The Greenridge Story

Greenridge Botanicals was formed in 1987 to grow, source and process chemically free herbal medicine products, ensuring the highest quality and maximum therapeutic effect.

Greenridge began as a private company comprising of shareholders mainly from two prominent Toowoomba families, the Vandersee and Jauncey families. The Vandersee family started Vanderfield Machinery, local distributors of John Deere farm machinery. The Jauncey family owned Matilda Fresh Foods, vegetable growers and exporters from Brookstead.

In the late eighties with the downturn in the agricultural industry caused by the drought, the Vandersee family patriarch, Mr Gordon Vandersee, saw the need to diversify.

Greenridge’s then Managing Director, Ray Vandersee, claimed that a radio interview with Gosford herbalist, Denis Stewart, was the catalyst for venturing into the medicinal herb industry. He had not previously used herbs and was initially slightly skeptical as to their medicinal value.

Greenridge’s first medicinal product was the Chinese import, Ginkgo Biloba, a circulation enhancer that increases the blood supply to the peripherals. In Ginkgo sales, the young and still small company was overtaken by established companies with better resources, who benefited from Greenridge’s innovative idea to import the plant.

Greenridge then introduced Echinacea, an immune-enhancing herb that can be used preventatively in the war against colds and flu.

A tourist facility “Home of Herbs” was started mid 1995 where people could wander through the herb gardens, dine in the Café and learn about herbal medicines.

A 205 acre (83 hectare) farm was purchased mid 1997 at Boodua near Kingsthorpe meaning Greenridge had total control over their herb growing, previously undertaken on leased land. The ex-dairy farm became a thriving organic herb farm with the first planting of 600,000 Echinacea purpurea seedlings completed in Summer 1997 and harvested in Autumn 1998.

Today Greenridge has around 80 herbal products on the market in the form of liquid extracts, tablets, capsules and ointments.

Greenridge recently revamped its product packaging and repositioned the brand as ‘The Herbal Specialist’, continuing to offer a unique range of effective herbal liquid and tablet formulas targeting both specific ailments and general wellbeing. We offer a wide range of products in various health categories such as Cough, Cold & Flu, Eye Care, Heart & Circulation, Whole Body and Women’s Health.

In May 2009, Integria Healthcare Pty Ltd became the parent company for the Greenridge brand, including its manufacturing facilities and distribution network.

The Greenridge brand is just one of the successful natural healthcare brands that make up Integria Healthcare’s strong brand portfolio. Click here to learn more about Integria Healthcare.