Coles Supermarkets have announced a new partnership with Australian cancer charity Redkite to generate $5 million in 2013 through the sale of its store-branded bread. Coles has announced it will donate five cents to Redkite for every loaf of Coles Brand and Coles Smart Buy bread sold in the year. Redkite is a national charity that supports children and young people with cancer and their families. According to Redkite, there are approximately 11,000 children and young people in Australia who live... ...Read more »

The letter ‘E’ stands for positive food experiences such as Eating, Entertaining and Enjoyment. The health-conscious food consumer however is looking for a diet free from: ‘E’ preservatives. In celebration of the 2012 National Organic Week, Australia’s Own Organic brand is introducing its latest product on the market – the Rye, Oat and Linseed Wrap; a product offering consumers a healthy alternative to bread without the added preservatives and 100% certified organic. ‘E’ numbers on... ...Read more »

McDonald’s Australia has launched a new ingredient-tracking smart phone app to squash negative rumours about its processing procedures. The new TrackMyMacca’s app launched last Wednesday, January 16 2013, allows consumers to follow the food chain of any McDonald’s product by scanning a QR-style code system on the packaging. The free smart phone app allows the consumer to check the origin of individual ingredients in any McDonald’s product, and read the stories of Australian farmers behind... ...Read more »

The usage of digital technologies such as mobile apps, data mining, group sharing networks and techno grocery shopping are opening the door to new food supply formats and distributorships and supply chain franchises. This article explores some recent developments. Mobile apps Mobile apps including social media platforms, such as Facebook and Instagram, and restaurant rating apps are being used by food consumers to make buying decisions on a daily basis. Consumers are increasingly relying on these... ...Read more »

Thirteen McDonald’s stores around Australia have embraced the well-known term “Macca’s” in a new promotional campaign for Australia Day. Traditional McDonald’s signage at the stores has been changed to “Macca’s” in various locations as part of the new campaign. According to a national survey of Australians, Macca’s is the second most recognised ‘Australianism’, just behind the word ‘footy’. The popularity of the term led McDonald’s Australia to recently call on Macquarie... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s major food and beverage groups Lion Foods is going with UXC Red Rock Consulting to develop a demand forecasting system which is intended to increase accuracy of demand forecasting. UXC Red Rock Consulting is Oracle’s key partner in Australia and New Zealand. It recently won a competitive tender to manage the implementation of the Demantra Collaborative Demand Forecasting for Lion across its beer, spirits and wine businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Lion, which is one of... ...Read more »

US-based Innova Market Insights has revealed the growing presence of the antioxidant, resveratrol, in food and beverage products. Following other popular food trends such as the addition of acai berry and spirulina, Innova Market Insights believe that resveratrol could be “the next big thing.” The market research company has linked the “powerful antixodiant” to anti-aging, cancer prevention, cardiovascular health and healthy inflammatory processes, and believes that it will soon appear in... ...Read more »

Russian recycled packaging designers Evgeny Morgalev have created a carboard egg carton that perfectly boils an egg in two minutes while on-the-go. The device has been given the name of the Gogol Mogol. It is made from the typical carboard packaging used on conventional egg containers, but has inner chemical layers that trigger the necessary chemical reaction to cook the egg when a tab is pulled on the device. Inner layers include a layer infused with chemicals including calcium hydroxide, and another... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s leading apple producers Montague Fresh has joined the IFORED group of fruit producers from 11 countries to develop new types of apples. The most recent IFORED innovation is a red-flesh apple variety to be released in Australia. The IFORED group, which has based its research facilities in France, has been testing, selecting and commercialising red-flesh apple varieties. The Montague Fresh apple varieties will include sweet and tangy flavours ranging from a bright pink to a deep... ...Read more »

A Queensland family business has created a revolutionary way of growing delicious tasty figs all year round. The story of the Emerick fig business has been reported in Rural Press publications over the past week. The Emerick family of Bundaberg is using hothouse production to grow indoor figs that are harvested during the winter months from May to November. The deciduous trees are reportedly pruned before they enter their winter dormancy, and yield the family’s ‘Forbidden Figs’ in the colder... ...Read more »