AU Lenswood-apples-2005

Lenswood Apples has received a A$850,000 (US$618,800) grant from the South Australian Government to help fund the development of its new processing facility.

The cash injection will be used to increase Lenswood’s capacity to produce new innovative packaging. The move is part of a A$11.37m (US$8.2m) expansion at the cooperative’s headquarters in the Adelaide Hills.

South Australian regional development minister, Geoff Brock, said the expansion would bring benefits to the company and the wider community.

'This is a major project which will bring economic benefits to the region and industry,” Brock said in a press release. “At least 50 new ongoing jobs will be created to run the new and expanded operations once full capacity is reached.”

Lenswood Apples chief executive James Walters said the development would help the cooperative reinvigorate apple choice and availability for consumers in Australia and across global markets.