Do you use chemicals in your processes?

No, we are prohibited from using any chemicals except for a chlorine wash to sanitise the vegetables. We do use sodium metabisulphite however to keep the potatoes white, but this is restricted to 25 parts per million as per anzfa (australian & new zealand food authority) food legislation.

What products do you make?

Our product range is extensive. In essence we can peel, dice or cut almost any vegetable. If you click on products at the home page our normal range is shown, however we are able to produce any special cuts to your specification. Please contact us for your enquiry and we will be pleased to help.

What are your trading terms?

Our normal trading terms are net 7 days.

What do you package your products in?

Packaging requirements for vegetables is quite a complex science and our packaging reflects this. For example, our carrots and potatoes are packed in clear plastic bags because their respiration rates are low and plastic bags are quite suitable. For products that have a high respiration rate however, we pack in barrier bags which are designed to match the specific product requirement. A good example of this is broccoli, which requires a bag with a high respiration rate. Please contact us for more specific information.

What is your service area?

Our service area is South-East Queensland - from the Gold Coast through to Noosa and west to Toowoomba. These areas are serviced daily either by our own trucks or by contractors and Comet continues to hold the account. Currently we do ship to areas outside the above geographic region and welcome any enquires from potential customers outside this area.

Does Comet buy direct from farm?

Comets' production facility is strategically positioned so that we are able to draw either direct from the farm or alternately from the brisbane wholesale markets, situated within a kilometre from our site. In practice we buy most of our larger lines direct from growers and the smaller (or top up) needs from the wholesale markets. We have a very high stock turn-over rate, which means that we only hold vegetables for a few days, producing from only the freshest raw material. All raw material is inspected upon receival against our specifications to ensure we can provide the highest quality and safest produce for our customers. The old adage " garbage in, garbage out" is very true and so an important element in our quality system is control of raw material.

Do you have a cut off time for orders?

Because we produce fresh stock daily we need to have your orders in by no later than 11:00 am the day prior to delivery. This enables us to ensure we can source and produce product the same day. If the order is unusual we may require more notice.

Who are your customers?

Comet services the food service market rather than retail. What this means is that we serve customers who then produce meals from our vegetables.  Therefore you cannot see our products on supermarket shelves, however we are behind the scenes providing prepared vegetables to large manufacturers and institutions. Some of these of course may service the retail market.

How large is Comet?

Comet is the largest provider of processed vegetables to the food service market in Queensland. We have grown strongly with our large customer base and with full-time representation we continue to attract additional customers who are searching for a reliable supplier of quality, safe prepared vegetables. We currently employ approximately 50 people.

Is Comet Quality Assured?

Comet employs a full-time quality assurance manager who is tertiary trained in food technology. Our quality assurance (QA) system is certified to the SQF2000 (safe quality food) standard which incorporates HACCP (hazard analysis critical control points) principles. This is an internationally recognised system and is accepted in both the retail and food service sectors of the market. The system is independently audited on a regular basis. More information is available under the separate section of the website entitled QA.

Why don't you cryovac your potatoes?

The simple answer is that it is not safe. Anaerobic bacteria develop in these conditions and so we warn against the practice very strongly.

Why should I Buy Processed Vegetables?

The processed vegetable industry has only been in existence for approximately 15 to 20 years. The industry has evolved to solve problems that leading-edge meal providers face when providing high quality meals. The benefit of using processed vegetables are: HACCP principles, no waste, known cost, hygiene concerns with processing in house, few seasonal problems, need to reduce kitchen size. Please refer to the section entitled Why Comet? on the home page for more information.