15-year-old olive producer collapses into voluntary administration

A New South Wales-based olive processing and marketing company that has been operating for 15 years has collapsed into voluntary administration.

Summerland Olive Products Australia was established in 2000 by a group of olive producers who specialise in producing table olives. The business produces a range of black and green table olives, as well as tapenade, dried olive varieties and olive oil.

Summerland’s products have won a number of awards, including at the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show and the Royal Melbourne Fine Foods Awards.

However, administrator Chris Palmer of O’Brien Palmer was appointed to manage the company on March 2.

The first meeting of creditors was held in Sydney on March 11 and the second creditors’ meeting is scheduled to be held on April 15, also in Sydney.

A spokesperson for O’Brien Palmer told SmartCompany the administrators are considering “all available avenues” for the future of the business.

Summerland is the latest fresh food business to fall into voluntary administration after Victorian-based strawberry farm Oz Fresh Farms called in administrators on February 24.

In September 2014, Crown Mushrooms, a West Australian mushroom farm with supply deals with major supermarkets, entered voluntary administration.

Manufacturers of processed foods have also been doing it tough, with 60-year-old  confectionery producer Betta Foods and its sister-company, 101-year-old chocolate manufacturer Ernest Hillier both collapsing at the start of the year.