We're your food
and bev
matchmakers
Imagine Collective is all about matching your food and bev biz with the perfect support. We can make your business stand out from the crowd, whether you’re an FMCG product brand or run a single or multi-site venue.
Hello there
*shakes hand*
We’re so pleased to meet you.
We’re Imagine Collective and we take brands from ground zero to hero. Full turnkey support
We help you achieve what you imagine for your business.
We’re your matchmakers, pairing you with the right connections to help your biz succeed.
Superhero capes optional. 😉
What we do
We work with FMCG product brands, manufacturers, and venues to make sure products don’t just enter the market—they perform in it.
At Imagine Collective, everything sits across three connected pillars:
Channel mapping and market execution, new product development, product launch, product ranging, LTO strategy and support.
SOPs, operations, rosters/labour, P&L, menu development, design and engineering, POS support and audit frameworks
Product sourcing, pantry list tendering, supply contract and negotiation, stock take inventory, supply chain control, and commercial alignment
some of the businesses we've worked with
Who are you?
We support brands with structured channel mapping and market execution—ensuring your product is placed in the right venues, with the right partners, and built to perform commercially
From concept through to launch, we help build brands with the right foundations—covering positioning, manufacturing alignment, distribution, and go-to-market strategy.
We source and secure the right products through structured procurement—leveraging supplier networks, negotiated agreements, and commercial alignment to improve consistency and margins.
We provide operational support across procurement, menu development, cost of goods, and audit frameworks—helping venues improve performance, control costs, and scale with structure.
What makes us so different?
We’re all about human connection
We’re the matchmakers who insist on introducing you to our compatible friends. (But our friends are relevant, strong connections across foodservice channels and distributor networks).
We value face-to-face relationships and travel regularly across Australia. Based in Brisbane, we have a close eye on the Queensland market (and extensive insider knowledge of the Southeast Queensland food scene).
Our stats
Our numbers speak for themselves
20+ YEARS
FMCG INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
300+
distributor agreements set up
526+
product activations
300+
Supermarkets our client products are in
1 million+
BRAND PRODUCTS SOLD
25,000+
Venues our client products are in
2,000+
Retail store product activations
200%
AVERAGE TURNOVER INCREASE YOY
$1 MILLION
HIGHEST VALUE CONTRACT
86,204+
LAUGHS ALONG THE WAY
Hey! Hospo biz owner.
Rent a Smooth Operator.
Get support with Menu Development, Operation Management, Food Safety Programs, Audits, Cost of Goods (COGs), Tendering and Venue Consulting.
In the media
We're thrilled to be featured in some of the industries top publications.
Recognised as one of APACs leading food brokers in Food Business Review.
Featured in Business Franchise Magazine Australia and New Zealand with our article on scaling a foodie franchise business.
Published on restaurantbusiness.com.au – Australia’s premier information resource for business leaders in the Restaurant and Venue industry
Start workING with us
Find out more about how we work, and what we do to bring you the success you’re looking for.
Our Brand Partners
We continue to support some of Australia's best food and bev brands.
Some of our brand partners prefer to stay incognito - if there is a product or brand you would like to work with, but can't see - be sure to get in touch!
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Imagine Collective do as a food and beverage consultant in Australia?
Imagine Collective is a specialist food and beverage consultancy and brokerage agency based in Brisbane, Australia. The business connects FMCG product brands, manufacturers, and hospitality venues with the right operational frameworks, distribution channels, and industry partners — working hands-on to ensure products and venues don’t just enter the market, but perform in it.
Imagine Collective operates across three core pillars:
- Product Brand Support — brand representation, channel mapping and market execution for food and beverage brands
- Venue Support — operations, menu development, and audit frameworks for hospitality businesses
- Procurement — product sourcing, supply chain control, and commercial alignment
What makes Imagine Collective different from other food and beverage consulting agencies in Australia?
Imagine Collective is different because it operates as a precision matchmaker — not a generic advisory firm. Led by founder and principle Kristie, every client relationship begins with a personal conversation to understand the brand or venue story before any strategy is formed. The focus is on solving specific operational bottlenecks and delivering measurable outcomes, not placing clients into group programmes or cookie-cutter frameworks.
Past results include saving a venue $100,000 in operational costs, achieving a 200% average year-on-year turnover increase for brand clients, and placing products into 25,000+ venues across Australia. Every strategy is entirely bespoke — tailored to the individual business, channel, and growth stage.
How does Imagine Collective help food and beverage brands with distribution in Australia?
