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 »

Global snacks giant Kraft Foods Inc has announced  that it will be launching more than 70 new products during 2012 in the U.S. ‘Meal solutions’ Kraft Foods is unveiling “meal solutions” that include Kraft Sizzling Salads Dinner Kit, Kraft Fresh Take and Velveeta Cheesy Skillets Dinner Kit, complete with a new range of cooking sauces including Zesty Fajita and Teriyaki Ginger, and salad dressings such as Barbecue Ranch and Toasted Sesame. A Kraft Foods press release said, “The Kraft... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s key industrialists, Anthony Pratt, who is chairman of the leading Australian packaging business Visy Industries, has called upon the Australian government to work with Australia’s food industry to boost production. Speaking at a conference on food security yesterday in Shepparton, Victoria, Mr Pratt offered five ways he believes Australia can quadruple its food production: Accelerated depreciation should be introduced to encourage new manufacturing investments in food. Mr... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council said today that commitments by both of the major political parties to reforming anti-dumping laws in Australia will benefit Australia’s food manufacturers. Dumping occurs when goods are imported into the domestic market at below production cost or through unlawful subsidies from other foreign governments. The AFGC said that smaller Australian food manufacturers are hit hard by these practices. Yesterday, the Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott launched... ...Read more »

The future of Sara Lee’s Australian frozen desserts business is hanging in the balance. In its fourth quarter global report, just published, the consumer goods company states that the Australian arm of the business is “under strategic review”. At the same time, Sara Lee announced it is divesting its Spanish bakery and French refrigerated dough businesses. Sara Lee is one of the largest processors of fresh produce in Australia, consuming large quantities of butter, eggs, cream and cheese.... ...Read more »

Sara Lee has entered an agreement to sell its North American refrigerated dough business to fellow US food group Ralcorp Holdings. The two companies said today (9 August) that Ralcorp would acquire the business for US$545m. It manufactures a range of private-label products including biscuits, crescent rolls, pizza and pie crusts and toaster pastries, which are sold to food and mass retailers. Sara Lee announced in May this year that it was evaluating strategic options for the business, which... ...Read more »

Australia’s market for sauces, dressings and condiments is growing, with 2008 sales clocking $1.8 billion, say market research group Datamonitor, with growing health concerns, including childhood obesity, plus an increase in at-home consumption, boosting the trend. The report, Sauces, Dressings and Condiments in Australia to 2013, found that the market for Wet cooking sauces and Seasonings, together, contributed more than half of total sales. In comparison, Table sauces, Dressings and Pickled... ...Read more »

PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay North America business unit has launched two Lightly Salted varieties of chips for the US market. Fritos Lightly Salted corn chips and Ruffles Lightly Salted potato chips join Lay’s Lightly Salted potato chips, containing around 50% less sodium per one ounce serving than their original counterparts, the firm said yesterday. “The number one request from consumers is for lower sodium versions of snacks,” said Ann Mukherjee, chief marketing officer, Frito-Lay... ...Read more »

Retailer brands have done very well during the recession in the US. But the growth and the concomitant weakening of affiliation between US shoppers and established household brands was an ongoing trend before the financial crisis and will continue after it. It is one of the unfortunate truths of human society that terrible times will always produce a few winners. Stock-market crashes are good news for insolvency lawyers and a pandemic is probably no bad time to be looking for a job in healthcare. By... ...Read more »

The Australian Made, Australian Grown Campaign (AMAG) believes it should be mandatory for all food products to carry a country of origin claim. In its submission to the Review of Food Labelling Law and Policy AMAG also recommended the term  ‘Made in Australia’ may only be used when the food product meets the full criteria set out in the Trade Practices Act. AMAG also called for more stringent guidelines for country of origin claims so a food product which contains a high percentage of... ...Read more »