Arnott’s has launched a new corporate brand identity that it says unites its family of “leading” consumer food brands.
The Arnott’s Group has been introduced to employees and stakeholders, celebrating the company’s “rich history and bright future”.
The launch of the new corporate brand coincided with what has been said to be Arnott’s strongest financial performance in recent years and the first since the sale of the business to investment firm, KKR, in December 2019.
According to the Arnott’s Group, the identity is designed to express this next generation of the business by capturing its proud history, including the vibrant colours of the parrot.
The new corporate identity is not consumer facing, and there is no change to the Arnott’s logo that is currently on Australians’ favourite packet of biscuits.
The Arnott’s Group CEO George Zoghbi says the company has a fantastic legacy, a strong business, and a plan for growth by building a world-leading group of businesses from here in Australia.
“Our business began as a family group led by William Arnott and bonded by their spirit and determination to succeed,” he says.
“Today, we are proud and privileged to have a locally run operation built on local ingredients, quality, freshness and authenticity. In all our markets, our food is made locally using predominantly local ingredients.
“Across Australia, we work with the farmers who harvest our wheat, the bakers and chefs who bring our biscuits, soups and snacks to life and our partners who keep grocery shelves stocked so Aussies can always find their favourite brands in store. We have a responsibility to continue that legacy for many generations to come.
“A big part of our strategy will be investing in our people and products while minimising our environmental impact and supporting the communities in which we operate.
“Our strong performance and the launch of our new corporate brand identity is laying the foundations for our continued growth in Australia and beyond.”
Strong performance in FY20
The Arnott’s Group finished FY20 in a “strong” financial position, in part as lockdown restrictions across the country led to more people cooking and snacking at home.
Over March-June 2020, according to the Arnott’s Group, an extra four million packs of chocolate biscuits, an additional two million cans of soup, an extra 2.7 million packs of stock and one million more bottles and packs of V8 Juice were purchased by consumers.
Sales grew by 6% from the previous year on the back of increases in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Japan, and Hong Kong and, through growth in exports from its Australian facilities.
The Arnott’s Group identifies its key performers as Tim Tams (270 million individual biscuits sold), Campbell’s soups products (over five million units sold) and V8 juice bottles and packs (nearly 3.5 million sold).
Covid-19 related supply chain constraints, says the company, led to production cost increases of approximately 6% in the last financial year, which it worked to offset through a program of efficiency measures.
Despite “unprecedented pressure” on many suppliers due to Covid-19 and the summer bushfires, The Arnott’s Group claims to have purchased over $110 million in fresh ingredients from Australian and New Zealand farmers.
In FY20, the business also invested $66.4 million in new infrastructure, including a “state-of-the-art” four-acre warehouse at Huntingwood in Sydney’s west, which will be completed early in 2021.