Workshop: Developing Food & Beverage opportunities through Value Adding.

Friday November 26th; 9.30-4.30pm. Tramsheds, Launceston.

• Explore the Hunting Ground for new product ideas.
• Find out the 3 Critical Components of a good idea.
• Learn how Consumer needs shape good product ideas.
• Connect with peers and industry leaders.
• Be inspired, informed and entertained by Tassie businesses who have succeeded.
• Hear the retailer perspective, and the drivers for value-led innovation.

You will understand and have tools to develop and test great new ideas of relevance to your business. You'll leave the day enabled to add value to your products and business faster, safer and easier.

Brought to you by Seedlab Tasmania in Partnership with Trade Tasmania, Department of State Growth.

Program:

9-9.30am: Arrival

9.30-9.35am: Welcome and introduction to the day: Dr Hazel MacTavish-West, Seedlab Tasmania.

9.35am – 9.40am: Minister Guy Barnett to give opening address.

9.40-10am: Drivers for Value-Adding: Dr Hazel MacTavish-West, MacTavish West Pty. Ltd.

10-12 pm: Tasmanian Case Studies on Value-Adding:

• Ruby Daly, Hellfire Bluff Distillery and Daly Farm.
• Julia Fisher, Freycinet Marine Farm.
• Andy Fist, Kooee Snacks.
• John Ranicar, Forager Foods.

12-12.45pm Lunch: 45 mins

12.45-1.20pm: The Retailers Perspective (the value chain and how it works): Jason McQuaid and Serena Anson-Cope, Woolworths.

1.20-2.35pm: Workshop Activity – Explore the Hunting Ground of Ideas and apply the 3 Critical Components to find the truly GREAT ideas. Andy Cooley, Story & Brand and the Seedlab Team.

2.35-3pm: Break.

3-3.30pm: Case Study: Value-Adding in Real Life: Anthony Houston.

3.30-4pm: Keeping Control of the Value Chain: Ray Butcher, Inoplus Pty. Ltd.

4-4.15pm: Wrap up Workshop Activity: Andy Cooley

4.15-4.30pm: Discussion and Close.

Our Speakers: Global Gurus and Local Legends.

Dr Hazel MacTavish-West, Seedlab Tasmania and MacTavish West Pty. Ltd. Hazel is a creative plant scientist & food industry consultant, with 30 years’ experience in innovation, natural flavours and fragrances, colours and bioactives. A food scientist and technologist, Hazel is actively involved in food innovation throughout the value chain, from primary producers through to consumers. Founder, Seedlab Tasmania. www.seedlabtasmania.com.au

Ray Butcher, InoPlus Pty. Ltd. started his career in supermarkets in the UK in 1970 with roles in operations, new store development, buying, marketing, product development, category development and training. As the director of Inoplus Pty Ltd Ray helps producers manage their business with supermarkets and supports the development of business opportunities with a focus on the numbers. A qualified Food Safety Auditor, Ray recently attended a lean manufacturing course in Japan and is an advocate for Lean Systems.

Andy Cooley, Story & Brand. brings 20+ years of senior creative experience in design, advertising, FMCG Innovation & NPD to Seedlab. Having designed brands for companies like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Suntory Japan; and created integrated ATL/BTL national advertising campaigns for companies such as Telstra, Australian Tourism Commission and Woolworths to name a few. After 30 years away, Andy is back home to help Tasmanian businesses tell their unique Tasmanian story, and foster local creative talent with his knowledge and experience.

Anthony Houston. Anthony Houston was the founder of Houston’s Farm, a national farming and food manufacturing company supplying fresh salad products to supermarkets throughout Australia. Anthony is a passionate conservationist and a member of Farmers for Climate Action working to ensure farmers are a key part of the solution to climate change.

Ruby Daly, Hellfire Bluff Distillery and Daly Farm. Hellfire Bluff Distillery is owned and run by the Daly family, and Ruby Daly has been an integral part of the business from the very beginning. Ruby’s passion, drive and determination has been key in making Hellfire Distillery what it is today - a premium spirits brand with a reputation for innovation and crafting unique products in wild and remote regional Tasmania. Ruby oversees all business operations at the distillery from product development, through to distribution, sales & marketing; working closely with the Head Distiller and the tight-knit Hellfire team.

Julia Fisher, Director, Freycinet Marine Farm. Since 2005 Julia, along with her husband, has overseen the business’ growth into one of the larger vertically integrated primary production/ agritourism businesses in the state. The business now has multiple marine leases that feed two busy eateries on the state’s east coast. The farm also offers three different tour options to national and international visitors through its partnerships with Saffire Freycinet and Oyster Bay Tours and through its own relationships with various national and international tourism wholesalers. Julia has developed a suite of value-added products using the farm’s mussels, they include pickled mussels, instant soups, and mussels in oil. The pickled mussel products can now be found in 8 different outlets in Tasmania and Melbourne. Julia plans to further increase production and distribution through larger retailers both nationally and internationally soon. They are marketed under the name Fishers of Freycinet. Julia Fisher. B.AppSci. (Rec plan and mgmt.)

Andy Fist, Kooee Snacks. In 2012 I accepted a job in New York for a start-up called Tough Mudder. The business quickly grew to $70M in revenue within a 3-year period despite some major flaws from within the business. This success despite the major issues ignited a spark within me that you don't need to be a genius to start a business. During this time, my now business partner Shaun Malligan was selling copious amounts of jerky from his office desk after becoming frustrated at the lack of healthy jerky options. He told me about this during a run through Central Park and we discussed how a health-oriented jerky could work in Australia and put together a business plan and KOOEE! was born in 2015. Fast-forward to 2021 and after many ups-and-downs Kooee! now has 2 major products (Jerky and Snack Sticks) sold in major retailers like Coles, Woolworths, Costco, and Harris Farm Markets. The KOOEE! team has rapidly grown from Shaun's garage to my tiny NY Kitchen, to our factory in Legana with 6 full-time staff. Looking towards the future Kooee! hopes to focus more on the E-commerce side of the business and is currently working on a few new variations of our existing product range.

John Ranicar, Director, Forager Food Co. John has been involved in the food growing and manufacturing industries for over 30 years, initially in aquaculture and value adding fish products but more recently in freeze drying all kinds of foods. Born in Tasmania and growing up on a farm with its own food processing facility, John was indoctrinated into the industry at an early age by his entrepreneurial parents.

The Forager business strategy has been to contract manufacture for other brands, supply manufacturers with raw materials as ingredients and develop its own branded products that are marketed Australia wide and exported to several other countries. Recently, John has negotiated with the Department of Defence Science Group for Forager Foods to operate their freeze dry meal production facility at Scottsdale.

Jason McQuaid (General Manager Chilled, Bakery & Deli) and Serena Anson-Cope, Woolworths Group.

Seedlab Tasmania: The Seedlab Tasmania Project is supported by the Australian Government through the Entrepreneurs’ Programme . In addition to sponsorship from other institutes/companies. Brought to you by Seedlab Tasmania in Partnership with Trade Tasmania, Department of State Growth.