Milk Bar Crusader - Bringing real flavour back to business
Milk Bar Crusader and Chair of the Patton Village Community and Business Association, Jason King, purchased an iconic milk bar in Patton Street, Broken Hill almost a decade ago after the business had fallen on tough times. It was on the market and near to closing. Today Bell’s Milk Bar is a nationally recognised tourist attraction, famous for its authentic 1950s atmosphere and original-recipe, old-style drinks.
Jason says membership of the Outback Business Networks has been an important part of his success on several levels.
His milkshake range was expanded to give a distinctly Australian flavour, courtesy of Networks member Australian Native Bushfoods, after Jason’s participation in the innovative Outback Business Networks’ Virtual Trade Fair in 2010. The annual trade fairs link producers, suppliers and buyers from across Australia through WebEx™ digital communication technology provided through the Networks’ sponsor, Telstra.
Jason joined with Desert Knowledge Australia in 2006, before Outback Business Networks existed, as part of the Bush Foods Network. Since then he has seen many benefits to his business and region, including new customers for his own products, Bell’s Milk Bar syrups and cordials, as a result of his participation in the trade fairs and local food expos.
“Outback Business Networks has helped out in two critical areas of growth and development in my business. The first one was developing the syrups for retail sale... through the support of (the Networks) they were able to subsidise the trip to the Sydney trade fair – Restaurant 06 – when we were considering going into the wholesale market... just taking that step and getting those syrups ready was a massive boost forward.”
The work of the Networks in facilitating the development of the Patton Village Precinct has also been crucial to the success of Jason’s business.
Patton Village - Bringing back business through creative solutions
In 2011 Jason King and other Patton Street retail traders, community members and local businesses clustered together to preserve the district’s community spirit and historical assets in South Broken Hill. They formed the Patton Village Community and Business Association and branded the precinct “Patton Village”. Although in its early days, the Association is already demonstrating how involving the community in events and streetscape projects is boosting the local economy, attracting tourists and breathing new life into this once vibrant and highly significant historic district.
Outback Business Networks has been involved from the beginning. Local Network Development Officer, Susan Thomas, is facilitating cross industry meetings between the creative arts, local produce, retail, tourism and community sectors to assist members to find collaborative solutions to a shared problem. The first event held after the Village project was launched attracted 1500 people and was a key turning point in building awareness of the potential of the project. Village members also recently brought out postcards and banners to promote what the Village has to offer.
Local producer shows Australian Flair
Growing local species of wattle for cultivation has created a whole new business for Jennifer and Mark Lucas of Australian Native Bushfoods in the Riverland of South Australia.
The couple seized upon opportunities for value-adding the seed with a range of products now available through the brand, from Wattleseed Extract and Sticky Wattleseed Balsamic Vinegar to Wattleseed Beer and their new product, Lemon Myrtle Olive Oil.
Mark Lucas said that joining the Outback Business Networks in 2010 has opened new markets and business opportunities for the product range that would have otherwise been difficult for him to access.
“[With] the technology... we can get to these businesses without having to actually go there,” he said.
Mr Lucas has participated in both Virtual Trade Fairs that have been organised by Outback Business Networks, embracing the opportunity to showcase his products to potential buyers from South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.
From his involvement he has secured sales to major convention centres and regional caterers and is now looking to supply pastoral tourism operators who are also members of the Outback Business Networks.
“As a grower and producer of native foods, taking part in the Local Produce Virtual Trade Fair has proven to be a worthwhile opportunity for my business. Not only have I accessed new outlets for my products but I have also linked up with Jason King from Bell’s Milk Bar in Broken Hill, who has created a delicious Wattleseed Milkshake Syrup, using my Wattleseed Extract as the flavouring ingredient. We plan to both market this product and more,” Mr Lucas said.
Virtual showcase links remote business through digital technology
Local and native food producers across Australia have seized on new market opportunities offered through the Outback Business Networks’ annual Virtual Trade Fairs.
The Virtual Trade Fair focuses on local and native produce from across Outback regions and links producers with potential new customers and suppliers in locations around Australia. While it is open to all producers of regional products, food has been the focus of events to date.
Local and native producers from across Australia are linked via video conferencing provided by Outback Business Networks’ sponsor, Telstra. Prior to the video conference, product samples are made available at each location to allow potential new customers and suppliers to not only hear from and see the producer, but also to sample their product.
The Virtual Trade Fair allows producers to reach parts of Australia that they normally would not have access to. At the previous Fairs, businesses from South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia have showcased their products to hosted venues in Adelaide, Broken Hill, Mt Isa, Melbourne, Alice Springs, Longreach, Geraldton, Exmouth and Kalgoorlie.
Station Stays SA
The need to get together to share ideas and discuss issues has led to a new collaborative business marketing opportunity for remote outback pastoral tourism operators in SA. Working across regions in the far north of SA, operators have created the Station Stays SA, Flinders Ranges and Outback Cluster.
They are now looking at building this cluster further through linking up with similar organisations such as Outback Beds in NSW and Bush Beds in WA. Outback Business Networks is facilitating these discussions.
Individually these businesses did not have the capacity to market themselves effectively or seek professional development support. Operators saw tourism as an opportunity to diversify from their primary production enterprises to provide additional income and business resilience during pastoral industry downturns. The businesses were primarily family run and resource poor in terms of time and staff.
From an initial meeting facilitated by OBN in 2009, attended by 13 operators, the cluster has grown to 19 active business participants across an area of more than 10,000 square kilometres. Participants have pooled marketing resources to achieve more national and international exposure through a website, www.stationstayssa.com.au, a tear-off map that has been distributed widely throughout the state, as well as other collaborative marketing material.
Yamatji Aboriginal Contractors Association
Outback Business Networks is facilitating the formation of the Yamatji Aboriginal Contractors Association (YACA), consisting of seven members across the Yamatji region in the Mid West Gascoyne, Western Australia.
The objective of YACA is to create a membership based organisation that develops and nurtures business opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs. The Association is being formed to service Aboriginal businesses. The stakeholders themselves are shaping the development process. Good communication, cultural sensitivity and good planning are vital in these early stages.
The formation of the cluster will make it easier for companies and government to conduct business by providing a direct portal to Aboriginal companies in the Mid West region. OBN recently arranged a presentation of the members to the Geraldton Iron Ore Alliance, with the immediate result of a contract for one of the members.
With the assistance of OBN, YACA members are now seeking funding for the next steps, including assessing options such as formation of a legal entity as an association, developing a business plan and constitution, marketing their services and seeking new members.
Art of Business
Twenty six participants representing eighteen remote and regional businesses attended an Art of Business seminar in Alice Springs in November 2011. Forty percent of the participants were Indigenous and many had travelled hundreds of kilometres to attend the day-long seminar which was organised through OBN. The presenter was internationally renowned artist Jill Yelland. The training included marketing, promotion and structuring a small business to create a foundation for business survival. OBN is now looking at ways to continue to offer professional development to SMEs in the Creative Industry sector. If you are interested in these opportunities please contact us on 1800 603 866.