Research by Datamonitor, the independent market analyst firm, has revealed that women tend to encounter weight problems more than men and by 2014 one-third (32.6%) of them will be either obese or overweight. In fact 7.3 million people will be obese in Australia by 2014. Mark Whalley, analyst at Datamonitor said, “It is surprising that despite intense government campaigns and continual media attention around healthy eating, obesity levels are continuing to rise. However this attention may have... ...Read more »

Australian dollar hits parity with US dollar, could hit 1.05 USD in coming months Cotton hits record price on strong Chinese mill demand and downgrades to global production Sugar prices could hit 30 USc/lb on near term supply concerns NAB’s outlook for the Australian economy remains unchanged since last month, with Australian economic growth of 3.25 per cent expected in 2010 and 3.75 per cent expected in 2011. Consistent with a multi-speed economy, forward indicators are generally mixed.... ...Read more »

New wellness company MyWhey has partnered exclusively with Woolworths to bring Australians an evidence-based weight management program. Formulated by leading medical experts and using a unique combination of natural ingredients, the MyWhey program provides consumers with an optimal weight management formulated meal replacement using the highest quality organic whey protein isolate available in Australia. A number of the clinicians involved in the formulation process have formed a special advisory... ...Read more »

World Vision Australia today welcomed Arnott’s announcement that it will source ethical cocoa that has not been made with the use of child labour for all of its chocolate-based products, including the iconic Tim Tam biscuit. In response to a public campaign by World Vision earlier this year, Arnott’s said on 30 March that it was “committed to playing its part by sourcing sustainable cocoa that avoids the use of child trafficking and unacceptable forms of child labour” by... ...Read more »

The new Oxfam fair coffee range is now available at Coles and Woolworths. Designed especially for Australian taste buds, the Oxfam fair range is made from 100% organic Arabica beans, roasted and packed in Australia to ensure maximum quality and freshness. The range includes East Timor Organic, World Blend Organic Espresso, African Organic Blend, Ethiopian Organic, and Peruvian Decaf Organic. Oxfam fair is certified Fairtrade, meaning coffee growers in developing countries get a fair price for their... ...Read more »

Do you ever stop to think about where your food comes from? The viral video campaign ‘Face Your Food’ brings together a global online community to fight for a more sustainable food industry. The production of food has a major impact on our world. Thousands of plant and animal species are under threat due to harmful agricultural practices. Farmers across the globe are suffering because of unfair trade. The viral video campaign ‘Face Your Food’ invites people from across the globe to... ...Read more »

Malaysian private-equity fund Navis Capital has reportedly made the second round of bidding for Carrefour’s Singaporean and Malaysian assets. According to reports by Reuters, a source said Navis would not be bidding for Carrefour’s Thai assets. The retailer’s sale of its assets in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have been shrouded in secrecy, with the retailer denying the disposals, which could raise US$1bn for the retailer. However, the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal... ...Read more »

US food manuafcturers, retailers and wholesalers have announced plans for new front-of-pack labels based on information that shows calories and nutrients to limit. The plan, launched by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute, comes a week after the US Institute of Medicine said food sold in the country should carry front-of-pack labels that focus on four elements – calories, saturated fat, trans fat and sodium. The finer details of the programme, including technical... ...Read more »

Australia’s second-largest independent supermarket group, Foodworks, has appointed a new CEO to replace Peter Noble, architect of the company’s disastrous attempt to acquire 45 struggling Coles supermarkets. Rick Wright has now been acting CEO at Foodworks for a number of months, and was previously the company’s chief operating officer. “Rick has a strong background in finance, franchising and strategy management, which is perfect for our business model. His strong engagement... ...Read more »

A landmark new partnership to improve the sustainability of Australia’s $102 billion food and grocery manufacturing industry in Victoria has been signed today between the Victorian Government and the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). Under the innovative Sustainability Covenant, Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria, Sustainability Victoria and AFGC will commit up to $500,000 over three years to support food and grocery manufacturers in Victoria to produce food and grocery products... ...Read more »