Western Australian produce company Odeum Farms hopes that this week's shipment of brussels sprouts to South Korea is the start of long term supply partnerships within the Asian country.
"Initially we expect to be exporting up to 5.5 tonnes per week which is approximately 7 per cent of our production, but our goal is to develop and expand the category in future as we have the ability to allocate more of our land and increase our crops," National Category and Farms Manager Jason Marais said. "I would like to see Odeum Farms doubling current production over the next 5 years, I think the potential is there, ultimately what we do and how we do it will determine our success."
This season Odeum expects to produce 1500 tonnes of brussels sprouts between August to December. The company announced earlier this year that it would be exporting to Korea and Japan in the Spring-Summer seasonal window.
"It is a great milestone for Odeum Farms to be sending our first shipment of brussels sprouts to Korea this week" Mr Marais said. "After many months of planning the day has finally arrived and now it now feels more tangible, this is of course only the beginning though so there will be much focus over the course of the next 6 months to exceed expectations into these new markets and build our brand for sustainable long term supply partnerships."
The company already exports to Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and the Middle East. Domestically, the company has seen demand rise 30 per cent each year for the past four years, and it is just as strong in Asian countries.
"Cabbage is a staple vegetable in Korean cuisine and so brussels sprouts are not far off this type of flavour, a mini cabbage if you will," he said. "I think there is huge potential for demand to further increase through good marketing and frequent promoting."
Odeum Farms grows and supplies 90 per cent of Australia’s brussels sprouts during the spring and summer months, and the company says it is the quality that makes the produce so popular internationally.
"Australia is known for being clean and green which I think draws Asian nations to importing our produce and we are neighbours after all of course," Mr Marais said. "We identified that there was a demand for our brussels sprouts in particular after a trade mission we did in South Korea several months ago."
For more information:Jason Marais
Odeum Farms
Phone: +61 8 9256 8100