Mobius Farms aims to ‘close the loop’ on grape marc through insect bioconversion. Image courtesy Penfolds Evermore
This week, Penfolds announced the successful recipients of the inaugural Penfolds Evermore Grant Program. Four recipients in Australia have been selected for their ‘bold and innovative’ projects which contribute to community and culture, and as a result will share in $200,000 of funding. The recipients include a grape marc bioconversion project, a fabric recycling program, a regenerative native vegetation project, and a ‘kitchen library’ providing food preparation equipment and workshops. The program received more than 80 applications across Australia from business, individuals and community organisations.
Evermore is the first Penfolds brand community and sustainability platform, designed to reflect the Penfolds legacy and values. The program aims to create and support positive change by focussing on delivering programs and activities under three strategic priority areas: ‘Community and Culture’, ‘Future Winemaking’, and ‘Toward Sustainability’.
“What a way to celebrate Penfolds 180th anniversary,” said Kristy Keyte, chief marketing officer Penfolds, “awarding our first grants to recipients who are focused on delivering community impact, changing the landscape of their own sector, and contributing to positive change in the wine industry. This program is our opportunity to use our business as a force for good and continue to look to the future for our communities around the world.”
| Recipient | Funding Amont | Project |
| A Fitting Connection (VIC)
Project: ReFELT Empowering Abilities Through Sustainable Textiles |
$66,000 | ReFELT will acquire a FeltLOOM to transform textile waste into recycled fabrics and run workshops to empower individuals with disabilities to design new fabrics. ReFELT will collaborate with local creatives and artists will yield unique products inspired by wine culture. The ReFELT employment program will employ individuals to create ReFELT fabric and products for other organisations ideally using their own textile waste. ReFELT will also support participants with the set-up of micro businesses and provide the ‘textile tech’ curriculum at Banyule Nillumbik Tech School with access to the FeltLOOM. |
| Planting Seeds Project
(NSW) Project: B&B Highway |
$50,000 | The B&B Highway is a regenerative and educational community initiative focusing on Bees, Birds, plants, and other pollinators, essential for biodiversity and ecosystem health. Four local sites will be identified as hubs for the Penfolds B&B Highway with the fifth and central hub located at Penfolds Magill Estate in Adelaide. The recent decline in local Green Carpenter species of Bees affects ‘buzz’ pollination practices and impacts on local plant life and resilience. This project aims to create appropriate habitats and plant native vegetation to encourage this species. The project will also involve an education program consisting of indoor learning and related outdoor activities. |
| Mobius Farms (SA)
Project: Closing the loop on grape marc through insect bioconversion |
$54,000 | Using grape marc, a residue of winemaking as a feedstock, this project will assess the impacts of insect frass on vineyard soil and plant health. The project aim is to close the loop on winemaking ‘waste’ whilst enhancing viticulture sustainability. The project proposes to extend existing research through future grape marc insect bioconversion trials. Analysing insect frass and developing field application trials based on the resultant nutrient and microbial profiles, the project aims to demonstrate the impact of frass on vineyard productivity and soil health. Materials will also be developed to share the findings with the wider wine making and viticulture industry. |
| Barossa Farmers Market (SA): Project: Barossa Farmers Market Kitchen Library | $30,000 | A new Kitchen Library in South Australia will act as a hub for community, connection, information, and knowledge through the provision of food preparation equipment and educational workshops designed to connect people to healthy, seasonal, and local produce while optimising their capacity, reducing reliance on supermarket supply chains, and empowering the community to manage their own food security in a more sustainable way. A case study of this program will also be developed and shared with other markets across the country to inspire them to implement the same activity for their communities. |
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