Food & Beverage

A soil-free, time-efficient indoor garden packed in a beautiful, modern award-winning design, Rotofarm, launched on Indiegogo on Tuesday 10th March 2020. It has already surpassed its $15,000 goal by a staggering $179,000 as of Thursday 12th March 2020. Rotofarm combines the power of NASA-inspired zero-gravity technology, energy-efficient sunlight spectrum lighting and smart app automation for the easiest, most efficient and most effective growing experience. Consumers can: Save Space — Uses 3x less space as flat garden Save Time — Only needs 5 minutes/week of care Save Water — Use 95% less water than soil Save Energy — Energy-efficient boosted-spectrum LED Save Hassle — No soil, no mess, no worry Consumers can grow their favourite vegetables, herbs and microgreens up to 2x faster, using less space, water and energy. All you need to do is plant pre-seeded pods into plant slots, fill with water and nutrients and monitor and control the process via the Rotofarm App. Requiring no...

In January 2020, Bulla Dairy Foods (Bulla) launched its latest premium range of ice creams, Bulla Murray St. The Murray St Ice Creamery launch is a celebration of over 90 years of making ice cream on Murray Street Ice Creamery, in Colac Victoria. A testament to these years of ice cream craftsmanship, each Murray Street product won an award at the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales (RAS) annual 2020 Sydney Royal Cheese & Dairy Competition. Announced ahead of the annual Sydney Royal Easter Show in April, the new Murray St Caramel Maple & Macadamias sticks were awarded a prestigious gold award in the Novel Ice cream or Gelato category. With the rest of ice cream range taking home a series of silver and bronze awards. Commenting on the win, Rebecca Stoppa, Marketing Manager at Bulla Dairy Foods said “We love the taste of our latest Murray St Ice Creamery range, so it’s great to have this acknowledged by receiving such prestigious awards. We’re pleased to be building ...

Time-poor Aussies looking for a healthy start to their morning on-the-go need look no further. Uncle Tobys has just introduced two brand new delicious varieties as part of its portable Breakfast Bakes range – Roasted Cashew & Vanilla Flavour and Peanut Butter. Uncle Tobys ambassador and nutritionist Kathleen Alleaume says, “Our busy lives don’t always allow us the time to sit down to enjoy our breakfast, but if we don’t, we often find ourselves grazing on unhealthy snacks throughout the day. ” “A satisfying bite that fits into the palm of your hand, Uncle Tobys Oats Breakfast Bakes have the same amount of oats as a bowl of porridge. Breakfast Bakes are an excellent source of whole grains and are Low GI which means they help provide longer lasting energy .” Research from 2019 revealed consuming whole grains at breakfast ensures that you crave less added and natural sugars, refined grains, and unhealthy snacks throughout the day. “The Uncle Tobys Oats Breakfast Bake is perfect f...

Hoping to be crowned the best of the best, Australia’s top roasters, baristas and latte artists will come together in Adelaide to battle it out in the 2020 Condesa Co Lab Australian Coffee Championships. The four-day event, hosted by Australian Specialty Coffee Association (ASCA), is being held at Tasting Australia in Adelaide from March 27 2020. ASCA President Kieran Westlake says champions from the event will go on to represent Australia. “Champions will go on to represent Australia on the world stage, competing against national champions from across the global to be crowned World Champion.” “This is an exciting event for Australia and the coffee industry, the best of the best will be recognised.” Former world coffee champion, Sasa Sestic says the competition drives baristas and roasters to be their best. “I spent more than 10 hours a day for 100 consecutive days training in the lead-up to the competition.” “The competition pushes you to be the best and encourages you to lea...

When it comes to that unmistakeable choc-malt taste and iconic crunch, Aussies know ‘You’ve Gotta Be Made of MILO’. And now MILO lovers looking for a delicious dairy alternative can rejoice with the launch of MILO Plant Based. The classic favourite has entered a new market with a dairy alternative option that doesn’t compromise on the nostalgic taste that Australians grew up with. Nestlé Dairy Business Manager Anna Stewart said that with more Aussies turning to dairy alternatives, it was time for more MILO fans to be able to enjoy the classic taste of MILO. “As we know people are looking for more plant based products, it was time to look at how MILO could evolve to offer more options that don’t compromise on taste,” Ms Stewart said. “MILO Plant Based is created using the same core ingredients as original MILO – malt, barley and cocoa, but we’ve taken out the milk powder, reduced the added sugar, and added plant based ingredients from soy and oats. ” MILO Plant Based is a vegan fr...

