Amcor announced on Friday that they strongly dispute the estimate of damages suffered by Amcor customers, put forward in relation to the class action proceeding commenced by Jarra Creek Central Packaging Shed Pty Ltd.Jarra Creek has released to the parties an economist report which estimates, based on a range of disputed and contentious facts and assumptions, that the damages suffered by Amcor customers, should Jarra Creek be successful in its claim, are potentially in the vicinity of $466 million... ...Read more »

Lars Olofsson, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Carrefour, has appointed Vicente Trius as Executive Director, Europe and member of the Group’s Executive Board, in charge of Belgium, Spain, Italy, Poland, Greece, Cyprus and Romania. Vicente Trius, a 52‐year‐old Spanish national, has spent most of his professional life at Wal‐Mart, where he was successively Vice‐President for International Operations, CEO, Brazil and CEO Asia. Until this year, he was Wal‐Mart’s Executive... ...Read more »

The US government has criticised the body set up to oversee the marketing and labelling of organic food in the country for failing to enforce standards under the Bush administration.A report from the Office of Inspector General at the US Department of Agriculture found that officials at the National Organic Program needed to “improve their enforcement of … regulations” and their “resolution of complaints”. The report claimed, for instance, that between 2006 and 2008,... ...Read more »

Brazilian meat giant JBS has entered into an agreement to acquire Rockdale Beef through its subsidiary Swift Australia. When contacted the company declined to reveal the financial details of the deal.  However, a spokesperson said that the acquisition would boost JBS’s beef capacity to supply operations in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. Based in Riverina, New South Wales, Rockdale operates an integrated meatworks, feedlot, feed mill and farming business. The company has a capacity... ...Read more »

A new national coalition of health and community organisations from across Australia was announced today to reduce alcohol-related harm. Comprising an initial 26 major organisations with a focus on public health and alcohol, the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) will focus on reducing alcohol related problems in the community. One in five Australians ages 14+ years drink at short-term risky/high-risk levels at least once a month.  This equates to more than 42 million occasions of risky... ...Read more »

Victorian Foodbowl icon SPC Ardmona will today open its new factory sales outlet designed to help it grow its status as the most popular factory food outlet in the nation.Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan will unveil a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion tonight, and today said the factory sales outlet’s new Shepparton CBD location would elevate SPC Ardmona’s already heightened status among tourists. “The SPC Ardmona factory is not a location – it’s... ...Read more »

The latest butter alternative to hit supermarket shelves is AVO spread.  Made with 20% avocado oil, the new spread claims to have 45% less fat and 55% less salt than butter.  Approved by the National Heart Foundation, AVO spread is being marketed as the ‘only cholesterol free easily spreadable spread on the market… comprising less than 1% trans fats’. AVO is designed for daily consumption, and can be spread onto bread or toast as well as used in cooking, just like margarine or... ...Read more »

Some of Australia’s leading food manufacturing companies are travelling to the UK next week, looking to produce fresher, healthier food using cutting-edge British technologies.The mission, led by Richard Harper, Trade Development Manager at UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) Sydney, will take in the 2010 Food & Drink Exhibition in Birmingham from 21-24 March, as well as the East Midlands and South West regions of England. The Aussies will attend group briefings and one-to-one meetings across... ...Read more »

More than 800,000 cans of Golden Circle fruit and vegetables are on their way to Australian welfare agencies that feed the hungry as part of a response to concerns raised by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission about misleading country ownership claims.The ACCC has also accepted a court enforceable undertaking from H.J. Heinz Company Australia Limited after it admitted that it engaged in misleading conduct by representing that Golden Circle was ‘Proudly Australian owned’. Heinz,... ...Read more »

Peter Marks, the boss of UK retailer The Co-operative Group, yesterday (18 March) issued a “bring it on” rallying cry as the company prepares for competition from the likes of Sainsbury’s and Morrisons in the convenience sector.Speaking to just-food as the Co-op issued a 20% rise in annual profits this morning, Marks was unconcerned about the prospect of fierce competition in the UK convenience channel. Last week, Morrisons, which is opening smaller stores than it has historically... ...Read more »