A surge in demand from Chinese tourists for western-style vitamins has helped Blackmores reap record sales and profits.
The vitamins and nutritional supplements maker lifted its first half profit 54 per cent, while sales jumped by more than a fifth.
Driving the growth was Blackmores's Australian division, with sales up 29 per cent and earnings up 61 per cent on the back of demand for vitamins from Chinese visitors.
"When Chinese tourists come to Australia we see increasing demand for brands like ours, which they'd like to have more of in Asia," chief executive Christine Holgate said.
"It underpins the importance of our Asia growth strategy."
The opening of free trade zones in China last year is expected to encourage further growth in the second half of the 2014/15 financial year.
"We're only really just starting to trade inside the free trade zone now, so it's a significant opportunity for the future," Ms Holgate said.
"Particularly as we have secured a licence to directly trade within the zone."
Blackmores's net profit for the six months to December 31 was a record $18.6 million, while sales rose 22 per cent to hit a fresh high of $206.4 million.
Blackmores Asia delivered a five per cent sales increase but earnings fell 15 per cent, partly because of political turmoil in Thailand.
Excluding Thailand, the division lifted sales by 17 per cent.
With a new Thailand general manager in charge, Ms Holgate is confident about the country's medium term prospects.
"Over the last 40 years we've seen eight periods of civil unrest. They're a very resilient community," she said.
Blackmores's shares rose by $1.80, or 4.3 per cent, to $44.00.
The stock has doubled in the past year and is just off its record high of $44.70.
BLACKMORES PROFIT IN GOOD SHAPE
* Net profit of $18.6m, up 54 pct from $12.1m
* Sales revenue of $206.4m, up 22 pct from $169.6m
* Fully franked interim dividend of 68 cents per share, up from 44 cents
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