South Australian juice-maker Nippy’s has unveiled plans to spend A$10 million on increasing its packaging capacity and expanding its milk processing operations at Waikerie and Moorouk in the Riverland region. The Riverland adjoins the Murray River near South Australia’s border with Victoria. Nippy’s, which is owned by the Knispel Group, has been awarded a State Government grant of A$2.61 million to help with this expansion. Managing Director of the Knispel Group, Jeff Knispel, said the... ...Read more »

Australia is facing a huge glut of potatoes. Prices for potatoes for the Australian domestic market will soon drop below  farm production costs. Greengrocers and supermarkets are acquiring potatoes at bargain prices. We are constantly reminded by the Australian Government and its consultant experts that the world is running out of food. They tell us that Australia needs to produce more food for the impending famine faced by the world. Yet, we already have the scenario of many countries currently... ...Read more »

Potato growers across Australia are threatening to plough surplus potatoes back into the ground or leave them to rot in what is reported to be one of the biggest potato gluts in Australian history. Australian potato grower and Chairman of the Australian Potato Industry Advisory Committee, David Nix, has seen double the tonnage of potatoes on his farm in Atherton, Queensland, compared to last year. Mr Nix told Australian Food News today, “This year has brought a wave of excess potatoes across... ...Read more »

New legislation passed yesterday by the Queensland Parliament will allow a government-led food business rating scheme to be introduced across Queensland. The Health Legislation Amendment Bill 2011, tabled by Health Minister Geoff Wilson, was passed just days after Queensland Health unveiled figures that suggest there are more cases of food poisoning in Queensland than any other Australian State. According to Queensland Health, more than 7,700 cases of the most common forms of food poisoning were... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola has announced today its decision to extend its much talked about ‘Share A Coke’ campaign into 2012. The multinational beverage manufacturer is now asking Australians to nominate 50 new names to feature on bottles of Coke. In October 2011, Coca-Cola started introduced 150 names to bottles and cans of Coke as part of its ‘Share A Coke’ campaign. Coca-Cola South Pacific’s Marketing Director, Lucie Austin said, “The response from consumers and their interactions with the campaign... ...Read more »

Australian supermarket shoppers rank Aldi as top in providing customer satisfaction out of all the Australian supermarkets. This is according to the latest survey findings from the Australian market research company Roy Morgan. Roy Morgan’s ‘Supermarket Satisfaction Report’, released today, surveyed around 55,000 consumers in Australia in the six months to September 2011. Among Aldi customers, 92.5 per cent said they were “completely” or “somewhat” satisfied with the supermarket. 87.5... ...Read more »

Coles Supermarket’s media campaign that it has “declared war on liquor prices” has prompted immediate retaliation by rival supermarket chain Woolworths. Coles had announced yesterday that it has cut prices by as much as 31% on a range of beers, wines and spirits in its 1st Choice and Liquorland stores as part of a new pricing strategy. Today, the director of Woolworths Liquor Group, which owns the Dan Murphy’s chain of liquor stores, Steve Greentree described Coles’ campaign as “misleading”. Mr... ...Read more »

Market research organisation IBISWorld has predicted that A$9.8 billion will be spent on food in Australia this Christmas – a timid 3.4 per cent increase spending in 2010. According to IBISWorld, with annual inflation of around 3.3 per cent in Australia, this means that most food retailers will simply be treading water. IBISWorld General Manager (Australia), Ms Karen Dobie said that in 2011, Australian shoppers have been savvy, seeking out the best value for money, the best range and the best... ...Read more »

The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), has called for a ban on the sale of premixed alcohol and energy drink (AED) products in Australia. Research into consumption habits, commissioned by FARE and undertaken by Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, found that young people in Australia are regularly consuming between three and five alcohol and energy drinks a night, and some drinking as many as ten. Turning Point’s lead researcher, Amy Pennay, said that mixing alcohol and energy... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has blasted South Australia Health Minister John Hill over a claim that voluntary limits on junk food advertising aimed at children are not working. Speaking at the Don Dunstan Foundation yesterday, Health and Ageing Minister John Hill said tighter regulation is needed on junk food advertising aimed at children. He referred to new research by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australia’s most respected scientific... ...Read more »