Did you know that the Clayfield property where Harris Farm Markets is located has been sold at auction? Find out why market-goers need not have any cause for alarm.
The property, located on Sandgate Road and spanning 3,300 square metres, has anchored the family-owned supermarket chain and the Clayfield Seafood Markets. The site also has a BWS liquor store, the office of JCDecaux Billboard, and Milk & Froth Cafe.
Following the sale, Harris Farm Markets, which bought Clayfield Seafood Markets next door in 2022 as part of its expansion, will continue to trade on the site alongside the other shops that have been operating for seven years or more.
Essentially, not much will change in the property apart from the new owner. In fact, Harris Farm Markets just signed a 10-year lease and will remain in Clayfield until 2032.
According to Lachlan O’Keeffe of Ray White Commercial, there was strong interest in the Sandgate Road property before its previous owner, who owned the site since 2003, decided to offload assets.
Given its tenant retention history and as the first Queensland home of Harris Farm, the property offered strong investment potential.
Harris Farm Markets, established in Clayfield in the 1980s, is Australia’s biggest retailer of fruits and vegetables. Know more about its history and how Harris Farm Markets recently went full circle.
When David and Cathy Harris, the family behind Harris Farm Markets, decided to focus on their business’ expansion in NSW in 1991, locals Carlo and Susan Lorenti bought their Clayfield business.
Carlo had long been regarded as the Mango King of Queensland, a moniker he earned because of his penchant for buying the first batches of mango harvests and using them to fund charities like Life Education or Redkite.
Harris Farm Markets holds a special place in his heart because of more than just the produce. He met his wife at Harris Farm Markets in Ashfield, Sydney several decades ago.
Originally from Calabria in Italy, Carlo arrived in Sydney with this family in the 1970s at the age of 12. His work at Harris Farm Markets Ashfield gave him the opportunity to oversee some of the business’ other outlets, including Clayfield. He and David have always maintained a great relationship as business colleagues and good friends.
Susan, from Sydney, was only 18 when she met her future husband and the father of her two boys, Julian and Jamie, at the Ashfield outlet where she also worked. After buying Harris Farm Markets from the Harris family, the Lorentis settled in Clayfield where their sons went to school some two kilometres away from their store.
The Lorentis renamed Harris Farm Markets into Clayfield Markets Fresh, which became known for good quality and the widest varieties of produce, specialty cheese, and grocery items at reasonable prices. The store also offered a selection of international food, including Spanish and Italian meats like jamon or prosciutto, gourmet dips, and designer chocolates or ice cream.
Photo Credit: Google Maps Photo Credit: ClayfieldMarkets/InstagramPhoto Credit: ClayfieldMarkets/Instagram
Coming Full Circle
Sometime in 2019, Harris Farms, through CEO Tristan Harris, one of the sons of David and Cathy, approached the Lorentis to discuss buying back the Clayfield site, the historic family home of Harris Farm Markets in Queensland, amidst the Harris family’s plans to expand in the region.
Carlo and Susan felt it was the right thing to do after 30 years of running Clayfield Markets Fresh. Carlo said that he did not want to pass on the business to an operator that wasn’t as passionate as Susan and him.
Photo Credit: Loving Nundah/Facebook
In a beautiful twist of fate, the pair came full circle and turned over the markets to the family that started their career and to a store where they first built their lives together.
Harris Farm Markets in Clayfield officially re-opened in November 2020 after a rebuild and the addition of more workers. Carlo and Susan are still part of the business as the managers.
Photo Credit: Peter Barton/Google Maps
Photo Credit: Ines Fernandez/Google Maps
Photo Credit: Photograng BNE/Google Maps
Harris Farm Markets Autumn 2022 Recipes
Meanwhile, autumn is the perfect time to enjoy a cooler picnic at Kalinga Park with the family and Harris Farm Markets has provided some amazing seasonal specifics for preparing delicious picnic food using ingredients like raspberries, Pink Lady Apples, broccolini, white grapes, pears, figs, avocados, mandarins, red grapefruit, truss tomatoes, citrus, and of course, loads of veggies.
