On-Farm business embraces direct to consumer opportunities online
7/11/2017
Vanessa Bell is a former fashion model who is exploring a new wave of potential for on-farm businesses in Australia. She is taking value-added products directly into the online world.
Vanessa Bell is a former fashion model who is exploring a new wave of potential for on-farm businesses in Australia. She is taking value-added products directly into the online world.Vanessa started a company that produces hand-knitted baby blankets from fine merino wool on her farm at Goulburn in New South Wales.
The online world gives her the opportunity to sell her products beyond Australia; she is currently supplying blankets in London and Switzerland.
Ms Bell began marketing her range this year under the brand Sara Jane Bond, named after her late great-grandmother, who had produced knitted blanket in late 1940, which had become a family heirloom.
The business idea started after the birth of her son Charlie in 2014 to her former husband, Philip Bell. She was struggling to find something warm for young Charlie; her mother suggested she try her great-grandmother's blanket. As she was standing on the deck watching Philip driving 1000 head of sheep up the paddock, it dawned on her to venture into the wool business.
Since she was a former fashion model on the catwalks of London, Tokyo and Sydney, it helped her focus on the luxury market. She said that she was incredibly fortunate to work with clients such as Christian Dior, Giorgio Armani and Comme des Garcon.
Ms Bell mentioned that it helped being surrounded by beautiful fabrics, to understand the gap in the market that caters for quality artistry and materials. It also gave her insight into what she wanted to create.
Behind her success is a team of dedicated local knitters who have helped design and produce the blankets. It is more than just creating a beautiful product; it is about bringing together talented women who have a vested interest in the wool industry.
One of the oldest wool growing enterprises in Australia has been quick to embrace the new platform of online opportunities.
The Gostwyck factory at Uralla in NSW was established in late 1832 which sells their wool products to high fashion knitwear brands such as Esprit and Saville Row, a supplier of top-end men's suiting labels.
Now, the family-run enterprise has ventured into selling a range of babywear online.
Philip Attard runs the farm that has been owned by his wife Alison's family for five generations. He said that the products they have sold in Australia and Europe had received positive reactions.
The baby wear is trading on the Dangar family history and named after the first owners of the property, Henry and Grace.
Mr Attard said that it is vital to have a story in the online market, but you have to be prepared to catch the next flight and go wherever you need to since not everyone is aware of the improvements that have made with the Australian merino wool.
One of the problems they have encountered with the online business was the patchy internet connectivity. He mentioned that it had improved a little since the NBN but still needs a lot of work.
They have high hopes that the amount of data will improve again since they need to get through into 100mb lines in the farm to do their jobs comfortably and efficiently; otherwise, they will have to have an office in town.
He emphasised that they want to stay rural to provide jobs in the region because that is where the skills are.
Alison Sheridan, head of the business school at the University of New England, said that Australian farmers were strategically placed to capitalise on a global reputation for sustainability and quality.
The food and fibre producers could target the niche markets with value-added products and with the help of UNE graduates who are focused on skills to develop online opportunities.
Ms Sheridan said that the agricultural producer doesn't have to have all the knowledge because they can bring specialist expertise for a particular job which increases the employment opportunities of the graduates.
She added that it is opening up new opportunities for a regional economy so they can tap into an international market.
