Flavorite Hydroponic Tomatoes - About Us

Flavorite Tomatoes have “Revolutionised” the tomato business in Australia. Warren Nichol and Mark Millis have ensured that after 20 years, now in 2006 you can buy top quality, juicy red tomatoes all year round wherever you travel in Australia. With the support of a dedicated group of growers and a few other stalwarts from the Hydroponic Farmers Federation they have taken a cottage industry to a major supermarket category – but they NEVER compromised their ideal – to supply regularly, consistently, GREAT TASTING RED juicy tomatoes, full of flavour, all year round.
The testament to the success of their achievements is the substantial investment taking place in the industry under corporate banners. The business is being ably propelled forward in the capable hands of Warren’s sons Mike and Cameron and Mark’s sons Will and Chris.

Mark had spent 22 years marketing bananas when in 1994 he joined his old time market partner Warren Nichol to grow tomatoes at Warragul. Warren has spent a lifetime marketing fresh fruit and vegetables and has also been a hydroponic tomato consultant since 1994 when 3,000sq metres of tomatoes were planted at Warragul in Victoria. The business has grown to 80,000sq metres. (See photo). Sales of packed premium grade tomatoes rose to 9,000 tonnes in 2005 / 2006.

* Flavorite currently has planning approval to develop their new site next door in Warragul with another 22.8 ha of glasshouses. The land has been prepared and the project is designed to progress in four equal parts. The tender process for the first 6HA block of glass is taking place now (December 2006).
Flavorite’s investment in greenhouse technology places them firmly at the front of grower’s worldwide as they adapt to new growing techniques. All new greenhouses include hanging gutters (which Flavorite introduced into Australia) and incorporate a hot water buffer system which enables co² to be pumped into the greenhouse, the use of refined automatic computer technology to control irrigation and the greenhouse environment has allowed Flavorite to attain high world standard levels of production. Now that the new picking trolleys are in use and the packing line has been automated (October 2006), Flavorite is on target to become Australia’s most cost efficient grower.

WATER CONSERVATION holds a very high priority in Flavorite’s mandate. Currently our very efficient irrigation system only used 23 litres of water to produce a kg of tomatoes. A field grower would need 60 litres to produce the same result. Flavorite are trialling the Iotech system using Iodine (See link) to treat used water (Irrigation run off), by reusing this recycled water our usage will drop from 23 litres to 18 litres to produce 1kg of tomatoes – a substantial saving. Flavorite are also working with the State Government to install other water saving devices that are available under their very productive Grant System which has been introduced to Conserve Water.

Flavorite has continued to develop their grower network throughout the East Coast States of Australia. These growers encompass some 20ha of greenhouses and allow a continuous supply of high quality fruit all year round, with fresh tomatoes supplied daily into each major capital city, growers benefit from trading under Australia’s Premium Hydroponic Tomato Brand – Flavorite and become part of a Strategic Marketing Plan.

Flavorite has also led the industry into grafted seedlings – a major leap forward into production levels. This substantial investment in innovative grafting chambers holds much promise for the future.

Flavorite is a quality business focussed on delivering a quality premium product. We are developing the systems for sustainable agriculture, strongly biased towards biological growing with low (OR ZERO) pestic use. Flavorite use natural enemies (insect predators) to control pests. This approach is called bio-control, which means using living organisms as control agents. Bio-control is becoming a popular tool for integrated pest management – a global trend using effective but environmentally friendly control, to reduce reliance on pesticides and give producers more options for safe, cost effective and sustainable control. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) research is part of the Flavorite mandate to promote innovation for growth, maintain security of the food system and protect health of the environment.

Flavorite is constantly reviewing our product to ensure we deliver CONSISTENTLY a RED JUICY TASTY TOMATO to our customer.