Food & Beverage

The Craft & Co have had many gin markets to signify the seasons throughout the year, but can you believe they’ve never held one dedicated only to summer? Well… they’re going to right that wrong in 2020 and launching their first ever Summer Gin Market! So together with some of their distillery friends, they’ll be putting together over 10 market stalls, where punters can meet some of the makers in person and find out all about their products (some of which are making their Gin Market debut!). No surprise either that they’re expecting another sell-out weekend market, so are urging people to snare themselves a spot early in Melbourne’s original and longest running Gin Market series. DATE: Saturday 1st February 2020 & Sunday 2nd February 2020 WHERE: The Craft & Co  – 390 Smith St, Collingwood PRICE: $15 (includes FREE tastings at all market stalls) and gives you access to one session. Ticketed sessions are available throughout the weekend: Saturday 1st February Sessio...

The snacking experts at Arnott’s have lit the oven, fired up the barbie and cooked up two delicious new flavours to add to their Shapes Aussie Legends range; Meat Pie and Sausage Sizzle. These latest additions to the Shapes roster will be available from late December. The new Arnott’s Shapes range has captured two quintessentially Australian flavours in a perfect blend of savoury, seasoned goodness. And after introducing biscuits shaped like the Australian continent last year, the new range includes Tasmania-shaped biscuits in every box. Shannon Wright, Arnott’s Marketing Manager, Savoury says, “There’s no question that Aussies love a meat pie and a sausage sizzle. After the overwhelming response we received for Shapes VEGEMITE and Cheese last year, we wanted to expand our Shapes Aussie Legends range with more of these tastes Australians love.” “Shapes means Flavour You Can See, and the new Aussie Legends range will be hard to miss!” Shapes Meat Pie offers sweet tomato, rich gravy ...

Western Meat Packers Group has supported and initiated training at all levels for all staff ever since it was started in 1983 by qualified butcher Rod Russell. In 2019, Mr Russell is a Director of the business he co-owns with wife Shana, while CEO Andrew Fuda, also a qualified butcher, runs the $150 million annual turnover business which employs 450 people at its Osborne Park processing and packing facility, Margaret River abattoir and Bibra Lake value adding unit. The company’s commitment to upskilling, on-the-job training, professional development and broader industry support was recently underlined when it hosted the 2019 Australian Meat Industry Council Apprentice of the Year competition in its dedicated staff training boning room at Osborne Park. The Apprentice of the Year, which has been going for more than 50 years, encourages apprentices to strive to be the best tradesman they possibly can within the meat industry, according to Chris Kelly, AMIC Member Relations ...

Luckily, one of Australia’s largest apple growers, Montague Fresh, has reported that its orchards in the fire-ravaged Batlow region of NSW have been ‘spared the worst’ of the bushfire crisis that continues to blaze in New South Wales and eastern Victoria. “It is with great relief and gratitude that we announce only minor damage to our 75 hectare apple orchards in Batlow NSW due to fire over the weekend of January 4 and 5, 2020.  The orchard has over 200,000 apple trees but sustained damage to less than 5000 trees on the boundary of the property because fires were largely contained to areas outside of orchard blocks. In addition, all Montague staff were evacuated prior to the arrival of the fire and no injuries have been reported.” said a Montague spokesperson. “The Montague team will be working with the local industry to repair any damage and focus on producing a great crop of apples in the coming season.  While these losses will have an impact of apple supply there will be a signifi...

With 1.5 billion cups of coffee consumed a day, Change Coffee – World Vision Australia’s first social enterprise – is on a mission to help eradicate global poverty by 2030. Change Coffee’s range of hand-roasted, Fairtrade coffee donates 100 per cent of its profits to World Vision’s life-changing programs to economically empower women globally. Social Entrepreneur and Head of Social Enterprise at World Vision Australia Simone Dowding says Change Coffee is aiming to bring about a socially conscious initiative to encourage consumers and cafés to switch their coffee to a bean with purpose, and that there’s no better way than to start the day with an epic cup of coffee that’s really changing lives. “When women have equal access to meaningful work, which is fairly paid, it has a multiplier effect, benefiting not only the individual woman, but also their families, communities, and countries,” Simone says. “The brand’s business model incorporates strategies to innovate social change. From ...

