Kiwi company Riot Foods has announced that their CleanPaleo Biltong range will be stocked in Coles Australia as of April.
The exact number of stores is yet to be confirmed but indications are between 400 to 600 outlets. The store numbers are in line with 2022 projections.
Ryan Kamins, CEO of Riot foods, said he was delighted with the news. “Penetration into the Australian supermarkets is traditionally very difficult for Kiwi companies and to hit so many stores on entry is just brilliant. The store numbers are at a level we projected to reach in four years time, and to have hit that goal so early is very affirming in the demand for our products.
“Our focus will now be to increase the range of CleanPaleo products stocked in Coles. We would love to see our cereals, protein powders and the nut butter range, Poppy + Olive in Coles as well.”
The Coles account will be managed through the Riot Foods Australian distributor, who has already placed the first order, worth NZD$70,000. This announcement is on the back of BP New Zealand petrol stations taking on the Biltong range this month across 60 stores nationally, with further rollout expected over 2018.
Both Coles and BP opportunities reflect the increasing consumer demand for convenient, healthy foods, both here and across the ditch.
Timing couldn’t be better for Riot Foods who are in the last week of an equity funding campaign on pledgeme.
“We have definitely seen a spike in interest from larger investors since announcing that Coles are rolling out our Biltong range,” says Kamins. “Both the Coles and the BP Petrol stations accounts reflect what a dynamic company Riot Foods is, with fast growth and lots of exciting opportunities, and people want to be part of that.”
Defying the doubters
In 2013 when Ryan Kamins took a brown paper bag with his home-made Paleo cereal to the local health food shop to see if it would sell, he had little idea that it was the beginning of a major international business.
Along with Art Green, Ryan Kamins has an unshakeable commitment to producing wholefoods that are free from harmful ingredients and making wholefoods accessible to mainstream consumers. Under the Riot Foods umbrella sits CleanPaleo, Poppy + Olive and WholeFoods Manufacturing.
The flagship brand, CleanPaleo, has a range of 20 products, including breakfast blends, protein powders Biltong and bread, with more products set to launch in 2018. It’s a premium brand, characterised by products that are free from gluten, grains, dairy, preservatives and additives and is the leading Paleo brand in New Zealand. CleanPaleo is stocked Nationwide in Countdown as well as other independent stores. It is also selling to Australia, with 10 new stores coming on board every month, and Amazon U.S.A., who recently awarded CleanPaleo Manuka crunch breakfast blend their Amazon Choice award.
WholeFoods Manufacturing, the production subsidiary of Riot Foods, is a dairy and gluten free facility and the only Paleo certified manufacturing plant in the country. It produces all their products. To meet the increasing demand, Riot Foods has recently purchased a second premises which will start operating in 2018.
As with every successful business, it has been achieved through hard work and perseverance. In his first year, Kamins was working full time as a landscaper during in the day and hiring out a bakery at night to manufacture the cereal whilst he built up his stockists through door knocking independent health food stores.
Six months later, in September 2013 with the opportunity to pitch to Farro Fresh, he borrowed $10K to establish and repackage the CleanPaleo brand. After successfully being accepted into their stores, he started using a contract manufacturer in order to meet the demand and give him time to concentrate on the bigger picture.
Asked about the key to the success of Riot Foods, Kamins commented “We totally believe in what we are making, but most importantly we are filling a gap in the market. For both myself and Art (Green), having the convenience of being able to buy wholefoods and Paleo products off the shelf, means that healthy eating is so much more attainable. The market is saturated with processed foods and bogus ‘healthy’ foods. Consumers are much more knowledgeable than they were 20 years ago and a lot of them want to eat healthy food. We’re committed to fulfilling that gap.”
Photo: Riot Foods celebrates breaking into Australian market. L-R David Craig, Ryan Kamins and Tim Holt.
