Australian supermarket Coles has announced that some popular Australian brands will among a list of 40 new products to be added to its ‘Down Down’ savings list. The latest ‘Down Down’ price reduction features some iconic brands, including Vegemite, Old El Paso, Milo and Kellogg’s Cornflakes. The latest ‘Down Down’ campaign will feature rock band Status Quo with a unique version of the song ‘Whatever You Want’. The popular brands will receive their own version of the song in the... ...Read more »

Major Australian supermarkets appear to be gradually moving towards new store formats that will offer additional services or attempt to create a more ‘market-style’ environment. Woolworths recently advertised positions available for qualified butchers for its “exciting new concept stores”. Woolworths supermarkets also appear to be gradually changing their approach to the format of stores, perhaps in an attempt to emulate its rival Coles’ strategy of focusing on the customer in-store ‘experience’. In... ...Read more »

The proportion of consumers satisfied with German-owned Australian supermarket Aldi is once again comfortably higher than Australia’s other three major supermarket chains, according to market research organisation Roy Morgan Research. In November 2012, both Coles and Woolworths came within 1 per cent point of Aldi, making it the closest race in five years. But the latest results from the Roy Morgan Supermarket Satisfaction report show Aldi edging back toward the nine-out-of-ten mark, with 89.7... ...Read more »

The recent first quarter trading update from Japanese-owned Australian food and beverage manufacturer Lion shows a volume increase of 14 per cent in the beer, wine and spirits category for the quarter ended 31 December 2012, despite an overall slowing of the category’s market. Lion said the alcohol sales volume increase came because of its acquisition of international premium and craft brands. But the Company reported that its dairy and drinks category faced challenges in the first quarter, and... ...Read more »

Creditors have decided to allow Northern Tasmanian dairy company Tamar Valley Dairy (Tamar) to continue trading, despite the Company reportedly owing up to $9 million. Sydney-based accountants Lawler Partners met with creditors in Launceston last Friday to ask for up to four months of “breathing space” for Tamar. Tamar moved to a new $20 million factory last year, and secured a 10 year-supply contract with Coles. The Company’s Managing Director, Archie Matteo, told The Australian that the Company’s... ...Read more »

Australian fruit cannery SPC Ardmona has called on the Australian government to put in place emergency tariffs on cheap imported fruit and tomatoes in an attempt to save the local industry. The Australian newspaper reported that SPC Ardmona Managing Director Peter Kelly had written to Australian Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig asking him to activate protection measures permitted under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules where a surge of imports causes or threatens to cause damage to a domestic injury. “The... ...Read more »

The third quarter sales results of Wesfarmers Limited (Wesfarmers) showed its subsidiary Coles put in a strong sales performance for the three months to 31 march 2013. Coles’ headline food and liquor sales for the third quarter were $6.5 billion, up 6.6 per cent on the previous corresponding period. Food and liquor sales were up 5.5 per cent to $20.8 billion for the financial year to date. Comparable food and liquor store sales increased 5.3 per cent in the third quarter and 4.3 per cent for the... ...Read more »

Australian triathlete Charlotte McShane has signed on as ambassador for food manufacturer Simplot Australia’s meat-free brand Quorn. Made with mycoprotein – a meat-free form of protein and a member of the fungi family – Simplot Australia says Quorn products are also cholesterol-free and high in fibre. The new campaign will see Scottish-born twenty-two year-old McShane, who hopes to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Olympic Games, giving... ...Read more »

Australian supermarket giant Coles has awarded a new national contract for its own brand pickled onions to food manufacturer Spring Gully Foods Pty Ltd (Spring Gully) just a few days after the South Australian food company was placed in voluntary administration. The new 12 month contract is expected to commence in two months and will involve 35,000 units of Coles Brand Brown Pickled Onions for sale in 525g jars across Australia. Coles General Manager for South Australia, Vito Borrello, said Coles... ...Read more »

Almost at the same time as reaching a momentous 10-year supply deal with Coles supermarket group and expanding its processing facilities, Australia’s largest dairy co-operative Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co. Limited (Murray Goulburn) announced on 18 April 2013 that it had acquired an additional 1.2 million shares in dairy producer Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Holdings Limited (WCB). This takes Murray Goulburn’s shareholding to a 14.5 per cent stake in WCB. Australian Food News reported... ...Read more »