The team behind Vegepod has nurtured multi-million-dollar annual revenue from the ground up. They share four trips that opened doors, closed deals and planted the seed for global success.
In 2015, Vegepod appeared on Shark Tank with a portable, self-watering garden bed – and it changed everything for the Sydney-based start-up. “We sold more online in two nights than we had in two years,” says Simon Holloway, who co-owns the business with founder Matt Harris and global CEO Paul Harris. And when it won Best New Product at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – “the pinnacle in horticulture” – in 2020, Vegepod got a whole new level of global recognition.
"Over the past three years we've seen growth rates of 200 too 300 per cent each year, and, in 2022, we hit record annual revenue." Their vision is simple. “With a Vegepod, you can reduce your cost of living but also grow tasty food – and it’s good for the environment.” Staying in touch with a global market means a lot of time “wheels up” – but these trips have paid back in spades, as Holloway explains.
"We bring our team together to bring a strong culture"
“Each year, we fly all the state reps into Sydney for training and an early Christmas party using our Qantas Points. We regroup for training, talk about our wins, losses and challenges, and we usually do something fun. You want your team to back each other and they only do that when they know each other on a personal level.
Our admin team arranges these flights so it’s handy to be able to have multiple people manage multiple bookings through our Qantas Business Rewards Account. We also instruct all our staff to enter our ABN when booking. More points for the business means more trips.”
Tip: Store your team as travellers in your Business Account for flight savings~ and ensure that both the business* and traveller earn Qantas Points±.
"How Qantas is helping us go global"
“We’ve been wanting to expand into Japan for a long time but we wanted to do it right. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade introduced us to Unitika Ltd as a possible distributor. We wanted to fly over and meet with them, go out for dinner and saké, and build that trust you can only get from being there in person. I lived in Japan as a young pup so I know Japanese, but we also hired a translator because we didn’t want to stuff up the business talks. Unitika felt we were a perfect fit, so they’ll be our new distributor and Japan is now the 21st country Vegepods are sold in. We used Qantas Points earned through Qantas Business Rewards to book our flights, which was a big cost saving. The extra baggage we get with Qantas flights was also handy because we took over some prototype demos of our new product. We don’t travel light.”
Tip: Did you know you can use your business' Qantas Points± to book flights across Qantas, Jetstar, and selected partner airlines directly from your Business Account.
"The 30-minute meeting that changed everything"
“QVC is number one for TV shopping and the third-largest online seller in the US. They’re huge. But they are notoriously hard to get in front of. So, when I had a slight window I dropped everything and flew to Philadelphia for a half-hour meeting. When I got there, the senior buyer couldn’t make it. My heart sank. By chance, about 10 minutes in, I saw her walking past and knocked on the glass and waved her into the meeting. Of course it was a fluke but lo and behold, we got the contract. And the fact that I was able to show them the Vegepods from the back of the van while I was there was priceless. That’s why I always go on about Qantas and reliability. It’s not just about the savings you get as a Qantas Business Rewards member. When you travel on the Qantas network, you have a sense of confidence.”
Tip: Enjoy an extensive network with Qantas and our partners to get you and your travellers wherever you need to be with over 1,300 destinations worldwide.
"Nothing beats face-to-face for business growth"
“This was our first attempt at going international. I flew to New Zealand and replicated the same strategy we used in Australia – I got in a campervan and drove around the South Island, cold-calling garden centres and hardware stores. It went ballistic – NZ remains our best sales per capita in the world – and all the store owners kept saying, “Mate, you don’t know how much it means for a manufacturer to come visit us. No one does that anymore.” We did a couple of big sales and it gave us the confidence to take Vegepod around the world. When I fly, I always wear the Vegepod shirt. It starts conversations and it’s free advertising. Particularly in the Qantas Business Lounge, you get to mingle with people that you otherwise might not meet. We’ve made contacts and sometimes we’ve even ended up doing business together.”
Is your business missing out on Qantas flight discounts?
Here’s how to get the most out of the program and ensure you and your teams get maximum savings and points.
Book via your Qantas Business Rewards Account
Store multiple travellers in your Business Account, make bookings accessing flight savings~ and use your business’ points± to upgrade. You can also manage your company’s upcoming flight bookings and reconcile monthly travel expenses all in one place.
Make it easier for your team to book
Add your team as travellers in your Business Account and activate the self-booking feature so they can access your member flight savings~ when they book their own business travel on qantas.com. They’ll earn points for the business* and themselves.#
Unlock more savings
As your business earns Qantas Points from flying, you’ll move through tiers of the program and unlock more benefits. Level 1 members save 6% off the base fare of selected flights, Level 2 members save up to 8% and Level 3 members save up to 10%.~
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.
# You must be a Qantas Frequent Flyer member to earn Qantas Points. A joining fee may apply. Membership and Qantas Points are subject to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program Terms and Conditions. Qantas Points and Status Credits (where applicable) are earned on eligible flights with a Qantas or applicable oneworld® Alliance Airline or Airline Partner flight number on your ticket. Qantas Points and Status Credits may not be earned on some fare types and booking classes. See terms and conditions and the Airline Earning Tables for details on the conditions for the applicable airline.
~ Savings are available exclusively to Qantas Business Rewards Members on the base fare of selected fares only and do not apply to taxes, fees and carrier charges. Availability is limited. Member Deals are subject to the Qantas Business Rewards Terms and Conditions.
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We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.