Construction begins on Central Coast Food Manufacturing Innovation Hub

Construction has begun on the Central Coast Food Manufacturing Innovation Hub, a $17.14 million project funded by the federal government and delivered by not-for-profit organisation Central Coast Industry Connect (CCIC) in partnership with the Central Coast Council, University of Newcastle and Regional Development Central Coast.

In a statement on Thursday, CCIC said the project will position the region “as a premier destination for food manufacturing”, supporting both established and scale-up businesses, and offering training and innovation support.

It is scheduled to be operational by the end of March 2026, and feature a ”Manufacturing Advancement Centre”, according to the release, offering “a holistic, pragmatic approach to business improvement for both food and non-food manufacturers.”

Funding for the initiative was announced in the October 2022 federal budget.

Frank Sammut, Executive Director at CCIC, said, “This is a long-time vision that we have had for the Central Coast, and it’s great that we are now on our way to making it happen.”

CCIC said it had already developed training programs, “focusing on Manufacturing Leadership, Product Innovation, and Machine Operation” and has established an interim Skills Hub at the University of Newcastle’s Ourimbah campus.

“Between now and when the hub opens, it is planned to have programs developed, piloted, and proven so we can hit the road running when the hub officially opens,” added Sammut.

Picture: supplied

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