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 »

Australian fruit cannery SPC Ardmona has called on the Australian government to put in place emergency tariffs on cheap imported fruit and tomatoes in an attempt to save the local industry. The Australian newspaper reported that SPC Ardmona Managing Director Peter Kelly had written to Australian Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig asking him to activate protection measures permitted under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules where a surge of imports causes or threatens to cause damage to a domestic injury. “The... ...Read more »

Australian industry groups are offering support to 170 Goulburn Valley fruitgrowers after food processing company SPC Ardmona said it would not be taking their produce from 1 May 2013. The Company, which is a subsidiary of Coca Cola Amatil (CCA), said the high Australian dollar and competition from cheaper imported products have left it no choice. It forecast a reduction of up to 50 per cent in intake for some fruit categories for the 2014 season. Australian Food News reported in February 2013 that... ...Read more »

SPC Ardmona-owned Goulburn Valley has launched a new range of pre-sliced apple snacks to be promoted by Bindi, Terri and Robert Irwin. As part of the recent SPC Ardmona manufacturing facility upgrade in the Goulburn Valley, new preparation methods exclusively available to SPC Ardmona have allowed product developments. The new technology allows for ultra-modern slicing of the fruit and ability to preserve the fruits’ freshness. The process is said to ensure minimal loss to the aroma, juiciness,... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) has today released its half yearly results up until December 31, 2012, reporting a 22 per cent annual drop in profit. Largely attributed to its struggling SPC Ardmona business, CCA reported $98.5 million in writedowns in what Managing Director Terry Davis said was a “disappointing performance.” CCA’s net profit of $459.9 million was also down from $591.8 million at the same time last year. The difficulties of its SPC Ardmona business continued on from its previous report... ...Read more »

SPC Ardmona, which runs one of  Australia’s few remaining   fruit-processing plants and cannery, has received a significant boost from two Victorian Government grants. Victoria’s Deputy Premier Peter Ryan and Minister for Manufacturing, Exports and Trade, Richard Dalla-Riva recently announced the approval to SPC Ardmona of grants of $3.9 million from the Victorian Government’s “Sustainable Process Development Project” as well as $500,000 for “New Product Development... ...Read more »

One of Australia’s key industrialists, Anthony Pratt, who is chairman of the leading Australian packaging business Visy Industries, has called upon the Australian government to work with Australia’s food industry to boost production. Speaking at a conference on food security yesterday in Shepparton, Victoria, Mr Pratt offered five ways he believes Australia can quadruple its food production: Accelerated depreciation should be introduced to encourage new manufacturing investments in food. Mr... ...Read more »

SPC Ardmona has announced the release of three new fruit snacks aimed at kids of all ages into supermarkets across Australia. The Coca-Cola Amatil subsidiary said the three snacks, SPC Fruit Squeezies, SPC Fruit Crush-Ups and SPC Power Pulp, are designed specifically to make fruit fun for kids of all ages, from preschoolers to teens. “According to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, kids aged four to 18 should eat between one and five serves of fruit each day. However the latest National... ...Read more »

SPC has announced a new innovative packaging design for its baked beans – a resealable 1kg fridge pack, which allows bulk purchasers to consume their baked beans at their own preferred rate. SPC-Ardmona, owned by Coca-Cola Amatil since 2005, said the new pack has been designed to reduce wastage. “Those who only want a mouthful of baked beans can have their mouthful, screw the lid back on and put the pack back in fridge,” said a release from the company. “Alternatively, mums... ...Read more »

Victorian Foodbowl icon SPC Ardmona will today open its new factory sales outlet designed to help it grow its status as the most popular factory food outlet in the nation.Regional and Rural Development Minister Jacinta Allan will unveil a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion tonight, and today said the factory sales outlet’s new Shepparton CBD location would elevate SPC Ardmona’s already heightened status among tourists. “The SPC Ardmona factory is not a location – it’s... ...Read more »