What is the Coles Nurture Fund?
The Coles Nurture Fund is a grant opportunity to help small Australian food and grocery producers, farmers and manufacturers to innovate and grow their business.
Need help preparing a Coles Nuture Fund application?
Background
In April 2015, Coles launched the Nurture Fund to help small to medium Australian producers, farmers and manufacturers to innovate and grow their business.
From Australia’s first quinoa processing facility, to fence posts made from recycled plastic, and a state-of-the-art factory to grow grass indoors, the Coles Nurture Fund (CNF) supports businesses to develop new market-leading products, technologies, systems and processes.
Through the Coles Nurture Fund, existing small to medium businesses may apply for funding to enable them to help them develop new market-leading products, technologies and processes.
Case Study
Bulletpoint have assisted a number of food manufacturing companies secure manufacturing grants similar to the Coles Nurture Fund, such as the Melbourne’s North Innovation and Investment Fund.
Here are some recent examples:
Bulletpoint assisted Harry & Larry’s Ice-cream secure $1,200,000. Based in Brunswick, Harry & Larry’s manufacture a range of specialty ice creams.
The grant will see 30 new jobs created and investment in a factory expansion with custom engineered production lines, including the latest freezing technology, to make a range of gourmet ice creams and desserts in complex shapes and layers.
Bulletpoint assisted Cottage Cheese Farm secure $765,000. Based in Glenroy, Victoria, Cottage Cheese Farm is a speciality cheese manufacturer making mainly Haloumi, Ricotta and Mozzarella cheeses.
They received funding to assist with construction of a $6M purpose built cheese and yoghurt manufacturing facility. The project will allow them to expand current operations and introduction of new product lines.
Funding
The maximum single amount provided under the Coles Nurture Fund is $500,000
Eligibility
To be eligible for funding from the Coles Nurture Fund, applicants must have:
- Revenue – less than $25 million
- Employees – no more than 50 full time employees
- Registrations – ABN and GST
- Trading – minimum of 2 years
- Financial statements – minimum of the previous 2 financial years
- Funding – a funding declaration from an external accountant
How to get the Coles Nurture Fund?
Bulletpoint’s review of the Coles Nurture Fund application form suggests that you will need to be able to demonstrate:
- Growth Strategy –Whether the project is an expansion of an existing activity or diversification of existing businesses
- Cool Tech – The extent of new innovation, including new technology
- Competitive Neutrality – Trade impacts on other businesses including competitors
- Market – The extent to which the project will service the Australian market
- Management – Details of the your track record to successfully implement the new project
- IP – Did you develop any of the technology identified for the project
- Shovel Ready – Have you accessed suppliers and sourced distributors for the project
- Cash –How you will fund the project not covered by the grant
- Sustainability – how will the project continue after the completion date
- Goals – What are the longer term outcomes from the project
- Funding – Would the investment proposal proceed without the CNF funding
Timing
Round 14 opens in January 2026.
More Information
Disclaimer
Bulletpoint has no association with Coles or the Coles Nurture Fund. Potential applicants should consult the Coles website for the latest information.
Bulletpoint provides grants and funding news. Some copyright material may have been republished as per the fair dealing guidelines under the Copyright Act 1968 for the purposes of news and criticism.
Round 13 Recipients
Date Farms Australia in Waikerie, South Australia, will use $500,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to improve date processing and reduce waste across its operations.
The funding will build an insulated, dust-proof processing facility to cut energy loss and repurpose second-grade fruit into date paste. It will also support the expansion of Medjool propagation and a new 60 kW solar farm to reduce reliance on grid electricity by 70%.
The upgrades will strengthen local date supply, cut food waste, and boost long-term sustainability.
Cudgen Road Farms in Cudgen, New South Wales, will use $450,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to develop a custom harvester to reduce bruising in sweet potatoes.
The project includes soft bin-tipping and integrated washing technology to improve product quality, extend shelf life, reduce waste, and increase customer satisfaction.
As a family-run grower in the Northern Rivers region, Cudgen Road Farms is focused on producing high-quality crops with minimal environmental impact.
Hearman Ag in Charley Creek, Western Australia, will use $138,893 from the Coles Nurture Fund to install a solar-powered, AI-driven water pumping system.
