Northern Rivers Berry Grower Secures Nearly $500,000 to Expand Kiwi Berry Production
A Northern Rivers family farming business has secured almost half a million dollars in funding to help transform kiwi berries into a mainstream Australian fruit, with support from the latest round of the Coles Nurture Fund.
Tallogum Berries, a second-generation farming business in the Northern Rivers, has been awarded $495,000 to establish a commercial-scale next-generation kiwi berry breeding program aimed at increasing production and extending the fruit’s short harvest season.
The funding forms part of almost $1 million awarded to two New South Wales agricultural businesses through Round 14 of the Coles Nurture Fund, which supports innovative projects designed to improve sustainability, efficiency and long-term growth across Australia’s food and farming sectors.
Since launching in 2015, the Coles Nurture Fund has distributed more than $43 million to 127 Australian businesses, with grants of up to $500,000 helping producers bring new ideas and technologies to life. New South Wales businesses have now received more than $7.5 million through the program.
Tallogum Berries owner Natalie Bell said the project builds on the family’s long history in berry production and aims to make kiwi berries more widely available to Australian consumers.
The new commercial trial will allow the business to evaluate improved kiwi berry varieties capable of producing higher yields and extending the current supply season, helping establish the fruit as a regular feature on supermarket shelves.
Ms Bell said kiwi berries offer consumers a convenient alternative to traditional kiwifruit.
“Kiwi berries are a small, snack-sized fruit with smooth edible skin, making them ideal for lunchboxes and healthy snacks,” she said.
She said the family had witnessed the rapid growth of Australia’s blueberry industry over recent decades and believed kiwi berries had similar potential if production could be expanded and made more consistent.
The Northern Rivers grant recipient was one of eight businesses selected nationally under the latest funding round.
Also receiving funding was Wintergreen Farm near Tamworth, which was awarded $500,000 to construct a 30-megalitre above-ground water storage system designed to improve water security for its poultry operation and reduce evaporation losses.
Coles Group Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer Anna Croft said the successful projects demonstrated the innovation taking place within Australian agriculture.
She said while the projects addressed different challenges, both had the potential to deliver benefits beyond the individual businesses by strengthening Australia’s food production systems and encouraging practical innovation throughout the agricultural sector.
Applications for the next round of the Coles Nurture Fund are expected to open in January 2027, providing further opportunities for Australian primary producers to secure funding for innovative farming projects.
