Interview - Michael Sanz - Waddling Wombat

Isn’t it great when you can order a range of food categories from the one supplier? From Waddling Wombat, you can purchase pasta sauces and pestos, savoury condiments, sauces and spreads, curry pastes, mayos, and so much more. We spoke with Director, Michael Sanz and got the scoop on how the company keeps customers happy.

FFW: Who is behind Waddling Wombat?

WADDLING WOMBAT: My wife, Michelle, and I took over Jude’s Foods a bit over a year ago from the original owner Jude and have now rebranded as Waddling Wombat.

FFW: What can your customers expect to purchase from you?

WADDLING WOMBAT: Our customers can expect 100% Australian owned and made products. We aim for the highest percentage of Australian contents possible in all products. We supply a wide range of gourmet food you won’t find on supermarket shelves, from pestos to honey and salad dressing to rice puddings! There’s so much variety, you’ll be pressed for choice. Our customers range from the home chef to restaurants catering to discerning tastes to people putting together gift baskets that are sure to please.

FFW: What is the common thread that ties all your ranges together?

WADDLING WOMBAT: They are all gourmet products that are made in small batches to ensure the best possible taste and flavours. And of course, all products are proudly Australian made and owned.

FFW: What kinds of products are in the ranges?

WADDLING WOMBAT: The range is very extensive to try and ensure there is a wide variety of items for everyone. We have something for the chilli lovers in chilli sauces, chutneys, curry sauces, and chilli jams, the pasta lovers with gluten free pasta, and a range of pasta sauces and pestos. For the sweet tooths there are the biscuits, chocolate dipping sauces, humbugs, rock candy, and jams. This does not even touch on the salad dressings and mayos either. There is something for almost any tastebud.

FFW: Can customers purchase from multiple brands in a single order?

WADDLING WOMBAT: Yes, we work to be as flexible as you need. We are happy to supply from multiple brands within a single order.

FFW: Do you have minimum order quantities by brand?

WADDLING WOMBAT: As part of our approach to be as flexible as possible we do not have a minimum quantity on ordering products. If you wish to order a single jar of a product from multiple brands, we are happy to accommodate that order.

FFW: Do you ship Australia-wide?

WADDLING WOMBAT: Yes, we currently ship to our customers all across Australia. We check multiple couriers to find the most cost-effective shipping method for your order.

FFW: What kinds of foodservice operators are purchasing from you?

WADDLING WOMBAT: We have a range of wholesale customers across the retail range from grocery stores and delis to gift outlets and homewares stores. We are currently expanding into cafés, restaurants, and residential care facilities.

FFW: What makes your ranges so ideal for gifting?

WADDLING WOMBAT: Our range is ideal for gifting as we have a nice mix of hero items and complementary items to build out an ideal gift basket. The breadth of our range gives options from spicy food lovers to sweet tooths. As we are happy to open boxes and send you only the quantities of items you need, it gives flexibility to design the perfect gift for any occasion.

FFW: Are you able to supply bulk quantities for foodservice operators?

WADDLING WOMBAT: Yes, we can provide foodservice quantities from most of our product range. We are happy to discuss the foodservice range and show you what we can offer.

FFW: Are there any particular ‘hot sellers’ at the moment (products or brands)?

WADDLING WOMBAT: Hot sellers at the moment are the Doodles Creek range of mayos and the Charmain Solomon curry pastes. As we approach summer, the Guava Gourmet balsamic vinegar will start to come back in taste as an amazing base for salad dressings or meat marinades.

FFW: What benefits do your customers receive for purchasing multiple brands from Waddling Wombat?

WADDLING WOMBAT: We aim to help reduce the number of supplier orders you are having to submit. We are all busy and placing and stock receipting one large order is always going to be more time effective than placing a large number of small orders with numerous suppliers.

FFW: What are some of the benefits for retailers and foodservices businesses for offering your products to their customers?

WADDLING WOMBAT: You will be able to offer your customers amazing tasting, high quality, Australian made gourmet foods. With people more conscious than ever about where their food came from and that it has as few preservatives and additives as possible, you will be able to tell them it was all made in Australia with high quality Australian ingredients.

FFW: Will you be bringing any other brands to the Waddling Wombat stable in the future?

WADDLING WOMBAT: Yes, we are always looking at new products and ranges that meet our 100% Australian made and high percentage Australian ingredients to add to our already extensive collection of brands.

With such generous ordering flexibility and such fabulous and varied products, there’s every good reason to explore Waddling Wombat today.