Masters of their Art – Aussie Success Stories

“I started ALIVE because I’ve always believed that people shouldn’t have to sacrifice taste for health. Too often, drinks are either packed with sugar or are so focused on being healthy, that they forget about taste altogether,” said young entrepreneur Alli Bailey.

“I knew there had to be a better way. ALIVE was my answer to that – a drink that delivers on flavour but also gives you real gut health benefits. We use encapsulated probiotics to make sure the good bacteria actually reach your gut, giving you the support that you need without  compromising  on taste. It’s about offering a drink that makes you feel good in every way,” she said.

By using innovative technology, the team at ALIVE has been able to bring together taste with real nutritional benefits in one drink. Few would argue that the beverage industry needed a change!

We’re doing something different here, and that’s what drives me. Ensuring ALIVE is Australian-made was a huge part of the vision from the start. It means a lot to be able to use local manufacturers who are willing to go through the journey with us. Supporting Australian businesses in general is so important for our future and being able to contribute to that is something that I’m really proud of,” said Ms. Bailey.

Cheers to that we say!

Created during the pandemic in 2020, Matilda Life is the brainchild of renowned retailer Jo Mercer and her business partners including former Myer colleague Lauren Mastromanno.

After two decades that has sadly seen manufacturing in the apparel and footwear industries head overseas, Matilda Life is founded on essentials for the Aussie lifestyle that are proudly made in Australia, by Australians, for Australians.  Matilda  Life  has  a timeless collection of linens, organic cottons, merino wool, and all leather shoes, and Australian fragrances.

“As Australians, we all have to support our own. We all know that keeping skills, jobs and profits in Australia is essential to future proof our nation. We are a diverse community with multiple high-quality  local manufacturing skills and the small Matilda Life team believes they have found a gap in the market to create a new locally made brand that embraces the casual Aussie lifestyle,” said Ms. Mercer.

“This is a small start and we have invested our own money to get this off the ground, but already we have seen manufacturing and jobs return in sectors that haven’t existed for some time. We are proud to be putting Aussie jobs first,” she said.

The Matilda Life team lives by three key principles:

• Australian Manufacturing.  Matilda Life product will be made in Australia, supporting a quality local industry, our economy and keeping skills and jobs in Australia.
• Sustainability. With  local  production, minimal packaging, bio-degradable boxes and organic fabrics, Matilda Life will have a reduced supply chain to help protect our environment.
• Quality. Australia can’t compete with cheap volume overseas production, but we can deliver world’s best quality manufacturing using high grade materials that will stand the test of time. Matilda Life garments are timeless.

Like many people in the travel industry, I lost my job during the pandemic. My partner gave me a candle making kit for something fun to do while I looked for work and before we knew it, we were making more candles than we were comfortable keeping! I started looking for ways to move them on and so I posted on social media. I was amazed at how quickly it then turned into a little business. Things kept growing and growing,” said Mr. Bell.

Five years on, and the Richmond Candle Company is thriving and supporting locally made products.

“Australians have quality expectations (well, I know I do!) and when something is Aussie made I am more likely to trust that it’s at a standard I would like. The other thing is that from an economic perspective, the more that we can make here in Australia, the less we need to import, keeping our money in Australia and that’s good for everyone,” he said.

The team’s mission is to help people love where they live through the power of fragrance.

“Our best-selling products have come from our customers’ ideas. They also wanted a luxe offering and a more elevated experience and so we recently launched Aspen Apothecary that sits alongside our traditional Richmond Candle Company brand. These are beautiful for gifting and have a more complex fragrance profile,” he said.

The team has just introduced a plug-in diffuser. Some certain fragrance types are well-suited to these instead of a candle so the team is looking to expand the fragrance offering on them. A perfect Christmas gift!

Coconut Greens began with Jo and Geoff, a husband-and-wife team in Melbourne, on a mission to simplify wellness for busy families. As parents with a passion for fitness and more than 20 years in science and health, Jo and Geoff knew the challenges for every one of juggling an active lifestyle with finding plant-based nutrition the whole family would actually enjoy. Determined to create a game-changer, they developed Coconut Greens—the first superfood powder to combine hydrating coconut water with powerful organic supergreens. The result? A delicious daily boost that not only fuels your energy but also supports digestion and glowing skin.

The product range started with one goal: to offer a great tasting, clean, plant-based superfood blend that provides maximum nutritional value with minimal fuss. Coconut Greens is packed with 10 organic ingredients like spirulina, kale, chlorella, coconut water powder and more. This powerful combination gives you the equivalent of 8-10 serves of veggies, 78% of your daily iron intake, and keeps your gut happy, making it easyfor busyindividuals to feel their best, whether mixed into smoothies, water, or meals.

“Being Aussie-made is essential to us. It ensures that Coconut Greens main- tains the highest quality standards while supporting local communities and reducing their environmental footprint. With Coconut Greens, you’re not just choosing better health, you’re part of a global mission to make a positive impact,” said Ms. Hunter.

“A few years ago, as a young mum, I faced the same challenge many parents encounter: finding snacks for my kids that weren’t loaded with sugar. I noticed a gap in the health food market for parents seeking wholesome, no-sugar options to meet their children’s breakfast, snack, and lunchbox needs,” Ms. Leontiades said.

“With my background as a food scientist, I took on the challenge to create a range of easy, bake-at-home products and cereals without added sugar, using real ingredients and the natural sweetness of fruit. My goal is to change the way kids eat by making minimally processed foods accessible to everyone, free from added sugars and artificial substitutes,” said Ms. Leontiades.

After nearly a year of product development, testing, and branding, Grumpy Bums was launched in January 2023.

Today, Grumpy Bums offers three delicious mini muffin mixes—Apple & Cinnamon, Banana Bread, and Strawberry Yoghurt—plus a Banana Muesli Cookie mix. We’ve also recently launched two new porridges: Strawberry and Banana. All products are available on the Grumpy Bums website.

Vitadrop was founded by Charlie Wood (pictured) and Daniel Concannon in 2019 with the mission to create a lifestyle hydration and health supplements business that focuses on 100% Australian made products that are fast acting and high potency.

“Vitadrop combines innovative solutions + pure product + delivery mechanism that works fast. Blending science-backed research with proven holistic insights, all-natural botanicals and essential minerals, we design, formulate and distribute innovative, high-quality vitamin supplements that help people find balance amidst life’s daily imperfections,” Mr Wood says.

“Australian-made is so important to us as it not only lines with our values as a business but Australian-made products are of the highest quality so our product strategy is strengthened by Australian made as well. We are across retail outlets in Australia, and of course on-line, and will soon take our Aussie brand overseas.”