PANEL DISCUSSION 'Reinventing Our Food System'

with Tony Cartwright Chief Executive Officer & Director, TUI Foods and Karen Inkster Farmer from Wallup, facilitated by Stuart Benjamin, Chair Regional Development Australia Grampians and Small Business Ministerial Council

Tony Cartwright – Chief Executive Officer & Director of TUI Foods

A commercial and retail-oriented CEO with wide and successful experience in leading businesses into global markets and developing new/existing sales channels. Highly connected across global food & retail markets. Tony’s previous role was Global Sales Director for the Unilever business T2 Tea.

TUI Foods is reinventing the food system and championing Australian grown produce through innovation.

TUI connects farmers, brands and consumers through their unique eco system. TUI help Australian farmers secure their long-term future through joint-venture partnerships, providing upcycling capabilities and connection to premium brands.

For global brands TUI carve an undeniable presence in a competitive market through new product development, science-backed innovation, and access to buy premium Australian ingredients.

Karen Inkster - Farmer at Wallup

Karen combines the romance of a childhood spent on the farm, the intensity of working in an advertising agency and the smarts of growing a farming business. 

Karen had an idyllic childhood, brought up on a farm with four siblings in the Wimmera. Farm work punctuated by yabbing, fishing and fun with friends was great, but being a farmer was never encouraged and moving away to work was the norm. She left for the city, began working in advertising and never had any plans to return to farm life. But love had a different idea and now she with her partner, farm at Wallup, producing various broadacre crops and breeding prime lambs.

Starting virtually from scratch with her partner Daniel, she has made many mistakes but also sharpened her ability to question rather than follow the process. She firmly believes it's time the ag industry updates its image. Successful farmers are smart, tech savvy and decisive.

 

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CAROLYN CRESWELL

Carman’s Kitchen founder, Carolyn Creswell is an inspirational leader whose success proves that you can run a multinational business, love what you do and have a genuine work-life balance.

As an 18-year-old university student, Carolyn founded Carman’s in 1992 when she bought the small muesli business she was working at for $1,000.

Almost 30 years on, Carman’s Kitchen is now Australia’s favourite muesli brand, alongside being a market leader in deliciously good for you snacks thanks to the brands consistent innovation and perusal of continuous improvement.

From humble beginnings where Carolyn used to park her tiny Daewoo alongside semi-trailers in supermarket loading docks, Carolyn’s determination and focus on producing quality products using whole foods, has seen Carman’s build a strong following in exporting to more than 30 countries globally.

Carolyn’s passion for healthy food made from real ingredients has cemented Carman’s reputation as a food brand that customers can trust thanks to the brands ethos of real food, made with real passion.

As a proud mother of four children aged 16 and under, Carolyn understands the importance of producing nourishing foods for herself and her family and applies this to every Carman’s recipe.

Calling the Carman’s crew her “second family”, Carolyn put them at forefront of her mind when designing the new office that the business moved into in 2018. Now one of the most enviable working spaces in Australia, Carman’s HQ offers its employees access to a gym, yoga studio, sauna and massage room, free barista-made coffee and on-site chef. Carolyn has also loved extending the space to the public, via the Carman’s Kitchen Store, and other businesses, with conference facilities and meeting rooms for hire.

Carolyn’s business acumen has led to a number of accolades including the winner of 2007 Ernst & Young’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and being named the 2012 Telstra Australian Business Woman of the Year. She is also a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

 

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ABDULLAHI ALIM

Abdullahi Alim’s journey is a remarkable one; from a refugee, to the WA Young Australian of the Year and then a recipient of the Leaders Award by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace.

Today, Abdullahi helps lead the World Economic Forum’s network of emerging young leaders and is passionate about cultural diversity, inclusive innovation and the importance of building safer and more resilient communities. Moreover, he sits on the Board of the Queens Commonwealth Trust, under the patronage of Queen Elizabeth II.

His keynote presentations are exceptionally motivating, with his enthusiasm and passion shining through. Some of his more prominent presentations have been with Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Beverly Johnson, BCG, HSBC and the United Nations on issues related to inclusion and growth.

He speaks on his experience as someone from a refugee background and how institutions can take tangible actions around recognizing talent from diverse communities.