The Central Coast Food Manufacturing Innovation Hub is more than a facility; it’s a catalyst for growth. Backed by a $17.14M investment and supported by the Australian Government, University of Newcastle, Central Coast Council and RDA Central Coast, the Hub will:

• Strengthen the region’s $2 billion food & beverage sector
• Build workforce capability through training and partnerships
• Drive innovation with pilot-scale production and R&D facilities
• Create jobs and regional economic growth.

In 2018, a formal partnership between RDA Central Coast, the University of Newcastle (including Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources, NIER) and Central Coast Industry Connect was established to build the Central Coast’s reputation as an internationally renowned centre of excellence in food innovation.

Located at the heart of the Central Coast, just over an hour from Sydney and Newcastle, the Hub positions the region as a national centre of excellence in food and beverage manufacturing — where ideas turn into impact and businesses scale with confidence.

The hub has the following features, 8 food-grade factory bays (136–200sqm) scalable, fully serviced, production-ready. This site will also provide training and development opportunities, and workforce development delivered by Central Coast Industry Connect and expert partners. Businesses will also benefit from collaboration with training and research organisations such as the University of Newcastle, TAFE NSW and the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI).

The planned date for opening is May 2026. Developing a Central Coast Food Innovation Precinct will embed businesses in a specialised food and related industries research and technology precinct, designed to advance industrial innovation by connecting experts on common ground to facilitate the exchange of ideas, solutions and discovery. The project will also allow the region to substantially grow the number of overseas visitors studying on the NSW Central Coast and for the University to proactively target industry investment to fund research that could be utilized to innovate local, national and international food and food related industries.

Frank Sammit, Central Coast Industry Connect and Dr Lisa Barnes RDA Central Coast October 2025

Image source: RDA Central Coast (RDA Central Coast NSW)