The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) today urged the Federal Government to offer “similar assistance” to Australia’s food industry as it offers the automotive industry when considering this year’s Budget. In its Budget 2012-13 Submission, the AFGC is calling on the Federal Government to get behind the food and grocery manufacturing sector in the upcoming Federal Budget process. The submission specifically calls for a Supermarket Fair Trading Code of Conduct and a Supermarket Ombudsman... ...Read more »

The Australian manufacturing sector nudged positive territory in December with the latest Australian Industry Group – PwC Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®) released today, rising by 2.4 points to 50.2 (readings above 50 indicate an expansion in activity). The strongest expansions in December 2011 were seen in the miscellaneous manufactures; basic metals; paper, printing & publishing; and transport equipment sub-sectors. However, this lift in activity was largely... ...Read more »

The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) today launched a campaign urging Australian consumers to buy Australian-made products to support the food industry during the holiday season. According to the AFGC, the cost of manufacturing food is, on average, 25 per cent higher in Australia than in regional competitor nations. The AFGC says this is seriously affecting the Australian industry’s competitiveness and profitability. The high Australian dollar is also to blame, making imports cheaper... ...Read more »

Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Catherine King, announced today that Australia’s leading food manufacturers and retailers have voluntarily agreed to reduce salt levels in soup products over the next three years. The agreement between the Australian Government’s Food and Health Dialogue and leading manufacturers and retailers was reached in Canberra this morning. Leading manufacturers Unilever, Heinz, Campbell Arnotts and Nestle, along with major retailers Woolworths, Coles and... ...Read more »

Woolworths Supermarkets has warned Australian bread manufacturing giant, Goodman Fielder, that any changes made to the shelf-life of its bread will be “taken seriously” by the supermarket chain. Woolworths statement came in response to reports this week that Goodman Fielder is considering extending the shelf-life of its bread using food technology to save money through a lower frequency of deliveries. Woolworths spokesperson Benedict Brook told Australian Food News, “Woolworths are the ‘fresh... ...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 »

Scientists behind a new Australian invention which monitors the behaviour of starches as they are cooked say it could revolutionise food manufacturing processes. The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) worked with Swedish manufacturer Perten Instruments to develop the ‘neutron Rapid Visco Analyser’, or ‘nRVA’. They claim the invention will allow manufacturers to establish the best way to cook and process starches. In developing the nRVA, the scientists employed... ...Read more »

The Canadian Government has announced it will reform the way it regulates energy drinks in Canada. Energy drinks are non-alcoholic beverages characterised by the addition of ‘energy enhancing’ ingredients. These may include a number of water-soluble B vitamins, amino acids and other substances, and caffeine. The proposed Canadian legislation includes: A cap on the amount of caffeine that can be included in an energy drink at 180 mg per single serving. In addition to current labels that... ...Read more »

Australian parents’ activist group the Parent’s Jury has slammed two major food companies, Kelloggs and McDonalds, claiming that their marketing campaigns in Australia are misleading. Both companies featured in the Parents’ Jury’s ‘Fame and Shame Awards 2011’. McDonald’s use of Australian cricket hero Shane Warne to endorse its Chicken McBites came under fire for “using sport to promote unhealthy food which influences children”. Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain cereal, which the... ...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 »