Honoured to win award's 'big gong'

Managing Director Gavin Scurr said it was an “absolute honour” for Pinata Farms to win the region's Food and Agribusiness Excellence Award.

The Wamuran-based family business received the “big gong” at the Moreton Bay Business Excellence & Innovation Awards in the Eatons Hill Hotel on Friday.

“It’s a real honour, particularly when you look at the calibre of business in this region. The other finalists tonight are all worthy winners.”

National leader

Pinata Farms was started 60 years ago in Wamuran by Mr Scurr’s grandfather, a builder at the time, growing pineapples on 26 hectares.

Today it is Australia’s largest pineapple grower, a leading multi-fruit producer and grows four fresh lines over more than 1000 hectares around Australia.

Pinata Farms now employs more than 70 people and has a seasonal workforce of up to 500 each year.

Great region

“This is an absolute cracker of a place to grow a lot of fruit,” Mr Scurr said, “pineapples and berries, we grow strawberries and raspberries at Wamuran as well.

“The biggest buzz we get is when someone goes ‘Wow how good is that? That’s the best strawberry I’ve had’ … the best pineapple, the best mango, whatever it may be.

“That’s what motivates us to excite Australian consumers.”

Pinata Farms has seven sites across Australia and up to 400 people harvesting “as we speak”, Mr Scurr said.

So proud

“What we’re most proud of is the amazing achievements of people that we’ve got spread through from Darwin to Hobart,” he said.

“These men and women go out in all conditions and do whatever it takes every single day so we can supply Australian consumers amazing tasting fruit.

“We’re born and bred here, third generation. The family’s been here 60 years and hopefully we’ll be here another 60.

“It’s a great place to live and great place to work.”