Rena Dang, Gina Dang and Trinity Dang with the fresh strawberries from SSS Strawberries.

WE ALL know about the Big Pineapple, the Big Banana and the Big Mango – but soon Bundaberg might have its very own Big Strawberry.

North Bundaberg farm SSS Strawberries plans to build a $3 million strawberry-shaped building that would act as a new tourist attraction and show off the region as a horticulture hub.

The 500sq m building would be used as offices, a restaurant and souvenir store, and would also feature an educational section showing how strawberries are produced.

Trinity Dang, public relations officer for the family owned SSS Strawberries, said it was hoped the Big Strawberry would attract people not just to their business, but to draw attention to the region as a whole.

“We are hoping to attract tourists to the Bundaberg region,” she said.

A planning application has been submitted to Bundaberg Regional Council, and members of the public can make submissions on the proposal until August 13.

SSS Strawberries is run by the second generation of the Dang family and now employs five Bundaberg people full time, and between 50 and 300 part-time workers depending on the season.

Miss Dang, the second youngest of the siblings, said the Big Strawberry would be the continuation of the family’s long, hard road to making the business a success.

She said when the family started the farm, they were more than $2 million in debt.

Now they supply Coles and Woolworths supermarkets with strawberries along the east coast of Australia.

“It’s been tough. We know the value of money,” she said.

The seven children of the family have been running the business for the past six years.

Trinity, Victor, Toan, Gina, Tam, Rena and Cindy all have different roles on the farm: chemicals, finance, public relations, packing and dispatch of goods, marketing and sales, and future growth and planning.

The siblings, who are aged between 21 and 36, have a weekly meeting in order to run the business.

“We all started in the fields and we can fill in each other’s roles,” Miss Dang said.

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This article was written by the NewsMail. http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2012/07/24/big-strawberry-set-for-bundaberg/

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THE wait is nearly over for the sweet and juicy taste of Bundaberg’s freshest winter treat – strawberries.

Tina McPherson from Tinaberries said they had picked the first red delights of the season at the start of the week.

“They should be in shops really soon, within the end of the week,” she said.

The farm gate, with new EFTPOS facilities, should open on restricted hours within the next two weeks, before opening seven days when the season gets into full swing.

Despite the wet weather and up and down temperatures the region has experienced this year, Mrs McPherson said it did not have much impact on the fruit, except for a delay of about two weeks in planting the crop.

“The berries love cold nights and warm days, so this weather is perfect,” Mrs McPherson said.

Hitting the shops first will be the festival variety of fruit, which comes on first.

“The camarosas, which is about 70% of our crop, we will be harvesting them in about three weeks, around the first week of July,” she said.

“They are our bread and butter, and the trickiest to grow.”

“They are the crème de la crème.”

About 20% of Tinaberries is sold locally to independent retailers and fruit and veg shops, with some going to Rockhampton and the rest going to high-street fruiterers in Victoria.

“When the season is in full flight we deliver to businesses in town on a Friday,” she said.

The Strawbodies in the strawberries scarecrow-making competition will be featured on the farm again, as will the pick your own strawberry session in August or September.

Toan Nguyen, chief financial officer at SSS Strawberries, said the number of plants this year had doubled to 1.6 million, making SSS the largest strawberry producer in the Wide Bay region.

“We have 84 acres, all covered in strawberries.

“We are hoping for 900 tonnes of strawberries this year.”

Mr Nguyen said the wet weather had delayed the start of the season. We couldn’t get in to do the ground work, but we are catching up now.”

“The strawberries are looking good and healthy.”

The Oakwood farm grows two main varieties, festival and newcomer fortuna.

“It is the first time we have grown it (fortuna), it should offer a consistent performance.”

SSS Strawberries are sold across the country, mainly in Melbourne and Sydney and through Woolworths.
Mr Nguyen said they also sold camarosa at the farm gate so Bundaberg residents could enjoy fresh strawberries from the farm.

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This article was written by the NewsMail Bundaberg. http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2011/06/08/strawberry-seasons-sweet-start/

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THE fruit has come early this year for one of the biggest strawberry farms in the region.

Tam Dang, co-owner of SSS Strawberries, said their season had started about a month earlier than they had expected.

Pickers were out in force yesterday in the strawberry fields taking advantage of the early arrival of the fruit.

Mr Dang said the picking season normally started in late May or early June.

He said he was not sure why the season had started early, but he suspected careful nurturing of their plants was one reason.

“You could also say the weather had something to do with it,” he said.

Mr Dang said the picking would go on until about November.

He said the produce from the farm would be sold to supermarkets and fruit shops locally and interstate.

“We’re still looking for an industry we can sell our seconds to,” he said.

“During the year we throw away a lot of fruit that is not perfect.”

The majority of the pickers were backpackers, but he said the company did employ a few locals full time.

Despite the early start, Mr Dang said he expected to pick about the same amount of fruit this season as last year.

That was 20,000-30,000kg a day, for a total of about 1000 tonnes over the season.

Tinaberries co-owner Bruce McPherson, who was enjoying a scone with strawberry jam and cream when the NewsMail called yesterday, said they were nowhere near picking yet.

“We’re still planting,” he said.

Mr McPherson said Tinaberries grew later fruiting varieties, which they believed tasted better.

“Our very first pick will probably be at the end of May,” he said.

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This article was written by the NewsMail Bundaberg. http://www.news-mail.com.au/story/2012/04/28/sweet-berry-surprise/

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