December 11, 2025

FaBA co-investments extended until 2028

FaBA’s project co-investment has been extended by the Australian Government, providing certainty for industry partners and enabling us to continue delivering transformative projects through to mid-2028.

This extension is a fantastic opportunity for both new and existing partners to collaborate with FaBA with confidence.

FaBA Director Dr Chris Downs said the extension strengthens FaBA’s role as a catalyst for collaboration and innovation.

“This is about giving industry the confidence to invest in ideas that will shape the future of food,” Dr Downs said.

“We’re here to help businesses innovate, grow and compete globally – and we’re just getting started.”

Register for the FaBA Co-Investment webinar to learn more about how you can work with FaBA in 2026.

FaBA works with companies of all sizes – from startups and small businesses to multinationals – to accelerate food and beverage manufacturing innovation to benefit Australia. Together, we’ve achieved remarkable outcomes in 2025 including:

Successful technology transfer: Transferring a dairy ingredient developed using precision fermentation to All G
Grains innovation: Expanding oat products to include oat rice, noodles and pasta with My PlantCo
Reproducing lactoferrin: Working with Eclipse Ingredients to reproduce this immune-supporting protein
Creating a low-calorie sugar alternative: Developing rare sugars with MSF
Helping manufacturers renovate products: Developing a texture toolkit to make foods more appealing with v2food
Skills development: Training hundreds of professionals through UQ Skills, the FaBA Growth Hub and FaBA programs, and supporting students with AIFST Engage
Supporting scale-up in precision fermentation through the QUT Pioneer BioPilot.

Our partners have achieved significant success, and we look forward to building on this momentum with new projects from existing partners and new businesses in 2026. Now is the perfect time to get involved and help shape the future of food and beverage innovation in Australia.

Interested in exploring innovation opportunities? Contact us at faba@uq.edu.au

“We’re here to help businesses innovate, grow and compete globally – and we’re just getting started.”
Dr Chris Downs, FaBA Director

Recent news + events

Events Innovative Ingredients

September 23, 2026

FaBA fast tracks innovation: Australia’s first food-grade pilot-scale precision fermentation facility

Companies developing the next generation of food, ingredients and biomanufacturing now have access to a food-grade pilot-scale precision fermentation facility, right here in Australia.

Case Studies Innovation Pathways Premium Food and Beverage

September 21, 2026

One grain, many possibilities: unlocking the potential of Australian oats

When Mei Yong set out to reinvent the humble oat as an all-day powerhouse food, she had the vision and foundational intellectual property – but needed the specialist expertise, facilities and equipment to accelerate the journey from concept to commercialisation.

Training Centre

September 10, 2026

A new front door to food innovation for Queensland businesses

Whether it's a regional producer exploring a new product idea, a growing manufacturer looking to improve food safety practices or a business wanting to better understand market opportunities, accessing the right expertise can sometimes be a challenge.

Executive Team

August 24, 2026

Bringing FaBA closer to food manufacturers

Based in Melbourne, FaBA Business Development Manager Adam Smith connects Australian food and beverage manufacturers with the expertise needed to turn industry challenges into commercially focused innovation projects.

Events Training Centre

August 13, 2026

Pitch Perfect: Founders showcase the future of food

Founders, investors, buyers and industry leaders came together in August to celebrate the next generation of Australian food and beverage innovation at the FaBA Entrepreneurs' Showcase.

Events Innovation Pathways

July 14, 2026

Preparing Australian food and beverage businesses for an AI-enabled future

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming more accessible to food and beverage businesses. The challenge is no longer simply gaining access to AI tools – it is knowing where, why and how to use them.

Case Studies Premium Food and Beverage

June 23, 2026

The Canberra start-up that’s turned global to bring the dairy experience to more consumers

Dairy ingredients are found in some of the world’s most-loved foods, from chocolate and ice cream to cheese and baked goods – but for consumers with allergies or dietary requirements, many of these products are off the table.

Contributing to the growth of innovative research-led ingredients, processes and manufacturing in the food and beverage industry.