World-class marketing for world-first miniature apple I Julian Smith, Rockit Apples

Parents for generations have tried to preach to their children that apples are packed with good nutrients, yet lunchboxes plenty have been returned with the trusty snack.

From the orchard gate in New Zealand through to the packaging of its product in Japan, RockitTM apple is not only the world's first snack-size apple but also a brand and business model that will make you sit up and take notice of how great brands are created by more than just great marketing.

 

"It's high in antioxidants, high in Vitamin C with a huge amount of daily fibre and it's kind of an underpinning story. But what will really connect with consumers is how relevant it is to them in their daily lives and then you've got a really winning formula," Julian Smith, Rockit.

 

This week's Change Maker is the General Manager of Global Marketing for Rockit, Julian Smith who brings to the Hawke's Bay-based company his experience with Jazz Apples, Les Mills as well as over 10 years working under New Zealand food & fashion brand guru, Brian Richards

Sarah discusses with Julian:

- Their unique vertically integrated value chain at Rockit and differentiating marketing strategy

- How they work to optimize their systems on a daily basis to work with their orchard managers to produce a world-class product

- How they are managing the global licensing of Rockit to scale up and plan for the rise of counterfeit products

- Why they chose to focus on the Japanese market first and their partnership with Costco

- His learnings on how products marketed with great stories can achieve price premiums

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