Advanced Food Manufacturing grants program
The University of Adelaide, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences was awarded
$90,000 to develop innovative management practices to achieve year round supply
of premium pasture-finished cattle in the Limestone Coast region. In collaboration
with Teys Australia, Limestone Coast beef producers and NAS Agribusiness Naracoorte,
the University’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences aims to implement novel
grazing systems that increase productivity and allow more cattle to meet premium
specifications, resulting in higher value for South Australian beef.
The Food Programs team at Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) promotes collaboration between industry, researchers
and government. The Advanced Food Manufacturing (AFM) program supports projects that translate new and existing research
into practical outcomes and focuses on raising the technical and business capabilities of food manufacturers.
As part of Round 3 in 2016, PIRSA has partnered with Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL), boosting the funding available
under the program. This exciting partnership has been formed under the South Australian Food Innovation Centre, an initiative
supporting the growth of our state’s food and beverage industry.
The grant provides an excellent opportunity to collaborate with beef
industry stakeholders across the value chain to develop production systems
that underpin consistent supply of high quality pasture raised beef.
• Round One: $1.23 million was awarded to nine projects on 30 June 2014, which included $694,000 of State Government
funding and industry co-funding of $542,000.
• Round Two: $1.9 million was awarded to 10 projects on 30 June 2015, which included $500,000 of State Government funding
and industry co-funding of $695,600.
Dr Stephen Lee, Senior Research Associate, School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
This brochure shows the exciting projects in collaboration with their research and technical partners from the second round of
the AFM grants program.
Program information
South Australian Seafoods are Australia’s largest mussel
farming operation, supplying live vacuum packed mussels
under the Boston Bay brand. The company received a
$30,000 grant to develop a premium value-added range
of mussel products. In collaboration with food safety
experts in SARDI and food technology consultants, the
new range of mussel products aims to have extended
shelf-life for domestic and export markets.
The most valuable aspects from this is the
collaboration and partnership with the science providers
and what we learn by sharing each other’s knowledge.
Mark Andrews, General Manager,
South Australian Seafoods
The AFM grants program will support co-funded projects
with industry and research or technical partners that aim to
strengthen the food industry’s innovation capabilities and
improve productivity, profitability and export competitiveness.
The grant offers the
opportunity to finalise and
commercialise exciting research
work that will support local manufacturing,
employment and encourage premium exports
from South Australia.
Andrew Ferguson, Managing Director, Ferguson Australia
Ferguson Australia is a leading Australian harvester and exporter
of Southern Rock Lobster, King Prawn, Giant Crab and other seafood
products. The company received a $30,000 grant to develop valueadded extracts from underutilised Southern Rock Lobster co-products.
In collaboration with Mitani Products and Austanz Chitin, Ferguson
Australia seeks to explore opportunities in food flavouring and
pharmaceuticals from rock-lobster co-products.
A grant of up to $100,000 for jointly funded projects will be
awarded on a competitive basis. Preference will be given to
those projects that can demonstrate a focus on delivering a
functional or luxury product.
AFM grants may support:
• the development of innovative food products that feature
novel food sources, higher value food performance such as
health or nutritional benefits
• improved or alternate food processing technologies
including engineering design, production engineering, inline
process controls, energy efficient manufacturing
• new food packaging or preservation technologies
• sustainable food production including optimisation of
raw materials, utilisation of waste streams as by-products,
technology for decreasing solid and liquid waste, technology
for energy efficiency
• the commercialisation of market-ready research from
University research programs and the wider South Australian
research sector.
• the development of high value food products designed
for specialist domestic or international markets, or specific
performance or regulatory requirements
Primary Industries
and Regions South Australia
GPO Box 1671
Adelaide, South Australia 5001
South Australian Food
Innovation Centre
T: 08 8226 2996
E: PIRSA.Foodinnovation@sa.gov.au
www.pir.sa.gov.au/afm
Food Innovation Australia Limited
Private Bag 16
Werribee, Victoria 3030
E: info@fial.com.au
www.fial.com.au
Advanced Food Manufacturing
grants program
Fruit Wise are dedicated to
manufacturing healthy foods and
known for their unique fruit based
snack made from dehydrated fruit
pulp. The company received a $25,000
grant to develop a new range of
products. In collaboration with SARDI’s
Food technology program, Fruit Wise
will create a new range of superfood
products in accordance with the Health
Star Rating System.
This project is an exciting opportunity to work
with a familiar staple but to re-invent it to create
innovative, tasty and more nutritious products.
