455 Old Dookie Road,
Shepparton VIC 3631

Angelo Kalafatis was born in 1936 in the village of Mavrohori, just outside of Kastoria, in Greece to parents Andonis and Vasiliki Kalafatis.

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Angelo had spent years working on the orchards from a young age in Greece which was where his passion for fruit was born. 

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With only 5 pounds in his pocket and his dream of growing fruit, Angelo migrated to Australia in 1956  at the age of 20 to meet his brother who was picking fruit.

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Angelo met his wife Helen a year after being in Australia and later had four children together Mary, Nick, Donny, and Jimmy.

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After 5 years of working very hard in Australia, Angelo purchased his own land which was a 16-ha dairy farm. He planted his fruit trees and while he waited for them to mature, he planted vegetables in between the rows, which he would sell at the Queen Victoria Market. 

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It was not too long before Angelo developed a vertically integrated and successful business. He implanted significant infrastructure for growing, processing, storing, and marketing his fruit. He loved the Goulburn Valley and the opportunities it presented him, he would say “in Shepparton you have the opportunity – if you work hard, you can become somebody” and Angelo certainly showed us that.

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Angelo started out with 16 ha and now Kalafatis Fresh Produce has around 800 ha of land and is one of the largest producers and suppliers of pears in Australia. Kalafatis Fresh Produce has been supplying Woolworths for over 50 years. Angelo built a strong relationship with Woolworths, and Angelo’s youngest son Jimmy has kept the relationship strong. Angelo wasn’t interested in supplying other supermarkets as he would say “when you get married you only have 1 wife, and you look after her. It’s the same in business”.

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Angelo was a hardworking man with an excellent work ethic, he taught his children this work ethic and showed them if you want something you have to work for it.

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Today Kalafatis Fresh Produce is in the hands of his youngest son, Jimmy Kalafatis. Jimmy works alongside his wife Doreen and his 2 eldest daughters, Sarah and Emily who are the 3rd generation.  

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 Jimmy has brought a fresh perspective to the business branching out into growing different variety of pears which stand out on the shelved at the supermarket. Jimmy has introduced many different varieties to Woolworths, and some include the Papple pear and the Red Angel pear.

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Jimmy has kept everything his father told him and still uses it today, which is why Kalafatis Fresh Produce is still as great as it was when Angelo was here. Jimmy goes by one special quote that Angelo used to say “Do the right thing when doing business. If you don’t, eventually you will be doing the wrong thing by your business”.

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Angelo passed away on May 21st, 2016, at his home surrounded by loved ones. Although his family is devasted he is no longer with us, his legacy has lived on.