LESS than a month after being cut from Woolworths stores outside of Victoria and Tasmania, Kooka’s Country Cookies has secured a nationwide online shopping contract.
The Donald business announced this week its biscuits would be sold on Aussie Farmers Direct, making them available to shoppers all over Australia.
Kooka’s spokesperson Kerry Vogel said it was a step towards recouping the business lost from the Woolworths decision.
“We’re hoping it will make a big difference, but it’s a new venture so it’s a bit early to say how much impact it will have,” she said.
“Aussie Farmers Direct have warehouses in each state so they will be available to people who do shopping online.
“They gave us a ring and after a bit of discussion we decided to go with them, seeing as they’re an Australian company like us.”
Kooka’s made the announcement on its Facebook page – where it also announced its loss of business from Woolworths in a post that attracted 13,693 shares and 2,504 comments.
Ms Vogel said it showed the potential of social media for small businesses who have a strong connection with their community, and who produce a quality product.
“Quite a number of people have gotten in touch with us since then to see if we’re interested in partnering up, so there’s still a few things in the pipeline,” she said.
“We’ve had such an overwhelming response from the community as well.
“But at the end of the day, as a small Australian business, if people aren’t prepared to support us then there isn’t much we can do about it.”
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The business employs 28 people in Donald, a town with a population of 1700.
In a statement, Aussie Farmers Direct said it was eager to help out when it heard Kooka’s story.
“We wanted to help by making their delicious biscuits available to our customers across Australia,” the statement reads.
“Kooka’s produces its quality Aussie made cookies in the small town of Donald, Victoria which has a population of just 1,700 people, many of whom rely on the business for their livelihoods.”