Costco sees potential growth in demand for Australian produce in international outlets
"Every month I go to Seattle and I show off our best-selling items to all the countries that Costco operates in, which is another eight countries."
"Typically, those country managers will pick up on things that sell very well here so we'll establish a relationship with that country," Mr Noone said.
Mr. Noone says that oranges from Griffith in New South Wales are sold in Costco outlets in the USA and Asia. Carrots and onions from Tasmania are sold in Costco outlets in Asia and there's growing demand for South Australian abalone in Costco outlets internationally.
"Once we create the item here we can start looking at introducing our items overseas and, if they do well, then we can step up supply according to demand," Mr Noone said.
Marcel Moodley, Costco's assistant general merchandise manager for fresh foods, sources Australian products for Costco's Australian and international stores and says abalone has been one of the company's most successful Australian exports.
"There's a huge amount of opportunity, not just within the seven warehouses within Australia, but with the other 41 warehouses we have in Asia, and then we have another 470 warehouses in the US.
"So suppliers within Australia need to understand that Australia is just the forefront. There's a whole host of other Costcos beyond the seven warehouses we have within Australia."
Source: abc.net.au