Imagine Collective supports food and beverage brands with structured channel mapping and market execution, connecting them to the right distributors, end users, and retail channels across Australia. With over 300 distributor agreements established and products placed in more than 25,000 venues nationally, the brokerage network is one of the most established in the country.
Distribution channels covered include:
- Supermarkets — with client products currently stocked in 300+ stores
- HORECA — hotels, restaurants, and cafés
- QSR (Quick Service Restaurants) — including international and domestic groups
- Aged care — compliant product placement for institutional foodservice
- P&C (Petrol and Convenience) — high-frequency retail environments
Why is Imagine Collective called the "Matchmaker" in the Australian food industry?
Imagine Collective has earned the “Matchmaker” reputation because it specialises in personable professional connections — pairing the right food or beverage brand with the right manufacturer, the right venue with the right operational strategy, and the right product with the right distribution channel. This approach is deliberately human-first, led by founder Kristie and supported by her superstar team of professionals, who take the time to hear each brand or venue story before engaging the wider team.
Unlike agencies that apply standard models across all clients, Imagine Collective treats every pairing as unique. No two food brands, venues, or council programmes are identical — and the matchmaking process reflects that.
Can Imagine Collective help an emerging food or beverage brand scale into retail and foodservice channels?
Yes. Imagine Collective supports emerging food and beverage brands from early concept through to full market execution, including New Product Development (NPD), manufacturing alignment, compliance documentation, and distribution strategy. The team guides brands through a structured 12-18 month traction period — covering certifications, spec sheets, food safety requirements, and channel entry.
Key milestones the team actively manages include:
- Identifying and approaching the right distributors for the brand’s target channels
- Preparing compliance documentation required for retail and foodservice entry
- Executing Limited Time Offers (LTOs) in QSR environments, which can require months of coordinated planning
- Leveraging a network spanning supermarkets, HORECA, aged care, P&C, and QSR
Does Imagine Collective work with hospitality venues, not just food product brands?
Yes. Venue consulting is one of Imagine Collective’s core service areas, delivered through its ‘Rent a Smooth Operator’ offer — a flexible support model available for short-term projects or long-term operational partnerships. The team works with single-site cafés, independent restaurants, multi-site hospitality groups, and council-backed food programmes across Australia.
Venue support services include:
- Operational audits and cost-of-goods (COGs) analysis
- Menu development and engineering
- Food safety programme implementation
- Tendering and operations manual development
- Training and systems frameworks for hospitality teams
- And more…!
Is Imagine Collective based in Brisbane, and do they work with food businesses across Australia?
Imagine Collective is headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland, with deep knowledge of the South East Queensland food scene. However, the team works nationally across Australia and also supports international brands and QSR groups seeking entry into the Australian market.
The team travels regularly across the country, values face-to-face relationships, and has established distributor and retail networks spanning all major states. For clients outside Queensland, Imagine Collective’s reach remains the same — the Brisbane base is a starting point, not a boundary.
How much does it cost to work with a food and beverage consultant at Imagine Collective?
Pricing varies depending on the scope of support required, ranging from a one-day channel mapping training session through to an ongoing monthly retainer. We help all kinds of businesses, big and small. For brand partners, the process typically begins with an upfront project fee covering the first phase of market mapping, before moving to a commission-based or monthly retainer structure.
The best first step is to book a no-obligation introductory chat with the team to discuss goals and timelines — from there, a transparent proposal is prepared outlining realistic costs, deliverables, and expected timeframes. There are no generic packages; every proposal is built around the specific business.
How quickly can a food or beverage brand expect to see results?
Results depend on the scope of engagement, but Imagine Collective focuses on measurable outcomes from day one. For venue clients, cost savings can often be identified within weeks through an operational audit. For FMCG brand clients, meaningful market traction — including confirmed distribution agreements and channel placements — typically develops within a 12-18 month timeframe.
Across more than 526 product activations and 2,000+ retail store placements, the team has consistently demonstrated that structured, strategy-led execution outperforms reactive market entry. One client, Alchemy Cordial Company, reported significant growth potential and access to entirely new business channels following an Imagine Collective channel mapping project.
Does Imagine Collective work with businesses that are just starting out, or only established brands?
Imagine Collective works with food and beverage businesses at every stage — from brand-new product concepts through to established multi-site groups seeking to scale. For new brands, support typically begins with concept validation, NPD, manufacturing connections, and compliance preparation. For established businesses, the focus shifts to channel expansion, distribution optimisation, or operational efficiency. There is no stage too early or too complex for the Imagine Collective team.
What are you waiting for?
Now is the time to start your journey to sustainable and continuous growth.
