China update – collaboration project

By Michael Finucan, MLA General Manager, International Markets

MLA partnered with Dairy Australia, Wine Australia and Horticultural Innovation Australia to develop a coordinated ‘Team Australia’ approach to grow the China market.

Following the successful delivery of a joint promotional event at Australia Week in China in April 2016, the group joined forces again to deliver ‘Taste Australia’ in Shanghai on 29 March 2017. It aimed to:

• create a unique, premium experience that profiles the best Australian food and wine to Chinese customers and end-users in high-end retail and foodservice
• communicate Australia’s common positive attributes and deliver common messages about premium Australia products
• provide an interactive food experience to show creative and innovative ways to enjoy Australian premium products.

The event targeted key opinion leaders and media to leverage the messages to a broader audience.

On the agenda
The event consisted of a formal seminar followed by a food and wine tasting experience.

The first speaker was a local key opinion leader who spoke about his personal experience travelling to Australia and enjoying Australia food and wine. He shared his personal experience about how beautiful the Australian countryside is and the quality and variety of the food in Australia.

This was followed by a live cooking display where Chef Tim Hollands took the guests through a gastronomic experience using premium Australian beef and lamb, combined with Australian dairy and horticultural produce to highlight the wide variety and versatility of Australian produce.

The media then had an opportunity to hear from the four Australian organisations during a Q&A session where they could hear about the industry and integrity systems to ensure the quality and safety of Australian produce.

Following the formal sessions, guests were treated to premium Australian produce at the display pavilions and cocktail reception.

Dairy Australia showcased a wide range of Australian milk and cheese in standing, open refrigerators to evoke the feeling of being in a grocery store. Horticulture Innovation Australia decorated its booth with bunches of fresh grapes and offered a variety of Australian nuts for guests to enjoy. Meat & Livestock Australia invited a chef who grilled steak and lamb chops which were washed down with Australian wine, which guests learned about during a special wine tasting class provided by Wine Australia.

Results
The majority of the 120 guests who attended Taste Australia consisted of the target audience: 56% were from the media or were key influencers in the food and beverage industry. The remainder were guests from the food and beverage industry and from government. In a post-event survey, around 80% of respondents said they were highly or extremely likely to recommend Australian food and wine to a friend or colleague.

By all accounts, the event was a success, with the four Australian agricultural organisations collaborating to deliver a unified ‘Brand Australia’ message to an audience of key media and influencers celebrating Australian food and wine.

More information
Michael Finucan
MLA General Manager, International Markets
mfinucan@mla.com.au