THE BIGGEST YEAR OF AUSTRALIAN CHEESE EVER!
Welcome all to the annual post event report for the MOULD Cheese Festival for 2023.
And what a year it was seeing not only record numbers, but cheese sales across the board and in each city we visited.
As a result, we have a mountain of brie-lliant (ahem) insights, knowledge and cheesy facts and stats to share with you so strap yourself in, get settled and perhaps grab a little cheese board before diving into this years report.
But, to put it mildly... 👇🏻
MOULD - A CHEESE FESTIVAL is a 12,000 person audit on the current state of play of Australian cheese across four states of Australia from the east to the west coast.
As bold a statement that may appear, the truth is in the sales data and considering the volume of transactions, and various age groups we attract (particularly younger), we’ll stand by it.
But what can we say, 2023 was the biggest year for the Mould Cheese Festival in both people through the doors but also for cheese sales for the wonderful makers, growers, farmers and families who make up the greater MOULD Collective.
So let’s get stuck in …
BRISBANE:
May 12 - 14
Kicking off our 2023 tour, we headed back to the John Reid Pavilion, and what a start to the tour it was, breaking all previous attendance records for REVEL events in the state but also saw a dramatic increase in accompaniment sales showing audiences were keen to add all the things to their cheese plates.
Spread over four sessions, 2400 cheese-loving folks joined us over three days; including the cheese-worthy occasion of Mother's Day. As for the numbers, Brisbane folk always come to savour and shop with overall average sales per person up 15% on 2022.
Whilst average sales of cheese per person remained similar to last year ($45 - 48), it could have been higher if producers and makers had more cheese to sell on event days. But add to that, it was the cheesy side hustles that made a big impact on sales on the day.
Brisbane continues to prove to be a growth city with plenty more to give.
The people are there and ready. We just need more cheese!
2400+
Peoples joined us
$115.50
avg spend per person
Up 15% on 2022
$8,875
average sales per cheese vendor
Up 35% on 2022!
$29
spent on Accompaniments
With total sales up a whopping 214% on 2022!
MELBOURNE
June 2 - 4
Our home town did not disappoint making this the biggest MOULD Cheese Festival ever in both attendance and overall sales. Over 3500 people joined us at The Timber Yard in Port Melbourne with all praising cheeses from across the country. Again, we saw an increase in spend per person of 15% which is incredible considering the media conversation about cost of living.
Speaking of cheese, alongside the veteran makers, we were also excited to have some fantastic small Victorian producers join us in varying capacity. We love showcasing all artisanal producers and will continue to work with smaller makers to help them be represented if on a smaller scale.
The key take away from the weekend? We need a bigger house and we’re pleased to say we’ll be moving to the Royal Exhibition Building in 2024 so get ready set for an even bigger year of cheese.
In addition, we had incredible coverage with both ABC and Channel 7 running segments on Australian cheese (plus shout outs on Channel 9) further spreading the good word on Australian cheese.
3500+
attendees joined us!
(up 15% on 2022)
$121
average spend PP with 40% of that on cheese.
Up 10% on 2022
$7,700
average sales per cheese vendor
2 tonne
cheese sold and consumed on event days!
SYDNEY
June 30 - July 1
MOULD Sydney was again held at Carriageworks over three sensational sessions spread over two days. The people responding in kind and there was one very clear take away, we need another session to manage the audience demand.
What this will do is further increase cheese sales for providers and make it more aligned to the other capital cities.
Again, overall average sales per person were up 15% continuing the trend and fun fact, Sydney was the city with the highest cheese sales per person almost reaching $50.
So bring on a Sunday session next year!
2800+
Attendees joined us!
$120
avg spend per person
(up 15% on 2022)
$6,800
average sales per cheese vendor
(Up 20% on 2022)
$49.50
Avg Spend on Cheese PP
(highest of all cities)
PERTH
August 25 - 27
The last time team REVEL was in Perth was 2019 (with Pinot Palooza) so the anticipation of a return west was real. When adding in a cheese festival, the result was insane enthusiasm.
