Food provenance branding to boost NT produce

A PhD project at Charles Darwin University (CDU) is helping Northern Territory food producers and manufacturers become synonymous with its produce.

CDU Professor of Marketing and Dean of Graduate Studies Steven Greenland — the principal supervisor of the PhD project — said geographic branding for local NT produce is crucial for advancing the NT’s food production and manufacturing.

“This project will support local producers by identifying the unique Northern Territory selling points for a range of food categories, including First Nations bush foods. NT value-add geographic messaging and branding for our food products will support successful localised food producers and manufacturers.”

Producers around the world are adopting provenance branding in their marketing efforts. This includes Geographic Indication (GI) registrations that protect the origin and unique qualities of products from specific geographic areas.

Europe has the highest number of GI-registered products, with notable examples including Parmigiano Reggiano, Scotch whisky and Champagne. Such names can only be used for products produced in that country or region.

By geographically branding Northern Territory food, it will be in line with the global trend in food provenance and will provide answers for customers wanting to know more about where their food comes from.

“Consumers are more informed than ever thanks to the internet and social media,” Greenland said. “They are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from, if it is produced ethically and sustainably, and if it’s healthy — food provenance is key to this.

“We have very high-quality produce. The Northern Territory’s seafood, fruit and beef are second to none, but our producers are unable to capitalise on it because they don’t yet have the resources and capabilities to develop provenance brands. This CDU research project will help to change this.”

For more information about the project, contact Professor Greenland. 

Image caption: Homemade vegetable preserves at Malak farmers market at Darwin. Fermented food in mason jars. Credit: iStock.com/Katharina13