Morphett Vale’s Adelaide Fresh Fruiterers have won National Retailer of the Year

A family-owned fruit and veg shop in the southern suburbs has taken out a top national award for the second year running – here’s what sets it apart.

A family-run fruit-and-veg shop in Adelaide’s south is officially the country’s best business.

Adelaide Fresh Fruiterers has won the National Retailer of the Year award, beating hundreds of other businesses around the country for the prize.

It’s a second bite at the cherry for owner Dino Labbozzetta and his team – the shop also took out the award last year.

Mr Labbozzetta said despite skyrocketing prices taking a hefty bite, his family’s focus on “old-fashioned service” had helped clinch the back-to-back titles.

“Quality and old fashion service is what we all believe in,” he said.

Dino Labbozzetta and staff at Morphett Vale's Adelaide Fresh Fruiterers named the best in the country, after taking out the National Retailer of the Year Award.

“It’s a lot of early mornings and early markets, waking up at 2am or 3am, picking out the best produce and our amazing staff do the rest once it gets to the shop.”

Mr Labbozzetta said floods in the eastern states had pushed up prices and created issues with supply.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show Adelaide families are now paying an extra 14.5 per cent for vegetables, however, fruit is down 2.8 per cent.

“If it’s hard for us, it means its hard for them as well,” Mr Labbozzetta said.

“(But) we’ve always got product on our shelves – one of the things customers get disappointed with at supermarkets is there’s not always things on the shelf.

“The customers trust our service and they have done since we opened. They trust us and our quality because they know it’s going to last.

“They also trust that if anyone is going to put a good special on, it’s going to be us.”

The fruit-and-veg shop, which employs 54 staff, also acts as a wholesaler for a large number of cafes and pubs through the Fleurieu Peninsula.

“We appreciate every single one of our customers and we really do thank them for their ongoing support,” Mr Labbozzetta said.

“We will never stop trying and doing what we do to make sure our customers get the best.”