A growing number of north-west Tasmanian food producers are thrilled with how much a free business program has tuned up their activities.
They were selected to be part of a Seedlab Tasmania course to help producers develop a new food, drink or agri-tourism venture in Tasmania
Red Cow Organics Andy Jackman said the program had "ticked all the boxes" for where she and husband Matt wanted to take their specialist dairy products business.
"It was incredible and challenging and really forced us to focus on areas that we knew we could successfully grow in our business," she said
"Also the access to all the knowledge and support and info we were given, from accounting financials to marketing and branding.
"We did every piece of homework. We really believe it has brought the business to the next level for us."
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With ongoing support from Seedlab's Hazel McTavish-West, the business is now looking at how to develop its retail arm.
Dr McTavish-West said the program started last year with about 45 businesses in its boot camp.
From 'germinating' about 15 were taken into the 'cultivate' stage, followed by the 'propagate' phase to scale, grow and become export-ready.
"It takes a village to help build a business. We've built a village across Tasmania and they're all at different stages and they're all developing."
She said single operators often didn't get support, but the project had developed a very strong sense of family among participants.
"We've all got other peoples' backs," she said.
"COVID has been a benefit because we delivered everything online and did it more frequently.
"They may be rounding up the cows while they're listening to a talk on intellectual property."
The Cradle Coast Authority's regional futures plan manager Carol Bracken praised it as "fantastic support".
"The feedback from the farms is really positive, and their exposure to people from the the mainland and overseas is excellent," she said.
"It was filling a gap."
The Cradle Coast Authority is one of the Seedlab program sponsors for the North-West Coast.
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Leah McBey
As a southern New Zealander I love island life. So Tassie was an obvious choice after living in North America, Europe and the Pacific Islands. I've done a bit of everything but communication is the motif threading through my life.
As a southern New Zealander I love island life. So Tassie was an obvious choice after living in North America, Europe and the Pacific Islands. I've done a bit of everything but communication is the motif threading through my life.
