Arnott 's says it wants to expand in Asia
the global food giant Campbell Soup, says it wants to expands it
presence throughout the Asian region.
Speaking at press lunch in Sydney this week Arnott's CEO Walter Bugno told journalists that he wanted to expand the company's presence throughout the Asia Pacific region and into the Indian sub-continent.
"We are only just scratching the surface of what we consider to be a goldmine of opportunity for our company in Asia," he said.
Bugno added his belief that Australian competition authorities could do much to help the company expand into the region by easing back pressure on in the domestic market. He added that paranoia about Australian consumer businesses ripping off consumers was not justified.
Currently the company has widespread interests throughout the region, but it still considers that there is a vast potential in the region. The company markets its biscuit brands, Godiva chocolates and Campbell soups in China, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Japan and Taiwan and has manufacturing facilities in 11 locations across the region. Leading brands in the portfolio include its famed Tim Tam chocolate biscuits, Kettle Chips, Cheezels and Pringles.
Arnott's intentions for the Asia Pacific market are in line with parent company Campbell's designs on the region. Campbell's Asia has been eyeing the market with a long-term strategy of expansion for some time now. Last year it appointed Rick Chapman to the newly formed role of marketing director, Asia with the express intention of developing markets outside of Australia, after moving him from a similar position with Arnott in Australia. At the time Campbell said that it wanted to signficantly increase turnover of the Asia Pacific region, which stood at 20 per cent of the group's total international sales.
At the time Campbell Asia said that it intended to increase its presence in established markets including Indonesia, Malaysia and Papua New Guinea, while identifying opportunities for Arnott's Biscuits, Arnott's Snackfoods and Campbell's Soup in new markets such as China and Thailand.
