You may have heard the phrase ‘we don’t make anything in the country’ before. It’s a statement which is obviously not true. But like most things, it does have an element of truth to it.
Most of the clothes we wear, the shoes we walk in and the televisions we watch are manufactured overseas.
However this isn’t the case for the food processing industry.
Food processing in Victoria employs more than 69,000 people and earns more than $8.7 billion a year in exports.
“Most of these are small and medium enterprises that have the potential to double their business within a decade,” RMIT Vice-Chancellor and President Martin Bean CBE said.
But only if they can overcome barriers to innovation, attract and retain a skilled workforce and create and implement more productive processes.
The key to a thriving manufacturing industry is a strong local talent source. RMIT University is working to provide this.
Mr Bean was joined by the Minister for Industry and Employment, Wade Noonan in launching a new Food Research and Innovation Centre at RMIT’s Bundoora campus on Wednesday.
“This world-class education centre will give students hands-on experiences using the latest technology, while helping businesses turn their ideas into reality,” Mr Noonan said.
Inside the Food Research and Innovation Centre. Source: RMIT
The facility will allow academics to work with industry leaders in creating prototypes and integrating them into the production line.
The food company Sanitarium has already been working with the university to improve the attractiveness of its Up and Go product.
The centre has also worked with industry partner Nuchev in creating a formula for toddlers made from goats’ milk.
Professor Harsharn Gill, Director of the Food Research and Innovation Centre said students, researchers and food businesses have access to equipment and facilities that are “unparalleled” in the state of Victoria.
“On just one floor, we can develop new food products, optimise processing protocols and test food for impurities, consistency, nutritional value, sensory perception and taste,” he said.
Mr Bean said the number of food science and technology graduates is expected to grow from about 100 to more than 150 next year.
