The head of Australian packaging and recycling company Visy, Anthony Pratt, believes Australia’s manufacturing industry has a strong future. The Australian newspaper reports that Mr Pratt made the comments while opening the new Visy Group $86 million Stapylton beverage can manufacturing facility on the Gold Coast on Thursday 28 March. The facility will be Australia’s first new can plant in more than twenty years. The new factory was “further proof that competitive manufacturing can have a bright... ...Read more »

An Anti-dumping review by the Australian government is investigating certain Thai imports. In particular, the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service is investigating alleged dumping of pineapple for both the retail consumer sector and the  food service sector. The Anti-dumping laws in Australia aim to prevent countries exporting any product to Australia at below “normal price.” Interested parties have until 7 March 2013 to lodge written submissions concerning the current variable factors... ...Read more »

Australian-based multinational packaging company Amcor is waiting for the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) to give its approval for its AU$238 million takeover of the privately owned Aperio Group. Last week, Amcor announced that it had settle a price with Aperio, and that the transaction is now subject to other conditions, including ACCC approval.  Amcor Flexibles currently has 20 manufacturing operations in seven countries. It appears that Amcor is the largest supplier of... ...Read more »

The Directors of Australia’s only ASX-listed sugar miller, MSF Sugar (formerly Maryborough Sugar Factory Limited), have accepted a A$4.45 per share takeover offer by Thai sugar company Mitr Phol. In a media statement released yesterday, the company’s directors recommended that MSF Sugar shareholders also accept the offer in the absence of a superior proposal. According to Mitr Phol’s most recent shareholder notice (lodged with the ASX on 17 January 2012), Mitr Phol currently owns 26.9 per... ...Read more »

Tesco Lotus has opened Asia’s the first of its “zero-carbon” supermarket Asia, as part of its commitment to be a zero carbon business by 2050. Tesco Lotus is a major supermarket chain in Thailand, Cambodia and China. In Thailand, the stores are operated by the Ek-Chai Distribution System Co. According to Tesco Lotus, the new store in Bang Pra, Thailand, will put back into the Thai National Grid as much energy as it uses over the course of a year. Renewable fuel is converted into energy... ...Read more »

Australia is facing a huge glut of potatoes. Prices for potatoes for the Australian domestic market will soon drop below  farm production costs. Greengrocers and supermarkets are acquiring potatoes at bargain prices. We are constantly reminded by the Australian Government and its consultant experts that the world is running out of food. They tell us that Australia needs to produce more food for the impending famine faced by the world. Yet, we already have the scenario of many countries currently... ...Read more »

Potato growers across Australia are threatening to plough surplus potatoes back into the ground or leave them to rot in what is reported to be one of the biggest potato gluts in Australian history. Australian potato grower and Chairman of the Australian Potato Industry Advisory Committee, David Nix, has seen double the tonnage of potatoes on his farm in Atherton, Queensland, compared to last year. Mr Nix told Australian Food News today, “This year has brought a wave of excess potatoes across... ...Read more »

Australian-based coffee chain The Coffee Club has announced a new limited-edition ‘Taste of Thailand’ menu, combining fresh, seasonally-available produce with exotic Thai flavours. According to The Coffee Club Director John Lazarou, the new ‘Taste of Thailand’ menu features Thai-inspired meals created by learning the secrets of authentic Thai cuisine, a country where the chain has recently opened a series of outlets. “I am fortunate to have had regular visits to Thailand over the last few... ...Read more »

Japan-based food group Ajinomoto is to build an umami seasonings plant in Thailand to meet what it claims is growing demand in Asia for the ingredient.Ajinomoto announced yesterday (4 November) that it plans to spend THB5.39bn (US$181.5m) on the site, which is scheduled to be complete by 2013. Umami is an ingredient in Ajinomoto’s seasoning products it sells to consumers and to processed food manufacturers. The company, which had already decided to up its production of nucleotide seasonings... ...Read more »

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has been warned by Thailand’s Department of Foreign Trade that imports of cheese and curd classed as “other cheese” from Australia are approaching the trigger level for a temporary tariff increase. The applicable ‘Special Safe Guard’ (SSG) trigger level for 2010 is a total of 450.41 metric tons. This level was been adjusted down from 459.46 tons, to allow for product already on its way to Thailand when the SSG triggered in 2009. This... ...Read more »