Rosella Flies Back under Australian Ownership

Rosella Flies Back under Australian Ownership

An Australian food brand icon, under foreign ownership for almost 40 years, is once again an Australian owned brand, Trade Minister Mark Vaile announced today.

Mr Vaile said he was delighted the Rosella brand, a name synonymous with Australia for more than a century, had been bought by an Australian company, Stuart Alexander.

"The Rosella brand was building itself as a household name well before this country was Federated, and in the past 101 years has figured prominently on the shelves of not only stores, but in the kitchens of Australian households," Mr Vaile said.

"I certainly have fond memories of my childhood days with mum's cooking covered in lashings of Rosella tomato sauce."

"In fact Rosella tomato sauce today represents more than 50 per cent of the brand's sales.

"Garry Browne and his team at Stuart Alexander are to be congratulated for their achievement of bringing an Australian icon back under full Australian ownership.

Mr Vaile said over the years many of Australia's icon brands such as Four'n'Twenty pies, Arnott's Biscuits and Peter's Ice Cream have been sold to foreign interests but was unaware of an Australian icon being brought back under Australian ownership.

"It would appear the Rosella brand purchase is the first time an Australian company has bought back an Australian icon company previously sold to foreign interests."

Mr Vaile said Stuart Alexander had purchased the Rosella brand from the Australian arm of the international consumer goods manufacturer Unilever who acquired the brand back in 1963. Unilever is currently undergoing international restructure.

"I note that whilst Stuart Alexander has also been a proud Australian company involved in marketing consumer goods for well over 100 years, the Rosella brand acquisition marks a new chapter in the company's history as a brand owner.

"Under their previous owner the Rosella brand was a player in the export market and l look forward to watching Rosella's export efforts flourish under Stuart Alexander's ownership."

The processed food and beverage sector is one of Australia's largest manufacturing industries, employing more than 160,000 people.

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