Australia’s largest bread manufacturer, Goodman Fielder, is reported to be reviewing alternatives to making daily deliveries of its bread to Australia’s supermarkets and extending the shelf-life of its bread products using food technology as part of a major cost-cutting exercise. With many Australian supermarkets now bake their own home-branded bread instore, external bakeries like Goodman Fielder are facing tough competition on price. As part of its Strategic Review, announced in August 2011,... ...Read more »

Patties Foods today announced a merger of their In-Home and Out-of-Home sales operations under one reporting structure, with the positions of GM Sales In-Home and GM Sales Out-of-Home being made redundant as a result. The news comes after a strategic review of the company’s sales operations. The company reported that Tim Peters would take charge of the newly combined division – accepting the role of Head of Sales, effective 18 January 2010. Mr Peters’ most recent role was with... ...Read more »

Goodman Fielder has announced the sale of its Commercial division edible fats and oils operations to Cargill for $240 million. The ASX-listed manufacturer announced they would proceed with a sale earlier this year as they look to focus on their consumer brands. The deal will enhance Cargill’s operations in Australia, which already include oilseed processing and further value adding, grain and oilseed merchandising, bulk handling, flour milling through its Allied Mills joint venture, and beef... ...Read more »

National Foods today announced it intends to phase out production at its Riverland juice manufacturing site by the end of the current financial year. This decision will result in the loss of 64 jobs and follows a decision in September not to resume production of long shelf-life juice at the Riverland site, after manufacturing equipment was severely damaged during an August break-in. A review of the site’s long-term sustainability was announced in June and the long shelf life element of that... ...Read more »

Foster’s today announced plans to transfer 13 Australian wine brands to a joint venture with Vok Beverages in line with their plans to overhaul their underperforming wine business. Vok Beverages will assume responsibility for the marketing, sales and management of the brands from 1 December 2009. Foster’s will continue to produce wine for the joint venture. The brands to be transferred to the joint venture are Queen Adelaide, Half Mile Creek, Minchinbury, Matthew Lang, Andrew Garrett,... ...Read more »

ASX-listed food manufacturer Goodman Fielder has this afternoon given an update on progress of the divestment of their commercial fats and oils business. The firm announced plans to sell the business earlier this year in the wake of a strategic review so that they could focus more heavily on their consumer brands, and has since sounded out offers from interested parties. “The company has undertaken a sale process, receiving a number of offers for the business,” they advised in a statement.... ...Read more »

National Foods has announced plans to phase out production at its Hexham manufacturing plant next year, but is set to open a new Distribution Centre in the region in November. The company advised that no firm date has been set for production to cease at the manufacturing site as different options are being pursued for different product lines. There are 78 people employed at the site. The new Distribution Centre, to employ 19 people, is scheduled to open in November 2009. It will be located in Hexham,... ...Read more »

A list of potential bidders for Goodman Fielder’s commercial fats and oils business has been created by their adviser Citigroup (C), with Dubai-based IFFCO considered a lead contender, according to a report in today’s Australian Financial Review. Goodman announced a sale of the underperforming business last month as part of a change in strategic direction that will see a greater focus on consumer brands. The firm is hoping for between $300 million and $400 million from the sale. A spokesman... ...Read more »

Fonterra, the world’s largest dairy exporter, has consolidated ten core operations into a single strategic business unit and reorganised its senior management team, but their Australian consumer brands business will not be impacted. The dairy firm’s CEO, Andrew Ferrier, said the changes were designed to boost efficiency and give greater focus to the company’s global ingredients business. The consolidated business unit, Fonterra Operations and Trade, brings together all functions... ...Read more »

Australia’s largest food group has announced that it will be shifting their strategic direction to increase focus on consumer brands. The changes will see Goodman Fielder look for suitable buyers of their commercial fats and oils business – which includes the Crisco brand. “As a consequence of our decision to focus on our consumer brand portfolio, we will be exploring options for the divestment of our Commercial edible fats and oils business,” Managing Director, Peter Margin,... ...Read more »