With finite time, capital and resources, food and beverage companies must decide where to invest today in order to create opportunities tomorrow. In an industry where compliance, credibility and consumer trust are increasingly important, those decisions can have a significant impact on long-term success. Virtual Headquarters CEO, Emma Davison, shares insights from years spent working alongside Australian small businesses at every stage of growth.

French food and beverage company, Danone, has signed two agreements to buy health food business, MADE Group, and take full control of its Australian fresh dairy joint venture with Saputo, expanding its footprint in the Asia Pacific healthy nutrition market.

AC Foods has conducted a multi-million-dollar upgrade to its Legacy Packing Australia facility in Cobram, Victoria. The company partnered with Tomra Food on the fitout, which is set to to pack over five times the volume of its previous line.

Canada has placed food and beverage manufacturing at the centre of a new national food security strategy, backing a drive to process more of its own food with billions of dollars across new and existing programs, putting processing capacity and regulatory reform at its core.

Linfox is rolling out the first of 26 battery-powered prime movers to service food and beverage distribution across Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. The $50 million project has been supported by $19.63 million from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency’s (ARENA) Driving the Nation Program.

Food Taipei Mega Shows 2026 opens 24-27 June, bringing together five major exhibitions under one roof – Food Taipei, Foodtech Taipei, Bio/Pharmatech Taiwan, Taipei Pack, and Taiwan Horeca. Food & Drink Business senior journalist, Keira Joyce, will be on the ground reporting on the latest products and innovation.

The Royal National Capital Agricultural Society has announced winners of the 2026 National Wine Show of Australia, with Western Australian wines taking out the top trophies. Xanadu Wines received the Prime Minister’s Trophy for its 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Specialty ingredients supplier, Additive Solutions, has officially rebranded to Barentz – following its full acquisition by the global ingredient provider in December 2024.

Western Australia’s only dedicated food and beverage trade show, Meet the Buyer, will return to Crown Perth on Tuesday 20 October, connecting WA producers with buyers and industry decision-makers for a day of commercial dealmaking.

Intralogistics automation provider, Swisslog, has been appointed automation partner for Magnavale's new frozen storage facility in Avonmouth, Bristol. The technologies and automation strategies deployed are directly relevant to cold chain operators across Australia and New Zealand, where demand for frozen and temperature-controlled storage continues to grow across the food, beverage, retail, and export sectors.

Casella Family Brands (CFB) has appointed Oatley Fine Wine Merchants as distribution partner for its premium wine portfolio in Australia, including Peter Lehmann Wines, Morris of Rutherglen and Brand’s Laira – effective from 1 July.

As part of an electrical panel modernisation, Real Pet Food Company recently turned to global industrial automation and digital transformation company, Rockwell Automation. The Single Pair EtherNet/IP In-cabinet Solution was utilised to significantly reduce downtime and derisk the rewiring process.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) vice president sales At Home, Tobias Hoogewerff, recently attended Food + Grocery Australia 2026, and reflects on the opportunity to see the wider sector come together – a reminder of the vibrancy and resilience of the industry, and the shared ambition to keep evolving.

End Food Waste Australia (EFWA) has appointed Wendy Hughes as CEO, after she stepped into the role of acting CEO in March.

The first shipment of mainland Australian apples landed in the Chinese market last week, following the finalisation of a new trade market access deal last year.

Fonterra Co-operative Group has made permanent a shift to a market-led leadership structure, naming three senior executives as the dairy co-operative sharpens its B2B focus following the completion of its Mainland Group divestment.