Woolworths and Coles say the Federal Court ruling handed down on Friday (5 September) on historical underpayments of award-covered salaried store team leaders could result in one-off costs up to $1 billion dollars. The Fair Work Ombudsman commenced the legal action against the retailers in 2021 regarding employees whose annualised salary arrangements did not cover the amount of overtime they had worked.

The winners of the 2025 Australian Organic Industry Awards, hosted by Australian Organic Limited (AOL), have been recognised in Melbourne – ranging from pioneering family farms to trailblazing consumer brands.

Ricegrowers Limited (SunRice) recorded $1.85 billion in revenue for FY25, with a net profit after tax of $70.7 million. Despite revenue being down on FY24, a shift to higher value branded products and manufacturing efficiencies saw profitability improve.

In a major boost to recycling efforts across New South Wales and South Australia, each state’s container deposit scheme (CDS) is set to expand to accept wine and spirit bottles and larger drink containers, starting in 2027.

Brown Family Wine Group has partnered with Oatley Fine Wine Merchants (OFWM) in a strategic distribution agreement, aiming to increase visibility of its luxury wine portfolio.

The Australian Meat Processor Corporation says its two-day Innovation Showcase in Brisbane on 10-11 September will bring together 400 delegates to discuss the sector’s global competitiveness and productivity, while reducing its environmental impact.

Construction of the long-awaited Turbine Collaborative Food & Beverage Manufacturing Precinct in the Sunshine Coast Industrial Park is scheduled to commence in early 2026, after almost a decade of planning.

The Kraft Heinz Company is separating into two independent companies, a decade after the $50 billion merger between Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026.

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) vice president and general manager of Australia, Pacific and South-East Asia (APS), Peter West, is resigning at the end of the year. It will bring his career of nearly four decades in fast-moving consumer goods to a close.

Lion has appointed Anubha Sahasrabuddhe as its new CEO. Sahasrabuddhe is the company’s chief growth and commercial officer and co-leader of the Lion Australia business. She replaces Sam Fischer, who resigned in May and leaves at the end of October to head Treasury Wine Estates.

Suntory Holdings chair and CEO, Takeshi Niinami, has resigned following a police investigation into supplements he purchased allegedly contained an illegal substance, breaching the country’s strict drug laws.

The Arnott’s Group, in partnership with CleanPeak Energy, has unveiled its $12 million solar and battery storage system at its Huntingwood biscuit factory, which will supply approximately 25 per cent of the site’s electricity needs.

Winners of the 2025 South Australian Premier’s Business and Export Awards, which feeds into the Australian Export Awards in November, were announced last week – including several food and beverage companies.

The Western Australian government has released its Distilling Industry Strategy 2025-2030, co-created with the Australian Distillers Association and Western Australian Distillers Guild to raise the profile of the state’s unique premium spirits on the global stage.

In an all-cash deal worth more than $28 billion, beverage conglomerate, Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), has acquired JDE Peet’s. KDP says it will create two independent companies from its existing and acquired brands – Beverage Co and Global Coffee Co.

Kinross Station, Endeavour, and the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) have unveiled what they are calling the world’s first ultra-premium lamb. KS7 is graded at seven per cent intramuscular fat (IMF) and is the result of 12 years R&D.