It is time to think creatively about ways to get “all hands on deck” in critical sectors to counter the millions of workers currently sick or in isolation, employer organisation Ai Group says.

The federal government has opened a $19.9 million funding round for small and medium food and beverage manufacturers as part of its Energy Efficient Communities (EEC) program.

With roughly 40 per cent of the supply chain and supermarket workforce forced into isolation because of being a Covid-19 close contact, the Australia Food and Grocery Council says a uniform set of national rules is needed.

Wide Open Agriculture has secured a second international distributor for its Dirty Clean Foods OatUp oat milk. The two-year deal with MKMI General Trading will see OatUp stocked across the Middle East.

Dairy giant Bega Cheese’s shareprice has largely recovered after a 12 per cent tumble following its December 23 profit forecast, with the company still set to increase profits by 50 per cent this year.

Subscription-based meal kit company Marley Spoon has completed its $21 million acquisition of Melbourne-based ready meal business Chefgood. The deal was announced in December 2021.

JBS Australia has completed its $175 million acquisition of pig breeder and processing company Rivalea and Singapore based Oxdale Dairy Enterprise. JBS announced the deal in June 2021.

The NSW Environment Protection Authority has fined Beresfield poultry processing facility Bartter Enterprises $15,000 for allegedly discharging high-strength effluent into Woodberry swamp.

Construction has begun on Woolworths’ inaugural automated customer fulfilment centre in Sydney’s west. Once operational, the 22,000 square metre facility will dispatch up to 50,000 home deliveries weekly.

Australian synthetic biotech company Provectus Algae has raised $11.4 million in a pre-series A funding round led by Hitachi Ventures, a joint venture between Hitachi and Vectr Ventures.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission says the wine grape industry may require further regulatory action unless reforms recommended two years ago are implemented.

Australian Food and Grocery Council CEO Tanya Barden says food and beverage manufacturers are disappointed with the amount of funding coming from the Modern Manufacturing Initiative.

Kombucha pioneer MOJO’s new mantra ‘Actually Natural’ leads a branding overhaul to reinstate the company’s point of difference as an industry leader when it comes to functional beverages.

In a bid to ease the supply chain congestion faced by the logistics industry, GS1 Australia and the federal government have launched a National Location Registry.

The Hilton Effect Foundation has awarded commercial bakery The Bread & Butter Project a 2021 Hilton Effect Grant in recognition of the project’s work with refugees and asylum seekers.

Construction has begun on Endeavour Group’s latest distribution centre (DC) in Sydney’s west. The 35,000 square metre DC will service 400 stores and carry more than 4000 products.