This Week in the Market – 12 February 2019

– Back-to-school promotion well received
– Diesel station update
– Focus on forklift safety

Market News

Back to school promotion first major campaign for 2019

To kick off 2019, A Better Choice launched its first competition for consumers, through in-store purchases at member stores. With 10 exclusive MarketFresh school incursions to win, the competition has been well received by greengrocers and customers alike. Customers are rewarded for shopping at their local fruit and veg store by giving them a chance to help their local school. The competition’s focus on shopping local to help the local community, is in line with the core values of the A Better Choice program and helps build the relationship between the greengrocer and local community.
Competitions closes this Sunday, 17 February at 5.00pm and 10 winners will be randomly drawn.

Meet our new team member
Samantha Hooper is on the road ready to visit stores across Victoria and talk to you about the A Better Choice program.  If you haven’t had a chance to attend an information session, but want to know what everyone is talking about, then register here and Sam will visit you.

Ready to sign up now? Click the link below to complete your application form.

Diesel station update

Construction of the new diesel station is well under-way with the complex under-ground and surface work now completed.
Next, you will start seeing the above-ground, visible parts of the station being put in place; with the tanks, bowsers and canopy soon to be installed.
The aim is to have the station, which is located by gate 2, open for its first customers by mid-March.
Look out for United staff who will be promoting special introductory offers in the Market soon.

Chinese New Year celebrations

Last Thursday Chinese New Year celebrations brought a lot of fun, music and amazing performances to the Melbourne Market.
The traditional Chinese Lion and accompanying dance troupe made their way around the Market performing blessings and displaying some impressive acrobatics. We would like to again wish everyone a happy and prosperous Lunar New Year and thank the Chinese Youth Society of Melbourne for their great performance.
To see more pictures from the event, visit the Melbourne Market website.

Is your forklift licence up to date?

To help ensure all Market forklift drivers are compliant, the MMA have engaged our training partner, Melbourne Polytechnic, to deliver forklift licence training courses on-site at the Market for your convenience.

Course Structure:
Participants have the option of either morning or evening classes with the course spread over four days. Each ‘class intake’ runs from Thursday to the following Wednesday with a total of 11.5 hours of training and assessment for each person.

Click here to download a flyer which outlines forklift training course dates and times.
Hurry, limited on-site Melbourne Market classes are filling fast. 

For further information or to book a place on the course please contact the Melbourne Polytechnic Short Course Office on 03 9269 8615 or email: shortcourses@melbournepolytechnic.edu.au

Weekly Safety Focus – Forklifts

With much talk around the Market centered around ensuring forklift licences are up to date, it’s a great opportunity to think about some key forklift safety rules.

Don’t allow yourself to be distracted

Remember, being safe at work isn’t really about work at all, because everyone has the right to go home uninjured each day.

Market Charity Golf Day

There is just a month left until the Melbourne Market Charity Golf Day!
Register your team now so you don’t miss out, it’s sure to be a great day out on the green.

If golf is not your thing but you’d still like a fun night out and support this wonderful cause, there is also a dinner and entertainment ticket option you can purchase.
It’s sure to be a great night with plenty of laughs, particularly with Sam Kekovich hosting as MC and comedian Gabe Rossi performing.

To download a registration form, or for more information visit the Fresh State websiteor contact kate@freshstate.com.au.

Fresh Five

This week we talk to Ali “Jimmy” Moradi
1. Your role at the Melbourne Market: 
I’m a salesman and forklift driver for Greg Scoppelliti, I’ve been working with him for about six years now. In the summer our main lines are eggplants, capsicum and grapes. In the winter we specialise in oranges which the company grown at their farm in Mildura.
2. If you could only take three fruits or vegetables with you to a deserted island, which would you take:
It would have to be watermelon, banana, apple – they’re my three favourites.
3. When was the last time you bought flowers for someone (or had them bought for you):
Last year – my cousin had a baby, so I picked up a bunch from the Flower Market and took them to visit her in the hospital.
4. Tell us something that is on your ‘bucket list’:
I love to travel, I want to go back to Europe and also visit America.
5. What do you most enjoy about working at the Melbourne Market:
You see different things everyday here, plus it’s a fun job, not too hard. I like seeing the different produce that comes in each season and working with our customers.

Industry News

BOM data shows January the hottest month in Australia on record

After sweltering through a blistering start to the year you may not be surprised that, according to Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) data, it was the hottest January for the nation as a whole on record.
The mean temperature for January averaged across the country exceeded 30 degrees, the first time this has occurred in any month ever.
Much of Victoria had just 20 per cent of its average January rain, with many centres recording no rainfall. The extreme heat and lack of rain has a big impact on the fresh produce industry.
Read more on the Good Fruit & Vegetables website.

Key Dates

Thursday 14 February – Valentine’s Day
Monday 11 March – Labour Day Public Holiday – Market closed

Ask the MMA

If you’ve got a question for the MMA email it to submissions@melbournemarket.com.au.