Australian Institutional Food Procurement Project

Why This Project Matters

For the first time, Australia will map institutional food procurement across hospitals, aged care, schools, prisons, childcare, and other major public institutions. These institutions purchase enormous volumes of food — shaping production patterns, supply chains, nutrition, environmental outcomes, and regional economies. This project funded by Macdoch Foundation is co-lead by Emma-Kate Rose, co-CEO, Food Connect Foundation and Leah Galvin, Consultant and Churchill Fellow. The broader project team includes food system colleagues across Australia. Read more about them below.

This project will produce a national report that is authoritative, data-driven and visually compelling, showing how procurement can deliver healthier, fairer, and more sustainable food systems.

Project Objectives

  • Map the National Landscape – Identify who buys what, how much, and under what arrangements.
  • Reveal Constraints & Opportunities – Expose policy gaps, contract practices, equity considerations, and First Nations perspectives.
  • Quantify Change Scenarios – Model impacts from “Business as Usual+” through to transformative procurement targets on sustainability, nutrition, and waste reduction.
  • Set a Pathway for Action – Provide practical, high-impact steps for governments, policymakers, and investors to act now.

What We’ll Deliver

  • National Report – Designed for maximum impact with infographics, data visuals, and case studies.
  • Executive Summary – A concise, policy-ready brief for decision-makers.
  • Evidence Library – Linked resources and references for future use.

Timeline (10 Weeks: Sept – Nov 2025)

The Impact

This project will equip decision-makers with the tools to harness procurement as a lever for:

  • Reducing environmental impact of food systems.
  • Improving nutrition and equity outcomes.
  • Stimulating regional economies.
  • Driving system-wide food transformation.

Stakeholder engagement is central – we will capture diverse voices, build momentum, and ensure the recommendations are grounded, actionable, and nationally relevant. We welcome your contributions whether it's sharing reliable data sources, networks/contacts and your valuable expertise and advice.

Please get in touch with Project Leaders: Leah Galvin or Emma-Kate Rose

Project Team

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Leah Galvin, Project Lead
Churchill Fellow, Leah Galvin Consulting
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Emma-Kate Rose, Project Manager
Co-CEO, Food Connect Foundation
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Rachel

Dr Rachel Carey, Project Advisor
Senior Lecturer, Food Systems, University of Melbourne
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Stephanie

Dr Stephanie Godrich, Policy Lead
Senior Lecturer, Public Health (Nutrition), Edith Cowan University
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Dheepa Jeyapalan, Design & Analysis Lead
Lead Convenor, Food Systems, Regen Melbourne
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Dr Joanna Horton, Mapping Lead
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Centre for Policy Futures, University of Queensland
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Katie

Katie Walker, Project Support
Operations and Communications Officer, Food Connect Foundation
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