Media Release – 14 October 2014

New World Foods beefs up jerky exports to Japan

Australian food company New World Foods (formerly Mariani Foods) has launched its Local Legends Beef Jerky brand into Japan’s thriving sweet and savoury snack market valued at approximately A$12 billion.

Local Legends, initially designed predominately for the Australian market, is now available in mid to high-end retail outlets across Japan.

“We are pleasantly surprised with the level of uptake and the interest in the brand in Japan, a market the product was not initially designed for,” said Managing Director Don Nisbet.

“The Japanese just love the product – it’s a great soft eating jerky from Australia – and they also love the packaging.”

The company’s Mariani Beef Jerky brand has sold in Japan since 1987. Today it is available in Costco Japan, as well as in Jetstar Japan’s in-flight menus and on Japan Rail’s bullet trains which together service more than 150 million passengers annually.

Mr Nisbet said since its 2012 launch in Australia, Local Legends has achieved 84 percent compound growth.

“We attribute this growth to bringing new consumers to the ready to eat savoury snacking category. We developed Local Legends in Australia after identifying consumer demand that was not being met by either peer products or brands.

“Today Local Legends is ranged in supermarkets nationally and has made significant in-roads to the fast turnover impulse, petrol and convenience sector.”

He said the name change to New World Foods was the next step in the company’s evolution.

“The company has more than tripled in revenue over the past few years. We are building brands and new markets and taking our products to a whole new range of consumers.

“In just 10 years our business has grown from a small Australian beef jerky manufacturer to a diverse food company with international manufacturing capabilities.

“In February 2014 we acquired a meat snack business in the UK and branded that business New World Foods Europe Ltd.

“We have developed our jerky brands, Mariani and Local Legends, into serious players selling in major retailers such as Costco in Australia, Asia and in Tesco in the UK.

“In five years’ time New World Foods will be a global food company with a portfolio of successful brands, an exciting range of better for you snack food products and a great place to work.”

Mr Nisbet said the new name would also end customer confusion.

“The Mariani name originated from the founder of our business Paul Mariani, whose family own the US-based Mariani Packing Company, and was carried over to present day through agreement with Mariani USA.

“I used to face up to customers all round the world representing an Italian sounding company based in Australia – and I have a Scottish accent.

“We felt it important to have a trading name that more accurately describes our business and future business aspirations,” he said.

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More information: Jose Abad 07 33147400, 0403 930 380 jose@perceptioncomms.com.au