Enjoying fruits of labour

A FAMILY orchard in Officer was a finalist in the Food and Fibre Processing award.
LangTech International pipped Bellevue to the post but co-manager Nick Russo said he felt “very privileged to be shortlisted”.
“It was an excellent event,” he said.
“It was great to share the table with a lot of other people that are part of the South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA).
“It was really good to be part of that crew and to be recognised by our peers as being something progressive in our industry.
“We did get to meet quite a few people. With those sorts of events something usually comes from it in the most unexpected contact.“
Mr Russo runs Bellevue alongside his cousin Bernadette Russo.
“We just signed up distribution with another local business called Redi Milk which we’re really excited about,” he said.
“We would like to expand further.”
Bellevue has supplied fresh apples and pears to markets and grocers since the 1950s.
It was Nick’s grandfather Angelo Russo and his brothers who first bought Bellevue Orchard into the family.
Nick’s father Robert and Bernadette’s father Joe purchased it in 1977 so it’s the third generation of the family now at the helm.
A hail storm that ripped through the orchard right before harvest in 1998 inspired the family to install an apple juicing plant to retrieve some value from the damaged fruit and the Summer Snow brand was born.
The Russos crush, juice, filter and bottle local fruit in various blends and without additives.
Bernadette said the family was proud of its products and now brewed tea and cider as well.
“I think our customers appreciate what we do because we will do whatever they want in the way of processing,” she said.
“The customers like the fact that we are willing to find a way of helping them get their products in the bottle and out into the market.”
Bellevue was crowned Cardinia’s Business of the Year in 2012.