d'VineRipe®
$65 million tomato glasshouse achieves Stage 2 milestone
d'VineRipe's $65 million high-tech tomato glasshouse was a showcase development which aligned perfectly with the South Australian Government's strategic plan by reaping commercial, environmental and social dividends, Department of Trade and Economic Development deputy chief executive officer, Lachlan Bruce, said at its Stage 2 opening on Tuesday, February 22.
Mr Bruce officially declared open the $30 million Stage 2 expansion before more than 120 key stakeholders including joint venture company shareholders, fresh produce industry leaders, retailers and local and state government delegates.
A joint venture between Sydney-based fresh food marketing company, Perfection Fresh Australia, and diverse investment company, The Victor Smorgon Group, d'VineRipe is Australia's largest glasshouse to use pad and fan climate technology. Spanning 17 hectares, the glasshouse has the capacity to produce up to 10,000 tonnes of truss and specialty tomatoes a year. Stage 1 opened in 2007.
Mr Bruce said the world-class glasshouse used the latest technology to intensify and expand food production in an environmentally sustainable way. It had also created local employment and generated valuable economic activity, he said.
"South Australia aims to become the 'state of choice' for investors - a state in which outstanding projects can be realised by government and industry working together. The d'VineRipe glasshouse facility is a great example of that," Mr Bruce said.
Other speakers at the official launch included Perfection Fresh chief executive officer, Michael Simonetta and The Victor Smorgon Group chief executive officer, Peter Edwards.
Mr Simonetta said the glasshouse's expanded capacity better placed d'VineRipe to provide consistent year-round supply, minimise peaks and troughs and respond faster to shortfalls.
He paid tribute to the company's retail customers who had supported the development from project inception.
Perfection Fresh and its retail partners continued to collaborate by researching and developing new, better tasting varieties, he said.
Dutch glasshouse construction company, van der Hoeven greenhousebuilders, designed and built both glasshouse stages. More than 100 new jobs have been created within the glasshouse and packing facility.
The facility incorporates leading-edge technologies and operating systems including a co-generation plant which runs on natural gas to control the glasshouse climate, water sourced from Adelaide's waste water supply via the Bolivar Water Reuse Project, a closed watering system, and innovative packing lines. The feasibility of generating renewable energies such as biogas to compost its own waste and an on-site nursery to propagate seeds are on d'VineRipe's future agenda.
