Australian organic product marketing

Being able to market and sell your organic products successfully is a key element in the success of your organic operations.

Consistency of quality and production are also essential requirements.

Producing, trading and selling authentic independently verified (Certified) organic produce takes dedication, education and a belief in the values and principles of organics.

The Australian organic industry is growing at an estimated 15% per year, with many countries experiencing higher growth.

To capture this market, you will need to learn about and understand how your product appeals to consumers and buyers of Certified Organic products, and then package them in a manner that is appealing, user friendly, and convenient to handle, store and transport.

What do organic consumers want?

Organic consumers demand food that comes with a transparent quality assurance program attesting to the organic method of and inputs to production.

Certified Organic products meet these expectations because Organic Certification and the Organic labels on the product attest to the fact that Organic Agriculture is founded on the principles of producing and processing food in an environmentally sustainable, ethically and socially responsible manner.

Certification practices include and are not limited to:

  • promoting biodiversity by growing a variety of crops
  • preventing soil erosion and improving soil quality
  • conserving energy
  • protecting wildlife, stream banks and watersheds
  • avoiding the use of synthetic or artificially produced insecticides, fertilisers or GMOs (genetically modified, transgenic organism).

As people increasingly want clean sustainable products, so too do consumers want food that is clean and produced sustainably.

Importantly consumers of organic food are already aware of Certified Organics and know to look for a trusted Certified Organic label such as the NASAA ‘spring leaf’ label.

Market research conducted in 2017 found that most purchased items were fruit and vegetables, home cooking ingredients and dairy products.

The greatest barriers to purchasing organic products are price, trust in organic labelling, ease of access and convenience, and minimal understanding of Certified Organic.

Growth areas: vitamins, super foods, cosmetics and personal hygiene, dietary supplements, hair care, pet food and pet products.

With the growth in demand for organic food, fibre and cosmetics, the industry is seeing a growth in export demand, as well as local consumption.

How NASAA Organic helps you market your produce

While the marketing of organic produce is driven by each operation, a strategic objective of NASAA Organic is to assist in marketing organic produce.

For example, NASAA was the first Australian organic industry association to open Australian produce to the Certified Organic Chinese market, and is the industry’s leading association in facilitating export opportunities.

We provide extensive organic market development support through the following:

    • advocacy to government on key policy and regulatory issues
    • public media promotions
    • NASAA Organic and Biodynamic Standard which facilitates entry into Certified Organic domestic and international markets
    • owning and protecting the integrity of the internationally-recognised and respected NASAA ‘spring leaf’ label
    • production of an industry magazine, information and education—Download Organic Insights Media Kit
    • conducting regular conference and educational programs
    • developing export markets
  • facilitating organic commerce by maintaining an industry database of NCO operators including retailers, manufactures, traders and exporters.

Through the Organic Certification services of our subsidiary company, NASAA Certified Organic, operators can gain entry to protected Certified Organic markets around the world including:  China, Korea.

Other organic market information

NASAA is a significant contributor to the Australian Organic Industry Market Report, which documents the growth and development of Australia’s Certified Organic industry.