June 21, 2019
Two Kingaroy businesses are among an elite group of “emerging exporters” who have been selected to take part in a special three-year mentoring program which aims to help expand their markets.
James Bredhauer is the managing director of the two companies, Aussie Pork Suppliers and Aussie Land & Livestock.
Neither company is new but both will be exploring fresh export opportunities thanks to being named as part of Shell’s QQC Emerging Exporters Program for 2019.
The 10 businesses – the others are Busy Beef Pty Ltd, Carpendale Commodities, Chinchira Super Reds, DOM Distribution, Four Daughters Premium Black Angus, Haven Farming, Hoofprints of Change, and Riverbend Marketing Pty Ltd – were announced at a business dinner in Dalby earlier this month.
The Emerging Exporters Program is delivered by TSBE Food Leaders Australia, part of the Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE) economic development group.
James told southburnett.com.au that Aussie Pork Suppliers would be concentrating on developing markets for its pork floss, pork jerky and pork fairy floss speciality products.
He already has prior experience with export.
About 10 years ago, in conjunction with other local businesses, he was sending chilled meat to Singapore and up to 400 pigs a week to Japan.
“But we’re not in that space any more,” he said.
James is now concentrating on value-added products, including Chinese-style sausages.
He officially launched his pork jerky and pork floss brands at last year’s BaconFest event in Kingaroy although both products had been in development for more than five years.
They are now available in many Asian supermarkets across Australia.
Pork jerky is self-explanatory, but what is pork floss and pork fairy floss?
James explains that it is a pork product that literally melts in your mouth, much like traditional fairy floss.
It can also be flavoured, with a seeweed and roasted sesame product proving popular.
The pigs are purchased from growers across the South Burnett and Darling Downs.
There is a very tight time frame between when the pork is available and the floss – thinly stretched and spun pork – can be created.
He is already handling a “couple of tonne” of pork a week, but he hopes this will expand.
The Shell’s QQC Emerging Exporters Program will provide James with 12 months of one-on-one mentoring from more than one person, then two years of follow-up assistance.
Aussie Land & Livestock will be exploring other export opportunities with cattle and beef with the assistance of the program.
“We will be trying to create a value-chain using our livestock products and IP,” James said.
