WA agrifood campaign is worth sharing

WA Premier Colin Barnett will unveil the campaign in Singapore on Tuesday, alongside 21 producers, who will showcase some of their produce.

Mr Barnett said 60 companies were already involved and he hoped that would grow to 200 as the brand developed.

WA companies committed to the campaign include V&V Walsh, Three Farmers Quinoa, Brownes Dairy, Harvey Beef, Linley Valley Pork, Margaret River Premium Meat Exports, Harvey Fresh and OneFood Honey.

"WA is a major agricultural producer and exporter and we are facing the best opportunity agriculture has had in the past 50 years," Mr Barnett said.

"We are seeing a lot of investment from within Australia and from overseas and a lot of innovation, with people creating new and different crops.

"There is a huge degree of interest in food and fisheries."

Mr Barnett said given that interest, high demand from Asia and the State's reputation for high quality, safe products and disease-free produce, there was an opportunity to tell WA producers' stories.

"There is an emphasis on food quality and safety, people want to know their food is produced in very hygienic, healthy conditions," he said.

"People are interested in the story of who the producers are, if they are a family business and have interesting backgrounds.

"I think the WA Worth Sharing concept is very inclusive and is a warm and friendly approach to marketing.

"We are saying we want to sell more, but we want to make sure it's high quality and welcome Asian involvement and investment in the industry and welcome them setting up processing and distribution channels within Asia.

"It will encourage not only buyers, but participants in our industry and our growth."

The Liberal-National government launched the initiative in October to help WA agrifood producers raise the profile and recognition of their products overseas.

It centred on the idea of sharing WA producers' stories at the heart of the campaign.

Companies that agree to be export partners will be able to licence the use of the brand from the State government, free of charge, and incorporate it into their international marketing plans.

WA Worth Sharing will be launched in the Singapore market first, as it is WA's natural partner, Mr Barnett said.

"Singapore is the best place to launch it," he said.

"Singapore is a major centre and is knowledgeable about WA.

"It is also a wealthy area and a large area to distribute our goods and services into.

"After that, over the next year there will be similar expansions within Japan, China and Indonesia."

More than 60 exporting companies have signed up to WA Worth Sharing since the campaign began, and the website has had almost 30,000 hits since its mid-October launch.

Two-thirds of the companies which have signed up already export to Singapore, including Trandos Farms.

Trandos Farms focuses on the production of corn and beans in Wanneroo, Gingin, Beermullah and Broome.

Jim Trandos said the Singapore campaign launch was a good platform to present each WA company.

"From the get-go, we jumped at the opportunity to get involved," Mr Trandos said.

"We already export into Singapore, but are looking to increase our business within the market, and being part of this campaign will help build the image of WA and our brand as well.

"It is a proactive campaign and it's worth sharing."

Mr Trandos said it was a fantastic initiative from the government, as building relationships and marketing as individual brands was expensive.

"It is a good opportunity for all WA producers to lift up the industry," he said.

"What do we have to lose?"

Mr Barnett said the $8.1 million, three-year campaign would have quite an impact.

"I think the sharing concept will go down very well across Asia,'' he said.

Mr Barnett hoped the campaign would open new markets for WA producers, including high value markets.

"Producers can gain a better understanding of what those markets are looking for," Mr Barnett said.

"So they can produce a high-quality product, be presented in a certain way that is appealing to those consumers and take advantage of seasons and peak periods so they can sell more and at a better price.

"The program will be assessed in three years and the intention would be to continue it, but hopefully by then we would have increased our presence in those markets and individual producers are building a reputation for their brand."

Mr Barnett said WA needed to be conscious of over-branding or labelling of products, for which it had been criticised.

"Australia in a wider-sense is a brand in its own right, and well known and respected," he said.

"We are focusing on WA and the fact that it is only WA, works in a complimentary way.

"Ultimately the slogan will be extended into other areas, maybe into international education, tourism, healthcare - so it is an adaptable brand, but initially the focus is on food and agribusiness."

The campaign has been developed over several years from research conducted by the departments of agriculture and food, regional development and State development.

"It has been worked on collaboratively through those departments and ministers," he said.

"We have done extensive market testing here and in those Asian cities, and this is the concept that came out very strongly as people liked the idea of sharing."

State Development Minister Bill Marmion said the brand had been developed through comprehensive research and testing.

"This is a three-year initiative that we will continually monitor and refine," he said.

WA Regional Development Minister Terry Redman said regional businesses would be featured strongly.

"So far, we have companies involved from Shark Bay, Manjimup, Margaret River, Esperance, Harvey, Moora and many other towns across the State," he said.

"This brand focuses on the key strengths of our diverse State, from its immense size and sunshine, to the pristine environment and transparent supply chains."