Dan Murphy’s chief strategy officer Agnieszka (Agi) Pfeiffer-Smith will move into the managing director role, replacing Alex Freudmann who resigned in May.

Australia’s response to its food waste crisis is picking up pace with sector action plans coming into force. Stop Food Waste Australia chief operating officer Mark Barthel provides an update on progress.

Welcome to our June issue, with special features on Food Waste (page 20), Bakery Business (page 30), Supply Chain & Logistics (page 36), and Testing & Measuring (page 40).

Australia’s largest salmon farmer Tassal Group rejected a takeover bid from Canadian aquaculture business Cooke Inc, saying the offer did not reflect the full value of the company.

AACo CEO and managing director Hugh Killen has resigned, effective immediately. AACo chair Donald McGauchie said the company’s COO Dave Harris would act as interim CEO.

With the consumption of NoLo drinks projected to increase 31 per cent by 2024, Canberra-based independent craft brewery, Capital Brewing Co, is introducing its first full flavoured, non-alcoholic beer, Alc-Less.

Melbourne-based Starward Whisky has been named the Most Awarded Distillery of the Year at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the first Australian distillery to do so.

The Victorian government says over the next five years, it will split $100 million between Victorian universities to establish pre-seed investment funds to drive the commercialisation of research.

Affinity Labs is the new name for the Australian Wine Research Institute’s (AWRI) commercial arm, broadening its reach and opening it up to work with other industries.

FoodTech Qld 2022 is set to showcase innovation across all sectors of the food and beverage industry, with a revamped program being unveiled on 7-8 July at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre.

A US study shows human cells absorb less protein from plant-based meat than from chicken, with researchers saying the findings will drive further studies on ingredients to boost the peptide uptake.

Asahi Beverage’s $55 million upgrade to the Wulkuraka manufacturing plant in South-East Queensland means more than 300 million litres of non-alcoholic beverages will be produced at the site every year. Asahi Beverages Group CEO Robert Iervasi said the investment nearly doubles the plant’s annual production capacity.

There are 19 areas of growth opportunities to grow Australia’s food and agribusiness industry from its current $61 billion per year to more than $200 billion by 2030, a study by FIAL reports.

At a time when mental illness is at an all-time high, Doritos has changed its packaging across its entire range to feature a “Be Bold. Reach Out” message.

Victoria’s Business Competitiveness Program has awarded six food and beverage companies grants in its latest round of funding. More than $10 million was awarded to 28 SMEs.

Mars CEO Grant Reid has resigned after eight years in the role and 34 years with the company. Global president of Mars Petcare, Paul Weihrauch, will be the new CEO from September.