Australia

Company case study: Closed supply chain key to clean, green exports

By Andrew Spence

- Last updated on GMT

Company case study: Closed supply chain key to clean, green exports

Related tags Hong kong Food Australia

A closed-loop supply chain and a strong contact network in Asia are behind the success of an emerging premium food company from South Australia.

Beston Global Food Company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange last September and has already seen its share price rise from A$0.35 to A$0.67 (US$0.25-0.47).

It exports premium seafood, dairy, meat and health nutrition products to China, the Middle East, Thailand, Japan and Vietnam.

In January, the Adelaide-based company announced it had entered into a joint venture agreement with Sunwah, the largest importer of seafood products into Hong Kong and Macau.

Sunwah also owns and operates restaurants in Hong Kong and China, including the Nishimura Japanese Restaurant chain.

Beston chairman Roger Sexton, a former investment banker in London, Singapore and Hong Kong, said the company’s unique supply chain, which allowed it to grow, process and distribute almost all of its products, was key to its success.

We have what we call a closed-loop supply chain so we own farms and other sources of supply, we own the processing and we own the marketing and distribution; so all three legs are owned by the company and that’s quite a unique model​,” he said.

 “We have very good products and we have excellent marketing distribution operations in Asia with our own people so we are taking those products directly to the market​. We’re certainly in an expansion mode​.”

Beston employs 190 people and has staff across Asia, including a 26-strong workforce in China.

Its full range of dairy and seafood products include southern rock lobster, tuna, kingfish, oysters, cheeses and milk. Beston’s brands have a focus on “clean, green and healthy​” and include Ferguson Australia, Mori Seafood, B-d Farm Paris Creek, Australian Provincial Cheeses and Scorpio Foods.

Dr Sexton said rising incomes in China meant people were demanding higher quality foods such as fish, meat, eggs and dairy products.

Increasingly, discerning consumers are looking for healthy products from Australia, and they recognise that South Australia is a source of very pure, very healthy food products​,” he said.

 “New Zealand got into China earlier than Australia so we’re playing catch-up, but South Australia is recognised as having similar qualities to New Zealand in terms of the purity of our farms and oceans​.”

Sunwah group chairman Jonathan Choi said the joint-venture with Beston recognised and capitalised on the relative strengths of the two companies.

Beston has a wide variety of premium quality food and beverage products which are in high demand in Asia. Sunwah has a strong distribution business in Hong Kong and Macau, which has earned a reputation over a period of more than 50 years for the provenance of its products and the quality of service provided to its customers. We share a lot in common. It is a perfect marriage​,” Dr Choi said.

Related news

Related products

show more

Elevate your snacks with novel cheese flavours

Elevate your snacks with novel cheese flavours

Content provided by Givaudan | 23-Feb-2024 | Product Brochure

Aside from conducting desk research to understand snacking preferences and taste profiles among consumers in the Asia Pacific, Givaudan also embarked on...

How Korean culture penetrated the APAC food industry?

How Korean culture penetrated the APAC food industry?

Content provided by BIOSPRINGER, natural Yeast ingredients | 17-Jan-2024 | White Paper

Korean food is on-trend in Asia. We mainly find Korean taste in noodles, sauces & dressings, pickled condiments, ready meals and savory snacks.

Analyzing the unknown threat from Microplastics

Analyzing the unknown threat from Microplastics

Content provided by Agilent Technologies | 06-Nov-2023 | Infographic

Microplastics are any plastic-derived synthetic solid particle or polymeric matrix, ranging in size from 1 µm to 5 mm and insoluble in water.

Related suppliers

1 comment

BFC Share price

Posted by Sandra Quinn,

Where did rise of share price come from - it has never been 0.67 cents (it had a breif high of 0.63 cents on 28/1/2016. Though if it got to 67 cents in medium term as a shareholder I would be very happy. Maybe you need to clarify and check facts in your story.

Report abuse

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars

Food & Beverage Trailblazers

F&B Trailblazers Podcast