The highest proportion of Australians to visit fast food restaurants during 2011 were aged between 35 and 49 years old, according to market research company Roy Morgan Research. The figures come from a survey of 18,641 Australians aged over 14-years-old, undertaken by Roy Morgan Research during 2011. Over the twelve months to December 2011, the 35-49 year age group accounted for 67 per cent of respondents who said they had visited or purchased from a fast food restaurant in an average four week period. The... ...Read more »

Kraft Foodservice, a US division of food giant Kraft Foods Global Inc., has published 6 trend predictions on what it believes will shape foodservice in the US over the next 12 months. The predictions, which are from Kraft Foodservice chefs and food experts, are as follows: - Customisation: Customisation allows restaurateurs to create a unique interaction with their diners. For example, boutique burger chains are carving a niche because of that customisation, where they’re willing to jeopardise... ...Read more »

A new national online restaurants directory, featuring 35,000 of Australia’s restaurants, cafes and takeaways has been launched today. The Australian Restaurants Directory (www.australianrestaurantsdirectory.com.au) aims to help the public find restaurants easily and promotes restaurants to diners. The directory is the brainchild of Christina Landis, who is the managing director of Future Media Group, which also produces the online Australian Lawyers Directory and Australian Schools Directory. Ms... ...Read more »

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 »