The Australian fresh produce group has grown to encompass an organics division, export division and purpose-built distribution hub alongside apple and stonefruit orchards
The N&A Group, one of Australia’s leading fresh produce businesses, is celebrating 70 years of supplying Australian families with premium Australian grown fruit.
Owned and operated by the Cathels Family since 1956, David Cathels (Senior) purchased the business “N&A Fruit Distributors” when the Sydney Fresh Produce Markets were still located at Haymarket in the city’s centre. In 1967, after visiting apple growers in the Batlow region throughout the previous decade of business, Cathels (Senior) saw the benefit of vertical integration and made the decision to diversify the business into production, purchasing a large apple orchard “Ardrossan” in Batlow, New South Wales which set the trajectory for the next 60 years of business for the N&A Group.
In the years that followed, Cathels (Senior)’s sons Rob and Ian Cathels both joined the business as it grew, spanning five large orchards in Batlow and several sites within the Sydney Markets complex. With Rob Cathels managing sales and distribution operations in Sydney and Ian Cathels overseeing the production operations in Batlow.
Supported by their experienced team, Rob and Ian Cathels have continued to grow the N&A Group over the last 40 years.
Today, the N&A Group encompasses not just the sales floor in the Sydney Markets and orchards in Batlow but also an Organics division, Export division, a purpose built 7500m2 distribution hub and cool storage facility in Western Sydney, and in 2022 the N&A Group purchased “Sunland Fresh Fruit”, the Victorian-based stone fruit producer in partnership with the DeMaio family, cementing the group’s position as a leading grower and marketer of premium Australian-grown tree fruit.
With Rob Cathels’ children Davey and Hannah and Ian Cathels son Jack now joining the business, a third generation of the Cathels family is helping to shape the future of the N&A Group. Working across key areas of the organisation and learning from both the family’s decades of experience and the group’s skilled leadership team, they are continuing the legacy of innovation, quality and long-term relationships that have underpinned the business for 70 years.
“Our key supply partners make up a network of like-minded, family-run fresh produce businesses throughout the country… these relationships have been built over 40 plus years of working together and without them we wouldn’t be where we are today,” said Rob Cathels.
As the N&A Group celebrates this significant milestone, the business said it remains firmly focused on the future. With a strong foundation, an experienced team and the next generation coming through the ranks, it is well positioned to continue expanding and strengthening its operations, investing in new opportunities and delivering premium Australian-grown produce to customers across Australia and around the world for generations to come.
