By CASEY NEILL
Finalist Bellevue Orchard’s Summer Snow Juice brand was commended at award ceremony…
A FAMILY orchard in Officer was this week applauded at a black tie event in Melbourne.
Bellevue Orchard’s Summer Snow Juice brand was a finalist for the Food and Fibre Processing award at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame gala dinner at the Crown Palladium Ballroom on Tuesday 26 May.
Industry Minister Lily D’Ambrosio presented the trophy to LangTech International, but Bellevue co-manager Nick Russo felt “very privileged to be shortlisted”.
“It was an excellent event,” he said.
“It was great to share the table with a lot of other people that are part of the South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA).
“It was really good to be part of that crew and to be recognised by our peers as being something progressive in our industry.
“We did get to meet quite a few people. With those sorts of events something usually comes from it in the most unexpected contact.
Mr Russo runs Bellevue alongside his cousin Bernadette Russo.
“We just signed up distribution with another local business called Redi Milk which we’re really excited about,” he said.
“We would like to expand into further.”
Bellevue has supplied fresh apples and pears to markets and grocers since the 1950s.
Angelo Russo and his brothers first bought Bellevue Orchard into the family, and Nick’s father Robert and Bernadette’s father Joe purchased it in 1977.
A hail storm that ripped through the orchard right before harvest in 1998 inspired the family to install an apple juicing plant to retrieve some value from the damageg fruit.
The Summer Snow brand was born.
The Russos crush, juice, filter and bottle local fruit in various blends and without additives.
Bernadette said the family was proud of its products and now brewed tea and cider as well.
“I think our customers appreciate what we do, because we will do to whatever they want in the way of processing,” she said.
“The customers like the fact that we are willing to find a way of helping them get their products in the bottle and out into the market.”
Bellevue was crowned Cardinia’s Business of the Year in 2012.
The Manufacturing Hall of Fame awards were established in 2001 to celebrate manufacturing excellence in Victoria.
“Victoria has a long and proud history in manufacturing, and our highly skilled workforce provides a strong base for our economy,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.
“The Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame awards recognise the challenges ahead for the manufacturing sector by promoting innovation, growth and excellence in manufacturing.”
