our story
At Kalfresh Vegetables we’re passionate about growing healthy, nutritious, fresh vegetables, packed with flavour.
We’re generational farmers who innovate to grow the healthiest, tastiest, nutrient-rich crops we can, with the least impact on the earth.
Kalfresh is a vertically-integrated business, focused on farming, processing and marketing fresh vegetables. We control all stages of the seed to shelf journey.
The business was established in 1992 by father and son, Barry & Robert Hinrichsen.
Their vision was to unite local growers under one brand, market the Fassifern Valley’s produce collectively, and provide customers with a one-stop shop for their produce needs.
Kalfresh is now one of Queensland’s leading vegetable production companies, with interests in five geographically-diverse locations to enable year round supply.
The Kalfresh team of farmers boasts generations of skill and knowledge to ensure the produce available to customers is the best it can be.
Our Mission
Kalfresh Vegetables is a business founded by farmers for the sustainability of farming families.
Our mission is to create a better farming future for our community, consumers and the environment.
The mission is at the heart of our operations and guides our decisions.
We continually seek to innovate, adapt and grow to keep pace with a changing marketplace and be industry leaders.
our team
Kalfresh Vegetables is a business founded by farmers for the sustainability of farming families.
Our mission is to create a better farming future for our community, consumers and the environment.
The mission is at the heart of our operations and guides our decisions.
We continually seek to innovate, adapt and grow to keep pace with a changing marketplace and be industry leaders.
Richard Gorman
CEO & SHAREHOLDER
When you meet Richard you’ll immediately sense his passion for produce. He joined Kalfresh in 1994 and has helped grow the business since then.
As CEO Richard guides the day-to-day strategy and is focused on providing customers consistent, reliable year-round vegetable supply, while ensuring QLD farming families thrive.
Rob Hinrichsen
FOUNDING DIRECTOR & SHAREHOLDER
Rob is a third generation farmer who, with his father Barry, had the vision to unite Scenic Rim growers and their produce under one brand to enable improved productivity, better products and industry expansion.
In July 2016 Rob was named AUSVEG Grower of the Year in recognition of the innovations he has made in the paddock to improve sustainability and soil health.
David Krause
CFO & SHAREHOLDER
David joined Kalfresh with nearly two decades of experience in corporate finance and agribusiness with BDO.
He grew up on the family dairy farm and has been involved in the Queensland beef industry for many years.
David oversees the financial management and reporting of the business.
Angus Stainlay
AG DIRECTOR & SHAREHOLDER
Angus is our key contact with growing partners and co-ordinates the annual cropping calendar, plantings and harvest.
He first joined Kalfresh in 1998, and later sought experience overseas, interstate and in the central markets, before rejoining Kalfresh in 2006.Â
Wayne Adcock
COO
Wayne joined Kalfresh in 2017 as the Chief Operations Officer, with extensive experience working in the gas and energy industries.
He is a skilled technical operations manager and guides our teams in the packing and processing facility.
Martin Beattie
SALES & EXPORT DIRECTOR
Martin joined the Kalfresh sales team in 2009 and has more than 35 years experience in retailing and fresh produce sales.
He is the key contact for Kalfresh customers for domestic and export sales.
Chris Cooper
SALES
Chris has been with Kalfresh since 2010 and was our first Graduate Program recipient. He worked in most parts of the business before joining the sales team. Chris manages sales for whole vegetables – Carrots, Sweet Corn, Pumpkin, Onions and Green Beans.
Tracey Campbell
SALES
Tracey was raised on a farm neighbouring Kalfresh and grew up immersed in all things vegetable farming. She managed our dispatch office prior to joining sales. Tracey manages sales of our Baby Capsicums and Certified Organic produce.
Rochelle Cause
SALES
Rochelle joined our sales team in 2020 and has an extensive background in category management and marketing. She’s worked for national retailers, particularly in the convenience space.
Rochelle works alongside Chris Cooper to manage our whole vegetable business, with a particular focus on Sweet Corn and Beans.
Darren & Gavin Beutel
KALFRESH TRANSPORT
Brothers Gavin and Darren run Kalfresh’s transport and logistics operation. They’ve been trucking most of their lives and their team now features the next generation, Kane Beutel.
Tom Hunt
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Tom is our go-to guy on the floor of the factory and is widely known as Mr ‘get things done’. He’s been working in the produce sector since his mid teens and joined Kalfresh in 2008. He’s worked his way through most facets of the business and spent three seasons establishing our operations in Bowen.
Robyn Muller
DISPATCH MANAGER
Robyn runs our busy dispatch office, with the assistance of an excellent team – Sandra, Nerissa, Jade, Sarah and Sora.
This is the activity hub of our business and runs smoothly thanks to this fabulous team.
Minjin Lee (MJ)
PROCESSING
MJ manages our busy medium and high-care vegetable processing rooms.
Since joining Kalfresh in 2010 MJ has worked in our carrot, bean and pumpkin production teams and now oversees our fresh cut vegetable business.
where to buy
Kalfresh sells vegetables to a wide range of customers around Australia and oversees.
You’ll find our produce in supermarkets, fruit & vegetable shops, on menus in fast-food outlets, cafes, clubs and pubs.
They’re also in soups, sauces – and even pet food.
LOOK OUT FOR OUR BRANDS ON SHELVES
Carrots, green beans, onions, Corn, pumpkin & prepared produce
SNACKING & gourmet tomatoes, Baby CAPSICUMS, GREEN BEANS & PUMPKIN
CARROT STICKS & CARROT SHRED, EXCLUSIVE To WOOLWORTHS supermarkets
BRIGHT & COLOURFUL SWEET BABY CAPSICUMS. PERFECT FOR SNACKING, SALADS, PIZZAS & DIPPING
EXPORT
Kalfresh has a long history of exporting carrots and green beans to customers in New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Middle East.
Our export program is headed up by our Sales & Export Director Martin Beattie, who is available to discuss your export needs. Email Martin Beattie: martin@kalfresh.com.auÂ
Kalfresh Export Products include:
- Carrots – loose & pre-pack
- Beans – loose & pre-pack
- Onions – loose & pre-pack
- Tomatoes – loose & pre-pack
- Pumpkin – whole & cut
- Capsicum – whole
- Prepared Produce – Carrot Sticks, Carrot Shred, Diced Pumpkin
When you buy produce from Kalfresh, you’re dealing direct with the farmers. That means the produce you receive will be as fresh as it can be.
Our produce is washed and packed on-farm, after harvest. Our farms and factory are located close to major transport hubs.
FIND US
Our farm and factory base is a 200ha site in the Scenic Rim, at Kalbar on the Cunningham Highway in the fertile Fassifern Valley.
Kalfresh also farms in the Lockyer Valley, Darling Downs, Stanthorpe and in Liston.
We’re in a joint venture with the Jurgens family in Bowen to create Vee Jays-Kalfresh Produce. It’s here on the Whitsunday Coast that we’ve developed a consistently strong winter cropping calendar, a Certified Organics program and a baby capsicum program.
This geographic diversity enables 12-month supply of most crops and provides greater water and weather security.
Kalbar Vegetables
6206 Cunningham Highway
Kalbar