Blog by FIAL

Although Kelp farming is common in other parts of the world, Sea Health Products owner Jo Lane believes her investigate farming is an innovative undertaking in Australia. The goal is to find a more reliable and consistent supply of Kelp for market.

Thought to boost immunity, improve gut health and accelerate healing, bovine colostrum has proven to be a viable option for milk producers seeking alternative ways of delivering value to consumers direct from the farm. South Gippsland Dairy is currently the only colostrum manufacturer in Australia.

Sarah Leung founded Alg Seaweed to address iodine deficiency by developing seaweed snack products. Although COVID-19 may have delayed the initial product launch, it gave Sarah time to step back and undertake solid customer research, rationalise the supply chain and finesse the product details.

From creating Australia’s first edible insect farm in 2007, Skye Blackburn has now established the Edible Bug Shop, which contains a range of products focusing on insects as the key nutritional ingredient.

What began in a home kitchen, Spiralz Fermented Foods is now a fully-fledged business offering a range of clean, raw, vegan fermented foods and tonics that are gluten- and dairy-free. The Spiralz mission is to educate and inspire with a focus on the link between gut microbiome and health.

Committed to local growers and a paddock to plate ethos, The Tasmanian Food Co helps showcase the artisans and farmers blending cutting-edge techniques with age-old traditions to create some of the finest fresh produce in the world, opening up new markets for many small producers.

The Smoked Egg Company has been involved in an exciting new technology which see raw eggs smoked in cool temperatures, extending their shelf life and introducing a deep smokey flavour to the eggs.

Vow is collective of innovators, engineers, scientists, artists and foodies working to reinvent food from the ground up. The team aims to create an entire food category that is sustainable, abundant and full of flavours and textures.

Fable Food Co and Glass House Brewery are true partners in crime. Fable Food Co has created a delicious mushroom meat alternative and is now partnering with Glass House Brewery to create vegan and vegetarian meals to capture a wider audience.

The Gourmet Coast Food Trail, with the support of FIAL, is promoting the South Coast region as an experienced-based destination. The company offers a variety of food and drink experiences to capitalise on increased consumer interest in provenance and food production methods.

Grounded food is challenging the vegan cheese category, using a blend of hemp seed and cauliflower to create a product that has an excellent nutritional value, flavour profile and consistency.

Hass Foods created a range of dry mix packet breads to increase vegetable intake via a fun and simple activity that keeps the whole family engaged. With the help of FIAL, the company was able to get the necessary equipment to commercialise the range and grow the business.

Jim’s Jerky products are positioned to enjoy the growing alternative snack market. Jim’s is built with success due to their innovative processing and clean, green and nutritious jerky.

Josh’s Rainbow Eggs is going form strength to strength, entering a new market for eggs eaten as snacks. FIAL’s support has allowed the company to mature and innovate and diversify and reduce risk.

The skyrocketing demand for native Australian ingredients, coupled with a heightened interest in immunity boosting products has created the perfect avenue of success for the Australian Super Food Co - the creation of a Vitamin C Booster supplement with Kakadu Plum and Finger Lime.

Care Food Co is improving the daily lives of people who have difficulty swallowing by developing a range of texture modified foods using high pressure processing. David McAuley explains how the support of FIAL has been central to maintaining momentum.

With the help of FIAL’s Cluster Grant Program, Central Coast Food Alliance is bringing industry, research organisations and governments together to collaboratively grow the food and beverage sector, create more local employment and grow SMEs capabilities.

Backed by Food Innovation Australia Limited, Keen Wah has successfully pivoted from a retail to an online model during COVID-19, creating nutritious quinoa and granola breakfast packs that can be delivered straight to the consumer's door.

The Dairy Australia Technology Assessment (DATA) scheme provides Australian dairy processors with financial assistance to assess the commercial viability of new technologies or practices. The DATA scheme aims to reduce business risk and accelerate technology uptake.

Dairy Free Down Under produces dairy-free cheese blocks, shreds and slices, along with snack packs, condiments and a range of dips. Kevin Flanagan explains how FIAL’s ‘Meet the Buyer’ events and ongoing support were key to the brand’s international market entry.