Using real-time soil moisture data, the smart system will optimise irrigation, reduce water use by 30% per kilo of fruit, and pump water to a hilltop dam for gravity-fed delivery.
The off-grid solution will improve drought resilience, boost operational efficiency, and support carbon neutrality in apple production.
Blazing Saddles in Mariginiup, Western Australia, will use $250,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to replace plastic packaging in its chilli range with cardboard alternatives.
The funding will install new machinery to weigh, seal, and label cardboard punnets, while enhancing traceability and packing efficiency.
This change will significantly reduce plastic waste in the chilli category and support Coles’ broader sustainability targets.
Healthy Tech in Bowden, South Australia, will use $175,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to improve its FarmASSIST application for remote animal health monitoring.
The project will connect three pilot farms with reliable internet and enable real-time data tracking, helping smaller pork and dairy producers detect animal health issues earlier.
The innovation will bring better veterinary access to farms without on-site resources, supporting animal welfare and farm productivity.
K&M Farming in Manypeaks, Western Australia, will use $245,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to expand its solar-powered, GPS-based virtual fencing system.
Known as eShepherd, the system enables precise strip grazing, reduces labour and muster costs, and allows remote farm management — boosting both efficiency and animal safety.
The technology will protect sensitive areas and improve sustainability in beef production.
Salamanca Pastoral in Hotspur, Victoria, will use $92,331 from the Coles Nurture Fund to improve animal welfare and water access for its lamb operations.
The project includes a new artesian bore and water reticulation system for clean, reliable livestock hydration, as well as shelter belts with native flora to provide shade and protection.
These upgrades will boost animal comfort and support resilience in drought-prone conditions.
Fowles Wine in Avenel, Victoria, will use $500,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to guide microbats into vineyards for natural pest control.
The project will develop “BatNavs” — echolocation-based guidance tools — and establish microbat habitats to reduce reliance on pesticides and boost vineyard biodiversity.
This innovative approach to pest control will help Fowles Wine improve sustainability while protecting its premium grapes.
Talwali Coffee Roasters in Melbourne, Victoria, will use $400,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to grow high-quality coffee beans in Australia using climate-controlled technology.
The funding will help scale Talwali’s solar-powered cultivation system and simulate optimal conditions for coffee growth, aiming to reduce Australia’s reliance on imports.
Alongside producing premium coffee, the project supports Indigenous employment, training, and cultural connection through agriculture.
Topsoil Organics in Forbes, New South Wales, will use $500,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to build a compost bagging plant to process organic waste.
The plant will convert food and green waste into nutrient-rich compost for retail sale, improving soil health and helping divert waste from landfill.
The initiative will support regenerative agriculture and close the nutrient loop in regional communities.
Foodbank SA & NT in Edwardstown, South Australia, will use $248,776 from the Coles Nurture Fund to install disaster-ready food lockers in remote communities.
The durable, fire-retardant and cyclone-resistant containers will store essential non-perishable foods, ensuring communities can access supplies during natural disasters or supply disruptions.
This innovative project will strengthen food security and emergency preparedness across South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Round 12 Recipients
Local Brewing Co in Melbourne, Victoria, will use $400,000 from the Coles Nurture Fund to scale up production of EcoCrumb, an Australian-first innovation that converts surplus bread into beer.
The funds will support research and new equipment to increase EcoCrumb’s production capacity by 100 times, enabling greater upcycling of surplus Coles Brand bread into brewing ingredients.
Local Brewing Co’s Surplus Series has already repurposed more than 50 tonnes of fruit and two tonnes of bread, with spent grain from the brewing process also used as animal feed.
Bulla Mushrooms in Diggers Rest, Victoria, will use $490,000 to create a zero-waste mushroom facility that produces dehydrated products and install solar and small-scale wind power to reduce emissions.
White Cloud Farms in Corinella, Victoria, will use $400,000 to develop a sustainable blueberry growing system with closed-loop water supply and advanced storage to extend the season of premium Eureka blueberries.
Prada Farms in Yanmah, Western Australia, will use $461,000 to introduce all-electric, renewable energy-powered harvesting equipment, improving orchard sustainability and setting a strong example for the agriculture industry.
