Smart50 Workplaces 2023: Charlie’s Fine Food Co

Founders: Jacky Magid, Ken Mahlab
Head of HR, people and culture: Ken Mahlab
Headquarters: Bentleigh East, Victoria
Year founded: 2004
Employees: 20-50
Industry: Manufacturing
Website: charliesfinefoodco.com

No stranger to the Smart50 list for fastest-growing Australian SMEs, Charlie’s Fine Food Co took out the Resilience Award in 2021, in no small part due to its amazing support for its diverse workforce around COVID-safety and vaccine awareness. It’s a great story if you have the time.

We’re pleased to report the brand is still looking after its people. It has engaged an HR consultancy to complete a “full 360 audit of HR policies, processes, contracts, position descriptions, performance management and recruitment”.

It is also currently lobbying the federal government and minister for immigration to review their decision to revert student visas back to a 24-hour workweek limitation (after reducing the limitation during the lockdown era to help with talent shortages). Founder Jacky Magid says the rollback will cause many of her staff — many of them international students — to lose hours and work, and is fighting so they can remain employed at Charlie’s.

In an industry that’s already facing staff shortages, Magid says the change to student visas would mean more difficulty filling roles, and intense difficulty for student workers to afford the cost of living on reduced hours.

“Charlie’s Fine Food Co is a true leader in its industry, advocating for its current and future employees at a government level. It impressed with how clearly, and deeply, it cares for its people and how it is invested in their wellbeing, personal and professional success,” said Hareta McMullin, Smart50 Workplaces guest judge on the Culture and Employee Experience category.

Culture and values at Charlie’s Fine Food Co

Charlie’s is an organisation that CARES:

C: We care about effective Communication.
A: We Appreciate the effort of our team members.
R: We offer team members Respect, irrespective of their role, title or background.
E: We strive for Excellence in quality.
S: We prioritise Safety in the workplace.