Cooee Foods acquires Creative Native Foods

Indigenous-owned Cooee Foods Australia, a supplier to major grocery retailers nationwide, has acquired Australia’s longest-running native ingredients supplier Creative Native Foods for an undisclosed sum, Business News has reported.

Founded in 2023 by Wiradjuri entrepreneur Terri-Ann Daniel and based in Lake Macquarie, NSW, Cooee has grown from a kitchen production into a multi category food business with allergen friendly products, many stocked across major supermarket groups and convenience stores.

The purchase of Adelaide-based Creative Native Foods, which was founded in 2001 by chef Andrew Fielke, will introduce Australian native ingredients to fine dining and tourism across the country.

“I’m on a mission to build a native food movement,” Ms Daniel told Business News.

“Right now, when you buy something off the shelf with Kakadu plum or wattle seed in it, less than two per cent of those products are Indigenous owned. We’re changing that.

“Without businesses like Creative Native Foods, there is no circular economy of growing, harvesting and transforming these incredible foods.

“These foods are among the best in the world. Bush tomato has nearly eight grams of protein per 100 grams, and it’s a fruit. It’s naturally grown, nutrient-dense, and chefs are calling for it every day.”

Cooee told Business News the acquisition was designed to unlock scale while strengthening opportunities for Aboriginal growers and suppliers across the native food supply chain.

“The growth opportunity is enormous,” Ms Daniel said. “Our first move is to bring on additional full-time roles, including a national sales manager for food service. Ideally, that will be an Indigenous person with a deep passion for cooking with native ingredients.”

Cooee currently produces more than 90,000 cookies a month from a facility in Melbourne and its products are sold through more than 600 Ampol Foodary stores, Woolworths outlets and IGA stores nationwide.

The company’s Nan’s Jam Drop cookie infused with native Davidson plum was recently added to the service on domestic Qantas flights.

Creative Native has supplied native ingredients and products to The Ghan and Indian Pacific trains, Outback Spirit Tours, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia and SeaLink ferries.

Mr Fielke, who will remain as a consultant, said: “We need to take ownership of what belongs on Australian plates.”