By Matthew Sims
From jacket potatoes served to staff members to a cake topped with icing shaped like a potato field, Red Gem Growers and Packers’ 70th birthday celebrations celebrated all things great about the starchy vegetable and looking back at the business’ history and its proud family roots.
Staff, friends and family came together on Thursday 8 August at the Nar Nar Goon business to mark the special occasion.
The Red Gem Potatoes brand launched in 1954 at Gembrook Potato Growers Pty Ltd at the Puffing Billy railway yards, before moving to a new premises on Main Street in 1956.
Originally owned by the Dyer and Stillo families, current managing director Guido Cerchiaro first started working with the business in 1972 after migrating to Australia from northern Italy in 1965.
He created a new partnership of Red Gem Packers in November 1982, with a new factory built in Gembrook in 1985 and Red Gem Packers then buying their current Nar Nar Goon premises from Addamo and Barkers in 1987.
Guido said potato farming and packing had changed significantly over the years.
“We had to pick potatoes in 65-kilogram bags,” he said.
“Now, you’re not allowed to pick up more than 19 kilograms.”
Guido said with new generations moving away from farming, smaller farmers have started to dwindle.
“The growers of potatoes have continued to grow so the smaller growers are slowly disappearing,” he said.
“It seems to be the second generation are not that interested in farming.”
Guido said he was lucky Robert was keen to take the reins at Red Gem soon.
In the early 1990’s, the business sold its Gembrook packing house to pave the way to centralise the business from Nar Nar Goon, with Red Gem Packers then becoming Red Gem Growers and Packers in 1997.
Now, the business has continued to grow, with crops based at Hillston in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Gembrook and Gippsland.
Speaking during the anniversary event, general manager Robert Cerchiaro said he was grateful to the continued support of family, friends and staff members over the years.
“It’s the most rewarding working environment,” he said.
“We all should take our hats off.
“I couldn’t wish for a better team.”
The event also marked the end of Robert’s 70-day ‘spud challenge’, only eating potato for breakfast, lunch and dinner over 70 days.
“The 70 days signifies 70 years of the ‘Red Gem’ brand since 1954 a business that started in the Dandenong Ranges at Gembrook,
“I’m paying my respects & making a sacrifice in giving thanks to our Red Gem staff, my generational farming family, our forefathers’ vision, commitment, generosity and sacrifices to helping make Red Gem what it is today 70 years on and still growing strong.
“I have been in this fresh healthy food business for 33 years and I felt it is time to eat my words.”
Mr Cerchiaro said he hoped the challenge showed others about the healthy benefits of eating fresh potatoes instead of processed potato products.
“I’m very sure that people don’t have to give up eating potatoes which are full of good carbs to shed the kilos & be healthy, I’m proving that you lose weight by eating just potatoes and I’m sure this has an a positive impact on your health and your pocket,” he said.
“The spud challenge shows people around me what’s possible, it shows Australians what you can achieve with eating spuds to live off and feed the family with healthy vegetables grown sustainably that’s great for you and the environment
“They are fat free, no cholesterol, low in calories, they are filling and satisfying, great for you, definitely quick and easy for us all to prepare and cook at home or at the workplace.”
For more information, visit redgem.com.au
