- 57
businesses from across WA to receive Agrifood and Beverage vouchers
- Cook
Government accelerateing value adding opportunities, business expansion and job
creation
- Round
four grants worth $431,934 to drive business growth, resilience and
sustainability
The Cook Government has announced 57 Western Australian businesses will share
in $431,934 of funding to drive business growth, resilience and sustainability,
as part of round four of the Agrifood and Beverage Voucher Program.
The program is designed to support agrifood and beverage businesses across
the State access professional expertise to take their enterprise to the next
level.
Recipients include manufacturers of edible cutlery, ready-made meals,
pasta, health food, coffee, herbs and spices, honey, truffles, olives,
kombucha, chocolate, garlic, ice cream, cider, beer, wine and spirits.
Vouchers up to a combined value of $15,000 per business, including
co-contributions leveraging a share of a further $726,246, will assist recipients
invest in sales and marketing expertise, business planning, manufacturing for
business growth, financial health and environmental sustainability and social
responsibility.
Over the past five years, 134 WA businesses have benefited from the Agrifood
and Beverage vouchers, leveraging more than $1.2 million in industry
investment.
A recent independent survey of recipients found vouchers positively
contributed to full-time job creation, increased sales turnover, and improved
international competitiveness.
The Cook Government has several initiatives supporting agrifood and
beverage manufacturing in WA, including Value Add Investment grants,
capability-building workshops, and market development programs such as Export
Pathways and Buy West Eat Best.
A full list of recipients can be viewed at www.agric.wa.gov.au/AFBvoucherprogram.
Comments attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"The Agrifood and Beverage Voucher Program
supports businesses with professional advice to improve their skills, knowledge
and confidence to evolve their operations and capture growth opportunities.
"I am excited to see such a great response to
this round, with a diverse range of businesses from the Kimberley to the Great
Southern looking to invest in strengthening operations, supporting innovation
and growing aspirations.
"The Cook Labor Government is committed to
helping the State grow its agrifood and beverage sector to achieve its full
potential and stimulate flow-on benefits to the WA economy and communities."
Comments
attributed to Regional Development Minister Don Punch:
"Agrifood
and beverage businesses greatly contribute to our regional economies through
jobs and tourism.
"It is pleasing to see so many regional enterprises
secure this funding and put their efforts towards business sustainability and
growth, which will enable long-term community success job creation.
"I
encourage agrifood and beverage businesses across regional WA to consider the
funding opportunities offered through this program."