Building on the learnings on Hobart last year (the previous MOULD X Pinot Palooza event), we were keen to prove this model outright as a way to engage with the smaller capital cities outside of the ‘big three’ east coast ones.
Heading west wasn’t a small task and despite the logistical dance we all had to make, the response was more than enthusiastic. With barely two emails sent to our audience there, the local media lapped it up selling out the event almost two weeks before we arrived in town.
By the end of day two, the message was clear. This is going to be an annual event with audiences taking full advantage of the offerings on hand especially from those who made the journey.
Whilst we saw a similar sales breakdown to Hobart last year, Perth made up for it in volume with many producers having to manage stock to ensure we made it to the Sunday.
They were keen, interested and came to buy.
Whilst we know it's a long way to go, this is a motivated and enthusiastic audience who are seeking the products you produce. We believe this will become one of the biggest festivals we produce and the opportunity to grow for years to come as long as we have the cheese producers to manage the demand.
Shout out also to the TRIBE Hotel for offering us affordable room rates and how much fun was the shuttle bus to and from the venue!
You in?
2600+
attendees joined us!
$124.50
avg spend per person
The HIGHEST of all our events combined
$8,710
avg sales per cheese vendor
$44
Avg spent on both cheese & wine
(though slightly more on cheese!)
There is no denying the MOULD audience is an engaged one who is dead set keen to meet and greet the makers, growers, farmers and families that just happen to make the best darn Australian cheese in the country.
This year, we again saw a similar demographic but the biggest insight was their engagement. There is most certainly a core group of dedicated ‘curd nerds’ but also, we saw a high percentage of first timers. In fact, over 60% of ticket purchases were new to the festival meaning we’re reaching more and more people and with previous attendees spreading the good cheese words amongst their friends.
This is not just awesome, but powerful for a wider range of story telling.
Not only that, they are coming to buy and buy big. With overall sales up 15% per person, they’re looking for an exerpeince and a whey (ahem) to engage directly with primary producers.
They're technically savy, seek and engaged.
77％
under the age of 45
59％
Under the age of 35
65％
women
80％
engaged with us online via mobile
Yep, we’re CURD NERDS so get strapped in as we're about share with you all the insights and understandings we gained from this years event. Whether it be how much cheese is sold, and what kind, or the milk type or more, it all adds up to some fascinating insights.
Every year we get to know more and more about our audiences in each city, the trends and the nuances so we share this with you to better help prepare you for future events.
And let’s tell you, each city truly does have a varied personality!
As we say, the more we know, the better we can prepare you on event day and with such historical data now on hand, we can now drill down to individual producers and show how their sales have gone over the years.
One thing is for sure, and no matter what people say, our audience LOVES Australian cheese and are damn happy to pay for it.
As we said at the beginning, MOULD A CHEESE FESTIVAL is now a 12,000 person audit on the current state of play of Australian cheese on the east coast of the country and beyond.
The sales data alone offer insights into style preference, milk popularity and, perhaps most importantly, highlight the demand for good Aussie Cheese.
11,500 +
joined us on event days
Up 20% on 2022!
$120.50
average spend per person
(up 15% on 2022)
8.5 TONNES
of cheese sold and consumed on event days!
HUGE!
32
different Australian cheese brands joined us (up 7 from 2022)
175 🧀
different cheese on tasting
$8,320
average sales per vendor per city
(Up 30% on 2022!)
$48
per person spent on cheese
(This remains consistent for each city the past two years!)
0.7kg
avg weight of cheese purchases per person
(Again, this remains consistent for each city the past two years!)
4 units
AVG cheese purchases per person
20％
increases in overall sales on the day compared to 2022!
It's clear here that our audience is seeking a broad range of cheese styles and in particular, they love a good festival pack from an individual producer. These packs are commonly sold when a maker has three or four cheese maximum.
It makes sense as it means less time talking through less cheeses meaning you see more and guests can taste, purchase and keep moving.
It's important to note we cap attendee numbers based upon the number of cheese producers we have with us. More people does not mean a better event nor more cheese sales; it's all about the balance.
Also, note Sydney was only three sessions and will increase to four in 2024.