Spice up breakfasts with a spoonful of baked sweet plums and the flavours of cinnamon and star anise in the morning. Or spoon them over yogurt for a quick and simple dessert. These versatile baked plums are a saviour to have in the fridge.
Did you know that out of the 7.6 million tonnes of food that goes to waste in Australia each year, around 70% is still edible? Clayfield’s Harris Farm Markets tries to make something out of these potentially usable food items through ‘Re-purposeful Picks.’
Re-purposeful Picks is a product range made from upcycling perishable food items into premium quality products with longer shelf life.
Beginning with over 30 products that are only available in-store, the Re-purposeful Picks range will extend the shelf life of items that would have otherwise been thrown away by up to two months. This includes upcycling fruit into smoothies, bread into breadcrumbs and vegetables on delicious pizzas.
Bread upcycled into breadcrumbs (Photo supplied)
As food waste differs from store to store based on the daily shopping lists and consumption of customers, Harris Farm Markets has equipped each store with the facilities to repurpose its food waste in-house to create this new range of upcycled products.
Vegetables turned into salsas, vegetable chips and pizza toppings (Photo supplied)
Harris Farm Markets Co-CEO Tristan Harris the Re-purposeful Picks range was created as a way for Harris Farm to take action at a store level to combat climate change, empowering each branch to reduce its daily food waste.
“Harris Farm has listened to the concerns of its customers about food waste in stores, and for more than a year we have been working on a way to make a meaningful impact without compromising our daily offering to customers,” he said.
“Through this new initiative, we will end up with less products on shelves that are nearing their expiry dates as items will be rotated sooner to create the Re-Purposeful Picks range. This means overall, we are creating longer life cycles to minimise food wastage across all 25 of our stores,” Mr Harris said.
Australia’s Food Waste Problem
Luke, Angus and Tristan Harris at the new West End store (Photo supplied)
Food waste costs the Australian economy more than $36 billion each year. The retail sector contributes more than 500,000 tonnes to this total according to the 2021 National Food Waste Baseline.
Harris Farm has been a pioneer in the retail space for sustainable initiatives, being the first chain store retailer to ban the plastic bag at the beginning of 2018 as well as the first to challenge established food perceptions on fruit and vegetable with its Imperfect Picks range in 2014.
To date, Harris Farm has invested more than $16 million into its sustainability initiatives, which have collectively eliminated over 31,000 tonnes of food waste.
Would you like some Pudgy Imperfect Pears, Lumpy Pink Lady Apples, Warped Eggplant, Twisted Sweet Potatoes, Unruly Imperfect Zucchini and Scruffy Mangoes? These ‘Imperfect Picks’ from Harris Farm Markets Clayfield might not look perfect on the outside, but they’re still the same great quality for an even greater value.
According to co-CEO Tristan Harris, the Imperfect Picks program helps reduce the number of perfectly edible crops going to waste due to their less attractive appearances. A staggering 25 percent of Australian crops never leave the farm gate simply because they do not meet the visual specifications of supermarkets and consumers.
Customers will be able to order an array of fruit and vegetables with a few extra bumps that taste exactly the same as normal produce, with options — or in this case, newer options — such as the Pudgy Imperfect Pears, or the Warped Eggplant, or the Lumpy Pink Lady Apples.
Warped Eggplant, one of Harris Farm Markets’ newest products. Photo credit: Harris Farm Markets
“We say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ and it’s never been more accurate when it comes to buying fruits and vegetables,” says Mr Harris.
“What looks perfect might not truly be the best option for the environment, Aussie farmers or for your hip pocket. The choices you make at the supermarket can make a big impact.”
Other all-new products from the Imperfect Picks selection include Twisted Sweet Potatoes, Unruly Imperfect Zucchini, and Scruffy Mangoes.
Scruffy Mangoes, one of Harris Farm Markets’ newest products. Photo credit: Harris Farm Markets
The program has been used by the Harris Farm Markets for roughly six years now, saving a total of 28 million kilograms of crops from being thrown into landfill — approximately 100,000kg of food a week.
