Tasti Products Ltd

Its depth of knowledge in the fast growing nutritional snack market and its ability to innovate has helped Tasti Products Ltd more than double sales over the past five years, with the strongest growth coming from exports.

Established in 1932, Tasti evolved in New Zealand into a leading manufacturer of dried fruit and nuts and glace products. In the 1970s it launched the first muesli bar in New Zealand, the original nutritional snack bar, a category which now also encompasses fruit cereal bars, nut bars and muffin bars.

Executive Chairman Simon Hall acquired the Auckland business 10 years ago at a time when “it was in a large number of different categories but wasn’t outstanding at anything in particular.” He saw an opportunity in the nutritional snack market and the company has focused on developing a strong competitive advantage in that category.

Keen to grow the business, Tasti started exporting in 1998, leveraging off its experience and success as a leading supplier of muesli bars and fruit filled bars to the New Zealand market. In the past few years total sales have more than doubled and exports are now in excess of $30 million annually.

Australia is the main export market, selected because of its proximity, its size and its similarity to New Zealand. All five of Australia’s large supermarket chains are now key clients.

“The global trend towards fruit filled bars was developed in New Zealand at least three years ahead of Australia and this meant we could go into Australia with fully developed and proven products,” says Mr Hall.

Based on its experience in New Zealand, Tasti was also able to help Australian supermarkets develop and grow their private label programmes and today this is an important and fast growing part of the business.

“The supermarkets have very demanding expectations but we’ve developed our business model to make sure we are recognised as one of the leading suppliers. Success with supermarkets is built on credibility, and that’s achieved by delivering quality products in full on time every time.

“We’ve got many years experience operating in this category and have intimate knowledge of the global market; we are leading trends by continually developing new concepts and launching new products. We’ve got some of the best people in the industry and the best technology. We are a low cost manufacturer because of our automated production lines.”

Mr Hall says Tasti’s operating in a very competitive industry, and supermarket buyers are wary about offshore suppliers.

“We call on the customers ourselves, we don’t rely on sales brokers to do the work for us. 

We can be in their office the following day, we warehouse our stock in Australia and we’ve got a proven track record in our ability to supply.”

Tasti’s 10 years relationship with Weight Watchers International is also driving export growth. Tasti develops and launches new low fat and sugar products under the Weight Watchers brand, which today sees it hold the license to produce both nutritional snacks and breakfast cereals for the Australasian markets.

Mr Hall says continual product innovation is critical in the nutritional snacks market, there’s no longevity in exporting ‘me too’ products.

“When we develop a product we formulate to the nth degree to maximise the taste and achieve continually improved nutritional content, we feel it’s important to maintain the integrity of the category.”

Several years ago Tasti invested several million dollars in technology, installing the first tri-layered muesli bar plant of its kind in Australasia. It was a risk, but Mr Hall says it’s more than paid off in terms of the competitive advantage it’s given Tasti. It has components that will help future proof the company against future nutritional snack trends that haven’t even emerged yet.

Tasti employs 220 staff and Mr Hall has worked to lift the profile of the business to recruit staff. To retain them he’s made Tasti a great place to work - fun and focused, with good career opportunities.

He expects the business to keep on its strong growth track over the coming years with a lot of opportunity to grow market share in Australia. It’s also working on new markets in the Northern Hemisphere.

“We actively resource the business for growth because there are plenty of examples where businesses are growing quickly and get the speed wobbles and the wheels fall off. The challenge that we face is around dealing with that fast rate of growth; it means change, more staff, more technology and more automation and we need to embrace that.

“The reward is the huge sense of achievement you get by growing a business. And the staff here have enormous pride in the company’s success.”

Image: Simon Hall, Executive Chairman and Owner, Tasti Products.

Contact:
Simon Hall
Executive Chairman and Owner
Tasti Products Ltd
Phone:    +64 9 839 1060
Email:      simonh@tasti.co.nz
Website:  www.tasti.co.nz