This month, Nespresso introduces new heights of sensory intensity with the introduction of a unique and powerful addition to its permanent range of coffees. Masterfully roasted, Ispirazione Napoli is the first permanent coffee to offer an intensity 13. Marrying Nespresso’s coffee expertise with the deep-rooted coffee rituals of Napoli, the new coffee has been masterfully developed using dark roasting methods, taking it to the ultimate intense degree. Also new is Ispirazione Venezia, intensity 8, which offers rounded smoothness and caramel notes, illustrating Venice’s long history of importing the world’s coffees and expertly roasting them for the ultimate balance in aromatic profiles. Ispirazione Napoli and Ispirazione Venezia join a selection of existing coffees to form ISPIRAZIONE ITALIANA. While the existing coffees remain unchanged, the names and packaging of the intense ristretto and espresso range are evolving to capture the regional Italian roasting expertise that inspired t...

Australian based foodtech startup Grainstone, is pleased to announce that its prototype Grainstone Brewers Premium Flour is now available to innovative food manufacturers, commercial flour buyers, scientists and academics for research and product development trials across the country. This all new nutritious specialty flour is made from upcycled premium brewers spent grain, a coproduct from the manufacture of Australia’s most well known and loved beers. High in protein, dietary fibre, calcium and B vitamins whilst low in gluten, this fortifying ingredient can help give your food products a healthy boost, with peace of mind that it is sustainably sourced and authentically Australian made. It can be used in foods including; artisan breads, healthy cookies, snackfoods, breakfast cereals, sausages, pies and more. Founder and CEO Matthew Kronborg says “I am pleased to announce this next step in our deployment as we form up demand commitments towards the build decision on our innovative f...

Spending on e-groceries is expected to triple by 2022, according to projections by the globally respected Nielsen organisation in collaboration with the Food Marketing Institute, and many grocers have already reached the point where using pickers as surrogate shoppers, traveling up and down store aisles pulling orders from shelves, has become unsustainable. The economics don’t make sense and the increased congestion is frustrating in-store shoppers. In recent years, Australia and New Zealand have seen growth in online grocery sales, with industry revenue in Australia expected to grow to an annualised 21. 7% over the past 5 years, to a total of $3.3 billion. This is couple by consumers’ increasing interest in buying groceries online, with an estimated 5 million Australians considering buying groceries online in the next year, up from approximately 800,000 a year ago. (Source: IBISWorld Market Research Report: Online Grocery Sales in Australia.) So, as e-grocery sales increase, grocer...

•    Morning Glory Farms, a spaghetti squash grower in Australia, will work with DiMuto to digitalize its squash and conduct marketing campaigns to end consumers •    The Morning Glory Farms brand of spaghetti squash is sold at major local retailers in Western Australia, including Coles and IGA •    The SMART marketing services powered by unique DiMuto QR codes is a cost-effective solution to reach out to end consumers and communicate brand stories of farmers and growers •    The deal underscores the 360 approach to solving global agri-food supply chain challenges that DiMuto trade platform brings beyond just supply chain traceability Singapore, 24 February 2020 – DiMuto, a tech-based trade solutions platform that provides end-to-end supply chain visibility for global businesses, has secured a deal with Western Australia produce grower Morning Glory Farms. DiMuto will be digitalizing Morning Glory Farms’ spaghetti squash to track and trace them throughout the supply chain, as well ...

