Expression of interest – MLA Gulfood Innovation Challenge 2026

Connecting global innovation with Australian red meat industry challenges

Position your innovation on the world's largest stage

The Australian red meat industry exports 2.24 million tonnes of red meat annually to 104 countries. Behind this scale lie complex challenges in packaging sustainability, supply chain efficiency and changing consumer demands.

As part of the Research and Development (R&D) Food Innovation Program, MLA is launching the Gulfood Innovation Challenge to accelerate breakthrough solutions. Five selected teams will pitch their innovations at Gulfood Dubai in January 2026, connecting directly with Australian meat exporters, international buyers, R&D investors and industry decision-makers.

This is an opportunity to:

• demonstrate your innovation to the global food industry at Gulfood, which draws 100,000+ attendees annually
• access MLA's investment pathways (approximately $320 million invested annually in R&D and marketing)
• build relationships with Australian exporters and brand owners seeking innovative solutions
• receive structured mentoring to refine your value proposition and commercialisation pathway
• join the inaugural cohort of the MLA Innovation Challenge program.

The three challenges to address

Challenge A: Next-generation sustainable packaging

PVDC resin has enabled 90-day shelf-life for lamb and 120-day shelf life for beef but is now classified as a problematic plastic. We're seeking bio-polymers, novel barrier materials or innovative packaging systems that match current performance while meeting evolving sustainability requirements and that can be adopted at commercial scale by Australian processors.

Challenge B: Ambient storage for red meat products

Cold chains are expensive, generate significant greenhouse gas emissions and are unavailable in many potential markets. We're seeking technologies or processes that enable shelf-stable raw meat products with maintained organoleptic properties, food safety at water activity levels below 0.6 and practical preparation methods for end users.

Challenge C: Nutrient-dense wellness meat products

By 2035, over half the world's population will be overweight or obese, yet malnutrition persists. We're seeking products or platforms that leverage red meat as a nutrient-rich ingredient in novel formats, target specific consumer segments with clear health claims and align with government nutrition programs in key markets.

What you receive

Financial support

Each team receives $15,000 to cover travel, accommodation and participation expenses. At least one team member must attend in person.

The Dubai experience (January 26-30, 2026)

Daily mentoring sessions, structured networking with Australian exporters and brand owners, access to MLA's R&D investment managers, participation in the final pitch event, and post-event debrief to explore next steps.

Beyond Dubai

Selected teams will be featured in an MLA case study report (published on MLA's website), receive ongoing connection opportunities with Australian meat exporters and R&D partners, and access MLA's investment and commercialisation pathways for solutions with strong industry fit.

Who should apply

We're looking for teams with deep expertise in materials science, food technology, nutrition, or adjacent fields. You should have a credible approach to one or more of the three challenges (early-stage is acceptable), strong communication skills, commitment to pre-event preparation, Dubai attendance and post-event documentation.

More information

For more information regarding this opportunity please see the Challenge Brief.

Application link

Please apply using this application form.

Contact Information

Jack Andrews

Project Facilitator

jack.andrews@uq.edu.au