CASE STUDY

GRAPES

Romeo’s Best
Longer grape supply reduces need
for imports
The quantity of grapes that Coles Currently, there are 100 acres of vines
imports from the US each year is falling, producing grapes on Romeo’s Best
thanks to the nation’s largest grape Mareeba property. Another 100 acres
producer lengthening its growing period. next door to it is also under development,
Through a strategic growing program with trellis installed. In another three
A BUNCH OF across four properties, Romeo’s Best can years, there’ll be no down time for the
NUMBERS now supply Coles with fresh grapes from business.
September to July. “We’ll program to produce fruit at the
This year was the first they’ve been start of August.”
able to guarantee a September crop –

200+ enough to stock 24 Coles’ stores in Far

North Queensland with white and black
Forward planning
Glenn says that Romeo’s Best has
The number of people employed Australian grapes.
a“terrific” relationship with Coles, which
by Romeo’s Best each year. By 2013, they’ll be producing grapes
has helped the business forward plan to
all year round.
achieve this constant supply.

2,700 A year-round supply

Romeo’s Best marketing manager
“We have an open relationship where
we sit down and discuss our planning and
The number of acres that our programming. We communicate
Romeo’s Best has planted with Glenn Egan says producing a year round daily in the season, not just on a trading
vines. supply is a long term strategy that they’ve relationship but in regards to market
been working towards, in conjunction information and intelligence and business
with Coles, for some time. planning as well.”

1.35m+
It relies on a careful co-ordination of He says the Coles buying and quality
harvests that move south from Mareeba, teams visit Romeo’s Best properties
Emerald and St George in Queensland regularly. “It’s good to get the customer
The number of grape vines and, finally, Robinvale in Victoria, from in and have some first hand feedback and
owned by Romeo’s Best. lateAugust/early September until July the advice.”
following year. On top of good advice, the assurance
The harvest currently underway at that Coles will buy the bulk of Romeo’s

24
Mareeba is the property’s first, and the
Best grapes each year lets the business
product of three years hard work to get it
invest in a variety of future goals.
up and running.
The number of Coles “Without it we wouldn’t be investing
“Typically at this time, where grapes
Supermarkets in Far North up north; we wouldn’t be investing in
have traditionally been grown they’re
new varieties; and we wouldn’t be
Queensland that Romeo’s Best is dormant – they’re having their sleep for
travelling the world looking at best
supplying direct with white the year.
practice: that wouldn’t be happening.”
grapes. “In the Tropics the plants don’t go
Romeo’s Best has strong connections
dormant, so we can strategically
with grape growers outside of Australia.
manipulate our crop to produce fruit at
“Counter seasonally, we go to America
any time of the year. We can prune it,
14,000 trigger it to start regrowth and we’ll know
that five months after that time, we can
each year where we have relationships
with some of the biggest growers in the
The number of different grape world.”
start the crop.”
varieties that are trialled for Aside from this, the business is also
“Australia imports fruit from the US at
every one picked up involved in breeding programs in the US
this time of year … We’re the only
that will deliver grapes with improved
commercially company of any note taking that on with
eating and growing qualities.
our import replacement strategy.”

SEPTEMBER 2010
 CASE STUDY
GRAPES

FAMILY FOUNDATIONS
THE ROMEO BUNCH

Family is central to Romeo’s Best, the foundations of

which lay in a mixed vegetable enterprise at Robinvale.

Lindsay Romeo manages the production side of the

business, while his brother Tony Romeo takes care of
the commercial side.

The original Robinvale property was set up by their

father, who initially used it to grow vegetable crops. In
1980, the 36 acre farm was converted to vines. Now,
with 2700 acres planted with vines at 500 to the acre,
three of Lindsay and Tony’s sons are keen to carry on
the tradition.

Glenn says much of this expansion has occurred in the

five year since Romeo’s Best started supplying grapes
to Coles.“Our business has grown significantly in that time.”

The size of the enterprise, however, means that

Romeo’s Best is now far too big to be simply a family
affair. Seasonally, it employs over 200 people, with about
30 full timers.

New varieties Glenn says that although it is a long After two to three months, the vines
On the horizon time between development and harvest, start to shoot and buds emerge. Says
Glenn says there are plans to they’re not just sitting about waiting. Glenn: “Fingers crossed the frosts stay
introduce new grape varieties into the “We’ve still got our day-to-day away as when they’re young and tender,
Australian market over the next few management.” they’re at their most vulnerable.”
years. Five months after this first bud burst,
Until now the development of new How it all works the grapes are ready to harvest.
grape varieties has been limited. “There Day-to-day There’s no rest for those at Romeo’s
are still varieties today that we’ve had for management Best, however: “Once we’ve picked it,
25 years.” So what does this day-to-day packed it and hopefully sold it to Coles,
It’s a slow process and a difficult one. management involve? we start all over again.”
“Trying to breed a fruit takes about 10 Glenn explains that the management
years from start to finish. of grapes on each of the properties works
“During that period of time, the on a 12 month cycle. In Emerald, for
breeders work on 14,000 trials to get one instance, harvest begins in November on
positive outcome. white and coloured grapes. Six weeks
“Having said that, there is significant later, the white grapes are finished and by
work being put into it, particularly in the the end of February so are the coloured
United States over the last 10 years. grapes.
“We’re just seeing some new varieties Once harvest ends, the vines are
coming into play. These are varieties that pruned of old wood and wrapped down
are going to allow us to extend the in May and June for their period of
season, which are grower friendly, with dormancy.
bigger crops needing less management, Contractors carry out this work, which
and consumer friendly, with great flavour, can take up to two months as each vine
great shelf life and great consistency.” must be attended to individually.

SEPTEMBER 2010
 CASE STUDY
GRAPES

Q&A
with Romeo’s Best marketing manager, Glenn Egan

How would you describe your relationship with Coles? aggressive in their promotion of grapes – I don’t think any grape
grower could complain about their promotion. In terms of their
It’s terrific actually. We have an open relationship where we sit commitment in selling stock, they’ve been terrific.
down and discuss our planning and our programming. We
communicate daily in the season, not just on a trading How important is Coles’ commitment to running and
relationship but in regards to market information and intelligence co-ordinating different locations?
and short term planning as well.
We have a pretty active program where we welcome the guys We work hand in hand with Coles to make sure that the
onto our property seasonally - we hope to have the buying crew season runs productively for all of us. Co-ordinating stock when
visit on an annual basis at least. As much as we like to think we’re we move from one farm to another is of the utmost importance to
doing the right thing, it’s good to get the customer in and have a ensure supply meets demand and our customers have stock at all
reality check sometimes. times.

How is Coles helping Romeo’s Best with its overall Does Coles commitment also help MFC continue to
business objectives? be at the forefront of new product varieties?

Our business objectives are to continue to grow and get to a Coles’ commitment to our business is driven by a desire to
point where we have product 12 months of the year and, provide customers with the best stock possible at all times. Due to
subsequently, cash flow and business enterprise for 12 months of this commitment, our business has the confidence to actively
the year as well. Coles seems pretty keen on working with us to pursue the best new varieties from around the globe.
achieve that, providing we can deliver the goods.
The biggest change with Coles in the last two seasons is a
willingness to promote the product in season, they’ve been very

SEPTEMBER 2010