Gov’t boosts WA F&B manufacturing sector in new funding initiative

The Western Australian Government announced a fresh wave of funding, totalling over $470,700 in Agrifood and Beverage Vouchers in a move to bolster the state’s agrifood and beverage industry.

These funds have been allocated to 69 applicants hailing from regions including the Mid West, Great Southern, South West, Peel, Wheatbelt, Gascoyne, Pilbara, and the Perth metropolitan area, aimed at fostering growth within their operations.

The injection of these vouchers is anticipated to stimulate an additional $741,600 in co-investment from the successful recipients, thereby fueling the expansion of the state’s economy.

Among the recipients, innovative manufacturer Edible Cutlery, renowned for crafting food utensils from wheat, corn, and rice at its Osborne Park facility, will leverage its voucher towards market analysis and audience profiling, to boost sales and scale up production.

Similarly, Denmark-based family enterprise Stash Coffee intends to utilise the voucher to explore sustainable packaging alternatives and revamp its website, with the ultimate goal of doubling its locally roasted coffee output.

The vouchers extend support to a diverse array of WA value-adding businesses spanning confectionery, dairy, speciality foods, meat, pasta, seafood, baked goods, coffee, tea, honey, oat products, meals, herbs, spices, beer, wine, spirits, and other beverages.

Agriculture and Food MinisterJackie Jarvis expressed satisfaction with the impact of the voucher program, highlighting its role in fostering growth and diversification among WA’s agrifood and beverage businesses over the past six years.

She stressed, “Our vision is for a strong economy for all Western Australians and this Cook Government investment will mean more local processing and manufacturing as well as more local jobs.”

Minister Jarvis also commended the program for its support of environmentally sustainable practices, citing examples such as Edible Cutlery and Stash Coffee.

Regional Development Minister Don Punch echoed Minister Jarvis’s sentiments, noting the program’s increasing popularity and its positive effects on both new entrants and established players, including those within the wine industry.

Minister Punch emphasised, “This transformational program is helping drive growth and employment throughout the State, supporting regional communities and economies.”

Since the inception of the voucher program in 2018, over $1.39 million has been disbursed through 286 vouchers to small and medium-sized food and beverage enterprises, attracting nearly $2 million in matching funding.