SA food icon Robern Menz is heading to South Korea
ROBERN MENZ — a long established SA food icon — is now titillating the tastebuds of South Korean chocoholics.
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ROBERN MENZ — long established as a favourite in SA — is now titillating the tastebuds of South Korean chocoholics.
The first shipment of its Choc Honeycomb variety has been approved by the Korean Ministry of Food & Drug Safety and will soon be sold in that lucrative market.
Created in South Australia in 1850, Menz is a family confectionery business that has expanded over four generations.
Its latest expansion, into South Korea, is being spearheaded by export specialists OK Superfoods.
The exporters’ co-founder, Kristian Downing, says South Korea promises to be a fertile trading zone.
“South Korea has a population of 52 million people and the Menz products are unlike anything they would have tasted before, so it’s an exciting new experience,” he says.
Robern Menz employs 80 staff in its three SA factories at Glynde, McLaren Vale and Hahndorf.
The product line was increased early this year through a $750,000 grant from the Weatherill government and the acquisition, from Nestle, of the Violet Crumble brand.
Chief executive Phil Sims shares his export partner’s view that Choc Honeycomb will be a hit in its latest market.
“Menz has had a lot of success in Japan already,” he says. “It’s a very similar strategy we’re applying in South Korea.”
That means concentrating on convenience outlets.
Ministop, a convenience chain which operates throughout Korea, is committed to stocking Choc Honeycomb: “It’s very successful retailer, and so to get an opportunity with the profile and breadth of stores that they have is very exciting.”
Mr Sims said demand for Menz products was evergrowing.
In a recent development to meet modern tastes, the popular Fruchocs line had even branched out into a vegan version.