• The sale of Freedom Foods Group’s Cereals and Snacks business to The Arnott’s group has been completed. The sale was announced in December, just weeks after reporting on its “deeply disappointing” FY20 $175 million loss.
    The sale of Freedom Foods Group’s Cereals and Snacks business to The Arnott’s group has been completed. The sale was announced in December, just weeks after reporting on its “deeply disappointing” FY20 $175 million loss.
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Freedom Foods Group has extended its voluntary suspension from trading to 30 November. The company extended its suspension to 30 October on 9 July when the scale of its inventory write-downs and bad debts were being realised.

Since then Michael Perich - the Perich family own 54 per cent of the business - has been installed as interim CEO and lender support secured from HSBC, NAB and Arrovest as the board undertakes a recapitalisation plan.

It’s also now being sued for US$16 million by US almond growers’ group Blue Diamond Growers in the US.

 

 

Packaging News

APCO has released its 2022-23 Australian Packaging Consumption and Recovery Data Report, the second report released this year in line with its commitment to improving timeliness and relevance of data. 

The AFGC has welcomed government progress towards implementing clear, integrated and consistent changes to packaging across Australia, but says greater clarity is needed on design standards.

It’s been a tumultuous yet progressive year in packaging in Australia, with highs and lows playing out against a backdrop of uncertainty caused in part by the dangling sword of DCCEEW’s proposed Packaging Reform, and in part by the mounting pressure of rising manufacturing costs. Lindy Hughson reviews the top stories for 2024.