With limited natural products available through Australian pharmacies at the time, Geoff set about importing and selling preventative medicines such as flaxseed oil. Fast forward to today, and the company is a passionate team of over 100, providing products to millions of consumers worldwide.

Melorse vision is to genuinely improve the health of its community through the products they produce and the way they do business.

Describe the products you export and tell us about your unique selling proposition.

Melrose’s manufacturing facility is based in Mount Waverley, Victoria, where production of our natural range of products uses local, wherever possible, Australian organic products, to amplify the health benefits through our product range.

Our core products are nutritional boosters including the Essential Nutrient range, MCT oil range, Omega range, and Vitamin C range. Melrose's products cover health foods, health supplements, fitness & sports, and Vitamins & minerals.

Melrose’s philosophy is to create the most effective product that harnesses the power of nature. We believe in eating your way to better health, and that healthy food can and should taste great. Our products can not take the place of a healthy diet, and nor should they. They exist to amplify the health benefits you can obtain through natural foods, bringing superfoods and blends that pack a greater punch than what can be found in the foods we eat.

Why is Greater China such an important market for you?

Although Melrose has a long history of exporting its products to overseas markets, China has remained its largest export destination since its products officially launched in China in 2017.

Explain your Greater China market strategy – what steps did, or are you taking to ensure success?

Melrose conducted in-depth research and analysis to understand economic conditions, consumer behaviours, and regulatory environments in the Chinese market before we officially launched. We also carefully develop and choose our strategic partners to enhance market reach and ensure effective distribution.

We built a localised product portfolio based on consumer needs. The key learning from us is that you can not just launch product without considering the preferences of the Chinese consumers — even if it is your hero SKU in the domestic market, it might not work in China given the consumption habits are quite different.

We also developed a comprehensive marketing strategy that leverages digital and traditional media channels to reach Chinese consumers. We utilised local social media platforms, such as TikTok, Little Red Book, WeChat Weibo etc., to engage with consumers and build brand awareness.

Consider participating in trade shows, exhibitions, and other industry events to showcase your product or service to potential customers and partners – Melrose has had a really good outcome during the CIIE 2023 which was supported by the Victorian Government.

Given China has a very fast-paced lifestyle, especially in Tier 1 & 2 cities, Melrose has built a local China team based in Hangzhou since 2022, to provide excellent customer service and support to Chinese consumers and business partners.

This is one of the most important investments which allows us to take quick actions by monitoring the market trend and consumers feedback. It also supports an outstanding customer experience for our brand in China.

At what point on your export journey did you make contact with Global Victoria and how have they supported you?

Melrose first engaged with Global Victoria in October 2021.

At that time, Melrose’s exports to China had been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and a change in distributors, leading to a significant loss of market knowledge related to China.

In response, Global Victoria facilitated support by inviting the Victorian Government Trade and Investment (VGTI) China team, including the Commissioner to Greater China and its Melbourne-based team to provide Melrose with insights into the China market.

This support included:

• An overview of the China Cross-border eCommerce Channel (CBEC) landscape and key eCommerce platforms
• The importance of establishing a dedicated China team with Chinese-speaking staff
• Key in-market supports that Global Victoria can offer Melrose

Since then, Global Victoria has maintained regular engagement with the Melrose team and invited them to participate in several key trade facilitation programs, including Victorian eCommerce Network (VeN) functions, the Victorian Government Hosting program during the Australian Open and the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Following the establishment of Melrose’s China team in Hangzhou, Global Victoria extended invitations to various in-market product showcases and inbound trade facilitation activities. These include:

• Vic House Expo in Shanghai
• Trade Missions to the 2023 & 2024 China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai
• 2024 Beauty, Wellness & Personal Care (BWPC) Inbound Trade Mission from Southeast Asia to Melbourne in May 2024, Victorian BWPC Product Showcase event in Shanghai in June 2024

In additional to support for the Chinse market, Global Victoria has also assisted Melrose in identifying potential partners and export opportunities in the USA and Southeast Asian markets.

When are you expected to travel to the China market next, and how is Global Victoria supporting your trip?

We plan to travel to China in November to attend the CIIE 2024 with Global Victoria in Shanghai.

Tell us about your company’s proudest achievements in the China market?

Since Melrose launched its hero SKU – Essential Greens in China, we have successfully exported over 4M units of Melrose Essential Greens to the Chinese market.

We always commit to consistently delivering high-quality products and exceptional customer service to every Chinese consumer which supports us to become one of the most popular and well-known Australian brands which is trusted by Chinese families.

What has been your greatest challenge as an exporter and how have you overcome them?

The business culture and environment are quite different compared to what they look like in Australia.

As an overseas brand, we have been facing lots of challenges such as business models, channel structures, product portfolios, pricing value chains, regulations, logistics, and customer service.

It is not easy, but it will be easy once you deeply dive into the market and build everything correctly. Working with trusted, collaborative and experienced partners or experts will be very helpful.

If you had 3 pieces of advice to offer newcomers to export, what would they be?

Be smart, be cautious, be agile.

China could be the most potential international market for any brand, but it is also the most complicated market with strict policies and multiple business models across channels, platforms.

You will need to be smart to identify the opportunity gaps and build your business model with localised product portfolios.

Meanwhile, you will need to always keep an eye on the market trend to ensure you have continuous improvements in your strategies. The market changes every day, and you will need to be agile to adapt quickly to maintain your success.

Learn more about Melrose

Visit the Melrose website to explore more about the company's world-leading, innovative products.