Future Food Systems

Collaboration is never just about people working side by side. It is about aligning different perspectives, combining diverse strengths, and building something no one could achieve alone.

We hear a lot about “innovation precincts” these days. Every region seems to want one, and every strategy document seems to reference them. And for good reason: innovation precincts can be powerful drivers of economic growth, collaboration, and industry transformation. The simple version of the story is this: put businesses, researchers, entrepreneurs, and government agencies…

Mission MushVroom is the first study to grow oyster mushrooms in space. Fast, nutrient-rich, and vitamin D-producing, they support astronaut health and sustainable space farming.

In February 2025, Coffs Harbour became the epicentre of food system innovation and connections as manufacturers, producers, businesses, researchers, and policymakers from across Australia gathered for Future Food Systems annual event, For Food’s Sake.

Collaboration boosts innovation and profit – strategic partnerships, even with competitors, can drive growth and reduce risk

Brisbane's ARM Hub, North Queensland Banana Farmers and Hort Innovation have teamed up to help growers identify opportunities to cut costs by adopting ‘continuous improvement and automation technology’.

Designed as an open-access facility, SIFT will provide food companies with state-of-the-art infrastructure to conduct research, trial new processes, and develop innovative products. The centre aims to lower the barriers to entry for product development and reduce the risks associated with scaling up to commercial production.

A specialised Food Science and Nutrition campus run by Murdoch University has launched at the Food Innovation Precinct WA.

This research focuses on the automation of banana de-handing, aiming to reduce manual labour and enhance processing efficiency. By developing and integrating robotic systems into this core process, the project addresses labour constraints and creates opportunities for wider automation adoption in banana handling and packaging operations.