What does it really take to take a food business from a successful local product to a scalable, nationally distributed or export-ready brand?

That was the focus of our recent Growth Playbook: What Does It Take to Scale a Food Business? event, hosted by Melbourne’s North Food Group in partnership with BlueRock.

The panel brought together Ben Circosta, CEO & Founder of Bippi Foods; Chelsea Ford, Founder of Foodpreneur Festival and Podcast and CPG Industry Consultant; and Huseyin Duzgun, Export Manager at Picnic Foods, for a practical discussion about the realities of growing a food business.

Knowing when you’re ready to scale

The conversation began with what it means for a business to be genuinely ready for growth.

Moving beyond product-market fit requires more than increasing sales. Businesses need the operational capability, commercial foundations and systems to support higher volumes and new markets.

For export-focused businesses, this becomes even more important, with international buyers looking for evidence that a brand can consistently meet demand.

Growing without losing your brand

As businesses grow, new retailers, channels and partnerships can present exciting opportunities. But the panel explored why having a clear brand vision is essential when deciding which opportunities to pursue.

The discussion also looked at the balance between volume and profitability, particularly when working with major retail buyers. Understanding pricing, trade spend and margins is critical to ensuring that growth translates into sustainable business performance.

Scaling production while protecting quality

Increasing production brings another set of challenges.

The panel explored how food businesses can maintain consistent taste, texture and quality as batch sizes increase, as well as the operational bottlenecks that can emerge during periods of rapid growth.

The conversation also covered the decision to move from in-house production to a co-packer, including the risks businesses need to consider around quality control, processes and consistency.

For businesses looking towards export, additional considerations such as shelf life, temperature stability and packaging durability become increasingly important.

Taking food brands into international markets

Export was another key focus of the discussion, with the panel exploring how businesses can assess potential markets and identify the right distribution partners.

Choosing a market is about more than opportunity alone. Businesses need to consider market suitability, supply chain requirements and whether the right partners are available.

The panel also discussed how Australian brands can adapt their packaging, branding and messaging for international consumers while retaining the identity and qualities that made them successful at home.

Once a distributor is appointed, clear expectations, performance measures and ongoing communication can help ensure alignment with the brand’s commercial goals and standards.

Building the foundations for sustainable growth

Across the discussion, one message was clear: scaling a food business is about much more than selling more products.

Sustainable growth requires strong foundations across manufacturing, quality control, pricing, margins, distribution, brand strategy and market readiness.

It also requires founders to be deliberate about which opportunities they pursue and what capabilities need to be strengthened before taking the next step.

For food manufacturers in Melbourne’s north, access to industry networks, expertise and support can play an important role in navigating these growth decisions.

A big thank you to BlueRock for hosting us, our panellists Ben Circosta, Chelsea Ford and Huseyin Duzgun for sharing their insights, and everyone who joined us for the discussion and networking.

It was a valuable opportunity to bring Melbourne’s food manufacturing community together to share experiences, challenges and practical approaches to growth.