Production at McCain Foods’ manufacturing site in Victoria has returned to normal after staff at the plant were ordered to abandon their strike action by Fair Work Australia. Fair Work Australia requested that workers at McCain’s Victoria plant quit their strike action earlier this week. The workers, represented by Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU), went on strike over a disagreement with the company on how the food maker arranges time off. The union and company had... ...Read more »

A draft ruling by the ACCC today allowed members of the Tasmanian Farmers & Graziers Association to continue collectively negotiating contracts with major vegetable processors McCain Foods and Simplot Australia (producers of Edgell and Birds Eye brands) for their produce. Simplot Australia purchased around 350 million kg of Tasmanian vegetables in the 2004/2005 year. The decision will allow members of the TFGA to make agreements as a group with processors. Collective negotiation can raise concerns... ...Read more »

A leading Japanese company is looking at the prospect of buying Tasmanian vegetables and fish and may even set up a vegetable processing plant in the Apple Isle. Late last year McCain Foods said they would be shutting down their Tasmanian vegetable processing plant in November 2010, a move that would leave a significant void in the market. And, while it is early days in negotiations, Primary Industries Minister David Llewellyn has said there is interest from a major Japanese food firm in filling... ...Read more »

McCain Foods appears certain to continue with plans to close their vegetable processing plant in Smithton, Tasmania after a last-ditch bid by Tasmanian Premier David Bartlett to change the manufacturer’s mind failed. Mr Bartlett met with McCain executives in Melbourne this morning and came away from the meeting resigned to the fact that the factory would close in November next year. He has attempted to convince McCain to at least keep it open for a further year, but this remains unlikely. McCain... ...Read more »

Birds Eye and Edgell maker Simplot has squashed hopes that they will take on more vegetable contracts in the wake of McCain’s decision to close a vegetable processing plant in the state of Tasmania. Simplot’s Managing Director Terry O’Brien told the ABC’s Country Hour that the company was committed to the southern state but had no plans to expand. “Unfortunately the market isn’t driven by supply, the market’s driven by consumer demand,” he said. “The... ...Read more »

Employees at the McCain vegetable processing plant in north-west Tasmania are hopeful that a co-operative could be created to ensure jobs are not lost. McCain announced last week that, while their Smithton potato processing plant will remain open, the vegetable processing plant in the same area will be shut as they move the operation to New Zealand. One of the workers impacted, David Murphy, told the ABC that employees would be supportive of a community-run plant. “It’d be nice to think... ...Read more »

The food processing sector in Australia has received another blow with the second major plant closure in a fortnight. McCain Foods announced that their vegetable processing plant in Smithton, Tasmania will close in November 2010, advising that the cost to make necessary upgrades to the plant was unable to be justified. The news will see 115 workers made redundant and follows the recent National Foods announcement of the closure of their Berri juice plant in Riverland. McCain will keep the potato... ...Read more »

McCain Foods has announced a voluntary recall of McCain Shepherd’s Pie due to an inadvertent packaging error that has seen some contain a Tuna Mornay meal instead. The affected product was available for sale at Coles Supermarkets, Coles Online, and Bilo Supermarkets from March 2, 2009. McCain has now sent a direction to all stores in NSW and ACT to remove all affected stock from sale. “We apologise for the mix-up but customers are only at risk if they are allergic to fish,” McCain... ...Read more »

McCain Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd is conducting a voluntary recall of McCain Healthy Choice Apricot Chicken. The affected product has been available for sale at Woolworth/Safeway retailers since March 03 2009. McCain has sent a direction to all stores to remove all affected stock from sale. The product affected may contain Bacillus cereus bacteria and should not be consumed. The recall applies only to this product with the specified Best Before date. No other McCain products are affected. Customers are... ...Read more »

McCain Foods (Aust) Pty Ltd announces a voluntary recall of McCain Stir Fry Vegetables Pasta Alfredo with Sauce. The affected product was available to Independent retailers from January 11 2008. McCain has sent a direction to all stores to remove all affected stock from sale. The product affected may contain metal fragments and should not be consumed. The recall applies only to the product listed below, with the specified Best Before date. No other McCain products are affected. Retailers yet to remove... ...Read more »