One of Australia’s oldest but most respected dairy groups Bulla Dairy Foods has been on the recruiting march and has recently signed up two of Australia’s top dairy marketing people to help with its next stage of expansion through innovation. The Company is currently developing its new state-of-the-art Colac Innovation Centre to complement the processing plants at two Melbourne-based sites, Mulgrave and Derrimut, as well as three regional sites in Colac. As competition between supermarket house... ...Read more »

Australia is often compared with Canada, and there are very definite cultural and economic similarities between the two countries.  The  Fast food trends in Canada are therefore of interest to our Australian readers and in particular those involved in the commercial foodservice industry that supplies this sector. Limited-service restaurants (LSRs) are becoming the driving force behind the commercial foodservice industry in Canada. Limited-service chains accounted for nearly three-quarters (73.2... ...Read more »

Melbourne’s Vue de Monde was named Vittoria Coffee Restaurant of the Year at this week’s awards ceremony in the Great Hall of the NGV International to celebrate the launch of The Age Good Food Guide 2013. Editor of The Age Good Food Guide 2013 Janne Apelgren said: “There’s nowhere else quite like Vue de Monde, Shannon Bennett’s grand vision delivering a restaurant which marries a stunning setting, sublime food and polished service.” “It may be pricey, but for a big night out, it’s... ...Read more »

Government officials, livestock leaders, scientists and peak industry stakeholders met in Sydney this week to review Australia’s preparedness and response capacity for any foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Participants at the National FMD Stakeholder Forum agreed that FMD poses one of the single greatest threats to Australia’s livestock industries, and that collaborative government and industry action and investment must be ongoing to ensure Australia is adequately armed against this disease. Australia’s... ...Read more »

Australian Food News previously reported on the follow-up to the death of a Melbourne teenager Sara Milosevic, who died in June 2011 following consumption of three cans of a caffeinated alcoholic beverage. The New South Wales Coroner’s Court is now being asked to obtain information from the Victorian Coroner’s Court to review the autopsy of Sara Milosevic, following concerns raised by her family. The Age newspaper reported in Melbourne the Victorian Coroner’s Court investigation  in progress,... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s large dairy processors, the ASX-listed Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Holdings (WCB), has today announced a strong net operating profit after tax of $15.2 million for the year ended 30 June 2012. Total revenue was down by 1.3% or $6.3 million on the previous year’s $497.8 million. The net operating profit after tax of $15.2 million represented a $3.3 million (17.8%) reduction on the 2011financial year but was stronger than previous forecasts from the company. “The... ...Read more »

A Senate Select Committee report examining Australia’s Food Processing Sector was released on 16 August 2012. The Senate’s Inquiry covered the following broad areas: (a) the competitiveness and future viability of Australia’s food processing sector in global markets; (b) the regulatory environment for Australia’s food processing and manufacturing companies ; (c) the impact of Australia’s competition regime and the food retail sector, on the food processing sector, including the... ...Read more »

CHOICE, the Australian consumer advocacy body, has this week queried the genuineness of claims made about the healthiness of coconut water. In a report issued this week, Choice investigated whether coconut water drinks are as healthy as they claim, or whether these products had engaged in marketing spin. Australian Food News notes that some of Choice’s previous reports in relation to other product categories have led to subsequent investigative actions by the Australian Competition and Consumer... ...Read more »

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has succeeded in a prosecution against a company and its director in relation to a company  whose name was found to have misleadingly referred to a geographic location from which its products did not originate. The Federal Court of Australia has handed down its judgement against King Island Meatworks and Cellars Pty Ltd, a meat retailing business in Brighton, Victoria and its manager and sole director Alexander Michael Mastromanno. Justice... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) ‘s Interim Results issued on 22 August 2012 reveal net profit after tax increased by 5.6% to $247.1 million, before significant items.  CCA also reported that trading revenue increased by 8.9% on strong Group volume growth of 5.5%. The strong cash flow generation of $309.7 million, included the net proceeds from the sale of CCA’s joint venture interest in Pacific Beverages. CCA report another excellent result from Indonesia and PNG. According to CCA’s report, to... ...Read more »