VicFresh - Fresh Produce Industry Awards
The Victorian Fruit and Vegetable "Retailer of the Year Awards" recognise excellence in fresh produce retailing. The awards are widely acclaimed and attract significant public and industry interest.
The awards are part of the Melbourne Markets Retail Support Program that provides participating retailers with business support to encourage their retailing excellence.
All retailers that purchase their supplies from Melbourne Markets are eligible to be considered. This year over 650 individual retailers participated in the program.
 Participating shops are independently mystery shopped during the preceding 12 months and rated against a standard set of criteria that includes customer-service, produce quality and variety, freshness, displays, shop layout, cleanliness, merchandising and specialist customer service including deliveries, carry service and unique products.
In Victoria there are two major awards: Metropolitan Retailer of the Year and Regional Retailer of the Year.
Awards are made to the retailers who consistently achieve at the highest level, operate shops that are appropriate to the locality and are held in high standing within the industry.
Winners each receive a valuable prize package and are inducted into the ongoing "Hall of Fame", a prestigious group of previous winners who continue to lead the way in fresh produce retailing. Sponsors also contribute additional items to the prizes.
  
VicFresh Gala Night 2009
VicFresh 2009 held on Saturday, 28 February in the Crown Palladium room provided the 940 guests with a great night of fun and entertainment. The guests drawn from all fields of the fruit and vegetable industry gathered to celebrate the annual Victorian Fruit and Vegetable Retailer of the Year awards. As per the invitation, guests were asked to add a ‘Flash of Red’ to their outfits. To add to the theme the MMA provided all guests with a long stem red rose or red rose button hole. The result was fantastic, the palladium room never looked better????
Comedian and Magician, Phil Cass amazed the audience with his illusions and ‘tongue and cheek’ humour while the band, De Ja Vue kept the crowd on the dance floor till the end of the night.
Victorian Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. Joe Helper announced this year’s award winners. Colonial Fruit Company, Chadstone awarded the Metropolitan Retailer of the Year and Forever Fresh, Echuca, won the Regional Retailer of the Year title. Both retailers will be inducted into the greengrocers’ “Hall of Fame”, a prestigious group of top retailers who have already taken out awards in previous years. The night was supported by Victorian growers and wholesalers, many of whom attended with families, staff and friends.
The Melbourne Markets Credit Service sponsored both the Metropolitan Retailer of the Year Award and the Regional
Retailer of the Year Award, in recognition of the key role that retailers play at the Markets. Awards for 40 Years Service to the industry were also presented on the night.
VicFresh 2009 was sponsored by the Melbourne Wholesale Fruit Veg & Flower Markets, Toyota Material Handling, National Point of Sale Systems, Lu-Ve Contardo Pacific Refrigeration and Crown Entertainment Complex.
2009 Winners
Metropolitan Retailer of the Year: Colonial Fresh Markets, Chadstone
Regional Retailer of the Year: Forever Fresh, Echuca
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