In a special interview given to Australian Food News this week, the Marketing Manager of Vok Beverages Chris Illman shared some of the secrets of the success story of his nimble South Australian group. With wine labels such as Half Mile Creek, Queen Adelaide and Step Road, beer brand Cobra, a range of rums and gins, and the increasingly popular Three Oaks Cider, as well as liqueurs, ready-to-drink beverages, and non-alcoholic items such as Bickford’s Cordial range, the Vok brand portfolio has flourished... ...Read more »

There are several dairy products on the Australian market that are supplemented by phytosterols and marketed as cholesterol-lowering. Phytosterol esters are essentially fatty acids derived from plants, and are said to reduce cholesterol when consumed. Packaging restrictions on products containing phytosterol esters exist because of long-standing concerns regarding the safety of such supplementation. Two nearly identical applications have been made to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ),... ...Read more »

After Australian Food News reported that the Dairy Farmers and Pura Milk brands had decided to make permeate-free milk, allowing contrast with the supermarket homebrand milks, other milk brands are declaring their milk is permeate-free. Aussie Farmers Direct has joined the fray to declare itself to be “a proud and committed national producer of totally Australian milk, with ‘no added permeate’, since it started processing milk down at its ‘Aussie Farmers Dairy’ in South West Victoria a... ...Read more »

A new marketing war has begun between supplier brands and the supermarket homebrands, with a new angle being taken by the suppliers against the homebrand product. A major milk processor is promoting that its milk does not contain a processing by-product that is commonly used as a dilutant in mass-market milk. Lion Nathan’s dairy division, including the Dairy Farmers brand and Pura Milk brand, has announced that its milk will now be “permeate-free”. The decision to omit this watery substance... ...Read more »

Thunder Road Brewing, a microbrewery based in Brunswick, Melbourne, has taken Foster’s to court over more than 50 heritage Australian beer trademarks including Victoria Lager, McCracken’s Invalid Stout, Abbots Lager, Tiger Head and Richmond Lager. When a trademark has not been genuinely used in more than three years, the Trademarks Act may permit another company to apply to use the same brand. In an interview given to Australian Food News today, Philip Withers, Chief Executive of Thunder... ...Read more »

Kirin-owned dairy and drinks giant, Lion Nathan National Foods, today announced its intention to rebrand its three divisions – Lion Nathan Australia, Lion Nathan New Zealand and National Foods – to a single new brand, Lion. All three will use the Lion brand, but the company said that to distinguish informally as required, National Foods will be known as Dairy and Drinks, while the Lion Nathan businesses will become Beer, Spirits and Wines, Australia, and Beer, Spirits and Wines, New Zealand. Lion... ...Read more »

Lion Nathan National Foods announced its results for the quarter ended 31 December 2010, with tough results across the board. Revenues for National Foods and Lion Nathan Australia were both down 11%, to $729.8 and $430.2 respectively. White milk volumes declined 11% for National Foods, and Lion Nathan’s 4% higher per-litre price was also knocked out by lower volumes. Only Lion Nathan New Zealand delivered increased revenue, up 9% at NZ$204.7 million. “Rising interest rates and power costs,... ...Read more »

National Foods has announced the results of its six-month review of cheesemaking operations across Australia, revealing plans to consolidate Tasmanian operations at its Burnie site, close its Victorian locations and sell its South Australian sites. In Tasmania, the Kirin-Lion-Nathan owned dairy giant will invest $120 in its Burnie facility to produce all its specialty cheeses, transferring operations from its Heidi Farm site, and closing Kings Meadow over three years at a loss of 40 jobs. Only King... ...Read more »

* Food and soft drink profits up 56.4% * Full-year group profits up 76.8% * Upped full-year profit forecast Kirin Holdings’ food and soft drinks division has booked an increase in full-year operating profits, driven by cost reductions made by the firm during 2010.Operating profit from the division climbed 56.4% to JPY11.10bn (US$133m) in 2010, the firm reported yesterday (10 February). Sales, however, dropped 13.2% to JPY638.10bn as a result of a change in the firm’s accounting period. The... ...Read more »

Peter Kean, currently Managing Director of Lion Nathan National Foods’ New Zealand and Global Wine businesses, has been appointed Managing Director of food and beverage company National Foods, from 1 April 2011, replacing Andrew Reeves, who will leave the business to become CEO at ABF’s George Weston Foods. National Foods is one of Australasia’s largest FMCG companies, employing over 4,000 people and producing category-leading brands in milk and dairy beverages, juice, fresh dairy, cheese... ...Read more »