Shawn & Anthea Hinves,
Owners, Kangaroo Island Living Honey
Kangaroo Island Living Honey boasts 200
productive hives and is capable of extracting
up to 20 tons of Organic Honey annually. The
company received a $25,000 grant to develop
nutraceutical products using Kangaroo Island
Honey and Propolis. In collaboration with the
University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture,
Food & Wine and SARDI, the nutraceutical and
medicinal properties of Honey and Propolis
specific to the Kangaroo Island Ligurian
Honeybee will be researched.
This will allow us to overcome several
shelf life and logistic challenges faced
by us on Kangaroo Island, and open
up new markets such as regional
Australia and supermarket retail.
Ken Rowe, Managing Director,
Kangaroo Island Shellfish
The project with Organic and Raw is an
exciting opportunity to apply this expertise
to help scale up the production of quality
compliant kombucha and improve their
business success.
The Australian Wine Research Institute has 60 years experience working
for the Australian wine sector and has strong expertise in the application
of engineering and bioscience technology. This collaboration with Organic
Raw and Trading Company is focused on improving the effectiveness of the
fermented beverage production of kombucha.
Dr Vince O’Brien, General Manager - Business Development,
The Australian Wine Research Institute
Organic Raw and Trading Company,
produces a high quality, pure and
healthy Kombucha beverage known as
Mojo. A $70,000 grant was awarded to
optimise production and scale of raw
and naturally fermented Kombucha.
Through partnering with the Australian
Wine Research Institute, Organic Raw
and Trading Company will extend their
current research and practices to create a
stable product and expand the company.
Potatoes South Australia is a not-for-profit
membership-based incorporated association for all
stakeholders in the potato industry’s value chain. The
Association received a $100,000 grant to transform
underutilised potatoes into pure, nutritious, premium
food products. In collaboration with the University of
Adelaide’s FOODplus Research Centre and SAFCOL
Australia, a new food product range is underdevelopment to transform under-utilised ‘waste’
potatoes into food products targeted at the paediatric,
geriatric and convenience market segments.
Bridget Beal,
Managing Director, Fruit Wise
It’s allowing us to achieve
our research goals and to
market products in a way that
will benefit the consumer, and
other beekeepers on KI.
Kangaroo Island Shellfish is the largest
oyster farm on Kangaroo Island, and have
expanded their Oyster Farm Shop with a
small processing and packaging facility.
The company received a $20,000 grant
to develop frozen pre-topped premium
oysters, which seeks to reduce waste,
help overcome Island freight issues and
increase oyster supply into regional
areas. In collaboration with SARDI,
these oysters will be tested, researched
and developed, aiming to have similar
qualities to a fresh oyster.
Dr John Carragher, Commercial Development Manager,
FOODplus Research Centre
The grant funding enables
us to tap into the expertise of
a team of Food Technologists
at SARDI to assist with the
development of a completely
new product range.
FOODplus Research Centre, University of Adelaide has been working
to improve the nutritional quality of Australian foods through conducting
research linking food, nutrition and sustainable agriculture. A key project is
its collaboration with Potatoes SA to produce an innovative food product
range. Preliminary sensory trials will be developed by University researchers
including students to determine recipe preference and consumer
acceptance for the optimum product to be suitable for commercialisation.
The grant enables us to work with acknowledged industry leaders to research
drivers of consumer attitudes towards potatoes and identify transformation
options for under-utilised potatoes.
Working with AWRI means we’ll continue to evolve our working knowledge
and help to continue to deliver the right outcome for our consumers.
Robbie Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Potatoes South Australia
Anthony Crabb, Chief Executive Officer, Organic Raw and Trading Company
Flinders Ranges Premium Grain produces high quality flour using high
protein wheat and pulses. The company received a $70,000 grant to increase
the shelf life of whole grain cereals and pulse flour for export and domestic
markets. They will collaborate with the University of Adelaide, School of
Chemical Engineering and TAFE SA Regency Campus, School of Bakery Studies to
investigate the use of an environmentally-friendly system, which aims to increase
the shelf life from three to four months up to nine months without compromising
on taste or quality of the baked goods.
A longer shelf life of whole grain and pulse flour will allow us
to access new markets and increased sales in domestic and export
markets, which require longer shelf life than currently available.
Peter Barrie, Chief Executive Officer, Flinders Ranges Premium Grain
Willunga Pasta produces gluten
free pasta that uses whole fresh
herbs and vegetables to create
a vibrant product. The company
received a $40,000 grant to develop
effective and efficient small-scale
low temperature drying equipment
for its high-value gluten free pasta. In
collaboration with Envirotec Group
and Logifish Consulting, Willunga
Pasta will develop drying equipment
to optimise the drying process for
handmade gluten-free pasta.
The grant will allow us to develop
and trial a new dehydration system
to improve efficiency and increase
productivity, which will help us to
produce a high quality uniform
product to meet consumer
demand.
Angie Harrison,
Director, Willunga Pasta