What The Mini Farm Project does

The Mini Farm Project is a Queensland-based registered Australian charity (ABN: 88 606 937 286) founded in 2015 by Nick Steiner. It operates a network of small productive farms using regenerative agriculture, aquaponics, hydroponics, market gardening, and syntropic farming methods to grow fruit, vegetables, fish, and eggs that are donated weekly to food relief charity partners including OzHarvest, Meals on Wheels Moreton Bay, Bribie Island Pantry, Breakfast Club Redcliffe, and Marsden Community Assist. Two farms are currently operational: Millen Farm in Samford Valley and a school-based farm at Loganlea State High School that integrates hands-on horticulture education into the curriculum.

The organization funds farm construction and operations through a diversified mix of revenue streams. Direct-to-consumer specialty coffee (Farmhouse Brew, Morning Harvest, Decafe Delight, Regenerate) is sold nationally via a Shopify storefront at $24-$75 per unit, with each bag creating 10 meals. The Dark Acre Coffee Liqueur sub-brand is produced in partnership with Six Fathoms Distillery, and a Homestead Espresso Vanilla Soy Candle is produced with Blackandle, both generating per-unit donations to the charity. Recurring revenue comes from the Giving Circle monthly donation program ($3.70/month minimum, fully tax-deductible, with donor voting rights on farm locations) and the Bed Sponsorship Program ($47/month or $2,000 one-time). Community fundraising events such as the BNI Charity Hike Day and After Dark at the Treehouse round out the revenue mix.

The organization is governed by a board chaired by Lisa Chesterfield with directors Paulette Oldfield, Sebastian Silanesu, and Thad Hollis, and employs approximately 5 people. Its flagship expansion is the Woodstock Youth Training Farm, a planned 10-acre site in Logan, Queensland, targeting 150,000 meals per year, training 40 disengaged youth annually, and employing 4 farmers, with completion targeted for December 2026. It is currently 28% funded toward its $100,000 capital goal.

Name

The Mini Farm Project

Legal name

The Mini Farm Project Ltd

Website

https://mfp.org.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Mini Farm Project is a Queensland charity that operates small regenerative farms and donates produce weekly to food relief partners like OzHarvest and Meals on Wheels. It funds farm construction through coffee sales, liqueur partnerships, and recurring donor programs serving Australians facing food insecurity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Food Relief Services

NAICS

Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Other Food Crops Grown Under Cover (111419), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO)

Keywords

• Charity farm network
• Food insecurity relief
• Regenerative agriculture
• Specialty coffee sales
• Youth training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Samford Valley

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Coffee Sales: Sells premium coffee beans (Farmhouse Brew, Morning Harvest, Regenerate, Decafe Delight) in 250grm-1kg bags and Nespresso-compatible pods. Every bag purchased creates 10 meals for Australians in need.
2. Produce Box Donations: Donations of $20 (individual) or $50 (family) that fund a farm-fresh box of produce donated to charity partners
3. Bed Sponsorship Program: Corporate and individual sponsors can sponsor garden beds for $2,000 per bed one-time or $47/month. Sponsors receive plaque, logo placement, and 12 social media posts annually
4. Giving Circle Monthly Donations: Recurring monthly donations at $3.70 minimum (fully tax-deductible) to fund a farm per month. Donors can vote on farm locations and attend live operations meetings
5. Dark Acre Coffee Liqueur Partnership: Partnership with Six Fathoms Distillery selling award-winning coffee liqueur. $10 from each bottle supports The Mini Farm Project and creates 10 meals
6. Events and Merchandise: BNI Charity Hike Day tickets ($25+), picnic boxes, candles, and event merchandise sales

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Mini Farm Project operates urban and peri-urban charity farms using regenerative, pesticide- and fertiliser-free farming methods to grow fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, eggs, and produce, which are then donated weekly for free to food relief charity partners. The farms and youth training programs are funded through direct-to-consumer specialty coffee sales (Farmhouse Brew, Morning Harvest, Regenerate, Decafe Delight in whole bean, ground, and Nespresso-compatible pods), recurring and one-off tax-deductible donations, corporate bed sponsorships, and partnership products (Dark Acre Coffee Liqueur and Homestead Soy Candles).

Product overview

The Mini Farm Project is a Queensland-based charity operating a portfolio of purpose-driven products unified by their mission to fund charity farms and create meals for Australians facing food insecurity. The core offering consists of specialty coffee products (Farmhouse Brew, Morning Harvest, Decafe Delight, and Regenerate in various formats) sold alongside donation-based programs (Give a Produce Box, Giving Circle, Sponsor a Bed). Supporting sub-brands include Dark Acre Coffee Liqueur and Homestead Soy Candles. Event products (BNI Charity Hike Day, After Dark at the Treehouse) and donation add-ons round out the portfolio, with each product directly funding the organization's network of charity farms. The upcoming Woodstock Youth Training Farm represents the flagship expansion project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dark Acre: Award-winning distilled coffee liqueur created in partnership with Six Fathoms Distillery. Every bottle helps fund the Woodstock Youth Training Farm and creates 10 meals for Australians in need. Gold Medal winner at the London Spirits Competition.

