Five tonnes of Violet Crumble bars have just left the Robern Menz plant in Adelaide, bound for the US.
A 20-foot shipping container of 14 pallets and 77,000 bars is headed to Los Angeles and San Francisco thanks to a new exclusive agreement between Robern Menz and British Wholesale Imports (BWI).
The product has been available in a small number of outlets in the US for over 20 years, but this is the first direct shipment of the brand to the US in 10 years.
The plan, Robern Menz says, is to exploit a gap in the market for a high-quality honeycomb and chocolate snack and the growing global love for ‘Brand Australia’, and forms part of its new strategic focus to expand distribution internationally.
Retailers including Cost Plus World Market, Wegmans, Stater Brothers, 7 Eleven are currently stocking Violet Crumble with many more in the planning phase, and the product will also be on display at a number of confectionery trade shows across the US in 2019.
Robern Menz acquired Violet Crumble from Nestlé earlier this year, bringing the iconic treat back to Australian soil after 46 years of foreign ownership.
The Violet Crumble bars are made at Robern Menz’s factory, which underwent a $4 million refit and the recruitment of a dedicated team of 30 additional staff to oversee the production.
“Violet Crumble is an iconic Aussie brand, and we’re thrilled to be in a position to manage its expansion into international markets, including the US,” Robern Menz CEO Phil Sims said.
“It’s so rewarding to see the first shipment leave the factory and make its way into the hands of American consumers and we can’t wait to hear the reaction from many more Americans to something that Australians hold so dear.”
