Iconic frozen dessert and beverage base manufacturer Frosty Boy Australia is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year with increased determination to be the preferred supplier in the world’s market.
The Australian company, based in Yatala on the Gold Coast, is well on its way. Since beginning its export arm in 2001, which also heralded the time CEO Dirk Pretorius came on board, Frosty Boy has exported to 48 countries.
The humble Classic Vanilla soft serve ice cream first enjoyed by many in the 70s is still among the company’s most popular products, however, Frosty Boy’s product range has evolved to meet the various international palettes and cultural requirements with soft serve blends, frozen yoghurts and beverage bases, with even non-dairy products such as iced tea.
Building upon a strategy based on recognising the needs of discerning customers is something Mr Pretorius says has been integral to Frosty Boy’s growth in the international domain, with daily production equating to two million serves of soft serve ice cream per day.
“Our research and development team are pioneers in this field, continuously executing innovation to create new product ranges. They study market trends, taste profiles in international markets and decipher what flavours and products our customers desire,” he said.
“Our products have expanded over the years and our ability to adapt has been integral to the company’s growth. At the moment, we currently have more than 180 recipes in production.”
Mr Pretorius believes the company’s success is attributed to its people, integrity in all activity, complemented by strong operational processes and business management.
“You must always have strong strategy and operational processes to grow. You must constantly have a clear, and what may seem an ambitious goal that you focus on and be determined to achieve it. For us it is achieving a 15 per cent growth year on year,” Mr Pretorius said.
“Being able to expand into international markets has assisted with achieving phenomenal growth and I’d go as far as saying our biggest achievement in 40 years is growing to the level we are at today.”
Mr Pretorius said part of this strategy was capitalising from Australia’s improved trade agreements, which positioned Frosty Boy and other Australian companies in high esteem to the rest of the world.
“Brand Australia in particular has contributed towards the company’s growth in the last few years and the current federal government is providing more stability to businesses,” he said.
“Brand Australia is strongly recognised in international markets, particularly in China. The Chinese market is willing to pay more for good quality Australian products, such as our beverage range bases.
“We are already starting to see a substantial increase in the number of enquiries coming from China and believe that the China Australia Free Trade Agreement that came into force at the end of last year has instigated many of these.”
As for the next 40 years, Mr Pretorius is determined to see how far the Frosty Boy brand can dominate in the dessert and beverage industry.
“Our focus is becoming an international brand; a brand and business that is recognised as the preferred supplier all over the world,” he said.
“We are determined to do more in our current markets, while in 2016 expanding in key international markets including Greater China; India and The Middle East.
“We are equipped to do it, and it’s our strategy and the efforts of the people who have been part of Frosty Boy’s 40-year journey who have got us here.”
For more information on Frosty Boy Australia visit http://www.frostyboy.com.au/.
