Fermentasmania is a co-project with input from the University of Tasmania, TasTAFE, and the hospitality industry with Kim Seagram as chairwoman, and microbiologist Tom Lewis as executive director.

Recently, Dr Lewis, along with Nat Fryar and Anna Carew, undertook international partnership and scoping development trips. They visited Europe and the US, forging contacts and researching international methods.

“These contacts are just going to put us in such good steed for the next steps,” Dr Lewis said.

They will now develop a number of possible operating models to present to key industry stakeholders. The trips were funded by UTAS, and an International Specialised Skills Institute scholarship.