When basic is best: All-plastic Australian Made Safety Food Peeler is bladeless and safe

When Jacklyn James designed the world’s first safety food peeler that was safe for children to use, she was proud to be giving children the ability to be more involved in cooking, in the process giving them valuable life skills and a better understanding of healthy eating. Recognising that the Safety Food Peeler also met the needs of the elderly and the disabled was another big win. However, what Jacklyn realised when she started researching how she would bring her product to market was that manufacturing locally would be one of her biggest selling points.

Australia’s reputation for high quality and safety manufacturing standards is renowned around the country and around the world, which is why the Australian Made logo is embossed into each individual Safety Food Peeler and promoted on all packaging and marketing materials too.

“I always refer to the logo at point of sale in-store and online and people often tell me it’s what draws them in – they instantly recognise and trust it,” Ms James said.

“Because the logo is a certification trade mark it plays a particularly important role in my online marketing, by assuring overseas buyers of the Safety Food Peeler’s quality and authenticity.”

Although the initial outlay involved in drawing designs and creating the cavity tool mould for the Safety Food Peeler locally was significantly more expensive than the offshore alternatives, the cost per unit to manufacture in Australia is very competitive, and Jacklyn says the money she saves on shipping and quality control has made the decision extremely viable.

“Manufacturing locally allows me to help keep jobs in Australia and support the plastic manufacturing industry, but it also makes sense financially, and my stock is on hand,” Ms James said.

Not only does Jacklyn create jobs by manufacturing in Australia, she packages locally too. Her Safety Food Peelers are packed by the Montague Street Special School in South Melbourne, which provides young adults with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to gain independence through work. 
 

Jacklyn has now been producing Safety Food Peelers for a year and a half and has sold more than 45,000 pieces. The product is so successful MINDA Inc SA intends on retailing it nationally. A contract was recently signed to allow MINDA to wholesale the Safety Food Peeler to major retail outlets under the MINDA Home Brand, providing a new revenue stream for Jacklyn to expand work opportunities for intellectually disabled people.

With clients ranging from everyday parents to carers, cooking schools, aged care homes, kitchen-garden programs and more, she has seen great success in Australia, and now has her sights set on export markets. Jacklyn recently launched the Safety Food Peeler in the USA and plans to target other countries over the next twelve months.

The Safety Food Peeler can be used by children and adults of all ages from two years old and upwards. It is Australian Made and Owned, BPA-free, dishwasher safe and suitable for left or right-handers. People with arthritis, haemophilia or motor-neurone problems can benefit from its stability and efficacy, and those who are vision-impaired can use the rough fingerprint embossed on every peeler as a guide.

For more information visit www.kiddiesfoodkutter.com.au.