Global private-equity firm TPG has bought Australia’s largest poultry producer, Inghams Enterprises Pty Ltd. for about $850 million. TPG outbid rivals including Blackstone, Affinity and Chinese agribusiness company New Hope. Inghams, which also operates in New Zealand, was founded in 1918 in bushland in Sydney’s South-west by Walter Ingham, who bought six hens and a rooster for his son. Ingham’s son, also called Walter, grew the business, and it passed to his sons, Jack and Bob, when he died... ...Read more »

Valcorp Fine Foods has recalled LaBella Cioccolata 1963 Drinking Chocolate from Myer, Harvey Norman and The Good Guys nationally due to an undeclared allergen (milk). Consumers who have a milk allergy or intolerance should not consume this product and may have a reaction if the product is consumed. The product is LaBella Cioccolata 1963 Drinking Chocolate, packaged in 10x20g sachets in a 200g cardboard box. Its date markings are 21/02/2013, 22/02/2013 and 23/02/2013, and country of origin is Australia. Due... ...Read more »

Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has announced that Penny Winn will be rejoining the company as Director Multi-Channel. The role involves driving Woolworths’ sales through online and mobile devices. In this new role Penny will consolidate Woolworths’ fastgrowing multi-channel strategies and help drive our online offers across all trading divisions. She will also take responsibility for customer engagement and analytics, including the supermarket chain’s Everyday Rewards program. Deputy... ...Read more »

In its submission to the Productivity Commission’s inquiry into paid maternity, paternity and parental leave, peak industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has maintained the issue should be an enterprise-by-enterprise decision unless it’s supported fully by Government funding. ARA Executive Director Richard Evans believes the compliance costs associated with industry-wide maternity, paternity and parental leave scheme would be crippling for SME (small to medium) retailers... ...Read more »