Embedding a marketing function and launching two brands into major retail

Overview

Reservoir Partners was Mackays Marketing's first external marketing partner, engaged initially to develop marketing strategy and evolving into a three-year retainer that embedded a consumer marketing function, led and up-skilled a team of three, and launched two new brands into the Australian retail market.

The Opportunity

Mackays Marketing was an established fresh produce business and market leader in bananas, papayas and avocados, with strong operational capability but no embedded consumer marketing function. As competition intensified and retail expectations grew, there was a clear need to build internal marketing capability, develop a structured strategic approach, and create branded propositions that could compete and grow in major retail.

Our Approach

Engaged on retainer for three years, Reservoir Partners led and mentored an internal team of three, providing both day-to-day strategic support and longer-term capability development, while also supporting the wider business across category, retail and commercial priorities. We developed marketing strategies across the business, facilitated brand positioning and identity for two new brands (Ruby Rise Red Papaya and Arlo Avocados), led NPD including a first-to-market avocado 4-pack designed for Woolworths, and developed retail, digital, social and PR strategies. The engagement was structured from the outset to build lasting internal capability, with the goal of the team operating independently by its end.

The Outcome

Over three years, Mackays Marketing developed a fully functioning internal marketing capability and successfully launched two branded products into the Australian retail market. The engagement demonstrates how embedded strategic support can simultaneously deliver commercial outcomes and build lasting organisational capability, leaving the business stronger and self-sufficient.