Box Divvy Thirroul - Wrexham

09/12/2025

Fruit, wow…it’s going to be hard to choose between all that great value fruit: cherries, eapricots, donut peaches, nectarines, blueberries, rockmelons, bananas, passionfruit, lychees and papaya. Red grapes are still dear, but the whites are coming down, as are berries.

By contrast, winter fruit is really tightening up: apples and pears are increasingly hard to source, and wholesale prices in some cases (hello Pink Ladies!!) are triple the normal (peak season) price. At this stage, it is not at all certain that we will have apples over the height of summer.

Seedless watermelon has had its flush over the past few weeks. We think most members got one because we sold over 18 tonnes in W2548 when we had them for $1 a kilo in the Divvy Deal. Alas, this week they’re around $2.40/kg. Pineapples are also scarce to unavailable.

Vegetables are a mixed bag this week: local corn from Angelo Vella in Freemans Reach (Charlie Vella’s younger brother) and Manuel Xerri in Agnes Banks are both picking. Expect the odd critter and a bold patch at the tip of the cob…but the rest should be big, juicy and clean. Other local produce – from zucchini to tomatoes, and cabbages to lettuce – remain cheap, but prices are rising for cucumbers, some leafy greens and herbs, ginger, avocadoes and cauliflowers. Red capsicum will come down but not for another week. Or two. But green caps ARE cheaper.

26/11/2025

This week …

02/11/2025

https://youtube.com/shorts/3HgV6ncgqdc?si=HssHsmGOMFdPWGGP

Some of the best prices we've seen this week. Thanks to our Farmers!

22/10/2025

In fruit, things are in flux! Mangoes are edging down – slowly. They’re below $3 this week, but in a couple of weeks’ time they’ll be closer to $2.

After last week’s strawberry scare – we had to pull them by the end of the week - there will be fruit around from (1) Stanthorpe in the Qld Granite Belt. The berry farm is on an elevated plateau, so the lower temperatures slow down plant growth, and the berries come on after the coastal farms are finished because it's getting too hot there. To boot, there are early volumes of berries from (2) Victoria: farms in Coldstream and Wandin in the Yarra Valley have started picking meaningful quantities. The upshot: after expecting to have no strawberries for a couple of weeks, we're now expecting enough quality berries to keep the price below $4 a punnet.

Blueberries are still reasonably abundant.

We’ve been eying peaches and nectarines for several weeks now, but we think it’ll be another week before prices are anywhere near reasonable (by that, we mean between $10 and $15 a kilo). So hang in there!

But it’s again in vegetables where things remain (mostly) cheap: beans, broccoli, cabbages, capsicums, cucumbers, lettuce, herbs and tomatoes are all good value. Corn and snowpeas are bucking the trend, and potatoes…where do we start? Dutch cream is taking a break, so the best value spud is the brushed Sebago around $3. All washed potatoes are likely to remain expensive until well into November. Why??

30/09/2025

Market update
In fruit, we’re on a seasonal cusp: apples in particular are starting to get tight and pricey, but we’re still a few weeks away from our favourite summer fruit: yes, we’ve seen early apricots, peaches and nectarines – but early stone fruit can ripen unevenly, or not at all. And besides, it’s still very expensive (as in: $20 a kilo).The Royal Melbourne Show – plus the AFL Grand Final – seems to have sucked up every available mango, so they’re not getting any cheaper for a couple of weeks – but by mid-October, expect them to ease in price.

So just as well the berry season this year keeps on giving: jumbo punnets of strawberries are still super-cheap, blueberries are great value – and this week, they’re joined by raspberries.

The other good news: melons of every stripe have started coming out of North Queensland in good numbers, so not only is seedless watermelon below $2 a kilo, rockmelons and honeydew melon.

Tropical fruit is a mixed bag: bananas are up, but papaya and passionfruit are cheaper.

Expect some changes in citrus in the coming weeks: navels will finish up, and Valencias will take over the reign; limes will get cheaper but lemons more expensive (see below); and blood oranges, tangelos and mandarins will finish up next month (so enjoy them whilst they last).

Vegetables, by-and-large, continue to benefit from the warm weather and are mostly between good value and very cheap: avocado, cauliflowers, broccoli, broccolini, cabbages, capsicum, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, fennel, eggplant, asparagus and lettuce are all cheap – and mostly cheaper than last week. Cherry and grape tomatoes are at their lowest price in who-knows-how-long. Herbs are coming down in price, especially coriander, parsley and now mint are all around $1.50 a bunch. Basil prices are dropping, but only slowly – until they’re had a good number of weeks of warm sunshine.

