The Full Federal Court has upheld a primary Federal Court judgment which allows Metcash to acquire shares in the Franklins chain of supermarkets, from Pick n Pay Retailers. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had appealed the earlier Federal Court judgment of Justice Emmett, refusing the ACCC’s application to stop Metcash from acquiring the Franklins supermarket chain. The Full Court has ordered that the ACCC pay Metcash’s legal costs. Once it has acquired the 80 Franklins... ...Read more »

Australia’s leading supermarket chains have been accused of using “copycat” packaging of leading Australian food brands to mislead consumers into buying the supermarket’s own private label products. The Australian Food and Grocery Council’s Chief Executive, Kate Carnell, said today that supermarkets are targeting brands with a strong market share and copying their designs as closely as possible without infringing trademark laws. Private label products are forecast to grow strongly and could... ...Read more »

Australian bakery chain, Brumby’s Bakery, has fired a pot shot at Australia’s largest bread manufacturer Goodman Fielder in response to recent reports that Goodman Fielder is considering extending the shelf-life of its bread. Results of a survey commissioned by Australian bakery chain, Brumby’s Bakery, were released today. The survey results suggest that Australian consumers are concerned about additives in the bread they purchase. The survey was undertaken by market research company ‘arnold... ...Read more »

One of the world’s largest accountancy and business consultancy firms, Grant Thornton, today published its annual international business report on the food and beverage industry. The report highlights several key trends and predictions for Australia, including the strength of the Australian supermarket duopoly and the problems posed by their private label business. In the report, ‘Managing through uncertainty: Food and beverage industry in transition’, Grant Thornton’s Industry Leader... ...Read more »

Google Australia predicts strong growth for online presence of food and drink retail in Australia. Today, it offered advice to Australian retailers with an online presence as the market gears up for the holiday season. According to Google Australia’s figures, 31 per cent of online “Christmas” specific searches during 2011 involve the food and drink retail sector. Google Australia & New Zealand’s Head of Retail, Ross McDonald said today, “Over the next five weeks shopping-related... ...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 »

One of the world’s biggest food processors, Heinz, has moved to deprecate news reports suggesting hostility between Heinz and Australia’s leading supermarkets who are its major customers. Articles in both the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age this week claimed Heinz had “hit out at (supermarket) home brands” and had been “forced to rework strategy” because of the impact of growing home brand label presence in Australia’s supermarkets. Heinz told Australian Food News today that both... ...Read more »

Woolworths Supermarkets has warned Australian bread manufacturing giant, Goodman Fielder, that any changes made to the shelf-life of its bread will be “taken seriously” by the supermarket chain. Woolworths statement came in response to reports this week that Goodman Fielder is considering extending the shelf-life of its bread using food technology to save money through a lower frequency of deliveries. Woolworths spokesperson Benedict Brook told Australian Food News, “Woolworths are the ‘fresh... ...Read more »

Progressive Enterprises, a subsidiary of the Australian retail group Woolworths Limited, has bid farewell to the Woolworths brand in New Zealand, marking the final stage of transition to the new ‘Countdown’ brand. Woolworths Meadowlands was the last store in New Zealand to carry the Woolworths brand. The store reopened this week as a Countdown supermarket. In 2009 Progressive Enterprises announced plans to transition all its supermarkets to the Countdown brand. Over 60% of its 159 stores nationwide... ...Read more »

Wholesale giant Metcash today announced it is in the final stages of selling its newly acquired Franklins supermarket chain to Australian IGA Supermarkets. Metcash Chief Executive Officer Mr Andrew Reitzer said the company had so far received over 200 expressions of interest to buy the supermarket chain and was looking forward to transitioning Franklins into the “right hands”. Mr Reitzer said discussions with potential buyers of the Franklins supermarkets would begin on 21 November. The process... ...Read more »