INDUSTRY SERVICE AWARDS
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Celebrating 21 years of selling Aussie almonds to the world
FOR 21 years Joseph Ebbage has played a key role in promoting Australian almonds domestically and overseas . At the Australian Almond Conference gala dinner he was presented with an Outstanding Service Award for his efforts . Mr Ebbage stepped back from his roles as the ABA ’ s marketing manager in June and in recent months he ’ s been helping the new team transition . Back in July 2003 there were only three almond processors , Select Harvests , Nut Producers Australia and Almondco . Mr Ebbage recalls the first almond conference he attended was at the Berri Hotel , when the industry was producing just over 11,000 tonnes and there was a clear understanding that a significant increase in plantings was coming . It ’ s a big change from the 2024 conference in Adelaide , which attracted 600 people and in 2024 the industry produced 153,550 tonnes . He said establishment of the almond industry ’ s voluntary marketing fund was unique , giving growers and marketers full control over the program . Mr Ebbage has lost count of the times he ’ s travelled overseas on ABA work , but pre and post COVID he was on a plane every six weeks . During the pandemic , there was a big shift in marketing Australian almonds with a move to online engagement , through webinars , avatars and digital expo sites . with the strategic development of “ Digital comms are incredibly focus emerging markets by working valuable , but it hasn ’ t replaced face to face relationship building , they on longer-terms goals ." complement each other ,” Mr Ebbage The ABA ' s early sustainability said . framework was prepared by the
“ The Free Trade Agreements in Market Development Committee China and India have been game and Mr Ebbage said it was pleasing changers ." to see how work in this space has
The almond industry started attending increased , with the development trade shows in both countries a of a separate ABA Sustainability decade ago , waving the flag and Committee and the appointment of a building trading relationships with fulltime Industry Development Officer trade partners . for Sustainability . “ The collective industry marketing Mr Ebbage is looking forward to program has the capacity to assist spending more time with family
In A Nutshell - Summer 2024 Vol 25 Issue 4
Almond Board of Australia CEO Tim Jackson , left , presents outgoing ABA marketing manager Joseph Ebbage with a Contribution to Industry Award , in recognition of his 21 years playing a key role in promoting Australian almonds at home and overseas .
and travelling with his wife , but said attending trade shows will not be on the itinerary ! There are also a couple of Rotary Club of Melbourne projects that he is looking forward to getting to work on . One is a Rotary community engagement project , working with DFAT , for Australia Award Fellows visiting Australia . The other Rotary project , called ‘ Footy Nuts ’, will attempt to tackle youth diabetes in remote Aboriginal communities .