Vic’s Meat scales its business with WOOLPACK
The challenge
Vic’s Meat transitioned to e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic and urgently needed high-performing thermal packaging to ship its meats. The challenge was finding a values-aligned partner that would supply this while maintaining the brand’s premium image.
Planet Protector’s solution
After adopting WOOLPACK, Vic’s Meat has been able to ship longer distances and expand into new markets. It now has a second operation in Victoria and is quickly scaling. Its customers have responded fantastically to the change; Anita Puharich, the company’s director, told us that they love the new packaging and value its focus on sustainability.
Introducing Vic’s Meat
Vic’s Meat is a family-owned butcher with 40 years of experience in the meat industry. As Australia’s leading supplier of premium quality meat, it supplies 75% of the country’s Top 100 restaurants, including the iconic Quay, Bennelong, and Firedoor. It has a nationwide reputation for quality artisanal meats, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it had to rethink its strategy.
Restaurants were forced to close and social distancing measures were put in place. To continue serving their customers in Victoria during the lockdown, Vic’s Meat transitioned to e-commerce.
The challenge: packaging that aligned with the brand’s image
It was confronted with a grave dilemma. Meat is a highly perishable item. For it to arrive in pristine condition, it must be packaged in a highly insulated carton. Vic’s Meat had been using polystyrene packaging, but it was aware that this did not align with the brand’s reputation as a premium service. In addition, the single-use nature of polystyrene went against its sustainability values and risked alienating its clients.
It needed a solution fast. Customers from all across Australia wanted to enjoy Vic’s Meat in their homes. It had to supply the product without compromising the cold chain or risking its reputation.
| “WOOLPACK’s superior thermal performance was a critical consideration for us. It performs consistently in the cold chain supply”
In the company’s early days, it used plastic packaging. However, due to its lack of insulation, the business was limited to shipping short distances. As such, it was very restricted in the markets it could serve.
The results: new markets and more business
Vic’s Meat chose WOOLPACK because of its unparalleled thermal performance, which ensures the product arrives in excellent condition. Because of this, the business has expanded into new markets. It now ships longer distances across Australia and reaches more customers. It even has a new second operation in Victoria!
The benefits of WOOLPACK aren’t limited to attracting new customers, it improves retention, too. The company’s director, Anita Puharich, told us that its clients love the packaging, notably due to its wool composition (Australia has a great affinity with wool!). WOOLPACK’s sustainability was fundamental to the transition, exemplifying the company’s commitment to its core values.
“The transition is so worth it. WOOLPACK has helped us grow our business”