Grow IT April 2025 – read about the best in horticulture

Pallet of citrus fruit

Hello

Wishing you a Happy Easter from Victoria where we’re installing ABCpacker at the Mildura Fruit Company. Not only are MFC one of Australia’s largest packhouses, the season kicked off earlier than expected. The energy’s high, the team’s all in, and we’re embracing the challenge, it’s a great time to be on the ground!

Sharon

News 

MFC

Where the crop meets the code

Having our developers on site during the MFC installation is highly valuable for both the project and the product. It gives them direct insight into how the systems are used in real-world conditions and allows them to see the challenges and workflows firsthand. For software developer Cory Evans, it was a great moment seeing his work come to life in a busy, high-pressure environment. MFC’s Senior Business Analyst, Peter Pizzilli, is pictured above with the first pallet of the season, and the first to be despatched with ABCpacker!

Sharon’s orchard upbringing has been a vital ingredient in ABC Software’s success. The entire ABC Software team is customer facing, and working directly with our customers reinforces a shared commitment to building software that works not just in theory, but where it really matters – on the farm, and in the shed.

Latest Enhancements

Onsite Log

ABCgrower’s Onsite Log is now fully integrated with Timesheets. Logins include a timestamp, photo capture and GPS location, and timesheet records can be auto created from login information, making record-keeping easier and more accurate than ever. Contact us to find out more.

Onsite Log map
Bins of picked oranges

PALM Scheme or RSEs?

PALM Scheme and RSE workers are entitled to minimum hours under the respective programmes. The new Minimum Hours Report helps ensure compliance by showing both hours worked, and hours offered but not taken. Make audits and reporting easier and more accurate with ABCgrower.

Blog 

The C14 Decision

The C14 decision, which took effect on 1st April 2025, meant a change to the Australian Horticulture Award pay rates criteria. Read more about it here, and how you can better manage your pay rates with ABCgrower.

Lettuce harvest

Meet the Team

Bri Collin

Having recently joined ABC Software as Sales Executive, Bri is as comfortable in gumboots on the farm as she is sitting behind a desk. Bri brings the perfect combination of skills and experience to hit the ground running with ABC’s on farm and packhouse solutions.

Events

Hort Connections 2025

We’re looking forward to returning to Hort Connections where you’ll find us partnered with J-Tech Systems on stands 357-360, next to the Woolworths Activation Lounge.

 

Flexible functionality

Comprehensive training included

Ongoing superior support

 

Grow IT December 2024 – read about the best in horticulture

Cherries

Hello

My highlights of 2024 include welcoming new clients on board, launching ABCquality, and the ongoing privilege of working with the ABC team. We have some fantastic enhancements in the pipeline for 2025 and another product in development – watch this space!

Sharon

Sharon Chapman

News 

MFC

Mildura Fruit Company

Having recently won the contract to replace MFC’s packhouse software, it’s all hands-on-deck to support an organisation who pack up to 4,500 cartons per hour! MFC are one of Australia’s largest packers, packing for over 120 growers and exporting to over 25 countries.  As ABC Software’s Julie Gillies says “it’s a pleasure to work with such a committed team who live their ‘best in class’ reputation”.

Latest Enhancements

Weigh your way

Scan barcodes and weigh directly in ABCgrower Web via devices connected to your work station. A fast, robust solution for produce weighed in the shed, and because we don’t sell hardware you can use your existing equipment and be in control of your capital outlay. 

ABCquality on a tablet

Defects both ways

Last time we told you that you can now record defects in ABCquality by count or weight. And now you can do either, or both! Calculate tolerances by weight and record now many samples contributed to the weight. Or vice versa. Do it your way with ABC Software. 

Blog 

Losing sleep over labour costs?

Automation might be the answer, but it’s not automation as you know it. Read our latest blog where we share one single tip to put the power to reduce your labour costs in your hands.

Cucumber picking

Meet the Team

Max McMurray

No stranger to the team, Max did an internship with ABC Software as part of his degree. He flew the nest to embark on a career in Wellington and now divides his time between the capital and the sunny Hawke’s Bay. A warm welcome back Max!