Those interested in purchasing produce online from the Imperfect Picks selection can do so by visiting the Harris Farms Market online store here. For the latest updates and announcements concerning the seasonal crops available, as well as any special deals, follow their Facebook page.
Following the return of Harris Farm Markets through their new branch in Clayfield, the grocery chain now delivers fresh meat and produce directly to their customers’ doorsteps — no queueing required.
With the looming danger of COVID-19, many would-be customers are dissuaded by the idea of prolonged exposure outside. Fortunately, online shopping and delivery service is now available — even for household essentials that would normally be difficult to acquire outside of a market or a grocery such as fruits and vegetables. Harris Farm Markets provides exactly that.
The new online delivery services allows customers to have fresh produce delivered directly to their homes — emphasising both convenience and safety. Available stocks include but aren’t limited to tropical and seasonal fruits and vegetables, fresh meat both red and white, assortments of cheese, milk and yoghurt, as well as tea and coffee.
Cheese, meat, and assorted snacks available at Harris Farm Markets. Photo credit: Facebook
“Certainly, the ongoing concern about COVID-19 has meant many people prefer to order their fruit and veg online,” says Angus, “and we are seeing orders come in from all over greater Brisbane which is a wonderful testament to the city, and it’s love affair with local produce and fresh flavours.”
To help customers choose products relevant to their interests, Harris Farm Markets offers pre-made bundles and boxes available for online delivery such as the ‘Office Fruit and Snack Box’ which contains fruits, chips and nuts that make for excellent snacks, the ‘Make Your Own Pizza Kit Box’ which contains all the ingredients necessary to create a homemade pizza, and last but not least, ‘Dave’s Market Picks’, a seasonal box named after David Harris, the founder of the company.
Dave’s Market Picks Fruits and Veg Box XL. Contents vary depending on the season. Photo credit: Harris Farm Markets
All products sold at Harris Farm Markets come packaged in recyclable and reusable boxes made from recycled materials and compostable bio pack bags to ensure maximum sustainability and eco-friendliness. Children are even free to colour in the images that come with delivery boxes, which also come with instructions for crafts and games for kids to play.
About the Harris Farm Markets
Harris Farm Markets has been in the industry for over 40 years. Under the ownership of the Harris family, they’ve delivered high-quality fruits and vegetables through their network of over 3,000 employees across 23 different stores.
The Clayfield branch can be found at 823 Sandgate Rd, open every day from 6:00AM to 10:00PM. Follow them on Facebook or keep up with their blog for the latest updates concerning the various deals and seasonal products available.
Harris Farm Markets has come full circle in Clayfield. Some 30 years after opening the fruits and vegetable shop, the family-owned company is back in operation at its original Sandgate Road site and will open doors on Wednesday, 16 Dec 2020, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
The shop is still undergoing a rebuild and redesign of the former Clayfield Markets. Carlo and Susan Lorenti, who owned and managed the old site, will stay on and maintain the quality of the goods and services at Harris Farm Markets.
“We’ve proudly served the Clayfield community for over 30 years and whilst one door closes on Monday 7th December a new door opens,” the Lorentis said. “We can’t wait to be welcoming you back to our brand spanking new store. Where we hope to bring a little bit of extra joy into your shopping experience with us.”
Photo Credit: Harris Farm Market
“We are incredibly excited to be opening at this site because Harris Farm used to own it 30 years ago before selling it to Carlo and Susan. It’s a full-circle story and we are thrilled that Carlo and Susan are staying on as our managers at Clayfield, along with as many staff as possible,” Harris Farm Markets co-CEO Tristan Harris said.
“The Clayfield store will be home to the best in fruit and vegetables, including an organic produce section and a leaderboard of Queensland strawberries and mangoes, as well as a gourmet grocery section of boutique local products, an extensive deli and offering of more than 200 cheeses, a bakery section with the best bread from sourdough to brioche, and a premium meat selection.”
