The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has again called upon the Australian Government to take action to help Australian food manufacturers cope with “immense pressures” on their business. The AFGC’s call coincides with last Friday’s closure of Heinz Australia’s tomato sauce factory in Girgarre, Victoria. Despite the Girgarre closing, Heinz Australia continues to manufacture in the Goulburn Valley region through its baby food factory in Echuca. AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell... ...Read more »

National Foods has announced plans to invest a further $5.5 million in its Malanda milk processing plant on the Atherton Tablelands, following the $1.2 million invested over the last eight months.The investment will be in a wide range of upgrades to systems and facilities including improvements to flavour mixing capacity and refrigeration, milk process control and factory air conditioning systems. A new bottle filling production line was installed in October 2009 and another new line will be installed... ...Read more »

Victorian Foodbowl icon SPC Ardmona will today open its new factory sales outlet designed to help it grow its status as the most popular factory food outlet in the nation.Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan will unveil a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion tonight, and today said the factory sales outlet’s new Shepparton CBD location would elevate SPC Ardmona’s already heightened status among tourists. “The SPC Ardmona factory is not a location – it’s... ...Read more »

Nippy’s Juice is not expecting to move any production to the Berri plant in South Australia’s Riverland. The site will soon be vacated by Berri owner National Foods, but Nippy’s believes the factory will require too much development to make it worthwhile. Managing Director Jeff Knispell had been considering using the factory to consolidate some operations that are duplicated at their South Australian sites. “From what I can gather there’s not going to be too much more... ...Read more »

Nestlé has resumed its operations in Zimbabwe following the suspension of its activities last month over a dispute on buying milk from suppliers linked to the wife of President Robert Mugabe. The Swiss food giant said the Zimbabwe plant had received a visit from government officials on 19 December who forced staff to take delivery of a tanker of milk from non-contracted suppliers. Two of its managers were questioned by police and released without charge the same day. As a result, Nestlé said it... ...Read more »

The world’s largest food manufacturer has suspended operations at its dairy plant in Zimbabwe due to safety concerns. Nestlé decided in October to sever ties with farms owned by Grace Mugabe – the wife of controversial president Robert Mugabe – after facing a barrage of criticism when the link was discovered. The company said at the time that, given a number of their dairy suppliers in the country had gone bust early this year, they had little choice but to source milk from Mugabe-owned... ...Read more »

Australian juice manufacturer Nippy’s has downplayed their interest in a Riverland juice processing plant after rumours of a possible purchase surfaced over the weekend. The site, owned by National Foods subsidiary Berri, is due to close by the end of the financial year after a review by the company found it would not be viable in the long-term. Jeff Knispel, Managing Director of Nippy’s, said that he was likely to tour the site this week but cautioned workers against getting their hopes... ...Read more »

Food manufacturer Heinz has decided to enforce a lockout on their employees at their processing plant in Echuca – in Victoria’s north. A dispute regarding a new collective bargaining agreement has been simmering for months and with tensions rising Heinz made the decision to lockout the factory’s seventy workers indefinitely. Staff at the baby food production plant are unhappy about proposed roster changes and have been negotiating with management for four months. The Australian... ...Read more »

National Foods today announced it intends to phase out production at its Riverland juice manufacturing site by the end of the current financial year. This decision will result in the loss of 64 jobs and follows a decision in September not to resume production of long shelf-life juice at the Riverland site, after manufacturing equipment was severely damaged during an August break-in. A review of the site’s long-term sustainability was announced in June and the long shelf life element of that... ...Read more »

One of the world’s largest tortilla producers is opening a new factory in Melbourne to boost their Australian manufacturing operations. The factory, in the suburb of Epping in Melbourne’s north, will create 470 jobs. “Mission Foods produce over 25 per cent of the world’s tortillas and have chosen to set up its manufacturing and logistics hub in Victoria,” Premier John Brumby said, welcoming their arrival. “Mission Foods exports to 50 countries worldwide and having... ...Read more »