Foodbank Victoria  is the State’s official emergency food and water relief organisation, under the State Emergency Relief and Recovery Plan. As fires broke out across East Gippsland, they immediately responded delivering urgent food relief and water to those affected areas via air, sea, and road. As the crisis grows, thousands more Victorians continue to be in desperate need of vital supplies. Foodbank Victoria need urgent financial donations to continue providing vital food and water to Victorian families affected by the bushfires. Unfortunately, with conditions expected to worsen over the coming weeks, this is going to be a long and ongoing situation and as such require all the assistance they can during this devastating time to support families across the state. RMIT will be supporting Foodbank Victoria during this time and encourage you to do the same by donating at the following link: https://www.foodbank.org.au/VIC/bushfire-emergency-food-relief-appeal-afn/ Contact us to get...

Be brave diners! Chew on crispy chicken feet, suck the goodness out of a crab claw, slurp duck blood, nibble on a tender pig kidney, frog legs or perhaps even a sea urchin ball. The weird and wonderful world of authentic Chinese cuisine, notably Dragon Hot Pot’s malatang, with its huge selection of traditional and unconventional ingredients, is thriving at their eight stores across the country. Thankfully Australian’s are embracing it with open minds and empty stomachs. Gone are the days of sticky sweet and sour pork, curry stained Singapore noodles and playing it safe with a plate of dumplings at the local Chinese restaurant. The demand for authentic Asian cuisine is growing and Australians are open to fossicking around for a variety of organ meats and pluck known commonly as offal – a staple in traditional Sichuan hot pot. Historically, hot pot was regarded a poor man’s broth, born on the banks of the Yangtze River by labourers who couldn’t afford prime cuts of meat. From then, t...

Rocket Seeder is a Melbourne-based accelerator for early stage startups in the food and agriculture sector in Australia. Established in 2017, Rocket Seeder supports innovators and founders to take their ideas and early stage businesses to the next level by providing tools, guidance and a safe environment to learn and grow. Rocket Seeder is delighted to announce the dates of their first accelerator programs in regional Victoria. North East Victoria in Beechworth at the Old Beechworth Gaol Thursday 30 January 2020 to Friday 20 March 2020 (9 days over 8 weeks) Applications close on 23 January 2020 South West Victoria in Warrnambool at The Hive, South West TAFE Monday 3 February 2020 to Monday 30 March 2020 (9 days over 9 weeks) Applications close on 3 February 2020 Supporting entrepreneurship and innovation is vital to regional and rural areas, as it has the potential to boost local economies. Local talent and other resources are developed and retained, preventing rural population...

JBS Australia Pty Limited as the leading player in the Australian meat processing and food manufacturing sectors will donate $1 million to the Australian Volunteer Trust, established by the Business Council of Australia in partnership with Equity Trustees. The Trust will be a permanent and ongoing fund to support the children of volunteers who have died in fighting the current fires and any future major disasters. The Chief Executive Officer of JBS, Brent Eastwood announced the donation today in Brisbane. “The impact of the fires has been significant, and devastated communities across mainland eastern states. Through our business we have a direct contact and long term relationships with many livestock producers and communities in these affected areas,” he said. “Importantly, our donation to the Trust will support the children of volunteers who have died in fighting these fires and any future major disasters. “As a member of the Business Council we are right behind this Initiative ...

Tim Tam,Australia’s number one chocolate biscuit, is bringing the flavours of Australia and New Zealand into a new range of biscuits that will be available in stores nationwide from next week. Let the countdown begin! The Arnott’s Tim Tam Crafted Collection comprises of, not one, nor two or three, but four deliciously indulgent, new flavours! They include: Murray River Salted Caramel, Sunshine Coast Strawberries & Cream, Gisborne Orange & Dark Choc, Manuka Honey & Cream. The Tim Tam Crafted Collection is the result of Arnott’s researching* what its fans desire most when it comes to a chocolatey treat and recognising some consumer taste preferences are changing. Australians are often looking for more indulgent treats with premium ingredients, attention to detail, and carefully crafted flavours. And that’s exactly what Tim Tam has delivered, so you can bet it’ll be worth the agonising, week-long wait, until the new range hits stores. Matt Grant, Arnott’s Marketing Manager ...

