Market Insights for Australian Native foods

The University of Queensland led Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Training Centre (ITTC) for Uniquely Australian Foods (IC180100045) aims to transform the native Food and Agribusiness Sector through development of selected crops, foods and ingredients using an Indigenous governance group to oversee the process of converting Traditional Knowledge into Branded Products.

Native foods represent a major opportunity for premium Australian products in both domestic and export markets, capitalising on consumer interest in the provenance and traditional heritage characteristics of foods. The outcomes of the Training Centre will include the testing of market opportunities, the development of appropriate social and business models, and the identification of future opportunities for Uniquely Australian Foods. Economic and quality of life benefits through job creation and benefit sharing arrangements will be secured for Indigenous communities through sustainable business models which will help to Close the Gap, and the development of supply chain partnerships to reduce the risks involved in taking products to market.

This PhD project –focussed on understanding market value for Uniquely Australian Foods – will form part of the Training Centre as a collaboration between The University of Queensland, ANFAB and key commercial partners.

The Role:
There is an opportunity for a highly motivated PhD student to join the QAAFI team within the Training Centre aiming to develop the Australian native food industry. They will work directly with indigenous and non-indigenous enterprises and be involved in the various activities of the centre. The position will interact with the project collaborators in Australia and may visit collaborating scientists in Canada and Germany.

Research Area:

Australian native plant foods and the use of native ingredients offers a unique branding position and marketing opportunity for Australian food industries. This PhD project will utilise novel native food products as case studies for consumer and market research that will help to inform future branding efforts and business models in the Uniquely Australian Food space, both locally and internationally.

The PhD student will gain hands-on experience working with industry and new product development, they will develop strong skills in consumer evaluation, market research and analysis, business model development, trade marking and statistical analysis.

For more information visit: https://graduate-school.uq.edu.au/uaf, https://uniquelyaustralianfoods.org/ and https://qaafi.uq.edu.au/ or email Heather Smyth on [Email Address Removed]