Georgina Baker
Ideas Program 4
28 Feb 2021
About
Georgina is an organic beef producer from Bellingen in northern NSW. She had recently started branding her product and selling a range of cuts directly to consumers.
She was typically selling one carcass per month and was relying on word of mouth to acquire customers.
The idea
Georgina came into Ideas Program #4 with an idea to develop value-added products that would appeal to health-conscious consumers and at the same time capture more value for her farming business.
In parallel, Georgina had also identified an opportunity to develop an agri-tourism business that would provide consumer experiences and met their needs to connect more directly with the source of their food. She recognised that to build a successful business she would need to build her understanding of product development and food safety standards as well as how to market her products directly to consumers.
During the program Georgina undertook multiple customer interviews with current customers of her beef boxes; new consumers in her targeted segments; and B2B customers (retail and restaurants) to uncover pain points that would inform her product development.
In parallel, she started work on her value chain capability by building more structured relationships with a butcher (carcass breakdown and sausages) and a chef (new value-added products such as beef pate). A significant initiative has been the development of a carcass utilisation model that has provided Georgina with the confidence that she will be able to increase revenue by >250% per animal.
The Ideas Program has given me the resources and confidence to set out and take a few more steps in the direction of setting up my new idea. It was practical and relevant and the networks and contacts were invaluable. I loved it!
Whats next
Testing and implementing this model will be Georgina’s focus over the next 12 months: developing new products; undertaking purchase tests with consumers; ensuring she has value chain partners that ensure she has a secure and safe food production system; understanding costs and achieving efficiencies that increase margins and profitability.
In addition, she will continue to refine her sales and marketing strategy that includes developing her website and branding and building a strong social media presence.
Program Partners
