Cooee Cookies: Creating successful partnerships through inclusive sourcing

Published on Oct. 16, 2026

The Landscape/ Challenge

For Indigenous businesses, one of the biggest barriers to growth is not necessarily capability. It is access to meaningful commercial opportunities.

Many Indigenous suppliers have high-quality products and services, but growing beyond small contracts often requires organisations willing to start conversations, understand
what a business can offer and create opportunities for the relationship to develop.

Founded by Wiradjuri woman and mother of eight Terri-Ann “Tezzi” Daniel, Cooee Cookies began in her home kitchen with a simple belief: food should be inclusive and bring people together.

Starting the business with just $17.90 available each week after rent and bills, Tezzi developed allergy-friendly cookie products free from major allergens including dairy, eggs, nuts and gluten. The business has since grown into a Supply Nation-certified Indigenous-owned enterprise, producing products infused with native Australian ingredients such as wattleseed, Davidson's plum and finger lime.

For Sodexo Australia, Cooee Cookies stood out for a simple reason: the product was different and it solved a real need. Its allergen-free cookies offered a high-quality addition to Sodexo's grab-and-go and snack wall range, while its use of native Australian ingredients brought something new to the offering.

The partnership also aligned with Sodexo's commitment to working with diverse businesses and creating commercial opportunities for Indigenous suppliers.

There is a big difference between an organisation having an Indigenous procurement target and an organisation genuinely investing in the success of Indigenous businesses

For Sodexo, inclusive sourcing is about finding capable businesses, creatin genuine commercial partnerships and helping those partnerships grow in a way that delivers value for everyone involved.

Partnership in Action

The relationship began with a conversation. Sodexo's Sam Hampson met with Cooee Cookies at Supply Nation Connect in 2025. From there, the teams explored how the products could fit into Sodexo's operations and where there was an opportunity to work together.

Cooee Cookies is now ranged at sites where packaged grab-and-go options are included in the contract, primarily across our sites in Western Australia.

The partnership has grown quickly. In the first 12 months, Sodexo spent approximately $563,000 with Cooee Cookies. Volumes have continued to increase month by month, with current forecasts indicating the partnership could reach around $400,000 in spend this year.

For Sodexo, the value is straightforward. Cooee Cookies provides a high-quality product that adds variety to grab-and-go menus and gives customers more choice, including allergen-friendly options. But the partnership has also created opportunities for Cooee Cookies to grow.

When Sodexo first began working with the business, Cooee Cookies did not have its own distribution channel in Western Australia. Sodexo introduced the company to its distribution partner for remote WA operations, helping Cooee Cookies access a distribution network it did not previously have.

The business has also acquired Creative Native, a long-standing brand specialising in Indigenous products, expanding its range of native ingredients. This creates potential for Sodexo to introduce even more unique native Australian ingredients across its menus in the future.

That is what makes the partnership more than a supplier relationship. Both businesses are finding ways to create value for each other, while opening up new opportunities for growth. “Real partnerships start with conversation,” Tezzi says. “Ask us what we're capable of, what we could develop, where we want to grow, and what problems we might be able to solve together.”

Results

For Sodexo, the partnership has brought a differentiated, high-quality product into grab-and-go offerings across remote WA sites. For Cooee Cookies, growing demand has created a significant new customer relationship and helped the business connect with a distribution network in Western Australia. The partnership is also creating potential for future opportunities. As Cooee Cookies expands its range of native ingredients, Sodexo has the potential to introduce more of these products to customers across its operations. The commercial relationship is part of a broader commitment by Sodexo Australia to create meaningful opportunities for Indigenous-owned businesses.

In 2024, Sodexo formalised its Indigenous Procurement Policy and Strategy, setting
measurable targets and strengthening accountability across the business. Indigenous
suppliers are actively considered and included in sourcing opportunities, supported
through supplier management and capability development and placed on 14-day payment terms to support healthy cash flow.

But the Cooee Cookies story shows why the value of inclusive sourcing cannot be measured by spend alone. The real opportunity is to build partnerships that work commercially, strengthen the supplier's business and create opportunities for further growth. As Tezzi puts it: “This isn't about charity or giving Indigenous businesses a handout. It's about allowing capable businesses to compete, innovate and deliver.” The partnership with Cooee Cookies is one example of how Sodexo is delivering on the commitments outlined in its Stretch RAP

About Sodexo’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

Sodexo Australia’s vision for reconciliation is to create lasting, positive change by embedding those values into every aspect of our work, from how we hire and partner, to how we learn and lead.

Our reconciliation journey began in 2011 and continues to evolve with our 2025 - 2028 (Stretch) RAP. It’s a shared commitment to listening, learning and collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, empowered business partnerships, and thriving communities. It provides a clear framework for our actions and contributions toward a more inclusive and equitable Australia.

We’ve invested over $100 million with more than 50 Indigenous-owned businesses, demonstrating our continued dedication to supplier diversity and economic empowerment. Beyond financial impact, we focus on building strong, lasting partnerships with Indigenous businesses, creating positive ripple effects for communities, particularly in regional and remote Australia.

Sodexo Australia’s latest RAP is committed to addressing food security and amplifying our deepening respect for cultural learning, building Indigenous talent and development programs, community-led engagements, and elevating partnerships with diverse Indigenous businesses. Learn more about our RAP here.