Case Studies
Issue No. 15 - February/March 2004
Robern Menz
Sweet!
Robern Menz has grown via organic growth through brand development as well as through aquisistion of businesses and equipment.
Confectionery company Menz was established in 1850 by John and Magdalena Menz and remained a family business until purchased by Robern in 1992. Meanwhile, Robern Overseas was established in 1908 in South Australia by Walter Sims. Walter’s son Edgar then developed a unique glace fruit process (preserving it with sugar syrup) to help supply a world suffering from fruit shortages, from the 1940s to the 1960s. In 1992, Robern Overseas bought the Menz confectionery business and the company became Robern Menz.
Today Robern Menz is a private, fourth—generation company South Australian owned and operated by the Sims family. It is a market leader in sugar, chocolate and fruit—based confectionery as well as dried and glace fruits.
Brands include Menz—— Fruchocs and Crown Mints products——the Robern dried and glace fruit brand and now the Medlow Fine Gels brand which was acquired in April of 2003. The company exports to more than 20 countries.
“If success is the fact we are still operating after almost 100 years then we would attribute this to the smooth generational transitions that have occurred through 4 generations of ownership and the new abilities and changes those generations implemented to meet the changing market,” says the present managing director, Richard Sims.
“An example of this is that we no longer market one of the company’s first products — dehydrated vegetables — due to market and production technique changes.
“We have been fortunate in that we have had tremendous loyalty and support from all stakeholders through the years. From the company’s employees (many whom have been very long term),customers, suppliers and financiers.”
Richard says knowing your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses is very important.
“We need to be innovative ...
