Mill opens cafe to showcase its wares

It’s the latest move in a busy year for the farmer-owned operation which only started processing in 2013.

“Retail demand has been overwhelming, backed by enquiries as to where and how people could try the product [so] we have opted to explore the likes of the cafe,” chief executive Grant Bunting told Rural News.

Earlier this year it opened a warehouse in Auckland and it recently won its first export orders with shipments to Malaysia and Vietnam.

Bunting was in Malaysia last week and said the export side of the business is going “great”. Competition in the domestic market remains intense since incumbents Western, a subsidiary of British-owned multinational Associated British Foods, and Asian-owned Goodman Fielder raised their game in response to Farmers Mill’s arrival in the market (Rural News August 19, 2014).

Bunting says it’s interesting that there had been little reference to flour origin prior to Farmers Mill’s arrival in the market with both incumbents “content to support the Australian economy”.

Now several retail flour lines from Farmers Mill’s competitors cite use of domestic wheat with branding similar to Farmers Mill’s 100% NZ Grain logo.

“I guess we should be happy that we’ve had some impact,” Bunting said ruefully.

Marketing co-ordinator Rebecca Biggs says the café is largely to build brand recognition for Farmers Mill and its Homebake range.

Café customers can buy 5kg bulk bags of flour or the Homebake range of mixes such as Chocolate Mudcake, Pizza, or Muffin. Meanwhile the cakes, sandwiches and pastries offered with the coffee, tea or hot chocolate in the café are all baked with Farmers Mill product. “It’s so you can try before you buy,” says café manager Nikki Smith.

The paddock to plate providence of the product is reinforced with pictures of wheat, combine harvesters and the mill itself on the café walls.

One customer at the café opening last month said the mixes had even got her partner baking. “I made muffins this morning; he’s been using the scone mix,” said Mel Guerin as she picked up a sack of the mill’s Baker’s Flour.

Bunting says at this stage it’s “unlikely” the café concept will be rolled out nationally but the Homebake brand of mixes is available nationwide through supermarkets.

“It’s been a great feeling to see our retail range stocked in supermarkets across the country and the reception at the likes of the gluten free shows would suggest our product development activity is well placed,” he said in recent customer newsletter which also hinted at an imminent launch of products “for those concerned with the sugar content of traditional bread and cake mixes.”