Crowning Achievement: Australia's Favourite Fruit & Veg Shop
2023 marked a pinnacle year in Arnold's history as the business achieved its highest national recognition yet, being crowned Australia's Favourite Fruit & Veg Store. This prestigious National and Victorian Retailer of the Year award, presented by original MasterChef winner Julie Goodwin, represented a triumph for regional business excellence over metropolitan competitors.
Julie Goodwin's visit and endorsement highlighted the values that had made Arnold's special for over 130 years. "The guys at Arnold's work so hard; they get up early in the morning and they're out there, they've been doing it for 130 years," she noted, emphasising the importance of supporting local fruit and vegetable shops over chain stores. Her praise for the business's commitment to fresh, seasonal produce and expert service echoed the principles that had guided Arnold's since J.G Arnold's time.
The Arnold Family Accepting the "A Better Choice" Award
Louise Arnold, marketing manager, captured the significance of the achievement: "It's just huge for Albury-Wodonga... being a regional fruit and veg' store is pretty awesome because we're up against city stores." She particularly credited the dedication of their staff, some of whom had been with the business for 20 to 30 years, demonstrating how Arnold's success was built on both family leadership and loyal employees.
The year was made even more special by the arrival of Olive Elisabeth, daughter of Ben and Tiegan Arnold, adding another branch to the family tree as the sixth generation continued to grow. Coming so soon after Lucy Grace's arrival the previous year, Olive's birth reinforced the continuing strength of the family legacy.
Arnold Staff and Family With Julie Goodwin, A Better Choice Ambassador.
The presence of four generations of Arnolds - Ben, Maddy, Louise, and Roger - at the award presentation symbolised the family's ongoing commitment to excellence that had begun with J.G Arnold's wheelbarrow of vegetables. Their collective achievement in winning the national People's Choice Award showed how a regional family business could compete and excel at the highest level while staying true to its core values of quality, service, and community connection.