From Cheesery to Tourism Experience - FAN Member Meetup at Maleny Cheese

Meet the women behind the growth of Maleny Cheese’s tourism business

Join the Food and Agribusiness Network for a special member meetup at Maleny Cheese in the beautiful Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

Meet Sara Bucher, co-founder of Maleny Cheese and a founder of the Food and Agribusiness Network, and Tanya Alison, FAN Board Director and the strategist supporting

the growth and development of Maleny Cheese’s tourism experiences.

Together, Sara and Tanya will share how Maleny Cheese has strengthened its position as both an artisan dairy producer and a regional food tourism destination.

Over the past 12 months, enhanced customer service, increased visitation and expanded tourism offerings have contributed to stronger customer feedback and 25%

business growth.

A key part of this transformation has been the introduction of Maleny Cheese’s guided Tasting Tours, which invite visitors to discover the people, processes and products

behind the working show cheesery.

Visitor research found that 85.8% of Tasting Tour guests had never previously visited Maleny Cheese, demonstrating the tours’ success in attracting new visitors to the

business and the Sunshine Coast Hinterland.

What you will discover

Sara and Tanya will share practical insights into how Maleny Cheese has:

• transformed its working show cheesery and café into a more engaging tourism experience;

• developed and launched its Cheese and Yoghurt Tasting Tours;

• used customer feedback to improve the visitor experience;

• created new reasons for visitors to discover and revisit the business;

• connected award-winning products with memorable tourism experiences;

• used marketing, storytelling and regional partnerships to increase awareness;

• expanded its tourism and hospitality offerings; and

• achieved 25% growth over the past 12 months.

Guests will also experience a small taste of the Maleny Cheese Tasting Tour and sample a selection of nationally recognised artisan dairy products.

Taste award-winning dairy products

The tasting experience will include products from Maleny Cheese’s nationally recognised range, including:

• the 2025 Australian Grand Dairy Awards Champion Flavoured Yoghurt;

• the 2026 DIAA Australian Awards of Excellence Champion Greek Style Yoghurt; and

• a selection of artisan cheeses and cultured dairy products made using locally sourced milk.

Maleny Cheese’s recent business and tourism achievements include:

• 2025 Sunshine Coast Business Awards – Large Food and Agribusiness Winner;

• 2025 Queensland Tourism Awards – Silver, Excellence in Food Tourism;

• 2025 Australian Grand Dairy Awards – Champion Flavoured Yoghurt; and

• 2026 DIAA Australian Awards of Excellence – Champion Greek Style Yoghurt.

What to expect

• Networking with FAN members, producers and regional business leaders

• Insights into tourism development and customer experience

• Practical marketing strategies that can be adapted by other businesses

• A discussion about Maleny Cheese’s recent growth journey

• A behind-the-scenes look at the working show cheesery

• A mini Maleny Cheese Tasting Tour experience

• Tastings of award-winning yoghurt, cheese and cultured dairy products

This meetup is ideal for food and agribusiness owners, tourism operators, producers, hospitality businesses and regional leaders interested in increasing visitation, strengthening customer engagement and transforming a place of production into a compelling tourism experience.

Come along to connect with fellow FAN members, gain practical ideas for your own business and experience the flavours, stories and people behind one of the Sunshine Coast Hinterland’s leading food tourism businesses.

Event details

Date: 20th October 2026

Time: 9am - 12pm

Location: Maleny Cheese, 1 Clifford Street, Balmoral Ridge, Queensland

Bookings: Essential, as places are limited.

Thank you to the Food and Agribusiness Network's (FAN) partners: We would like to give special thanks to Sunshine Coast Council as our Foundation Partner, City of Moreton Bay, Noosa Council, Regional Development Australia Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast, Food and Beverage Accelerator, University of the Sunshine Coast, Gympie Council, SRJ Walker Wayland - Sunshine Coast, 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.

Welcome to our Food & Agribusiness Network event! We're delighted to capture and share the moments that reflect the spirit of our community. Your presence may feature on our digital platforms as we celebrate this shared experience. If you'd prefer not to be photographed or filmed, please let a FAN team member know. Our goal is to ensure a positive experience for all!