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South Australia-based dairy company Australian Fresh Dairy has created new packaging for its signature YoMate yoghurt brand, ahead of a planned major export push of the product into China.

In January, the company appointed a network of five local distributors across China, following the success of its export sales across Singapore and China.

The new packaging for YoMate yoghurt was a result of customer feedback, with an increase in height and the net weight of the packs.

A collaboration among Melbourne-based M-Pak for the tub, Sealed Air for the lid and spoon, as well as Custom Carton for the 12-unit outer carton packaging, helped build YoMate’s new packs, while marketing company Chaust worked on the graphic design.

“The team at Chaust is made up of creative people of Chinese heritage that are based both here in Adelaide, and in China,” Australian Fresh Dairy managing director Paul Hayes told PKN.

“We have brought in a greater emphasis on the Australian theme in packaging, replaced the original black lid with a clear lid, which also makes the in-built spoon more visible.”

The messaging on pack has also been revised, with the aim to “highlight differences in the yoghurt compared to other local brands,” such as including the product is made from more than 75 per cent fresh milk, and that it is Australian fresh yoghurt.

“We are looking to build on our recent success with YoMate in Singapore and Hong Kong to broaden the market for high quality Australian-made healthy produce,” said Hayes.

“China is a market with enormous long-term potential. While the coronavirus has impacted many export categories, we maintain a positive outlook for the Chinese yoghurt market as consumers increasingly seek out healthy, high quality food products.”

YoMate contains three strains of live probiotics, including L Casei 431, and is made from fresh Australian milk, pure Australian honey and real fruit. It is gluten-free and has no preservatives, artificial colours or flavours.

Australian Fresh Dairy was awarded the South Australian Premier’s Food and Beverage Industry Emerging Business Award for 2019, and sent around 4,000kg of yoghurt to Hong Kong earlier in the month.

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