Narelle Plapp is a trailblazer in Australia’s food manufacturing industry and one of the few female founders and CEOs leading a large-scale operation in this space. With over two decades of experience, Narelle has built two thriving, homegrown businesses from the ground up: Grain & Bake Co. and Food for Health.

A qualified naturopath with a Bachelor of Science degree in Naturopathy, Narelle’s passion for wellness, nutrition and functional food sparked her entrepreneurial journey. Narelle created Food for Health muesli products 20 years ago for her patients with coeliac disease to use throughout their treatments. The brand of gluten-free, gut-friendly mueslis has established a loyal following and is stocked in Coles and Woolworths. It remains her passion project, built on a mission to create food that supports better health without compromising on taste.

In 2017, she founded Grain & Bake Co., a manufacturing powerhouse that supplies cereals, mueslis and snack bars to some of the country’s best-known food brands and retailers. With a focus on quality, innovation and customer-first thinking, Grain & Bake Co. has an annual revenue of over $35 million with a cutting-edge facility based in Melbourne. Despite its scale, the business has remained proudly owned and led by Narelle since day one.

As a mother of two and a fierce advocate for women in business, Narelle is committed to driving change in the manufacturing industry by empowering more women to lead and thrive in traditionally male-dominated environments. 

Today, Narelle continues to lead both businesses with energy and purpose, proving that innovation, integrity and instinct are a powerful combination.

Sarah Kibble is the Group Information Officer at Bright Food Asia Pacific, bringing over 25 years of experience in information technology.  Her work focuses on simplifying and digitising business processes, improving the consistency of enterprise systems, and enabling them to operate effectively at scale.  She has a strong track record in using technology to align systems and processes across diverse businesses, helping to streamline operations, improve performance, and support sustainable growth across complex organisations.

At Bright Food Asia Pacific, Sarah leads technology strategy and execution across a diverse portfolio of nine trading entities operating throughout the Asia-Pacific region.  These span manufacturing, import and distribution, food service, and retail operations.  This breadth creates both complexity and opportunity, and she plays a key role in driving more connected, scalable and efficient operations through practical, business-focused technology solutions.

Matt McMichael is Group Supply Chain Director at Patties Food Group, where he is responsible for leading end-to-end supply chain operations across a portfolio of iconic Australian food brands.

An accomplished operations and procurement executive, Matt brings extensive experience in FMCG supply chain leadership, with a strong track record in delivering operational performance, driving productivity, and embedding continuous improvement at scale. 

Prior to joining Patties Food Group in 2025, he held senior leadership roles across Australia, the UK and Europe, including Chief Operating Officer at SPC Global, where he led large, multi-site manufacturing operations and cross-functional teams spanning supply chain, procurement, quality, R&D and logistics.  

Matt has deep expertise in transformation programs, manufacturing optimisation, and supply chain strategy, with a focus on delivering measurable improvements in service, cost, quality and safety outcomes. He is also recognised for his leadership in building high-performing teams and driving cultural change through continuous improvement initiatives. 

He holds a Master’s in Engineering Business Management from Warwick Business School.