Buyer Registration - Meet The Makers 2026
Description
Meet the Makers 2026 is a curated trade event connecting buyers directly with food and beverage producers actively looking to grow their wholesale, retail and foodservice channels.
Bringing together around 50 selected producers and a highly engaged audience of chefs, retailers, distributors and industry professionals, this is a focused, high-quality environment designed for real conversations and genuine commercial outcomes.
Taste | Connect | Buy | Support
Exhibitor Categories at previous MTMs have been;
Artisan pantry
Baked goods
Brews from local crews
Delicious dairy
Farm grown fresh produce
Frozen treats
Meat and small goods
Organic goodness
Plant based alternatives
Sauces, jams and condiments
Seafood
Spices
Savoury snacks
Spirit makers
Tasty treats
Event Details: Tuesday 23 June 2026 | Venue 114, Bokarina
10:00am - 10:30am: Official Opening
10:30am - 1:30pm: Buyer Trade Session (Free Registration)
A dedicated trade session designed for buyers and industry professionals to discover new products, meet producers and explore supply opportunities.
Connect directly with businesses ready to grow their wholesale, retail and foodservice presence.
1:30pm - 4:00pm: Industry Lunch, Panel & Networking (Ticketed Add-On $39+GST)
Continue the conversation beyond the trade floor with a catered lunch, industry panel discussion and extended networking session.
Moderated by Andrew Eves-Brown, you will hear directly from a panel of experts:
Antony Williams - Head of Meat, Seafood & Smallgoods - Harris Farm Markets
Nova Madsen - Business Development Manager - Charmlaw Foods
Craig Agnew - The Happy Snack Company
Janessa Rutter - Bask & Co
Together, they’ll unpack what’s working across the food and beverage sector right now, what buyers are looking for, common mistakes brands make, and where they see opportunities emerging across retail, wholesale and foodservice.
Additional speaker information and biographies will be added soon.
Who Should Attend
Food retailers
Food distributors, wholesalers and procurement teams
Beverage wholesalers, distributors and retailers
Restaurants, cafés, catering and event companies
Foodservice professionals and chefs
Tourism operators, accommodation providers and event managers
Why Attend
Discover new products and producers
Connect directly with makers and decision-makers
Explore new supply and collaboration opportunities
Stay close to emerging trends across the region
Build relationships that extend beyond the event
Tickets
Buyer Trade Session (free)
Free registration for approved buyers and industry professionals
Industry Lunch, Panel & Networking (paid $39+GST)
Optional ticketed add-on available during registration
Spaces are limited to maintain a high-quality and engaged audience.
Important Information
This is a curated trade event. Buyer registrations are intended for industry professionals with an active role in product sourcing, procurement or commercial
partnerships. Registrations may be reviewed and cancelled if these criteria are not met.
Attendees of the networking session will have continued access to exhibitors during this time.
For details or questions, please contact info@foodagribusiness.org.au
Photography Notice
This event will be professionally photographed. Images may be used by FAN for marketing and promotional purposes.
This event is brought to you with the support of our event sponsors: Meet the Makers is proudly supported by the Queensland Government, Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast Council, Mogul Digital, Food and Hospitality Queensland, Fresh Meats, Noosa Council, Nutworks and TAFE Queensland. Their commitment to celebrating local producers and elevating our regional food culture is what makes events like this possible.
Thank you to the Food and Agribusiness Network's (FAN) other partners: We would also like to give special thanks to Sunshine Coast Council, City of Moreton Bay, Noosa Council, Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast, Food and Beverage Accelerator, Gympie Council, SRJ Walker Wayland, Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development, Big Dry Friday (Morgans Financial), McCormick (Gourmet Garden), Argon Law, The Beach Bars, KBI Insurance, Choice Energy, Food and Hospitality Queensland and the Sunshine Coast Agricultural Show Society. Their ongoing support of FAN is sincerely appreciated and directly helps our members to prosper and grow every day.
Panel (Industry Lunch, Panel & Networking (Ticketed Add-On $39+) )
Antony Williams
Antony Williams brings more than 25 years of buying, category management and leadership experience across the food industry, both domestically and internationally. In his role at Harris Farm Markets, he works closely with producers and suppliers to identify quality products, emerging trends and opportunities across retail and wholesale channels. Antony is passionate about supporting great producers and helping brands better understand what buyers are really looking for in today’s market.
Nova Madsen
For 26 years, my love of food and people has guided me through the fast‑moving world of FMCG. I’ve built my career on understanding what drives shoppers, what motivates teams, and what makes great products thrive. Grounded by a deep love for my family and friends, I bring curiosity, connection, and commercial clarity to every challenge — always striving to create outcomes that feel good for both business and the people behind it.
Janessa Rutter
Janessa Rutter is the founder of Bask & Co., a Queensland-based gluten free food brand known for its range of granola, snack bars and porridge products made with natural ingredients and produced in a dedicated gluten free facility. What began as a homemade granola recipe shared through Instagram in 2016 has grown into a nationally stocked brand, now available in more than 300 retailers including selected Woolworths stores. Janessa is passionate about creating high-quality gluten free products that taste exceptional while supporting the coeliac and gluten free community through safe, accessible and thoughtfully developed food products.
Craig Agnew
Craig & Megan Agnew are the founding shareholders in The Happy Snack Company. Healthy Chickpea snacks are produced at the Landborough facility on the Sunshine Coast and available to consumers around Australia in Woolworths, Coles and IGA stores. The business also exports to New Zealand, USA, UK, Germany and Singapore. Prior roles include the founding CEO of Botanical Foods in Palmwoods, where Craig oversaw the launch of Gourmet Garden in the USA gaining distribution in over 10,000 retail stores in three years, which earned the business Australian Agribusinesses exporter of the year in 2005. Craig founded AvoFresh in 2011 and earlier in his career oversaw the global sales role for Heinz with a portfolio of vegetable ingredients. He also led the Marketing and Technical Sales team for a global fruit ingredient business. Prior roles were engineering, supply chain and in production. Craig initially studied Food Technology at Massey University in New Zealand.
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