MEET THE MAKERS

Arad Niksefat
Persia’s Pantry

A family tale of survival and hardship turns into the sweet recipe that Arad needs to create Persia’s Pantry, a range o delicious offerings for the pantry and ready-to-eats.

Krishna Vijitha
Bavan Foods

Krish’s journey from working in agriculture in his native Sri Lanka to setting up a thriving catering business is made possible by hard work, resilience and with a little help from friends in his new home of Australia.

Mahshid Babzartabi
Chef Mahshid Babzartabi

A change of profession brings Mahshid to her own catering business, offering authentic Iranian feast which has since spawned a book (with another on the way!) and popular dining events. 

Niro Vithyasekar
Tuka Tuka Kothu Roti Man

Cooking tips from friends in the detention centre and his mother’s recipes inspire Niro to bring the popular Sri Lankan street food kothu roti to Australia.

Owain Southwell
Munificent Wines

Owain’s strong advocacy for education has led him to found Munificent Wines that stands for the true value that education brings to disadvantaged communities.

Priyantha Joseph
Akira Grateful

Priyantha hails from Sri Lanka and with Akira Grateful, he wants to introduce to Australia (and the world) products that show the best his home country has to offer. 

Rasha Tayeh
Beit e’Shai

Rasha blends her native Palestinian culture and her passion for biodiversity to create Beit e’Shai teas that use ethically-sourced ingredients and adopts a socially-conscious business model.

Rick Owen
Worthy Cause

Rick knows first-hand the challenges faced by disadvantaged individuals. He founded Worthy Cause to provide them with meaningful work and support—by way of creating the most gooey, moreish cookies around!

Yarrie Bangura
Aunty’s Ginger Tonic

A wild dream is how it all starts for Yarrie, who with her innate ability to juggle multiple tasks and the words of the strong women in her family, founded Aunty’s Ginger Tonic and is taking it places.