The Simonson family are proud to be celebrating 50 years in business in 2019 and their focus has always been on ensuring the success of their customers. So even though they have hit an enormous business milestone for the family and their team – it still comes down to the daily habit of ensuring the success of their customers!
Simped is Australia's longest standing processor, packer and one-stop-shop for the largest range available of frozen fruit and specialty vegetables in the country. The company also processes and packs fruit and vegetables sourced locally and internationally for a range of pulps, purees, patisserie fillings plus a host more value-added products which are supplied nationally as well as being exported to an increasing number of overseas destinations.
Syd Simonson started in business by making fresh fruit salad for the major supermarkets and large reception venues. His first innovative move was to adjust the business to cater for the changing retail landscape which moved away from in-store cafeterias and, over time, developed into a vibrant foodservice community of retail operators covering a vast range of meal options.
Simped Foods was also early to spot the value of a growing network of independent Australian foodservice distributors who, like the Simonson family, valued personal business relationships and had a passion to deliver excellence in customer service. The value of working with foodservice distributors has only increased for Simped Foods over the years and the company now enjoys a gold standard partnership with a range of leading distributors across Australia as well as the country’s premier foodservice buying groups.
Innovation and Customer Service Guarantee Continuing Success
Most businesses don’t reach this level of business success – especially family companies. Managing Director, Phil Simonson, believes the key strengths of the business can be simply stated as follows:
~ Family Values as instilled by this father – customer service, business honesty and building deep business networks
~Agile Management – as a private company operating in a brutally fast-changing industry, Simped Foods has been able to adjust to shifting customer requirements, industry trends and regulatory updates with a moment’s notice which has ensured supply continuity for all Distributor partners and their customers.
~Product Innovation – Simped Foods was the first to import IQF (individually quick frozen) fruit into the country and the first to process and freeze Avocado. This ongoing commitment to innovation and focus on customer needs ensures the Simped Foods brands continue to hold their niche at the premium end of the market.
Phil also said that “every business has core reasons for why it has been successful, and one of the key reasons for our success is due to our people.” Simped Foods has a leadership team of seasoned professionals who have 110 years of combined experience in foodservice and working with our Distributor partners.
Foodservice Trends That Bolster Simped Foods Growth
Simped Foods has product ranges in both the foodservice channel and retail. Simped’s Sales & Marketing Manager, Brian Elton, has seen a number of food trends that have underpinned further growth for the company. Specifically, “people are moving towards clean eating and away from processed foods. Our range of specialty vegetables has grown and the buzz at the moment is soya beans, edamame, skin off broad beans and avocado.” And with café operating costs always top of mind for operators our “frozen Avocado halves and slices are making it easier for cafes and sandwich shops to keep ripe fruit on hand without waste – it’s simply a winning combination.” Further to this “the popularity of cooking shows and take-home meals has seen people experimenting with products all across our range.”
About the FIA
The Foodservice Industry Association of NSW is a member organisation focused on enabling sales for foodservice focused businesses through executing high quality Hospitality and Catering Expos throughout NSW. We also help member businesses grow by providing value added services and channels to facilitate sales to all segments of the foodservice industry.
With over 80 members the organisation the FIA is a vibrant and dynamic association assisting members and non-members to promote their products and services to all sectors of the foodservice and associated industries.
For more information on Simped Foods click here
For more information about the FIA click here.
To discuss the benefits of membership please contact Zoran Mustac on M 0401 340 153 or email zmustac@dalmatamarketing.com.au