Page 13 - Food & Drink Magazine October 2019

LEFT: Chris and Megan Williams with some of their beloved dromedaries. BELOW: The company’s camel milk powder is its best seller.
camel milk. So we target these populations in major Australian and overseas cities.
“A second target is the health industry, and then thirdly those looking for a dairy alternative. Then there are people who really find the way we farm appealing because we milk our mothers with their babies alongside them.
“Our skincare range holds a different customer base but also appeals to that health- conscious market. People are more health-aware than ever.
“They’re concerned about what they’re putting in their mouths and are doing the same with what they use on the outside of their bodies as well. So a toxin-free skincare range is appealing to them.”
SALES CHANNELS
The Camel Milk Co. Australia’s products are available through its retail shop on-farm and selected independent
providores, health food stores and independent supermarkets, Australia-wide.
The business has two parts – skincare and food. Because of that, only about 20 per cent of its stockists carry both ranges.
Some markets are also more challenging than others, with Williams highlighting the challenge of accessing the West Australian market because of distance, costs and other commercial factors.
She says: “We have the means to get product wherever we need to, but is that always worth it for us and them for small volumes?
“As far as large supermarkets go, I think it’s always a company’s dream, but I’m not sure it’s ours at the moment.
“We need to make sure every store we’re in is beneficial for us and them, and quality will always remain our number-one priority over quantity.”
The skincare range and milk powder are also available online.
“Our powder sells extremely well online, to the point it’s our biggest seller. This is usually to out-of-the-way locations, like Cooper Pedy, where people buy powder over fresh milk.”
The company’s feta and milk are listed online, but Williams said they contact customers if there is a supplier closer to home.
They also have a food service offering, with a number of high-end restaurants and cafés in metropolitan and regional NSW and Victoria using their products.
“We’ve also been on quite a number of menus for government meetings and food awards. This helps with our exposure,” Williams says.
EXPORT NEIGHBOURS
The business exports all of its products except the cheese.
Singapore is its most regular destination. It initially exported only 50 litres a week, and now sends around 200. It is just starting to export into Thailand.
Williams says: “The rigmarole for all paperwork to be export accredited can be quite difficult – and long. Even though we are an approved exporting business, every country has its own unique laws.”
It took the company eight months to complete the process for exporting to Thailand.
“It’s worth it, because I think Thailand will become one of our bigger contracts.
“When people say ‘oh, you’re exporting’, it’s actually quite a big thing to get to that point.”
Some skincare products are sent to Hong Kong, and the company uses the daigou channels for China, but Williams points out, every market is different.
She says the company
is lucky with the exposure it receives, as people sometimes approach them.
They are now starting to explore the UK market, initially with the skincare range.
“We’ll see how we go over the
www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au | October 2019 | Food&Drink business | 13
RISING STAR
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