Lychees go under the hammer at Brisbane Markets® to raise $11,000 for charity

In the tradition of the popular Mango Auction, Debbie and John Trimboli of Romeo’s Marketing (Qld) partnered with Mareeba lychee grower, Frank Quintieri, to auction two boxes of Sun Lychees to a supportive Markets community.

Director of Romeo's, John Trimboli pledged to match the winning bid of $5,500 with all proceeds going to the MND & Me Foundation, which raises funds for people diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

The Brisbane Produce Market’s charity partner, the MND & Me Foundation, will now be the beneficiary of over $11,000 following a fundraising auction of the first boxes of lychees for the season, which was held on Thursday, 25 October on the Market’s trading floor.

Pallets of 162 boxes are assembled and dispatched to wholesalers in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. Today 256 boxes were sent to the Netherlands – the first export for the season. A shipment will head for Vancouver later this week! Last year Achacha made its way into Harrods, London.
Gradually Achachas will find their way into Coles and Woolworths stores stores near you. The best way to spread the fruit around is to ask your local fruit shop if they have it – if not tell them about it and encourage them to buy some from the wholesale market. When wanting to purchase Achachas from the Wholesale Market, RMQ’s Manager Debbie Trimboli is the person to talk to!

It has been hard not to notice Dragon Fruits popularity recently.
First, noticed by RMQs Marketing team on Lorna Janes Website and Instagram posts, then several articles were brought to our attention by family and friends such as Super Foods, on ‘news.com.au’. There article states that:
“GOJI and acai berries, pomegranates and  papayas have all been hailed as super fruits in the past. This year, it’s the turn of the pitaya. The pitaya – otherwise known as Dragon Fruit – is the fruit of a species of cactus that originates in South America and is now grown in Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Philippines. It is just as beneficial for your body eaten fresh or dried.  The green-leaved fruit is full of edible black seeds, its flesh is sweet and sharp and tastes similar to kiwi fruit. It is rich in fibre, calcium and vitamin C – approximately 50 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement can be met by eating 100 g of dried dragon fruit. Pitaya helps lower cholesterol, and the fruit’s vitamin B-3 content is also thought to enhance the appearance of your skin, keeping it smooth.In some countries, diabetes sufferers are urged to eat pitaya to regulate blood sugar levels.”

For more information on the fruit, RMQ has created several Fact and Recipe sheets Including a Breakfast and a Dessert Option!  For more, check out our recipes! RMQ has also hosted several wholesale demonstrations with taste testing leading to increased sales and results.