Queensland Bottlers in Ormeau, Queensland, will use $500,000 to become Australia’s first spring water manufacturer to produce bulk water bottles with up to 60% recycled content using multi-layer blow moulding technology.
Emu Hill Pastoral in Narambeen, Western Australia, will use $500,000 to create a solar-powered water desalination system, complementing an innovative dam to support sustainable cattle feedlot production.
Burbury Ag in Campbell Town, Tasmania, will use $85,821 to design a transportable bulk sheep handling system, reducing manual labour, improving animal welfare, and increasing farm efficiency.
Hillcroft Farms in Popanyinning, Western Australia, will use $500,000 to construct Australia’s largest solar installation on a piggery, fully powering its feed mill and piggery during daylight hours.
Rocky Ridge Brewing Co in Jindong, Western Australia, will use $400,000 to achieve net zero emissions by 2025 through expanded battery capacity and water recycling to reduce fossil fuel and water consumption.
Beachtree Distilling Co in Caloundra West, Queensland, will use $380,000 to repurpose waste into Australian spirits and install solar panels, enhancing sustainability and efficiency for Australia’s most awarded organic distillery.
Round 11 Recipients
Family-owned Bartle Frere Bananas will use $445,000 to invest in technology to develop a carbon-neutral banana range and reduce nutrient runoff into the Great Barrier Reef.
Indigenous-owned Walaja Raw Bush Honey will use $330,000 to harvest medicinally active honey from Melaleuca flowers using modern beekeeping methods, enhancing Indigenous knowledge and creating employment opportunities.
Food rescue charity SecondBite will receive $500,000 to purchase equipment for its warehouses, enabling the rescue of an additional three million kilograms of food annually to support food-insecure Australians.
Second-generation family farm Edson Piggery will use $475,000 to build a new freedom farrowing system, improving animal welfare by allowing sows more space to move during nursing and lactation.
Bespoke Foods will receive $450,000 to install manufacturing and freezing equipment to expand production capacity, enhance efficiency, and reduce food waste by optimising the use of Australian sweet potatoes.
Atlas Soils will use $490,000 to fund a project that transforms waste materials into premium soil enhancement products, creating jobs and restoring ecological health in the region.
Esperance Bay Orchards will use $440,000 to invest in AI technology that improves the quality of organic fruit, reduces food waste, and ensures the best produce reaches shelves.
Round 10 Recipients
Family business Peninsula Fresh Organics will use a $300,000 grant to help transform its irrigation infrastructure at its farms at Baxter in Victoria and Barham in NSW and to build a cool room to improve product shelf life. This will help save 60 million litres of water per year and prevent run off of nutrients into local waterways.
Third-generation business Mt Alma Organics will receive $300,000 to purchase and install specialised equipment for washing, grading and sorting produce.
Agricultural Networks will use a $189,000 grant to help fast-track access to organic fresh produce in key growing regions through a new dedicated organic certified packing and distribution facility at Gatton.
Fourth-generation farmers McMahon Family Enterprises, better known as McPiggery, has been awarded a $490,000 grant to construct covered effluent ponds at its new sheds to help manage waste and create sustainable energy by capturing methane.
Lamb and horticulture business Elansco, owned and managed by Lauchlan and Sarah Cole, will receive a $295,000 grant to construct an undercover animal management facility.
Cattle producers David and Katy Gillett from Jalna Feedlot have been awarded a $300,000 grant to install two solar power systems to reduce emissions in their production of beef for Coles’ carbon neutral beef range.
Round 9 Recipients
NSW agricultural business, Sawmill Circuit, will receive a $455,000 grant to purchase a large vacuum truck which will collect manure from 18 dairy farms in Nowra so that it can be transported to a biogas plant which is being built in the local area. Once collected, the manure will be converted to renewable energy and put back into the grid.
Recycled Plastic Pipe Manufacturers will use a $290,000 grant to purchase equipment to increase its ability to manufacture stormwater drainage pipes from plastic waste, diverting waste from landfill and providing an end-to-end solution in the circular economy.
Raffa Fields will receive a $250,000 grant to install climate-controlled polytunnel growing structures to extend the growing season for asparagus in Victoria and replace imports at a time when locally-grown asparagus is not available.
