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Growing quality produce and rural jobs

Published: 
25 September 2020 2:29PM

My name's Candy.

I'm the General Manager for Skybury and we're located in Mareeba, North Queensland.

Our business is famous for the coffee, but the papaya's certainly grown to be a bigger part of our business, particularly as we grow in to value add.

So we do that through supporting our businesses through goods and services and then also through our wages that we pay.

I think you have to give back if you've been lucky enough to be successful. It's really important to give back to the community.

And it's about being able to inspire them about what we produce in this country and ensuring long term stability for our company which then ensures the long-term stability for our staff and community.

Skybury embody the Buy Queensland approach. They grow quality produce and local jobs in Mareeba, North Queensland.

Established in 1987, Skybury is Australia’s oldest commercial coffee plantation. They grow, roast and package 40 tons of coffee annually and operate an on-site café. Skybury is also the largest producer of red papaya in Australia producing 6.5 million kilograms annually.

Skybury coffee and papaya are served at the Cairns Convention Centre. The company is proud to be listed on the Queensland Government’s Food and Beverage Supplier Directory.

General Manager of Skybury, Candy McLaughlin, is an innovative farmer, an industry and community leader. She was nominated for the FNQ Growers 2019 Charlie Nastasi Horticultural Farmer of the Year Award.

“It’s about trying to excite and inspire people about what we produce in this country and ensuring long-term stability for our company which ensures the long-term security for our staff,” Candy said.

By listening to her staff, Candy has helped the family business grow to employ 100 people, many of whom take advantage of flexible working conditions. The company is also creating jobs that support science-based and smarter farming.

“By having a lab on our property, we allow people with a high skillset to stay in a rural environment,” Candy said.

Candy loves living and working in rural Mareeba and she wants other locals to have that opportunity.

“The more businesses we can get up and running in this area, the more job prospects for the community,” Candy said.