Agribusiness, Food & Trade

Key opportunities unveiled for WA premium food

Western Australian premium food and beverage producers are taking the next steps in their business journeys to capture exciting growth opportunities identified in the recently released Premium Agrifood Market Opportunity (PMO) report.

Almost 250 WA premium food and beverage stakeholders attended a series of events throughout the state in July, to hear about key findings of the market trend research report.

Food Industry Innovation (FII) project manager Kim Antonio, WA Minister for Agriculture and Food The Hon Alannah MacTiernan MLC, Whipper Snapper Distillery chief distiller James McKeown and FII Premium Food Centre Manager Phil May at the Perth launch of the Premium Agrifood Market Opportunity report

The report was launched by Minister for Agriculture and Food, The Hon Alannah MacTiernan MLC, at Whipper Snapper Distillery in East Perth on 6 July.

Minister MacTiernan said the report was about developing the full potential of Western Australian food and beverage businesses that were adding value to raw produce, growing jobs and building the state’s economy.

She enjoyed speaking with producers at the event and endorsed the report as an interesting guide for government and industry to work together to create exciting new opportunities.

Commissioned by the department’s Food Industry Innovation (FII) project and produced by Coriolis Research, the report identifies new and emerging premium food and beverage products that add value to WA’s abundant raw materials.

It highlights export market value up to $4 billion with a focus on domestic and Asian export markets, and analyses the capacity for WA businesses to capture this potential value.

Premium food industry stakeholders start arriving at Whipper Snapper Distillery for the launch event
Premium food industry stakeholders start arriving at Whipper Snapper Distillery for the launch event

Food and beverage value-add is a major contributor to the Australian economy, providing about 250 000 jobs and generating $26 billion in export value. The industry has increased by 30% in the past seven years.

While there is an emerging value-added food and beverage sector driving innovation in WA, it is small, diverse and could benefit from targeted development.

Stakeholders who attended the Perth launch were keen to hear which products made the shortlist of 20 high-growth, high-value opportunities for WA - narrowed down from more than 500.

The key product opportunities are wide-ranging, from organic beef and specialty breads to baby food, cheeses, cider, oat milk and alternative dairy. 

Cheeses are one of 20 key premium food and beverage opportunities identified in the Premium Agrifood Market Opportunity report. Many premium WA food businesses showcased their delicious, high-quality products on grazing tables at the launch

Many generous WA producers provided premium food and beverage products for grazing tables at the launch, showcasing the high calibre and diversity of value-added food processing already happening in the state.

A full digital copy of the report is available for download at: agric.wa.gov.au/pmoreport

For more information email: FoodIndustryInnovation@dpird.wa.gov.au

20 high-value premium product opportunities (PMO report)

Baby food (excluding infant formula)

Specialty breads

Organic/biodynamic beef

Oat milk/alternative dairy

Wagyu beef

Premium soft drinks

Cheeses

Alcoholic spirits

Dips/spreads

Breakfast muesli/cereals

Healthy snacking

Cured/continental meats

Cider

Meat snacks

Premium grains

Chilled pasta

Olives/marinated vegetables

Fermented foods

Nut butter

Cooked/smoked/marinated seafood

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