Work is underway on the Western Australian Food Innovation Precinct (WAFIP), the State's centre of excellence for research, development and commercialisation of new ag-tech and value-added food.
The $21.7 million precinct, located within the Peel Business Park in Nambeelup, will be an open access facility comprising R&D capabilities, an innovation centre and a production-warehouse.
It is intended to be a centre of excellence to enable commercial research and development, prototype and market testing of food and beverage products, and networking for WA food producers.
The McGowan Government has committed:
- $10 million to develop the Peel Food Technology Facility within the precinct, a 600 square metre manufacturing space to allow producers to develop and test new value-added food products; and
- $2.5 million towards a $3.85 million Enterprise Support Program, in partnership with the Shire of Murray, to help activate the precinct.
Through the Enterprise Support Program, grants will be available to businesses to support access to innovation opportunities, leading-edge research capabilities, incubation space and technologies through the WAFIP.
Other key tenants at the WAFIP include:
- Murdoch University, to run the Research & Development Facility and deliver a Food Science and Nutrition Bachelor of Science degree;
- GrowHub have signed a lease to operate the WAFIP Innovation Centre - a one-stop shop for agribusinesses and entrepreneurs featuring co-working spaces, consulting services and industry support; and
- Spinifex Brewery, to run the WAFIP warehousing facility and establish their brewery at the precinct.
The WAFIP is supported by funding from the Australian Government's Regional Growth Fund.
As stated by Regional Development Minister Alannah MacTiernan:
"This precinct will be a game-changer for the WA food and beverage sector, creating better and more diverse products through research and development, and expanding WA's food and beverage market share both nationally and internationally.
"The precinct will be home to the McGowan Government's $10 million Peel Food Technology Facility, which will help WA businesses to test and produce high-quality value-added food products.
"This is a great example of State, Federal and local government working with industry and universities to drive local jobs and local industry."
As stated by Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke:
"The WAFIP will become another major job-creator in the Peel region, supercharging value-adding opportunities that create long-term jobs for local people.
"Our region produces some of the best-quality food in the world and this facility will allow our local businesses to take their products to the next level.
"It is fantastic to see the Peel Business Park, a key initiative delivered by the McGowan Government, filling up and driving local jobs."
