Geelong has all the right ingredients to grow its reputation as an international city.
Our lifestyle is unmatched, blending a cosmopolitan and boutique city centre with stunning natural environments and a relaxed coastal pace.
From a business perspective, it’s also a no-brainer to set up shop here in Geelong.
With proximity to the port, Avalon Airport on our doorstep, and access to world class education and advanced manufacturing facilities, there are endless opportunities to thrive right here in Geelong and build a successful business.
One sector that continues to excel and contribute to our global recognition is our agricultural and food manufacturing industry.
Our agribusiness export history is rich, with many success stories of supplying Geelong’s products to Australia and the world.
There are currently more than 10,000 manufacturing jobs in the region – the highest number in over a decade – with food and beverage manufacturing making up almost a fifth of these jobs.
By 2041, we aim to create 55,000 new jobs in Greater Geelong and grow our economy to $27 billion. To get there, we must have the ability to adapt, innovate and lead.
That’s why the City of Greater Geelong is committed to proactively supporting the development of industry networks that best support both our most established and newest businesses in the region.
To that end, we have partnered with Geelong Manufacturing Council (GMC) to establish the Food and Agribusiness Network – helping local producers develop markets, capitalise on global export opportunities and take ‘Geelong-made’ products around the world.
It also aims to increase interconnectivity within the industry where professionals can share practical knowledge and compare their learnings.
Fostering these conversations will increase the skills in our region, stimulate innovation and enhance the entrepreneurial spirit of our manufacturers.
We already have a strong agribusiness manufacturing presence here in Greater Geelong, and the network will help the existing sector soar to new heights.
We are home to successful companies such as Cobram Estate, which supplies 80 per cent of Australia’s olive oil and is rapidly growing its US operations.
Other homegrown success stories like Farm Foods demonstrate how a brand can grow from a family-owned operation into a national brand, with products on the shelves of Coles, Aldi and Woolworths supermarkets and more than 150 employees on the books.
Our partnership with GMC will help realise the full potential of our region’s agribusinesses.
GMC represents innovative manufacturers and suppliers, large and small, who collectively employ more than 150,000 people globally, so their shared expertise will be invaluable to members of the network.
Last month, we worked with GMC to deliver an Exports Forum to local suppliers and agribusiness stakeholders.
It was a valuable opportunity to hear about the existing challenges within the industry and explore exciting new innovations.
The forum sparked conversations amongst attendees who were all eager to share their experiences and lean on each other for support. It was an indication of the kind of collaborative thinking and problem-solving that we hope to achieve with the Food and Agribusiness Network.
By working together, we can take our homegrown industries and see them thrive in markets around the world.
I look forward to seeing the future Geelong-made success stories that will stem from the Food and Agribusiness Network.
