Wine Australia and Australian Grape & Wine have selected the 2025 crop of the Future Leaders program, helping to develop the next generation of change-makers in Australia’s grape and wine sector.

Nestlé Australia has partnered with leading food rescue organisation, OzHarvest, to promote nutrition education and provide 400,000 meals to struggling Australians over the next 12 months.

Former assistant minister for manufacturing and Future Made in Australia, Tim Ayres, has been sworn in as Australia’s new minister for Industry and Innovation and minister for Science, replacing Ed Husic. He is supported by Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy, Andrew Charlton.

The demand for convenient, health-oriented packaged foods has had a dramatic rise, with Australians increasingly turning to ready meals and snacks that support their dietary and health commitments. The Naturally Good Expo 2025 showcases leaders in this space.

Plant protein ingredient company, Wide Open Agriculture, says it has firm commitments of $2.6 million via a placement of 0.023 cents per share. It will also offer a share purchase plan (SPP) for eligible shareholders to raise up to an additional $500,000.

Confectionery company, Yowie, says its takeover bid of major shareholder, Keybridge Capital (KBC), is necessary because it had failed to repay at call money owed to Yowie, ongoing uncertainty with US tariffs, and working capital requirements.

Australia is the last OECD country without a legal definition for “organic”, which is causing export challenges due to double certification requirements and Australian companies to miss out on opportunities in a lucrative and growing market. Infor senior director Industry & Solution Strategy, Marcel Koks, writes. 

SPC Global has reconfirmed its FY25 guidance of $29 million in normalised earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA). The company said the four changes identified in its 1H25 results identified have been made and the executive team finalised.

Former CEO of FAL Healthy Beverages, Efthymios (Tim) Xenos, has been sentenced in the Downing Centre Local Court at Sydney to a term of imprisonment for 18 months to be served by way of an Intensive Corrections Order.

Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) has undertaken a $5.6 million project to expand consumption of oats, through the commercialisation of products including oat rice, noodles and pasta.

Coles has launched its annual fundraising event for FightMND, with sales of its Big Freeze Beanies and a portion of profits from selected Coles, Peters, Mondelēz, and Asahi products going to the charity until 17 June.

Since launching in 2019, Korean pear juice brand and hangover drink pioneer, Bae Juice, has sold over 5 million units across Australia, surpassing $10 million in total revenue, and growing 18 per cent year-on-year. As the company launches its first new formula since starting out, Food & Drink Business catches up with the Bae Juice team to discuss growth in the functional drink market.

Fonterra Co-operative Group is investing a further NZ$70 million towards decarbonisation of its Edendale site, building two new electrode boilers to replace its existing coal-fired boilers.

Taylors Wines is making a key leadership transition as part of its long-term succession plan – with managing director, Mitchell Taylor, stepping into the role of chairman of the board, and new CEO, John Freeman, commencing 21 July.

Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, is holding a free eight-week program to support small to medium-sized enterprises developing solutions in digital technologies and artificial intelligence as part of its Innovate to Grow program.

Did you hear the buzz last week? Food & Drink Business brought industry leaders from across Australia together to recognise and celebrate innovation in the food and beverage sector, awarding nine well-deserving companies.