Professor Kerry Arabena and Sharon Brindley are among 5 Aboriginal business owners travelling to Anaheim, California this month as part of an Aboriginal trade mission with Aboriginal Economic Development and Global Victoria.

The trade mission will travel between 3 and 12 March 2023. Both Kerry and Sharon will be bringing Aboriginal businesses to the world stage to build relationships in the US for International Women’s Day on 8 March 2023.

The delegates will attend the Natural Products Expo West, the leading global trade show for the natural, organic, and healthy products industry. 65,000 people are expected to attend, including a buyer audience of almost 40,000.

Natural products are a key industry for the Victorian Aboriginal business sector, with unique cultural and intellectual property rights, including bush foods, natural medicines, remedies and skincare products, for which there is an increasing domestic and international demand.

Kerry, a descendant of the Meriam people from the Torres Strait, is involved in several businesses, including as Managing Director of First 1000, which fosters resilience, leadership and innovation in families caring for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

She is in the process of setting up a company focused on social and cultural sustainability. Sales from its product range will contribute to revitalising Meriam and other endangered Torres Strait Island languages, and to funding educational scholarships for Torres Strait Island people.

Sharon is a Yamatji/Noongar woman and opened the first and only Aboriginal café on the Mornington Peninsula, Cooee Cafe.

What started as a local café grew so quickly into a catering and food produce company that she has had to step away from the café. In 2020, she launched Jala Jala Treats which supplies a range of products including Aboriginal herbs and spices, chocolate, coffee, jams and sauces.

Her love of Aboriginal flavours was inspired by her grandmother.

’She would take me out to the bush and teach me how to live off the land. Many years later, I’m sharing the same excitement that was kindled then, using some of the same ingredients and flavours in my businesses.’

In Wajarri language, ‘Jala Jala’ means very good.

’This business was just a dream for so long,’ says Sharon. ’Now we are building and growing, striving to make it a business that can be passed down through my family for generations to come.’