Seedlab Australia’s Cultivate 12 cohort features frozen dumplings, hormone-friendly skincare and caffeine-free coffee.
What’s happening: Seedlab Australia has announced 13 FMCG businesses joining its twelfth Cultivate program, a five-month retail accelerator starting 28 October 2025.
Why this matters: The shift from functional wellness branding to pleasure-driven storytelling reflects changing consumer priorities. With cost-of-living pressures reshaping shopping habits, frozen food is emerging as a quality and convenience solution. Cultivate 12 demonstrates how FMCG brands can balance indulgence with everyday needs, creating scalable businesses beyond health claims.
Seedlab Australia has announced the next wave of FMCG businesses joining its twelfth round of the Cultivate program, with 13 ambitious founders selected to take part in the five-month retail-readiness accelerator beginning 28 October 2025.
The Cultivate 12 cohort reflects a fresh mix of solo founders and established small businesses, including four that already supply Woolworths, united by a shared mission to elevate the everyday. From functional wellness and flavour-forward food to ritual-based self-care, these brands are reimagining how products can connect comfort, culture and practicality.
Think premium frozen dumplings for weeknight ease, smoked BBQ meats that turn backyard cooking into a social ritual, hormone-friendly skincare that fits daily routines, and caffeine-free coffee designed for mindful mornings. Together, they’re proving that better-for-you can also be about pleasure, balance and sensory experience, not just health claims or ingredients lists.
According to Seedlab COO Kenna MacTavish, this round signals a shift from functional wellness branding to deeper, more sensory storytelling.
“We’re seeing a wave of founders who want to bring pleasure back to the everyday, whether that’s through a morning coffee, a skincare routine, or a Sunday BBQ. There’s an indulgence to this cohort that feels grounded and grown-up. They’re not preaching wellness; they’re designing products that feel good, taste good, and make sense in real, everyday life,” MacTavish said.
Frozen food’s redemption
One of the strongest trends emerging from Cultivate 12 is the reimagining of frozen food. From Chur Bol BBQ’s slow-smoked meats to Dumpling Cheers’ authentic Chinese street-style dumplings and Gut Comfort’s gut-friendly frozen treats, this cohort is challenging long-held perceptions about frozen being less than.
“The freezer aisle is having its redemption moment. For a long time, Australians equated frozen with compromise. But with cost-of-living pressures reshaping how people cook and shop, frozen is now where quality meets convenience. These brands aren’t cutting corners; they’re freezing craftsmanship,” MacTavish said.
The Cultivate 12 founders represent a mix of regional and trans-Tasman entrepreneurs, spanning New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand. Many are solo operators entering the next stage of their retail journey, seeking not only commercial tools but a sense of shared momentum.
Solo founders, shared momentum
Over the next five months, participants will take part in bespoke Seedlab workshops in cost and margin analysis, packaging design, logistics and consumer activation, all built around practical, real-world scaling.
“It’s not just about sharpening business strategy. For many of these founders, Cultivate is the first time they’ve had peers who get it, people juggling production runs, parenting, and pitch decks at the same time. That community is as valuable as the tools and frameworks they get,” MacTavish added.
Cultivate 12 features standout Australian and New Zealand names, including Bondi Beach Balm, Byron Bay Chilli Company, L’Authentique, Not Coffee, The Four Saucemen and Wholly Shrink!, each blending craft with commercial intent. From hormone-friendly skincare designed for real bodies to sustainable tech for household recycling, these founders are proving that innovation can be both personal and scalable.
The program leads into Seedlab’s annual EXPO 2026, where founders will present their brands directly to buyers and category managers, a pivotal moment that has helped past alumni secure national retail listings, expand facilities and create jobs.
“Our goal is simple: help good businesses become great ones, not just for launch, but for longevity,” MacTavish said.
For FMCG founders navigating the path from kitchen bench to retail shelf, programs like Cultivate offer structured support at a critical scaling phase. The focus on sensory storytelling and retail readiness reflects broader shifts in how emerging brands connect with both retailers and consumers in an increasingly competitive market.
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