Olam Food Ingredients (OFI), the new operating group created after the reorganisation within Olam International Limited (OIL), is expanding its spices portfolio (Olam Spices) to meet the rising demand for authentic flavours with the acquisition of a supplier of premium green chilis, jalapeños and enchilada sauces.
Crop losses due to insufficient labour
Crop losses across the country directly as a result of ongoing labour shortages have continued to mount over the festive season, and have now topped $38 million. The National Lost Crop Register was launched in mid-December to capture the true cost to industry and the national economy from a lack of seasonal workers available to harvest fresh fruits and vegetables.
Rosy future for wine sector
The Australian wine sector is projected to grow from A$11.3bn (US$7.9bn) in 2019 to A$12.7bn (US$8.7bn) in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.4 per cent, says GlobalData, a data and analytics company.
New farm database delivered
A new secure database of Australian farms has been constructed as part of a multi-year collaboration between the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Cultured meat company Vow raises US$6 million in seed funding
In another sign that global food markets are on the precipice of change, cultured meat company Vow has banked US $6 million of fresh funding.
Murray River Organics sells Merbein property to Manta Farms
Murray River Organics Group (MRG) has the sold its Fifth Street, Merbein property for $5.5 million to Manta Farms, managed by US-based RRG Capital Management. The proceeds from the sale will be used to reduce debt.
How do you make sure your new product is what consumers want to buy?
There are numerous new food and drink products launched every month, but are those new products really what consumers want to buy? How can we know quickly if our new products just meet the requirements of our customers?
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Record sales for seafood industry
Seafood Industry Australia (SIA), the national peak body representing the Australian seafood industry, has applauded consumers for supporting their local seafood industry over the festive season and driving a 30 per cent growth in December seafood sales.
SPC rebrands for the future
Australian food and beverage manufacturer SPC has launched its new corporate brand and vision, It’s Time For Better, in line with the company’s strategy to become a global business with best in class products.
Business booster comp from Unleashed Software
Unleashed Software has launched the Business Booster competition to give Australian-based product businesses the chance to win a cash boost, software licenses, and ongoing mentorships to fast-track business growth. Any product-based business with growth ambitions can enter. There will be three winners and a People’s Choice winner, which will each get a share of $20,000 cash, a subscription to Unleashed and Xero, and mentorship from various industry experts. The winners will be announced on 25 January 2021.
Milk on tap at Harris Farm Markets
Harris Farm Markets officially opened its Clayfield store with – for the first time anywhere – milk from Queensland’s multi-award-winning Maleny Dairies on the Sunshine Coast hinterland on tap.
The Future of Food – do we need to re-engineer food?
Dr Julian McClements has an impressive resumé. He is a distinguished professor at Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts; adjunct professor, School of Food Science and Bioengineering at Zhejaing Gongshang University, China; and a visiting professor at Harvard University. He has more than 1,000 articles published, with 80,000 citations in other peoples’ papers, as well as 12 patents. He also published the book Future Foods: How Modern Science is Transforming the Way We Eat. When he talks, people listen.
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US FDA briefs Asia Pacific on Smarter Food Safety
At a recent global briefing, Frank Yiannas, the US Food and Drug Administration’s deputy commissioner for Food Policy and Response, addressed more than 200 attendees from 33 countries on the importance of traceability and transparency in food systems.
Kiwis throw away $3 billion worth of food annually
Experts are advising Kiwis to become more conscious of their food wastage with new research showing more than 70% of NZ households discard uneaten food every week.
Montague and Arcella sign agreement
Montague, one of Australia’s largest fruit growers, has signed an initial two-year lease agreement with Mareeba-based Arcella Bananas Company. The agreement will see Arcella use the Montague produce and packing facility in Brisbane to ripen their bananas.
Universal Robots sells 50,000th collaborative robot
Collaborative robots – or cobots – remain the fastest growing segment of industrial automation, projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 30.37 per cent between 2020 to 2025. Cobot market company Universal Robots (UR) just sold it 50,000th UR cobot, which was purchased by a German manufacturer to enable higher productivity and improved employee safety.
Aussies confused when it comes to recyclable plastics
While conscious living has continued to be an important factor in Aussies lives, a quarter (26 per cent) of the nation has admitted to having limited knowledge on recycling and soft plastics recycling.
ACCC has concerns over Woolworths’ PFD acquisition
The ACCC has outlined preliminary competition concerns with Woolworths’ (ASX: WOW) proposal to acquire 65 per cent of PFD Food Services.
Take advantage of global innovation for best production efficiency
With increased focus on cost, quality and output good machine performance is critical for today’s manufacturers. This is why smart and engineered conveying technology is so important in achieving optimal production performance.
Shelter Brewing starts canning beer onsite
Busselton’s newest brewery, Shelter Brewing Co, started production this week canning three of its beers on site.
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