The Lockyer Valley Fruit & Vegetable Processing Company (Lockyer Valley Foods) says its $50 million Series A funding round will kickstart construction of Australia’s first fruit and vegetable processing facility in 80 years.

The food and beverage industries turned in a stellar sales performance in Q3, amid signs of firming confidence, according to data from inventory management software provider Unleashed.

As Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) looks back on the 2023-24 year, its annual report highlights advancements in the field of genetically modified (GM) food items. But the organics industry has raised concerns about potential impacts of regulation and labelling changes.

Woolworths has re-opened the four distribution centres affected by 17 days of industrial action. The retailer reached a new enterprise agreement with employees that was endorsed by the United Workers Union on Saturday (7 December).

Swan Valley gin producer, Old Young’s, is offering a globe-trotting ‘gin-ternship’ reward for anyone investing more than $250,000 in the award-winning distillery's latest funding round, aiming to raise money for the company’s new $30 million facility.

Coca‑Cola Australia is raising money for The Salvation Army’s Christmas appeal this festive season, with personalised notes of kindness from across Australia each adding another $10 to its $50,000 donation.

With product stewardship a core component of a circular economy, GS1 Australia and the Product Stewardship Centre of Excellence are working together to foster sustainable practices across multiple industries.

Australian consumers are still feeling the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, with food and utility costs still top concerns, according to the latest NielsenIQ survey. Consumers are spending less on clothing and out of home eating while expecting to spend more on utilities, rent/mortgage, groceries and household items.

Kimberly-Clark Australia and Woolworths have successfully completed a packaging trial aimed at eliminating the use of secondary plastic packaging for Viva paper towels, opening up opportunities for plastic waste reduction across industries.

The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is introducing new restrictions on single-use plastics in food and beverage packaging, set to take effect from 1 January 2025.

In developing a world-first, pure titanium, cross flow membrane solution, Australian industrial innovator, Products For Industry (PFi), turned to Rockwell Automation for the automation component. With more than 10 years of development, this fully evolved and tested product is now entering service in Australia with a leading beverages company, which will use the new technology to separate solids from liquid streams in various stages of the waste stream process.

For the last 12 months, 14 of Australia’s most experienced industry leaders and board members from across the food value chain volunteered to investigate the necessary food industry reforms and advocate priorities needed to transform the food system. It says Australia’s food industry has the potential to become a “second engine of economic growth”, mirroring that of the resources sector, but only if urgent action is taken to transform the system in the face of multiple challenges. 

The Australian Meat Industry Council (AMIC) has welcomed the reinstatement of export approvals for the remaining two Australian processors that had been suspended from trade with China.

Casella Family Brands (CFB) will be taking over distribution of the Better Beer Company’s brand portfolio in Australia, effective immediately. Better Beer's products have been produced at a CFB-owned brewery since launching in 2021.

Industry minister, Ed Husic, has announced Tesla chair and former Telstra CFO, Robyn Denholm, will lead the government's Strategic Examination of Research & Development (R&D) that it announced in the May budget. The terms of reference were also released. 

Australian alcohol company, ASX-listed Top Shelf International (TSI), has enlisted the M&A team from EY to sell some or all of the business. Its brands include Ned Whiskey, Grainshaker Vodka, and Act of Treason Australian Agave.