Events

BerryQuest International 2025

We love berries and we love coffee. Most of all we love helping growers and packers grow their businesses. Come and have a coffee on us at BQI 25 in Hobart, where we’re sponsoring the coffee cart. You can also make an appointment to meet with Sharon at the conference (over coffee of course), give her a call on +64 21 223 6991.

 

Fully flexible functionality

Free customised online demo

Comprehensive training and superior support

 

The August 2024 newsletter features security updates

Chase Reddy at Pineapple Field Days 2024 in Townsville QLD

ABC Software Business Development Manager Chase Reddy out visiting customers around the country

Hello

As this wings its way to your inbox, I’m winging my way overseas for a holiday. And maybe a little bit of business as I visit a grower in Kent, England. BDM Chase Reddy is out and about at conferences and shows, he was snapped at the recent Pineapple Field Days in Townsville (above).

Sharon

Sharon Chapman

News 

laptop

Security

We take security seriously. Our in-house, on-premise and cloud security policies have recently been reviewed and updated. As head of security, Bevan Johnson ensures we’re all up-to-date with threats, vulnerabilities and defences in an ever-changing world. See our blog below for more on cybersecurity.

Latest Enhancements

Dates in ABCspray

Latest improvements include clear recording of, and reporting on the date of manufacture and expiry date of chemicals. And where the dates are included on a stock delivery, these will flow through to an agrichemical application. Easy as ABC

We are currently undertaking an equivalent project for ABCgrower App. This will be released over winter, ready for next season. Check out the pic for a sneak peak at its new look.

ABCquality on a tablet

Defects by Weight

When ABCquality recently launched you could record defects by count. Already, we’ve added the ability to record defects by weight, in kilos or grams. 

Blog 

Will my data be safe?

With cybersecurity front page news it got us thinking, what does this mean to our clients? A corporate will investigate our security policy as part of their security policy, but what does it mean to owner-operator growers? Check out our blog on some basics of cybersecurity – in plain English.

Computer screen with code

Meet the Team

Alex Scott

Alex Scott

Meet our latest intern. Alex is working with us and studying towards his Bachelor of Computing Systems at EIT. Top student aside, he’s a keen basketballer and produces music. Multi-talented and a great chap!

Events

FGV

Fruit Growers Victoria Conference

Our Business Development Manager Chase Reddy is looking forward to attending this year’s conference. You can make an appointment to meet with him on +61 461 504 101.

 

Customised online demo

45 day obligation free trial

Comprehensive training at no cost

 

Grow IT – May 2024

Mango trees

Hello

I’m writing from Fresno California, where I’m picking up tips and tricks on both horticulture and software, American-style. Next stop is Melbourne for Hort Connections, where I’m really looking forward to catching up with as many of you as possible.

Sharon

Sharon Chapman

News 

ABCquality on a tablet

ABCquality

Our new QA/QC system for online recording and viewing of checklists and assessments is now live. Designed with the needs of the packhouse in mind, ABCquality is equally applicable to any industry. Swing by our stand at Hort Connections or contact us to find our more.

Changes to the PALM Scheme

From July 1 2024, PALM scheme workers in Australia must receive 30 hours of work per week. There are similar requirements for RSE workers in NZ. Did you know you can record ‘info-only’ activities in ABCgrower? This means you can keep a record where work was offered, but not undertaken, as evidence you are meeting your obligations. 

Workers

Latest Enhancements

ABCgrower App

ABCgrower App

Last year we migrated ABCgrower Web on to a new framework and took the opportunity to give it a facelift at the same time.

We are currently undertaking an equivalent project for ABCgrower App. This will be released over winter, ready for next season. Check out the pic for a sneak peak at its new look.

Blog 

How do you do QA/QC?

When I look at this image all I can think is paper, paper and more paper – handwritten records, file upon file, and a storage room I don’t want to spend any time in. Is it the same for you?  Click here for 5 reasons why you should move your QA/QC online.

