APAC 2017 Australian Enterprise Awards

42 APAC / Australian Enterprise Awards 2017 , AE170044 Best Personal Care Product Producer 2017 Natures Organics has become an industry leader, with the success of its Australianmade and owned operation currently providing employment for a skilled workforce of 130men and women, each dedicated to their role of creating and producing sustainable product alternatives. We invited Jake Gauci to tell us more about the firmand the products it provides. Natures Organics has a commitment to producing naturally based environmental household cleaning and personal care products dating back to the 1950’s. The pioneering founder of Natures Organics, Terry Dowel, was the first person in Australia to process and stabilise aloe vera gel, and was also closely involved in assisting the initial development of Environment Protection Authority (EPA) standards. Since the beginning Natures Organics has been dedicated to providing products with the use of plant based ingredients, biodegradable surfactants and sustainable packaging. In the early 1980’s its product range began to evolve to cater to an ever changing marketplace. What has never changed is our passion for remaining true to the ‘back to nature’ inspiration behind its name, as Jake explains. “At Natures Organics our motivation is based on a philosophy of creating environmentally responsible products, of the best quality, at the lowest possible price. We do this not only to make them more readily affordable to Australian families, but to reward and provide incentive for people to do the right thing; to protect our planet and make the important shift to more eco-sensitive alternatives. “It does not make sense to develop advanced products that ‘don’t cost the Earth’, then charge a premium that unfairly prevents anyone from purchasing and using them. Across our household cleaning and personal care offerings, our unwavering aim is to combine the best in green attributes with product qualities that succeed in meeting users performance expectations, along with outstanding value for money. The easier we make it for consumers to be environmentally aware, the more likely they are to get on board which is better not only for the planet, but for their hip pocket as well. “The use of quality environmentally responsible formulations, persistence in finding natural alternatives to chemical ingredients, ongoing investment in research and development and a firm belief in sustainable packaging has seen Natures Organics grow to produce more than 54 million units a year. Our range of over 120 products, encompassing laundry, dishwashing, household cleaning, skin and haircare categories is available through major supermarket chains throughout Australia and internationally.” It is this focus on providing high quality, natural products, that sets the firm apart from its competitors, as Jake is eager to showcase. “Overly aggressive cleaning products still dominate supermarket shelves, including those which are everyday household names and have been around for years. Even though many people are starting to give considerable thought to the impact of the products they put in their supermarket trolley, there is reluctance by consumers to move away from these well- known “big brands”, despite the environmental damage they can cause. “As such, we are pleased to be able to offer more natural, environmentally responsible alternatives that minimise chemical waste and pollution, but still meet your performance expectations, at similar if not cheaper prices. When enough consumers make the choice to purchase environmentally responsible products, multi- national corporations will have no choice but to align themselves with the shift. In turn they will be forced into becoming more accountable for what and how they produce and look at changing their ways. Only then will we see positive changes throughout the industry. Essentially, our views for a better future is what helps us drive a our purpose.” As such, Jake and his team have strong plans for future growth as they seek to build on their current success and go even further, as Jake proudly concludes. “Fundamentally, Natures Organics’ ongoing growth has enabled us to keep looking to the future for those next steps our products and company can take. We are in the midst of a few exciting projects: the installation of over 5,000 solar panels onto our warehouse roof and the extension of our factory. The solar panels will mean we will be one of the largest solar stations in the southern hemisphere, powering our entire factory and warehouse during the day (with sufficient sunlight). The extension will assist in accommodating our growth, allowing us to plan for more product creations and retailer alignments.” Contact: Jake Gauci Contact Email: jake.gauci@ naturesorganics.com.au Address: 31 Cornhill St, Ferntree Gully, VIC, 3156, Australia Phone: 0061 3 9759 0300