News

McCain Foods has turned over a full 24-hour production run at its Ballarat plant to Foodbank Australia, producing 120,000 meals valued at more than $790,000.

The Australian Beverages Council has committed the non-alcoholic drinks industry to lifting low and no sugar drinks to 70 per cent of water-based beverage sales by 2030, up from 65 per cent in 2024. The target is the centrepiece of the council’s Beverage Choices Roadmap to 2030 (BCR30), launched by CEO Geoff Parker at its annual Drinks Industry Dialogue in Sydney yesterday.

Sunshine Coast distillery Nil Desperandum’s The Double Dunder has received a Double Gold medal and an outstanding 98 points at the 2026 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Eriez-Australia has appointed Aaron Wilson as regional manager for the Western Region, expanding the company's regional presence and bringing greater focus to its people, customers, and operations.

The entrepreneurial spirit, sustainability focus and consumer deliverables were driving forces behind the judges’ decision to award Sam Musson both Emerging Leader and Golden Hive winner at this year’s Hive Awards. Through her companies Zest Element and Harvest ResQ, Musson is reshaping how the food industry thinks about surplus produce. Managing editor, Kim Berry, caught up with her to find out what has happened since her win in May.

Good Drinks Australia has reported an 18 per cent lift in sales volume to 7.5 million litres for the first quarter of FY27, with own brand volumes up 25 per cent to 4.6 million litres and Matso’s up 71 per cent.

Bega Group has taken its Dairy Farmers brand into ready-to-drink meal replacement and added creatine and collagen to its protein smoothie range, as consumer research shows snacks displacing sit-down meals.

The latest report from RaboResearch has found impact from the Reserve Bank’s fifth interest rate rise this year on the food and beverage sector is weakening demand, raising input costs and splintering food inflation by category.

Adelaide brewer, Coopers Brewery, recorded its third year of volume growth in FY26, lifting keg sales by 7.4 per cent and reporting a 6.2 per cent profit before tax increase to $23.9 million.

Contract brewer, Tribe Breweries, has acquired Gold Coast craft brewer Black Hops out of voluntary administration. The price has not been disclosed, but Tribe says all Queensland roles and 90 per cent of jobs nationally to be retained.

Woolworths’ new chilled and fresh food distribution hub in Western Sydney hits a major milestone, with 800 new roles being recruited for the Southern Hemisphere's biggest refrigerated distribution centre.

The Australian Tax Office has confirmed Australia’s illicit alcohol market is continuing to grow, with the alcohol tax gap rising to $1.23 billion, more than doubled since 2015–16.

Euromonitor International’s top consumer trends for 2027 put consistency, availability and provable claims at the centre of what shoppers will pay for. No longer judging value on price alone, consumers want to know whether the product they buy today will still be on shelf, taste the same and cost what they expect next month.

As one in three Australian households face hunger this Christmas, Aldi and Foodbank are turning festive roasts into vital food relief, with their campaign aiming to deliver 250,000 meals to Aussies in need.

Charter Hall Group’s $1 billion Light Horse Logistics Hub at Eastern Creek is now 100% leased, cementing the 180,000sqm industrial estate’s position as a major food logistics hub.

In a campaign to get more Australian goatmeat into supermarkets and household dinner rotation, the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Drakes Supermarkets have launched a new domestic marketing campaign.