By Michael Burt
Coles is preparing to take locally grown bananas off supermarket shelves and replace them with fruit trucked more than 1600 kilometres from North Queensland.
From October, Coles will end its long-standing supply arrangement with Coffs Harbour wholesaler Golden Dawn, cutting local growers out of the supermarket’s Coffs Coast stores.
Owner of Golden Dawn, Paul Gibbins, said his business has been supplying fresh produce to Coles and supporting local growers for 35 years.
“When we were first informed about the decision by Coles, we were genuinely shocked,” Mr Gibbins said.
“We had followed procedures, requirements and compliance standards Coles had put in place for us as a vendor, and we have worked hard over many years to build a strong relationship with the company.”
“For us, this isn't simply a change to a supply chain. This affects real people in our community.”
“Golden Dawn supplies Coles stores in our region, and behind that supply chain are local growers, their families, our employees and our regional businesses.”
NSW Farmers Coffs Harbour Branch chair Paul Shoker, who is one of those growers, said the Coles decision will impact more than 30 mid north coast local farming families.
“It means that growers now must face the uncertainty of the central markets for some of their bananas. The supermarkets actually pay quite well and it’s a consistent trade,” Mr Shoker said.
“There are two Coles stores with a 10-kilometre radius of our farm. The foods miles from our farm to the wholesaler to Coles is less than 30km. The food miles from far north Queensland will be more than 2000 kilometres.”
Mr Shoker said farmers have been buoyed by community support for a farmer-led campaign to reverse a decision by Coles to stop buying local bananas.
Spearheaded by the Coffs Harbour and District Banana Growers Association, the Save Coffs Banana’s Facebook page has generated more than 500,000 views. Media coverage has been extensive, and a petition launched on 28 August to urge Coles to support local Mid North Coast Farmers has attracted more than 15,500 signatures.
The campaign has also won the support of the Big Banana CEO, Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh and City of Coffs Harbour mayor Nikki Williams.
Mr Shoker created the Save Coffs Bananas Facebook page to share stories and images of local farming families who have been growing bananas for generations.
“All these families are multi-generational, so the community knows who they are. They have played sport with them or gone to school with them.”
“We’ve been able to capture the hearts and minds of the community. Like Norco milk, the Coffs banana brand also strong loyalty.”
Mr Shoker said the campaign has also created new market opportunities with local independent retailers. Local Woolworths stores are also continuing to stock Coffs Coast bananas.
Coles says it is not a rejection of local growers or their produce, but part of a broader strategy to simplify its fresh produce supply chain and move away from direct-to-store arrangements.
Bonville banana farmer Lee Gentle said that strategy will also impact cucumbers and pumpkin growers that supply wholesaler Golden Dawn.
“We urge Coles to review this short-sighted decision, honor its public commitments to sustainability, and reinstate its direct sourcing partnerships with Coffs Harbour banana growers via trusted and reliable Golden Dawn Wholesalers,” Ms Gentle said.
Ms Gentle said the Change.org petition has broadened the support to people in Sydney. You can support the Save Coffs Bananas campaign by signing the petition at www.change.org/Supportlocalfood
