Purple Bliss launched in Victorian independent grocers this month with plans in place for Queensland and New South Wales sales
Australia’s first bioengineered tomato, Purple Bliss, has launched in Victorian independent fruit shops after gaining approval for commercial sale in February this year.
Enriched with the same heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory antioxidants (anthocyanins) found in blueberries and blackberries, Purple Bliss is a major scientific milestone, with two genes from the snapdragon flower introduced to switch on the tomato’s natural antioxidant pathway.
Unlike standard tomatoes, Purple Bliss expresses a vibrant purple hue that extends to both its skin and flesh, offering a noticeably sweeter flavour profile with a signature cherry tomato “burst”.
US-based Norfolk Healthy Produce (NHP) originally developed and marketed the brand from research by Cathie Martin at the John Innes Institute in the UK. In 2025, it partnered with All Aussie Farmers for the commercialisation and distribution of the tomato throughout Australia.
All Aussie Farmers Managing Director Travis Murphy said Purple Bliss was a proud achievement for Australia, as they were the first genetically modified whole food to be grown and sold in Australia with regulatory approval.
“Purple Bliss is a scientific breakthrough in Australian-grown produce, and we’re excited to be bringing this premium tomato with enhanced nutritional benefits to consumers,” he said.
Grown in Queensland’s Clearview Valley, Victoria is the first state to access Purple Bliss tomatoes, which are available exclusively in independent greengrocers.
“Clearview Valley Produce is our flagship grower for Purple Bliss,” Murphy explained.
“We partnered with Nick and Courtney (Bischoff) because they are absolutely fanatical about quality. We also have a long-standing history with Clearview, so when an opportunity like this came along, it made perfect sense to collaborate with growers we already trust implicitly.”
Volume will scale up alongside our seed supply as the season progresses and we expand our grower network, Murphy said adding that All Aussie Growers aims to establish regional growing programmes in states like Western Australia and South Australia.
“Growing locally in those markets is a priority for us so we can supply those states directly and avoid interstate fumigation protocols,” he said.
Following the successful launch in Victoria this month, limited punnets are also set to roll out across select greengrocers in Queensland and New South Wales, depending on supply.
“We look at Purple Bliss as the Rolls-Royce of tomatoes,” said Aussie Farmers managing director Travis Murphy. “And where do you go to buy a Rolls-Royce? You go to a specialist dealer. In the fresh produce world, that specialist is your local independent fruit shop. They know how to handle premium lines and tell the story behind them.”
Independent greengrocer Graham Gee said local retailers were excited to be the exclusive home of the groundbreaking new tomatoes.
“It is great to be able to offer our customers something genuinely revolutionary. Purple Bliss isn’t just incredible to look at and packed with antioxidants, it tastes amazing,” Gee said. “The fact that it’s available exclusively through independent greengrocers gives shoppers a fantastic reason to visit their local fruit and veg shop and taste the future of fresh produce first.”
