About forager

A pioneer of the Australian freeze-drying industry.

Forager Food Co. is at the forefront of the Australian freeze-drying industry, offering a range of premium freeze-dried products, all expertly crafted using the finest ingredients and the latest in manufacturing facilities and technology.

A pioneer of the Australian freeze-drying industry, Forager Food Co. commenced operations in 2009 and has quickly grown to be the largest and most advanced manufacturer of freeze-dried products in Australia.

Forager Food Co. processes, dries, and package a diverse range of foods providing extended shelf life whilst protecting the most valuable and delicate ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, colours, and flavours.

We are proudly based in Tasmania, a region of Australia that has gained a reputation for being the ‘delicatessen of the world’. Where possible, we choose Tasmanian ingredients first, prized for their quality and grown in one of the world’s last great pristine environments, offering some of the purest air and water to be found anywhere.

Our production facilities at Red Hills and Western Junction in Tasmania’s north feature state-of-the-art freeze-drying capability and are supported by full-service manufacturing facilities, including ambient, chilled, and frozen storage, food processing, packing, despatch, and logistics services.

Forager Food Co’s technical and processing team is led by John Ranicar who is also director and founded the business in 2009 along with his wife, Sophie. John has passionately honed his craft, with over 30 years of experience across the food and agricultural industries, including production through to manufacturing, from aquaculture to dairy. He is considered one of Australia’s preeminent experts in freeze-drying process and technology.

With co-director Jonty Barnett, who brings an extensive background in food distribution and marketing, Forager Food Co. is committed to helping growers and food manufacturers capture the full value of their products through preservation.

Forager Food Co. works with some of Australia’s leading growers, manufacturers and wholesalers, providing a range of products and services:

Forager Retail

Our unique range of wholefood freeze-dried fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, meals, and superfood combinations. All are grown in the world’s purest air using clean water and perfect growing conditions, packaged in foil pouches for 24-month shelf life, and containing no artificial additives, colours, or flavours.

Forager Providore

An extensive range of products for the food service industry, including restaurants, bakery, and confectionary sectors. Our expertly crafted freeze-dried pieces and powders are a are a natural, convenient way to add delicious flavours, vibrant colours and a nutrient boost to products such as desserts, chocolate, sweet fillings, juices, smoothies, cocktails and a range of bakery products.

Forager Bulk

Custom order bulk products for industrial clients. Customers can choose from our extensive product range or request custom orders.

Forager Contract Manufacturing & Partnerships

Forager Food Co. partners with various industries to provide innovative solutions to their product manufacturing and packing needs. We service many large industrial clients to create clean label products across retail, food service, health and wellbeing and the pet food industries.

Innovation is central to Forager Food Co’s success, and through research partnerships via Tasmanian-based Centre for Food Innovation (CFI) in collaboration with the University of Tasmania, the Commonwealth Government’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Forager Food Co. is at the cutting edge of extending shelf life using innovative processing and packaging technologies.

forager's rich family history of innovation and dedication to the food processing industry continues after 70 years.

Whilst Forager Food Co. is at the forefront of food technology and innovation, the business is also steeped in a rich family heritage of farming and food production dating back generations.

Founders of Forager Food Co., John and Sophie Ranicar and their families have been part of Tasmania’s agricultural story for generations.

The Ranicar family has lived in Tasmania since the 1950s when Edward and Betty Ranicar left tea plantation management in India, seeking the best farming ground and a good temperate climate. Their son Piers and his wife Susie developed the berry fruit and salmon industries in Tasmania, now some of the largest agricultural sectors in the state.

Susie’s great-great-grandfather was Thomas Mort, inventor of the first refrigerated shipping service between Europe and Australia, along with the corporatisation of the dairy industry in Australia in the mid to late 1800s. His legacy lives on through the modern-day company Elders Ltd. The Campbell family settled in Tasmania in 1853, when Lachlan MacKinnon Campbell left Scotland to establish the colony’s first Presbyterian church and later build a farming empire that, some six generations later, continues in Tasmania. Roaming the highlands of Tasmania wasn’t such a different environment to Scotland!

John and Sophie are the descendants of these well-known Tasmanian families. They continue their farming legacy through Forager Food Co. and look to emulate their forebears with an innovative and progressive business that impacts generations to come.

2009

Independent freeze-drying begins

When the original Bellamys Organic manufacturing facility that was built and run by John Ranicar was sold and repurposed, John bought the freeze-drying equipment (80 kg drier), setting up a plant in Red Hills TAS, John became the sole freeze-drying manufacturer for B.O operating under Ranicar Pacific Pty Ltd.

