A further $6.9 million has been allocated to five successful applicants through the federal Industry Growth Program (IGP), including several developing technologies to support the Australian food system. The latest round includes Bioborne, C Sea Solutions, Seascape Restorations Australia, and Levur.

Methane-reducing feed additive developer, Sea Forest, has entered into an agreement with New South Wales-based farm, Avondale Ag, to supplement 5000 cattle with SeaFeed, for an initial term of 12 months.

Global ingredients company, IFF, has submitted a new heart health claim for isolated soy protein, which has been accepted by Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

When production began at Bulla’s new ice cream factory in Colac, Victoria, in late 2025, the moment carried more than just operational significance. Food & Drink Business was there for the official factory opening, thanks to engineering and automation specialists, Process Partners, which was embedded in the site for the factory’s planning and construction. 

The federal government is developing a new Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme livestock method with Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), which will allow farmers to earn ACCUs through low-emissions livestock management.

New Zealand based goat milk formula brand, The LittleOak Company, has replaced high oleic sunflower oil with cold pressed olive oil in its products, aiming to offer the most natural and nutritious formula possible.

When Carly Coggan launched Sandboy Beverages less than a year ago, she did not expect the pace of growth to be quite so rapid. Kim Berry finds out how it happened and the brand’s road ahead.

Box Divvy, a community-based food network operating across New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory, has built a soft plastics collection and recycling system across its neighbourhood hubs, diverting about 2.5 tonnes from landfill each month.

The New South Wales government has invested $7.4 million into South Coast aquaculture projects, in the first round of funding from its new $20 million Aquaculture Industry Development Program.

The Queensland government is searching for the state’s top exporters, with applications now open for the 2026 Premier of Queensland Export Awards. Winners will represent the state at the Australian Export Awards in November.

With finalists for the 2026 Hive Awards announced this week, Food & Drink Business is looking back at some of the companies recognised over the past two years – and what they have done since.

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has completed the Australian leg of the 2026 Australia-China Winemaker Immersion Program, an intensive three-week exchange program across South Australia’s wine regions including McLaren Vale, the Barossa Valley, and the Adelaide Hills.

Australia’s largest privately owned feedlot company, Mort & Co, will list its remaining assets on the market this week, after putting its Pinegrove and Yarranbrook feedlots up for sale last October.

Seedlab Australia has completed its 13th Bootcamp round, with the latest cohort dominated by brands targeting the complexity of feeding modern family households, including products designed around allergen management, fussy eating, and lunchbox nutrition.

Good Food Purchasing Australia (GFPA) has released a report detailing the cost of public food spending – estimated to be more than $2.13 billion annually. Transforming the Public Plate outlines current food procurement across publicly funded institutions and programs, and urges government and industry to establish more sustainable, streamlined, and consistent practices.

A compounding set of supply chain disruptions is expected to materially impact The a2 Milk Company’s China label infant formula availability through April and May, with the company warning its FY26 earnings guidance will fall short.