Four finalists for Fine Food Lions' Den

Fine Food Australia, the country’s biggest foodservice event, is fast approaching and the finalists for the first Lions’ Den session have been announced.

Four emerging businesses — Dining Experience Specialists, LeanPath, Lard Ass and From Granny — will have 15 minutes to pitch their ideas and receive immediate feedback from a panel of industry professionals.

Dining Experience Specialists’ idea is to photograph, measure and capture data on the amount of food presented and eaten by residents in aged-care facilities. This aims to help provide specific evidence of nutritional consumption for individuals using simple app, auto-capture and geophysical matching, and will alert staff to those slipping through the cracks.

LeanPath’s suite of smart trackers are installed in commercial kitchens across Australia to monitor pre and post consumer food waste to identify prevention opportunities. The company hopes to show how the foodservice, catering and healthcare industries can achieve food waste prevention outcomes by engaging staff with innovative technology.

Artisan butter maker Lard Ass makes hand-made dairy products using local ingredients, and it will be pitching its flavoured butter popcorn. Flavours such as salted black truffle, honey butter, maple rum or salted caramel can be poured over popcorn to produce food that is free of processed ingredients, preservatives or additives.

From Granny has been making dumplings and distributing them interstate since 2013, and started exporting them to New Zealand in 2016. Last year the company launched gluten-free and fermented cabbage dumplings and was recognised as a finalist for the 2017 Food & Beverage Industry Awards in the meat, poultry and smallgoods category, and this year in the excellence in manufacturing category. From Granny is seeking help to expand and export its products.

“The Lions’ Den is a great example of the platform that Fine Food Australia creates for those in the industry. We’re committed to providing unique and valuable opportunities for businesses and entrepreneurs to engage with the food industry. The Lions’ Den offers a special opportunity for emerging businesses to get feedback from some of the industry’s leading experts on what it takes to succeed,” said Event Director Minnie Constan.

It will take place at the Talking Food Stage at Fine Food Australia on 10–13 September in Melbourne. For more information: finefoodaustralia.com.au.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/chones