Products and services

• Mini Farm Coffee (Farmhouse Brew, Morning Harvest, Regenerate, Decafe Delight) Specialty coffee products sold in whole bean, ground, and Nespresso-compatible pod formats (250grm to 1kg). Each purchase creates 10 meals for Australians in need by funding the charity's farms.
• Give a Produce Box Tax-deductible donation program providing farm-fresh produce boxes donated to charity partners. Individuals donate $20 and families donate $50 to fund a box of produce for food relief.
• Giving Circle Monthly Donation Monthly tax-deductible recurring donation program ($3.70/month minimum) that funds a farm per month. Donors can vote on which farm location is built next, with full transparency on funds raised and spent, and access to live-streamed operations meetings.
• Sponsor a Bed Tax-deductible garden bed sponsorship at the Woodstock Youth Training Farm, available as a $47/month recurring donation or $2,000 one-time donation per bed. Sponsors receive a plaque, logo placement, and 12 social media posts annually.
• Dark Acre Coffee Liqueur Gold Medal-winning Australian distilled coffee liqueur crafted by Six Fathoms Distillery using Mini Farm Coffee's Farmhouse Brew blend. $10 from each $69 bottle supports The Mini Farm Project and creates 10 meals for Australians in need.
• Homestead Espresso Vanilla Soy Candle Hand-poured premium soy candle produced in partnership with Blackandle, featuring espresso and vanilla fragrance, with each candle creating 10 meals for Australians in need.
• BNI Charity Hike Day Tickets Event tickets for the multi-region BNI Charity Hike Day, sold to raise funds for both The Mini Farm Project and Westside Community Care. Individual tickets from $25, with family packages available.
• After Dark at the Treehouse Espresso Martini networking event ($55/person) held at Redcliffe Treehouse featuring Dark Acre cocktails and a panel discussion on women in business, with proceeds supporting The Mini Farm Project.
• Woodstock Youth Training Farm Planned 10-acre youth training charity farm at Woodstock in Logan, Queensland, designed to produce over 150,000 meals per year, train 40 disengaged youth/school leavers annually, and employ 4 farmers. Crops include market garden beds, aquaponics, egg production, and regenerative farming; target completion December 2026.

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Griffith UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership focused on food insecurity. Includes Dr Kimberley Reis, Assoc Prof Georgette Leah Burns, Professor Jennifer Boddy, and Dr Harry Kanasa. Supports conservation and planning students with practical training.
• OzHarvestcoreOthersCharity partner receiving fresh produce from Mini Farm farms for food relief distribution
• Six Fathoms DistillerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilanthropic partnership creating Dark Acre Coffee Liqueur. Every bottle sold generates $10 for The Mini Farm Project and creates 10 meals. Awarded Gold Medal at London Spirits Competition.
• BlackandlesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilanthropic partnership creating Homestead Espresso Vanilla Soy Candle. BNI member partnership producing candles that create 10 meals per unit.
• Loganlea State High SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool-based charity farm providing hands-on agricultural education. Students study Horticulture, Conservation, and Agriculture, participating in building, maintaining, sowing, and harvesting the farm.
• Millen Farm (Samford)secondaryOthersFarm partner location in Samford Valley, QLD providing pickup location for online orders
• Meals on Wheels Moreton BaycoreOthersCharity partner receiving fresh produce for meal preparation and delivery to vulnerable community members
• Phil Di Bella's Coffee CommunesecondaryTechnology or IntegrationCoffee bean supplier providing beans for Dark Acre Coffee Liqueur using Mini Farm Coffee's Farmhouse Brew blend

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Food Agility CRC: Australian agrifood innovation cooperative research centre funding digital and sustainable agriculture research. Adjacent ecosystem participant relevant to Mini Farm's Griffith University research partnerships and ESG-aligned funding channels.
• Millen Farm: Samford-based community farm in Queensland already partnered with The Mini Farm Project as a pickup and operations location. Comparable regenerative, community-focused urban/peri-urban farm in the same geographic market.

Emerging players

• Sprout Stack: Australian indoor vertical farm producing fresh leafy greens commercially. Comparable controlled-environment agriculture production model (overlap with Mini Farm's aquaponics/hydroponics methods), though operates as a commercial grower rather than charity.
• STREAT: Melbourne-based social enterprise supporting disadvantaged youth through hospitality training and food businesses. Comparable youth-training-plus-food-business social enterprise model, though focused on hospitality rather than farming.
• Orange Sky Australia: Australian volunteer-driven charity providing free laundry and shower services to people experiencing hardship. Comparable founder-led, community-funded, high-visibility Australian nonprofit with strong award profile, though different service domain.

Direct peers

• OzHarvest: Australia's leading food rescue charity, redistributing surplus food to vulnerable communities. Directly comparable as a food-relief charity partner of The Mini Farm Project and competing for the same donor and ESG funding pool.
• SecondBite: Australian food rescue charity that redistributes surplus fresh produce to community partners. Closely comparable fresh-produce food-relief model, similar charity-partner distribution approach, and overlapping donor base with Mini Farm.
• FareShare Australia: Australian charity that cooks and distributes meals from rescued food and operates its own production gardens. Comparable hybrid food-production-plus-relief model and similar mission around addressing food insecurity through fresh, prepared output.
• CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies): Melbourne-based urban farm and environmental education centre running training, school programs, and food production for community benefit. Directly comparable urban/peri-urban farm network combined with education and social-enterprise revenue streams.

Broad incumbents

• Foodbank Australia: Australia's largest food-relief organization, operating nationally with a much broader mandate (rescued food, pantries, school breakfasts). Comparable mission around food insecurity but operates at far greater scale and as a generalist rather than a fresh-produce specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/minifarmp
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@theminifarmproject4160
• Facebookfacebook.com/theminifarmproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-mini-farm-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/minifarmp
• TikToktiktok.com/@minifarmproject

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Mini Farm Project