Motions

Bickford's Australia

Adjourned debate on motion of Hon. J.S. Lee:

That this council—

1. Recognises that a proudly Australian family-owned business, Bickford's Australia, will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2024;

2. Congratulates Bickford's Australia for reaching its remarkable milestones and acknowledges its legacy and historical connection with South Australia;

3. Celebrates this iconic local business for its outstanding business success and innovation to becoming a globally recognised brand and acknowledges the Kotses family's vision for manufacturing in South Australia;

4. Notes the significant positive social, cultural and economic impacts that Bickford's Australia has had for the manufacturing sector, beverage production industry and wider community; and

5. Recognises Bickford's Australia for their continued efforts to keeping their production and employment local and for maintaining its status as an Australian family-owned and managed business.

(Continued from 11 April 2024.)

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (17:34): I rise to congratulate and recognise Bickford's Australia, an iconic South Australian brand, as it celebrates its 150^th anniversary this year. Bickford's as we know it has been operating since 1874, but the origins of the business began in the 1840s when there was a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables in South Australia, mostly due to product spoilage during transit and lack of experience in growing crops in this harsh climate.

Chemist William Bickford seized this opportunity and began making a lime drink using unwanted limes mixed with sugar and water out of his Hindley Street apothecary. He went on to produce a range of beverages as well as pickles, sauces and soaps. Following William Bickford's death from pneumonia in 1850, his wife, Ann Margaret, kept the business going with the support of her sons. Ann created the commercial entity A.M. Bickford and Sons in 1874, the anniversary of which is being celebrated this year. Whilst it was most unusual at that time for a business to be headed by a female, Ann's courage and vision helped grow and diversify the business well into the 20^th century.

Angelo Kotses was appointed managing director of Bickford's in November 1992, when the company had a turnover of around $1 million a year and only six staff. By 1994, only two years later, under Angelo's leadership, turnover had increased to over $11 million, with 27 full-time and 34 part-time staff. Today, Bickford's employs 450 staff across the country and has been a proud family-owned company of the Kotses family since 1999.

Of course, Bickford's is well known for its cordials, of which there are now 22 flavours, but it also has a wide range of premium juices, syrups for coffee, sodas, dairy-alternative iced coffees, and Fruit Splash water. I must admit, my favourite is their lemon, lime and bitters cordial. Many South Australian producers benefit from Bickford's success through supplying them with apples, pears, cherries, pomegranates and more, which they use to make their flavourful cordials and juices.

Bickford's state the primary objective of their supply policy is to initially source ingredients locally before widening to search to national and international suppliers. As Bickford's use real fruit juice in a large proportion of their portfolio, they are subject to fruit harvest yield, which means their supplier base will widen once they receive feedback from growers and intermediaries season to season. For example, their pomegranate juice, which is the bestselling pomegranate juice in Australia, contains a quantity of fruit that has been handpicked on their 90,000-tree orchard in the northern Mallee region of South Australia, which is then crushed at the winery in McLaren Vale and bottled in Salisbury South.

I am also advised that their first port of call for sourcing apples and pears is South Australia. However, the harvest yield does push them a little wider, with some of their pear concentrate coming from the New South Wales border area. Bickford's make it known on packaging and consumer communications when local ingredients are integral to the product proposition, adding pride and authenticity to the offer for consumers domestically and overseas in the 46 countries that they export to. Once again, congratulations to Bickford's Australia on reaching this significant milestone. May they continue to thrive for many more years and here is cheers to 150 years.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (17:38): I raise my glass to toast this motion by the honourable member and express my admiration for this great South Australian company that continues its enormous growth and its contribution to the South Australian economy, but also to pay credit to the owners, Angelo Kotses and his wife, Mary, for their innovation, entrepreneurial flair and business acumen in building up this drinks company which was all but nearly a forgotten historical beverage relic with negative equity when they took over in the 1990s.

I recall, while working at Today Tonight, we shot a story about Bickford's and Angelo taking charge after the tragic death of the company's owner, well-known businessman Guy Lloyd. Angelo was an impressionable young man on a mission to succeed and build the brand beyond what it was best known for: cordials and soft drinks.

Angelo and Mary had mortgaged their home to take ownership. Along the way, he made some very astute acquisitions, including alcoholic wine and spirit brands to add to its popular range, and the Wheel&Barrow retail homeware outlets: some 400 products across 35 trademarks—that is quite impressive. I have seen their brands in other countries I have visited. They now export to more than 47. I have not visited their new modern world-class production facilities as yet, but I had better put it on my bucket list.

Bickford's have been around since 1874, famous for their lime and bitter lemon cordials. Angelo has lifted the premium range of their cordials from 30 per cent market share to 90 per cent. That is incredible. Another incredible statistic: 12,500 bottles of their bestselling lime juice cordial come off the production line each hour.

It is fair to say that Bickford's was almost forgotten by consumers by 1992, when it was in Guy Lloyd's hands. There was not much more behind it than the old name and a few unwanted assets. Enter Mr Kotses, a graduate of the McDonald's fast food franchise and a young man with big ideas he put in practice. The rest, as they say, is history, and it has remained a privately held family company since 1999. Our paths have not crossed much since those days, although I do follow with interest Bickford's widening business footprint.

It would be safe to say that at least one of Angelo's products would be in almost every South Australian home. They are in mine. In fact, my wife, Angie, chides me every time I come back from the supermarket each weekend. 'Don't tell me you've bought another bottle of cordial,' she cries. Yes, I do, and what is more I have several flavours, but particularly our favourites: tropical; ginger; lemon, lime and bitters; and, of course, lemon barley.

I have a glass or two every night. I will not go to bed without drinking a glass of Bickford's premium cherry juice, which I can thoroughly recommend if you are looking for a great night's sleep. A University of South Australia study has found that consuming cherry extract is actually a great relaxant. A good friend of mine put me on to this drink, saying he had a fantastic outcome with it. That is Ian Henschke. He is a former national advocate's adviser. He rang me excitedly and said, 'You must have that.' I do, and it does work.

Mary Kotses is a breast cancer survivor, and is no longer a director of the company. Angelo shares his duties running the business with also being Mary's carer. Angelo humbly said in an interview recently that he has learned a powerful lesson in the 13 years he has stood by his wife in the toughest battle of her life. He describes it as the 'lesson of service for his best friend Mary' and says 'Nothing beats that'.

That reminds me of a couple of my favourite quotes by Muhammad Ali, actually. 'Don't count the days. Make the days count.' Another one is 'Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.' Congratulations to an enduring South Australian icon. Long may they reign on supermarket and other retail outlet shelves. I commend the motion and thank the member for bringing it forward.

The Hon. J.S. LEE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) (17:43): I would like to thank the Hon. Clare Scriven and the Hon. Frank Pangallo for their generous words and support, and their contributions. Maybe we should call him Dr Frank Pangallo today for providing some health advice in terms of how to utilise the Bickford's products. I am sure that through these contributions and the recognition in parliament today the Kotses family, as well as the Bickford's team, will truly appreciate all those acknowledgements of their success. It is a very proud South Australian company. To Bickford's 150^th anniversary, 150 years of sweetness and 150 years of sweet memories to all.

Motion carried.