Simplot Australia

What Simplot Australia does

Simplot Australia Pty Ltd is the Australian and New Zealand operating subsidiary of the privately held U.S. food and agribusiness J.R. Simplot Company, established in 1995 when the parent acquired a portfolio of iconic Australian food brands. The company manufactures and distributes frozen, shelf-stable, and chilled food products — including vegetables, seafood, pasta sauces, snacks, and value-added meals — under heritage brands such as Birds Eye (since 1949), Edgell (since 1926), Leggo's (since 1882), John West, I&J, Chiko, and Captain's Catch. It operates five manufacturing facilities across Tasmania (Ulverstone, Devonport), Victoria (Echuca), and New South Wales (Bathurst, Kelso), processing approximately 300,000 tonnes of potatoes and a further ~150,000 tonnes of vegetables from over 300 Australian growers each year.

The business is vertically integrated from farm through processing to branded distribution, with proprietary technologies including Individual Quick-Freezing (IQF) tunnels, radio frequency processing for coated seafood, automated robotic pack lines (15 lines across sites), and an 8MW natural-gas co-generation plant at Ulverstone. Production capacity includes 60M+ cans and 21M+ Chiko rolls annually at Bathurst, and the Devonport plant produces 144 SKUs as Australia's last scaled frozen-vegetable processor.

The revenue model is B2B food manufacturing sold primarily through direct field-sales relationships with the major Australian grocery chains (Woolworths, Coles, IGA) and through a dedicated Simplot Foodservice channel serving hospitals, aged care, sporting venues, and quick-service restaurants, with additional foodservice volumes via third-party distributors. Customer segments split between Retail Consumers and Foodservice Operators as the primary horizontal segments, with secondary exposure to Food Relief (via the 25-year Foodbank Australia partnership) and Sustainability-Conscious Consumers. Pricing is transaction-based, negotiated per key account, with consumer shelf pricing ultimately set by retailers; brand licensing and co-manufacturing arrangements (e.g., Leggo's sauces produced for Foodbank) provide ancillary revenue streams.

Name

Simplot Australia

Legal name

Simplot Australia Pty Ltd

Website

https://simplot.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Simplot Australia is the Australian and New Zealand subsidiary of J.R. Simplot Company, manufacturing and distributing frozen, shelf-stable and chilled food products under heritage brands (Birds Eye, Edgell, John West, Leggo's, I&J, Chiko) through five plants to retail chains and foodservice operators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Frozen and Shelf-Stable Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing (311412), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171), Frozen Fruit, Juice, and Vegetable Manufacturing (311411)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK), Seafood Specialty & Premium Cuts (Loins, Steaks, Portions for Foodservice) (AFANALAL)

Keywords

• Frozen food manufacturing
• Shelf-stable food production
• Canned vegetables processing
• Seafood product manufacturing
• Foodservice distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Mentone

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. B2B Food Manufacturing and Sales: Simplot Australia generates revenue through manufacturing and selling frozen, shelf-stable, and chilled food products to retail and foodservice customers. Products are sold under owned brands (Birds Eye, Edgell, John West, Leggo's, I&J, Chiko, etc.) to major retailers and foodservice operators.
2. Brand Licensing and Collaborative Supply: Revenue generated through brand licensing arrangements and collaborative supply programs such as the Foodbank Collaborative Supply Program where Simplot manufactures products (Leggo's sauces) for partner organizations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Simplot Australia manufactures and sells frozen, shelf-stable, and chilled food products under owned brands (Birds Eye, Edgell, John West, Leggo's, I&J, Chiko, Harvest, Captain's Catch, Raguletto, Seakist, Ally, Chicken Tonight, Five Brothers, Top Sail, Providore d'Italia) to major Australian grocery retailers (Woolworths, Coles, IGA) and foodservice operators. The company operates five manufacturing plants across Tasmania, Victoria, and New South Wales, producing potatoes, vegetables, seafood, pasta sauces, snacks and ready meals, supplemented by a dedicated B2B foodservice division.