Checklist

Meet the Team

Aidan Smith

Aidan Smith

Senior architect Aidan Smith is our ABCgrower guru. When you ask for enhancements to ABCgrower and ABCspray this is the guy that does the smart work behind the scenes. There is no problem he can’t solve. 

Events

Hort Connections 2024

Hort Connections

It’s the event of the horticulture calendar, and while we’re no strangers to this conference, we’re excited to be exhibiting for the first time this year. Come find us on Stand 94, next to J-Tech Systems and grab a complimentary produce bag, we’d love to see you!

Australian Mango Conference 2024

Australian Mango Conference

Business Development Manager Chase Reddy is in Cairns for the Mango Conference as this lands in your inbox. He’d be delighted to hear from you, give him a call on +61 461 504 010 to make an appointment.

We’ve recently added functionality to ABCgrower for visibility to productivity of your harvest aids, contact us to find out more. 

 

Customised online demo

45 day obligation free trial

Comprehensive training at no cost

 

Grow IT – February 2024

Blueberry punnets

Hello

The cherries may have finished, but the apples have started, and the berries haven’t stopped! It’s all go here at ABC as we support our existing clients and welcome several new packhouses onboard. Read on to see what else we’ve been up to.

Sharon

Sharon Chapman

News 

Cyclone

Weather – that’s extreme! 

Only six weeks into 2024 and we’ve had clients experience cyclones, flooding, storms, and extreme heat. Our thoughts are with all of you affected by adverse weather events this year. With the anniversary of the cyclone that devasted our own region upon us, we are acutely aware of the difficulties some of you are facing.

ABCquality

Our new cloud-based product ABCquality is currently in the testing phase. ABCquality runs standalone or can be integrated into ABCpacker. You could be one of the first to use it, and with that comes the ability to influence the future of the product, by telling us firsthand what’s hot, and what’s not. Contact us to find our more.

ABCquality on a tablet

Latest Enhancements

ABCspray Upgrade

ABCspray was designed for multiple users, with different roles, doing different steps. Our clients have told us that in practice it’s usually one person that creates and completes the instructions. Based on that feedback, we have made some changes to make ABCspray easier to navigate.

The way you move through the process is more intuitive, including the option to skip a step (should you not require it). We’ve also had a spruce up in some areas to make it cleaner, clearer, and easier to follow.

Blog 

Rolling along nicely in your packhouse?

Still running on spreadsheets? Sure, you might say, why not? Let’s sum it up three words: Visibility. Traceability. Efficiency. Don’t believe us? Click the link below for some food for thought.

READ MORE >>

Packing oranges

Meet the Team

Chase Reddy

We welcome Business Development Manager Chase Reddy to the ABC Software team. Chase comes to us from the Brisbane Markets so he knows a thing or two about fresh produce (and about early starts!). Interested to know how ABC Software can help you grow? Give Chase a call on +61 461 504 010.  

Events

Australian Citrus Congress

Australian Citrus Congress

The Australian Citrus Congress is just around the corner, will you be there? Come by the ABC Software stand and grab a complimentary produce bag, we’d love to see you!

FIND OUT MORE >>

 

Customised online demo

45 day obligation free trial

Comprehensive training at no cost

 

Grow IT – December 2023

Christmas citrus

Seasons Greetings

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous holiday and harvest season! Many thanks to those working tirelessly to bring delicious fresh produce to our Christmas tables. We’ve been helping more growers and packers bring efficiencies to their businesses and are excited for what 2024 will bring. 

Sharon

Sharon Chapman

News 

The ABC Family

We’ve enjoyed building our relationship with our Jenkins Group whanau (extended family). Some of the Kiwi contingent got together recently, including representatives of Jenkins Freshpac Systems, CR Automation and Sinclair labels, and Sharon has been visiting the J-Tech team at their Albury base.

