Services

The Market West Credit Service is the trading name of FPAA Pty Ltd and a wholly owned subsidiary of CFVIWA.

It is governed by a board of directors and appointed by the agent members of Market West.

As an approved Market West Credit Service buyer you can simplify the way you do business with wholesalers of the fresh produce at Perth Markets Canning Vale.

The main advantages of being a registered buyer are that you only have to make one simple weekly payment for all of your Market purchases – eliminating the need to pay by cash or cheque to numerous wholesalers at various stages through the trading week. You will also receive one consolidated statement each week confirming all of your weekly purchases; this will simplify your record keeping and provide greater control over your business.

The Market West Credit Service also facilitates the payment of crate credits to buyers from both WA Crates and the United Crate Co-operative.

Members of Market West prefer that buyers are registered with the Market West Credit Service for 3 main reasons.

Market West Credit Service maintains an up to date register of all buyers’ codes for the members.
Market West Credit Service ensures all registered buyers are credit checked and personal guarantees have been provided to cover any unpaid accounts.
A regular cash flow is received from buyers via the Market West Credit Service.

Market West Credit Service utilises an online mail server to distribute all weekly invoices and statements electronically to a nominated fax number or email address.

There is also an online mailbox for each Market West Buyer which will store your weekly invoices and statements for approximately 8 weeks.

Registered Market West Buyers can log on to the Mail Enable website and enter a username and password to access their documents.

Click here to access the Mail Enable website.

If you need assistance with this service please contact us.

Among the responsibilities of Market West is the most important aspect of Industry Representation.

This includes making representations to Government and other regulatory bodies on legislation, regulations and industry practices that affect or have the potential to affect our Members, their businesses, and other associated fresh produce grower and distribution businesses who may also be affected directly or indirectly by such matters.

Market West will continue to develop relationships with the Perth Markets owner, Perth Markets Group Limited, to support and protect our Members and the wider fresh produce industry who must continue to benefit from the central market process.

Nationally, Market West will maintain strong links with other States industry representative Chambers including the national body (Fresh Markets Australia), other state’s central market operators and industry groups to allow the fresh produce industry to grow and develop together.

Market West will continue to examine opportunities for the industry to be better informed and aware of emerging trends and other matters that may affect them now and in the future.

Market West manages an electronic price reporting service for the industry. Members, who are the main handlers of particular produce lines, report the pricing daily. These prices are then published on the Market West website. Access to the price reports is free but users must register and log on to obtain the reports.

Market West collects data on the produce that is traded in the markets. This data is published on our website and throughput volumes on various products can be accessed by anyone who chooses to register and log on to the reports.

Approved users of the Market West LPG refuelling facility can refill their forklifts as required by using their allocated PIN protected gas key.

Approved users are billed monthly for LPG purchases associated with their gas key.

The service is open to members and approved site users.

If you wish to apply for a LPG gas account and key click here to download the form or contact us for more information.

Market West has negotiated competitive collective mobile phone plans with Telstra.

If you are interested in signing up to the Market West Telstra account, or if you are an existing member of the Market West phone account and have a service query, then please contact us.

Users of the Telstra account should be aware that it is an 24 month minimum contract. The Telstra mobile phone account offer is open to members, secondary wholesalers, and buyers and growers of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Wholesalers and Growers now have access to the FreshTest™ program established by Fresh Markets Australia.

FreshTest™ was developed by the wholesaling sector to reduce costs and co-ordinate the thousands of tests being conducted annually by the wholesalers for verification of their own food safety & QA systems. The wholesalers were early adopters of QA in Australia and currently 95% have third party accredited systems in place. Also the uptake of food safety programs by growers over the past few years has seen a steady increase in demand for the program.

FreshTest™ employs an independent facilitator in each of the six Central Markets to collect produce using the international CODEX Guidelines for sampling. The facilitator selects the produce from a grower’s consignment, ensuring that the sample is representative of the grower’s produce and independent of any outside influences. Neither the wholesaler nor the grower is permitted to make the sample selection.

The produce is sent to NATA Accredited laboratories for testing and the results sent back to FreshTest™ for distribution to the wholesalers and onto the growers. There is a system of investigation, corrective action and re-testing if a product returns an adverse detection.

Cost savings of up to 50% have been achieved through the co-ordination and bulk testing of produce and this saving is passed onto the industry participants making it affordable for compliance to any food safety program. Duplication of testing has also been eliminated through the establishment of a database to manage the requests and results. Results are usually available in 14 days.

Since its introduction in 2002, FreshTest™ has grown to be the largest and most comprehensive horticultural residue testing program ever undertaken in Australia and continues to grow as more and more industry participants make use of the facility.

Currently there are over 30,000 tests recorded in the database showing a compliance rate of 97% against the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) legislated by Food Standards, Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). In each residue test, the produce is tested for 110 different substances. It is the only program to also include microbial testing of produce.

Click here to go to the Fresh Markets Australia FreshTest™ site, or contact the Market West office for more information.

The Retailer of the Year program commenced in 2003 and has developed into a prestigious award for the retail sector. The program has been designed by Market West to recognise and reward retailers who trade at Perth Markets, promote WA fresh produce, provide consumers with quality fresh produce and take pride in their business establishments. Nominees are visited twice by secret shoppers who assess their business using set criteria developed from an independent survey conducted by Curtin University.

The winners are presented with their awards at the annual Perth Markets Ball which is another Market West initiative to bring industry participants together. Market West has recently extended the award program to include retail support, which provides the retailer with feedback on their assessment and point of sale merchandise.

Retailers can utilise this feedback to improve their in store produce presentation, customer service and satisfaction and ultimately increase their turnover.

‘A Better Choice’ is the first national program designed to encourage consumers to shop for fresh produce at their local independent retailer. The program aims to unite the fruit and vegetable industry and buy back customer loyalty. A joint initiative by industry group Fresh Markets Australia (FMA) and the Central  Markets Association of Australia (CMAA), the program draws on marketing and business data from more than 500 retailers across Australia to create a national marketing and advertising strategy.

‘A Better Choice’ offers retailers the opportunity to come together and share the benefits of a national marketing strategy to shape a positive future for independent retailers, the central markets and local farmers who supply them. Using the latest research to understand consumer shopping behaviours and what matters most to them when it comes to purchasing fruit and vegetables, members will receive the best market insights and advice to increase customer loyalty and revenue.  Consumers will come to recognise while retailers will be proud to display the ‘A Better Choice’ logo which represents quality, freshness and service.

‘A Better Choice’ is simply that, a better choice for retailers, consumers and the industry. Together we can keep the Aussie fruit and veg industry thriving for generations to come.

For more information visit www.abetterchoice.com.au