“It will be a flavour-filled showcase of Queensland and Australian produce under one roof, and we can’t wait to open here in a city that values their fresh fruit, vegetables and food stories so highly. Queensland is famed for the richness and range of produce grown across the state, and to be able to work with so many wonderful producers is one of our dreams.”
Photo Credit: Facebook
Harris Farm Markets Clayfield will be one of two flagship stores for Queensland. The other shop is going to open in West End in May 2021.
With over 300 growers, producers and creators in Queensland alone, the Harris Farm Markets has championed the value and freshness of truly seasonal products. This company has delivered goodness for over 40 years, with the firm belief that Australian families should have access to the freshest and best available fruit and vegetables.
Harris Farm Markets will also feature an IMPERFECT PICKS corner.
“This is the seasonal produce that might not look perfect on the outside but are as perfect as ever on the inside. IMPERFECT PICKS helps reduce the astonishing statistic that *25 percent of farmers’ crops currently never leave the farm gate simply because they may not look ‘normal’, and do not meet the visual specifications of some consumers and supermarkets. This means every time someone buys an IMPERFECT PICK, they are helping us take more of our farmer’s crops, helping to reduce food wastage and most importantly, saving 50 percent at the checkout,” Mr Harris said.
The beloved Clayfield Markets Fresh, which has been a market mainstay of purveyors of farm-fresh food in Clayfield for the last 29 years, has come full circle. Bought from David and Cathy Harris of Harris Farm Markets fame, this neighborhood market was run as Clayfield Markets Fresh by Carlo and Susan Lorenti and has now been sold to once again become part of the Harris Farm Markets family.
“After 29 wonderful years, we have come to the end of our journey owning Clayfield Markets Fresh. In exciting news, we have sold our beloved store to Harris Farms Markets. While this has been a decision made with a heavy heart (as this has been our life for all these years). We also realise that the time is right for us to pass on this wonderful store to a group that will love it as much as we do,” the Lorentis announced on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Clayfield Fresh Markets/Facebook
However, this is a but a new chapter for the Lorentis as they will stay on to help launch the new store, along with their current staff.
“We are incredibly excited to be opening at this site because Harris Farm used to own it 30 years ago before handing it over to Carlo and Susan,” Harris Farm Markets co-CEO Tristan Harris said. “It’s a full-circle story and we are thrilled that Carlo and Susan are staying on as our managers at Clayfield, along with as many staff as possible.”
Carlo confirmed that they will still be managing Harris Farms Markets in Clayfield.
“It’s an exciting time for everyone,” he said. “We are staying on with Harris Farms to assist with the transition and be a part of the new way forward!
“Please be rest assured that Harris Farms are well informed of our tradition and values that have been created over the many years in servicing the wider Brisbane community,” Carlo added. “They share our values and our commitment to you and to our suppliers. And they will create a vibrant new store and a new creative concept of fresh food shopping.”
Photo Credit: Supplied
Harris Farms Markets in Clayfield will be the “historic family home” in Brisbane whilst the company will also open its flagship store in May at the West Village in West End. The company will move into a part of the Peters Ice Cream building.
The NSW fresh produce retailer’s expansion in Queensland will bring jobs to over 200 staff in both the Clayfield and the West End outlets. Products from more than 300 Queensland growers, creators and producers will be available in these stores.
“The Clayfield store will be home to the best in fruit and vegetables, including a tomato shed, organic produce section and a leaderboard of Queensland strawberries and mangoes, as well as a gourmet grocery section of boutique local products, an extensive deli and offering of more than 200 cheeses, a bakery section with the best breads from sourdough to brioche, and a premium meat selection,” the CEO said.
Photo Credit: Supplied
Photo Credit: Supplied
“It will be a flavour-filled showcase of Queensland and Australian produce under one roof, and we can’t wait to open in November in a city that values their fresh fruit, vegetables and food stories so highly. Queensland is famed for the richness and range of produce grown across the state, and to be able to work with so many wonderful producers is one of our dreams.”
Harris Farm Markets has 22 stores employing 1,500 people across Australia. The family-owned company has been in business since 1971.
