Unease and uncertainty has been provoked among international food retailers in India by new restrictive guidelines issued that limit the already-restricted foreign investment in the country’s organised retail sector.India’s retail sector has held back foreign direct investment (FDI) but many in the sector was expecting a gradual liberalisation of rules on the ability of local players to strike deals with overseas partners. Instead, the Congress-led government has taken an unexpected step... ...Read more »

National Foods has hit back at claims by Queensland’s shadow minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries, Ray Hopper, that lowered quotas at its new Malanda plant will end in “death by a thousand cuts” for farmers. National Foods has pledged to collect all milk above contracted volumes, and have described their new system as a more transparent version of the way milk is already priced. “Farmers should not find this a dramatic change to current arrangements,” they stated. According... ...Read more »

Over 140 Australian exhibitors are set to attend Asia’s biggest food industry event, Food and Hotel Asia 2010, this month. The Austrade-organised National Pavilion will showcase the finest Australian flavours and produce for top Asian buyers and importers, as part of Austrade’s strategy to boost food and beverage exports to South East Asia. The lineup will include wine exporter Inland Trading, gluten-free Rowie’s Cakes, organic meat supplier Australian Organic Meat, Queensland’s... ...Read more »

Wal-Mart chairman Lee Scott announced at Fortune’s Brainstorm Green conference on Monday that the company is dedicated to greening its business practices, and emphasised the congruity between sustainability and profit. “We have approached sustainability from a business standpoint, not from the standpoint of altruism.  We believe that if we as a company focus on waste, we can make Wal-Mart a better company while at the same time being a better citizen,” he said in the panel interview. Mr... ...Read more »

KFC has announced that its iconic red KFC bucket will turn pink at US outlets, in support of breast cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The Colonel’s suit and the KFC headquarters will also turn pink as part of the “Buckets for the Cure™” campaign, which began today and will run until May 23. “Through our Buckets For the Cure campaign, the KFC family nationwide is helping to reach millions of women and men with breast health education, and attempting to make the single... ...Read more »

Federal Minster for Foreign Affairs Stephen Smith yesterday announced a $20 million dollar program to assist African farmers in improving food security by developing drought and disease resistant crops and educating farmers on new crop varieties and technologies. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) will work with the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)... ...Read more »

Israeli packaging company Hefestus will bring its patented Shelf Life Booster technology to Australia, having entered an agreement with Gold-Tech Australia to market its packaging-system solutions here. “The launch of Hefestus SLB technology in the United States in 2009 was an outstanding success and was followed by impressive sales of our packaging solutions to leading food companies,” said Oded Shtemer, Hefestus President & CEO. “Despite the economic downturn last year Hefestus global... ...Read more »

US natural and organic retailer Whole Foods Market has reportedly confirmed its ambition to expand further into the UK market. Whole Foods co-president Walter Robb told the Financial Times that the company was eyeing locations that are smaller than the 75,000 sq ft store in London’s Kensington district. The retailer opened the Kensington store in 2007 to much fanfare but, amid the global economic downturn and losses from its UK venture, the company put the brakes on any further expansion in... ...Read more »

Nocton Dairies has withdrawn a planning application for the construction of the UK’s largest dairy, which would have housed 8 000 cows and produced 250 000 litres of milk a day. In a statement, Nocton said that it had withdrawn the plans to establish the large-scale milk production facility in Nocton Heath, Lincolnshire, because of unresolved technical issues. “The technical issues involved will take more time to address than we have available to meet the requirements of the planning authority... ...Read more »

Cobs Popcorn has added a new cheddar cheese flavour to its range of all-natural popcorn snacks, joining sea salt and original sweet & salty flavours. The popcorn boasts an extensive list of health credentials, including all-natural ingredients, high-monounsaturated sunflower oil, gluten-free, nut-free manufacture and high dietary fibre. Cobs also features organic-certified varieties in the sea salt and original flavours. The popcorn will retail for $1.49 for a single serve and $2.99/$3.59 for... ...Read more »