Take a look at the stories that caught everyone’s attention on the Food & Drink Business website this week: Nourish Ingredients and v2foods unveiled the next plant-based meat innovations live on stage at SXSW Sydney, All G Foods and Fënn Foods merge, Australian Dairy Nutritionals looks to sell its Brucknell South farm, and dispute resolution process between a2 Milk Co and Synlait unsuccessful.

Sara Lee, bastion of frozen desserts loved by generations, has gone into voluntary administration. FTI Consulting has been appointed administrator.

Wide Open Agriculture is set to become the world's largest producer of lupin protein, after it received binding commitments raising $6.2 million to cover the acquisition of Prolupin.

Swisslog has appointed Jens Schmale as its next CEO, effective 1 January 2024. Schmale is currently CEO of Swisslog Europe, Middle East & Africa and first joined the company in 2020. Current Swisslog CEO Antonio Trioschi will retire at the end of the year.

Food tech company, Nourish Ingredients, says its world-first animal-free fat Tastilux solves the biggest issues for plant-based meat on taste, nutrition, and consumer adoption by cooking, smelling, and tasting like animal meat.

On stage at the inaugural SXSW Sydney, v2food CEO Tim York unveiled the next generation of plant-based protein. The company’s patented RepliHue technology allows plant-based meat to change colour as it cooks, mimicking animal meat.

Leaders of a new research centre led by Adelaide Uni presented at the inaugural SXSW Sydney to share progress on its R&D efforts to help establish a long-term human presence in space.

Two thirds of Australians classify themselves as meat eaters while almost 20 per cent call themselves flexitarians primarily eating a plant-based diet, the latest YouGov Survey has found. For meat eaters, 59 per cent say taste is the main factor in deciding what to eat.

Made in Queensland (MIQ) Round 6 applications are now open for manufacturers in the state, with funding grants of $50,000 to $2.5 million available. It has funded 136 projects since 2017.

Too many manufacturers are still in the dark about exisiting opportunities to boost cashflow. RSM Australia national leader Manufacturing Services, Jessica Olivier outlines the options already in the marketplace.

All G Foods and Fënn Foods have merged their plant-based meat businesses into a new company, The Aussie Plant Based Co. It will be based at Fënn Foods plant on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

A week after Chemist Warehouse stopped carrying its infant formula, Australian Dairy Nutritionals says it is selling its Brucknell South farm in Victoria because milk from the property is surplus to its needs.

The stipulated dispute resolution process between a2 Milk Co and Synlait over the cancellation of Synlait’s exclusive manufacturing rights has failed. The pair now go into confidential binding arbitration.

Treasury Wine Estates CEO Tim Ford says the priorities for FY24 is “crystal clear” with maximising the continued consumer demand for luxury wine top of the list.

With a growing national retail presence, Mrs Toddy’s Tonics founder Sophie Todd started looking for export opportunities. She joined the Australia stand at FHA Vietnam, coordinated by Investment NSW and FIAL, and shares what she learnt with Food & Drink Business.

Under the banner of the Great Dolmio Cookoff, Dolmio, Sodexo, and Foodbank donned aprons and cooked more than 9000 meals for people experiencing food insecurity on World Food Day (16 October).