Meet the Makers 2026: Industry Lunch, Panel & Networking
Description
Meet the Makers 2026: Industry Lunch, Panel & Networking
Join us for an afternoon of connection, conversation and industry insight as part of Meet the Makers 2026.
Following the morning trade session, this ticketed experience brings together producers, buyers and industry professionals for a more relaxed and meaningful way to connect - over lunch, shared ideas, and extended networking.
Event Details
Tuesday 23 June 2026
Venue 114, Bokarina
1:30pm - 2:15pm: Industry Lunch & Networking
2:15pm - 3:15pm: Panel Discussion
A practical, real world conversation featuring people actively building, buying, manufacturing and scaling food brands across Australia.
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.
3:15pm - 4:00pm: Further Networking
Continue conversations with exhibitors, buyers and peers in an open, informal setting designed for genuine connection and commercial opportunity.
Why Attend
• Build relationships with producers, buyers and industry peers
• Gain insights from industry voices and panel discussion
• Continue conversations started during the trade session
• Discover new products and suppliers in a relaxed environment
Who Should Attend
• Food and beverage producers
• Chefs and hospitality professionals
• Retailers and buyers
• Industry stakeholders and partners
What’s Included
• Light lunch
• Access to panel discussion
• Entry to networking session
• Opportunity to connect with Meet the Makers exhibitors and purchase products
Tickets
Limited tickets available
Secure your place
Important Information
• This session follows the Meet the Makers trade event
• Attendees will have access to exhibitors during the networking session
Photography Notice
This event will be professionally photographed. Images may be used by FAN for marketing and promotional purposes.
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.
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
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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