Company: SSS Strawberries
Company Description: SSS Strawberries is a leading Australian strawberry grower based in Bundaberg, Queensland, led by the second generation of the Dang family. Cultivating over 250 acres and employing around 350 staff, we’re one of the top three strawberry producers in Australia.
Nomination Category: Company / Organization Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Company of the Year - Food & Beverage - Medium-size
 Nomination Title: SSS Strawberries
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the achievements of the nominated organization since 1 January 2020, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: Briefly describe the nominated organization: its history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 183 words used.
SSS Strawberries is a leading Australian strawberry grower based in Bundaberg, Queensland, led by the second generation of the Dang family. Cultivating over 250 acres and employing around 350 staff, we’re one of the top three strawberry producers in Australia. We produce fresh and frozen strawberries predominantly for Woolworths and Aldi, and sell directly from the farm. We produce and export freeze-dried strawberries to Vietnam with plans to expand this to South-East Asia and the national market.
The ‘SSS’ brand stands for 'Seven Successful Siblings', with all seven siblings holding key roles in the business and sitting on the Board. Our mother, Gem Nguyen, is the influential engine behind the operation, holding an advisory role.
With six kids under 10, our family fled Vietnam. We lived in an Indonesian refugee camp for four years, before eventually making it to Perth in 1994. After working as pickers and packers at strawberry farms, our parents launched a small strawberry farm in 2000, which would eventually become SSS Strawberries. In 2006 we moved the whole business and family to Bundaberg, Queensland, purchasing 82 acres of farmland.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Outline the organization's achievements since the beginning of 2020 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 235 words used.
- Launching a factory for high-tech freeze-dried food processing. The factory will enable us to transform fresh second-grade produce into crunchy freeze-dried snacks and a strawberry powder for natural flavouring and colouring. Any strawberries which are over or under size, have rain damage or bruises from picking or travel, and therefore aren’t able to be sold fresh and would usually be thrown away, will be transformed into a new product. Not only will this reduce waste by around 300 tonnes each year, reducing the burden on landfill, it will save us around $600,000 in wasted labour and disposal costs each year, while potentially earning us $300,000 in sales each year. We'll also be able to partner with other local growers to freeze-dry their produce and make freeze-dried snacks including raspberry, blueberry, mango, sweet potato, tomato and other produce growers.
- Purchased a second farm in 2019, almost doubling the size of the business.
- $20+ million in revenue a year.
- Diversified into property investment and development, now holding a property portfolio of 60 residential and commercial properties in Queensland with another 48 to be built in 2022.
- Built a 30-unit purpose-built backpacker hostel for up to 240 farmworkers - SSS Village. Keeps workers engaged, productive and happy.
- $50,000 donated to local and international charities, hospitals, schools and clubs.
- Award wins - APAC Stevie Awards, Family Business Excellence Awards.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 200 words used.
SSS Strawberries has evolved repeatedly to capitalise on opportunity and minimise risk. Farming is a high-risk sector with several factors which influence profitability being out of our control. Bad weather is a constant fear as it can be the main difference between a successful and failed crop. The COVID-19 pandemic created new risks including a lack of demand due to lockdowns and a shortage of pickers and packers available to harvest crops. The biggest risk we face in farming, however, is that we aren’t able to set the price for what we produce.
Recognising these risks, we continually seek out methods to bring value to our business and the industry, and pivot when required. We moved our entire business to Bundaberg in search of greater opportunity, diversified into real estate and are about to launch a factory for high-tech freeze-dried food processing.
SSS Strawberries has a reputation for treating workers like family. We provide fair remuneration and conditions. As a result of how we treat our workers, we’ve been able to maintain our staff throughout the pandemic, while other farms have experienced shortages. In fact, we’ve even at times had a surplus of staff which we’ve shared with other farms.
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
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