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This year’s business growth event delivers practical sessions on Pathways to Growing Sales & Reaching Wider Markets in Australia. It focuses on helping multicultural food businesses grow beyond their communities. It provides industry insights, expert‑led sessions, business support, and direct connections with industry, government, suppliers, buyers and potential partners.

Are you a cultural food caterer, producer or food brand owner ready to reach bigger markets and higher‑value customers?
Join the Cultural Food Business Masterclasses. Beyond Your Community is a practical, insider‑led event designed to help multicultural food founders grow beyond community sales and tap into available market opportunities that many don't understand or know how to access.

Learn how to:

• Reach new markets and customers
• Access retail, corporate, government & NFP opportunities
• Price and position your products for growth
• Connect directly with industry insiders and business‑support experts

When: 27–28 October 2026
Where: Online + Liverpool Powerhouse
 

Sessions

Price for Profit — Costing and Pricing for Retail Market Success

With Paul Woods
COO, Gippsland Jersey | Principal Consultant, StoneWoods Consultants

Understand the numbers behind sustainable growth and how pricing decisions change when you move into retail, wholesale and distribution.

You’ll learn:
✓ How to build a more sustainable product price
✓ What retailer and distributor margins mean for your pricing
✓ How promotions and other channel costs affect profitability
✓ How to protect your margins as sales volume grows

Get Noticed — Creating a Product People Notice, Understand & Remember on Retail Shelves

With Natalie Townsend
Founder & Creative Director, Griffin Grace Brand Designs

Explore how branding, packaging and positioning shape the way customers and buyers perceive your products and how to retain your cultural identity while becoming relevant to a wider market.

You’ll learn:
✓ What your packaging communicates before customers taste your product
✓ How to position your brand for customers beyond your existing community
✓ How cultural identity can remain an asset as your market expands
✓ Common brand and packaging considerations when preparing for growth

Day 2 · Wednesday 28 October 2026

Access Wider Markets & Connections

Meet industry professionals, support organisations and fellow entrepreneurs while exploring new customer and buyer networks.

Liverpool Powerhouse, Casula

Get Noticed — What Retail Buyers Look for Before They Stock Your Food Product

With Tim Sheaves
Former National Category Manager, Metcash | Head of Merchandise, Ventura Health

Get an insider’s perspective on how buyers assess products, what makes a food brand retail-ready, common mistakes suppliers make and how to approach distribution opportunities.

You’ll learn:
✓ What retail buyers look for
✓ How ranging decisions are made
✓ How to prepare before approaching buyers
✓ Where distributors fit into your growth strategy

Beyond Your Community — Accessing New Customers & Sales Channels

With Kerrie Sheaves
Founder, NFP Oceans

Discover opportunities beyond retail and direct-to-consumer sales. Kerrie will guide you through practical pathways into new and higher‑value markets. The session will explore opportunities across the NFP sector, community programs, institutional and corporate buyers, government and partnership‑based channels.

You’ll learn:
✓ Where opportunities exist beyond traditional consumer sales
✓ How to position your offer, build trusted relationships and create sustainable new revenue opportunities in higher‑value markets.
✓ How to identify and approach potential organisational buyers

Connect & Grow — Accessing Government & Business Support

Facilitators: Panel session with NSW Business Bureau, South West Sydney local councils and Multicultural Food Hub

Take part in a practical panel discussion exploring pathways to business growth through government services, educational programs and social-enterprise support available to food business owners.

Food, Networking & Industry Exhibition Break

Participants: Food business owners, industry partners, speakers and panellists

Enjoy refreshments generously sponsored by the Liverpool City Council while connecting with expert speakers, government and business-support organisations, service providers, potential partners and other entrepreneurs.

Taking a Cultural Food Brand to the Mainstream Market

With Antonio Cerqueira, Founder, Oporto. 

Location: Liverpool Powerhouse, Casula

Hear firsthand lessons from building a food concept into a brand that reached customers far beyond its original community. Explore the realities of growing a food business, expanding your customer base and positioning for a much larger market.

You’ll learn:
✓ Antonio's story and lessons from growing beyond his initial community and customer base
✓ Practical insights you can adopt

✓ Plus opportunity to ask Antonio questions and get answers from him 

Final Experience

Expert Advisory Clinic

Participants: Specialised industry professionals

Bring your questions and speak directly with experienced food-industry professionals and business-support organisations.

Access short one-to-one or small-group consultations with participating industry specialists and business-support organisations. Conversations may include contract manufacturing, commercial kitchens, packaging, marketing and other practical business needs.