Today, the Food Bowl Industry Innovation Tour brought together businesses, educators, employment service providers, government, and industry leaders for an immersive journey across one of South Australia's innovative agribusiness regions — the Adelaide Plains.
This booked-out tour connected key stakeholders with agrifood innovation hotspots, highlighting growth opportunities in food production, workforce development, and industry collaboration.
Why the Tour Matters
With over 2300 new jobs forecast in the Adelaide Plains region by 2041, and significant rezoning for employment and township growth under the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan (GARP), there has never been a better time to understand the region’s potential. This tour addressed industry needs, skill shortages, and career pathways for youth, job seekers, and students.
Tour Highlights and Stops
☕ Start at Virginia Garden Centre to meet everyone and hop on the bus
🌱 Stop 1: Agrisano Fresh, Mallala
Agrisano Fresh showcased cutting-edge protected cropping technology and sustainable food production practices. Farm Manager Marcos Morel Quirno and Construction Manager Dave Hutchinson guided the tour through extensive hydroponic operations. The scale of innovation, attention to water use, and real-time application of ag-tech were a clear reflection of industry leadership and workforce potential.
Anne Minion and David Bailey from Adelaide Plains Council provided insightful commentary en route, contextualising the region’s zoning, jobs and strategic development.
🥗 Stop 2: Rainbow Fresh, Lewiston
Next up was Rainbow Fresh, where Juliet Tripodi, Sales and Distribution Manager, welcomed the group to this vertically integrated salad and herb grower. From packaging to paddock, the Rainbow Fresh site demonstrated a clear commitment to sustainability, freshness, and market readiness. It was also a prime example of a business that supports diverse employment — including opportunities for local and migrant workers.
The drive to Rainbow Fresh passed numerous undercover cropping operations, showcasing the scale of innovation across the backroads of Lewiston.
🍽️ Stop 3: Lunch and Presentations at V Hotel, Virginia
At lunch, participants heard from speakers:
- Victoria of Ironwood Institute shared insights into training pipelines for agribusiness careers and reaffirmed Ironwood’s commitment to building workforce capacity.
- Joe from the Northern Adelaide Plains Food Cluster spoke about collaboration between local growers and exporters, highlighting the economic impact of the cluster model.
Attendees had time to connect across sectors, discussing current and future workforce needs.
🍄 Stop 4: SA Mushrooms, Waterloo Corner
The final stop was SA Mushrooms, where WHS Manager Jared Ahern guided the group through a sophisticated, large-scale mushroom growing and packaging facility. With high standards of workplace health and safety, SA Mushrooms is a critical employer in the region, offering stable jobs with growth potential.
The Food Bowl Industry Innovation Tour delivered several takeaways:
- Protected cropping, hydroponics, and food manufacturing are cornerstones of the region’s economic future.
- Employers are calling for more workers trained in agriculture tech, logistics, and biosecurity.
- There is growing demand for inclusive hiring, with opportunities across all ages, abilities, and multicultural backgrounds.
- Collaborative training, regional promotion, and community awareness are key to solving skills shortages.
As Workforce Australia Local Jobs - Adelaide North reflected in their LinkedIn post, today’s tour was not just a learning experience — it was about activating relationships and action across the food innovation ecosystem, including job and self-employment opportunities.