Ky D-Pak will use a $250,000 grant to apply Voen all-weather covers to cherries to protect crops from bird and weather damage, provide greater surety of supply in the face of adverse weather, reduce water usage and improve fruit quality.
The Georgopoulos family will receive a $250,000 grant to grow organic fruit with trellising, environmental netting and irrigation.
Newton Orchards has been awarded $250,000 to install large scale netting over its apple trees to reduce waste, improve pome fruit quality, increase water use efficiency and minimise damage from endangered bird species.
Not A Trace will use a $400,000 grant to build an additional bakery production line 100% dedicated to gluten-free and nut-free savoury snacks and crackers.
Spring Gully Foods has been awarded a $380,000 grant to acquire a new pasteuriser to reduce water usage and improve efficiency for the manufacture of condiments and preserved vegetable products.
The Ieraci family will use a $30,000 grant to store and re-use dairy effluent in a way that minimises the impact to groundwater and the environment, and benefits crops and pastures.
Kintore Pastoral has been awarded a $200,000 grant to build a best practice shelter for dairy cows to improve herd health, reduce nutrient run off, protect soils and result in quality organic fertiliser going back onto pastures.
Glenbank Farm, run by a family of three female dairy farmers, has been awarded a $250,000 grant to build compost-bedded, solar-powered loafing sheds to provide a sheltered area where cows are protected from extreme heat in summer and wet mud in winter.
That Spirited Lot Distillers will receive a $220,000 grant to expand its manufacturing capacity to increase its production of a line of spirits and support the use of solar energy and recycled wine waste material.
he Caithness family will receive a $180,000 grant to use a combination of genomics, ultrasound scanning, estimated breeding values and artificial insemination in its commercial herd to improve eating quality, productivity and profitability.
Mt Boothby Pastoral has been awarded a $340,000 grant to reduce its carbon footprint by installing solar energy systems and helping to close the loop within a diversified and integrated agricultural production system.
Round 8 Recipients
Recycling manufacturer Plastic Forests will receive a $300,000 grant to manufacture fence posts from recycled plastic, providing an end-to-end solution for agricultural plastic such as sileage wrap and another recycling option for soft plastics collected at Coles.
Beef producers Steve and Christina McKay will use a $46,000 grant to purchase recycled plastic posts to re-fence five kilometres of their property after losing a substantial amount of fencing in the recent bushfires.
Beef producers Marcus and Rebecca Clarke will receive a $15,500 grant to re-fence 1.5 kilometres of their property with recycled plastic posts from Plastic Forests after losing fencing in the bushfires earlier this year.
Mt Warning Beverage Company, better known for its two brands; Yaru Water and Mount Warning Mineral Water, will receive a $410,000 grant to install new equipment to produce a range of native botanical tonic waters which are Australian owned, sourced and made using Indigenous flavours.
Black River Produce will use a $300,000 grant to plant locally-grownasparagus and help to reduce imports of the vegetable into Australia.
Family business Braebrook Pastoral will use a $360,000 grant to convert organic waste to renewable energy by constructing an on-farm biogas system on its pig farm.
Beechworth Honey will use a $400,000 grant to increase productivity and cost efficiencies in their honey packing facilities by installing robotic technology to streamline its operations.
Gippsland farmers the Olsen family – who won The Weekly Times Coles Innovative Farmer of the Year in February – will use a $400,000 grant to expand its facilities and treble the manufacture of its Soilkee Renovator Units.
With a $174,000 grant, Harvey Citrus will extend the supply of WA-grown citrus over the summer, increase local employment and reduce imports by extending its cool room facility and acquire solar panels for their packing shed.
Sutton Farms will use a $400,000 grant to increase water and fertiliser efficiency by introducing grow bag technology and a new irrigation system for its cherry tomatoes grown in the field.
Hall Stanley Premium Chestnuts will save water and increase production by introducing new high-efficiency irrigation and fertigation, which reduces evaporation and increases nutrients. A $73,000 grant will enable the chestnut grower to irrigate and fertigate new plantings concurrently with older blocks.
Todaro Farms will use a $78,000 grant to increase yields and quality by installing frost protection fleece and relocatable hail netting over its vegetables. This technology will allow the family business to expand its growing areas with confidence during challenging growing conditions.
