Beverage base manufacturer Frosty Boy Australia is celebrating its 40th anniversary, with increased determination for international growth.
The Australian company specialises in producing a high quality range of powdered base products including soft serve, frozen yoghurt and beverage bases for cafes, convenience stores and quick service restaurants.
Based in Yatala on the Gold Coast Frosty Boy began its export arm in 2001, which also heralded the time company CEO Dirk Pretorius came on board. Frosty Boy has since exported its products to 48 countries.
The humble Classic Vanilla soft serve ice cream, first enjoyed by many in the 1970s, is still among the company’s most popular products. However, Frosty Boy’s product range has evolved to meet the various international palates and cultural requirements with soft serve blends, frozen yoghurts and beverage bases, with even non-dairy products such as iced tea.
Company CEO Dirk says recognising the needs of discerning customers has been integral to Frosty Boy’s growth in the international market, with daily production equating to two million serves of soft serve ice cream per day.
“Our research and development team are pioneers in this field, continuously executing innovation to create new product ranges. They study market trends, taste profiles in international markets and decipher what flavours and products our customers desire,” he said.
Frosty Boy Australia currently has more than 180 recipes in production. Dirk says the company’s success is attributed to its people, integrity in all activity, complemented by strong operational processes, and business management.
“You must always have strong strategy and operational processes to grow. You must constantly have a clear, and what may seem an ambitious goal that you focus on and be determined to achieve it. For us, it is achieving a 15 per cent growth year on year,” Dirk said.
“Being able to expand into international markets has assisted with achieving phenomenal growth and I’d go as far as saying our biggest achievement in 40 years is growing to the level we are at today.”
Dirk said part of this strategy was capitalising from Australia’s improved trade agreements, which positioned Frosty Boy and other Australian companies in high esteem to the rest of the world.
“Brand Australia in particular has contributed towards the company’s growth in the last few years and the current federal government is providing more stability to businesses,” Dirk said.
Brand Australia is strongly recognised in international markets, particularly in China. Dirk says the Chinese market is willing to pay more for good quality Australian products, such as Frosty Boy’s beverage bases – the Art of Blend.
The Art of Blend powder base range of flavours were launched in September 2014. Flavours in the Art of Blend range include Spiced Chai, Creative Yoghurt Smoothie, Finest Belgian Chocolate, Exquisite White Chocolate, Premium Mocha Latte, Velvet Dairy Frappe Base, Decadent Milk Chocolate, and Original Iced Coffee.
“We are already starting to see a substantial increase in the number of enquiries coming from China and believe that the China Australia Free Trade Agreement that came into force at the end of last year has instigated many of these,” Dirk said.
As for the next 40 years, Dirk is determined to see how far the Frosty Boy brand can dominate in the dessert and beverage industry.
“Our focus is becoming an international brand, a brand and business that is recognised as the preferred supplier all over the world,” he said. “We are determined to do more in our current markets, while in 2016 expanding in key international markets including greater China, India and The Middle East. We are equipped to do it, and it’s our strategy and the efforts of the people who have been part of Frosty Boy’s 40-year-journey who have got us here.”
For more information on Frosty Boy Australia visit /www.frostyboy.com.au/.
Image: Chief Operations Officer Johann Botha, General Manager Finance and Administration Aron Narayan, and General Manager Sales and Marketing Felipe Demartini.