Product overview

Simplot Australia is a diversified food manufacturing and agricultural business offering a broad portfolio of consumer brands across frozen foods, shelf-stable canned products, seafood, and sauces. Its core brands include Birds Eye (frozen vegetables, fish, and plant-based products), Edgell (canned and frozen vegetables), John West and I&J (seafood), Leggo's, Chicken Tonight, Raguletto, and Five Brothers (pasta sauces), Chiko (snacks), Harvest (canned meals), Seakist and Ally (canned seafood), Top Sail and Captain's Catch (foodservice seafood), and Providore d'Italia (Italian grocery). The business also operates a dedicated B2B Foodservice division supplying over 300 products to hospitality, healthcare, and quick-service operators. Products are manufactured across five Australian plants (Bathurst, Devonport, Echuca, Kelso, Ulverstone) sourcing over 450,000 tonnes of Australian-grown potatoes and vegetables annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Birds Eye: Leading frozen food brand featuring frozen vegetables, fish products, and plant-based options.
• Edgell
• John West
• Leggo's
• I&J
• Chiko
• Harvest
• Captain's Catch
• Raguletto
• Seakist
• Ally
• Chicken Tonight
• Five Brothers
• Providore d'Italia
• Top Sail

Products and services

• Birds Eye Frozen food brand offering frozen vegetables, fish fingers, fish fillets, and plant-based products for retail consumers in Australia.
• Edgell Brand offering canned and frozen vegetables, including beans, corn, peas, sweet potatoes, and snack-time legume products for Australian retail consumers.
• John West Seafood brand offering canned tuna, salmon, and value-added seafood products such as Salmon Bowls and Protein+ Calcium Tuna Dip for Australian retail consumers.
• Leggo's Pasta sauce brand offering Napoletana, Bolognese, and other Italian-inspired sauces for Australian retail consumers; also produced for Foodbank's Collaborative Supply Program.
• I&J Seafood brand offering a range of fish and seafood products sourced with a focus on responsible and sustainable seafood practices for retail consumers.
• Chiko Iconic Australian snack brand best known for the Chiko Roll, a fried snack roll containing vegetables and chicken/flavourings, produced at Bathurst.
• Harvest Canned ready-meals brand offering heat-and-eat hearty meals including curries and stews that take three minutes to prepare.
• Simplot Foodservice B2B foodservice division supplying over 300 products to hospitals, aged care facilities, sporting venues, and quick service restaurants via foodservice distributors and a distributor finder portal.
• Captain's Catch Foodservice-focused seafood brand delivering consistent quality seafood expertly sourced for the hospitality and foodservice industry.
• Top Sail Premium foodservice seafood brand delivering consistent quality seafood since 1980, designed specifically for the foodservice channel.
• Raguletto Pasta sauce brand offering Italian-inspired sauces for retail consumers, acquired from Symington's in 2016.
• Seakist Tuna brand offering canned tuna products that are a source of Omega-3, commonly found in Australian pantries.
• Ally Pink salmon brand offering affordable canned salmon that provides a good source of Omega-3, notable for its 'Quick as a wink, Ally Pink' advertising heritage.
• Chicken Tonight Cooking sauce brand offering chicken-flavoured pasta sauces and cooking sauces, acquired from Symington's in 2016.
• Five Brothers Pasta sauce brand inspired by Tuscan cooking traditions, offering authentic Italian pasta sauces and sugo, acquired from Symington's in 2016.
• Providore d'Italia Italian food products brand offering premium Italian-inspired grocery items, part of Simplot Australia's extended brand portfolio.
• Birds Eye Plant Based Greek Lamb Style Strips Plant-based meat alternative product from Birds Eye, providing a lamb-style strip format for retail consumers seeking plant-based protein options.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of potatoes in products sourced from Australian growers
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Foodbank AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Simplot Australia has a longstanding partnership with Foodbank Australia spanning more than 25 years. Through Foodbank's Collaborative Supply Program, Simplot manufactures products including Leggo's Napoletana and Bolognese sauces for food relief. In FY2026, more than 300,000 jars will be produced - equivalent to about 1.2 million meals. Since 2011, over 2.5 million units have been donated.
• Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFGC is the voice of the Australian food and grocery supply industry. Simplot Australia is represented on various groups and committees within the AFGC, allowing collaboration on issues facing the food and grocery industry in Australia.
• Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSedex is a not-for-profit membership organisation dedicated to driving improvements in responsible and ethical business practices in global supply chains. Simplot uses Sedex's online platform for managing and improving working conditions in supply chains.
• Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPCO is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Simplot Australia is a member and submits annual APCO reports and action plans to advance packaging sustainability.
• End Food Waste Australia / Stop Food Waste AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnd Food Waste Australia is a partnership of organisations committed to reducing Australia's food waste by half by 2030. Simplot is a founding member, contributing to programs that build a more sustainable, resilient and profitable food system.
• PacificalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimplot has a long-established partnership with Pacifical, leaders in promoting sustainably and socially responsibly caught skipjack and yellowfin tuna from the Pacific Region. The partnership provides assurance that vessels meet sustainability and human rights standards.
• Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSSI is a public-private partnership working to turn seafood into a driver for good to preserve oceans and drive more sustainable seafood. Simplot participates in advancing these efforts.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSC is an international non-profit organisation focused on protecting oceans and safeguarding seafood supplies. Simplot works closely with MSC to advance sustainable seafood efforts and won the MSC Best Sustainable Seafood Product award in 2024.
• Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASC focuses on accelerating transformation of seafood farming towards sustainability through certification programmes. Simplot won multiple ASC awards in 2024 including Best Responsible Seafood Brand (I&J) and Best Responsible New Seafood Product (Top Sail).
• Global Squid Supply Chain Roundtable (GS SR)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGS SR engages supply chains to launch and implement improvement initiatives for long-term sustainability of squid fisheries. Composed of European and North American importers and buyers of squid sourced from Asia-Pacific and South American fisheries.
• WWF-AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimplot has worked with WWF-Australia since 2011 to develop sustainability requirements for John West skipjack tuna range, supporting fisheries to achieve MSC certification through Fishery Improvement Programs and investing in Pacific Island conservation projects.
• MRAG Asia PacificcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMRAG Asia Pacific collaborated with Simplot to develop the Responsible Seafood Sourcing Program, supporting advanced policy and framework for sustainable seafood sourcing.
• Karrkad Kanjdji TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimplot supports the indigenous rangers of Warddeken Land Management by facilitating delivery of food and supplies into remote aboriginal communities of Kabulwarnamyo and Manmoyi. Rangers manage the Warddeken Indigenous Protected Area spanning 394,951 hectares in Western Arnhem Land.
• Ronald McDonald House CharitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimplot has a long and proud history of working with Ronald McDonald House Charities both in Australia and the United States. In 2022, Simplot Australia was recognized as being a supporter of the Victorian Gala Ball for 25 years.
• Australian Food PactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSimplot was the first company to sign the Australian Food Pact, a voluntary agreement with major Australian food companies to tackle Australia's $36.6 billion food waste challenge. Led by Stop Food Waste Australia, the Pact aims to halve food waste by 2030.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• SunRice: Australian-listed rice and grain-based food company. Comparable as a regional Australian food manufacturer with branded retail products and foodservice distribution, though operating in different product categories.
• Bega Cheese: Australian-listed diversified food company with brands in dairy, snacks, and grocery. Comparable as a publicly-listed Australian CPG food manufacturer with similar retail channel exposure and branded portfolio strategy.