2019 Australian Masterchef winner Larissa Takchi has collaborated with the world’s best mustard, Maille to create the world’s first black forest mustard macaron which will launch at the French music and culinary festival So Frenchy So Chic (SFSC) on 12th and 18th January 2020. The limited-edition Black Forrest Maille Mustard Macaron is a taste sensation, innovative and adventurous with an unexpected and extremely aromatic strong rich smell of cocoa, a sweet hit of blackberry ganache followed by a subtle afternote of Maille’s honey mustard made with the warmth of classic Dijon and a dash of honey sweetness.  Its an extraordinary recipe which showcases Maille’s versatility and the creativity of Australia’s most incredible experiential pastry chef. The Black Forest Macaron will be served from the luxury Maille food truck exclusively at SFSC festivals in Melbourne Werribee Park, Sunday 12th January 11.15am – 9pm and Sydney Bicentennial Park Saturday, 18th January 1pm -11pm. “I’m like ma...

After careful and thorough consideration, Kaufland has decided to undertake an orderly withdrawal from the Australian market. The company will be concentrating its business on its European core markets in the foreseeable future. Kaufland’s 200 Australian employees were informed of the decision today, with an assurance that generous packages including all entitlements will be offered,as part of a thorough support and consultation process for all. The future of Kaufland’s existing Australian investments, including properties purchased for retail outlets and distribution infrastructure, will be discussed with the relevant parties in coming days. This decision is about focusing business activities in Europe and is in no way a reflection of the efforts of local employees or management, or the support Kaufland has received from the Australian business community or governments. Frank Schumann, acting CEO of Kaufland International, said “This was not an easy decision for us. We always felt...

Sprout Stack is Australia’s first commercial vertical farm, and it’s set to change the meaning of local produce. Local no longer means produced in Australia, but produce grown in your own backyard. Growing high-quality salad greens in recycled shipping containers that have been fitted with advanced, hydroponic growing systems, Sprout Stack represents the future of farming. It’s helping to solve the very real problem of a faltering food system. Sprout Stack’s proprietary technology has been built from scratch, meaning its farms can be entirely controlled via a phone browser and the vision as the business scales is for the farms to become entirely autonomous. Each Sprout Stack shipping container can produce the equivalent to about one hectare of traditional farmland. It’s also highly sustainable. Plants are grown in coconut husk by-product and fed nutrient-rich water in a near closed-loop system. By being locally-based, the agtech startup can deliver fresh produce from ‘paddock’ to p...

The highly anticipated summer campaign for Australian Lamb has landed, urging Aussies to look up from their screens and share the Lamb. The integrated campaign, created by The Monkeys, part of Accenture Interactive, kicks off with a long form tech thriller directed by Plaza’s Paul Middleditch and sets out to remind a tech obsessed nation of real life connection and reunite Aussies, distracted by their phones, screens and social, over delicious Aussie Lamb. In the ‘Lambalytica’ ad we see an elite team infiltrating people’s devices to bring them together face-to-face. From a couple who spend more time looking at their phones than each other, to a teenage gamer glued to the TV, ‘Lambalytica’ taps into the phones of unsuspecting Aussies and unites them over an epic Lamb barbie off-screen. Graeme Yardy, Domestic Market Manager at MLA says, “As a brand, Australian Lamb is famous for unity. In this digital age, we wanted to use the power of lamb to disrupt social media, peel people away fr...

Brand Finance Australia (BFA) has released their latest brand analysis. Woolworths has reclaimed Australia’s most valuable brand title in the latest BFA report, as reported by the Australian Financial Review. Woolies’ brand value is now estimated to be $11.8 billion, taking the spot from Telstra, which dropped 20% to $11.7 billion in brand value. Commonwealth Bank follows up with $10.2 billion, ranking third on the list. Brand Finance released their ranking for 2020 in Davos Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum, which contained Australian 100 and Global 500 brand rankings. To read the full article by the Australian Financial Review, click here. Contact us to get more information on AD and PR options, let us now which options interest you. You can also upload a document to receive a consulting from our professional staff * * * * Choose your options and get a quote(we can bundle a special deal):* (one or more options are allowed) Tell me something about what you are looki...

