Food product recalls in Australia are on the rise this year, according to a study by crisis management consultancy Luttrell & Associates. The research is on the back of an improvement last year – when the number of food recalls fell to their lowest level in eight years. There were 26 food safety recalls in the first half of 2009, up by a third compared to the preceding six months (19). Food and grocery items accounted for 15 per cent of the total safety product recalls for the period (161),... ...Read more »

Supermarket chain Coles has suggested that the sale of 45 supermarkets to independent grocery chain Foodworks will have a negligible impact on their ability to close the market share gap to Woolworths, with the sale a key part of the turnaround of their store network. “The transaction is part of our broader plans to improve and invest in the overall store network and is an important step in the Coles turnaround,” Coles Managing Director Ian McLeod said in an interview with corporatefile.com.au.... ...Read more »

If Kevin Rudd still believes in his comments prior to the election that food prices are too high in Australia, then perhaps he should be considering a visit to Woolworths or Coles if the example of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is any guide. As Australian Food News reported on last week, Mr Putin paid a surprise visit to a supermarket outlet under the banner of one of Russia’s leading retailers – X5. He questioned the price of sausages and pork and received assurances that the... ...Read more »

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) recently gathered in Anaheim to learn about innovative new food and beverage products launched around the globe, picking up on new product trends in the sweeteners, natural and functional food categories. The sweeteners category has received a boost following regulatory approval for new products from the stevia plant, which are much sweeter than sugar. Meanwhile, functional foods offer potential if manufacturers can get the perfect mix of good taste and health... ...Read more »

The Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Mark Butler, last week announced four new appointments and three reappointments to the Board of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the lead food regulatory body in Australia and New Zealand.Mr Butler said the appointments, made with the agreement of the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council, would ensure stability and a strong consumer voice in the development of food standards for Australia and New Zealand. “Our rigorous... ...Read more »

New Zealand’s Fonterra Co-operative Group has been ranked as the largest milk processor in the world.Global industry research group, International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN), benchmarked 600 milk processors in over 70 countries and placed Fonterra’s total annual volume of milk processed ahead of Dairy Farmers of America, Nestlé, Dean Foods and FrieslandCampina. Fonterra CEO, Andrew Ferrier, said the ranking reflected the global reach and scale of the company’s business, with... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has given the green light to Kirin’s purchase of brewer Lion Nathan. The Australian competition watchdog was the final regulatory hurdle that needed to be cleared by the Japanese firm after receiving approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) on June 19. The decision by the ACCC – announced Friday afternoon – came five days earlier than expected. The $3.5 billion takeover still requires the approval of Lion shareholders,... ...Read more »

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has disputed claims that he has failed in a bid to increase competition in the grocery sector. The banishing of the controversial Grocery Choice website on Friday without consultation with its developer – consumer group Choice – has put the government in the spotlight for breaking an election promise. There have also been reports that Choice will sue the Federal Government – which appears unlikely – and calls for a Senate Inquiry by Independent Senator... ...Read more »

Eating chocolate has a ‘feel good factor’ and is considered an affordable luxury in some countries. However, during the financial downturn, luxury chocolate shops in airports and duty-free gift purchases are likely to suffer a significant drop in chocolate sales. Rabobank sees a sales dip in premium brand chocolates as one of many risks to producers in the new report ‘Is Chocolate Recession Proof?‘ From the late 1990s until early 2008, the ‘premiumisation’ trend... ...Read more »

Independent Australian food and grocery group FoodWorks has agreed to purchase 45 supermarkets and eight associated Liquorland outlets from Coles. The transfer, announced this morning by Wesfarmers – the owner of Coles, is “part of Coles’ broader plan to improve its overall network of over 700 supermarkets and over 600 Liquorland stores and is an important step in the Coles turnaround”, according to the retailer. Coles Managing Director Ian McLeod said the store transfer would... ...Read more »