The Smiths

Since 1888, our family has grown apples in Tasmania’s beautiful Huon Valley. In 1998 we went organic. With sunlight, water, love, and a little luck we nurture our organic orchards because we believe everyone deserves the best mother nature can offer.

G’day. We’re the Smiths. That’s me on the left and my late dad, Ian, on the right looking as if he’s about to bowl a googly.

We weren't always smiling like this. Back in ‘98 Dad and I spent a fair amount of time having dust-ups over me wanting to take the business organic. He thought it was all a bit bloody kooky.

Fair to say I was pretty single minded about it, though. To me, not adding things to our fruit was much more valuable than adding things. I’d always thought the best horticulture systems were designed by nature so organic made absolute sense - it was not only our future, it was the only future.

Sure, it costs more and is tricky to manage, but, y’know we’ve been doing it now for a quarter century and in that time we’ve learnt a lot.

History

  • 1888

    My great-grandad, William and great-grandmum Elsie plant their very first apple tree in a hidden valley deep in Tasmania’s southern highlands.

  • 1907

    Ruth and Ron (my grandparents) inherit the orchard. R&R Smith is born. Ruth runs the business as Ron serves in the first world war.

  • 1941

    Dad comes back from Europe to run the orchard after Ron passes away. The Tasmanian apple industry collapses in the wake of cheap European fruit flooding the British market.

  • 1997

    Dad hands the business over to me…

    Okay. He doesn't so much hand it over as relinquish it during a fight in the back shed. I quickly realise purity comes at a price. This brings us back to the argument over whether we should go organic or not.

  • 1998

    R&R Smith is certified Organic. Four years before the United States department of Agriculture begins an Organic certification policy.

The TEAM

  • Ian

    Founder

    09.11.41 - 18.10.23

    We were lucky to have him. He has left a massive hole, an absolute force of nature.

    A legend in Tasmania’s fruit industry and the former President of the Tasmanian Apple and Pear Growers Association. Ian was forged on the anvil of tough times. Losing a packing shed to fire, a crop to drought and a market to cheap imports contributed to making Ian the person he was. During those long-distant days Ian stared disaster in the face and asked it to work alongside him, but disaster just couldn’t keep up.

  • Andrew

    Managing Director. That’d be me.

    After school, I followed a misspent youth racing yachts in the UK. After years working and learning in European orchards I returned to Tassie to take on a challenge that would come to define me - saving the family farm.

    But the biggest lesson was yet to come. The decision to go organic and the people I had to convince. Little was I to know at the time that if you want the best you gotta bleed some.

  • Carolyn K

    QA, Logistics and Dispatch

    Carolyn grew up on her parents apple orchard in the Huon Valley. She made apple crates at her Grandfathers apple shed during school holidays. Steeped in Valley lore Carolyn can recognise a bad apple from 100 paces. That’s why she heads up our Quality Assurance program, completing her HAACP in 2006.

    She’s been with us since ‘98, the year we went organic, and like everyone down here at R&R Carolyn is a bit of a multi-tasker. Just ask her to move the fork and she’ll show you.

  • Grant

    Sales and Shed Manager

    From building apple bins after school, to managing most aspects of R&R Smith, Grant is ‘Huon Valley Apple History’ walking around in one man.

    After years of experience, hands down and hands on he’s one of the most know-it-all apple whisperers alive. Laconic and interested he understands how to make a pack house hum.

  • Liz

    Office and Accounts

    Managing all things office related, Liz has experience across many aspects of the business and now runs R&R Smith accounts. She has a Cert 4 in Business Administration, a Diploma in Business Administration and has completed her Cert 4 in accounting and bookkeeping.

    Having worked in Woolworths fresh produce department she understands what customers expect.

  • Nige

    Production and Orchard Manager

  • Jess

    Brand and Marketing

    Jess left the UK in 2009 with a Design and Communications Honours Degree tucked under her arm. While traveling around Australia she stumbled upon the Huon Valley. She decided to make this place her home.

    Jess has worked the big smoke creative marketing/advertising agencies and now loves spending every day in the Huon talking all things apples.

    If you want to know anything about R&R Smith organics reach out to Jess.

  • Dale

    Mechanic and Workshop Manager

    Ever met one of those people who’s just good at everything they turn their hands to. Well, I’d like to introduce you to another. Our very own Dale Newborn.

    An auto-electrician, a hydraulic and mechanical specialist and a service mechanic, Dale is our Siwss Army Knife of trades. He keeps us compliant and running silky smooth even when, at the end of the week, he predicts, ‘If it’s Friday afternoon, something will break!’

  • Kinnan

    Orchard Manager - Grove

    After training as a chef Kinnan switched the apron for the Akubra and started working for us in 2021. A Huon local, Kinnan believes there's never a bad day at work when you get to work outside in our beautiful orchards.

Willie Smith’s

William Smith would have jumped with glee to see his precious fruit grow up to be become one of Australia’s most awarded cider’s.

Visit williesmiths.com.au for the low down on their high end cider. Or just pop in to The Apple Shed when you come and visit the Huon Valley.

Awards

Woolworths Organic Supplier of the Year Award
2016

Woolworths Organic Growth Fund Partner
2020

Hort Connections National Excellence Award - Community Stewardship
2021

Woolworths Organic Supplier of the Year Award
2017

APAL Award for Excellence - Innovative Marketer
2019

APAL Award for Excellence - Environment and Sustainability
2023

Orchards

If you want to chat with Mother Nature come to our home in Tasmania’s Huon Valley. Nestled in sun-drenched lees of local hills you'll find us there quietly tending our orchards at Grove and Rookwood.