McWilliam’s Wines is one of Australia’s first family owned vineyards, whose founder, Samuel McWilliam planted the first wine vines in 1877 in Riverina, New South Wales. The company is estimated to be owned by six generations of the family that lasted around 141 years, as reported by ABC News. Unfortunately, the family owned business is facing difficult financial times and is now going into administration as the declining performance and the constant evolving changes in the wine market is forcing them to look for investors to finance the company in order to stay in business. The company called in administrators from KPMG for assistance. “We are in the initial phase of the administration process where our priority is to undertake an immediate assessment of the business and its operations,” KPMG partner Gayle Dickerson said in a statement. To read the full ABC article, click here. Contact us to get more information on AD and PR options, let us now which options interest you. You ca...

FoodLegal has announced its next FoodLegal workshop on #TrendingClaims, in both Sydney & Melbourne. The workshop should be of great interest to all food marketers, product developers, QA food technologists as well as legal & regulatory compliance personnel of retailers & food companies. Sydney: – 05 March 2020 9AM to 12:30PM – Level 13/60 Margaret St, Sydney NSW 2000 – $415 (inc GST) EARLY BIRD registrations by 22 February 2020 / $485 Full Price Click here for more details about Sydney workshop. Melbourne: – 24 March 2020 9AM to 12:30PM – Level 1/440 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000 – $415 (inc GST) EARLY BIRD registrations by 22 February 2020 / $485 Full Price Click here for more details about Melbourne Workshop. Contact us to get more information on AD and PR options, let us now which options interest you. You can also upload a document to receive a consulting from our professional staff * * * * Choose your options and get a quote(we can bundle a special d...

Jamaica Blue has brought back their most iconic drinks from the ’90s, for fans to slurp through the summer. This month, Jamaica Blue has reintroduced their ‘Summer Slurpers Range’ – but this time with a twist. Differing from their classic drinks from 25 years ago, this reboot will be accompanied by a take-home reusable straw. The refreshing range includes: ● Jumpy Monkey: Made with banana puree, mango, a cheeky shot of espresso along with vanilla ice cream ● Banana Colada: A delicious combo of banana, coconut, pineapple blended with vanilla ice cream ● You Can Toucan: Blended with apple juice, kiwi puree, banana, mint, soda water and ice, finished off with lime The first Jamaica Blue cafe was introduced in 1992. To celebrate the quirkiness of the original cafe, Jamaica Blue beckons customers to bask in the heat and escape and refresh with this limited edition offer. The reusable metal straws are available in three unique, fruity options; don’t forget to collect all three. Shane M...

Coca-Cola Australia has launched the new Frozen Coke® No Sugar – a world-first innovation in the frozen beverage category. From this week, Coca-Cola’s latest No Sugar offering will be exclusively available in all McDonald’s restaurants across the nation. Coca-Cola Australia led the development of the new innovation locally supporting its global research and development team to bring the product proposition to life. George Wheen, Brand Director of Flavours, said: “We are delighted to bring this new innovation to market in Australia. It has been a focus for us as a business to offer Australians the choice of great tasting beverages across our portfolio, with and without sugar. In the frozen category, this was easier said than done! “We are really proud of the team who cracked the recipe for Frozen Coke No Sugar, which delivers a great Coca-Cola taste, but without the sugar,” he said. The new Frozen Coke No Sugar offering is exclusively available to McDonald’s restaurants in Australia...

An abundance of premium, hand-picked and juicy peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums are on the way as Montague announces the launch of its 2019/20 summer fruit season. Stonefruit is due to hit supermarkets and greengrocers nationwide in December 2019. The highly anticipated return of Montague’s stonefruit brands ‘CROC EGGS™’ and their range of exceptional stone fruit, ‘the MONTAGUE tree™, feature juicy white fleshed peaches and nectarines, succulent yellow fleshed peaches and nectarines, plump apricots and luscious plums. Ideal for summer salads or eaten on their own, CROC EGGS™’ and ‘the MONTAGUE tree™ stonefruit are renowned for their succulent flesh and a natural sweetness, providing a refreshing experience for the warmer months. “We are thrilled to welcome our seasonal stonefruit into the homes and plates of Australian nationwide. As a 100% Australian-owned family business, Montague is dedicated to providing consumers with only the highest quality fruit and we are confident t...

