FOOD innovation in Western Australia is set to reach new heights after the State government, the Future Food Systems Co-operative Research Centre, the Shire of Murray and Murdoch University have combined forces to develop a $13.6 million Food Technology Facility (FTF).
The facility is currently under construction and is scheduled for operation later this year.
Underpinned by a previous $21.75 million Federal award through the Regional Growth Fund, the founding parties have planned together and are now delivering this state-of-the-art common user food production facility.
The FTF will deliver a vital, and currently missing, piece of the food production, value added and innovation puzzle in Western Australia.
It is located in the campus of the Food Innovation Precinct, WA (FIPWA) in the Peel Business Park in Nambeelup.
Together with the Research and Development Facility and Innovation Centre at the Precinct, the FTF will be used to facilitate food innovation and development significantly reducing risk and extra costs involved benefitting the WA food industry and consumers.
FIPWA will become an ecosystem of small-to-medium enterprises, research and development institutions, wider industry players including international agri-innovation firms, and government entities providing local and global entrepreneurs, food companies, and agri-enterprises an environment in which to research, develop and commercialise new value-added food products.
The WA Government has provided more than $9 million in funding and Murdoch University's Food Futures Institute is contributing more than $2m to deliver the operations of the facility and the Future Food Systems CRC is providing an additional $2.6m.
Future Food Systems' Research and Commercialisation director, professor Cordelia Selomulya said the facility represented a big step forward for Western Australia, the nation and ultimately, the world, helping food producers make more and better from less.
"By encouraging commercially-focused research and development, we can help producers turn low-value raw commodities into high-value, healthy, sustainably created products that 'conscious consumers' across Australia and the world will pay a premium for," professor Selomulya said.
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