Farmers Mill Announces Sugar Free Products

Farmers Mill Announces Sugar Free Products

New Zealand-owned Farmers Mill has successfully launched its new sugar free range of bakery mixes and low-GI bread mixes to plant bakeries and retail distributors in Malaysia.

CEO Grant Bunting describes the opportunity as ‘potentially lucrative’, following the range’s official launch at the Malaysian Food Connection event and subsequent meetings with manufacturers and distributors across both Malaysia and Indonesia.

The product range is still in its infancy having been developed via support from both Agmardt and Callaghan Innovation.

“Farmers Mill’s product development activity is aligned specifically with that of nutritional trends, the most relevant at present being gluten free and reduced sugar consumption,” says Bunting.

On-farm, growers are being encouraged to explore the nutritional properties offered by the ancient or heirloom grains.

“The benefit of being grower owned is that we can leverage access to the resources required for evolution on-farm and our efforts in terms of spelt, buckwheat, millet and lupin production could be considered well advanced as we progress,” adds Bunting.

National Sales Manager Mat Keys is responsible for ensuring new products are well proven in terms of formulation and that technical support is available for end-users.

“Our biggest challenges have been the different taste profiles in Asia and increased humidity levels,” say Keys.

The response for the new sugar free range has been greater than anticipated, especially from larger, industrial bakeries who are seeking to differentiate their baked products and target a growing awareness around diet.

“I expected to work with many of the in-store supermarket bakeries but didn’t fully appreciate the need to tailor some of our range for large automated plant bakeries,” says Keys.

Farmers Mill has grown quickly since its inception two years ago, and strives to maintain a balance in terms of domestic flour supply and the lure of demand from Asia.

“We remain committed, and always will, to the production of commodity flours for domestic supply,” says Bunting. “However, for 15 – 20% of our production, we recognise the opportunity to create value not only in terms of Farmers Mill itself but also for New Zealand grain growers. Demand for traditional proteins from New Zealand by way of milk or meat is well publicised but what we are advocating, with signs of genuine interest, is that of a role for arable proteins.”

Bunting believes the immediate demand across both Malaysia and Indonesia for what could be best described as “niche” products could be worth in excess of $2m - $3m for Farmers Mill annually.

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