Australia’s leading tree nut growers, processors and marketers, Stahmann Farms Enterprises, launched their new direct marketing Chinese ecommerce site in Toowoomba on Tuesday.
The new platform will see Stahmann Farms’ branded retail products front and centre on Alibaba’s TMall global cross-border etrade platform, which allows overseas exporters to sell directly to Chinese consumers.
Stahmann Farms already sells pecans and macadamias to China in bulk, however this new platform will give the brand greater recognition in the Chinese market.
Stahmann Farms CEO Ross Burling said the move was a milestone in the company’s long and distinguished history.
“Now we are taking not only our Australian nuts but also our Australian brands directly to consumers in the world’s most dynamic economy,” Mr Burling said.
China is a major market for tree nuts, with the Chinese already consuming more than 20 per cent of the world’s total production across most varieties.
Stahmann Farms Sales Manager, Andrew Waddell, said as this consumption continues to grow, so too does the proportion of nuts now being sold online.
“Most Chinese consumers still buy flavoured nuts in their shell,” Mr Waddell said.
“However, with consumer preferences rapidly changing, there has been a shift and we are now targeting the emerging urban middle class that are looking for safe, healthy, clean and convenient food, much like their Western counterparts.”
World tree nut trade is currently worth around US$30 billion with online sales alone in China expected to top $1 billion by 2017, a figure which is close to the equivalent of all Australian tree nut production.
Mr Burling said the Alibaba online sales channel has already seen well-documented success with a number of Australian health food and vitamin supplement companies.
“Nuts are actually about as healthy a snack as you can grow or manufacture and the Chinese have long recognised this,” Mr Burling said.
“As a result, we feel we are entering a pretty good market space.”