Following declines in 2023 and continued challenges in 2024, global beverage alcohol is expected to begin its recovery in 2025, according to the latest report from IWSR.

The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN), in partnership with Foodbank Australia, will host the inaugural GFN Global Summit 2024 in Sydney, Australia, 9-12 September. The summit will be a dynamic, international conference that shapes solutions to the challenges of hunger, food security, and sustainability.

IWSR’s latest report looks at how artificial intelligence is being implemented throughout the alcohol industry, with brand owners globally using it as a research tool for new product development.

Activity to our north is calling our R&D talent and companies, the National Food Waste Summit is coming, industry steps up on some of our biggest challenges, and a robotic tongue. All this and more in editor Kim Berry's round-up of the week that was.

Coles Group has awarded grants of up to $500,000 to nine small and medium sized businesses across the country to mark World Environment Day, with an aim to drive sustainability and innovation.

The National Food Waste Summit on 24-25 July, is Australia’s biggest gathering dedicated to food waste action. The program features international experts sharing global food waste perspectives, including Toine Timmermans, Jolanda Dings, Dr Lisa Johnson, and Dana Gunders.

Pernod Ricard has signed a five-year global licensing agreement with circular economy tech company, ecoSPIRITS. It will see Pernod Ricard’s spirit brands distributed in fully reusable 4.5-litre glass containers to on-trade venues around the world.

Entries for the 10th annual Melbourne Royal Australian Distilled Spirits Awards close on 7 June. This year's awards feature a new ready-to-drink category due to its strong growth.

Australian spirits producers had an outstanding showing at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London, with top scoring producers including Four Pillars and Mt. Uncle Distillery.

Hort Innovation says a new co-investment program, Frontiers, will invest an additional $500 million over the next decade into horticultural R&D. Complementing its existing portfolio, the goal of Frontier is to attract new investors and develop new innovation streams.

Lion’s XXXX beer is bringing back the limited-edition XXXX GOLD Pride In Your Origin cans for the second year in a row, celebrating the brand’s partnership with the Queensland Maroons.

The Naturally Good Awards were held this week as part of the eponymous health and wellness expo. LittleOak, Naked Rivals, Fine Fettle Foods, and Noumi all took home top honours, with companies spanning the organics industry contending 13 categories. 

Mondelēz International has commissioned its $7.5 million Regional Biscuit and Baked Snacks Lab and Innovation Kitchen in Singapore. The company’s executive VP and president AMEA, Deepak Iyer, said the lab would be a regional creative development hub and centre of excellence.

A report providing a nationwide snapshot of the Australian vegetable and onion industries, Level Up Hort, is being launched at Hort Connections this week, currently underway in Melbourne.

Fonterra Co-operative has joined 21 other food and drink manufacturers in championing more inclusive and gender balanced workplaces by joining the National Association of Women in Operations (NAWO). The association has more than 90 company members.

There has been much dissecting of the 2024-25 Federal Budget by some eminently qualified people. For Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre MD, Dr Jenns Goennemann, the budget was one of the most manufacturing-labelled, but there was a notable overlooked constituency – highly successful smaller enterprises.