Simplot Australia’s seafood division John West Australia has announced today a ‘Sustainable Seafood’ partnership with the world’s largest conservation organisation, World Wildlife Fund (WWF). WWF is said to be creating solutions for serious environmental problems “facing our planet, helping people and nature to thrive”. WWF works with the fishing industry and other businesses, as well as government and local communities to safeguard marine wildlife, natural environments and livelihoods... ...Read more »

Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) has reported that its new technologies for the self-manufacture of lighter PET plastic beverage bottles delivered a reduction in the carbon footprint of each bottle by 22%. This is said to be equivalent to 1700 cars being removed from Sydney roads per year. CCA’s claims are set out in a detailed Corporate Responsibility Report issued this week by the company. The Corporate Responsibility Report ironically coincides with recent financial reporting by CCA that  featured its... ...Read more »

A UK-based independent research organisation, has predicted the food and drink trends set to make an impact in 2012. The top 10 food and drink trends identified by Leatherhead Food Research are: Health and wellness  Leatherhead say that health and wellness is a trend which has had an over-arching influence on the developments of the food and beverage industry in recent years and this influence is set to continue into 2012. Key priorities for companies will include the continued efforts to meet guidelines... ...Read more »

The South Australian Fisherman’s Co-Operative Limited (SAFCOL)’s new ‘pole and line’ range of tuna has placed SAFCOL near the top amongst food groups supplying major supermarkets for a sustainable tuna product, according to environmental activist group Greenpeace Australia Pacific. The product ranked second to the more boutique ‘Fish 4 Ever’ brand which is largely sold through Australian organic and health stores. The SAFCOL tuna brand’s other lines currently appear on the shelves... ...Read more »

Cargill has pledged that the palm oil products it supplies in markets including Europe and the US will be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) or originate from smallholder growers by 2015.The US agribusiness said the commitment also covered customers in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It added that the pledge would be extended across all of Cargill’s oil and trading businesses to cover 100% of its palm oil products and all customers worldwide, including China and India,... ...Read more »

Frozen seafood supplier Pacific West has introduced a new sustainable tempura hake product for the Australian foodservice sector, certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The product will be sold under the new Sustainable Harvest brand, and bear the MSC ecolabel. Pacific West is sourcing the fish for its tempura range from the MSC certified hake fishery in South Africa. “Tempura fish is one of the flagship products for Pacific West, and is well known among food service organisations,”... ...Read more »

Key members of the Australian seafood industry and environmental NGOs have come together at the Seafood Services Australia Network Meeting, held at Sydney Fish Market last week, to discuss the need for clearer definitions and terminology, and increased community engagement on sustainability. “The issue we face is that there are many varied definitions and complex terminology relating to sustainability. There are also many eco-labels for seafood around the world – each with different criteria.... ...Read more »

Unilever has been voted as the outright global leader in sustainability, according to the latest survey findings from GlobeScan and SustainAbility. Sustainability experts from across the globe were canvassed as part of the annual SustainAbility survey, with respondents asked to name the companies they consider sustainability leaders; why they think the firm is a leader in sustainable development; and which industries have done the most to advance sustainability in the past year. In a year when commitment... ...Read more »

New Britain Palm Oil Ltd (NBPOL) and Singapore-based agribusiness Wilmar International, owner of Sucrogen, have established a supply and marketing deal to provide continental Europe with traceable, segregated sustainable palm oil. The venture will supply UK-listed NBPOL with palm oil from plantations in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. The palm oil will be available from Wilmar’s refinery in Brake, Germany. The refinery in Brake has... ...Read more »

The Northern Territory Government will spend $1.4 million extra to support Indigenous horticulture and forestry projects in the Northern Territory. NT’s Primary Industry Minister Kon Vatskalis said supporting Indigenous horticultural enterprises and working with those interested in sustainable forestry developments had the potential to create more jobs and provide regional development opportunities in the Territory’s remote areas. “Our horticultural industry in the Territory was valued... ...Read more »