According to new survey findings by Roy Morgan Research, where to eat out at restaurants is one of the most discussed word of mouth topics in Australia. Roy Morgan Research surveyed 18,851 Australians between October 2010 and September 2011. The survey found that, eating out at restaurants and buying a car were the two most popular word of mouth topics amongst respondents. When it comes to giving or taking advice on eating out, nearly two thirds (61 per cent) of the respondents said they have either... ...Read more »

Food lawyer Joe Lederman has raised serious concerns about weaknesses in the administration and monitoring of food safety enforcement in the State of Victoria. Mr Lederman, of food law firm FoodLegal, was quoted by the Herald Sun newspaper in an investigative article on Saturday 17 December 2011. The article revealed that laws that are meant to “name and shame” Victorian food businesses that have been convicted of food safety offences, have not been enforced. In the article, Mr Lederman... ...Read more »

A London-based market research company has outlined four trends that it believes will shape the way foodservice operators develop menu options during 2012. The four trends are identified by Mintel Group are: Slow it down: Fast food restaurants are returning to more time-intensive preparation methods for their menu items. As such, items described as “hand-made” or “home-style” are popping up on restaurant menus. Consumers are prepared to seek more from their dining experience... ...Read more »

Fair Work inspectors will audit up to 100 Canberra restaurants between now and February, 2012, as part of a new Australian Government education and compliance campaign. Inspectors will check that employers are paying staff their full entitlements, including minimum pay rates and penalty rates, and are complying with record-keeping obligations. In the ACT, restaurants and cafes are among the main sources of underpayment complaints to the Fair Work Ombudsman and calls to the Fair Work Infoline. The... ...Read more »

International research body, Innova Market Insights, has identified five key trends that it claims will impact the Australian food and beverage market through 2012 and beyond. According to Innova, the top trends for 2012 relate purity, authenticity and sustainability, as consumers continue to look for products with added value, despite the ongoing economic uncertainty. Innova’s top five trends are as follows: ‘Pure’ is the new ‘natural’: Natural products are becoming the rule rather... ...Read more »

Subway has announced that, from today, its Australian stores will display the kilojoule content of food products on their menu boards. Subway is the latest of several major quick service food chains in Australia to make this move. Other include Hungry Jacks, Domino’s, and McDonald’s. From today, Subway restaurants in Australia will also display nutritional content information on napkins, counter displays and store brochures. In a statement released today, a spokesperson for Subway said the labelling... ...Read more »

Quick Service Restaurant Holdings Pty Limited (QSRH), which operates the Red Rooster chain of restaurants in Australia, has entered into a two-year agreement to develop healthier food ingredients with Australian biotechnology company Holista. QSRH is one of Australia’s largest fast-food operators with over 600 restaurants in Australia. Under the agreement, Holista will supply its proprietary ingredients exclusively to QSRH for joint research and development with the aim of offering healthier food... ...Read more »

U.S. foodservice research and consulting firm Technomic has published a list of trends it predicts will shape the American restaurant industry in 2012. Based on its own market research, Technomic claimed the following developments will be making news in the U.S. restaurant industry in the coming year: Consumers seek a twist on the familiar: Consumers are in no mood to take risks, but novel flavours still tingle their taste buds, according to Technomic. For example, comfort foods with a twist (gourmet,... ...Read more »

Recently listed Australian fast food operator Collins Foods has announced a 1.2% drop in sales revenue for the first half of the 2011/12 financial year, up to 16 October 2011. Collins Foods, which was listed the Australian Securities Exchange in August 2011, operates 119 KFC outlets and 26 Sizzler restaurants, mostly in Queensland. Shares in the company fell by 24 per cent following the announcement, made on Wednesday 2 November 2011. The company reported an expected loss in Net Profit After Tax... ...Read more »

The Victorian Government may not continue with the previous administration’s decision to force restaurants with more than fifty Victorian outlets, or 200 nationally, to print nutritional information on menus. The legislation was announced by the Brumby Government, but was not passed before the election. A spokeswoman for the new Health Minister David Davis told The Age it was still “under consideration”. Public health lobby group, the Obesity Policy Coalition (which represents the... ...Read more »