2011

First branded product launches

Forager Fruits was developed with assistance from food tech consultancy Mactavish West. Healthy snacking range designed for the retail market and is launched into independent groceries across Tasmania.

2012

Capacity increase

280 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2013

Tasmania Government Innovation and Investment Grant

Forager is awarded a $175K grant to match funds into a $250K project to expand packaging and processing capacity.

2014

Jonty Barnett joins and Forager Foods Pty Ltd is formed

Jonty joins John as an equal share business partner and CBDO, together they establish Forager Foods Pty Ltd.

2014

Capacity increase

1000 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2016

Capacity increase

1000 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2019

Capacity reached

Having reached the physical capacity of the Red Hills site amidst consistent and growing demand, Forager begins looking for locations to expand the business capacity.

2020

Capacity Increase New facility, licence agreement with defence

Forager signs a licence agreement with Defence Science and Technology Group to operate their 360kg freeze-drying facility in Scottsdale TAS beginning in May 2021. This facility includes equipment to manufacture/dry complete cooked meals.

2020

Joint venture

Forager enters its first JV with Campers Pantry, a freeze-dried ready-meal outdoor brand.

2020

Research partnerships formed

The Centre for Food Innovation sits adjacent to the Scottsdale facility and a R&D relationship is formed.

2020

New facility identified in Western Junction, Tasmania

Woolworths distribution site is privately purchased by local investors including Forager shareholders.

2021

Donna Wilson joins as COO

Ahead of major growth Donna joins the team to provide key strategic and operational support.

2021

Federal Govt Modern Manufacturing Grant

$1M received towards the completion of the Western Junction build out.

2022

Building commences at Western Junction

After significant covid delays, building commences in March.

2022

Capacity increase

Western Junction is commissioned in December providing Forager with an 8X capacity increase to begin the 2023 calendar year through its 2X state of the art 2500 kg driers and the physical space to add more. These driers have a shorter batch time than existing equipment, enabling the 8 fold increase.

2009

Independent freeze-drying begins

2011

First branded product launches

2012

Capacity increase

280 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2013

Tasmania Government Innovation and Investment Grant

Forager is awarded a $175K grant to match funds into a $250K project to expand packaging and processing capacity.

2014

Jonty Barnett joins and Forager Foods Pty Ltd is formed

Jonty joins John as an equal share business partner and CBDO, together they establish Forager Foods Pty Ltd.

2014

Capacity increase

1000 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2016

Capacity increase

1000 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2019

Capacity reached

Having reached the physical capacity of the Red Hills site amidst consistent and growing demand, Forager begins looking for locations to expand the business capacity.

2020

Capacity Increase New facility, licence agreement with defence

2020

Joint venture

Forager enters its first JV with Campers Pantry, a freeze-dried ready-meal outdoor brand.

2020

Research partnerships formed

The Centre for Food Innovation sits adjacent to the Scottsdale facility and a R&D relationship is formed.

2020

New facility identified in Western Junction, Tasmania

Woolworths distribution site is privately purchased by local investors including Forager shareholders.

2021

Donna Wilson joins as COO

Ahead of major growth Donna joins the team to provide key strategic and operational support.

2021

Federal Govt Modern Manufacturing Grant

$1M received towards the completion of the Western Junction build out.

2022

Building commences at Western Junction

After significant covid delays, building commences in March.

2022

Capacity increase

2009

Independent freeze-drying begins

2011

First branded product launches

2012

Capacity increase

280 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2013

Tasmania Government Innovation and Investment Grant

Forager is awarded a $175K grant to match funds into a $250K project to expand packaging and processing capacity.

2014

Jonty Barnett joins and Forager Foods Pty Ltd is formed

Jonty joins John as an equal share business partner and CBDO, together they establish Forager Foods Pty Ltd.

2014

Capacity increase

1000 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2016

Capacity increase

1000 kg drier purchased to meet growing demand.

2019

Capacity reached

Having reached the physical capacity of the Red Hills site amidst consistent and growing demand, Forager begins looking for locations to expand the business capacity.

2020

Capacity Increase New facility, licence agreement with defence

2020

Joint venture

Forager enters its first JV with Campers Pantry, a freeze-dried ready-meal outdoor brand.

2020

Research partnerships formed

The Centre for Food Innovation sits adjacent to the Scottsdale facility and a R&D relationship is formed.

2020

New facility identified in Western Junction, Tasmania

Woolworths distribution site is privately purchased by local investors including Forager shareholders.

2021