Cooee expands Foodland reach with Indigenous cookies

Cooee Native Superfoods has secured distribution across Foodland supermarkets in South Australia, adding a new retail channel for the Indigenous-owned food business and expanding its reach in the state.

Cooee Cookies 160-gram family packs are now on sale in about 90 Foodland stores. The range includes Nan's Jam Drops with Davidson Plum, Choc-Chip, and Wattleseed.

Foodland is a network of family-owned supermarkets and a leading player in South Australia's independent grocery sector. The listing places Cooee products in one of the state's best-known supermarket groups, with coverage across metropolitan and regional locations.

Foodland South Australia CEO Franklin dos Santos linked the move to the retailer's focus on local sourcing.

"Foodland has always championed South Australian suppliers and independent brands," dos Santos said.

He also highlighted the retailer's commitment to supporting Indigenous-owned businesses.

"We are proud to support an Indigenous-owned Australian business like Cooee that is combining strong commercial growth with genuine community impact. The addition of Cooee to our shelves gives our customers access to high-quality, locally connected products with a meaningful story," he said.

Terri-Ann "Tezzi" Daniel founded Cooee and serves as founder and CEO. A Wiradjuri woman, she said South Australia is now central to the business's operations and brand narrative.

"South Australia has become central to our supply chain and our story," Daniel said.

"To now see Cooee on shelves across Foodland stores connects growers, makers and customers in the same state. That's powerful," she said.

Supply chain focus

The Foodland rollout follows Cooee's recent acquisition of Adelaide-based Creative Native Foods, a deal that ties the company more closely to South Australia's native ingredients sector and food manufacturing base.

Cooee uses wattleseed and other native ingredients, including muntries. These ingredients are sourced from South Australia and processed in the state, supporting local jobs through in-state sourcing and production.

The business is also focusing on deeper Indigenous participation in the native-ingredients supply chain. It is rebuilding partnerships with Indigenous growers in South Australia and working with regional farmers supplying native products.

Daniel described the approach as a long-term shift in sourcing. "We want to build a supply chain that is authentic, sustainable and scalable," she said.

She also linked retail expansion to broader outcomes for Indigenous communities. "Retail growth only matters if it flows back to community. That's what we are working towards," Daniel said.

Broader distribution

The Foodland listing adds another major local retailer to Cooee's distribution mix. Cooee products are also stocked in Woolworths Metro, Ampol Foodary and IGA outlets across Australia, and supplied for Qantas flights.

The expansion in South Australia reflects a broader push among some Australian food brands to pair local sourcing stories with mainstream grocery distribution. For Indigenous-owned businesses, supermarket listings can lift volumes and stabilise orders, while raising expectations around consistent supply across multiple stores.

For Foodland, the addition brings another South Australian-linked packaged-food supplier. The retailer has positioned its stores as a home for local brands alongside national grocery lines, particularly in categories where shoppers favour local provenance and small-batch production.

Cooee's products put native ingredients into familiar formats such as cookies, using flavours including wattleseed and Davidson plum. As native flavours gain recognition through restaurants and specialty products, their presence in mass retail continues to grow.