Page 8 - Food & Drink Magazine July 2018
P. 8

BLUE SKY
Low in carbs, high in ambition
Australia & New Zealand MD Richard Sullivan shares the local strategy of the pioneering Atkins Nutritionals low carb brand.
QWhat was involved to get and is our largest market
this US brand onto Australian shelves?
The first Atkins Low Carb bar was sold in 1997 in the United States, however Atkins products only entered the Australian market in 2005. Following a sale to a private equity company and changed ownership in mid-2007, Atkins’ aim was to grow business internationally resulting in the establishment of Atkins Nutritionals Australia Pty Ltd, which manages the sale and distribution of products in Australia and New Zealand.
Around 75 per cent of Atkins’ Australian sales are from low carb and low sugar snack bars, followed by ready to drink protein shakes and a powdered shake mix.
In other international markets there are additional products, such as a frozen meal range available in the US, and in Europe you can find low carb crackers, muesli, fresh bread, pasta and most recently introduced, low carb tortilla wraps.
Australia is considered a very successful market for Atkins
outside the US, and is over double the size of our third largest market, Canada. Australian consumers have a strong understanding of the importance of good nutrition, and the benefits of reduced carbohydrate and sugar consumption to achieve weight loss, weight management and overall wellness.
Australian consumers are willing to invest in their health and furthermore, Australia offers a thriving retail platform for nutritional product sales, and the health food snack category is well supported by major retailers.
Q
Are the products
8 | Food&Drink business | July 2018 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au
reformulated to suit Australian tastes?
Atkins products are developed both in the US and locally. Atkins manufactures 10 products locally in Australia, including bars, Ready-To-Drink (RTD) protein shakes and a powdered shake mix.
Local development focuses on modifying flavour profiles and


































































































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