Food and beverage manufacturers have done the industry proud with 16 producers, equipment and processing businesses being selected as national finalists in Austrade’s 62nd Australian Export Awards. Created in 1963 to showcase the achievements of Australian exporters, there are now 13 categories, drawing finalists from across Australia. Category winners and the 2024 Australian Exporter of the Year will be announced at an awards ceremony in Parliament House on 20 November.
Drawn from information supplied by Austrade, here are the food and beverage finalists and their categories.
Agribusiness, Food and Beverage finalists
Burra Foods
Korumburra (Bunurong), Victoria
Burra Foods exports high-end dairy products from Gippsland Victoria to a global marketplace. For over 30 years, the company has built a global reputation for quality and innovation.
Burra Foods operates a state-of-the-art plant at Korumburra. Here, it manufactures specialised dairy ingredients using Australian A-grade milk. The company’s wealth of experience and technical expertise means it can tailor unique solutions to meet customer demands and changes in the market.
Burra Foods’ top export markets are Japan, Taiwan, Kuwait, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Singapore and Vietnam.
Craig Mostyn Group
Freemantle (Whadjuk), Western Australia
Craig Mostyn Group (CMG) is one of the largest family-owned food and agricultural businesses in Australia. Its premium brands bring high-quality Australian produce to markets across the globe.
CMG is Western Australia’s largest vertically integrated pork, lamb and beef business. The company also has seafood operations on the east coast, including three abalone farms in Victoria and Tasmania. CMG also has a rendering business supplying tallow into global markets for pet food and biofuel.
CMG’s top export markets are Singapore, China, Taiwan, Canada, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Japan, the US, Indonesia and Hong Kong.
Frosty Boy Global
Yatala (Yuggera), Queensland
For nearly 50 years, Frosty Boy Global has been at the heart of Australian manufacturing. It supplies premium powder-based products to some of the world’s most beloved brands.
The acclaimed manufacturer also provides market-leading, end-to-end product solutions. Its successful model enables Frosty Boy to address clients’ changing business needs in a competitive landscape, whilst supporting expansion into new markets.
Frosty Boy supplies quick-service restaurants, major retailers, convenience and cafe brands in more than 76 countries. Its top export markets include the Philippines, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
Hellyers Road Distillery
Havenview (Lutruwita), Tasmania
Hellyers Road Distillery is home to some of Australia’s finest aged whiskies.
All Hellyers Road whiskies are crafted in Tasmania using the finest local ingredients. The distillery plays a vital role in supporting other Tasmanian businesses, from barley growing and malting to high-precision engineering and agricultural by-product use.
Hellyers Road boasts a thriving cellar door that attracts more 35,000 visitors from across the globe every year. The cellar door comes complete with a restaurant, gift shop, whisky tasting room and engaging distillery tours. Hellyers Road Distillery’s top export markets are the US, France and China.
Rum Jungle Meat Exports
Batchelor (Kungarakany), Northern Territory
Rum Jungle Meat Exports (RJME) is the only export-accredited buffalo processor in Australia and the only export abattoir in the Northern Territory.
Located at Batchelor, the facility adds value to the local livestock supply chain. Rather than transporting livestock to southern states for processing, RJME provides a cost-effective local processing option for farmers. RJME also processes buffalo during the dry season.
The RJME abattoir is Halal Accredited. This allows RJME to market products derived from these animals into most Halal markets around the world. Rum Jungle Meat Exports’ top export markets are Vietnam, China, Belgium, the US and South Korea.
The Yoghurt Shop
Burton (Kaurna), South Australia
The Yoghurt Shop started as a single stall at the Adelaide Central Market. Today it delivers its indulgent yoghurt to consumers across the world.
The Yoghurt Shop’s unique advantage is the traditional way it makes its product. The team hand-strains the yoghurt through cheese cloths each day. This means the thick and creamy nature of its products comes from what’s taken out, not what’s added.
The company’s export journey began in 2016 when it started sending products to Brunei. Its top export markets are China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, New Zealand, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.
Twisted Healthy Treats
Ingleburn (Dharawal), New South Wales
Twisted Healthy Treats (THT) makes delicious, better-for-you frozen dairy desserts for a global market. The female-led company lets consumers indulge in low- or no-sugar desserts that offer the functional benefits of protein, probiotics and fibre.
THT is based at a world-class, purpose-built manufacturing facility in Western Sydney. With a strong focus on product innovation, THT is constantly creating new products to meet changing consumer demands and market trends. Its treats are made with 100% Australian dairy and use dietary friendly formulations.
THT’s top export markets are the US, China, United Arab Emirates, New Zealand and Malaysia.
Advanced Technologies finalist
Pasture.io
Sandy Bay (Nipaluna), Tasmania
Pasture.io is a global leader in satellite-backed pasture measurement and grazing solutions. It serves large ruminant (dairy, beef and sheep) farmers worldwide.
The company’s platform empowers farmers to optimise their pasture growth and livestock performance. Its solutions provide highly accurate satellite pasture measurements. Its subscription plans are tailored to suit various grazing operations and management needs. This enhances farm profits and sustainability.
