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The Chairman of Manildra Group Mr Dick Honan joined staff from Manildra and MSM Milling to showcase the Group’s extensive range of 100% Australian, non-GM retail products to retailers and buyers in China at Asia’s largest food innovation exhibition: SIAL.

Manildra Director Peter Millard, International Sales Manager Adam Armstrong, Taiwan Sales Manager Sidney Chen and the Manildra Group’s Zoe Sun joined MSM Milling’s General Manager Commercial Charlie Aldersey and Brand Manager Genya Miller at the three-day event in May.

The Manildra Group was one of 3,200 exhibitors from 67 countries that exhibited in the 13 halls that covered almost 150,000 square metres.

Interest in Australian grown and packaged goods is at a record high in China, with Chinese consumers demanding safe, traceable food products for them and their families.

“We had a great reception to all our Manildra Group products in China.  Savvy Chinese consumers and buyers took the time to learn more about the growers we work with, the processes we employ and the fact we manage the whole supply chain. We already have a retail presence in China and SIAL allowed us to further explore opportunities for both online and offline sales throughout the country. We’re excited to be rolling out 100% Australian grown, and packaged goods in China and indeed around the world,” said Manildra’s Adam Armstrong says

MSM Milling’s Charlie Aldersey says SIAL afforded the auzure brand some great exposure to Chinese buyers and allowed MSM to make some worthwhile contacts in country.

“We’re selling our product auzure canola online in China and we’re having consumers come up and know the brand and be aware of the brand, so it’s a great thing to know that we are getting some penetration into the market as far as awareness goes,” he said.

“Buyers are showing a lot of interest in Australian grown produce and Australian made goods. They are certainly very interested to know the source of our canola oil and where it’s made. I think the image of Australia’s clean and green environment and our high protocols on food safety are very important for consumers all around the world, but particularly for Chinese buyers.” he said.

In an unrivalled act of generosity, two of Australia’s privately owned, regionally based agricultural processing companies have donated $600,000 to the “We’re For The Bush” Drought Appeal, bringing the appeal’s current tally to more than $1.4 million.

The Manildra Group and MSM Milling have joined forces to donate the money to help farmers who’re struggling to survive on the more than 45 million hectares of New South Wales currently in drought. MSM Milling and the Manildra Group have mills in some of the worst drought affected areas of the state, including Manildra, Narrandera, Gunnedah and Nowra.

The Managing Director of the Manildra Group, John Honan, joined the Directors of the Manildra-based Canola Processing Plant MSM Milling, Bob and Pete Mac Smith, in Sydney today to hand over $600,000 to the appeal.

“Since 1952, farmers have played a pivotal role in the growth and success of the Manildra Group. Farmers across the state produce and provide quality wheat for use in many products we make and supply across Australia and around the world. We believe it is important to give back and support the people who support us,” Mr Honan said.

The Mac Smith brothers live on farms near Manildra in regional NSW and know first hand what a devastating impact the continual dry weather is having on producers.

“It’s tough for many, many people at the moment. Most producers are hand- feeding livestock, they’ve been forced to buy fodder and cart water for their animals and they’re struggling to pay bills and put food on the table for their families. We see and talk to producers daily who tell us about their troubled plights. We want to do what we can to support these farmers and their rural communities,” Bob Mac Smith said.

“We all know life isn’t easy on the land at the best of times. Throw in a run of dry weather and frosts last Spring and you end up with poor crops and little stock feed which makes it a whole lot tougher. Farmers are the lifeblood of our business. We talk to them everyday and we want to help make a difference to the lives of many farmers and communities in need. This is an opportunity for us to help. Everyone is finding business difficult but we want farmers to be profitable, as without them we wouldn’t have a business and every single Australian would feel the pain at the supermarket checkouts,” said Pete Mac Smith.

The $600,000 will go directly to the We’re For The Bush Drought Appeal which distributes supermarket and rural retailer gift cards to the Salvation Army, which in turn allocates them to farmers in need.