Premium alcohol beverage giant, Diageo, has reported organic profit growth of 6% for the first half of 2008/09 despite facing stronger economic headwinds in the last two months of the year. “Diageo’s performance in this first half again demonstrates the resilience we have from our brand range across categories, price points and geography,” Paul Walsh, Chief Executive of Diageo, said. “The global economic slowdown has affected business in the period and in November and December... ...Read more »

Foster’s, Australia’s leading alcoholic beverages producer, has announced that it has entered into a five year alliance with a specialist Maintenance provider, ABB Australia Pty Ltd – a deal which will see over 100 employees leave the company. Foster’s said they were working closely with ABB, which supplies their services to 18 breweries worldwide, to ensure nine maintenance apprentices currently employed at the Brewery will have their indentures transferred to the new provider. The... ...Read more »

KordaMentha, the administrators for Hans Smallgoods, today announced it had entered an agreement to sell Swicker’s Bacon Factory in Kingaroy, Queensland, to a local group of pork producers, as the ACCC continues to look into Primo’s proposal to acquire Hans. Swicker’s is a significant part of the Hans group of companies, which was placed in voluntary administration under KordaMentha in November 2008. The factory will be sold for an undisclosed price to the CHM Alliance, a minority... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil Limited, Australia’s largest soft drink producer, has recorded a record net profit after tax for the 2008 full year of $404.3 million, 10.4% up on 2007. CCA’s Group Managing Director, Mr Terry Davis, was delighted with the results considering the prevailing market conditions. “CCA has delivered a record profit result against a backdrop of the most challenging economic and trading environment we have experienced for many years,” he said. “The achievement... ...Read more »

VicRelief Foodbank, Victoria’s largest independent emergency relief resource centre, in partnership with some of Australia’s largest food manufacturers, has begun the task of preparing long-term aid support for local communities severely damaged by the disastrous Victorian bushfires. Announcing the establishment of its Victorian Bushfire Recovery Program, Philip Hunt, CEO, of VicRelief Foodbank, said that this was a disaster of such historical and significant proportion that it was vital... ...Read more »

The price of fresh milk is set to drop when a milk tax is lifted on 22 February 2009. The Rudd Government announced last year it would abolish the 11 cents a litre levy, which was established by the Howard Government in 2000 to fund an industry deregulation adjustment package. The levy funded a number of measures to help dairy farmers adjust to the removal of state and Commonwealth government price support measures. It is collected by dairy processing companies and appropriated into a trust fund,... ...Read more »

Severe heat and the devastating fires in southern parts of Australia and flood waters in the north have had a significant impact on the supply of fresh food to supermarkets, Australia’s largest supermarket operator has advised. Woolworths General Manager of Fresh Produce, Mr Michael Batycki, said Woolworths supplies of some fruit and vegetables had been affected by the extreme weather conditions experienced by Australian farmers. “With floods in North Queensland along with bushfires... ...Read more »

The Australian food industry is some years behind its international counterparts in terms of its marketing and supply system sophistication, according to the findings of a report from Nuffield scholar and Queensland horticulturalist and exporter Camilla Philip*. The report entitled ‘Supply chain efficiencies and the growth of category management in the horticultural industry‘, written as part of Ms Philip’s world travels as a Nuffield scholar, found that, while the quality of Australian... ...Read more »

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched a public health campaign to raise awareness of the health risks of eating too much saturated fat, with the food industry reporting that they are keen to continue improving in this area. The UK is currently eating 20% more saturated fat than UK Government recommendations, according to the Agency. The campaign will promote a range of simple, positive and practical steps to help improve our health and reduce the risk of developing diet-related illness. The... ...Read more »

The competition watchdog has this afternoon advised that it will oppose the proposed combination of Australia’s second and third largest chicken producers. A takeover of Bartter Enterprises by Baiada, which currently has around 2,200 employees, would have seen the combined company claim top spot from Inghams. Bartter Enterprises, the owner of the Steggles brand and employer of over 4,500, is the second largest producer and marketer of chicken and turkey products in Australia. Inghams –... ...Read more »