FANmail June 2022

FANmail June 2022

This post is part of our monthly FANMail newsletter for everything Sunshine Coast Food & Agribusiness.

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To our FAN Community,

We hope the winter school holidays are treating you well (they come around quickly!).

This month we’ve commenced in earnest the roll-out of the Regional Action Groups. We are pleased to finally share that this significant undertaking has been made possible with the support of Advance Queensland. We encourage you to participate in the upcoming workshops – being held across our four regions.

We also look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming Meet the Female Makers event – full details below. This event forms part of The Curated (side) Plate – and is hosted in collaboration with the Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Network.

Emma also sends her best wishes – she was fortunate recently to take part in a food industry leaders tour of the Netherlands in partnership with KMPG and FIAL (some insights and pics below). We look forward to sharing key insights from this ground-breaking tour at upcoming Member Meet ups and Masterclasses.

Yours in collaboration,

Nicole McNaughton.

Table of Contents

FAN Action Groups

We are looking for local leaders, innovators, problem solvers, risk takers and forward thinkers to be part of developing our local regional Action Plans.

The plans will be developed over two workshops with a focus on growing a strong and resilient food and agribusiness industry in the Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Gympie and Moreton Bay regions. Workshops will be delivered in a hybrid model both in-person or virtually. 

Join us for our monthly member meet ups, which will follow after the July workshops.

These Workshops and Action Plans have been made possible with support from Advance Queensland, Sunshine Coast Council, Noosa Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council.

FAN Impact Groups

 

FAN Impact Groups are being scoped around key opportunities that members have identified, such as

  • Future Workforce
  • Circular Economy
  • Food Waste
  • Smart Supply Chains,
  • Carbon and Natural Capital.

In early stages we’ve scoped with members their interests. Next, we will go deeper to understand our local strengths, assets and resources via symposiums bringing together both content and context experts to explore possibilities, define areas of opportunity and identify key stakeholders and partners.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST HERE

Join us Friday July 29 – for this very special event as part of The Curated (Side) Plate. We join forces with the Sunshine Coast Business Women’s Network to present Meet the Female Makers – a celebration of the Sunshine Coast’s amazing female food and beverage producers.  

Meet and hear the inspiring stories of Roz White (White’s IGA), Kirra Daley (Beachtree Distilling) and Kristina Kucan (Silver Tongue Foods) and a selection of other amazing female makers and growers –  MCed by Emma Greenhatch FAN CEO (and 2021 Sunshine Coast Business Woman of the Year) and Min Swan SCBWN President. 

Enjoy a sumptuous 3 course lunch – curated by Damien Grimes of The Lakehouse Sunshine Coast – celebrating locally grown produce from FAN members.

Seats are strictly limited – so book early to avoid disappointment!

BOOK HERE.

Member Opportunities

Sunshine Coast Business Awards


Info Session Wednesday 6 July
Applications for this year’s Sunshine Coast Business Awards are open. Interested in learning more about the awards and missed one of the recent info session – join this online session. 

Moreton Bay Business and Innovation Awards


These awards return in 2022 with an expanded program to celebrate the Moreton Bay region’s business community. Applications for this year’s awards – are open and close Sunday 17 July. Finalists will be announced at the 2022 Gala Awards hosted on Friday 21 October.  FIND OUT MORE HERE.

Seaweed as a functional ingredient 


Valued FAN supporter USC: University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia is undertaking a research project into the potential use of seaweed as a functional ingredient in food and beverage manufacturing. Complete the survey here and go in the draw to win a $200 JB Hi-FI voucher.

Upcoming Grants

Ignite Ideas Fund


Ignite Ideas funding is available to commercialise highly innovative and new products or services that are at minimum viable product stage or beyond. 
Tier 1 Up to $100,000 (exGST) 
Tier 2 Greater than $100,000 and up to $200,000 (exGST).
EOI close July 7

Activate Ecotourism Infrastructure.
Funding of up to $2m matched will be available for infrastructure projects by established tourism operations in Qld; businesses or not-for-profits. Projects must be commenced within six months of the funding announcement and completed by June 2024.
EOI close July 19

EMDG Grants
Applications for Round Two of the Export Market Development Grants will open on Wednesday 6 July 2022 at 9:00 am for 6 weeks, closing at 4:00 pm on Wednesday 17 August 2022.  EMDG is an eligibility-based, demand-driven program.  Each year the program helps between 3,000 and 5,300 Australian SMEs start or expand their export business. MORE HERE.

