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Black Swan prepares to make a summer splash

Party time ... Black Swan guacamole dip.
Party time ... Black Swan guacamole dip.Samuel Scrimshaw

So where did the Black Swan come from? It's a question you might ask as you're watching the latest television advertising campaign for this popular brand of dip and yoghurt. The name, after all, has been on our supermarket shelves for 30 years.

And now the black swan himself is lurking in supermarket aisles and at summer parties, with telepathic powers.

"We knew that our brand awareness was very high but we also realised that people hadn't heard about Black Swan for quite some time," says senior category manager Simon Jackson. "We hadn't run a major advertising campaign since 2008.

"Our decision to have a cheeky and slightly irreverent black swan as our brand ambassador was a way of showing how our products are able to help people when they are making decisions in the supermarket, and how they can be used during social occasions."

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The slogan "Black Swan has been bringing people together since forever" sends a clear message about the brand's evolution too, Jackson says.

The Black Swan brand was first sold at the South Melbourne Market in 1985. The dips were all made by hand at home. At first, only a caviar dip was available, but the range slowly expanded to include tzatziki and hommus.

The black swan was selected to be the brand icon for its uniquely Australian heritage. "The distinct and graceful appearance of the black swan is unlike any other bird," Jackson says. "They are highly adaptable, being equally adept at flying and swimming. And just as dips can be shared with others or eaten alone, the black swan enjoys the company of other swans and is equally contented swimming solo."

There's a smart new packaging line-up on fridge shelves too. It features strong black labelling and the swan insignia and helps create a clear distinction between the "Classic" range of dips such as tzatziki, hommus, guacamole, caviar and avocado, and the "Crafted" collection of gourmet offerings which includes Baby Spinach & Fetta, and Basil, Cashew & Parmesan, and also new release items such as Spiced Pomegranate & Walnut Hommus.

The Greek-style yoghurt collection is made to a traditional recipe and includes unsweetened and low-fat choices, a detox breakfast yoghurt with active probiotics and a gourmet vanilla bean yoghurt. "Our low-fat Greek-style yoghurt was the first of its kind in Australian supermarkets," Jackson says. Demand for lactose-free yoghurt has grown in recent years, and Black Swan has responded.

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"Much has changed since 1985, but our commitment to flavour has remained," Jackson says. "We still ensure that all of our products are superior in quality and full of mouth-watering ingredients."

Black Swan employs a team of award-winning chefs and food technicians to develop new flavours in line with international trends and evolving consumer expectations. "Inspiration is drawn from a variety of sources, but in the end, flavour is everything," Jackson says.

The ingredients for all 36 dip varieties and the six styles of yoghurt are sourced locally wherever possible. "Many of our suppliers have been with us for more than 20 years," Jackson says.

Black Swan's state-of-the-art Clayton-based manufacturing plant, which employs more than 90 staff, ensures all products are manufactured in Victoria.

As summer approaches and the entertaining season arrives, Mr Jackson says production at the plant increases. Black Swan sells more than 20 million containers of dip and yoghurt across Australia each year. Peak season is November to March, he says.

"Our dips are used in family meals all year round," Jackson says. "But when the weather gets warmer and people celebrate outdoors, dips become an essential part of the party. Just ask that cheeky black swan."

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