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Woolworths at Work acknowledges First Nations enterprise as part of its extended business range
Fiona Alston
Oct 07, 2025
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October marks Indigenous Business Month, a time to recognise and elevate the contributions of Indigenous businesses across Australia. This year, Woolworths at Work is proud to place the spotlight on three of their Indigenous suppliers, Kulbardi, Loco for Cocoa and Binda Botanicals, in a special virtual Fireside Chat designed to share their stories of cultural strength, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit.
Woolworths at Work’s commitment to social responsibility is not just theoretical, they put it into action. On 5th September, more than 120 team members across Woolworths at Work volunteered with 16 Clontarf Foundation academies for their annual Give Back Day. Together, they supported activities on campus grounds, gardening, serving lunch, cleaning, and community engagement.Clontarf Foundation is a non‑profit organisation that supports young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, promoting education, life skills, discipline and employment pathways. It operates in over 162 schools nationally, supporting more than 10,000 academy members.
This partnership reflects a deeper alignment with reconciliation, community engagement and meaningful support for First Nations youth. Woolworths Group’s Reconciliation Action Plan identifies a long-term commitment to Indigenous procurement, employment, and cultural recognition, principles that are not only embedded at a corporate level but reflected in how Woolworths at Work engages with customers, suppliers and communities.
For Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings, this alignment offers an authentic way to embed reconciliation into everyday practice:
- Support economic sovereignty in First Nations communities by directing procurement spend toward Indigenous‑owned enterprises
- Bring genuine Indigenous stories and products into children’s learning environments, strengthening cultural visibility
- Model supply chain inclusion for children, families and the wider community
- Reinforce service’s commitment to cultural responsiveness and reconciliation values in a tangible way
By integrating Indigenous-owned brands into procurement strategies, ECEC services can translate values into action, not just in philosophy, but in the products on their shelves.
Woolworths at Work houses its First Nations supplier offering as part of its broader Extended Business Range, which currently features over 1,500 products and continues to expand each year.
The range includes First Nations food, drinks and everyday essentials, such as single-serve chocolates, healthy protein bars, bottled water, tissues and everyday stationery, making it easier for services to embed cultural and social responsibility into everyday purchasing decisions.
One reliable supplier for everything: fresh, grocery, office supplies, and art & craft, so you can simplify purchasing. Your team can focus on a more efficient workday, not bogged down in managing business shopping paperwork.
ECEC providers often juggle multiple suppliers for food, art & craft, cleaning, office and hygiene. Woolworths at Work’s Extended Business Range was born from direct feedback from customers who wanted convenience, consistency and variety in a single platform.
Key offerings for Early Learning settings include:
- Over 450 Art & Craft SKUs and growing: Woolworths at Work has placed emphasis on building a robust art & craft line tailored to ECEC needs from basic items to specialty materials.
- Core range supports DIY craft: The integration of everyday consumables like flour, pasta, paper plates, and specialised materials means educators can “fill both sides of the basket” food and craft in one order.
- Serve the majority of large ECEC services: Impressively, 55 out of Australia’s largest 67 ECEC organisations are already Woolworths at Work customers, motivating further investment into category growth and depth.
- Category expansion: Their Extended Business Range has been growing steadily for over two years, with new products added periodically based on customer feedback, including the recent introduction of over 55 new First Aid and Workplace Safety products like kits, bandages, sunscreen, and hi-vis vests for adults and children.
Woolworths at Work is a platform that aligns with ECEC services’ multifaceted operational needs, where cultural inclusion and supply efficiency meet.
All nine Indigenous‑owned suppliers featured in the Woolworths at Work range are 100 per cent independently Indigenous‑owned. These partners span broad categories, including eco‑friendly cleaning, apparel, sunscreen, water, plant‑based foods, coffee, healthy cookies, stationery and indulgent chocolate. Through these collaborations, Woolworths at Work is actively embedding First Nations voices into its supply ecosystem.
Embedding Indigenous products and narratives into Early Learning practice is consistent with the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF), particularly in supporting principles of equity, inclusion and cultural competence. The EYLF (V2.0) emphasises the importance of children being connected to community, cultural identity and belonging, and asserts that educators should promote cultural security, inclusion and respect for diversity.
By sourcing Indigenous‑owned goods and embedding supplier stories, services contribute to learning outcomes associated with identity, community connection and responsible participation. These decisions are not peripheral; they are aligned with the pedagogical goals of the EYLF, enriching the curriculum through culturally responsive resources and practices.
To learn more about how Woolworths at Work can support your operational needs visit here.
Register now for the virtual Fireside Chat to be held on Tuesday, October 21st 2025 at 10:00AM AEST and hear directly from Indigenous business leaders Kulbardi, Loco for Cocoa, and Binda Botanicals as they share their stories, products and perspectives.
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