Epson on the Menu

Epson Australia is proudly supporting OzHarvest’s 2026 CEO CookOff, with Managing Director Craig Heckenberg swapping the office for the kitchen to help raise vital funds for Australians experiencing food insecurity. Taking place in October and November, the CEO CookOff brings together business leaders, leading chefs and corporate teams across Australia to cook, connect and raise funds to help OzHarvest provide meals to people in need. Heckenberg is taking on the OzHarvest CEO CookOff 2026 in Sydney on Thursday 12 November, joining renowned chefs and business leaders to cook and serve meals for local charity communities.

“The CEO CookOff is a reminder that leadership extends well beyond the boardroom,” Heckenberg said. “I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of colleagues, partners and friends who have already helped me reach my $5,000 target, which translates directly into meals for Australians who need them. Cooking alongside some of the country’s best chefs and serving people who rely on OzHarvest’s work is a privilege, and I am proud that Epson is backing this event nationally.”

OzHarvest Founder Ronni Kahn AO said that with 3.5 million households in Australia struggling to put food on the table, there has never been a more important time to support the cause.

“CEO CookOff is a unique charity fundraising event, which showcases leadership in action, encouraging the nation’s business leaders to step out of their comfort zones, cook alongside world-class chefs and break bread with guests from the charities OzHarvest serves,” Kahn said. “This is fundraising with heart and leading with purpose. It is where business meets compassion, where networking happens over chopped onions, and where every participant leaves feeling fuller, not just from the incredible food, but from the knowledge that they have been part of something truly special.”

OzHarvest’s latest Frontline Report shines a spotlight on the critical gap between food supply and demand, with 70 percent of charities seeing an increase in demand in the last year. Despite supporting over 350,000 people a month, one in five are turned away as demand outstrips supply. OzHarvest supports 1,500 charities, with 1,600 more on the waitlist to receive food.

Since its inception in 2012, the CEO CookOff has raised over $16 million, enabling OzHarvest to deliver more than 32 million meals to people in need. The fundraising goal for 2026 is $2.5 million to enable an additional five million meals to be delivered.

Heckenberg set his initial fundraising goal of $5,000, which would help OzHarvest deliver 10,000 meals to people experiencing food insecurity. Having already met that target puts him in the running for the Black Apron, which recognises leaders who go above and beyond for the CEO CookOff. Any leader who raises $10,000 or more in a single CEO CookOff earns the Black Apron.

Epson is also proudly supporting the OzHarvest CEO CookOff 2026 as a national event sponsor. As part of the sponsorship, Epson has donated EcoTank ET-4950 printers to support the nine CookOff events taking place across Australia, putting Epson technology to work behind the scenes.

From recipes and menus to essential event materials, reliable printing plays an important role backstage, the EcoTank printers will help OzHarvest teams with their printing needs throughout the national series of CEO CookOff events, allowing teams to focus on what matters most, bringing people together and supporting Australians in need.

The EcoTank ET-4950 is a versatile, cartridge-free printer designed for convenient and efficient everyday printing. Featuring high-capacity ink tanks, a 250-sheet paper tray, automatic two-sided printing and scanning, a 30-sheet automatic document feeder and wireless connectivity, it provides the flexibility to print, copy, scan and fax.

For Craig Heckenberg, the Sydney Finale will provide an opportunity to contribute directly to OzHarvest’s work while representing Epson Australia alongside other business leaders supporting the cause.

To support Craig’s fundraising please donate by 12 November by clicking on this link: https://www.ceocookoff.com.au/fundraisers/craigheckenberg

About OzHarvest

OzHarvest is Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, collecting quality surplus food from more than 3,000 food donors and delivering it to over 1,500 charities across the country. Founded by Ronni Kahn AO in 2004, OzHarvest also runs education programs and campaigns to halve food waste by 2030.