The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation has been named the winner in the Transforming Food and Drink Environments category at the inaugural 2025 A Better Choice (ABC) Healthcare Awards, recognising its leadership in reshaping food offerings at Cairns Hospital.
The Foundation’s commercial operations – including dCafe, SeaBreeze Café, fresh food vending, and catering – are run as social enterprises, reinvesting profits into local health care improvements. The award celebrates the Foundation’s commitment to healthier choices, community wellbeing, and innovation in food service delivery.
“Our cafés are more than just places to eat – they’re a vital service for the Cairns Hospital community,” Foundation CEO Gina Hogan said.
“We’re proud to offer nutritious options that support wellbeing. And for those looking to support our work even further, ordering catering through FNQ Foundation Feast is a fantastic way to do so. Every coffee order, snack, meal, or piece of fruit helps us improve health services in the region. We are all so proud of our cafe and catering staff and the incredible work they do every day,” Mrs Hogan said.
“I am so proud to recognise the excellent contributions of the winners in our inaugural awards,” Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive Dr Robyn Littlewood said.
“The ABC Healthcare program is driving real change across the state, supporting hospitals to increase healthy food and drink options in their cafés and vending machines. Improving the food and drink environments in Queensland health facilities benefits the millions of visitors to hospitals each year, and more than 100,000 staff who work in Queensland hospital and health services.”
Health and Wellbeing Queensland Deputy Chief Executive Gemma Hodgetts said the criteria for this award were based on the introduction of healthier products to the menu, participation in Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s Pick Me campaign to identify the healthiest options, and innovation in the food and drink options available for sale, along with the displays and layout.
Ms Hodgetts said the Foundation’s team had invested in infrastructure for a modern, health-focused café design; enthusiastically engaged with the Pick Me campaign and revised planograms across all outlets to highlight healthier options; launched an in-house fresh food vending option that meets all food and drink supply targets; established a free fruit initiative for hospital visitors and staff.
“Early results from these efforts include food fridges now stocking only items from the green category, prominently marked with Pick Me signage. FNQHF is also renewing its menus with the aim of exceeding targets for green options, further demonstrating its commitment to making healthier choices the easy ones,” Ms Hodgetts said.
The ABC Healthcare Awards were presented ahead of the bi-annual A Better Choice Conference, hosted by Health and Wellbeing Queensland, spotlighting changemakers who are improving food policy and community health across the state.
“When it comes to our health, we know prevention is often the key and that’s why offering healthier food and drink choices at our hospitals and health services is crucial,” said The Hon. Tim Nicholls, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services. “I commend all the award recipients for the wonderful work they’re doing in this space.”
More than 60% of Queenslanders want healthier food and drink options at hospital outlets. ABC Healthcare empowers food providers with strategies to increase access to healthy food while maintaining their commercial viability. A recent audit revealed that:
94% of vending machines no longer contain high-sugar drinks.
81% of hospitals offer freely available drinking water in high-traffic areas.
Photos: Foundation cafe team (L to R): Jessica Kochannek, Michael Hooper, Michael Orford and Stuart Arber.
FNQHF Social Enterprises Manager Michael Hooper with Health and Wellbeing Queensland Chief Executive Dr Robyn Littlewood.
