Avocado supply chain handling training program partners with Woollies

The Australian Avocado Industry Virtual Reality Training Program (AV24010) program has been launched, following 12 months of collaboration between industry and Woolworths. Attendees at Avo Connections in Adelaide will be among the first to trial the picking and packing module, which will be made available through VR headsets and on both mobile and tablet from 1 July 2026.

Funded by Hort Innovation through the avocado research and development levy, with contributions from the Australian Government, the program uses VR scenarios to simulate real-world environments across the avocado supply chain, from orchard through to retail in-store handling. Accessible via VR headsets, mobile and tablet, the program is designed to provide a scalable way to upskill workers and embed best-practice handling at every stage, to deliver high-quality Australian avocados.

Designed to help reduce handling damage and wastage across the supply chain, the program is suitable for avocado farm staff, orchard managers, pack house staff and retail team members. It trains users on the practical skills needed to manage quality, temperature and avocado handling throughout the supply chain.

By immersing trainees into realistic environments across orchard and packhouse, VR builds muscle memory and confidence in best-practice techniques, while addressing the longstanding challenge of workforce turnover and seasonal labour variability, through a scalable, repeatable training solution.

“Each member of our supply chain, from farm to retail, plays a critical role in delivering high-quality Australian avocados to consumers,” said Avocados Australia CEO John Tyas. “This program aims to standardise training at each point in the supply chain to deliver a more consistent eating experience for consumers and strengthen our industry’s commitment to delivering a high-quality and valued product”.

“The industry welcomed the opportunity to partner with Woolworths on the retail modules, where handling and merchandising play a critical role in quality outcomes. We look forward to seeing the program’s long-term positive impacts on our industry.”

From a retail perspective, the goal is to train around 18,000 Woolworths in-store Fruit & Veg Managers and team members to develop an even better understanding of the avocado supply chain delivering quality avocados to supermarket customers. Woolworths is expected to begin implementation across its stores nationally from 1 July.

Woolworths’ Commercial Director, Fresh, Louis Eggar, said: “From growers right across the country, our horticulture industry produces the most consistently amazing quality fresh fruit and vegetables.

“As a retailer, we’re keen to support truly innovative approaches like this that can give our teams a ‘real-world’ understanding of the horticultural supply chain, from orchard to store.

“This is a genuinely collaborative, end-to-end program, built on the latest technology, that will really enhance our commitment to delivering the quality avocados our customers demand and expect.”

Data to drive ongoing improvement

Co-designed key performance indicators developed collaboratively between the Australian avocado industry and Woolworths will track outcomes and drive continuous improvement through monitoring adoption rates, completion rates, knowledge and confidence levels. Secondary indicators such as display quality, waste trends and voice of customer insights will support assessment of implementation effectiveness.

This work will be further supported through monitoring sales data, handling consistency and customer feedback experience.

Image: Supplied