It appears that critics are unanimous in their opinion of Sydney restaurant Quay as the best Australia has to offer at the moment, following the Savour Australia National Awards for Excellence run by the Restaurant and Catering Association of Australia. The Awards, which were held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre last night, saw Quay take the coveted honour as Australian Restaurant of the Year from a quality field of state and territory winners. The harbourside restaurant, which... ...Read more »

Today’s consumers want to have a greater say about food ingredients, safety and quality, and by the year 2020, consumers around the globe expect the way they choose and shop for food to be different, according to a recent study of consumers in five countries. The study, called ‘Food 2020: The Consumer as CEO’, examined the perceptions, expectations and considerations about food among consumers in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, Argentina and China, and sought to provide an outlook... ...Read more »

McDonald’s, the world’s largest hamburger chain, has announced a global sales increase of 7.1% for the third quarter despite the recent economic turmoil. The strong results have led some, including Chief Executive Jim Skinner, to label the fast-food giant as ‘recession-resistant’. With such strong results it is hard to dispute the claim, although one suspects that any further weakening in the global economic climate would have begin to have some impact. For starters, it is... ...Read more »

The NSW Government has launched a major crackdown on food outlets across Sydney’s CBD in the lead up to the hectic summer period, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald advised today. “A joint taskforce has been formed between the NSW Food Authority and Sydney City Council,” he said. “Food Authority inspectors are already out there visiting outlets in the CBD in a series of unannounced inspections - this will continue for the next few months.” “The vast majority... ...Read more »

Many American consumers are willing to spend more on “higher quality” menu items despite spending less on dining out. In a new study, ‘The Consumer Pricing Strategy Report’, foodservice consultants Technomic discovered more than six out of ten consumers (61 per cent) indicated they would spend more for a higher quality sandwich if it contained premium meat; 41 per cent if it were made with premium cheese; and 34 per cent if it contained premium bread. The report focuses on... ...Read more »

The Vardis Family, owner of the iconic Georges Mediterranean Bar & Grill and Sydney establishments Georges Café, Kingsleys Australian Steakhouse, and Steersons Steakhouses, this week announced the launch of Velero on Woolloomooloo Wharf. Velero, meaning sail boat in Spanish, will bring to Sydney a unique cuisine called Span-Ital, which merges principles and flavours of Spanish and Italian cooking with fresh, locally-grown Australian produce to create a distinct culinary experience. Head Chef... ...Read more »

American consumers aren’t feeling particularly jolly heading into the holiday shopping season this year with more than one-third (35 per cent) of American consumers across all income levels expecting to spend less, according to new research from The Nielsen Company. With an economy in turmoil, only six per cent expect to spend more and fifty per cent of consumers surveyed expect to spend the same amount as last year during the holiday shopping season. Fortunately, the Australian economy in... ...Read more »

The NPD Group, a leading market research company, has released the 23rd Annual Report on Eating Patterns in America, which discovers that consumers are eating more at home but not significantly cutting back on restaurant meals. “This is a time of high anxiety for food marketers. It’s clear that what Americans say they are doing to deal with rising food prices is not always what they are really doing,” commented Harry Balzer, vice president and chief industry analyst at NPD, and... ...Read more »

As talk of economic turmoil continues to dominate media reports, food industry participants can’t help but feel it is only a matter of time before the downturn impacts on them - if it hasn’t already. However, in the case of economic conditions, it is important to remember that ‘what goes down must go up’. The impact on the food industry is fortunately softened by the fact that everyone still needs food, but some areas are still likely to suffer. Over the course of the next two... ...Read more »

More and more American consumers are now turning toward the supermarket aisles for quick dinner options at the expense of fast-food restaurants. Three out of five consumers (62 per cent) who report purchasing more supermarket prepared meals than a year ago, are doing so instead of purchasing from fast-food restaurants, according to a new report from American foodservice consultants Technomic. The survey of more than 1,500 American consumers found that family-style and casual-dining restaurants were... ...Read more »