Eldridge Fresh Organics: The taste of quality

This family owned organic vegetable business has expanded into Coles and Woolworths stores across the country. This is how they did it.

At Eldridge Fresh Organics they believe one of their biggest achievements is doing things the way they used to, so their vegetables taste just like they should.

And the key to the great tasting produce, comes down to the type of soil and compost used, according to founder and director Shane Eldridge.

“We always receive compliments on the taste of our vegetables. Think about a tomato, everyone loves a great tasting tomato and we feel we deliver on this,” Shane said.

Shane started his journey of growing organic vegetables in six glasshousesin 1997, driven by his observation of a gap in the market.

“My uncle was involved in the organic market in Stirling, and we identified an unmet demand for organic produce. That’s how we initially began as modest suppliers, gradually expanding our operations over time,” he said.

Eldridge Fresh Organics, based at Murray Bridge in South Australia, has expanded to 200ha across six properties with vegetables grown in 180 glasshouses, under shade and poly.

Chelsea Eldridge and her father Shane Eldridge of Eldridge Fresh Organics.

Now into the fourth generation of farmers, Shane heads up Eldridge Fresh Organics, while his daughter Chelsea is the business support manager and his son Tyson is a machinery/harvester operator.

Eldridge Fresh Organics holds an Australian Certified Organic certification and is the business’s major point of difference.

“The aim was always to expand the organic market and offer a consistent quality and supply,” Shane said.

“For me, it has been about building the organic market as a whole, so customers can buy organic produce that tastes like it should at affordable prices.”

They grow tomatoes, cucumber, zucchini, cauliflowers, capsicum, celery, onion, cabbage, snow peas, chilli, eggplant and potatoes.

Growing under certified organic certification means the produce is grown under strict standards using no synthetic chemicals, artificial fertilisers or genetically modified organisms.

“We genuinely believe it tastes better, and customers then know what they are buying.”

Eldridge Fresh Organics uses certified organic natural insecticides to combat pests, as well as an Integrated Pest Management program to ensure there are good bugs in their crops and Sulphur is used to manage fungal problems.

“We don’t grow organic through neglect, we still use natural insecticides and things that are available to us within the organic standards,” Shane said.

Eldridge Fresh Organics vegetable paddocks.

Originally Eldridge Fresh Organics started out just supplying local supermarkets, but their produce is now so in demand they supply local supermarkets and wholesalers across Australia. They also recently expanded into all Coles and Woolworths stores across the country.

Shane said supplying the major supermarkets was always in the back of his mind as a goal, but he thought it might have been a separate business in the future.

Although produce is planted and harvested year-round, May and June typically see a lull in growth activity.

Organic fertilisers, primarily compost, are employed on crops, sourced from South Australian company Peats Soils for the glasshouse soil.

Drip irrigation is consistently utilised to reduce water wastage.

The region experiences an average annual rainfall of about 350mm.

Like any farming enterprise, weather conditions significantly influence operations, with the aid of glasshouses and shading helping to mitigate these impacts to some extent.

“Extreme temperatures, whether excessively cold or hot, can hinder the growth of produce and prolong the growing period,” Chelsea said.

Soil sampling is carried out each year.

Most of the harvesting is done manually, although a mechanical harvester is utilised for potatoes and onions, while a combination of machine and manual harvesting is employed for celery and cabbages.

“We opt for manual harvesting mainly due to our protected cropping methods and our commitment to achieving the highest possible quality. Tomatoes, for instance, don’t fare well with machines,” Chelsea said.

The emphasis on manual labour results in significant labour costs for the Eldridge enterprise. With a fluctuating workforce from summer to winter, they maintain a core team of 12 full-time staff and hire an additional 30-35 individuals throughout the year for picking.

“We strive to control costs by maintaining a stable staffing level whenever feasible. We conduct regular team meetings to plan schedules and optimise efficiency,” Chelsea said.

Eldridge Fresh Organics vegetable paddocks.

Eldridge Fresh Organics also has a packing shed on farm, with every vegetable they grow packed by them.

With a stringent cold chain the vegetables are picked or harvested and the produce goes straight into the cool rooms for chilling to help with providing the longest shelf life possible. They are then packed into punnets, trays or bulk cartons, depending on the market.

Chelsea said they don’t usually have too much excess produce, but if they do they run specials with customers and from time to time they also make donations to Foodbank in Adelaide.

Looking forward the Eldridge’s want to ensure they continue to produce the best tasting produce and a consistent supply, while also managing high input costs well.

Chelsea recently won the Young Organic Leader of the Year at the 2024 Australian Organic Industry Awards.

“Just being chosen as a finalist was a big achievement for me, winning the award was a great and humbling experience,” she said.

“It was nice to be recognised for all the hard work and dedication I put in every day to helping our business to grow and provide quality organic produce.”

Chelsea first started working in the business in 2019 part-time after she finished high school in 2018.

When the previous admin manager left she stepped in as full-time and took on her role and then also got into sales and helped organise crop rotations.

“It wasn’t always the plan to be in the family business full time but now I can’t imagine working anywhere else, its great working in a small business and the team we have is great.”

Eldridge Fresh Organics tomatoes.