DUEVOL FRESH, SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
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DUEVOL FRESH, SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
I grew up in a health-conscious family, where our pantry and fridge were always packed to the rafters with heaps of fresh fruit and vegetables. Our fruit bowl was always overflowing! We kids were well looked after, and my parents almost always indulged our little quirks. It was a well-known fact that I favoured the centre of the watermelon and wouldn’t even consider eating the rest. Now some people might call that spoilt; nevertheless, it was my favourite way to tuck into a juicy watermelon. As a family, we never took for granted the blessing to always have food on our table.
My grandfather, an upstanding Jewish man, was both a gifted artist and an incredible musician. By encouraging my emerging creativity, he played a huge role during my sometimes-troubled teenage years. My adoring grandmother was the president of the Red Cross auxiliary role. With the assistance and unwavering faith of my two brilliant grandparents, my first art exhibition was launched at age 12. You can imagine the proud moment when all, but one of the 22 paintings were sold!
During my 20’s, my passion for fresh fruit and vegetables never wavered, and only grew stronger. I was driven by my eagerness to learn everything there was to know about growing fresh produce, and of course, to taste the fruits of my labour! At the age of 17, I’d already made up my mind that mango, paw-paw, and watermelon were my 3 favourite fruits. That’s one thing that remains the same until today.
The hospitality industry was calling my name, so I decided to leave school and pursue a career that was sure to feed my passion for obtaining the freshest produce. My first gig was at the Sydney Royal Easter Showground. Farmers and growers from all over the states would gather at the Hall of Agriculture to show off their fresh produce. I would be in utter awe of the spectacular displays of fruit and vegetables, a picture that is still engraved in my mind.
Soon after, I threw myself into a four years intensed study. The dualcertification of Nutrition and Advertising & Marketing escalated my two passions and dreams. I was lucky enough to share a house with 3 other like-minded individuals, who also needed extra cash to support their ongoing studies. Future Foods, my very first company, was launched in collaboration with my fellow “fresh obsessed” housemate, Michael. In 1979, we began our production of sprouted seeds and became suppliers to restaurants and wholesale markets. I soon spotted an opportunity that would allow us to rapidly expand our business, almost overnight. We started buying fresh produce from the wholesalers, to then offer a broader variety to restaurants around Sydney.
Not long after, we were compelled to employ additional staff to fulfil the weekly delivery leg of our full-service offering. The next step was to branch out and start selling directly to the public. Luckily, we were one of the first companies to break into this new market. Our modus operandi was to grab an 18kg box, fill it up with any in-season produce, and charge $10 to deliver straight to our customers’ door. The concept proved to be a roaring success! By the early ’80s, I’d finished my studies and sold the business. By applying the same proven formula, I launched a brand-new business for my sister, living on the South Coast of NSW. I was 25 and itching to take on the world and concealed prospects!
Like many Australians, I began my travels in Asia, surfing my way through the different coasts and oceans. I embraced whatever life had to offer by fully immersing myself in every cultural experience I encountered. Sampling the various cuisines was, of course, a priority. The tropics gifted us with the most incredible fruit, bursting with incredible flavours! Mango always ranked first though. On my journey from Indonesia to India, I was fortunate enough to discover, touch, taste, and also share an array of tropical fruits with my fellow travellers.
We formed a partnership and commenced production in Bordeaux. After approximately 6 months, the business really took off and I ended up spending the next 10 years of my life in France.
Well, my good stint in France not only catalysed my professional growth but also painted my personal life blue. During my initial years in Lacanau, destiny had its first smile on me. Yes, I met a beautiful and charming French lady, Sylvie. She was then an artist, dancer who shared more or less the same vibes with me for we both chased our passion. As a result, in addition to having a stellar mutual understanding, she lent that much-needed support to build up my business. Her innate creative skills, aptly complemented by the knowledge about locality along with her language talents, facilitated my efforts to kick-start the business. She was the major force in attaining publicity when we launched our product in the local market, thereby ticking all those boxes in favour of the product promotion. The very testimony to this feat is winning of the venerated and prestigious award – The Green Ribbon of Agriculture.