Straight To The Source

What Straight To The Source does

Straight To The Source Pty Limited is a Sydney-based, founder-led strategic consultancy and online producer directory connecting primary and artisan food producers in Australia and New Zealand with chefs, hospitality operators, and regional development organizations. Founded in 2012 by Tawnya Bahr (Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, 2018 Culinary Advocate of the Year) and Lucy Allon (former owner of three award-winning Sydney restaurants, co-founder of Appetite for Excellence, James Beard Foundation presenter), the company operates with a core team of four and has no disclosed external funding. The company runs three revenue streams: a subscription-based Producer Directory listing primary and artisan producers, professional services consultancy engagements (including the Concept to Consumer course and value+d cohort program delivered with Farmers 2 Founders and Meat & Livestock Australia), and workshops and event programming anchored by The Source Kitchen at Fine Food Australia. Beyond the directory, the company publishes a podcast, curates NAIDOC Week hampers featuring First Nations producers, runs market tours, and maintains a Resource Toolkit aggregating grants, industry associations, and government resources for food businesses. The business model is community-led and event-driven, with go-to-market executed through industry partnerships, the producer membership directory, masterclasses, and trade show participation. The company is privately held, domiciled in New South Wales, and serves a distributed base of small producers, chefs, hospitality businesses, regional bodies, and Indigenous food entrepreneurs.

Name

Straight To The Source

Legal name

Straight To The Source Pty Limited

Website

https://straighttothesource.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Straight To The Source is a Sydney-based founder-led consultancy and online producer directory connecting primary and artisan food producers across Australia and New Zealand with chefs, hospitality buyers, and regional development organizations through subscription listings, bespoke advisory, and event programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Producer Marketplace & Consultancy

akta.pro primary industry

Food & Beverage Manufacturing (EDABALAL)

Keywords

• Food producer directory
• Food industry consultancy
• Artisan food marketplace
• Hospitality consulting services
• Producer market access

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Producer Membership Directory: Directory listing services for food producers and ingredients in Australia and New Zealand
2. Consultancy Services: Strategic consultancy services for primary and artisan producers, chefs, hospitality and agricultural industries
3. Workshops & Events: Educational masterclasses, market tours, and industry events such as Fine Food Australia, value+d program

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Straight To The Source operates a producer directory and consultancy platform that connects primary and artisan food producers across Australia and New Zealand with chefs, hospitality businesses, and buyers. The company provides strategic advisory services, educational programs (Concept to Consumer, value+d), curated events (The Source Kitchen, Market Tours, NAIDOC Week hampers), and a podcast to help producers commercialize and scale their food businesses.

Product overview

Straight To The Source is a platform connecting food producers with chefs and hospitality businesses in Australia and New Zealand. The core product is a Producer Directory serving as a searchable marketplace for artisan and primary producers. Complementary offerings include the Straight To The Source Podcast (food industry interviews), Concept to Consumer (business education course), The Source Kitchen (event series), NAIDOC Week hampers (Indigenous producer curation), Market Tours (agritourism experiences), and Consultancy Services (strategic advisory). The platform also aggregates resources including grants, industry associations, and festivals through its Resource Toolkit. The architecture combines a directory/marketplace as the central hub with content, education, events, and consultancy as supporting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Source Kitchen: A curated program featuring culinary demonstrations, panel discussions, ingredients showcases, and networking opportunities at trade events like Fine Food Australia.
• Concept to Consumer
• value+d

Products and services

• Producer Directory

Quantifiable outcome

• Multiple producers successfully scaled and commercialized through value+d program collaboration
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• Farmers 2 FounderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration partner in value+d program for supporting producers in ideating, validating and commercializing value-added businesses. Joint initiative with Meat & Livestock Australia.
• Meat & Livestock AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in value+d program supporting red meat producers to build value-added businesses. Three-way partnership with Straight To The Source and Farmers 2 Founders.
• UNOX AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on website, involved in supporting food business programs and events.
• WoHominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on website partnerships section.
• RDA Whyalla (Regional Development Australia)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional development partner logo displayed on website.
• Fine Food AustraliamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive partner for The Source Kitchen event at Fine Food Australia trade show. Team members serve as industry advisors and presenters.
• Food Lab SydneyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on website partnerships section.
• Quantal BioscienceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner involved in supporting food business commercialization programs with Straight To The Source.
• PorkStarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on website.
• Hospitality MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on website.
• Foodservice AustraliaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on website.
• ACF (Australian Culinary Federation)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on website.
• R&CAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on website.
• Regional Development MurraylandsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional development partner logo displayed on website.
• Macleay Valley Food BowlminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional partner logo displayed on website.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Good & Fugly: Australian marketplace connecting consumers to "ugly" and surplus produce from Australian farmers. Comparable as a similarly small, producer-discovery platform with a sustainability/provenance angle, though it is B2C where STTS is primarily B2B.
• Cultivate Food + Drink Innovation Hub: Australian food and beverage innovation hub supporting emerging brands with mentoring, events, and showcase platforms. Comparable niche: helping food producers go from concept to commercial product, with a focus on events and showcase.

Others

• Monash Food Innovation Centre: University-based centre with which STTS has worked (Professor Nicholas Georges endorses the team). Comparable as an adjacent food-industry capability provider supporting product development and commercialisation in Australia.
• delicious. Produce Awards (News Corp / delicious.): Lucy Allon is Project Manager of the delicious. Produce Awards, which celebrate Australian primary and artisan producers. Comparable as a media-led, producer-discovery platform that overlaps with STTS's directory and awards-style content.

Direct peers

• Regionality: Australian food-systems consultancy working with regional producers, communities, and government on place-based food strategies. Comparable as a similarly-sized consultancy focused on connecting producers, regions, and food businesses.
• Appetite for Excellence: Australian food-industry awards and development program co-founded by Lucy Allon in 2005. Closest analogue: another founder-led platform that connects and mentors emerging chefs, restaurateurs, and producers using events, awards, and industry partnerships.
• Farmers2Founders: Australian accelerator that helps producers and farmers commercialise value-added products. Directly comparable because it is a named STTS partner on the value+d program and serves the same primary-producer commercialisation use case.

Regional players

• FoodSpark (New Zealand): New Zealand food-innovation and connection platform for producers, chefs, and food businesses. Directly comparable business model (directory + community + events) operating in STTS's secondary market.

Broad incumbents

• AgriFutures Australia: Australian government RDC funding innovation in rural industries. Overlaps with STTS's work supporting regional producers and food regions, but at much larger scale and with statutory funding.
• Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL): Industry-led not-for-profit supporting food and agribusiness innovation across Australia. Comparable as a broader, government-backed incumbent in the same food-industry commercialisation and growth space STTS operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/to_the_source
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXtB8Q0TYwpstaIObb_1zGQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/straighttothesourcefoodtours
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/straight-to-the-source
• Instagraminstagram.com/straight_to_the_source

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Straight To The Source