A QUEENSLAND vegetable processing business has been sold after going into voluntary administration last month.
Administrators, the Robson Cotter Insolvency Group, were appointed to the Boonah-based business Bunny Bite Foods (previously Bunny Bite Farms) on June 8.
An initial creditors meeting was held on June 20, with a second scheduled for Monday, July 15.
A spokesperson for Robson Cotter confirmed Bunny Bite Foods had been sold and that it was “business as usual” for the operation.
One of the directors of the company was Ausveg chairman John Brent, who has since stepped down as a director.
While Mr Brent did not return Fairfax Media’s calls, an Ausveg spokesperson said a business named VegPro 4 bought Bunny Bite Foods.
According to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) website, VegPro 4 registered as a company on April 18 this year and is based in Milton, Queensland.
The company advertised an administration role on the Seek website on June 13, describing itself as a “fast growing vegetable processing facility located in Boonah in the Heart of the Scenic Rim”.
Enquiries regarding the job are directed to a staff member at Bunny Bite Foods.
Fairfax Media has been told vegetable growers in South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania are owed money by the company, possibly as unsecured creditors.
The Ausveg spokesperson denied growers were owed millions of dollars and said Mr Brent had made a lot of personal sacrifice to ensure growers were paid.
“The company went into administration to protect the suppliers,” the spokesperson said.
He added that Mr Brent had been vigilant in maintaining a distinction between his role at Ausveg and his role as director at the business.
A Twitter user took to social media to voice his or her concerns.
The user @Foodnfibre tweeted: “@AUSVEG How are you planning to manage the fall out from Bunnybites moving into Administration owing your members millions?”
Bunny Bite Foods began operation more than a decade ago as a value-added enterprise to its farming operation.
