Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, Vegemite, Four’n Twenty and Rosella have joined together for a virtual yarn, seeking to create a network of Aussie brands sharing strategies to get them through current uncertainties.
Collectively, the four iconic Australian brands have survived floods, fires, and even the Great Depression, but the current battle is COVID-19.
In a period where consumers are being encouraged to purchase Australian-made brands, iconic Aussie brands including Bundaberg Brewed Drinks are taking things one step further and encouraging Aussie businesses to support fellow homegrown businesses ... the old-fashioned way.
John McLean, CEO of Australian family-owned Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, met with the chief decision-makers behind iconic Aussie brands; Vegemite, Four’n Twenty, and Rosella, to start a network of guidance and support throughout the Australian FMCG and broader business community.
“Whether you’re Australian-owned, manufactured or employing Aussies, our national business community needs to be there for each other,” said McLean. “If the changes brought on by COVID-19 become the new normal, we need to work together to ensure Aussie brands live long into the future.”
With over 320 years of collective experience, all four brands involved have previously overcome ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ challenges and know the only way forward is with the support of others.
“For us, it’s not just about consumers supporting local brands; it’s about Australian businesses supporting Australian businesses – even if they’re not in the same category," he said.
"If we can provide insights, suggestions or manufacturing capability that can help others navigate complex times, we will – it’s the Aussie way.
"You never know what you may need help with or when. Now is the time to know the capabilities of our wider business community and start the conversation about supporting each other.”
The brands are all involved in the business of manufacturing FMCG products, a complex space made even more complicated by the challenges of COVID-19. There are a lot of moving parts in the successful delivery of products to supermarket shelves. This is particularly challenging given the importance of consistency and the current rapid increase in demand from consumers.
“We are seeing a significant shift in Australian consumers entertaining at home with the brands they know and trust," said McLean. "We’ve been around for 50 years, and we want to continue to treat Australians for the next 50.”
Procurement of ingredients, logistics, warehousing are all considerations, and during COVID-19, the barriers keep moving. Aussie manufacturers may very well need to lean on each other as the fall out of COVID-19 becomes our new normal.
With the complications of global manufacturing, the brands hope to see more collaboration between Australian businesses to manufacture locally and potentially share each other’s capabilities.
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