Demand for exotic tropical fruits like jackfruit and rambutan has surged in Australia over the past year, with retailers attributing the increase to social media exposure and cultural curiosity. Melbourne grocer Daniel Perogiannis reports weekly sellouts of these rare treats, noting that international visitors seeking familiar flavors are driving interest among locals too. Farmers such as Warren Orsmond near Tully are experiencing a boost in inquiries for their crops, which thrive in Far North Queensland's climate similar to where the fruits originate from regions like South-East Asia and South America.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In the past year, demand for exotic tropical fruits such as jackfruit, rambutan, and mangosteens has surged significantly among Australians, particularly in major cities like Brisbane and Melbourne. Retailers attribute this trend to increased awareness through social media platforms and word-of-mouth recommendations. For instance, Melbourne grocer Daniel Perogiannis reports selling out every week despite boosting his orders due to the growing interest. Growers from Far North Queensland are responding by increasing production but still struggle to meet the rising demand, highlighting a supply shortage issue. This trend is also driven by international visitors seeking familiar flavors from their home countries, fostering a sense of comfort and familiarity among them.
Written for “Exotic Fruits Demand Growth” on 2026-09-18,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
In short:
Demand for exotic tropical fruit has increased substantially in the past year.
asserted
Demand → increase → year
Retailers believe increased awareness and social media have contributed to the boom.
asserted
awareness → believe → boom
Farmers report more inquiries for their produce as demand outstrips supply.
asserted
demand → report → supply
Rare tropical fruits grown in Far North Queensland have become highly sought-after treats in capital cities as more of the unusual produce reaches grocery store shelves.
asserted
more → grow → shelves
The exotic foods, including jackfruit, rambutan and mangosteens, have been gaining attention through social media, word of mouth, and cultural demand.
asserted
foods → include → mouth
As growers aim to boost production and demand increases, markets in major cities are trying to order even more for their customers.
asserted
markets → aim → customers
Melbourne grocer Daniel Perogiannis has been selling exotic fruit for the past two years and has been ordering more in recent months due to growing interest.
asserted
Perogiannis → sell → interest
"We sell out every single week.
asserted
We → sell → ?
Whatever we've bought sells out and the demand gets higher,"he said.
asserted
demand → buy → Whatever
"I think the increase in demand has come due to a lot of internationals coming into Australia.
asserted
increase → think → Australia
They're looking for something they can find in their hometown or their home country, and it's something that breeds familiarity for them.
asserted
that → look → them
"Because of that, I think a lot of Australians are starting to hear the words and the names of these fruits, and they're doing their own research into it and looking for it themselves.
asserted
they → think → it
It is a similar story in Brisbane, where fruit seller Michael Nguyen has also noticed more people on the hunt for the tropical treats.
asserted
Nguyen → notice → treats
"[In] the past 12 months the popularity of, for example, mangosteens or jackfruit, I think that's evolved quite a lot,"he said.
asserted
that → think → example
He said he expected that demand to grow even further in coming years.
asserted
demand → say → years
"As long as [farmers] can grow more produce, I think some of these tropical fruit lines will become mainstream," Mr Nguyen said.
asserted
Nguyen → grow → lines
Mr Perogiannis said social media also helped build interest in the quirky varieties.
asserted
media → say → varieties
"There's a lot of exotic fruit popping up from around the world, and it's led to people being curious," he said.
"The most recent one was black sapote.
asserted
one → be → world
Since that happened, we've had flocks of people coming in to find out what it was.
asserted
it → happen → people
Both retailers buy tropical produce from Warren Orsmond, an exotic fruit farmer outside Tully, between Cairns and Townsville.
asserted
retailers → buy → Cairns
Mr Orsmond grows 14 varieties of exotic fruit commercially and said his phone was constantly buzzing lately with new inquiries.
asserted
phone → grow → inquiries
"Even within the last two months, the amount of little shops and agents calling up, chasing the fruit [has increased]," he said.
asserted
he → call → fruit
The most popular fruits coming off his farm were rambutans and mangosteens, but lesser-known fruits like rollinia and sapodilla were also in demand.
asserted
fruits → come → demand
He said Far North Queensland's climate made it the perfect place to grow them.
asserted
it → say → them
"Our climate, our humidity, it's very similar to where these fruits have originated from.
asserted
fruits → originate → where
You know, South-East Asia, South America, Central America
asserted
You → know → ?
," he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
He said as people travelled more, particularly to Asia, they were becoming more aware of tropical fruits.
asserted
they → say → fruits
Then once home they wanted the flavours they tasted overseas.
asserted
they → want → flavours
Mr Orsmond said he was working to increase the size of his harvest to keep up with the growing demand.
asserted
he → say → demand
"There is some expansion in the pipeline, but it's always a case of managing the amount we can put out and also looking at what the market is demanding or wanting," he said.
asserted
he → be → what
The Aporia