If there is one chart to give you confidence in Australian cheese, this is it.
Don't tell us Australians won't pay for for quality Australian cheese. They clearly do!
WANT EVEN MORE STATS?
If you'd like to get into the nitty gritty and deep dive into the results per city, follow the link below!
CURD NERD ALERT!
ABC NEWS Segment from Melbourne syndicated on the east coast
(right click to download full version)
SYDNEY Segment
Spreading the good cheesey word about Australian cheese is what the MOULD Cheese Festival is all about and not just on the event day itself, but in the lead up as well as post.
It’s why we again partnered with Common State to manage all PR and media communications.
Online media in the lead up aside, special mention must go to the extraordinary coverage on television in each state with some cities segments being syndicated nationally. This not only further increases the overall media reach, but adds significant amplification of the Australian cheese message.
As an example, the Saturday night segment on both ABC national, and Channel 7 in Melbourne saw an additional 300 tickets sold for the Sunday session. This increases vendors sales significantly.
Other traditional media outlets again played a key role but it truly was digital publications like Broadsheet, Urban List and Concrete Playground (in Perth especially) that helped us see each event sell out.
In addition to the Common State team, our digital agency, Bolster, managed all our paid advertising who help us target our key audience and ensure our content was being seen by those who wanted to see it.
All in all, the numbers speak for themselves but even they are saying, we need bigger venues as there remains plenty of interest.
19, 986, 550
Cumulative PR reach (up 20% from previous year)
25
radio pieces across all cities
93
unique pieces of media
31
unique online and print media articles
7
Primetime slots across Seven News, Nine News, ABC News and 10 News First with 58 syndications boasting a combined reach of 2,529,583 (up from 1,014,780 in 2022)
Always coveted. Always fascinating. Always hotly contested.
Again, this years People's Choice offers a fascinating insight into what is happening on the ground, what people are ‘liking’ versus what they are ‘buying’. Sometimes it matches. Sometime it doesn’t but that’s the fun bit, right?
Voting was done via our MOULD Cheese Festival App which was accessed via QR codes placed on all stands and more. By simply ‘liking’ a cheese or ‘favouriting’ a producer it all gets counted to the grand total.
From a guest perspective, it also allows them to create their own cheese list and then email it to themselves so they know what they’ve tasted, liked or loved.
Close to 30% of attendees used the app which is high in comparison to other event apps.
So below, are the top cheeses by city as well as overall cheese producer who coveted the most votes.
For comparison, we've added in the cheese sales by kilos and items as well.
Yep, we love the data!
NATIONAL WINNER - Most Popular Cheese!
MILAWA Aged Blue
Its a crowd favourite for sure and for the second time (or is it third?) time running they take out the big gong.
Clearly, the people like it stinky!
NATIONAL WINNER - Most Popular Producer by total votes!
VANNELLA
With a total of six cheeses on tasting, our audience clearly loved them all as when we added up the total votes by producer for each of their cheeses, across all cities, VANNELLA came out on top.
We're frankly not surprised, these fresh cheeses are delicious and they always a festival spirit.
BRAVO!
CATEGORY WINNERS!
CHEESE OF THE YEAR
The votes were cast and here are the top cheeses for the entire MOULD Cheese Festival Tour for 2023.
What we love here is the broad range of cheese styles from many different regions. So good!
CHEESE PRODUCER OF THE YEAR
Gee this was a close one as it was made up of overall votes / 'likes' for all cheeses on tasting, then accumulated for an overall popular vote. We'll be sending you, the producer, a special award to proudly show off at your cheese cellar door!
MOST POPULAR CHEESES IN EACH CITY
AND HERE IS WHAT THE SALES DATA TOLD US FOR COMPARISION
2024 is shaping up to be an even bigger year of cheese and we know you’re all excited to lock in the dates into you calendar.
Securing dates is always a ballet of venue availability, avoiding conflicts with other events (Good Food & Wine Show, GABS and Dark Mofo) as well as ensuring, most importantly, you have a good enough break in-between them to … you know … make the cheese!
So, after much hard work, please see the current confirmed dates for 2024.
