AUSTRALIA’S FIRST FREEZE-DRYING FACILITY OPENS UP NEW FUTURE FOR FARMERS

GEA partnership enables farming family to transform food waste into premium products with global opportunities

Just outside of the Australian city of Bundaberg, Queensland, a story of resilience, innovation and family has unfolded - and it’s one that has the potential to reshape the future of Australian farming. What began as a bold move by a group of seven siblings (SSS stands for ‘Seven Successful Siblings’), has developed into a pioneering agrifood enterprise, fuelled by the country’s first GEA freeze drying plant and a shared vision to reduce food waste, support local farmers and create a better, more sustainable future.

GEA partnered with SSS Strawberries and its premium brand, Gina’s Table, to bring this vision to life.

The challenge: building back stronger

SSS Strawberries was founded in the year 2000 by the Dang family in Perth, Western Australia. From just five acres at the outset, and having established itself as a quality grower of strawberries, the family took the decision to move east in 2006, where seven siblings – the second generation of the family – would take over the business, leaving behind city life to pursue a dream in farming.

However, severe weather, unexpected losses and a market driven by perfection left the family with some tough choices to make in their very first year. The seven siblings are all gifted scholars, and with degrees to their names could easily have taken the easy road to employment. Quitting, though, is not in their DNA. Kept strong by the guiding force of their mother Gem Nguyen, they set about the task at hand.

Following five years of relentless work, where every family member wore multiple hats - from picking and packing to finance and logistics - the business turned a corner. As it scaled to a 300-acre footprint with over four million strawberry plants, new challenges emerged that presented opportunities in areas they had not yet considered.

Like many large farms, they faced the dilemma of discarding tons of B-grade fruit – which is largely unsellable not due to quality, but due to appearance. For a family that had fought so hard to be successful, the thought of wasting even a single berry was unacceptable.

The solution: a freeze-dried future

After a period of searching for the right value-add strategy - testing jams, smoothies and even livestock feed - the family discovered freeze drying via a local consultant. The process offered everything they were looking for from a sustainability perspective, as it would enable them to forecast the production of 2 million kilos of fruit per year that would otherwise have gone to landfill. Further, the benefits of extended shelf life, preserved nutrition and flavour would provide unmatched versatility across consumer markets.

The move to invest in freeze drying sparked a new chapter for the business in unfamiliar territory. To design a facility that could set a new benchmark for innovation in Australian agri-food processing would need expertise, and the siblings took the decision to partner with GEA. With decades of global freeze-drying experience, a broad portfolio of reference plants and first class technical support, the company was a natural fit.

GEA supplied a RAY® batch freeze dryer, which is one of the most advanced systems of its kind. The facility was custom-built around this core technology, with GEA engineers helping to shape the process layout to ensure future capacity could be added seamlessly. The result was a highly efficient, scalable operation that is already future proofed for expansion.

The results: new revenue, less waste, more opportunity

With the freeze-drying plant operational, the business had entered a new era. Gina’s Table launched with freeze-dried strawberries and apples, and its products are now sold through retail, foodservice and direct to consumers. However, the innovation hasn’t stopped there.

Because of freeze drying’s ability to preserve nutrition and structure without preservatives, the opportunities for diversification are almost endless. The business has taken full advantage of this opportunity to innovate and, with its new capabilities, has been able to expand into several new product lines.

The plant now processes raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and mangoes, and also produces apples and mangoes dusted with strawberry, raspberry or mango powders. The team has also begun to experiment with products such as watermelon and even algae-derived omega-3 powders, which are aimed at the growing plant-based wellness market.

As a result of this broad range of potential applications, the facility has attracted the interest of farmers, government departments and industry leaders, many of which have visited to explore collaborative potential. For many, it represents a new path forward, providing a platform from which waste can be transformed into value – be it tapping into export markets or simply making regional food systems more resilient.

The GEA impact: innovation meets trust

Bringing a first-of-its-kind plant online was not without its challenges. As the first commercial GEA freeze dryer in Australia, local support had to be backed by international technical input. Time zones were initially challenging and terminology required explanation, but mutual respect and commitment bridged the gaps.

GEA’s project team worked closely with the Dang family from the start - advising on machine specification, process design and future expansion. Support extended well beyond installation, and from day one of commissioning to ongoing optimization, GEA has remained a hands-on partner.

At full capacity, today the plant can process up to one ton of fresh produce every 24 hours, which is unmatched by other facilities in the country. Further, because the facility requires no cold chain for its outputs, the team has quickly entered export markets like Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the US. It’s a leap forward not only for the family, but also for the broader industry.