This article was originally publiushed by Eythan Halon – The Jerusalem Post on December 9 2019. A French-Israeli entrepreneur believes that recycling challenges posed by large quantities of plastic bottles could be significantly ameliorated with a rubber band. It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention, but what about simplicity? According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, there could be more plastic than fish (by weight) in the ocean by 2050, if current plastic disposal trends continue. In fact, only 14% of the world’s masses of plastic packaging materials is collected for recycling. One French-Israeli serial entrepreneur, however, believes that recycling challenges posed by large quantities of plastic bottles could be significantly ameliorated with a solution based on the addition of a rubber band. On Monday, Morris Amsellem, the CEO of waste solution company Ecoams Planet, unveiled Bakbuk: a simple solution to crush plastic bottles and make recycling easier for...

Nespresso is bringing the ultimate Australian poolside summer vibe to Sydney. Our country’s summer is world-renowned. And so is its unique coffee culture. Combine the two and you get Nespresso’s ‘Taste the Australian Summer’ – a new Limited Edition iced coffee range, perfect to be enjoyed poolside under the summer sun. To celebrate the launch of the new range, Nespresso is bringing a luxurious poolside oasis to Exchange Place, Barangaroo, in the heart of Sydney’s bustling CBD. The pop-up poolside experience will be offering full-sized samples of the two new refreshing Limited Edition coffees – Flat White Over Ice and Long Black Over Ice – for free. For a more indulgent iced coffee, there is the Flat White Over Ice – a blend of darker roasted coffees with bold spice notes and a smooth, creamy texture. Or for a more hipster vibe, inspired by the globally trendsetting Aussie barista culture, try the Long Black Over Ice – a combination of south American and east African coffees known f...

The entertaining season is finally here and this year you can ensure that everyone is catered for with delicious new vegetarian savoury options from Patties Finger Foods. The party season is the perfect time for celebrating with friends. Whether you are hosting a Christmas lunch, having a New Year’s celebration or a summer barbecue then Patties Finger Foods new Vegetarian Bites and Croquettes will be your new go-to to make entertaining easy. The beloved Australian brand’s latest offerings include mouth-watering sundried tomato, basil and parmesan croquettes; jalapeno, cheese and corn bites; and broccoli and cheese bites. The new products join Patties’ expanding range of meat-free products, including vegetarian quiches, and the Vegan Friendly Rolls, which were introduced in March as a first plant-based offering for Patties Finger Food brand. Research* shows that almost 9.9 million Aussie adults (53.4%) agree that they’re eating less red meat these days. “The demand for vegetarian f...

SUEZ and Yume have announced a partnership in the fight against commercial food waste, which sees some 4.1 million tonnes of surplus food every year going, often unnecessarily, to waste. This food, produced by Australian farmers and manufacturers, becomes surplus before it reaches supermarkets, restaurants or homes. Now, more than ever, Australian households are increasingly concerned about the food waste they generate – yet it makes up only 34 per cent of total Food Waste Generated in 2016-171. Most of the food waste pie – some 55 per cent – is associated with our Primary Production, Manufacturing and Wholesale sectors. This is the uncomfortable truth of commercial food waste that no one talks about. Yume, the leading online marketplace for high quality surplus food, is focused on delivering solutions for the top two stages of the food waste hierarchy: avoiding and reusing. SUEZ, an industry leader in waste management and recycling with a national infrastructure network and capab...

Jamaica Blue is bringing festive cheer to your coffee with a limited edition Very Merry Blend. Made with 50% Kenya and 50% Colombia coffee beans, this blend tastes of candied orange and butterscotch. A medium bodied coffee with a brandy butter mouthfeel – Yum! Coffee lovers can indulge in a cup of Very Merry Blend in Jamaica Blue cafes nationwide for an additional 50c or buy a take-home pack to enjoy it in the comfort of your own home. With every take-home purchase, customers receive a FREE cup of Very Merry Blend to drink in or takeaway.* A take-home pack of Very Merry Blend is the perfect Christmas gift for all the coffee-lovers in your life! Sebastian Shearman, Coffee & Beverage Innovation Specialist from Jamaica Blue said:  “This award-winning specialty coffee blend tastes like warm butterscotch Christmas pudding when served with milk. Coffee aficionados will appreciate the spice notes and a slight sweet orange flavour when served as a black coffee,  with a delicious...

