transported to Oz Group receival depots in field trays (blueberries) or graded and packed on-farm into retail punnets (rubus – raspberries & blackberries). Oz Group then grades/packs the blueberries into retail punnets prior to dispatch to supermarket Distribution Centres (DCs) the wholesale central market system or for export.
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Oz Group has a membership of over 140 growers and is 100% Australian farmer owned. These farmers are located on the Mid North Coast of NSW. The farms are spread from Grafton in the North to Macksville in the South.
The co-op also has an organic grower located in QLD.
Our blueberries are packed in our state-of-the-art packing facility in Coffs Harbour. Our raspberries and blackberries are packed on farm.
Every berry we sell has been hand-picked from an Australian farm.
Oz Group growers use an integrated pest management method, which includes the use of both natural and synthetic means to control pests and diseases. Oz Group growers use only registered products approved by the APVMA in accordance to label and permit directives.
In addition, external and internal audits/certification, workshops and extensive testings are conducted regularly to ensure our growers are highly competent through the production process of quality berries.
All fruit provided to direct to supermarkets is Freshcare Certified.
Oz Group Co-op currently has 2 certified organic berry growers.
No. Oz Group growers use genetics created through natural and traditional breeding processes and developed by Driscoll’s Australia and Mountain Blue Farms.
Our punnets are created from PET or Polyethylene Terephthalate which is fully recyclable material.
Berries should be stored in the refrigerator in their purchase packaging to prolong shelf life
It is recommended that you wash your berries just before their consumption.
Non-executive director since: November 2022
Navdeep is a member director who is a grower of blueberries and raspberries located in the Macksville area on the mid-North coast of NSW.
He grows five different varieties of blueberries on two farms and is an astute business owner who also has a berry farm in far North Queensland around Mareeba. Increasing the size of his farming operation and varieties of berry plants, Navdeep provides commercial business skills and management acumen to the Board.
Non-executive director since: November 2024
Devinder is a member director who is a grower of blueberries on two farms located at Gumma, East of Macksville, and Bonville, South of Coffs Harbour.
He is an astute business owner with expertise in agronomy with a clear vision for plant breeding, genetic development and the growth of Oz Group.
Non-executive director since: November 2021
Sukhjinder is a member director who is a grower of blueberries located in the Macksville area on the mid-North coast of NSW. Sukhjinder is a small business owner who is committed to growing quality blueberries.
With expertise in business management, Sukhjinder is a key contributor to the Oz Group Board to assist drive efficiencies in the grading and packing operation.
Non-executive director since: November 2021
Hardip is a member director who is a grower of blueberries on a farm located at Corindi near Woolgoolga, North of Coffs Harbour.
Hardip has expertise in the grading and packing of berries having been a packhouse manager previously with the Costa Group. Now a committed grower of blueberries, Hardip adds great value to the operations of Oz Group.
James brings a passion for agribusiness and servicing growers and other stakeholders across a number of industries ensuring return on invested funds through maximising productivity, driving business efficiencies and maximising market presence.
He leads a dedicated or committed and highly skilled senior leadership team at Oz Group reporting to the Board of directors and grower members of Oz Group.
Fun fact, he loves keeping both physically and mentally fit, restoring his Alfa Romeo cars, gardening and of course, eating his berries.
Sue is a long-standing and hence committed employee at Oz Group who leads the Receivals, Grading & Packing; Quality Assurance; and Transport business functions at Oz Group.
Parminder is a new and welcome addition to the management team and leads the following business functions at Oz Group: Dispatch; Value Add; and Maintenance.
With more than 25 years experience in the berry industry, he brings a strong analytical edge to his role and is passionate about ensuring high standards are met across the Oz Group business.
Fun fact, he is a sports enthusiast and has played hockey, cricket and soccer.
Jaskiran has been with Oz Group for more than 10 years and leads the following business function at Oz Group: Co-op Services. A qualified accountant, she brings extensive expertise in financial accounting and financial management.
Known for her quiet determination, she plays a key role in supporting the financial success of the business.
Fun fact, she enjoys spending quality time with her family, relaxing with a good book and occasionally exploring new destinations through travel.
Jacob is a relatively new employee returning recently for the second time as he was employed previously at Oz Group.
Jacob leads the following business unit at Oz Group: HR/WH&S. He demonstrates tactful skill in managing the human resource function and is diligent in worker health and safety and aims to bring a fair approach that builds trust and maintains alignment with Oz Group’s values.
Fun fact, he loves preparing food for people who turn a simple meal into a shared celebration.
Jesser has been a valued addition to the Oz Group team and brings a wealth of agronomic expertise to the growing of berries and leads the following business function at Oz Group: Agronomy.
Fun fact, he loves hiking remote trails and once trekked through the Coffs Coast carrying nothing but a backpack and a soil testing kit, just in case he stumbled upon an interesting pH anomaly!
