Meet our Partners: Daniel Musson

Tell us about your background and what brought you to Australian Food Super.

I started my career in retail and business banking before moving into general insurance, where I was Head of Product and Underwriting at Insurance Australia Group. I’ve also run private education businesses and consulted across sectors, even helping KFC India redesign its post-COVID mobile app experience. 

When I started consulting for Australian Food Super, I quickly realised the scale of impact this fund has. I joined as Chief Experience Officer to help advance the member experience and bring it in line with the strong investment and insurance foundations already in place.

What makes Australian Food Super different from other funds, and how does being a smaller fund shape your approach?    

Our members are the everyday heroes working in food production, often in rural and regional Australia. Many of our members are migrants supporting families back home. English isn't always their first language, and they often have low financial literacy. 

We take our responsibility to these members very seriously. That means simplifying complex products like insurance and super, offering resources in multiple languages, and most importantly, showing up where they are. Our team visits lunchrooms at processing sites across the country, building trust and offering face-to-face support that makes a real difference. 

We see our small size as a strength. Yes, scale has its challenges, but it also lets us be nimble. We can move quickly, make decisions fast, and tailor our services in a way larger funds often can’t. 

Our service intimacy is a key part of our value proposition. We’re small enough to build deep relationships, but big enough to partner with organisations like TAL and deliver strong insurance offerings at scale.

Why was it important to rebrand from AMIST Super to Australian Food Super, and how does the rebrand support your strategy for growth? 

For a long time, the fund primarily served those working in meat processing and retail. But over time, we saw our members moving into other parts of the food production sector such as seafood and agriculture.  

The rebrand to Australian Food Super reflected that evolution. It allowed us to stay relevant to our existing members and expand into adjacent sectors where they’re likely to find work. It also helps reinforce our commitment to supporting food workers across Australia, no matter what part of the supply chain they’re in. 

You partnered with TAL just over a year ago. How was the selection and onboarding process? 

We were reviewing our income protection program and ran a very tight tender process. TAL’s tender response was on another level, and they showed a great deal of care and attention during the process. What really stood out was TAL’s understanding of who our members are and what they need.  

The implementation timelines were tight, but both teams worked closely together to meet the deadline without compromising the experience—it was a true partnership from the start. Onboarding was smooth, flexible and fast, and the relationship since has been exceptional. 

What does TAL’s insurance partnership mean for your members? 

Our members often struggle with navigating insurance, and many are hesitant to engage. TAL’s claims culture of ‘championing the claimant’ was a big shift. It’s rare in insurance and aligns perfectly with our values. 

We’ve also appreciated the extra services and support TAL offers. There’s a deep care for our members who claim, as well as a lot around preventing claims in the future.  

Technology has also made a big difference, as members can now track claims remotely and get real-time updates. We’ve also built a dedicated internal team to support early-stage claims, creating a seamless handoff to TAL once the claim progresses, which has made a real difference in how supported members feel. 

What’s next on the horizon for the fund? 

There’s a lot ahead. In November, we’re introducing age-based pricing and increasing income protection cover to reflect wage growth. We’re also focused on expanding our reach across food production and strengthening our digital strategy.

Our mobile app launched last October and already has 12.5% member uptake. It’s especially powerful for migrant members, whose phone is their main connection to services. Our goal is to have 25% of members using it within three years. We’re also exploring digital solutions around retirement and advice to empower better decision-making. 

And we’re continuing our work with TAL, particularly around reviewing the TPD product to ensure it truly supports our members when they need it most. We’re having the right conversations and taking the time to get it right with a clear focus on delivering real value. 

We’re super happy with our relationship with TAL. We love the partnership, we connect really well, and we’re excited about the future.