Beetroot extract, matcha green tea and ginger are some of the novel ingredients headlining Merlo Coffee’s original new summer menu. If you fancy a slice of red velvet cake with your cuppa, Merlo has brewed up a sweet liquid version, made with all-natural ingredients including Australian-grown beetroot. The eye-catching rose-coloured blend is served as a blended iced drink or hot latte-style. Queensland’s famous seasonal fruits like mango, berries and banana star in a range of refreshing smoothies and fresh juice options include apple and ginger or orange with pulp. A new matcha green tea blended ice drink is rich and aromatic with a refreshing, sweet after-taste. The chai-flavoured iced drink is aromatic with cinnamon, sugar and spice. The summer menu also includes milkshake favourites such as chocolate, vanilla and caramel. The new summer menu is available at most Merlo Coffee cafes. Contact us to get more information on AD and PR options, let us now which options interest you. ...

BerryWorld Australia has launched a novelty Christmas design on its 125g heat-sealed raspberry packs. The packs featuring a stylised Santa popping out of the BerryWorld signature “B” window are available at selected Woolworths stores in Queensland until Christmas Day. It’s the first novelty design for the brand which launched in 2017 and rebranded earlier this year. Contact us to get more information on AD and PR options, let us now which options interest you. You can also upload a document to receive a consulting from our professional staff * * * * Choose your options and get a quote(we can bundle a special deal):* (one or more options are allowed) Tell me something about what you are looking for If you have an artwork ready please upload it, we'll have a look for you * required X Name * E-mail * Company Phone Number Enter your Query * * required X

The strong partnership between Dare Iced Coffee and the St Kilda Football Club continues to strengthen, as Australia’s favourite iced coffee brand 1 announces a new three-year sponsorship. As both the men’s and women’s St Kilda teams march into the new season, Dare will take pride of place on the neck line of the players and coaches guernsey for the first time – a prestigious position previously reserved for apparel partners. St Kilda’s AFL coach Brett Ratten, AFLW coach Peta Searle, and the new assistant coaches will all don the refreshed kit, and as always enjoy a coaching box stashed full of Dare to help keep them on the ball. As the number one iced coffee product in Australia [1], the brand hopes that a Dare Fix’ll fuel the Saints throughout the 2020 season and beyond. Partnering with a category leading brand is an important reflection of St Kilda’s vision of taking out the top spot in their 2020 AFL campaign. Darryn Wallace, Marketing & Innovation Director at Lion Dairy ...

Arcadian Organic & Natural Meat Co is a leading global supplier of premium quality certified organic meat and is a pioneer in the organic meat industry. Arcadian prides itself on a history of innovation, market leadership, and creating award-winning products to meet the changing demands of the market. The company’s flagship Cleaver’s brand is the most successful organic meat brand in Australia, delivering new, innovative certified organic products to Australians every year, including Cleaver’s Beef Lasagne – the first certified organic grass fed beef lasagne that is commercially available on a large scale in major Australian supermarkets. Arcadian’s story began in 2005 when current CEO, Alister Ferguson, and his long-time friend Peter Gall (current Livestock Department Manager), decided to commercialise their vision for organic meat production in Australia. Today, Arcadian is the largest processor of organic livestock in Australia. Arcadian believes in the fundamental importance...

The Craft & Co have had many gin markets to signify the seasons throughout the year, but can you believe they’ve never held one dedicated only to summer? Well… they’re going to right that wrong in 2020 and launching their first ever Summer Gin Market! So together with some of their distillery friends, they’ll be putting together over 10 market stalls, where punters can meet some of the makers in person and find out all about their products (some of which are making their Gin Market debut!). No surprise either that they’re expecting another sell-out weekend market, so are urging people to snare themselves a spot early in Melbourne’s original and longest running Gin Market series. DATE: Saturday 1st February 2020 & Sunday 2nd February 2020 WHERE: The Craft & Co  – 390 Smith St, Collingwood PRICE: $15 (includes FREE tastings at all market stalls) and gives you access to one session. Ticketed sessions are available throughout the weekend: Saturday 1st February Sessio...

