Maggie Beer group back in the black despite tough half
The company, named after beloved Australian chef Maggie Beer, is still considering a possible sale of its popular sidecar business after reversing its earnings.
Maggie Beer Holdings went ashore again on Friday after posting a net profit of $398,000.
The result for the six months ending in December was a striking turnaround from the previous period, when there were losses of more than $4 million.
Chairman Mark Lindh said the group had cut more than $2 million in costs from the business, revamped its board and completed a shareholder placement to improve cash flow.
“Delightfully, some of the most iconic Maggie Beer products have continued to deliver significant improvements in in-store sales and through an evolving export channel,” he said in a statement.
The largest segment, the Hampers & Gifts Australia arm, had a difficult half in the run-up to Christmas after losing website Traffic due to technology changes and speed issues.
The company, in which Ms Beer holds a two per cent stake, increased its advertising to offset this loss and was “moderately successful” but still faced the negative effects of competition.
“The second quarter, from October to December 2025, was difficult to negotiate due to Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales cycles persisting over an extended period of time,” he said.
Hamper merchandise sales, along with gross margins, fell 4.8 percent to $34.1 million; This led to the division’s underlying earnings (before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) falling 36 percent to $3.1 million.
The company said in early February that it had received “a number” of unsolicited and non-binding offers for the job and was “considering them as part of a broader review”.
The review evaluates potential alliances, mergers or changes in ownership.
“The company expects to be able to update the market and shareholders on the outcome of the opinion on or before full-year results,” he said.
The Maggie Beer Products arm increased net sales five percent to $18.8 million, driven by products such as cheese and broth.
Sales of the iconic Maggie Beer Verjuice increased by more than 52 percent, mainly due to increased exports.
“Increasing export sales in key markets where the Maggie Beer name has strong brand equity will continue to be the team’s key focus in the second half,” the company said.
The products division’s underlying earnings fell 63 percent to $404,000.
The company believes it is “well positioned” ahead of its full-year results due on 27 August.
It reported a statutory net loss of $24.3 million in 2024/25.
Maggie Beer Holdings shares traded flat at 8.1 cents on very light volume in the morning session.
Ms Beer founded the Maggie Beer Foundation in 2014 to develop food specifically for older Australians living in aged care homes.
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