Page 34 - Food and Drink Business Magazine May 2019

ORGANICS & NATURALS
Simply all natural nuts
Bega brings its farm-to-plate mantra to life with its newest peanut butter range. Doris Prodanovic reports.
BEGA Cheese has launched Bega Simply Nuts, containing only Australian-grown peanuts and a pinch of sea salt. Simply Nuts is its first vertically integrated peanut butter brand under the company’s new food brands division, Bega Foods.
Bega Foods executive general manager Adam McNamara says it was important to continue the rich history of Bega dealing directly and supporting its farmers. The peanut butter is part of realising the company’s ‘farm-to-plate’ philosophy.
McNamara says Bega has been able to bring those relationships into different parts of the business over time. In acquiring the Peanut Company of Australia (PCA) in 2018, the opportunity to forge connections
with the growers was clear. “We provide the seed to the
farmers in Queensland and they
grow the crop, which we then receive five months later. After
they’re processed, cleaned and roasted in Queensland, the peanuts are shipped to our Port Melbourne
facility where they are produced, packaged and delivered to stores,” McNamara says.
LEVEL UP
Bega has invested in dual capabilities for glass and PET processes in its Port Melbourne factory. It is the first update to the facility since the PCA acquisition.
McNamara said introducing more capabilities demonstrates the confidence Bega has in its new peanut segment and further strengthens the position of the Simply Nuts range.
“We now have an opportunity in
the natural food market to be known as having 100 per cent Australian peanuts that are 100 per cent Australian owned and Australian made and this separates us from other players who can’t match all three of these factors,” he said.
The Bega Simply Nuts range is packaged in glass jars to meet consumers’ growing demand for sustainable alternatives on shelf.
“Consumers told us that glass cues more towards a healthier, premium product and improves the food quality for flavour while also being better for the environment. For us, it was very clear to launch Simply Nuts in a glass jar,” said McNamara.
BEYOND DAIRY
In addition to acquiring PCA, Bega continues to diversify beyond its dairy business. It also owns Mondelēz International’s ANZ spreads and dressings business – including the iconic Vegemite – since 2017.
Bega now has 145 years of combined ‘peanut experience’. It continues to deliver a number of other peanut products, including Mitey Aussie Nuts from the Picky Picky Peanuts range.
“We are really excited about the Simply Nuts range as it really delivers on taste, and we feel strongly about being recognised as a 100 per cent Australian product. Straight from the ground in sunny Queensland, to the home,” McNamara says.
Bega Simply Nuts is available in all major supermarkets in three varieties – smooth, crunchy and rustic grind. It is sold in 325g jars for a RRP of $5.00. ✷
34 | Food&Drink business | May 2019 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au