Australian supermarket Coles has announced that some popular Australian brands will among a list of 40 new products to be added to its ‘Down Down’ savings list. The latest ‘Down Down’ price reduction features some iconic brands, including Vegemite, Old El Paso, Milo and Kellogg’s Cornflakes. The latest ‘Down Down’ campaign will feature rock band Status Quo with a unique version of the song ‘Whatever You Want’. The popular brands will receive their own version of the song in the... ...Read more »

Major Australian supermarkets appear to be gradually moving towards new store formats that will offer additional services or attempt to create a more ‘market-style’ environment. Woolworths recently advertised positions available for qualified butchers for its “exciting new concept stores”. Woolworths supermarkets also appear to be gradually changing their approach to the format of stores, perhaps in an attempt to emulate its rival Coles’ strategy of focusing on the customer in-store ‘experience’. In... ...Read more »

Global soft drink company Coca-Cola has said it will work to make its beverages lower-calorie, and make nutrition information more widely available on its products globally. The US-based Company already has diet drinks available in most markets around the world, but they are not always as readily available in emerging markets such as China. Coca-Cola said the goal is to have diet options available wherever regular versions are sold, and to have cans and bottles of its soft drinks display nutrition... ...Read more »

Gloria Jean’s Coffees has introduced a new smooth, medium roast Sereno Blend into its Australian coffee houses. The new blend will be available alongside Gloria Jean’s Coffees’ Original Blend. Gloria Jean’s Coffees said the new blend has been introduced “in response to the evolving tastes of Australian coffee drinkers”, and is named after the “serene and smooth body” of the blend. The Company said the blend, which is made from Arabica beans, “is a lively and light tasting coffee... ...Read more »

Australian-made products rated highly among Australian consumers, according to new findings from market research organisation Roy Morgan Research. The research found that 87.4 per cent of Australians more likely to buy food produced in Australia, while 88.5 per cent of Australians aged 14 plus said they were more likely to buy Australian-made products across all categories over products manufactured in other countries. The US and the UK also rated highly, with 56.2 per cent of Australians saying... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil Limited (CCA) announced at its Annual General Meeting on 7 May 2013 that it expected to see a decline or 8 to 9 per cent in earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) for the first half of the 2013 financial year. Speaking at the meeting, Terry Davis, CCA’s Group Managing Director, said the first four months of trading had delivered “mixed results”, but that the Company expected to see a return to earnings growth in the second half. “In Australian beverages, the grocery channel... ...Read more »

UK-owned global rice business Tilda has launched a new children’s rice and vegetable range in Australia, using an elephant character called Tilli to appeal to kids. Available in 125g pouches, there are four flavours in the new range: Cheese and Tomato, Sunshine Vegetable, Sweet Vegetable and Wholegrain, and Mild and Sweet Curry. Tilda said the meals are designed to provide one serving of the recommended 5 daily servings of fruit and vegetables, and cater to a child’s taste pallet. The new range... ...Read more »

A leading UK convenience food manufacturer, Symington’s Ltd (Symington’s) has reached an agreement to license Unilever’s wet sauces portfolio in Australia and New Zealand. Symington’s will take on three brands from Unilever: Chicken Tonight, Raguletto and Five Brothers. Under the terms of the deal, the three brands will continue to be produced at Unilever’s factory in Tatura, Victoria. “Symington’s is delighted to have this opportunity to invest in and reintroduce Australian consumers... ...Read more »

The performance of the Australian manufacturing sector, including food and beverage manufacturing, worsened significantly in April 2013 amid weakening economic conditions, according to industry association the Australian Industry Group (AI Group). The latest AI Group Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI) recorded 36.7 in the month, down 7.7 points on March. Readings below 50 indicate a contraction in activity, with the distance from 50 indicative of the strength of the decrease. Significant... ...Read more »

The proportion of consumers satisfied with German-owned Australian supermarket Aldi is once again comfortably higher than Australia’s other three major supermarket chains, according to market research organisation Roy Morgan Research. In November 2012, both Coles and Woolworths came within 1 per cent point of Aldi, making it the closest race in five years. But the latest results from the Roy Morgan Supermarket Satisfaction report show Aldi edging back toward the nine-out-of-ten mark, with 89.7... ...Read more »