An ACCC investigation has left Sanitarium and its parent company Australian Health and Nutrition Association Limited with egg on their face, having overstated the fruit content on the packaging of many of their best-selling cereal lines. Between February 2009 and October 2010, Sanitarium described a ‘percentage fruit content’ on their packaging which included other substances, such as sugars, wheat fibre and gelling agents. The overstated fruit percentages were shown on the company’s... ...Read more »

The European Court of Justice has ruled that Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprungli cannot trademark the shape and golden wrapping (with associated bell and ribbon) of its signature rabbit and reindeer chocolates. Lindt wanted these to become EU trademarks, possibly impeding other EU manufacturers from making rabbit and reindeer-shaped chocolates. However, because Easter bunnies and Christmas reindeers are common chocolate designs, the ECJ has ruled them too generic and to be trademarked this way. The... ...Read more »

Kirin Holdings Company Limited has knocked almost $500 million off the value of dairy heavyweight National Foods, with changes to the carrying value of brands and goodwill on its balance sheet for the business. Kirin has written-down the value of brands and goodwill by ¥38.8 billion (A$485 million) following a strategic review of core brands, which National Foods said reflected difficult trading conditions, especially in the white milk and juice sectors. “As previously communicated, conditions... ...Read more »

Australian poultry giant, Baiada, has been given approval by Griffith’s Western Joint Regional Planning Panel for a $10 million dollar expansion of its Griffith hatchery. The Steggles umbrella brand will expand its Hanwood hatchery shed, with construction expected to begin in the new year. Griffith Mayor Mike Neville told the ABC that the expansion would help put Griffith on the poultry processing map. “This particular development provides them with the stimulus to actually step up to... ...Read more »

Chestnut blight, an exotic plant disease affecting chestnut and oak trees, has struck the Ovens Valley in North-Eastern Victoria, where 80% of Australia’s chestnuts are grown. The disease was first detected in September 2010, and the Chestnut blight National Management Group (NMG) met on 25 November 2010 to discuss the outbreak and agree to a national plan to eradicate the disease. The disease is caused by a bark-inhabiting fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica), which mostly affects the trunk and... ...Read more »

US food group Sara Lee is understood to have rejected a takeover offer for its US business from Brazilian meat giant JBS, who also own Swift Australia, due to a disagreement over price. Sara Lee’s management has been in talks to sell the business to JBS for a few months, Bloomberg reported today (20 December). However, the bakery giant has turned down an offer from JBS, deeming it “too low”. It is understood the bid was less than Sara Lee’s intraday high of $17.62 on 17 December,... ...Read more »

More school children will have access to nutritious breakfasts, thanks to $100,000 in Tasmanian State Government funding for breakfast programs next year. The State Government has provided $400,000 over four years for schools to run breakfast programs in partnership with local communities. The Minister for Education and Skills, Lin Thorp, said 22 schools are receiving funding to run breakfast programs in 2011. “Many schools already do a fantastic job running breakfast programs and this funding... ...Read more »

The Food Standards Agency is reminding people to follow some simple safety steps this Christmas when preparing their turkeys, to help keep the festive period free from the misery of food poisoning. Many people aren’t used to cooking such large meal, so remembering and sticking to the basic rules should mean food poisoning is one less thing to worry about over Christmas. If you buy a frozen turkey make sure it’s completely thawed before you cook it by checking there are no ice crystals... ...Read more »

Excessive alcohol consumption has a huge hidden cost to Victorian society, Premier Ted Baillieu said today. Visiting the Alfred Hospital Emergency and Trauma Centre with Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge, Mr Baillieu said the Coalition Government’s Operation Unite campaign to be launched this weekend will highlight the dangers of over-consumption of alcohol. Operation Unite will stage a weekend of action by police on 17 and 18 December across Australia and New Zealand to reduce alcohol... ...Read more »

Any attempt to evade the EU ban on battery cages for laying hens due to take effect in January 2012 must be resisted, says a European Parliament resolution approved on Thursday. Animal welfare must be safeguarded and unfair competition prevented from producers who continue unlawfully to use these methods. MEPs want the Commission to take “urgent action” towards Member States to ensure that egg producers comply with the ban. National action plans with “dissuasive sanctions”... ...Read more »