At the start of the year, there is a lot of talk about trends in food and beverage. What consumers want, new flavours, new textures, and more. But what about on the operations front? Regional GM and senior VP for cloud software company, Infor, Terry Smagh shares his three predictions for the year ahead.

SPC Global CEO, Robert Iervasi, has written to shareholders, reassuring them recent share price movements reflect short-term market dynamics, not the company’s operational or financial performance. SPC’s share price has fallen almost 50 per cent since it listed on the ASX on 17 December.

ASIC’s appeal to the Full Federal Court in its case against Noumi’s former CEO and MD, Rory MacLeod, has been successful. The court found that providing documents to ASIC in accordance with a voluntary disclosure agreement did not waive a valid legal professional privilege (LPP) claim.

Coles has launched a national campaign to help fund paediatric care, equipment and projects, with sales from select brands raising money for national children’s charity, Hospitals United for Sick Kids.

Saputo Dairy Australia’s (SDA) Cobram site has received the 2024 Business of the Year award by Goulburn Murray Local Learning and Employment Networks (GMLLEN) for the Moira Shire local government area.

The Brisbane Economic Development Agency’s (BEDA) Future Food Global Accelerator has chosen its latest cohort of local food and beverage companies to support in exporting their products worldwide.

In a market update, Maggie Beer Holdings (MBH) chair, Sue Thomas, says the company’s cost of doing business “remains too high” and it needs to cut costs. With its audited 1H25 results due on 26 February, Thomas’ comments follow a board-led strategic review of the business.

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has announced its nominees for the Best Sustainable Seafood Brand 2025 award, recognising brands that have demonstrated leadership in promoting ocean health and sustainable seafood sourcing.

Entries are now open for the 2025 Hive Awards, and close 21 February. Check out 2024's Best Packaging Award Winner, GWF (Don Smallgoods).

Orora has started operations at its newly rebuilt oxygen-fuelled glass furnace in Gawler, South Australia, marking a significant leap in energy efficiency and sustainability for manufacturing glass wine bottles.

Drinks business Suntory Oceania has appointed Jared Chamberlain its New Zealand licensed sales director, as the business prepares to officially launch its $3 billion multi-beverage partnership across the premium spirits and non-alcohol segments.

With the ACCC set to deliver its final report into the supermarkets and pricing practices at the end of the month, and 1H25 earnings expected to be below the forecast $1.65 billion, Woolworths Group says the restructure of its Food leadership and organisational structure will allow a greater focus on the areas that “have the most impact for customers”.

Food and agriculture start-up accelerator, Rocket Seeder, is partnering with the City of Melbourne (Australia) and City of Bandung (Indonesia) to tackle food waste, with the launch of the Melbourne-Bandung Food Waste Challenge 2025.

Wine Australia and Australian Grape & Wine have teamed up once again to search for the next generation of change-makers in Australia’s grape and wine sector, opening up applications for leadership development program, Future Leaders 2025.

Independent West Australian craft brewery, Beerfarm, is breaking ground for a new brewery and taphouse on the New South Wales Central Coast, which the company states will increase its national product volume by 30 per cent.

End Food Waste Australia CEO and founder, Dr Steven Lapidge, has tendered his resignation after over eight years of leadership. Executive search firm 100 Percent Partners will undertake a national search for the organisation's next CEO.