The three major Australian almond exporters participated in this trade mission to Thailand : namely , Olam Food Ingredients ( OFI ), Select Harvests and Almondco Australia . The Thai Austrade Office provided a very high level of service in organizing meetings with potential customers across the major relevant sub-categories .
Meetings were held with the major Thai almond importers at the Australian Almonds exhibition booth . These meetings covered key Thai food retailers such as Mako and a wide range of food manufacturers .
While Thailand is currently an important snack market for Australian almonds in South-East Asia , the key insight to come out of the Thaifex Trade Mission was the significant opportunity to grow the Australian almond ingredient market . Major themes such as sustainability , meat-free and plant-forward meal options as well as a growing bakery market combine to confirm that Thailand is a major growth opportunity for the Australian almond industry .
Two key areas of competitive advantage for the Australian almond industry in Thailand include a 10 % tariff advantage due to the Australia-Thailand FTA and significant freight cost and accessibility benefits .
Domestic Market Development Update
Digital Enhancement
The 2021 / 2022 Australian Almond Domestic
Program has been focused on building a repository of marketing content to distribute across our digital and social media platforms and to continue establishing almonds as a sustainable health food for Australian consumers .
The program leveraged our platforms in Facebook and Instagram to communicate the three key content pillars of Australian almond which include :
• Sustainability metrics
• Health and nutritional values
• Versatility for food innovation
The program has continued to work closely with Advanced Sports Dietitian , Simone Austin as our Sports and Nutrition program Ambassador . Simone has helped develop a series of blog posts that were both insightful and dynamic enabling them to also be shared across our social media platforms . As the demand for nutritious , plant-based dishes continues to rise , Simone has been able to demonstrate almonds as a super food and educate consumers on the nutritional value of almonds . Underpinning this messaging has been an emphasis on the extended shelf life of almonds and little food waste .
Domestic Promotional Almond Campaign – ‘ The Almond Life ’
In conjunction with enhancing digital communications , the program has been actively identifying new opportunities for domestic growth to absorb the increasing almond tonnage . In response to this , a domestic promotion has been commissioned to build consumption of almond kernels . The almond consumption data shows Baby Boomers and Gen X currently occupy the largest portion of the market and lead consumption . Therefore , the campaign has been designed and articulated to focus on the Gen Y and Gen Z consumer segments . This creative lifestyle campaign aims to empower younger consumers by educating them on the health benefits of almonds and position almonds as a nutritious and sustainable wholefood , to elevate eating occasions .
The promotion will be centered around three television commercials ( TVC ’ s ) to promote a lifestyle and a way of living built on making smart , healthy food choices . The core creative element will be a 3D animated almond character called ‘ Al ’. The animated character will be the focal point amongst input from real-life people called , Almond Ambassadors . The TVC ’ s will encourage consumers to choose a healthy handful of Australian almonds over other snacks that have no nutritional value .
The campaign advertisements will be distributed across multiple platforms such as Facebook , Instagram , YouTube , TikTok , Podcast and Programmatic BVOD ( Broadcaster Video on Demand ). This advertising will be supported by an extensive public relations program and influencer partnerships to connect with the target audience . In addition , a micro-site will be developed to aggregate and display all the developed advertising material . This will include details about the promotion and the TVC ’ s along with a gallery of new recipes , health news and fact sheets .
We look forward to launching this exciting campaign and sharing the insights experienced along the way .
Trade Exhibitions
The domestic marketing program has continued to build prominence of Australian almonds to both established and newly acquired consumers . In the month of June , Australian Almonds exhibited at the Good Food and Wine Show in Sydney . This event showcases hundreds of local and international exhibitors of new food and beverages , including Australia ’ s best chefs and restaurateurs demonstrating recipes and delicious creations , live on stage .
The key messages communicated within the design of the exhibition booth was based on the key content pillars : Sustainability , Health and Nutrition and Versatility and Innovation . Through these events we have been able to communicate the proactive measures the Australian almond industry is adopting to produce a sustainable super food for years to come .
- JOSEPH EBBAGE , Market Development Manager - LOUISA MARTIN , Market Development Officer
2021 / 22 ABA ANNUAL REPORT 17