This year’s CommBank Young Hero Awards shines the spotlight on 10 outstanding business leaders from across Australia. These young entrepreneurs, aged 35 and under, are making a positive impact on Australia’s business market while pushing the boundaries of their respective industries. Let’s take a closer look at these trailblazing businesses and the remarkable founders that run them. Thomas King, Founder of Food Frontier shares insights into their business’s success and why they were awarded CommBank Young Hero Awards 2023: Sustainable Entrepreneur of the Year.
What impact has your business had on the environment?
Food production is the top driver of biodiversity loss and the greatest source of greenhouse gas emissions after fossil fuels—and our protein supply represents most of this. Innovations in alternative proteins, like plant-based meat and products of cellular agriculture, can help us feed more people with fewer resources and emissions, and a lighter impact on land and ocean ecosystems. As the national think tank on alternative proteins, Food Frontier has played a central role in advancing dialogue and decision-making to grow this important field for a more sustainable food future.
Biggest accomplishments of your business?
In the past few years, Food Frontier has provided valuable education and facilitation to Australia and New Zealand’s alternative proteins ecosystem, which has grown from 4 to over 40 companies. Our reports and events—undertaken in partnership with Deloitte, Austrade, the National Farmers Federation, Compass Group, the Victorian Government and others—have delivered world-first data and insights reaching over 70 million people via the media. And our team has grown to nine full-time employees. We’re extremely grateful to our donors and partners for enabling this impact.
Advice for businesses looking to achieve their sustainability goals?
Walk the talk. No longer can businesses discuss their goals, engage in green marketing, and think that that’s enough. Sustainability expectations among shareholders, policymakers and consumers are rapidly increasing—and embedding genuine sustainability at the core of your business, rather than virtue signalling, is both the right thing to do and smart business. The next generations of consumers are savvy, discerning, and eager to align their choices with their values. That’s why authentically purposeful brands and products contributing to social and environmental good are becoming increasingly popular.
Tips for young entrepreneurs looking to make a difference in the world:
Find an offering that allows you to do what you love while contributing to meaningful and sustainable change. Before I started Food Frontier, there were three things I considered—what I was naturally good at and enjoyed; an important and under-represented issue with scope to do enormous good; and a model that would be both strategically effective and sustainable. The middle of that Venn diagram is the sweet spot you want to aim for! In my case, the answer was quite unique—an independent, DGR nonprofit think tank in alternative proteins funded by grants, donations and events.
By: Alyssa Herr, Editor