Pasture.io’s top export markets are New Zealand, South Africa, Uruguay, the UK, the US, the Netherlands and Ecuador.
Emerging Exporter finalists
Australian Talentail
Mount Waverley (Wurundjeri), Victoria
A passion for pets drives Australia Talentail’s mission to redefine pet care. Its meticulously crafted, research-backed products ensure happy and healthy lives for our cherished companions.
Talentail specialises in holistic pet nutrition. The company crafts premium products spanning food, nutritional supplements and remedies designed to support the overall health and wellbeing of pets.
Talentail is the first company in the world to incorporate Kakadu plum into pet food. Consumed by First Nations peoples for thousands of years, modern science has confirmed its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in humans. Talentail is partnering with the University of Melbourne on a research program to further explore the benefits of Kakadu plums for pets.
Australia Talentail’s top export markets are China, Hong Kong and Macau.
HiveIQ
Mitchell (Ngunnawal), ACT
Healthy bees help everyone. HiveIQ is revolutionising beekeeping with pioneering agritech. The company was founded by third-generation beekeepers who were dissatisfied with outdated timber technology from the 1800s. Its advanced beehive systems, sensors and software products ensure thriving colonies year-round, boosting productivity and efficiency for beekeepers worldwide.
Headquartered in Canberra, HiveIQ’s high-density Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) factory is the most advanced in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, the company builds one of the most sophisticated beehives on the global market. HiveIQ agritech is driving workforce productivity, small business growth and sector-wide efficiencies for honey production.
HiveIQ's top export market is the US.
Manufacturing and Advanced Materials finalist
TNA solutions
Boronia (Wurundjeri), New South Wales
TNA solutions is single-source, complete solutions partner for food manufacturers. The company offers innovative technology solutions for the global food industry. Its systems are designed to help customers increase their production efficiency and output while reducing downtime, labour costs and energy consumption.
The company’s comprehensive range includes systems for processing, cooling, packaging, labelling, distribution, verification and end-of-line solutions. It has installed 14,000 processing and packaging systems in 120 countries over 42 years.
TNA Solutions’ top export markets are the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Thailand, Egypt, and Canada.
Regional Exporter finalists
Flavourtech
Griffith (Wiradjuri), New South Wales
Based in Griffith, Flavourtech delivers processing equipment for the global food, beverage, flavour and pharmaceutical industries.
Flavourtech’s innovative equipment and applications allow it to process food, beverage and nutraceutical products through steam alone. This removes the need for harsh chemicals or solvents. Its core technology, the Spinning Cone Column (SCC), is used by market-leading companies to capture flavour in a range of products.
Flavourtech does business in more than 60 countries and has grown its export business to 95% of annual sales. Its top export markets are China, the Netherlands, Brazil, Germany, the US, India, Taiwan and Spain.
Forager Foods
Red Hills (Tyerrernotepanner), Tasmania
Forager Food is redefining the food experience through its signature range of wholefood freeze-dried fruits, vegetables, meals and superfood combinations.
The company is Australia’s largest and most advanced producer of freeze-dried products. It plays a vital role in helping Australian growers and manufacturers capture the full value of food through preservation.
Forager Food services the retail, food service, health and pet food industries. Its innovative manufacturing solutions and products allow its customers to maximise value. Forager Food’s top export markets are Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.
King River
Lotus Creek (Baradha), Queensland
King River’s Wagyu customers demand an exclusive, exquisite culinary experience and the company now delivers exactly this to more than 30 countries.
Wagyu is highly prized for its buttery smoothness and signature marbling. King River Wagyu is the result of five generations of Queensland pastoralists using deep genetics expertise to produce world-class beef, nurtured on Queensland’s finest pastures, then finished and processed in specialist feedlots and abattoirs.
The vertically integrated King River business model minimises risk and provides long-term sustainability. Top export markets are China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, the Netherlands, Thailand, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Small Business finalists
Tasman Sea Salt
Little Swanport (Paredarerme), Tasmania
Tasman Sea Salt offers a range of uniquely Tasmanian salts that are loved by chefs and home cooks across the globe.
Tasman Sea Salt harvests 100% natural, unrefined sea salt flakes from the crystal-clear sea water on the east coast of Tasmania. Infused by its natural environment, Tasman Sea Salt is a bright white sea salt flake with an incredible depth of flavour. Alongside its signature natural salt flakes, Tasman Sea Salt has a range of salt mixes, made from locally found and foraged ingredients.
Tasman Sea Salt’s top export markets are the US, Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Japan.
Sustainability and Green Economy finalists
Austral Fisheries
West Leederville (Wajuk), Western Australia
Integrated commercial fishing company Austral has transformed in the last decade. It has shifted its focus from simply selling seafood to crafting captivating brand narratives. Its brands are now leaders of excellence in the seafood industry, acclaimed for their high quality and sustainability practices.
In 2016, Austral Fisheries became the first seafood business in the world certified as carbon neutral. Since certification, Austral has planted over 3 million trees in the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor.
Austral’s premium brands include Glacier 51 Toothfish, Skull Island Tiger Prawns and Karumba Banana Prawns. Top export markets are the US, China, Hong Kong, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, the UK and Italy.
