Coles Group has partnered with leading food safety trainer Advancing Food Safety (AFS) to launch an academy offering training courses in quality management, leading to academic qualifications for participants. The Coles Quality Academy has been opened exclusively for employees of Coles suppliers. “The Coles Quality Academy is specifically designed to help grow quality standards and manage the cost of quality,” said Jackie Healing, Head of Quality, Policy & Governance. The academy... ...Read more »

This year’s Annual Food and Grocery Executive Program, run by the Institute of Food and Grocery Management, will be held from the 18th through 23rd of September at the Mt Eliza Centre for Executive Education in Victoria. This program is for present and next generation leaders in the Australian and New Zealand fresh food, grocery, beverage and FMCG industry.  The course provides a unique opportunity for managers and entrepreneurs across all industry segments to network and address current issues... ...Read more »

Eagle Boys has become the first major Australian pizza chain to offer franchisee and staff training through a dedicated Online Training College, launched this week. Designed to equip franchisees and staff with the best industry skills possible, the interactive online training portal is also expected to drive consistency, customer service and profitability across the Eagle Boys network. While other major retail food outlets like Subway, Hungry Jacks, and Red Rooster offer online training, Eagle Boys... ...Read more »

Food businesses are cutting back on food safety and hygiene training, according to a survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).The survey, which took place in the second week of August was sent out to 5000 food safety trainers and training centres.Around 50 percent of trainers thought the uptake of food safety training by food businesses was being negatively affected by the present economic climate. 70 percent identified ‘cost cutting’ as the main reason why... ...Read more »

Research published recently by international food and grocery expert IGD, has found that 80% of food manufacturers and retailers expect to increase their training and development budget per head over the next ten years.The research was unveiled by Joanne Denney-Finch, Chief Executive, IGD, at the Employment and Skills Summit in London. Other findings from the research include:One fifth (19%) of companies expect their training and development budget to increase by more than 25%’Leadership’... ...Read more »

Tough new food safety training requirements will be in place by next year in an effort to reduce the number of foodborne illnesses, NSW Minister for Primary Industries, Ian Macdonald, said yesterday. “Our aim is to have mandatory training requirements in place by 2010 to ensure each hospitality business in NSW has a designated food safety supervisor responsible for implementing safe food handling on the premises,” he advised. “This will involve individuals being trained by registered... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has advised that new research, which suggests employee theft costs Australian retailers almost $3 billion per year, shows the traditional approach of protecting assets from external shoplifters only gets half the job done.ARA Executive Director Richard Evans said internal theft contributing to over half of the $5.8 billion (or two percent of turnover) expected to be written off as retail shrinkage this year could be minimised with... ...Read more »

UK retailer Sainsbury’s is to become the first British retailer and largest employer to offer its entire workforce of 150,000 colleagues the opportunity to gain nationally recognised qualifications, supporting the UK Government’s strategy to boost skills amongst the workforce. The supermarket’s chief executive, Justin King and Secretary of State for Skills, John Denham, launched the nationwide initiative which is open to all new and existing colleagues. The Level 1 numeracy and... ...Read more »

The ARA Retail Institute is offering free training to industry newcomers and canvassing host employers to provide on-the-job training under the Federal Government’s Productivity Places scheme in a bid to attract more people to the retail industry. The Federal Government’s Department of Education Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) has funded the ARA’s Retail Employment Pathways program in response to industry pleas for more skilled workers. Under the initiative, DEEWR’s... ...Read more »

A Coronial inquest has today established that asparagus sauce was to blame for the death of a diner at a popular Sydney restaurant. 81-year-old William Hodgins died last January just 12 hours after eating a meal which was covered in an asparagus sauce laced with bacteria. Two other people who ate the same meal also fell ill but have since recovered. It was found that the sauce, served at Tables restaurant in Pymble, NSW, was made the day before it was served to Mr Hodgins and left out for too long... ...Read more »