Finalists for the 2024 Australian Organic Industry Awards have been revealed, celebrating Australia’s finest certified organic producers, processors and operators across seven categories.

Saputo Inc recorded a $141.3 million (C$124 million) loss in the third quarter of FY24, as the dairy giant logged a $196.8 million (C$265 million) non-cash goodwill impairment against its Australia dairy division.

In its latest Australian Dairy Sector Outlook, Rabobank reports that the industry is facing its third consecutive year of production decline, while the import and export mix is “slowly trading places” – with export volumes falling sharply, and imports spiking.

The end is in sight for a $25 million capital replacement program at Wilmar Sugar and Renewables’ Kalamia Mill, with the last of four new evaporators currently being installed at the factory ahead of the upcoming production season.

The Australian food tech start-up, Eighth Day Foods, is looking for a buyer for its alternative protein proprietary technology. CEO Tony Cartwright is managing the sale process and says he has already fielded a significant number of inquiries from potential purchasers.

After the flush of Christmas and New Year, cashflow can become a critical issue as people take holidays, invoices accumulate, and sales slow. Jessica Olivier from RSM Australia looks at ways to ease economic pressures including tax incentives and grant funding. 

As another craft brewery – Hawkers Beer – enters voluntary administration, the Independent Brewers Association (IBA) has ramped up pressure on the government to freeze excise indexation and adopt other strategies to support the sector.

TOMRA Food has unveiled a new organisational structure, and three AI-powered sorting and grading solutions, both announced at the fresh produce industry event, Fruit Logistica, in Berlin, Germany.

Ecofibre Limited, owner of hemp food and animal products business Ananda Food, has advised it will sell the business to Elixinol Wellness, which halted trading today (12 February), announcing a capital raise of $3.16 million to fund the acquisition.

Independent hard seltzer brand Hard FIZZ has signed a ranging deal with BWS which will initially see its Raspberry Extra Strength RTD and variety packs stocked in 1400 outlets nationwide.

It has been more than 10 years since the Polly Waffle was part of the confectionery aisle, but from April, it will be back. The format has slightly changed – bite sized pieces rather than a bar – but the crunchy marshmallow favourite lives once more.

Suppliers and consumers are being squeezed to breaking point and a signifiant part of the cost-of-living crisis has been caused by companies taking advantage of their market power and gaps in government policy, Allan Fels said on the release of the report into his five-month inquiry into price gouging and unfair pricing.

In its latest outlook, IWSR assesses the Australian wine landscape and the impact of China’s import tariffs. While many producers are hoping to soon re-enter China, they are also targeting a more diverse range of countries – and have international plans to combat widespread declines in wine consumption.

Bridge Road Brewers has harnessed the power of connected experiences, partnering with consumer engagement platform Cellr to achieve a Top 5 ranking in the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer Poll.

FSANZ has released a new food recall reporting form. It has simplified the process and made it more efficient for businesses to recall unsafe food products with easy to use, standardised data fields.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first jar of Nutella created in Italy. To mark the occasion, Italy’s ambassador to Australia and the Italian consul general visited Ferrero’s Lithgow factory, which has been producing Nutella for more than 45 years.