This year, decade-old Australian natural foods startup Raw C will turn over $30 million. Founder Scott Mendelsohn is now in full flight building his export market through the power of in-person collaboration.
Scott Mendelsohn calls himself “head coconut” but that underplays his idea to import pure coconut water from Asia, packaged in tetra packs to satisfy the growing Aussie thirst for convenient, natural products. “I was drinking lots of coconuts when I was living in China,” says the founder of Raw C, who spent about eight months in Asia working in the promotional apparel trade. When he returned to Australia in 2012 and was casting about for his next career move, a lightbulb flashed. “I’d seen a coconut water brand in the US that had added sugar and decided I could do something better,” he says.
From humble beginnings selling boxes of Raw C from the boot of his car, Mendelsohn now employs a team of 11 and says the business will turn over $30 million this year, distributing more than 1000 containers of product across Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, South Africa and the United States. Mendelsohn built his brand from a standing start with no experience in the FMCG industry but says he learnt by being there “at the coconut face” – a crucial leg-up made possible by smarter business travel.
“As we expand in Asia, we need to be there on the ground”
“In the early days, I was flying back and forth to Asia a lot, scoping out farmers and factories. Today, all our coconut water is sourced and packaged in Vietnam – it’s better quality and a more visible supply chain. Singapore is also a frequent route for me. I’ve been going to the massive FHA Food & Beverage trade show there since we launched. This year, Raw C exhibited for the first time and it was exciting to discover there’s a lot of interest from customers in Asia. You can’t build a business without strong relationships with customers and suppliers, and being on the ground is also the only way to test the market and see for yourself what others are doing. Travel and the ability to earn and use Qantas Points is essential. As a Qantas Business Rewards member, I earn points twice – for the business and myself – by adding our ABN when booking flights and hotels. I also use my American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card to pay for the flights so the points Raw C earns from flying are tripled.”
Tip: Always add your ABN and the traveller's Frequent Flyer number when booking flights for work. That way, both the business* and the traveller earn Qantas Points±.
“In-person meetings have landed our biggest customers”
“Raw C is now in all the majors and most of the independent supermarkets across Australia. I still go to all the big meetings in person and make a point of visiting our smaller retailers, too. My national channel manager is based in Tasmania and he flies all over to see retailers and distributors for face-to-face meetings. It’s super-important. I don’t like negotiating over video calls – it’s in-person meetings that have landed our biggest customers.
Our team book all their flights through our Qantas Business Rewards Account to earn points for the business as well as for themselves. Those on the road in company cars have BP Plus fuel cards linked to our Qantas Business Rewards and book their stays through Qantas Hotels. Earning points on everyday business expenses helps us save on future trips. It all adds up.”
Tip: With over 1,300 destinations across Australia and the world, the Qantas network is built to get you and your travellers wherever you need to be.
“I got a surprise upgrade from Business to First – a much appreciated reward”
“I fly to the US regularly to see what’s trending in natural and organic food and beverages – from packaging to marketing, branding, ingredients and flavours. After the main expo, I stay on to check out local retailers to see what products are popular and get inspiration for new products. This year, I stayed in LA for a month to study the market and appoint a partner for our launch in Southern California.
I’m a Platinum One Qantas Frequent Flyer and at LAX, coming home, I got a surprise upgrade from Business to First. It was a much-appreciated reward and came at the end of a few busy weeks. Knowing the dates for these trade show trips ahead of time, I watch for Business specials or double-status credit offers. As soon as they pop up, I book through Qantas Business Rewards.”
Tip: Use your business’ Qantas Points to upgrade your next flight with Classic Upgrade Rewards^^ directly from your Qantas Business Rewards Account.
“We fly a lot regionally and Qantas Points offset the cost of our flights”
“Off the back of the success of Raw C, I’ve started investing in other Australian FMCG businesses. Orange is one of Australia’s great food bowls and I fly out there on the QantasLink Dash 8 to check out opportunities; I’ve done eight trips in the past couple of years. The Qantas regional network lets me get around to check things out in person. Orange is a super-quick flight from Sydney and spares me a four-hour drive so it saves time and money.
