Why Mondelēz is going crackers for premium snacks

Confectionery house Mondelēz International is doubling down on healthy snacks with the addition of one of Australia’s leading food manufacturers Gourmet Food Holdings to its stable of brands earlier this year.The acquisition brings cracker brands OB finest, Olina’s Bakehouse and Crispbic into the fold, allowing Mondelēz access to a whole new snacking occasion anchored in health and wellness.Oliver Flint, former COO at Mondelēz, has taken up the mantle of MD at Gourmet Food. Here, Flint discusses the latest trends in snacking, plans for growing the business with Mondelēz and international expansion.What was it about Gourmet Food that attracted Mondelēz?Gourmet Food has given Mondelēz International (MDLZ) entry into a whole new snacking occasion – premium, artisanal crackers and a range of great-tasting products anchored in health and wellness. While we were acquired by MDLZ in 2021, we operate as a separate business to leverage our innovative, agile and consumer-centric approach. That said, we feel well supported by MDLZ’s local and global team. Our ambition is to take our fantastic range of artisanal crackers to more consumers around the world. How important is it for Mondelēz to have a foothold not only in premium snacking but also in snacks that are geared towards health and wellbeing?Our research shows us that people love to snack, with Australians relying on snacks almost equally to meals. We know they’re also looking for great tasting products that they can enjoy on the go while meeting their nutritional needs. The acquisition of Gourmet Food gives MDLZ the opportunity to offer consumers snacking options that are anchored in health and wellness, for example, our first five-star health rated snacking product – Simply Seed Crackers.Retail sales of products within Gourmet Food’s product portfolio have grown rapidly over the last few years, reflecting people’s growing preference for products that meet both their taste and nutritional preferences. In what ways is Mondelēz already accelerating growth for Gourmet Food and what do the future plans for the brands look like?We recognise that consumer needs and choices are changing, and we have shown that we can respond quickly. Our consumers love the quality of our artisan products, and we have the ability to innovate at pace – sometimes going from concept to production in seven weeks. To keep up with our consumers and maintain our competitive advantage, we keep innovating and delivering product-flavour combinations that are at the forefront of premium entertaining as well as snacking. Oliver Flint.We focus on partnering with retailers to drive category growth through premiumisation and innovation. Can you share any detail about expanding the Gourmet Food brands into new international markets?We aim to grow our business and be recognised as an exporter, rather than simply as a local player. We aim to be the premium cracker manufacturer of choice, anchored in health and wellness, in Australasia and around the world. We understand premium entertaining, local consumer needs and choices better than anyone and we’re quick to meet the needs of our customers and consumers with our agile, innovative, entrepreneurial approach.Our artisan crackers are highly sought after – 10 per cent of our volume is already exported to markets including the US, UK, Chile and South Korea. We are actively pursuing other export markets in collaboration with our Mondelēz regional and global teams.Mondelēz talks a lot about the future of snacking, and health and wellness as part of that – has Covid changed any aspect of what the future of snacking looks like? Are people snacking differently?The key needs for snacking – to provide comfort or a mood boost – have increased during Covid with 30 per cent of consumers claiming that they’re snacking more than pre-Covid. We are also catering more and more for gluten-free and health-conscious consumers. At-home consumption remains elevated and it appears that higher levels of working from home and shopping online are here to stay.How does Mondelēz intend to develop the Ocean Blue brand also acquired in this deal?Just like the premium cracker side of the GF business, our focus is on continuing to support the growth of the business by innovating and adding value to the category. We will launch over 20 new products across Australasia this year alone.How important is local manufacturing to the Mondelēz business? Are there any other initiatives that Mondelēz is driving to support that? Mondelēz is committed to local manufacturing and has been producing some of Australia’s favourite foods locally for 100 years. More than 90 per cent of MDLZ products sold in Australia are made in Australia. These products are manufactured across seven Australian factories and are made using many local ingredients – for example Australian milk and sugar – supporting local producers and the economy.The future of our manufacturing capability will be built upon smart technology and investment in innovation, operated by well-engaged team members. We positively recognise that our people turn our ambitious growth plans into results. We are proud to have over 200 employees today, many of whom started in GF when we launched our first crackers five years ago.How does the ANZ team at Mondelēz plan to make an impact on the global stage in the next 12 months?The purchase of Gourmet Food adds a seventh manufacturing site to the Mondelēz business in Australia. MDLZ is already a strong investor in food manufacturing in the country and is committed to growing the business, investing ~$400 million in Australian facilities over the past five years. We’ll continue investing to drive innovation to meet evolving consumer tastes; ensure that the sustainability of the local food manufacturing industry in Australia is paramount to our success, while also aiming to delight our colleagues, customers and consumers around the world.