The Yoghurt Shop appoints Stephan Knoll to advisory board as part of export push

The global trade war is emerging as a blessing in disguise for family-run company The Yoghurt Shop, which has recruited a former politician to help with its export push.

The Yoghurt Shop chief operating officer Brandon Reynolds, left, with chief executive Simon Reynolds. Picture: Supplied by The Yoghurt Shop

Global trade tensions are emerging as a blessing in disguise for Adelaide-based The Yoghurt Shop, which is looking to capitalise on Australia’s position as a reliable export partner by taking its range to even more corners of the world.

The family-run business, established by Simon Reynolds in 2003 with a single stall at the Adelaide Central Market, currently exports around 10 per cent of its annual production, to 13 countries across the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific.

Among the largest overseas markets are the UAE and Singapore, and also China, where the company is in talks with e-commerce giant Dingdong about a potential distribution deal.

Representatives from Dingdong visited The Yoghurt Shop’s production facility at Burton last week, and Mr Reynolds’ son Brandon – the company’s chief operating officer – will visit Shanghai next week for further talks.

The Yoghurt Shop chief operating officer Brandon Reynolds, left, with the company’s new advisory board chair Stephan Knoll. Picture: Supplied by The Yoghurt Shop

Mr (Brandon) Reynolds said China was one of several markets The Yoghurt Shop was targeting as part of a renewed export push to complement the company’s extensive distribution network in Australia, which includes most of the major supermarket chains and convenience stores across the country, as well as an exclusive agreement with Qantas.

And with many trading partners looking for alternatives to the US in the wake of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade war, Australian food and produce was in high demand given its reputation for quality and reliability.

“The tariffs have been great for us,” he said.

“With the products that we deal with, which are perishable products, customers need certainty, and so Australia has become the global sweetheart from a trade perspective.

“If you look at what’s happened in the US, their dairy exports have been decimated, not quite to the extent of beef, but other countries are looking for alternatives, and Australia’s relationship with China and other trading partners, particularly under the current government, is as strong as it’s ever been.”

To support its global ambitions, The Yoghurt Shop has established a new advisory board chaired by Barossa Fine Foods executive chair and former state Transport Minister Stephan Knoll.

The company is advertising for two more independent directors – one with a background in finance and investment, and another with a marketing background.

Mr Reynolds said the board was being set up to guide the long-term future of the family-run business.

“Simon, my dad, has been at the coalface for a long time, and we’re looking at how to sustainably grow this business beyond just our family,” he said.

“We knew that we needed to get experts in. We’re really good at what we do, which is making yoghurt ... but there’s lots of things that we don’t do well.

“So this was an opportunity for myself to be able to get some outside experience in, and help us actually sustainably build this business beyond just a yoghurt factory that sits up north of Adelaide, but actually can for decades to come provide really great premium food out of this state and to the world.”

The Yoghurt Shop currently employs more than 80 people, producing 7 million tubs of yoghurt each year.

With ambitions for a major boost to production, the company is working on plans for a new state-of-the-art factory, which would become the second biggest yoghurt production facility in Australia.

It is also in talks to reinstate a shopfront within the expanded Adelaide Central Market, which Mr Reynolds said would become a “cellar door” for the company’s products.

Originally published as The Yoghurt Shop appoints Stephan Knoll to advisory board as part of export push