First Nations Northern Territory bushfood company, Kakadu Kitchen, and food rescue organisation OzHarvest’s social enterprise arm, OzHarvest Ventures, have joined forces once more to relaunch Conscious Drink, a lightly sparkling wine-alternative. Launched in 2023, the project received the inaugural Gamechanger Award at The Hive Awards for a product that transcended traditional categories while championing a kinder, less wasteful world that empowers Indigenous communities.
two tonnes of blueberries that would have
normally gone to waste have been saved.
(Source: Kakadu Kitchen/OzHarvest Ventures)
Conscious Drink is made from rescued blueberries and wild-harvested native botanicals, ethically sourced from First Nations-owned companies.
This season over two tonnes of blueberries that would have normally gone to waste have been saved from Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, juiced and combined with native wild lemongrass, pepperberry, lemon tea tree, and oldman saltbush, and then lightly carbonated.
The founder of Kakadu Kitchen, Bininj man, Ben Tyler, grew up learning about bush foods from his Murumburr family and kin relations in Kakadu National Park and West Arnhem Land.
Kakadu Kitchen specialises in Kakadu native botanicals and Tyler said its mission is to respectfully share Bininj-Mungguy culture through food with as many people as possible while promoting First Nation voices in the Australian bush food industry”.
“Beyond ‘just a drink’, we exist to promote a healthier drinking culture. We want to spark conscious conversations around issues that affect remote Aboriginal communities including lack of access to affordable, nutritious food as well as health, climate and biodiversity threats.
and botanicals businesses are led or
owned by First Nations people.
(Source: Kakadu Kitchen/OzHarvest Ventures)
“Only one to two per cent of the native bush food and botanicals businesses are led or owned by First Nations people. Through the Conscious Drink collaboration, we are shining a light on the inequity that is emerging in this space and encouraging consumers to educate themselves about the industry and to actively look for more ways to support Aboriginal-owned businesses,” Tyler said.
OzHarvest Ventures head, Louise Tran, said, “It goes without saying, people are finally recognising how innovative and disruptive products can be champions for change. Through this product, we can create awareness on food security, sustainability and food equity as a whole by simply choosing where we spend our dollars.”
Chief Drinks Alchemist, Tim Triggs, is who the rest of the team describe as “the mastermind behind the unique drinks blend”.
“After launching a small-run one year ago, we have been really blown away with the love of our Conscious Drink. We purposefully wanted it to be a drink that could be enjoyed by all, a family-friendly celebratory drink for any time of the year that is deliciously refreshing, aromatic, peppery and sherbert-y all at once,” Triggs said.
The latest release of Kakadu Kitchen X OzHarvest ‘Conscious Drink’ is available now for $30 online and at selected venues and can be purchased directly at shop.ozharvest.org
Every 750ml crown-sealed bottle sold enables OzHarvest to deliver two meals to people in need and contributes to Kakadu Kitchen’s vision of growing native and edible plants in Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory, promoting food security and biodiversity.