Out & About

Australian Food Industry Leaders on tour as part of the KMPG Traction Tour.
Barry Irvin Chairman of Bega Cheese and Emma Greenhatch FAN CEO.

Food Industry leaders tour of the Netherlands
In the past month Emma has had the fortunate opportunity to take part in tour of the Netherlands as part of the KPMG Traction Program. The innovative program bought together senior executive and emerging Australian agrifood leaders to accelerate the agribusiness sector’s growth to and beyond $100 Billion.

Some notes from Emma
Greetings from a train travelling through the Dutch countryside. I’ve had the phenomenal opportunity to spend 10 days with an engaged group of Australian food leaders – I’ve established some great new relationships, strengthened existing ones, and explored some potential new projects  – which I look forward to bringing to life with our members, when I return.

FAN was the only cluster organisation on the tour (a privilege to be funded by FIAL to participate), and I had many conversations with delegates who were interested in our collaborative ecosystem model and also the Turbine project.

There are so many insights I look forward to sharing – but my overall takeaway is that we have a lot to be proud of in Australian food and ag. From how we’re responding to climate impacts to the innovation that’s happening in our own backyard. What we do need to improve, is our alignment between industry and research, more collaboration around key industry challenges and be better at telling our story with a united voice.

Cheers,
Emma.

Member News

Locovores Podcast!


White’s IGA recently launched a brand new podcast, LOCAVORES. The FANtastic Roz White has hit the recording studio to talk to some of our regions most inspiring local suppliers, producers and entrepreneurs.
Every episode is a deep dive into the world of #locavore life – LISTEN HERE and get to know the people and the stories behind your favourite locally made goodies.

The Craft official launch


Congrats to long term member Dave Jarrett on the launch of The Craft – recently opened in Flaxton.  The Craft showcases the immense strength and diversity of the Sunshine Coast craft brewing industry and provides a central site for locals and tourists to taste the region’s top beers alongside American style comfort food and local live music.

CC’s Big Rosella Festival


A big congrats to our very own Rosella Queen CC Diaz-Petersen and Farmer Greg – on the 7th Annual Big Rosella Field Day and Official Opening of their new commercial kitchen! Missed the event – read more about it – and CC and Greg’s new agritourism offering thanks to ABC Sunshine Coast. 

Member Spotlight

In this month’s Member Spotlight – we take 5 in 5 with valued long term FAN Member Natalie Dalton from Frozen Sunshine.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever received?
We’ve received a lot of great advice over the years but one story that I often recollect is “Will It Make The Boat Go Faster?” Back in 2017 when Frozen Sunshine participated in the first round of FAN’s Grow Coastal Program I was introduced to the story of how the underachieving Bristish Men’s Eight rowing team turned their performance around in 2 years and went on to win Olympic Gold by challenging everything with the question: “Will It Make The Boat Go Faster?” If it did, they would keep doing it, if it didn’t they’d try something different. As entrepreneurs we get a lot of business advice from many different people and sometimes it can be easy to get distracted by things that ultimately don’t help us to achieve our goals.

What’s your favourite business podcast / book / website?
I recently discovered SYSTEMology by David Jenyns and am completely obsessed with the book and the podcast. For small business owners trying to systemise and scale their business, this is a must read. 

From our industry, who inspires you?
From the very beginning of our business journey I have been inspired by Jeni Britton Bauer, American ice cream maker and entrepreneur. I’m inspired by her creativity and transparency and her commitment to social and environmental responsibility.  

What’s one thing you would have done differently in your business?
I’m a big believer in serendipity and really feel that everything happens for a reason. The challenges we’ve had along the way have all been a big source of learning and personal growth.  

What’s your favourite food or beverage?
It’s hard to narrow it down but some of my all-time favourite foods are Meredith Dairy’s Marinated Goats Cheese, Kokopad’s Classic Macnuts and Lisboa Caffe’s Portuguese Custard Tarts.

Our Supporters

Special thanks to FAN’s Partners and Sponsors who provide significant resources towards the ongoing sustainability of FAN and the growth and resilience of our regions’ food and agribusiness industry.

AQ-QG
MoretonBay
EPIC
FIAL
Fishbowl
Gourmet-Garden
HOT91
KBI
NewEra
NoosaCouncil
RDASunshineCoast
SRJWW
SuccessfulGrants
Sunshine-Coast-Council
USC

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