Distance is not hindering trade ties between Australia and Cambodia, with more Australia-made products likely to reach Cambodian shores soon.

Chocolates, wine, beer and infant baby formula are some Australian products that have landed in the local market.

Newly appointed Australian ambassador to Cambodia Pablo Kang says the “two-way trade flow is very modest”, at around A$600 million last year.

But the numbers could change with demand for Australian goods on the rise.

“The good news is that there is significant scope for further expansion, and this includes not only traditional sectors such as education.

“High-quality food is also a growing area, with Australian food brands, plus a wide range of Australian wine and beer, readily available on supermarket shelves.

“And the renewed [interest] on Royal Ausnz is another very positive step,” Kang said in his speech at the Brand Ambassador Presentation and Dinner with Dealers event organised by the Royal Platinum Co Ltd last week and held in the capital.

Royal Platinum is the distributor of Australia-based Royal Ausnz’s infant formula products in the Kingdom.

Currently, the Cambodian company distributes nine Ausnz products, mainly infant formula, and targets importing another six similar products this year.

Australia is the major exporter of infant baby formula globally, exporting around A$2.6 billion worth.

“Consumer research indicates that it is the high quality of Australian infant formula that is generating this level of growth. As incomes increase in Cambodia, we can similarly expect there to be growing demand for Australian infant formula.

“Royal Ausnz is one of our quality producers. Based in the Murray region of Southeastern Australia, they already export to mainland China and Hong Kong, and Vietnam and we are very pleased with their presence here in Cambodia.

“Each tin of their formula carries the prestigious Australian-made kangaroo logo – made with at least with 98 per cent Australian ingredients,” Kang said.

Royal Ausnz produces formula for all groups – babies, children, adults and pregnant women.

At present, Royal Ausnz is the best selling Australian formula in Cambodia.

At the same event, Royal Platinum introduced its new brand ambassador Neang Sovathana – popularly known as DJ Nana – who has been actively promoting online educational health videos.

It was another novel step by Royal Platinum, which has been operating since 2015, to promote maternal and infant health across the Kingdom to ensure young mothers deliver healthy babies in the future.

“As a product representative, I will be making a lot of health education videos in which I will share information that I have been researching about becoming a mother and about maternal and baby health.

“It is the responsibility of parents to take good care of their health. If we fail to take care of ourselves, when we give birth to our babies, our child will also not be healthy,” Sovathana said.

Over the past two years Royal Platinum has stepped up its efforts in promoting awareness campaigns among young Cambodian women.

“Our aim is to raise awareness of women’s and baby’s health, and highlight the risks of [following] some superstitions or misunderstanding among women, especially during pregnancy,” said Royal Platinum managing director Chea Sunsopor.