The snacking experts at Arnott’s have lit the oven, fired up the barbie and cooked up two delicious new flavours to add to their Shapes Aussie Legends range; Meat Pie and Sausage Sizzle. These latest additions to the Shapes roster will be available from late December. The new Arnott’s Shapes range has captured two quintessentially Australian flavours in a perfect blend of savoury, seasoned goodness. And after introducing biscuits shaped like the Australian continent last year, the new range includes Tasmania-shaped biscuits in every box. Shannon Wright, Arnott’s Marketing Manager, Savoury says, “There’s no question that Aussies love a meat pie and a sausage sizzle. After the overwhelming response we received for Shapes VEGEMITE and Cheese last year, we wanted to expand our Shapes Aussie Legends range with more of these tastes Australians love.” “Shapes means Flavour You Can See, and the new Aussie Legends range will be hard to miss!” Shapes Meat Pie offers sweet tomato, rich gravy ...

Western Meat Packers Group has supported and initiated training at all levels for all staff ever since it was started in 1983 by qualified butcher Rod Russell. In 2019, Mr Russell is a Director of the business he co-owns with wife Shana, while CEO Andrew Fuda, also a qualified butcher, runs the $150 million annual turnover business which employs 450 people at its Osborne Park processing and packing facility, Margaret River abattoir and Bibra Lake value adding unit. The company’s commitment to upskilling, on-the-job training, professional development and broader industry support was recently underlined when it hosted the 2019 Australian Meat Industry Council Apprentice of the Year competition in its dedicated staff training boning room at Osborne Park. The Apprentice of the Year, which has been going for more than 50 years, encourages apprentices to strive to be the best tradesman they possibly can within the meat industry, according to Chris Kelly, AMIC Member Relations ...

Luckily, one of Australia’s largest apple growers, Montague Fresh, has reported that its orchards in the fire-ravaged Batlow region of NSW have been ‘spared the worst’ of the bushfire crisis that continues to blaze in New South Wales and eastern Victoria. “It is with great relief and gratitude that we announce only minor damage to our 75 hectare apple orchards in Batlow NSW due to fire over the weekend of January 4 and 5, 2020.  The orchard has over 200,000 apple trees but sustained damage to less than 5000 trees on the boundary of the property because fires were largely contained to areas outside of orchard blocks. In addition, all Montague staff were evacuated prior to the arrival of the fire and no injuries have been reported.” said a Montague spokesperson. “The Montague team will be working with the local industry to repair any damage and focus on producing a great crop of apples in the coming season.  While these losses will have an impact of apple supply there will be a signifi...

With 1.5 billion cups of coffee consumed a day, Change Coffee – World Vision Australia’s first social enterprise – is on a mission to help eradicate global poverty by 2030. Change Coffee’s range of hand-roasted, Fairtrade coffee donates 100 per cent of its profits to World Vision’s life-changing programs to economically empower women globally. Social Entrepreneur and Head of Social Enterprise at World Vision Australia Simone Dowding says Change Coffee is aiming to bring about a socially conscious initiative to encourage consumers and cafés to switch their coffee to a bean with purpose, and that there’s no better way than to start the day with an epic cup of coffee that’s really changing lives. “When women have equal access to meaningful work, which is fairly paid, it has a multiplier effect, benefiting not only the individual woman, but also their families, communities, and countries,” Simone says. “The brand’s business model incorporates strategies to innovate social change. From ...

Foodbank Victoria  is the State’s official emergency food and water relief organisation, under the State Emergency Relief and Recovery Plan. As fires broke out across East Gippsland, they immediately responded delivering urgent food relief and water to those affected areas via air, sea, and road. As the crisis grows, thousands more Victorians continue to be in desperate need of vital supplies. Foodbank Victoria need urgent financial donations to continue providing vital food and water to Victorian families affected by the bushfires. Unfortunately, with conditions expected to worsen over the coming weeks, this is going to be a long and ongoing situation and as such require all the assistance they can during this devastating time to support families across the state. RMIT will be supporting Foodbank Victoria during this time and encourage you to do the same by donating at the following link: https://www.foodbank.org.au/VIC/bushfire-emergency-food-relief-appeal-afn/ Contact us to get...

