Genetically Modified (GM) crops continue to polarise opinion, with the WA Opposition indicating they will allow trials of GM canola and permit the planting of GM cotton if they triumph in September’s election. The Labor Government has, however, remained steadfast in their belief that the state should remain GM-free, with Premier Alan Carpenter indicating a moratorium on GM crops will remain if he is re-elected. “I will not, in the next term of government, allow GM crops to be grown on... ...Read more »

Sydney harbourside restaurant Quay has taken out the top prize at the 2009 Australian Gourmet Traveller awards held in Sydney last night. Led by Executive Chef Peter Gilmore, Quay has climbed into the top echelon of Australian restaurants over the past decade and has been awarded with three hats in the Sydney Morning Herald’s Good Food Guide for the past six years. The Best New Restaurant award went to Melbourne’s Bistro Guillaume, which opened at Crown earlier this year. Run by leading... ...Read more »

Australian pizza maker Eagle Boys Pizza has recorded a 21.9% increase in sales growth during the past 12 months on the back of climbing sales and growing store numbers. Australia’s third largest pizza chain recorded revenue of more than $125 million, and opened 51 new stores. The company now operates 230 franchised stores in Australia across five store models. The number of stores has risen swiftly since their first opening in 1987, with last month’s acquisition of Pizza Haven Australia,... ...Read more »

More than $20 million in research and development funding is on offer as the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) seeks ideas and innovations to help strengthen and diversify rural Australia. RIRDC has opened its call for applications for R&D funding for 2009-10 and is seeking research proposals that can best contribute to the Corporation’s goals of developing a more profitable, dynamic and sustainable rural sector. “RIRDC has a focus on diversification and... ...Read more »

Australia’s largest food manufacturer, Goodman Fielder, has announced today that it would be recording a one-off write down of the company’s Fresh Dairy division in New Zealand. The company indicated that high costs and worsening conditions were to blame for the write down. “…in view of the deteriorating economic conditions in New Zealand and current high dairy commodity prices, Goodman Fielder had taken the prudent step of writing down the goodwill of its Fresh... ...Read more »

The Lexus Appetite for Excellence awards were held in Sydney last night with chefs and waiters from Melbourne and Adelaide scooping the pool in the Young Chef and Young Waiter of the year awards. The awards, which have been running since 2005, reward some of Australia’s up and coming talent in the restaurant industry. Only those under the age of thirty can be considered for the awards. Each Australian state is represented with one finalist, with the decision on the winners being chosen by... ...Read more »

Parmalat has failed to reach an appropriate agreement with their proposed joint venture partner, Murray-Goulburn, as they seek to acquire Dairy Farmers. The two companies withdrew their application for ACCC clearance on Friday, with the Italian dairy giant citing an inability to come to a suitable arrangement as the reason for the decision. “Parmalat SpA communicates that no mutually satisfactory resolution on terms and conditions has been reached and consequently Parmalat has withdrawn from... ...Read more »

Jacques Reymond has been bestowed with the honour of Lavazza Restaurant of the Year at the 2008 Restaurant & Catering Victoria Awards held on Tuesday night, with Delaware North - Melbourne Zoo taking the honours as Caterer of the Year. The award completes an outstanding year for the Prahran restaurant, with recognition earlier this year in The Age Good Food Guide 2008 as Victoria’s only ‘three hat’ restaurant. Thirty-two categories were represented by the awards, with a posthumous... ...Read more »

Despite the difficult environment at both domestic and global levels, the Australian wine industry continues to expand. The challenge, according to a recently released report from the world’s leading food and agribusiness bank, is how to grow value as well as volume. According to the Rabobank report, the Australian wine industry needs to break away from its image as a supplier of inexpensive wines and begin to improve the average price per bottle in order to secure a sustainable future. Report... ...Read more »

The ACCC report into the state of competition in the grocery industry has been released, with a number of recommendations mooted to improve competition. It should be noted, however, that the ACCC believe the issue of food inflation may have been overstated in some quarters. Australian Food News reports on the ACCC’s response to the major issues raised during the Inquiry. In General - Key Findings The ACCC suggest that the current nature of grocery retailing in Australia is “workably... ...Read more »