Vizzarri Family

 

The Vizzarri family has lived in the Koo Wee Rup area since 1971, Mario and Gina having previously been dairy farmers in South Gippsland. The Vizzarris started packing locally grown broccoli in 1981 when dairying was phased out. Because of the uncertainty of supply of product the decision to go into asparagus growing was made in the late 1980s when the family began acquiring more farmland. Steady growth and expansion over the years has resulted in the Vizzarri operation becoming one of the most dynamic horticultural enterprises in the area.

Today Joe Vizzarri oversees a total of 24 properties totaling 1400 acres and producing asparagus for seven months of the year. Along with asparagus supplied by several other growers the Vizzarri Packhouse expects to process about 4000 tonnes of asparagus this year, the bulk of which is marketed Australia wide by Vizzarri Farms Pty Ltd.

Vizzarri Farms Pty Ltd has worked very hard to become the premier asparagus marketing company in Australia supplying all major supermarkets and terminal markets in all capital cities.

Export sales are handled by Delica Pty Ltd, which is one of the major asparagus exporters in Australia. To keep many staff in employment all year round Joe Vizzarri is also the biggest broccolini grower in Australia, which along with 500 tonnes of broccoli in the summer keeps the Vizzarri Packhouse operating twelve months of the year.

Joe and his wife Anne-Marie have three children, Carla 17, Nicholas 16 and Christian 14. Asparagus is one of the few vegetables that the whole family loves, whether you just drop it on the BBQ or wrap it in foil with some butter and lemon juice it is so easy. Our favourite recipe is lightly steamed with butter, Parmesan, lemon juice and salt and pepper - yum!

 

 

 

 

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