GS1 Recallnet, a new national product recall service to remove potentially harmful grocery, food, liquor and other products from the supply chain, was launched Australia-wide August 10, 2011. The new service extends existing GS1 Australia services and enables industry to manage product recalls and withdrawals online. Maria Palazzola, CEO of GS1 Australia, said that it will build consumer safety into the supply chain. Kate Carnell, CEO of the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) said, “Product... ...Read more »

Nestlé has reported organic growth of 7.5 per cent, excluding exchange rates, and global profits of 15.1 per cent for the last six months, according to a half-year report released August 10 2011. The report says that Nestlé performed well in emerging and developed markets, growing 5.7 percent in the Americas, 5.8 per cent in Europe and 13.3 per cent in Asia, Oceania and Africa. The strong Swiss franc hit profits, lowering Nestlé’s real internal growth to 4.8 per cent. “Nestlé continued to... ...Read more »

For the first, the National Heart Foundation has given an Australian supermarket group the Heart Tick endorsement an Australian retailer for an exclusive range of products. ALDI is launching a range of exclusive-brand products that will display the National Heart Foundation Tick, said the company in a statement issued August 10 2011. Over 100 food items will display the Heart Tick by the end of 2011, with ALDI working with its suppliers to reformulate other products. The company is aiming to have... ...Read more »

 Researchers from the University of Minnesota recently discovered and patented a naturally occurring lantibiotic, a peptide produced by harmless bacteria, that could be added to food to kill harmful bacteria, like E.coli, salmonella, and listeria. “It’s aimed at protecting foods from a broad range of bugs that cause disease,” said Dan O’Sullivan, professor of food science and nutrition in the University’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. “Of the natural... ...Read more »

Australia’s largest pizza-maker Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Limited today announced a A$21.4million 2011 full year net profit after tax, a 20.3% improvement on the previous year. This takes Domino’s Pizza’s net profit after tax annual growth rate from the period of 2007 to the 2011 financial years to a strong 23.9% per annum. The year’s profit was generated from total network sales of $746.4 million. Strong Same Store Sales (SSS) for the full year grew 11.0% over the corresponding period... ...Read more »

Pressure from anti-palm oil campaigners on Australia’s distributors and retailers continues. The campaigns concern how palm oil should be labelled as a food ingredient. The issue is now before a Federal Parliamentary Committee inquiry in the House of Representatives. Public submissions are being invited by the committee and are due by Monday 15 August 2011. The House Economics Committee has commenced its inquiry into the Food Standards Amendment (Truth in Labelling – Palm Oil) Bill 2011 that... ...Read more »

Sara Lee has entered an agreement to sell its North American refrigerated dough business to fellow US food group Ralcorp Holdings. The two companies said today (9 August) that Ralcorp would acquire the business for US$545m. It manufactures a range of private-label products including biscuits, crescent rolls, pizza and pie crusts and toaster pastries, which are sold to food and mass retailers. Sara Lee announced in May this year that it was evaluating strategic options for the business, which... ...Read more »

Rising diagnosis rates of coeliac disease, combined with an increased awareness of the perceived benefits of a gluten-free diet, are driving growth in the free-from sector in the UK. Euromonitor forecasts that the gluten-free sector will grow by almost 10% between 2011 and 2015 to become a channel worth GBP95.5m (US$155.2m) a year. According to Norma McGough, head of diet & health at charity Coeliac UK, some 14,000 people are newly diagnosed each year, a number which she says was “assumed... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) has released its half-yearly financial results for the period ending July 1, 2011. The results show growth of CCA’s business with profits of $234.1 million, an increase of 5.5 per cent on the half-yearly result at this time last year. CCA’s Group Managing Director, Terry Davis said, “I believe that the operating performance in the first half has been solid given the business has had to manage external headwinds, as well as the cycling of a very strong first half result... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) has confirmed its decision y to close the SPC Ardmona (SPCA) plant in Mooroopna in a statement released today. The company will shift production of premium packaged fruit and vegetable products to its Shepparton and Kyabram facilities. CCA’s board met yesterday, August 8 2011, to discuss the future of the SPCA business. CCA’s Group Managing Director, Terry Davis, said that the decision to “right-size” the brand was a response to the high Australian dollar and increasing... ...Read more »