Business View Oceania | Volume 4, Issue 3

79 80 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 and stakeholders, developing their passion for the Australian food industry, supporting them to effectively operate within a global environment. AIFST provides a suit of member-specific services to all food industry professionals and affiliates in associated sectors. Memberships span across Student, Graduate, Member, Professional Member, and Fellow tiers. Members of the Institute enjoy benefits that include access to members-only sections of the AIFST website, continuing professional development programs (CPD), workshops, webinars, mentoring, and subscriptions to the journal food australia, BiteSize newsletter, and FoodTech Bites technical newsletter, and profiling opportunities for research, projects, and business development. AIFST memberships are inclusive of the AIFST branches and special interest groups and offer special rates for the AIFST annual convention and events. Above all, AIFST fosters a knowledgeable, passionate network of like- minded professionals who are committed to bettering the national agri-food sector now, to support the future. Fiona Fleming is CEO at AIFST. “Our organisation is the member-driven foundation on which Australia’s food professionals are building their industry’s future. We keep our members informed and educated on current trends, advocate for them, and encourage the active advancement of the industry as a whole. We want Australia to lead the world in sustainability, food security, innovation, and more, and we want our members’ jobs to be recognised as the professional careers that they are. Our network is one built on trust, community, and like-mindedness. I am proud to be a part of an Institute that supports a sector so vital to the growth, health, and development of our country.” The association regularly collaborates with a number of associated industry bodies, including the Australian Institute of Packaging, Australian Food Engineers Association, Food Innovation Australia, Engineers Australia, the Institution of Chemical Engineers in Australia, Institute of Food Technologists, the Allergen Bureau, and sister association New Zealand Industry of Food Science and Technology. AIFST has utilised this network to evolve alongside the food industry market and provide continued support for members that is tailored to their needs as industry developments arise. The Institute keeps in regular contact with members to keep them updated on industry changes via their website, social media, two monthly newsletters, the quarterly food australia journal, and regular in- person and hybrid events. AUSTRAL I AN INST I TUTE OF FOOD SC I ENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (A I FST )