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Foodie Trails

Aug 4, 2023 | Case Study

Foodie Trails
Tours, cooking classes, festivals, and events
Kulin Nation Country / Naarm (Melbourne), Victoria

Back in 2009, a couple living in Naarm/Melbourne sought to break down cultural barriers by introducing curious Melbournites to their cultural background through Indian Food and its history.

Now as the founders of boutique tour company Foodie Trails, they boast a range of foodie experiences immersing guests not only in the tastes and history of Indian foods, but cuisines from across the globe.

A city that sees waves of migration, Naarm/Melbourne has a wealth of culture, food and history that Foodie Trails tap into through their walking tours, festivals, events, and foodie gifts.

They sought an easy way to assess their sustainability practices across all four pillars of sustainability that was affordable and fit into their busy schedule using Ecotourism Australia’s Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard.

“We represent a multitude of cultures through food and its history at our tours, events and festivals,” stated Founder of Foodie Trails, Himanshi Munshaw Luhar. “Using the Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard to compare our cultural practices to sustainability criteria, and to see how other components of our operations perform, was a great first step to learning about where we are at on our sustainability journey.”

Foodie Trails shines through maximising the cultural benefits of their operations as a celebration of local and international cultures. The company also facilitates meaningful engagement with the Koorie Heritage Trust in Naarm/Melbourne and have consulted with Aboriginal corporations to create authentic experiences of culture, community and food through their operations.

Munshaw Luhar said, “We know we excel in cultural sustainability, and it was excellent to be recognised for our efforts through the Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard. The scorecard report also provided insights into what we would improve upon, including tips to make that happen that suit our business.”

Ecotourism Australia’s save-as-you-go online portal takes the pressure off applying, particularly for Foodie Trails who are leading guests on culinary tours for hours at a time during the day.

“The portal was simple to use and submitting out documentation was straightforward, so it made the process of completing the criteria very approachable. It also allowed us to complete the application segments so we could return at a time that suited us,” said Munshaw Luhar.

You can find Foodie Trails’ enriching cultural foodie experiences across Naarm/Melbourne. Discover what’s on offer: https://www.foodietrails.com.au/

Foodie Trails completed their Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard on 14 June 2023 and is a snapshot of their current sustain ability practices. The scorecard is not a certification and is valid for 12 months upon completion.

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