
The Australian industry of food and beverage manufacturing is the biggest manufacturing section in the country with an estimated contribution to the economy of approximately $22.4 billion. Moreover, the Australian manufacturing sector employs more than 800,000 Australians. Australian officials significantly support this pivotal sector while it recovers from the pandemic through grants, loans, and rebates.
The grants are focused on helping small and medium food and beverage manufacturers boost their energy efficiency and help them out in the development of new products and processes of manufacturing.
Grants for Energy Efficient Food & Beverage Manufacturers
Small and medium food and beverage producers can apply to get a grant of up to $25,000 and save money on their energy bills, boost their energy efficiency, and introduce new energy technologies. This grant is part of the $19.9 million released by the Energy Efficient Communities program. The eligible manufacturers can direct the grants to switch from their current equipment to a more energy-efficient one, better their monitoring and management of energy, conduct energy audits, reduce their bills for power and emissions, improve the awareness of energy-efficient chances, and create energy savings.
To be considered eligible, the manufacturer has to have an ABN and fulfill one of these conditions:
- Australian entity
- Private or public business
- A co-operative
- An incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
- An indigenous corporation
- A not-for-profit organization, incorporated
- A sole trader
- A partnership
Other conditions:
- The food and manufacturing business needs to have a main activity classified under the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classifications
- The enterprise is small or medium with 1 to 199 employees
- Certifies that the board supports the project and that it can be completed and the costs can be met (not covered by the grant)
- Consent from the facility owner to undertake the project
Manufacturers won’t be considered eligible if:
- They’re an organization or have an organization partner on the National Redress Scheme list of institutions that haven’t joined
- An employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act from 2012
- An individual
- A trust
- Unincorporated association
An eligible project is:
- Directed towards reduced energy consumption
- Has at least $10,000 in eligible expenditure
- Activities listed in Appendix A of the grant guidelines
The areas of focus are:
- Energy monitoring
- Energy audits
- Energy management
- Air conditioning and heating ventilation
- Lighting
- Fans, pumps, distribution systems
- Process cooling, heating, or drying
- Automation and controls
- Power supplies
- Management of waste
- Compressed air systems & air compressors

Manufacturing Integration Stream-Food & Beverage Manufacturers Grants
This grant is aimed at business chains that will launch their goods and services into new markets. Manufacturers can apply for grants between $1 million and $20 million, but it can’t go over 50 percent of the business’s total project expenditure. The goal is to double the value of food and beverage manufacturing by focusing on smart manufacturing practices, innovation, and a system of food safety, origin, and traceability. It gives co-funding to help connect local businesses with domestic and international companies. It also eases the introduction of knowledge sharing and product standards.
The project has to be compact with the following objectives of the program:
- Higher trade and involvement of Australian businesses and manufacturers in the local and global markets and chains
- Supporting manufacturers to overcome obstacles
- Adopting new tech to become part of innovative market solutions
- Creating new jobs
- Boosting the collaboration in manufacturing networks, etc.
To be considered eligible, here are the criteria:
- ABN
- Non tax-exempt
- GST registered
- The project aligns with one of the National Manufacturing Priorities
- A minimum of $2 million in eligible project expenditure
- Project is supported by the board or the CEO
- The costs of the project not covered by the grant are covered
Innovation Connections Grants for Food & Beverage Manufacturers
This grant is aimed at businesses in one of the six priority growth sectors, including food and agribusiness, advanced manufacturing, and medical tech and pharmaceuticals. The application for the grant needs to be within 12 months of getting a Service report that outlines the business’s opportunities and research needs. The business is connected with an independent facilitator that makes recommendations for the project and connects the business with proper institutions and helps it apply for a research-funding grant.
The two stages are facilitation (connecting with a facilitator) and grant (funding the research).
For the first stage, the facilitator makes recommendations and a plan for the project. It includes:
- Business chances like tech, information tech, new market, advanced materials, testing
- Research areas for better products, services, or products
- Effective methods for the business to connect with the research sector
- New market opportunities
- Ways to get expertise in engineering, science, tech, and mathematics
For the second stage, you can apply for up to three different types of grants under this grant program. The project is started only if the facilitator recommends this. The grant reimburses for up to half of the cost of the research, up to the maximum amount that’s agreed. The manufacturer needs to fund the entire cost of the project before the reimbursement without using any other grants. You can get:
- Up to $50,000 for the researcher to create and implement the new idea for the commercial potential of the business
- Up to $50,000 for one of the researchers to work in a Publicly Funded Research Organization and have access to the research infrastructure
- Up to $30,000 to place a graduate or post-graduate researcher in the business to work together on the project
To be eligible, these are the criteria:
- Part of Australia’s growth sectors
- Eligible business structure (ABN & GST)
- Australian company
- Ongoing trading in the last three years
- Chance or intent to contribute or increase the Australian market trade
- Annual turnover between $1.5 million and $100 million or between $750,000 and $100 million if the business is in northern or remote Australia
Won’t be considered eligible if the business is:
- An individual
- A partnership
- A trust
- A local governmental body
The above mentioned are only some of the many grants that support the growth of the manufacturing industry in Australia. If you would like to know more about grants similar to those listed above, speak to one of our consultants today.