2020 Native Ag+Food

IDEAS2BUSINESS Cohort

We aim to make a wide ranging, far reaching and long lasting global impact on agrifood systems

Food Futures Company launched Australia’s first early stage accelerator focused on the native ag+food sector.

This customised Ideas2Business program involved 12 weeks of coaching and mentoring support to help native ag+food start-ups to test ideas and build confidence and capability to launch new products and new business ventures.

From aquaponic farms to unique value-added food products sourced through ethical value chains, our customised native ag+food Ideas2Business alumni were comprised of teams making an impact in the sector.

Food Futures Company is committed to working in partnership with the Traditional Owners of the land on which we live, learn and work. We acknowledge their continuing cultural, social, environmental and economic connection to land, sea and community, and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Niyoka Bundle

Meet the cohort

Meet some of the teams who took part in the 2020 Native Ag+Food Ideas2Business Program.

ARALUEN HAGEN

14K Brewery

Having identified a growing culture of non-drinkers with the market tipped to grow at 5% YoY growth to reach $1.5B by 2025, Araluen entered the program wanting to explore several alcohol-free alternatives.

DOUG & TRACEY GOEBEL

Native Oz Bushfoods

Tracey Goebel and her husband Bunjalung man Doug, run a 16-hectare native farm located in Ropely, Queensland. The team create value-added native food products including salts and jams and have been developing a native education garden.

DOMINIC & ANDREW

Edible Reconciliation

Edible Reconciliation was formed as a joint venture between native food grower and Yuin man, Dominic Smith (Pundi Produce) and well-known South Australian native food chef Andrew Fielke (Creative Native Foods).

NIYOKA BUNDLE

PAWA Catering

Melbourne based, Indigenous entrepreneur Niyoka Bundle and her husband Vincent Manning founded Pawa Catering, a fusion of native ingredients paired with Western-style foods.

EDDY & SCOTT

SOTA

Eddy Nye, a regenerative agriculturist and Scott Triana, founding member of Bailey Nelson joined the Ideas2Business program with an idea for a range of sparkling water beverages infused with native ingredients.

LEEANNE BARLOW

The Origin Food Co

Leeanne Barlow, founder of The Origin Food Co. joined the Ideas2Business program with an idea to incorporate native ingredients into everyday ready-to-eat meals that would address consumer requirements for healthy, convenient options.

HAYDEN MARKS

Melbourne Bushfoods

Hayden Marks, a young entrepreneur from Victoria founded Melbourne Bushfoods in September 2019 with a social mission to bring native ingredients to the forefront of Australian minds and pantries.

RACHEL MCMILLAN

McMillan & Drew

Rachel McMillan, co-founder of McMillan & Drew, specialist growers and garden designers, is a landscape designer and horticulturist.

Selection Panel

Food Futures Company has Indigenous members and representatives of Indigenous organisations forming part of the selection panel who assisted in the review and selection of all participants in the program.

The competition was really tough amongst those that applied to the 2020 Ideas2Business Program and we acknowledge the effort that was put in by all!

The selection panel had a challenging job to select the final 12 amazing teams.

Dr Christine Pitt

Food Futures Company

Ms Skye Raward

Food Futures Company

Ms Eloise Leaver

ThincLab

Mr Peter Crane

Food Futures Company

Mr Michael Davis

Agribusiness Development Manager (Indigenous Land & Sea Corporation)