A new pilot program launched by Melbourne City Council today is designed to help consumers to make healthy choices about what they eat. The ‘green light, eat right’ program, running at QV Urban Market from May 2009, provides consumers with a colour coded indication of the nutritional value of food they are purchasing and encourages food outlets to improve healthy food practices. Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the program was an Australian first for food courts, and more than 50 per cent... ...Read more »

Doughnut maker Krispy Kreme has agreed to banish the name Iced Dough-Vo from their new ‘Australiana’ range from May 11 after being threatened with legal action by Arnott’s. A letter was sent by lawyers on behalf of Arnott’s to Krispy Kreme last week requesting the US-owned chain stop selling their Iced Dough-Vo offering due to claims it violated their Iced Vo-Vo trademark – which they first registered in 1906. The product was added as part of an Australiana theme running... ...Read more »

New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra has announced binding agreements with both Nestlé Australia and Regal Cream Products (Bulla Dairy Foods) to sell its Australian ice cream business. The world’s largest dairy exporter will sell the Peters brand in Western Australia and the Connoisseur ice cream brand to Nestlé, while Bulla will acquire the license to manufacture and market the Cadbury ice cream range in Australia. The decisions have reportedly been made to save the more profitable Browne’s... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) Chief Executive Terry Davis has said the price offered to Lion Nathan shareholders solidifies their view that last year’s offer by Lion undervalued their worth.The offer for the remaining Lion Nathan shares made by Kirin at the start of the week represented a price to earnings ratio of around 13.8, comfortably above the 10.5 offered for CCA by Lion in a bid backed by Kirin last November. “What has happened is that the very high multiples paid for Lion Nathan validates... ...Read more »

Today leading restaurateurs met in Sydney to discuss the impact of proposed Award Modernisation laws, which would see the federal hotels award apply to restaurants. The meeting, which included prominent industry leaders like Peter Doyle (Peter Doyle at the Quay), Matt Moran (Aria), Con Dedes (Flying Fish), Tonci Farak (Wildfire), Tony Bilson (Bilson’s) and Brien Trippas (AIH), was convened to discuss the way forward for the industry. The group decided that the highest priority is halting the... ...Read more »

Dairy group Fonterra has announced a strategic review of their liquid milk businesses in Australia. The news comes as they report the sale of their Australian ice cream business. “(The review) will seek to maximise the value and sustainability of its non-core regional liquid milk businesses in Australia,” the company said. “Fonterra places a high value on these operations, however its primary focus is national leadership across Australia in its priority categories of cheese, spreads,... ...Read more »

The Competition Commission (CC), the UK’s competitive watchdog, is consulting with industry to establish an Ombudsman to arbitrate on disputes between retailers and suppliers and investigate complaints under the new Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) introduced this year. The Ombudsman and Code of Practice were both recommendations coming out of the CC’s inquiry into the competitiveness of the grocery sector, which was completed last year. The CC does not have the power to establish... ...Read more »

The world’s second largest burger chain has recorded another rise in profits as consumers continue to demand the low prices and convenience of fast-food chains. Comparable sales rose one per cent for the third quarter despite one less trading day and were driven by a combination of indulgent and value offerings, according to the company. The Angry Whopper sandwich and launch of BK Burger Shots and BK Breakfast Shots in February were key to a strong US result. The company noted a marked deceleration... ...Read more »

New research has discovered that brands within the food and beverage industry have proven among the most resilient over the past year. The fourth annual BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking published today by Millward Brown Optimor revealed that brands sustained their value, despite the tough economic environment. The research identifies the dollar value of brands by combining financial data with research on consumers and business-to-business users from BrandZ – the world’s... ...Read more »

Fewer new products are showing up on supermarket shelves this year as companies temper innovation in an uncertain environment. New data from the Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD) shows total food and drink product launches have been cut in half since last year (a 51% decline from Q1 2008 to Q1 2009). New product introductions also dropped markedly from the last quarter of 2008 – by 32%. Manufacturers typically release fewer new products during the first quarter of the year,... ...Read more »