We always look for ways to earn points for the business to offset the cost of our flights. As a Qantas Business Rewards member we earn extra points when we shop at Qantas Wine. Later this year, I’m taking all of our staff on a team building trip as a reward for achieving our profit target and I’ll be booking through Qantas Hotels to earn more Qantas Points for our business.”
Are you turning your business expenses into points and savings?
As a Qantas Business Rewards member, your business earns Qantas Points on flights, hotels and everyday business expenses on the ground.* You can redeem these points on a range of rewards, including flight upgrades, office tech or wine for your next staff event.
Your business earns up to 40 Qantas Points for every 100 points your traeller earns every time they fly for work.* Simply add your business's ABN and the traveller's Frequent Flyer number when you book.
Turn expenses into Qantas Points with over 50 partners across a wide range of business services, including fuel, travel, credit card spend and more.*
Use your points to save on flights and upgrades directly from your Qantas Business Rewards Account or transfer them to any Qantas Frequent Flyer Account to redeem on hotels, car hire, wine or office tech from Qantas Marketplace.#
Important Information
* A business must be a Qantas Business Rewards Member to earn Qantas Points for the business. A one-off joining fee of $89.50 applies, is inclusive of any applicable GST and may be varied by Qantas from time to time, without notice, in its absolute discretion. Membership and Qantas Points for business are offered under the Qantas Business Rewards Terms and Conditions and earning thresholds apply.
± Qantas Points earned on air travel are determined in accordance with the Airline Earn Table. A Member's ABN and traveller's Qantas Frequent Flyer membership number must be quoted at the time of booking to earn Qantas Points for both the business and the traveller. An eligible flight means a domestic or international flight which has a Qantas 'QF' flight number on the ticket that is purchased in Australia; has a ticket number commencing with '081'; and is booked and travelled for business on or after the date the business registers for Qantas Business Rewards. Exclusions apply. The number of points awarded varies according to the business’ flying Level. Subject to the Qantas Business Rewards Airline Reward Scheme Terms and Conditions, Qantas Points are earned for each segment travelled on Eligible Flights by a Qantas Business Rewards Flyer. A segment is a portion of the journey between two consecutive points listed on an itinerary. The number of Qantas Points earned in Qantas Business Rewards is calculated by applying the percentage Earn Rate to the number of Qantas Points earned by a Bronze Qantas Frequent Flyer member in each respective booking class (including cabin bonus and Minimum Points Guarantee if applicable and excluding any bonus Qantas Points which may be offered from time to time) as specified in the Qantas Frequent Flyer Categories in the Qantas Frequent Flyer Program, for the applicable travel date. A business must be a Qantas Business Rewards Member and registered for GST or be an Australian Public or Private entity or other incorporated company, and not be a travel agent or on a Corporate Deal with Qantas to earn Qantas Points for the business from flying.
#A business can redeem Qantas Points directly from their Qantas Business Rewards Account on Classic Flight Rewards, Points Plus Pay bookings, paid seat selection, additional baggage allowance (when purchased at time of flight booking) or on Classic Upgrade Rewards. In order to directly redeem Qantas Points from a Qantas Business Rewards Account for Classic Flight Rewards or Classic Upgrade Rewards, the Business Account must have a balance of at least 3,000 Qantas Points. We recommend you consult your accountant or tax adviser to ensure you understand possible tax implications, for example fringe benefits tax (if applicable). For full T&Cs of Classic Flight Rewards, Points Plus Pay, Classic Upgrade Rewards and Seat Selection, see qantas.com/businesspassport
^^ Classic Upgrade Rewards are available on Classic Flight Rewards in Economy and Premium Economy and eligible paid and confirmed Qantas domestic and international flights, with a QF flight number on your ticket and from time to time on codeshare flights operated by another carrier that have a Qantas (QF) flight number on your ticket. Classic Upgrade Rewards are subject to capacity controls and availability is limited, and some flights may not have any Classic Upgrade Rewards confirmed. Classic Upgrade Rewards are not available from all fare types. See tables for details.
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