Minimum maturity standards adoption across the table grape supply chain

⁠⁠⁠Request for Proposal: Minimum maturity standards adoption across the table grape supply chain
Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation) is a not-for-profit, grower-owned Research and Development Corporation (RDC) for Australia’s $13.2 billion horticulture industry. Hort Innovation invests around $110 million in research and development (R&D) and marketing programs annually to provide benefit to industry and the wider community.

Hort Innovation is seeking a suitably qualified, experienced and capable delivery partner for the project: Minimum maturity standards adoption across the table grape supply chain (TG19004).
The objectives of the services being sought are to assist Hort Innovation:

• Drive accountability across all key stakeholders (growers, wholesalers, major supermarkets) to ensure that the new minimum maturity standards are fully implemented and adopted from the 2020/2021 season onwards, resulting in greater consumer acceptability
• Undertake quality testing to measure impact of change with the launch and adoption of the new minimum maturity standards across the value chain
• Develop acceptance data from consumers to measure the impact of the new minimum maturity standards on consumer acceptance
• Continue to drive best practice across the supply chain from growers to retail through education and engagement mechanisms and drive a positive culture focused on high quality standards for Australian table grapes
• Build capacity and understanding for quality improvement across the supply chain, with regular feedback provided
• Monitor the adoption and demonstrate improvements in grape quality and consumer acceptability over time; in addition monitor the consumer behavioural data collected through the Harvest to Home project, Consumer behavioural data for fresh produce (MT17015) which can be viewed at www.harvesttohome.net.au.

Hort Innovation has prepared a Request for Proposal (RFP) document that provides background information, outlines the scope of services, the procurement process and the information required from interested parties.