Post boss has new plans
Australia Post could become a force helping farmers export directly to Asia as an alternative to selling to the major grocers, the new head of the postal service says. And Amazon’s move into bricks-and-mortar retailing in the US could provide insight into a future role for the 4400 post offices across Australia, she says.
AUSTRALIA Post could become a force helping farmers export directly to Asia as an alternative to selling to the major grocers, the new head of the postal service says.
And Amazon’s move into bricks-and-mortar retailing in the US could provide insight into a future role for the 4400 post offices across Australia, she says.
Speaking on her second day in the role yesterday, Australia Post chief Christine Holgate said it could become a key partner for export-focused Aussie farmers.
There was already huge and growing potential for Australian businesses to export to the burgeoning middle classes of Asia, Ms Holgate said.
Australia Post could feasibly help primary producers understand trade rules and work through necessary export processes, while offering an alternative point of sale to the domestic supermarkets, she said.
The market for farmers’ produce in Australia had been “dominated by the fresh world of Coles and Woolies, which are very important, and I’m huge fans of them”, Ms Holgate said.
But the postal service could provide another option
“Imagine in a couple of years time, (if) farmers in Australia … had another choice,” Ms Holgate said.
“What if they could work with a trusted partner?”
Ms Holgate noted online behemoth Amazon was forging into bricks-and-mortar retailing after agreeing to buy US grocery chain Whole Foods Market – a $US13.7 billion ($17.8 billion) deal.
“What I thought was really interesting … is that they have brought Whole Foods and now what they are actually doing is using bricks and mortar to be a destination point for their eCommerce business. Australia Post has 4400 post offices.”