2008/794.20 Retail Transformation: Repositioning Australian farmed Barramundi in the domestic market

By Meredith Lawley

During the five years preceding the start of this project, Australian farmed Barramundi production had increased from 2,700 tonnes in 2003 -2004 to an expected 6,000 tonnes in 2008-2009 while average farm gate prices had fallen. This, coupled with the global recession, was impacting significantly on the profitability of Barramundi farmers. This project aimed to develop a repositioning strategy for the domestic market that would enable Australian farmed product to be differentiated from its competitors and deliver on consumer expectations for quality and price.

This project develop a repositioning strategy for the Australian farmed Barramundi industry for the domestic market, which would enable the Australian farmed product to be differentiated from its competitors and deliver on consumer expectations for quality and price. Development of a trialled, evaluated and industry endorsed repositioning strategy resulted in an opportunity for all Australian Barramundi Farmers Association members to provide a product of proven standard quality to a market of better educated consumers; thus increasing the probability of achieving improved returns and extending the profitability of individual farmers and the industry as a whole.

It also provided Australian Barramundi farmers with a better understanding of the consumer profile and of consumer requirements, improved the product knowledge of value chain partners and enabled end consumers to become more informed on many aspects of the product available in the domestic market.