Be brave diners! Chew on crispy chicken feet, suck the goodness out of a crab claw, slurp duck blood, nibble on a tender pig kidney, frog legs or perhaps even a sea urchin ball. The weird and wonderful world of authentic Chinese cuisine, notably Dragon Hot Pot’s malatang, with its huge selection of traditional and unconventional ingredients, is thriving at their eight stores across the country. Thankfully Australian’s are embracing it with open minds and empty stomachs. Gone are the days of sticky sweet and sour pork, curry stained Singapore noodles and playing it safe with a plate of dumplings at the local Chinese restaurant. The demand for authentic Asian cuisine is growing and Australians are open to fossicking around for a variety of organ meats and pluck known commonly as offal – a staple in traditional Sichuan hot pot. Historically, hot pot was regarded a poor man’s broth, born on the banks of the Yangtze River by labourers who couldn’t afford prime cuts of meat. From then, t...

Rocket Seeder is a Melbourne-based accelerator for early stage startups in the food and agriculture sector in Australia. Established in 2017, Rocket Seeder supports innovators and founders to take their ideas and early stage businesses to the next level by providing tools, guidance and a safe environment to learn and grow. Rocket Seeder is delighted to announce the dates of their first accelerator programs in regional Victoria. North East Victoria in Beechworth at the Old Beechworth Gaol Thursday 30 January 2020 to Friday 20 March 2020 (9 days over 8 weeks) Applications close on 23 January 2020 South West Victoria in Warrnambool at The Hive, South West TAFE Monday 3 February 2020 to Monday 30 March 2020 (9 days over 9 weeks) Applications close on 3 February 2020 Supporting entrepreneurship and innovation is vital to regional and rural areas, as it has the potential to boost local economies. Local talent and other resources are developed and retained, preventing rural population...

JBS Australia Pty Limited as the leading player in the Australian meat processing and food manufacturing sectors will donate $1 million to the Australian Volunteer Trust, established by the Business Council of Australia in partnership with Equity Trustees. The Trust will be a permanent and ongoing fund to support the children of volunteers who have died in fighting the current fires and any future major disasters. The Chief Executive Officer of JBS, Brent Eastwood announced the donation today in Brisbane. “The impact of the fires has been significant, and devastated communities across mainland eastern states. Through our business we have a direct contact and long term relationships with many livestock producers and communities in these affected areas,” he said. “Importantly, our donation to the Trust will support the children of volunteers who have died in fighting these fires and any future major disasters. “As a member of the Business Council we are right behind this Initiative ...

Tim Tam,Australia’s number one chocolate biscuit, is bringing the flavours of Australia and New Zealand into a new range of biscuits that will be available in stores nationwide from next week. Let the countdown begin! The Arnott’s Tim Tam Crafted Collection comprises of, not one, nor two or three, but four deliciously indulgent, new flavours! They include: Murray River Salted Caramel, Sunshine Coast Strawberries & Cream, Gisborne Orange & Dark Choc, Manuka Honey & Cream. The Tim Tam Crafted Collection is the result of Arnott’s researching* what its fans desire most when it comes to a chocolatey treat and recognising some consumer taste preferences are changing. Australians are often looking for more indulgent treats with premium ingredients, attention to detail, and carefully crafted flavours. And that’s exactly what Tim Tam has delivered, so you can bet it’ll be worth the agonising, week-long wait, until the new range hits stores. Matt Grant, Arnott’s Marketing Manager ...

2019 Australian Masterchef winner Larissa Takchi has collaborated with the world’s best mustard, Maille to create the world’s first black forest mustard macaron which will launch at the French music and culinary festival So Frenchy So Chic (SFSC) on 12th and 18th January 2020. The limited-edition Black Forrest Maille Mustard Macaron is a taste sensation, innovative and adventurous with an unexpected and extremely aromatic strong rich smell of cocoa, a sweet hit of blackberry ganache followed by a subtle afternote of Maille’s honey mustard made with the warmth of classic Dijon and a dash of honey sweetness.  Its an extraordinary recipe which showcases Maille’s versatility and the creativity of Australia’s most incredible experiential pastry chef. The Black Forest Macaron will be served from the luxury Maille food truck exclusively at SFSC festivals in Melbourne Werribee Park, Sunday 12th January 11.15am – 9pm and Sydney Bicentennial Park Saturday, 18th January 1pm -11pm. “I’m like ma...