Vegetable vision takes shape
A food producer in the southern Australian state of Tasmania is turning damaged fruit and vegetables into a lucrative business.
John Ranicar's Deloraine-based company recently bought a $200,000 freeze-drying machine from China and is using produce that may once have been thrown away to produce dried and powdered products.
The produce is being exported to Asia and the United States and in the next 12 months Mr Ranicar plans to process up to 200 tonnes of produce.
Another machine may be installed next year to cope with demand.
"It goes into snack foods, it goes into cereal products, into flavoured teas and into things like nutritional supplements," he said.
"One of our customers has just had a big win.
"They've opened up an opportunity in the United States, they've been exporting smaller quantities into Asia for the last 12 months or so but the United States offers a fairly significant opportunity."
Source: ABC News, 25 November 2012
