Sugar Free-zies, which contain sugar-alternative stevia, have been an instant hit with fed-up parents wanting a healthy alternative and the diabetic community. Loading “We want to remove 500 tonnes of sugar from Australian kids’ diets every year, without them missing out on icy poles. I’ve been overwhelmed with the amount of positive responses from Australian parents since Sugar-Free-zies have been in production.” Determined to have Sugar Free-zies made in Australia, Andrew has invested $750,000 to import machinery to manufacture the icy poles in Melbourne. The business is entirely self-funded and he employs 11 people. Sugar-free soft drinks

Andrew has already conquered the sugar-free soft drink market, launching a range under the Naked Life brand in December 2016. The range is now available in more than 800 retailers across the country, including Woolworths metropolitan stores. “I’ve always been health orientated but my partner is fructose intolerant and couldn’t find a tonic she could enjoy, giving me the idea to launch Naked Life,” he says. Naked Life celebrated its largest month in sales yet in September 2018 and is now rolling out Australia’s first sugar-free, all-natural tonic water retailing nationally at 226 Dan Murphy stores. Naked Life revenues reached $2 million last financial year and is projected to grow to $3.5 million this financial year. Sugar Free-zies are made in Melbourne.

However, early indications suggest Free-zies sales can overtake Naked Life sales within the first 12 months. “Sometimes I’ve felt like I’ve bitten off more than I can chew, but we get so many emails from parents relieved that there’s now an alternative in the market, which spurs me on to keep growing the business,” Andrew says. But it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. “At one stage we had issues trying to get the product to freeze properly while still keeping it natural while the machine we had ordered didn’t arrive. It’s not been an easy journey.” A recent survey of 5,000 Australians commissioned by Sugar Free-zies conducted by ORC International found that 70 per cent of shoppers strong agree that sugar, additives and preservative-free is an important purchasing decision.

This isn’t Andrew’s first foray into the world of entrepreneurialism. He founded an online ties and cufflinks business at 23. “I remember seeing a guy wearing one of the ties I’d designed, and I rushed at him and asked where he had purchased it from, even though I knew full-well it was one of our designs.” He’s also launched a socks and underwear subscription business called The Pantless Postman and has been employed as a consultant working on strategy for businesses. But his online store was subject to a torrent of spam for men’s erection tablets during the busy Christmas holiday period, which ultimately cost him his business. “All my customers opted out over the Christmas and I couldn’t get hold of the guy who built the website. It was only a part-time business and I was ready for a change, but it was a good learning experience,” he says. Sugar-free sector growing There’s a strong appetite for sugar-free among Australian consumers, as manufacturers leverage ingredients such as natural sweetener Stevia.

Australians are taking a greater interest in low or no sugar alternatives when grocery shopping, according to research conducted earlier this year by Nielsen and The George Institute. And consumers are willing to pay higher prices for low sugar. “As shoppers become more health conscious, there are opportunities for both retailers and manufacturers to capitalise on this trend. Expanding product ranges to include low sugar or no sugar alternative offerings will open brands and categories to new buyers and also help retain shoppers that are looking to make a switch that suits their healthier aspirations,” a Nielsen spokesperson said. Sugar-free cake sales booming Sydney sugar-free entrepreneur Rachel Bajada has been enjoying strong sales on the back of a commitment to being 100 per cent sugar-free. Noshu is a range of cake mixes, donuts and muffins are currently stocked by more than 700 retailers nationally including Woolworths and is now set to take a bite out of the US market.