George Portelli’s small wombok will take a few weeks’ break, so in the interim we’ll have medium wombok – but still good value at around $3.40.
Baby Q’s are back: just $2.26 a serve!

A few products are out: Brussels Sprouts have reached the end of the season – for now (although there may be a late flush in December for those who’d want their sprouts for Christmas lunch). Fresh corn is also out: most has been shipped to Victoria for the Royal Melbourne Show. We expect them back in a week’s time.
Freeze your lemons

Lemons are approaching the end of their season, and wholesale prices are expected to rise from around $2 a kilo to around $4-5 a kilo by late November. (The new season fruit from Queensland won’t start until February). So if you use a lot of lemon juice, you can either buy reconstituted lemon juice from the supermarket, or… buy up big now and freeze them.

And here’s the kicker: once you defrost them, you will actually get MORE juice from your lemon. Why? Because the freezing process breaks the cell walls which releases more juice. Just make sure the lemon is properly defrosted (and use them up within a day or so).

Papaya or Berry? No need to choose. Why? Because papaya belongs to the berry family. And right now, they’re in season and great value.
papaya and berries

Leeks at the end of winter can get pretty big – as you may have seen in our socials. Bigger and cheaper than the leeks that are on special in the big supermarkets. Also big enough to be used in plumbing emergencies…
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22/09/2025

Market Berry into spring! Strawberries (500 g punnets) are just $3.86. Stocking up for smoothies or jam? Grab a tray for $24-that’s nearly 4 kg (8 punnets). Blueberries are $3 a punnet, or $15 for a half tray (6 punnets), and they freeze beautifully.

Citrus is shining: late season seedless Afourers, Navels, blood oranges and tangelo are great value at $2–$3/kg. Afourer mandarins are especially ap-peel-ing - easy to peel and super sweet. Coles have them at $3.50/kg, but for our Box Divvy community they’re $2.97/kg.

Mangoes are about $3.50 each and still on the smaller side. Expect them to size up and likely dip below $3 within the next fortnight, perfect timing for whole tray deals. Melons remain a tad pricey for now, but seedless watermelon should drop below $2/kg in a week or two.

Tropicals: papaya, pineapple and passionfruit are still elevated, and bananas are a little short with prices drifting back above $4/kg.

Got berries to spare? Make a quick summer berry jam, or cook them with rhubarb and a little sugar (or monk fruit) for a lovely sweet tart compote. And looking ahead to the first half of October, watch for new season peaches, nectarines, apricots and grapes from Queensland-right as apples and pears begin to tighten.

Vegetables are a bargain this week (spuds aside). Avocados are under a dollar each; corn, beans, broccoli, cauliflower and broccolini are all great buying; snow peas and sugar-snap peas are both under $10/kg (snow peas are going for $16/kg at Colesworth). Small wombok is about $1.30 each, and cabbages from George Portelli (Maroota) are $2.50.

From Simon Chong (Leppington), local herbs are easing: coriander has halved to $1.41/bunch, parsley is under $2, and English spinach is $2/bunch ($5 at Colesworth). Fans of Chinese spinach (kangkung) will be happy - it’s now under $4. Unusually, Thai basil is $3.97 cheaper than regular basil (for now), with regular basil also trending down.

We’re backing our farmers: Manuel Xerri (Agnes Banks) has gone big on iceberg lettuce and the market’s flooded. Rather than see them ploughed in, he’s asking 60¢ a head; we’ve listed them on Marketplace at $1 each. Go big and round out your salad with Lebanese cucumbers ($3.75/kg) and grape tomatoes (finally under $3 a handful). Snow peas are a crisp, sweet win at $9.54/kg-versus $16/kg at Colesworth.

Asparagus is flying - loose or bunched at about $2 a handful. (Fun fact: in spring it can grow up to 10 cm in a day.) Toss on the BBQ, shave raw into salads, or do a quick stir-fry with eggs or noodles.

caulini flowersFrom Charlie Vella (Freemans Reach): Caulini Flower ($3.47 each) - super tender, great raw in salads or lightly cooked, plus chunky kohlrabi ($1.74 each). Quick idea: blanch kohlrabi in stock with a smashed garlic clove, then finish with a spoon of sour cream and a sprinkle of dill, or blitz into a silky soup.

16/09/2025

Market update

Good news on the price front this week: berries are the standout. If the weather holds in Bundaberg, strawberries should stay at $2.50 per punnet - or $18 per half tray (nine punnets, $2 each). Blueberries have softened to $3.48 per punnet, so it’s a good time to stock up.

Beyond berries, mangoes are holding steady at under $4 each. Apples and pears are starting to lift in price, and citrus is gradually winding down for the season, with mandarins, navel oranges and blood oranges set to finish over the coming weeks - grab them while they’re still at their best.��Vegetables are mostly well priced this week. The exception is potatoes: they’re between seasons and scarce, sitting at about double the usual price; new-season spuds should arrive in November. Leafy greens and shallots are a bit elevated after recent weather, while Victorian Asian greens and herbs are still coming through strongly.��Cucumbers, lettuce, capsicum, broccoli, cabbage, beans, avocados and sugar snaps are abundant, and corn has dropped to $1.40 per cob. If you’re after ideas, we’ve pulled together some quick recipes to make the most of this week’s seasonal produce.

Berries galore, but Afourer mandarins will be finishing up over the next few weeks. To make sure we go out in a blaze of glory, here’s our mandarin swansong: $2.50 a kilo. That’s more than 40% below supermarket prices.

In vegetables, it’s zuccs time: in Spring, you can almost see them grow. Manuel Xerri will have masses and masses of zucchini, and they’re going for $2 a kilo.

09/09/2025

Market update

Most prices are at or below their season average this week; even Lebanese cucumbers and eggplant are now reasonably priced!

In fruit, we’re probably at peak strawberry supply this week. Unfortunately the grower who has been supplying the wildly successful 500g jumbo pack has finished. However, the regular 250g punnet is has dropped to just $2.50 – or even as low as $2 if you buy by the half tray (9 punnets).

Mango supply is picking up, but because the chain stores are started mangoes – they need a lot of volume to stock up their 2000 Coles and Woolworths stores – we will probably have to go down in size next week (but they’re now under $4 each).

Blueberries are back, and they’re expected to drop in price over the coming weeks.
Cara Cara oranges have finished, so we’re going back to regular Navels. Afourers, Ruby, blood oranges and lemons are still in good supply – and limes are coming down in price.
The rest of the fruit – apples, pears, kiwi – is stable.


In vegetables, there’s not a lot of change – with brassicas still excellent value, and lettuce, capsicums, leafy greens, pumpkins mostly cheap. George Portelli has started picking small green cabbages and they’re just $1.80 each. He also has red cabbages and decent sized wombok, silverbeet and of course Baby Gems.
Lebanese cucumbers from Coffs Harbour are arriving in greater numbers and prices have dropped below $6 a kilo.

The only areas of concern are mushrooms (except oyster mushrooms: they’re still cheap) and washed potatoes: they’ve doubled in price over the past few weeks and will stay high until new season supply arrives in November.

01/09/2025

Market update

Prices are, for the most part, reflecting benign growing conditions – but some seasonal gaps are starting to appear in both fruit and vegetables.
In fruit:
• Apple supply is tightening and prices are slowly drifting up. Once mangoes and stone fruit start in earnest, they are likely to drift downwards again – but for now, most apples – and pears for that matter – will come in over $4 a kilo.
• By contrast, tropical fruit is getting cheaper as the Far North is warming up: bananas, mangoes (!), passionfruit, pineapples and even limes are cheaper again compared with last week
• Citrus is still cheap – in particular blood oranges which at $2 a kilo are even cheaper than Cara Cara! Lemons will tighten up over the coming months.
• Melons are a bit how’r’u’goin, with watermelons from NT scarce and rockmelons and honeydew not cheap either. This will take at least another 3-4 weeks before we can expect to see improvement.
• Strawberries remain this week’s stars, and we haven’t reached peak supply yet. The weather in the main growing regions around Bundaberg remains sunny and mostly dry – ideal growing conditions – so we’re likely to see some crazy low prices in a week or 2.

Most vegetables are well-priced, and many are cheaper again than last week:
• Beans are under $6/kg, snowpeas and sugarsnap under $12/kg, and all brassicas are cheap and plentiful
• Red Capsicums are $3/kg this week, and even cucumbers are coming down in price. Expect further drops as the mid-north coast dries up and gets warmer
• Some leafy greens are starting to come down in price – silverbeet is back to $2.73 – even though some Asian greens and herbs still rely on interstate supply as local growers are recovering from the wettest day of the year
• All lettuces are cheap – Iceberg under $2 a head – and rhubarb is down to $3.46. It’s a spring vege after all, and once strawberries are really cheap, they are perfect when cooked together for a rhubarb strawberry jam or compote.
• Tomatoes are mostly well-priced (especially Field and baby truss tomatoes)
• Two vegetables that are bucking the trend however:
◦ Mushrooms are tightening up (except for oyster mushrooms: still at their lowest price on record)
◦ Potatoes are facing a break until the new season gets underway in October/November. Especially washed Nadines, Red Desiree and Chats will be expensive for the next 6 weeks. For now, stick with brushed Sebago and Dutch Cream at less than half price.

