Horticulture Australia Branded Produce, Case Study

Redefining Fruit and Vegetable Retail with Branded Produce

When Morris Misel first proposed the concept of branded fruit to Horticulture Australia, it was seen as radical even controversial. Why would anyone brand an apple? But Morris saw what others didn’t: a seismic shift in how urban consumers connect with the food they eat. He proposed a bold retail-first strategy transform fresh produce from undifferentiated commodity into high-trust, high-loyalty consumer brands.

Through a series of national strategy sessions and innovation workshops, Morris worked with growers, retailers, and industry groups to define the DNA of branded produce. He helped them tell stories of place, people, and provenance turning "just another pear" into a named, trusted product. These sessions caught the attention of Woolworths Australia and laid the foundation for a now-mainstream practice of storytelling in produce retail.

Morris’s concept brought shoppers closer to growers. Consumers began to ask not just "Is it fresh?" but "Where was this grown? Who grew it? Why does it taste different?" His foresight mapped a future where produce aisles became storytelling arenas, filled with QR codes, farm narratives, seasonal exclusives, and transparent sourcing.

Shift: From undifferentiated commodities to premium branded produce that builds trust and loyalty.

The result? Today, branded fruit is a staple of modern supermarket strategy driving price premiums, boosting retailer reputation, and giving shoppers a reason to choose one banana over another. What began as a radical foresight conversation now defines how Australians experience the future of fresh.