Australian supermarket chain Coles has apologised to customers who thought they had found a bargain yesterday when two beer lines were inadvertently listed with the wrong price on its online shopping website. 24-bottle slabs of Coopers Sparkling Ale, which Coles usually sell for A$53.99 each, and 24-bottle slabs of James Squire Golden Ale, normally listed on the website at A$54.99, were listed with a price of just A$15.99. Word about the cheap deal quickly spread through the social media platform... ...Read more »

The Australian Government will provide pig farmers with the opportunity to earn carbon credits for burning their pig manure, if proposed new legislation is approved under the government’s new Carbon Farming Initiative. The Federal Government has established the Carbon Farming Initiative to develop carbon offsetting methodologies so Australia’s farmers can receive credits for reducing their carbon output. Under the Federal Government’s ‘Methodology for the Destruction of Methane Generated... ...Read more »

Whilst growth in the iced coffee market continues to be dominated by Asia, levels of interest elsewhere in the world appear to be growing according to figures released today by international research body, Innova Database. According to Innova, the demand for iced coffee drinks appears to be growing, not only geographically, but also beyond its original home in the foodservice sector of many countries, particularly the USA. Innova Database’s research found that Asia accounted for nearly three-quarters... ...Read more »

A national standard for the amount of time allowed between the last feed and slaughter of bobby calves in Australia has been agreed to by the main players in the Australian dairy industry. Bobby calves are the young male calves which are slaughtered for human consumption every year. They are the bi-product of the dairy industry as milking cows must be impregnated to lactate each year and the male calves are eliminated since they cannot produce milk. The industry decision came after Primary Industries... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s main apple-growing districts, Batlow in southern New South Wales, has been declared a natural disaster area after a hail storm inflicted severe damage on apple orchards last week, destroying an estimated 60 per cent of next year’s Batlow crop. Batlow is located at the base of the Riverina Highlands, 450kms south-west of Sydney. Apples are a major crop in the State of NSW, with most grown in Batlow. They are grown from spring blossom and harvested from late summer through to... ...Read more »

One million litres of milk will be going to people in need under an historic new partnership between Foodbank Australia and the Australian dairy industry, which is being supported by the Australian Government. The Australian Government has pledged A$4 million over the next four years to Foodbank Australia in this year’s budget to ensure the organisation builds new partnerships with food growers, producers and manufacturers. The Collaborative Supply Program for Milk is the first time an entire industry... ...Read more »

Wholesale giant Metcash today announced it is in the final stages of selling its newly acquired Franklins supermarket chain to Australian IGA Supermarkets. Metcash Chief Executive Officer Mr Andrew Reitzer said the company had so far received over 200 expressions of interest to buy the supermarket chain and was looking forward to transitioning Franklins into the “right hands”. Mr Reitzer said discussions with potential buyers of the Franklins supermarkets would begin on 21 November. The process... ...Read more »

Scientists behind a new Australian invention which monitors the behaviour of starches as they are cooked say it could revolutionise food manufacturing processes. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) worked with Swedish manufacturer Perten Instruments to develop the ‘neutron Rapid Visco Analyser’, or ‘nRVA’. They claim the invention will allow manufacturers to establish the best way to cook and process starches. In developing the nRVA, the scientists employed... ...Read more »

The world’s largest coffee chain, Starbucks Coffee Company, announced today that it has bought American-based premium fruit juice company Evolution Fresh for US$30 million (A$29 million). Announcing the takeover deal today, Starbucks’ President Howard Schultz unveiled plans to establish a chain of juice bars. He said, “With Evolution Fresh, Starbucks will bring a unique, premium juice product to the marketplace, similar to what Starbucks did 40 years ago with coffee. “Not only are we able... ...Read more »

Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing has recalled a batch of its So Good Rice Milk product nationwide as a precautionary health measure following concerns over the undeclared presence of soy. The product in question, sold in 1 Litre UHT block packs, has been available for sale in Coles Supermarkets nationally, IGA Supermarkets (WA, VIC, NSW, and QLD) and Franklins (NSW). The rice milk product is also exported by Sanitarium to New Zealand. In a statement released today, Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing... ...Read more »