Blood oranges are about to reach their peak. The purple colour means they’re full of antioxidants called Anthocyanins that help reduce inflammation in the body. They have a sweeter, more complex flavour with hints of cassis and raspberries. And yet, for all that complexity, they’re just $2 a kilo this week.

If you’re after some more antioxidants, you’re in luck: red capsicums are heavily oversupplied, and prices have crashed to $3 a kilo. If you’re doing a Father’s Day barbecue this weekend – and we have some great value Tomahawk and Whole Eye Fillet – why not roast some red caps on the barbie until the skin blackens. Peel and eat, or marinate in olive oil and fresh oregano.

Gluten-free Spliits Original Crispbread: in the shops, these crispbreads sell at $4 a pack - but this week at Box Divvy, they’re just $1.75 (normally $2.85). Limit 3 packs per member to make sure we have enough for the Friday Hubs.

25/08/2025

Market Update

Strawberries are starting to hit their peak, but supply should remain strong – so long as the weather holds in and around Bundaberg. Prices are crashing! A regular punnet with premium fruit goes for $2.50, and the jumbo punnet – half a kilo of delicious strawberries – just $3.50. Other berries – from blueberries to blackberries – will remain off the menu for at least a few more weeks. Volume and quality are poor.
Banana prices are coming down as temperatures in Coffs and North Queensland climb.
Fuji apples are back, at least this week
Citrus remains cheap, except for limes and increasingly lemons: supply will gradually reduce until the new lemon season starts in February.

Avocados, broccoli, broccolini, beans, snowpeas, cabbages, kale, Brussels Sprouts, capsicums, cauliflowers, zucchini, baby eggplant, lettuce, spuds, pumpkins and onions are good value.
Cucumbers are one of the few expensive lines right now, whilst mushrooms are tightening (except for oyster mushrooms, which are still abundant).
The rain over the past fortnight has knocked many herbs and Asian greens around a bit, so we will continue to rely – at least in part – on Victorian supply.

Field tomatoes are on fire this week, red hot and ready for your order.

18/08/2025

Market update: This is, by-and-large, still a buyers’ market, with produce prices 2-3% down on this week last year (but with a few notable exceptions).
In Fruit, your best options are strawberries – seriously good value this week - and pineapple (even more so). Most other berries are in poor supply for the next few weeks. Apples and pears are still ok – albeit not as plentiful as a few weeks ago – and don’t get us started on papaya and rockmelons: both Coles and Woolworths have decided to put these on special, and have effectively sucked the market dry. Not that they are that cheap ($4-$5 each), but because they copy each other, and then scramble for stock, so there is nothing left for the rest of the market. 😡🗯️😒

Vegetables, most produce is reasonably priced – if not downright cheap:

* Small Wombok from George Portelli is back down to $1 each (yes, he has a LOT)
* Oyster mushrooms from FungiCo (aka the Little Mountain Mushroom Co) in Moss Vale at $4 a serve.
* Broccoli, broccolini, cauliflower, kale, beans, Snowpeas, capsicum, lettuces, potatoes, onions, pumpkin and most leafy greens are good value
* Cucumbers and eggplant remain pricey – with baby eggplant (also called Lebanese eggplant) now better value than their continental cousins.

As we said last week, pineapple prices have been yo-yo’ing up and down in wild swings, but this week the swing is definitely DOWN. Well, at least at Box Divvy. Tops on, good size, $2 a pine. At Colesworth, that doesn’t even buy you a half pineapple. At Box Divvy, we slice the price – not the pine.

Spring is still some way off, so now is a good time to warm your cockles with some leek and potato soup. Here’s the deal: a bunch of 3 leeks for $4, and Dutch cream potatoes for $1.50 a kilo. Add some garlic, a bit of cream and Natural Stock – chicken, vegetable, whatever takes your fancy - at $1.49 a litre. And hmmm, I feel something is missing…. ah yes, a half loaf of Shepherds White Sourdough for $3. That’s dinner sorted, for less than $2 a head.