Two more abbatoirs have suspended work this week, in a rash of closures prompted by the rising Australian dollar and low stock supply after widespread drought. Yesterday’s closure of two plants by Leitch Pastoral Group, Killarney Abbatoir and Pittsworth Food Processors, comes hot on the heels of last week’s closure announcement by Burrangong Meat Processors. Leitch’s Operations Manager Rob Doro says the closures may not be permanent, but that they are considering the future of the... Read more »
Australian dairy co-op Murray Goulburn is to close one of its cheese sites in the state of Victoria. The company told just-food yesterday (3 February) that its facility in Leitchville faced closure after eight years of drought in the region. Some 80 employees will be affected. “It just wasn’t viable to continue to have four sites in the region, so it will be rationalised down to three,” a Murray Goulburn spokesperson said. Murray Goulburn is one of two bidders for Australian cheese... Read more »
Coca-Cola Amatil has hiked the price of their soft drinks by five per cent in an endeavour to protect margins in the face of soaring costs of key inputs like sugar, according to the Australian Financial Review. Australia’s largest soft drink maker is dealing with steady price increases of some of their key resource costs, including sugar and aluminium. The sugar price reached a 29-year high at the beginning of the month but has since retreated a little as markets become more volatile. And CCA... Read more »
Australians remain uneasy about eating genetically modified (GM) foods, according to research from Swinburne University. The University’s fifth National Science and Technology Monitor found most people well informed about GM but still very mistrustful of the institutions that commercialise GM foods. “A major target of public mistrust is Monsanto, the world’s biggest seed company that owns patents on over 90% of all commercial GM soy, corn, canola and cotton crops that are grown,”... Read more »
The latest ABS retail trade figures show that sales in December fell 0.7%, seasonally adjusted, although restaurant and takeaway outlets were big winners. Sales declined in every category except Cafés, Restaurants & Takeaway Food Services - where sales surged 2.5%, continuing on recent positive sales trends for the sector. Restaurants and cafés had a difficult end to 2008 and start to 2009 but an economic resurgence has helped many return to more prosperous times. High levels of consumer confidence... Read more »
Members of Australia’s dairy industry gathered yesterday in Melbourne to celebrate the ‘best of the best’ at the 2010 Australian Grand Dairy Awards (AGDA). Victoria and Tasmania were home to the most award winners, with both states receiving seven Champion Awards and a Grand Champion award each. The awards, consist of 20 categories in cheese and other dairy products as well as one Grand Champion Dairy Award and one Grand Champion Cheese Award. All entrants are Gold Medallists within... Read more »
Tropical produce importers Fyffes have withdrawn their nomination for the Fruit Logistica Innovation award after Australian Eco Bananas asserted trademark rights to the claimed innovation. Fyffes of Germany were one of 10 companies who nominated for the FRUIT LOGISTICA Innovation Award (FLIA) 2010 to be presented in Berlin (3 - 5 February 2010) in recognition of outstanding innovation in products and services. The competition is open to all companies exhibiting at FRUIT LOGISTICA and FRESHCONEX 2010... Read more »
Australian building materials and sugar group CSR has said they will take time to assess the ramifications of a Federal Court decision yesterday that effectively blocked their plans for a demerger. The Federal Court ruled that shareholders should not be able to vote on plans to separate their sugar and renewable energy businesses from the rest of the group because it would make them “less likely” to be able to meet asbestos liabilities. A ruling CSR disputes. “The Board of CSR believes... Read more »
Asia-Pacific consumer brands will succeed in the recovering economic markets if lessons are learnt from the last two years, according to new research from independent business analyst Datamonitor. The study has revealed the difficulties brands face in capturing the attention of consumers, with 67% of Australians saying they simply don’t even notice new alcoholic drinks on the shelves. Datamonitor figures show manufacturers bombarded the FMCG market with over 1600 product innovations launched... Read more »
Cadbury’s Australian employees are cautious after the takeover by US manufacturing giant, Kraft, although there are high hopes that job cuts will not eventuate. Last night, the confectioner’s shareholders voted in favour of the A$21 billion takeover, which has caused fear amongst workers in Cadbury factories worldwide. The Manufacturing Workers Union awaits news from Kraft, with the manufacturer set to contact employees at the two sites at Claremont in southern Tasmania and Ringwood... Read more »