We lock in the east coast cities but also return West to Perth.
In addition, we’re also working on getting back to Adelaide and or Hobart but more on that later.
Lock these in the diary and register your interest now!
MOULD X Pinot Palooza
MOULD x Pinot Palooza is hybrid event concept which allows us to visit other, smaller capital cities. By combining both brands, this event model allows us to not only increase attendance capacity without having to compromise the overall integrity and event experience for both producer and guest alike. It also means greater sales for each individual brand.
Trialed in Hobart in 2022, the proof pf concept was certainly confirmed with Perth in 2023 and whilst we had believed these smaller events to be bi-annual, it’s clear we need to return to Perth annually. For cities like Adelaide and Hobart, we’re looking to return there on a bi-annual basis. These are key cities that love a good festival. By combining the two event brands, its means the combined media power of them both. We love this concept and look forward to expanding upon it in 2024 and beyond.
A NOTE ON MELBOURNE
Melbourne is ready to be the biggest celebration of Australian cheese this country has ever seen.
We have secured the entire Royal Exhibition Building space and are working on two scenarios which will be determined by you.
1. We do three massive sessions on Friday and Saturday only (2500pax per session) or
2. Do four sessions as usual but capped at 1500 pax per session.
To commit to option 1, we need all cheese producers to increase the number of staff to manage the volume of guests.
2500pax per session is a big jump from 1500!
Delivering the very best of Australian Cheese!
Thats out mission at the Mould Cheese Collective.
Born out of Covid in May 2020, the MOULD Cheese Collective was established to help Australian cheese makers sell your wares to audiences directly. With festivals, restaurants and retail closed, services like this were critical to ensuring your businesses survived and our customers received the best darn cheese in the country.
Since then, we’ve shipped thousands of boxes, and in the early days even delivered them ourselves. Challenges of lockdowns aside, we have loved every curated cheese box we shipped and by doing so, allowed us to share the cheesemakers stories with you throughout the year outside of the festivals themselves.
Fast forward to today, and the world is a very different place with a new set of challenges.
We don’t need to explain to you how the costs of everything have increased, from the cost of making the incredible cheese we love itself, but the overall cost of living, to packaging, logistics and all that surrounds.
The MOULD collective has not increased its prices since we began in May 2020 and to be direct, we had a tough decision to make.
1. Dramatically increases our prices to cover the skyrocketing costs of cold chain logistics and packaging or …
2. Make the tough call to close the cheese delivery / subscription service.
Sadly, we have made the decision to close the cheese delivery side of the business for we didn’t feel comfortable on what we would have to charge to continue it viably.
This has been a very tough call but sadly, a necessary and timely one seeing we are about to enter the hottest months of the year.
The December box will be our last with the final shipment being dispatched from December 5th.
MOULD, and REVEL and Pinot Palooza for that matter, has always been about connecting you the cheese (or wine) lover with the producers who make it directly.
Festivals are really what we do, and do well, and with them now back in full swing, our small team have decided to focus on exactly that.
However, and we can’t stress this enough, where we all put your food dollars right now and always, makes a huge and direct impact on small businesses and we’ll be strongly encouraging our audience to continue to do this.
It's why we’ll be encouraging them to buy direct from you, the cheesemaker, each and every month of the year via our newsletter and social media channels. We’ll continue to share your stories throughout the year to ensure your message is heard loud and proudly.
We know supporting cheese makers directly is still the best way to ensure your businesses not only continue to not only operate, but grow.
Here is a little insight into what 2023 at the MOULD CHEESE COLLECTIVE looked liked
3 tonnes
of cheese sold
3800+
happy customers
38
Australian cheesemakers showcased
To everyone who joined us in 2023, and to all who have joined us in previous years, or simply celebrated, championed and or cheered from the side lines, we say a massive THANK YOU!
This year was a massive one and the MOULD Cheese Festival continues to grow and grow in celebration of great Australian cheese.
If you're keen to join us for the 2024 TOUR, or would like to know more about anything, simply register your interest via the link below and or simply email us at hello@mouldcheesefestival.com and we'll get right back to you.
Until then, cheers!