Dairy Australia launches international Thrive Together trade campaign

Dairy Australia supported by the Victorian Government have launched Thrive Together with Australian Dairy, a joint initiative to enhance the positioning of Australian dairy in key export markets.

In an increasingly competitive global trade environment, Thrive Together, a new trade proposition, has been developed on behalf of the dairy industry to strengthen the international profile of Australian dairy in key Asian markets. 

The collaboration aims to help the dairy industry strengthen engagement, unite to tell its story and enhance its positive profile among its international trade customers and grow demand for Australian dairy. 

Dairy Australia’s General Manager Trade and Industry Strategy, Charlie McElhone, said “Thanks to the Victorian Government’s support, this trade messaging initiative will really help exporters strengthen their proposition with global trade partners.”

Created with funding from the Victorian government and co-contribution from Dairy Australia, Thrive Together is focused around five thematic areas: relationships, agility, quality, sustainability and place. 

The design and visual material will bring a fresh, consistent, and distinctly Australian look and feel to promotional activities overseas to complement Dairy Australia’s data and industry insights. They will also showcase the unique attributes of the industry and bring to life stories of dairy farmers and the diverse manufacturing industry.

“The overarching message to our key markets is that the Australian dairy industry is a reliable trade partner that is committed to delivering safe, premium products that they can trust,” Mr McElhone said.

The promotional campaign will launch across China, Japan and Southeast Asia from July. It features digital and social media designed to build awareness of Australian Dairy, alongside webinars and material for trade media to engage and educate key business partners. 

Australian dairy exporters will benefit from the use of a trade toolkit including, videos, images, fact sheets, and brochures created to assist in communicating key messages to their customers. It will continue to be updated with new resources, responding to the needs of exporters over the course of the project. 

“Dairy is a vital export industry for our state, with Victoria contributing $2.6 billion of Australia’s $3.3 billion dairy exports in 2020-21. We are proud to support our progressive and efficient dairy industry with $2 million in funding for Dairy Australia’s innovative ‘Thrive Together’ campaign,” said Minister for Agriculture Gayle Tierney. 

“This partnership demonstrates a strong message of unity, a positive mantra for our industry and shows that we value real relationships, trade opportunities and results,” Mr McElhone said.

Australia produces approximately 8.5 billion litres of milk per year, 32% of which is exported to over 100 countries. Of these exports, 88% is bound for Asian markets including China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. 

These exports represent $3.3 billion* to the Australian economy in 2020/21, contributing to a more competitive farm gate milk price for farmers. (*Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics) 

Learn more about Thrive Together here.