Consumer intelligence company, NielsenIQ (NIQ), has released its Mid-Year Consumer Outlook: Guide to 2025 report, analysing the latest trends in consumer spending and catalysts for change across industries.

Western Australia has experienced a 400 per cent increase in export demand for its avocados year-on-year, with the 2023/24 season worth $36.8 million, up from $7.1 million in 2022/23. Growing demand in Asia and the Middle East has fuelled the increase.

Effective planning in food processing doesn’t have to be chaotic. The right digital tool will help food manufacturers bring order to their operations by calculating the cost for any number of decisions. Emile Bassil from Relex explains how bringing every team to the same source of data provides full visibility across the company.

Bubs Australia recorded $19.7 million in revenue for 1Q25, down 0.3 per cent on the prior corresponding period of $24.3 million. The company reconfirmed its FY25 guidance of $102 million net revenue, gross margin more than 40 per cent, and a break even EBITDA.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has reached an early decision on the proposed merger of Sanitarium’s Weet-Bix and Nestlé’s Uncle Tobys Vita Brits, stating that it will not oppose the acquisition.

Coles is investing $880 million into a new Automated Distribution Centre (ADC) in Truganina, Victoria – the third, and largest, facility it will be partnering with Witron Australia on.

French cheese manufacturer, Bel Groupe, has opened an Australian subsidiary, Bel Brands Australia, aiming to work more closely with retailers and directly manage its brand distribution.

South Australian distillery, 23rd Street, is making waves in the industry with its Australian whisky range – awarded two gold medals at its first competition. The company’s director of hospitality, sales, and marketing, Chris Illman, shares some insight into the whisky industry in Australia and 23rd Street's presence in the sector.

A $22.2 million can line upgrade at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) Australia's Richlands facility is officially complete, and construction is now underway on an additional can line, backed by a further multi-year $75 million investment.

Plant-based food and beverage brand, Vitasoy, has partnered with not-for-profit water advocacy group, the Mulloon Institute, to conduct one of the country’s largest ever restoration projects.

Australian-founded global investment and advisory firm, Pollination, is working with some of the world’s largest food companies to develop and finance scalable solutions that will help decarbonise supply chains and accelerate the transition to more sustainable food systems. Food & Drink Business editor, Kim Berry, speaks to Pollination managing director APAC Team, Hamish Reid.

Woolworths Group’s 1Q25 sales saw a 17 per cent boost for W Living with the Petstock acquisition making itself known. The Australian Food business was up 3.8 per cent to $13.6 billion but new CEO, Amanda Bardwell, tempered expectations, saying the group expects Australian Food earnings for 1H25 to be below its forecast.

Coles Group recorded $10.5 billion in total group sales for 1Q25, with supermarkets up 3.5 per cent to $9.5 billion while liquor stayed flat at $851 million. Coles Group CEO, Leah Weckert, said the focus was on creating value for customers and investing in the company’s future through automation.

National Reconstruction Fund Corporation’s chief investment officer, Dr Mary Manning, says the first investments from the $15 billion fund will be announced “within weeks”. Manning made the announcement at the InnovationAus Awards on Wednesday.

The latest quarterly Consumer Price Index data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has shown that although overall headline inflation eased in the latest quarter, the annual rate of food price inflation held fast at 3.3 per cent.

Researchers at UNSW Computer Science and Engineering have developed a smartphone sensor that can detect if milk is fresh or spoiled without opening the package, to help in cutting down the amount of wasted milk.