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Emma Heasman, the Cooperative’s Dairy Foods Marketing Manager, anticipates December sales will this year more than double average monthly sales, by value and volume.
“This month and next, we’ll increase production by 44 per cent in order to meet seasonal demand,” Ms Heasman said.
“The company has already put on additional shifts at its Wetherill Park plant.”
Ms Heasman said while custard sales were usually exceptional for the entire month of December, they were nothing compared to the seven days leading up to Christmas Day, when demand “goes through the roof”.
“Our sales typically quadruple in that week, compared to the first week of November, when we start to ramp up production.”
On average, each Australian eats almost 1kg of custard annually.
Queenslanders are Australia’s biggest consumers of custard per capita.
The average Queenslander downs more than 1.5kg of the product per annum – nearly double the amount consumed by people living in New South Wales and about two-and-a-half times more custard than Victorians.
The popularity of custard – a traditional staple in the Australia diet since colonial times – shows no sign of abating. According to Dairy Australia, the industry’s peak body, chilled custard is a growth category.
Three years after a Choice magazine taste test put Dairy Farmers Vanilla Custard at the top of the leader table for flavour and texture, the product remains a firm favourite amongst consumers.
New, easy pour and resealable packaging launched earlier this year has cemented the product’s place in Australians’ hearts and minds, according to Ms Heasman.
“Consumer feedback on the new packaging – a square paper carton topped by a plastic screw-cap and a tamper-proof seal – has been terrific. People say it’s easier to use, there’s no mess, you can re-seal it and you can be totally confident about the quality and safety of the product.