Direct peers

• Ingham's Group: Australia and New Zealand's largest poultry producer and a major prepared/frozen foods manufacturer. Comparable in scale, Australian/NZ market focus, and dual retail/foodservice distribution model.
• Riviana Foods: Australian food manufacturer of rice, sauces, condiments, and ethnic food products. Directly comparable in pasta sauce and shelf-stable categories where Simplot competes with Leggo's and Chicken Tonight.
• McCain Foods (Australia): Global frozen food leader with major Australian manufacturing operations in frozen potatoes and vegetables. Most direct competitor to Simplot's Birds Eye and Edgell frozen vegetable lines and Ulverstone potato processing.
• Goodman Fielder: Leading Australian/NZ packaged food company with iconic brands in bread, dairy, oils, sauces, and condiments. Highly comparable multi-category CPG manufacturer serving same major retailers and consumer base.

Broad incumbents

• Conagra Brands: Major US packaged food company with extensive frozen and shelf-stable portfolios including seafood and vegetables. Comparable as a multi-category CPG manufacturer with branded frozen foods, sauces, and seafood offerings.
• Lamb Weston Holdings: Global leader in frozen potatoes (French fries, formed potatoes) supplying foodservice and retail globally. Highly comparable to Simplot Australia's Ulverstone potato processing operations and Birds Eye frozen potato product line.
• Tyson Foods: One of the world's largest food companies with prepared foods, protein, and seafood operations. Comparable in scale, multi-category branded portfolio, foodservice channel focus, and vertically integrated supply chain.
• Nomad Foods: European frozen food company that owns the Birds Eye brand globally (except Australia/NZ where Simplot holds it). Comparable in branded frozen vegetables, fish, and prepared meals across retail and foodservice channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/simplot-australia-pty-ltd

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Simplot Australia