Continental Taralli Biscuits taste the sweet bite of success in Japan

Continental Taralli Biscuits specialises in producing gourmet Italian-style biscuits including taralli, tarallini, crisp bread and biscottini, available in over 1,500 stockists in Australia.

Founded by John and Anna Viscione more than five decades ago, the business started with traditional Italian breads and sweets baked in a handmade wood oven for the local community, using traditional Italian recipes.

Today, with three generations involved in the business, John and Anna’s daughter, Sonia, is the Managing Director and has continued to bake using the family’s recipes and has increased the range available to include eight delicious flavours to choose from in their tarallini range, including lemon myrtle and sesame seed, and Kalamata olive and thyme, whilst their bite size biscottini is available in three flavours, including creamy vanilla and chia seed and espresso coffee and wattleseed.

With support from the South Australian Government’s Department of State Development, Continental Taralli Biscuits began their export journey, successfully entering the Japanese market at World Expo Osaka. The Italian gourmet biscuits are now available in Japan’s gourmet food store chain, Meidi-Ya, which describes itself as selling the ‘best quality foods, wines and spirits from all over the world’.

“We were invited to participate in trade shows, forums and product showcase events, which provided invaluable exposure and allowed us to present our products directly to international buyers,” explained Sonia. “The government’s guidance helped us understand market requirements, packaging standards and import procedures, which were essential in ensuring a smooth and compliant export process.”

Working closely with South Australian Government resources, including TradeStart export advisers, has not only provided practical assistance, but Sonia says it has also given the company the confidence to grow their business beyond Australia.

“Internationally, we currently export to Japan, Hong Kong and China through the support of our distribution network and, looking ahead, we are excited to explore opportunities in new international markets, particularly New Zealand, the Middle East, Singapore and the United States.”

“Having our products available internationally is incredibly rewarding and meaningful for our family business,” continued Sonia. “It represents the culmination of years of hard work, dedication and a commitment to producing authentic high-quality Italian-style biscuits. 

“Securing export deals presents a significant opportunity to grow our business here in South Australia. Expanding into international markets not only increases demand for our products, but also enables us to scale up production, creating additional employment opportunities across manufacturing, logistics, administration and sales. This growth supports the local workforce and provides meaningful career pathways within our community.

“Exporting enables us to build strong relationships with international partners and suppliers while showcasing South Australian craftsmanship and Italian heritage to a global audience,” explained Sonia. “These opportunities drive business growth, enhance our brand recognition, and support the long-term sustainability and reputation of our company, creating pride and opportunity that extends beyond our business.”

Expanding internationally has provided Continental Taralli Biscuits with the opportunity to strengthen its business operations, foster innovation and contribute to South Australia’s largest export, the food and beverage sector.