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From regional manufacturers to global powerhouses, the finalists in The Hive Awards 2026 have it covered. Check out the people and companies that made the cut in a highly competitive field of entries! Winners will be announced today (21 May) at the annual Hive Awards Long Lunch, in Sydney. Read more
Welcome to PLAY Food & Drink Business news review for April. It was a big month – a global deal that reshapes the flavour industry, a significant structural shift at Australia’s national science body, and some frustrating news for the food relief sector. Let’s get into it.
Welcome to the latest issue of Food & Drink Business, the first quarterly issue for 2026. We have an extensive look at the trends in driving consumer behaviour and the opportunities they create for manufacturers. Our cover story is on the partnership between Process Partners and Bulla to deliver a world-class ice cream plant. And there is so much more.
Our Top 100 2025 edition of Food & Drink Business magazine is more than the annual flagship Top 100 Report. Industry leaders reflect on the year past and the one ahead, we provide our annual news review, M&A wrap-up, and all the executive moves, and a Roman-inspired sports drink, Posca, is our final Rising Star for 2025.
Food & Drink Business and IBISWorld present this year’s Top 100 companies, a ranking of Australia’s largest food and drink companies by revenue. This year reflects a sector positioning itself for immediate term viability and long-term competitiveness.
OzHarvest’s Frontline Report 2026 paints a grim picture of the Australian food insecurity crisis, revealing more than 74,000 people are turned away from food support every month, as frontline charities struggle to cope with rising demand.
A new white paper from Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) calls for coordinated investment in food production, manufacturing capability and supply chain resilience as the country prepares to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
A senate inquiry into CSIRO funding and resourcing has warned Australia’s sovereign research capability is under pressure from job cuts, declining real funding, ageing infrastructure and uncertainty over the national science agency’s strategic direction.
Endeavour Group has flagged up to $8 million in additional supply chain costs in the second half of FY26 and a $400 million inventory build as it responds to disruption from the Middle East conflict, while also announcing a $100 million cost reduction target for FY27.
Coles Group has posted four per cent supermarkets sales growth for the third quarter of FY26, driven by volume and eCommerce gains, while its Liquor division recorded a 3.9 per cent revenue decline amid soft consumer sentiment.
Snacking and pet food company, Mars Incorporated, is set to open a new $112.5 million wet pouch facility at its Wodonga pet food factory this June, initially announced in June 2023.
Margaret River label Watershed Wines has returned to market under Calneggia Family Vineyards, eight years after the brand ceased operations, with original winemaker Sevérine Logan retained to lead production.
The a2 Milk Company has initiated a voluntary recall of three batches of its US-label a2 Platinum infant formula after cereulide was detected in the product. The recall covers approximately 16,428 tins already sold to consumers, with no reported incidents of infant illness.
Federal ministers yesterday convened an urgent industry roundtable on plastics supply chain pressures, placing packaging reform and domestic recycling capability firmly at the centre of discussions around Australia’s food security and manufacturing resilience.
The Australian Beverages Council has renewed calls for urgent national packaging reform, saying global supply disruptions highlight the need for stronger domestic recycling and harmonised EPR.
Close the Loop has sold its US-based ISP Tek Services business for US$10m, as part of a broader strategic reset aimed at sharpening focus on its core packaging and resource recovery operations.
