It's Indigenous Business Month, and National Indigenous Times is excited to spotlight the success, culture, and diversity of First Nations-owned and led businesses.
Every Friday in October, we will feature Mob-strong businesses that are making an impact.
The Australian native bushfood and botanicals industry is expected to reach $300 million by 2025, and the demand for these ingredients is rising.
First Nations chefs and artisans are using food to share cultural heritage. We spoke with a few of these innovators.
Karkalla
Mindy Woods, a proud Bundjalung woman and restaurateur recalls spending her childhood with her grandmother, Maggie Felton, in North Lismore, learning to gather native ingredients.
Inspired by those experiences, Woods became the first Indigenous Female Chef Hat Winner and owns Karkalla restaurant.
She advocates for increasing Indigenous representation in the native foods industry, which remains below 2 per cent.
"I think the more we invite the wider Australian audience to experience just how special and unique this is, the more we can walk forward together," she says.
"What a lot of Australians don't even consider is, what is the food of our country? For me, it's definitely more than meat pies and sausage rolls."
Woods will soon take her restaurant "on Country," offering guests an immersive dining experience with native foods, surrounded by Aboriginal art and music.
More information about Karkalla can be found online or via Instagram.
Pawa
Founded by Gunditjmara woman Niyoka Bundle and her husband, Vincent Manning, Pawa Catering offers a fusion of native Australian ingredients with Western and European influences.
Known for its Puff Pastry Kangaroo Pie, Pawa stands out by telling stories through food.
"I hope to expand our operations, create new business partnerships… and also hope to highlight to younger generations that it's possible to build a successful business," Bundle says.
More information about Pawa can be found online or via Instagram.
Kungkas Can Cook
Rayleen Brown, founder of Kungkas Can Cook, started her business in 1999 to celebrate bush foods and empower communities.
From catering to workshops and a retail line, Brown has brought Indigenous flavours to a national audience.
Her favorite dish? Wattleseed Damper with Quandong Jam.
"Food is a connection to country, culture, and community. It's a way to share knowledge," Brown says, whose mission is to inspire future generations.
More information about Kungkas Can Cook can be found online or via Instagram.
Mirritya Mundya
After running Ngaran Ngaran Culture Awareness, Dwayne Bannon-Harrison and his wife, Amelia, decided to launch a mobile food truck, Mirritya Mundya, meaning 'Hungry Blackfish.'
Their offerings include dishes like paperback snapper and DFC (Dwayne's fried chicken burger).
"If we can get these restaurants… to actually understand what (native ingredients are), know the story, appreciate the protocol, and then go on that journey," Bannon-Harrison says, "they can elevate the Indigenous food movement".
More information about Mirritya Mundya can be found online or via Instagram.
These businesses represent the richness of Indigenous culture, and their stories illustrate the importance of honouring traditional knowledge while innovating within the food industry.