Small business accelerator, Seedlab Australia, has selected the latest cohort for its Cultivate program, with 13 standout FMCG brands selected to take part in the intensive retail-readiness accelerator.
Founded by Dr. Hazel MacTavish-West, Seedlab has helped hundreds of early-stage businesses by providing the tools, knowledge, and connections needed to refine their businesses, brands and value propositions, secure major retail partnerships, and navigate the complexities of growth within the competitive FMCG market.
The organisation has been strongly supported by investors including Woolworths, which has contributed more than $12 million in total.
Seedlab stated that this year’s Cultivate 11 cohort reflects themes first spotted during the program’s precursor Bootcamp, including functional food and drinks, accessible wellness, and packaging simplicity, but above all, this cohort is defined by scalability. These are brands not just built to stand out, but built to grow.
The announcement follows a competitive selection process, with twenty Bootcamp 11 participants and returning alumni pitching for a place in the program. Final selections were made based on product viability, a strong sense of brand and storytelling, and capacity to scale into national retail.
Seedlab Australia’s COO, Kenna MacTavish, said the organisation is not here to make niche products work, unless they are truly innovative.
“In this round, we’re seeing the rise of value-added FMCG brands that are deeply considered and potentially, truly sustainable in today’s retail environment,” said MacTavish.
“Simplicity is emerging as a powerful trend across both food and home care. Founders are refining their offering, stripping away complexity, and communicating with sharper clarity – whether that’s in ingredients, packaging hierarchy, or brand message. This clarity not only helps with cut-through in a saturated market, but also builds the confidence needed to pitch to major retailers.”
The Cultivate curriculum has continued to evolve, with this edition offering new bespoke workshops in cost and margin analysis, packaging and packaging design, branding, consumer activation planning and more.
Seedlab continues to operate in close partnership with Woolworths, with Cultivate applicants being required to submit a five-minute pitch video reviewed by both the Seedlab and Woolworths teams, offering an opportunity to get in front of a national category buyer early on in their journey.
However, MacTavish said success isn’t always defined by a listing.
“Sometimes the most valuable outcome is clarity. That might mean realising that your costing and financial projections need reworking, or that your product format isn’t quite retail-ready,” she said.
“We’ve seen both scenarios, and in every case it’s the founder’s commitment to building a better business that stands out.”
The full list of selected businesses for Cultivate 11 includes:
- Dishpod
- Drink Dodge
- Eden Orchards
- Future Swirl
- Good Change
- Inner Bloom
- Konkan Kitchen
- Little Harvesters
- Melbourne Jerky
- Sodakick (Sidekick Soda)
- The Paddington Pantry
- Six-Eyed Scorpion
- Vutcher
The cohort will present their brands directly to buyers and category managers at the Seedlab Woolworths annual EXPO event next year, which has marked a turning point for past participants, with successful outcomes including retail listings, factory expansion, and new job creation.
