The Company

Bulla Dairy Foods is 100% Australian family which offers a broad range of chilled and frozen dairy products including cream, cottage cheese, yogurt, dairy desserts, ice cream and frozen yoghurt.

The Bulla brand is among the leaders in Australia’s dairy products market. Bulla remains the biggest selling branded cream in the Australian market and is one of the fastest growing ice cream manufacturers today.

With a view to significantly grow profitably overall for the Bulla businessa renewed focus on the Commercial division was required to grow not only existing product categories and customer segments but to increase its distribution footprint through new products and differentiated distribution channels

The Challenge

• To build a business case for Bulla to determine whether or not to proceed with launching an extended ice cream product range and would it be a good commercial decision for Bulla
• Leverage Bulla’s manufacturing capacity and customer service capability to achieve sales revenue, volume, profit and market share growth.
• Improve financial returns by realigning the Bulla business to reduce reliance on flat, declining or at risk categories and customers and embrace new growth opportunities
• Deliver growth and improved profitability in existing ice cream product categories  and customer segments via recognising changes in customer, consumer and end-user trends
• Enter new ice cream categories and customer segments which offer growth and profit potential aligned to Bulla’s strengths
• Differentiate Bulla from the competitor through enhanced knowledge of market segment insights and trends to drive increased sales via superior customer service delivery, ice cream product category leadership and alignment of Bulla’s new product development capability.

How it was resolved

• Completed diagnostic analysis of ice cream markets, competitors and customers and quantified / qualified end-user requirements in terms volume, price, quality, packaging, brand importance, range reflecting industry usage trends – get the facts
• Assisted Bulla determine priorities in terms of customer segment focus, how to best differentiate its offer from competitors to meet customer needs and identify “unfulfilled opportunities” and “performance gaps”.
• Analysis of both existing Bulla and industry sales volume and segment usage to develop the required product range and customer focus needed to achieve growth objectives
• Ensured that outcomes were a good fit and aligned to Bulla’s overall growth strategy
• Provide detailed data sourced both internally and externally supporting recommendations – a reality check in terms of validating Bulla’s ability to meet agreed objectives
• Provide strategic framework to guide decision making and monitor progress through agreed KPI’s

The results achieved

Launched an extended range inclusive if new products resulting in improved weight of distribution in existing customers and expansion into new growth ice cream customer and product segments supported by a highly efficient manufacturing model.

Enabled Bulla to realise  new business opportunities in a large relatively mature market through a better understanding of the overall industry, its competitors, ice cream usage trends, specific customer needs, leveraging Bulla’s brand and operational capability

“Chris was engaged for a new market segment scoping project by Bulla, to which he made a significant contribution allowing us to make informed business decisions through his considerable industry expertise and commercial experience”

 Scott Haywood – Marketing Manager Commercial Bulla Dairy Foods