Mildura Aboriginal Corporation was one of the foundation members of Indigenous Australian Foods Ltd (IAF) and is part of the IAF/Outback Spirit indigenous foods supply chain. IAF is a not-for-profit company, is owned and controlled by Aboriginal members, giving Aboriginal communities formal equity in the largest current commercial supply chain in the bush foods industry. Each participant chooses the extent and nature of their involvement to match the community objective. All native foods supplied by indigenous or non-indigenous suppliers are procured by supply chain partners Robins Foods/Ward McKenzie exclusively through IAF. Robins Foods pays an endorsement fee (10% over and above ‘farm gate’ or wild harvest price) to IAF for all native foods purchased. The IAF supply chain also involves Coles, Hela Schwarz, Whole Foods and other approved retail and food service businesses at the outbound end of the chain.
Mildura Aboriginal Corporation (MAC) proposes to participate more extensively in the IAF supply chain by growing rosella, wild lime, quandong, bush tomato and potentially other products to balance the supply of wild harvested product to IAF by remote area Aboriginal communities.
The current status of the venture is as follows.
- MAC has decided to establish a proprietary company limited by shares (Bush Fruits Pty Ltd) with MAC to be the 100% shareholder.
- Bush Fruits intends to purchase a fruit block currently planted to merlot, cabinet sauvignon and sultana grapes. MAC will retain some of these vines to assist with cash flow in the early years of the venture. The property has full plant, large sheds, drip irrigation (and high security irrigation water rights), a dwelling and a pickers hut.
- A draft supply agreement with IAF has been prepared.
- The proposed property has a secure water right allocation of 41.8 megalitres.
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