Given the general decline in GVP for the Australian wild capture prawn industry (from $364 million to $232 million in the last 15 years), and particularly the loss of traditional export markets, the industry needs to focus on optimising value in the domestic market. However it has become apparent that the current and established business models being pursued by many wild harvest prawn companies are not set up to optimize the domestic market opportunities. The change from an export focused to a domestic focused business requires companies to have a better understanding of the competitive landscape and of the customer and distribution channel requirements (for both quality and service) in domestic markets in order to identify and exploit new market opportunities. However, it appears this knowledge is currently not available or, in the case of a number of completed CRC consumer surveys, not being well extended to the Australian prawn industry to faciliate changing business models to increase profitability.

This project aims to work with committed prawn industry leaders to extend current results from previous CRC and other consumer/market studies, identify gaps and if necessary commission further research to identify new domestic market opportunities. Subsequently industry leaders will be empowered to work with all chain participants resulting in identification of supply chain innovations (in service and quality) and promotionional strategies required to meet the identified opportunity. Subsequently all chain participants will agree collectively to co-invest to implement the required strategies. The participatory action nature of the research, with identification, commitment and active involvement of industry champions and all chain participants being mandatory to the process, represents an innovation in CRC research and should ensure commercial outcomes.