Monash Food Innovation (MFI) has partnered with global product intelligence platform Vypr to give students, researchers and industry partners access to real-time consumer insights as part of the product development process.

From regional manufacturers to global powerhouses, the finalists in The Hive Awards 2026 have it covered. Congratulations to the 45 people and companies that made the cut, in a highly competitive field of entries. Winners will be announced at the annual Hive Awards Long Lunch, in Sydney, on 21 May.

Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic), coordinated by VicReturn and operated by Visy, has returned more than 3 billion cans and bottles since it launched, returning over $300 million directly to Victorians.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has installed a new Return and Earn reverse vending machine (RVM) at its Northmead production facility in Western Sydney, expanding access to container recycling and reinforcing its extended producer responsibility (EPR) commitments.

Fonterra Co-operative Group has appointed Richard Allen as its next CEO, succeeding Miles Hurrell, as the dairy major moves into the next phase of its strategic reset.

Better-for-you soft drink brand, bobby, has completed a crowd-sourced funding (CSF) campaign of more than $546,000 through OnMarket, supported by over 350 investors.

Welcome to the latest issue of Food & Drink Business, the first quarterly issue for 2026. We have an extensive look at the trends in driving consumer behaviour and the opportunities they create for manufacturers. Our cover story is on the partnership between Process Partners and Bulla to deliver a world-class ice cream plant. And there is so much more.

Almond processor Select Harvests has announced the resignation of CEO and managing director, David Surveyor, marking the end of a three-year tenure that saw the business return to profitability.

Australia has long been a major exporter of fresh produce, with its agricultural sector playing an important role in supplying global food markets. Lineage director business development, Christian Rossow, looks at why the infrastructure connecting producers to ports and global supply chains is just as vital as product quality.

Automated intralogistics solutions company, Swisslog, is strengthening the resources available to its Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) customers through a new structure for the Asia Pacific excluding China (APeC) region.

The University of Queensland (UQ) has opened a purpose-built food innovation facility aimed at accelerating product development and strengthening collaboration between industry and researchers.

The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has launched a two-week emergency food security appeal as rising fuel costs are passed down the supply chain and increasing demand is placed on the organisation’s foodbank services.

The a2 Milk Company has reached an in principle agreement to settle a shareholder class action for $62 million, drawing a line under litigation tied to its FY21 earnings guidance.

The Albanese government has accelerated access to three National Reconstruction Fund sub-programs, including a $1 billion zero-interest loan facility for fuel, fertiliser and other critical supply chain businesses, as global trade disruption continues to pressure Australian manufacturers.

Australia’s national science agency has proposed cutting up to 52 net roles from its Agriculture and Food division and exiting food ingredient innovation, precision fermentation, microbial technologies, and its national food innovation network – changes the food tech sector says leave a significant gap.

The NZ$307 million sale of the Pōkeno facility to Abbott is complete, delivering a material debt reduction for the Canterbury dairy processor – but significant refinancing pressures remain as the company pursues its Stabilise, Simplify, Scale recovery plan.