AUSTRALIA is home to over 250,000 people of Filipino heritage, with over 10,000 Filipino students enrolled in Australian universities and vocational institutions.
Philippine-born people living in Australia represents the fifth-largest migrant community down under, equivalent to 3.4 percent of Australia’s overseas-born population and 1 percent of Australia’s total population.
It is no wonder then that Filipino products are available in the Australian market, but until the recent past, distribution was limited to the Filipino-Asian supermarkets, patronized by a high concentration of Filipino immigrants…. Benjie de Ubago, author of Filipin-oZ directory published in 2008, said Filipino immigrant Bert Garcia is responsible for the first commercial importation of Filipino products that brought the taste of the Filipino into Australia. To his credit, the first Filipino products—whether canned, bottled or wrapped—sold in the Filipino-Asian stores were Rufina fish sauce, MY San biscuits, Mother’s Best products, Newton Food products, Knorr, Lady’s Choice, Mama Sita’s, Magnolia, Barrio Fiesta, Silver Swan, Storck candies, Tropical fruit juices, Lasang Pinoy and many other Philippine brands. Today, however, more than 40 years later, there is a growing presence of Filipino products in Australia not only in the Filipino-Asian stores, but in the mainstream supermarkets, as well.
Giant retailer Woolworths recognizes the significant number of Filipinos in Australia and has made traditional Filipino products, such as sauces and mixes, vinegar, soy sauce, biscuits, rice noodles, and many other Philippine products available in the international food section of 11 Woolworths stores in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The presence of Filipino products in Woolworths has been made possible by DHN Trading Import Export Pty. Ltd., a Melbourne-based importer that believes there is a bigger market beyond the Filipino community.
Other products from the Philippines, either branded or toll-packed in the Philippines, such as canned tropical fruit, fruit juices, banana chips, virgin coconut oil, coconut flour and other coconut products, are also available in the mainstream aisles of Woolworths.
Rival supermarket Coles also carries a number of branded and toll-packed products, while Costco, Daiso and other independent, organic and specialty shops also have a few products imported from the Philippines.
Filipinos, together with other Asian-born permanent residents, comprise a group of consumers whose spending habits are said to be growing faster than the rate of Australian-born shoppers.
Nielsen’s 2017 Ethnic-Australian Consumer Report said that in the next five years, Australians born outside the country will spend AU$18.7 billion on groceries, accounting for 28 percent of sales for the country’s total grocery spend. This represents an increase of AU$4.4 billion in incremental revenue, with Asian-born consumers making up 57 percent of this growth.
The report further said that engaging with Asian-born consumers requires a change in mindset because of their unique food preferences. Ethnic Australians are said to devote almost a third (32 percent) of their grocery spend to fresh food (compared to Australian-born consumers who allocate 26 percent of their spend on fresh food products); and they also have a strong skew toward seafood, fresh herbs and healthier food options in general.
The key findings of the report also indicated that 75 percent of Asian-born Australians said they would shop more at mainstream supermarkets if there was a greater international selection. Meanwhile, almost half (48 percent) of Asian-born Australians said their purchasing decisions are influenced by retailer catalogues and brochures, and 31 percent of Asian-born Australians said their food choices are influenced by their children.
Asian-born consumers are also more likely to read product labels, are more inclined to purchase healthier ingredients, are influenced by comments and reviews posted online and are willing to pay extra for well-known brands.
The above report showed an increasing opportunity to mainstream ethnic Asian products. With initiatives, such as the annual Philippine Food Festival hosted by Shangri-La-Sydney, Philippine Christmas Festival in Tumbalong Park where traditional Filipino products and cuisine are featured and an upcoming Filipino neighbourhood feast will be featured during the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2019, the time may have come for Filipino products to have greater prominence and space in mainstream supermarket shelves and into the kitchens of Australian consumers.