ABCquality

The ABC team are making great progress on developing a SaaS (cloud-based) version of ABCpacker. ABCquality is due for release in Q1 2024 and will be available as a separate offering or can be integrated into ABCpacker. If this could benefit you, contact us to find our more

ABCquality on a tablet

Latest Enhancements

Planned piece rates

Setting Piece Rates

You can now set your piece rates in advance with Planned Piece Rate. The piece rate is automatically applied when the Worker Activity is recorded. You can still change it after the fact if need be. You can now see the worker’s earned hourly rate in real time via Live Productivity on ABCgrower App.

Not only a convenient way to set piece rates, it’s also another way ABCgrower helps you use your information to drive productivity.   

Available now for all ABCgrower clients at no extra charge, simply add the Role to your User profile. 

My Timesheet on ABCgrower App

My Timesheet is like Worker Time but pre-selects the logged-in user. Great for permanent staff to enter their time on the go, without need for an internet connection.

You can create Activity records in bulk on ABCgrower Web using the details from the workers’ Intra-Day Time records. Work smarter, not harder. 

Available now for all ABCgrower clients at no extra charge, just add the Mobile Application permission to User profiles.

Blog 

strawberries

Is Piece Work Really Dead?

Word on the street is that paying piece rate in Australia is no longer legal. What do you think? 

READ MORE >>

Meet the Team

Marc Jenyns

Marc wrote the book (or the software at least) used on the orchard and in the packshed of one of Hawke’s Bays’ premium apple growers.  The latest addition to our fantastic team of software developers, Marc not only comes equipped with the right skills and experience, he’s also a great chap to have around! 

Marc Jenyns

Events

Australian Citrus Congress

ABC are excited to be part of 2024 Australian Citrus Congress to be held on the Sunshine Coast in March. It’s the first time Citrus Australia are combining the Market Outlook and Technical Forums into one event and it’s set to be a great one. The theme is Driving Profitability and ABC have plenty to offer in that space! We would love to see you there.

FIND OUT MORE >>

 

Customised online demo

45 day obligation free trial

Comprehensive training at no cost

 

Grow IT – August 2023

ABC Software offices

Greetings

After hunkering down over the winter months there’s blossom on the trees and we can feel the energy in the ramp up towards another season. We’ve been busy with off-season projects and enjoying our newly renovated offices. 

Sharon

Sharon Chapman

ABC takes on Aussie

We are thrilled to introduce our first team member in Australia – Business Development Manager Grant Apperley. New Zealand born and Brisbane-based, sports mad Grant is fluent in both Kiwi and Aussie! Give him a call on +61 428 625 091, he’d love to meet you.

 

The Jenkins Group

Last year we partnered with the Jenkins Group; a New Zealand family-owned business since 1883 who provide solutions and servicing to the horticulture industry. Jenkins have a business network throughout Australasia, including J-tech Systems in Australia.

READ MORE >>

ABC HQ

Necessitated in part by flooding after Cyclone Gabrielle, we have recently completed renovating our offices in Hawkes Bay. As well as refreshed décor we have shuffled the desks and the team are enjoying the new layout. 

Behind the scenes 

ABCgrower upgrade

Led by ABCgrower guru Aidan Smith, the team have been upgrading the framework on which ABCgrower sits. This is a major project to ensure ABCgrower’s on-going efficiency and users will enjoy a new interface with up-to-date branding. Watch this space! 

 

ABCgrower login

Blog 

Pay pruning per piece

With the FWO changes to the Horticulture Award many growers have put piece rates in the too hard basket, but there are still many advantages so long as you have the right tools for the job.

READ MORE >>

Events

WAHU

The biennial Western Australian Horticulture Update (WAHU) event brings all areas of horticulture together. This year’s theme will focus on how to implement practical technology innovation and applications to improve horticultural practices from the grower to consumer. Grant and Sharon are looking forward to being there.

FIND OUT MORE >>

Meet the Team 

Josh Ferkins

Hailing from Gisborne, Josh joins us on an internship in his final year of a Bachelor of Computer Science degree, majoring in systems development. The EIT internship programme is a win-win for our students and our business. 

Josh Ferkins

 

Customised online demo

45 day obligation free trial

Comprehensive training at no cost