Parima has completed the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) core safety assessment, after applying in November for its cell cultured duck to be approved as a food ingredient in the Australian market.

The Melbourne Food Rescue Network has launched a new initiative to rescue thousands of kilograms of potential food waste at the city’s Queen Victoria Market.

The science and application of food microbiology is playing an increasingly important role in our complex food systems, supporting risk assessment, applying new technologies and strengthening the science that underpins safe food production. Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) scientific advisor, Deon Mahoney, shares insights on future food safety.

The federal government has released the latest round of Industry Growth Program (IGP) recipients, alongside news that the program is going on indefinite hiatus following the 2026 Budget. Several food sector companies were awarded, including A-Culture Holding, Algenie, and VeraSys.

Asahi Group Holdings has appointed Nigel Parsons as CEO of Asahi Europe & International, taking over the role from Dragoș Constantinescu, who will depart at the end of June.

Integrated organic meat producer, Hewitt Foods, has entered into an agreement to acquire family-owned beef company, Nolan Meats, with the transaction expected to be completed in the second half of 2026.

The Rouge Homme wine brand has been re-acquired by the Redman family, 60 years after it was sold to Lindeman’s Wines, owned by Treasury Wine Estates (TWE).

The Melbourne Royal Food Awards are gearing back up for 2026, introducing several major category additions and returns. Entries are now open for leading food producers across Australia to benchmark their products against the nation’s best.

Pure Foods Tasmania (PFT) has appointed Robert (Rob) Knight as CEO and managing director, effective 1 July. He takes over from Malcolm McAully, who has led the company as executive chairman since the resignation of former CEO Michael Cooper in July 2024.

Adelaide-based Creative Native Foods has secured one of the season’s final Kakadu Plum hauls through Larrakia harvester, Shannon Motlop, extending a supply chain built on direct relationships with Indigenous harvesters working on Country.

US ingredients giant, Ingredion, has made a conditional all-cash proposal to acquire British rival Tate & Lyle in a deal that would value the company at approximately $5.2 billion (£2.74 billion).

Coles Supermarkets Australia and Brownes Foods Operations have each paid $39,600 in penalties after the ACCC issued each company with two infringement notices for separate alleged contraventions of the Dairy Code of Conduct.

Mars Australia & New Zealand has appointed Karim Lokhandwala as its new chief customer officer of Petcare, commencing 1 June. The news comes as applications open for the company’s Next Generation Pet Food Program with Big Idea Ventures – now in its third year.

Simson's Pantry received the Best NPD Award for its High Protein Souvlaki, which delivers 10g of protein per serve while still maintaining the texture, flexibility and versatility consumers expect. By combining functional nutrition with everyday usability, the company has successfully introduced a new point of differentiation within the Australian flatbread category.

The 2026 Hive Award for Best Technology goes to Treasury Wine Estates, for its low- and no-alcohol wine production process. The company unveiled its new $15 million Barossa Valley dealcoholisation facility in February, which uses a proprietary Flavour Lock process to capture and reintroduce the wine’s aromatic essence.

Freshwater Bev Tech has received this year's Gamechanger Award for its patent-pending unpasteurised production process, developed specifically to preserve bio-active compounds in the company's functional beverage brand, SUMMi Soda.