It's always sad to hear of Australian businesses going bust, especially when it comes to Australian produce.
I am guilty of buying the cheapest brand on the shelf, I still do sometimes, our family budget only stretches so far. A while ago I made a conscious effort to check labels and buy the Australian owned or made equivalent.
SPC Ardmona is owned by Coca Cola Amatil, an Australian company. The tomatoes they use are Australian grown.
Three Threes is an Australian owned company. I have bought their version of vegemite 'Mighty Mite' for as long as I can remember. Although it tastes a little different from proper vegemite it is a darn sight cheaper, and made from Australian ingredients.
Sanitarium, probably best known for Weet Bix cereal, is an Aussie company. Uncle Tobys, maker of Vita Brits is not, however they are Australian made.
I had thought Edgell was australian owned, but it is not, and was even more shocked when I noticed their tinned beetroots were from the USA. I will be looking for an alternative when I can. They still use aussie made veggies in some cases, for example chick peas.
This week when I did our shop I made a point of buying something made by Spring Gully Foods. I had no idea this was a South Australian family owned company, until the news of their business going into administration hit the news last week. I do hope they can recover.
With a campaign from South Australian Foodland and IGA stores, and I guess the shock of the news, Spring Gully Foods are overwhelmed with the response from consumers. They also manufacture a few of the Dick Smith branded products.
Another Australian icon you are not likely to see for much longer is Rosella. The brand originated in Australia, and after foreign ownership for many years, were purchased by an australian company but could not survive, closing operations last month. Receivers are looking into selling the brand.
It is sad that the big supermarket chains are pushing out small producers in favour of boosting their profit margins with their own brand products.
Please when you next go shopping, see what you can do to keep Australian businesses and jobs ticking over. Purposefully look where you can make at least one change, and buy Australian owned and made. If not for me, then for the future of our wonderful country and jobs for future generations.
If you are scratching your head as to which companies are aussie owned, here are a couple of resources you could look at. A very interesting site is Shop ethical.
Also the Ausbuy Guide is available at some supermarkets for a small price. They apparently have them at our local Woolies, so I will asking for one when I am there next. It is a small price to pay for an opportunity to keep the dollars in Australia and save aussie businesses.
I am 100% guilty of buying the cheapest. A few dollars on the end of a shopping bill can make all the difference. If I can I go to aldi although I am not sure how much of their stuff is aussie made. I still do not understand how it can be cheaper to buy friut from overseas to sell or make juice etc.
ReplyDeleteI don't get it either Ann, I still buy the cheap stuff, but I make an effort to buy Australian when I can.
DeleteThanks for the info. I try and get out of the grocery shop as quick as possible and am guilty of grabbing what's cheap too. I'll be keeping an eye out for these products :)
ReplyDeleteI am definitely guilty of buying whatever is cheapest but I must say when I do get cereal it is Weatbix and I always go for the local fresh produce when offered that is in season rather than tinned, frozen etc goods or things that are trucked in from down south.
ReplyDeletei do a bit of both sometimes i buy cheapest sometimes i go Aussie. I try and go Aussie. I love Berenberg chutneys and spreads they are expensive but i can't help it they're good.
ReplyDeletei didnt know Ardmona was coca-cola though. BUT i find they are the ones that actually contain the most tomatoes in the can. some are as low at 45% tomatoes the Ardmona crushed tomatoes are 97% tomatoes.
The original coca cola company still owns about a third of the coca cola amatil. So still not ideal. Beerenberg are south aussie, they are good :)
DeleteI always look at the labels and I am a little shocked like you - last week my supermarket had oranges from the USA. I always try my hardest to buy Aussie made or at least Aussie grown - however as you stated supermarkets don't make it easy.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking today
I don't get why we have to have american oranges in our local woolies, ludicrous. I will NEVER buy them, and often say to Izzy, we are not buying them and why.
DeleteOnly Oz dot com is where I source a lot of groceries from so I can be fairly sure they are Australian owned/made.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on your quest!
I must admit, I am too busy trying to occupy my kids and try to zoom through quickly before it's tantrum time when I shop to think too much about buying Australian made. One area I have been working in though, is milk. I have stopped buying the cheap supermarket brand milk and now buy the more expensive. Baby steps huh? I always buy ardmona tomatoes though, and I had no idea spring gully were in receivership! I love their pickles. Such a shame. Thanks for drawing my attention to it- hopefully you're suggestions will improve my shopping to include more Aussie made products:)
ReplyDeleteThank you for doing the research for me. I also admit to going for the cheapest to keep within the budget, but where I can I will always go Australian. It has been a while since that last big promotion they had on to educate us on who owns what, maybe its time again.There is nothing worse than watching a big Aussie brand go down, but I am also responsible for it by not taking the time to shop with purpose.
ReplyDeleteBecc @ Take Charge Now
It's so important to keep buying locally - although it's hard when supermarket stocks overseas stuff and it's cheaper. I do have my brands I love, most are locally made - some are even from NZ, which is even better - hee hee, says the Kiwi turned Aussie xx
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