Australian Made Week kicks off at Aussie manufacturer AlphaFit

On Monday 24 May, Elyse Knowles kicked off the first-ever Australian Made Week at Gold Coast manufacturing business AlphaFit, urging shoppers to say ‘g’day’ to one extra locally made or grown product per week to help boost the country’s economy over the next 12 months.

According to recent Roy Morgan research, if every household spent an additional $10 a week on Australian Made products, it would inject an extra $5 billion into the economy each year and create up to 11,000 new jobs. An achievable outcome, as 93% of Australians have a preference for Australian Made products.

At the launch, Australian Made Chief Executive Ben Lazzaro said Australian Made Week called on shoppers to actively focus their buying activities on genuine Aussie products carrying the trusted green-and-gold kangaroo logo after a challenging year for many Australian businesses.

“While Australia’s over-reliance on imported products has been highlighted in recent times, it has also brought into sharp focus the many benefits of buying Australian. As a result, there has been a significant increase in consumer appetite for Aussie products,” said Mr Lazzaro.

“When you buy Australian Made, not only are you getting products made to some of the highest standards in the world, you create jobs, now and into the future, and support thousands of Australians throughout the supply chain. Australian Made Week was a great opportunity to celebrate all the great things we make and grow, and commit to reassessing our shopping habits and prioritising Aussie products on a more permanent basis.”

Australian Made licensee and third-generation steel manufacturing business, AlphaFit hosted the launch at its Gold Coast factory.

Co-founder of AlphaFit, Bobby Montesalvo, said Australian Made Week helped highlight Australia’s world-class manufacturing processes.

Mr Montesalvo said, “We hope that we get more people to consider the flow-on effects of their purchasing decisions. When they buy Australian-made products, they’re supporting local businesses like AlphaFit and the people that work here.”

Watch a wrap of the launch below: