Andrew Forrest, chairman of Australian iron ore producer Fortescue Metals, has urged Australia’s horticultural and wider agricultural sectors to work more closely to promote their products under a ‘Brand Australia’ strategy.
The Australian Made Campaign has welcomed Forrest’s suggestion, made during a presentation at the Bao Forum for Asia this week.
“The power of consistent branding, both here and overseas, cannot be overstated,” Australian Made Campaign chief executive Ian Harrison said.
Harrison was adamant the well-established Australian Made, Australian Grown logo should form part of the food labelling system envisaged by Forrest. He said the logo would provide consumers in markets across the globe with better surety of the true origin of the food they are purchasing.
“The iconic green-and-gold kangaroo logo has been clearly identifying Australian produce in export markets for 30 years with great success, so there is a pivotal role for the symbol to play in any ‘Brand Australia’ strategy,” Harrison said.
“Australia enjoys a strong reputation internationally for its clean, green environment and high standards for the production of food, so it makes sense to place a strong emphasis on promoting the Australian brand.”
