Meet the Grower: Red Rich Fruits 

You know what they say about an apple a day, how about 2,356kg of them? That’s how many pristine Pink Lady Apples our Produce Partner Red Rich Fruits produces each and every day for ALDI customers, equalling a whopping 860,000kg over the course of a year. Now, how do you like them apples? 

ALDI is proud to have worked with the team at Red Rich Fruits for the past 14 years to deliver the highest quality Pink Lady Apples to our shelves. Situated about an hour’s drive east of Melbourne, Red Rich Fruits’ pristine Pink Lady Apple farm is located in one of Australia’s premier apple and pear growing regions.  

Red Rich Fruits own and operate a number of orchards in this region, where the cool climate, rainfall, and fertile soil make it perfect for producing juicy apples with beautiful colour, flavour and that all-important crunch! Their Pink Lady harvest usually kicks off in early February and continues through to May. 

Quality produce for over 70 years 
Established over seven decades ago by the Napoleone family, Red Rich Fruits started as a humble vision by founder Michael ‘Mick’ Napoleone. Mick purchased the family’s first property in the Yarra Valley in 1948, quickly planting apple orchards, followed by stonefruit and pears in the years shortly after. And the rest they say is history, with the first farm still producing fruit all year round.  

“We are one of the last family owned Australian apple businesses in the country and we are very proud of that,” says Red Rich Fruits Director, Matthew Palise.  

Family values are at the core of Red Rich Fruits’ business, with Michael’s late brother Joe Napoleone being a major inspiration to their whole business.  

“Farming was in his blood, and he encapsulated everything we now stand for. He had a passion for growing fresh fruit and would always focus on what we can do and not what we can’t do,” says Mr Palise.  

ALDI’s long term Produce Partners are a cornerstone of the business’ success, with the supermarket taking out first place in Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers – Supermarket Fruits & Vegetables award for the past three years straight. 

“When we choose growers to partner with it is important that they have the same passion quality products as we do at ALDI, so that it flows all the way through from the farm to our stores,” says Matt Atley, Group Director, Fresh Produce at ALDI Australia.  

“Having dedicated partners like Red Rich Fruits to supply our supermarkets with the freshest Australian produce day in, day out fills our business with so much pride. Their hard work and dedication on the farm allows us to continuously deliver the highest quality fruits and vegetables at the best possible prices to our customers,” says Mr Atley.  

A Good Different partnership 
In the time Red Rich Fruits has partnered with ALDI, they have experienced substantial growth, according to Matthew Palise.   

“We’ve been fortunate to work closely with ALDI to grow the farming, packing and distribution arms of our business over that time. It has been a great working relationship which has helped grow and expand both of our businesses,” says Mr Palise.  

In addition to the original apple, pear and stonefruit orchards, Red Rich Fruits has acquired more land in the Yarra Valley to build their new state-of-the-art packing and distribution facility, and plant interesting new apple and pear varieties. 

“We have added mangoes as a category, purchasing orchards and a mango packing shed near Darwin NT. We have also started growing, packing and shipping citrus from our new orchards and packing shed in Gayndah, Queensland,” says Mr Palise.  

Partnering with ALDI so closely also allows Red Rich Fruits to focus on doing what they do best, growing the best Pink Ladies for our customers.  

“It’s great to have a partner like ALDI so we can do all the work out in the orchards to make sure this beautiful fruit gets to the stores in the best possible condition. It helps us manage our whole business. We forecast years in advance with ALDI and work to develop new varieties and innovations,” says Mr Palise. 

Balancing legacy with the future  
Since they began farming in the 1940s, a lot has changed in the world of farming. From technological advances and improved sustainability innovations Red Rich Fruits has evolved with the times, embedding these practices throughout their entire business.  

From catching their own water on site to making their own compost from the apple pomace, Matthew Palise knows the significance of how their business’ actions can impact the planet.  

“Sustainability at Red Rich Fruits is at the forefront of every single decision we make,” says Mr Palise.  

They are also utilising modern day forecasting systems which allows Red Rich Fruits to monitor the size of the fruit in real time, as it grows on the tree. This innovative technology helps them better understand how their crops are growing and set expectations around yields and harvest.   

Growing the perfect Pink Lady 
Grown in the picturesque Yarra Valley for ALDI, Red Rich Fruits’ Pink Ladies take about six months on the tree to reach their peak. Once they are ripe and ready, they are lovingly handpicked and then sent over to Red Rich Fruits’ state-of-the-art packing facility.  

They are washed and inspected by high tech machinery and workers by eye to ensure the best Pink Ladies are packed and shipped to ALDI stores around the country.  

“When you walk into an ALDI supermarket and see one of our pieces of fruit on shelf for a consumer at home, it makes you proud. We really love what we do,” concludes Mr Palise.