Citrus Australia says major retailers must lift prices to juice growers, who are facing a decline in production due to seasonal conditions. Citrus Australia CEO Nathan Hancock says prices paid for fresh juice by supermarkets to juice companies does not reflect the seasonal environmental impacts of frost and drought on the 2019/20 Valencia crop. “This limits the amount of money that juice processors can pay growers, which will exacerbate the long-term decline in juice variety production,” Mr Hancock said. “The juice growing industry is under immense pressure and Australian consumers may not have access to fresh Australian orange juice in as little as five years. “Such a situation would be devastating for Australian consumers. “We implore our major retailers to recognise the impact seasonal conditions are having on our growers and to lift their prices accordingly. ” Mr Hancock said estimates forecast a shortage of juicing oranges in the coming months. Crop production is estimated ...

It’s estimated that each year, about 4.1 million people in Australia get sick from food they’ve eaten (‘foodborne illness’), 32,000 people are hospitalised and 120 people die. Australia is known to have a strong reputation for producing high quality and safe food, therefore it is critically important to uphold this reputation by maintaining and implementing food safety standards. Recently the Ministers responsible for food regulation agreed that their top priority is to reduce foodborne illness, particularly illnesses related to the bacteria Salmonella and Campylobacter. In addition to foodborne illness, food recalls are another major concern when it comes to food safety. The most common causes of food recalls are undeclared allergens and biological contamination. In the last 10 years there have been a total of 707 food recalls coordinated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Avoiding food recalls is in the best interest of all food manufacturers, given Australia is rec...

Alto-Shaam, a global leader and innovator in the foodservice equipment industry, has appointed Tracy Bennett as regional sales manager for Australia and New Zealand. In this new role, Tracy is tasked with leading and executing Alto-Shaam’s sales growth strategies across Australia and New Zealand including strategic account management and developing new sales opportunities. She will also be responsible for establishing and building long-term working relationships with key target segments including channel partners, chains, key accounts and end users. Tracy will report directly to Paul Harper, Alto-Shaam Vice President of Asia-Pacific. “Tracy joins us with extensive experience in the foodservice industry”, Paul said. “I look forward to working closely with her to grow our business and achieve our objectives across the region. ” Prior to joining Alto-Shaam, Tracy worked in Australia as national sales manager for a global food equipment manufacturer, where she demonstrated her ability ...

Pioneering beverage brand, MOJO Kombucha, has announced the launch of its new ‘Activated’ range, which includes a new and exciting raspberry flavour. The launch, which coincides with the brand’s tenth year, will also see a packaging refresh that highlights the product’s authenticity and brand philosophy. The new labels emphasise MOJO kombucha’s traditional brewing process, which uses live cultures and probiotics and real fruit such as blueberries, strawberries and passionfruit. The brand is seeking to challenge consumer perceptions and clear up confusion around kombucha products while also reinforcing key messaging around MOJO’s ‘always chilled, always living’ proposition. Anthony Crabb, CEO and founder of Organic & Raw Trading Co, the producers of MOJO Kombucha, said: “MOJO has always been about helping Australians understand gut health and our new packaging is an extension of the education work we’ve been doing since we first launched a decade ago. MOJO has always followed a...

New Zealand’s leading freeze-dried company, Fresh As, has launched in Australia and aims to revolutionise how consumers cook at home. Founded in 2003 by Tommy Roff, Fresh As first began with developing freeze-dried herbs. The driving force was due to being unable to provide French Tarragon to Chefs, all-year-round. With the specific herb being available only three months of the year, Tommy decided to invest in the freeze-drying method and technology, which now allows the herb to be readily available. Since its inception, the freeze-dried empire has expanded its range to include over 100 different products, including crunchy fruits, essential herbs, flavourful fruit powders and dessert solutions such as panna cotta in three different flavours. The gap in the Australian market for freeze-dried products was the catalyst for launching Fresh As locally, along with the help from New Zealand-born Chef Ben Shewry – who is the owner of award-winning restaurant, Attica in Melbourne. With B...

Culture House has launched its ‘Raspberry Berliner Weisse,’ brewed by Tribe Breweries, one of Australia’s largest independent craft brewers, at The Mornington Peninsula Brewery in Victoria. “We have harnessed the much-loved characteristics of Berliner Weisse and used our carefully curated house culture to bring the yeast to the fore, giving it a deliciously moorish taste that puts a modern Australian twist on a German classic,” said Kristian Martin, head brewer. Culture House is a new Australian label putting a fresh spin on some of the old world’s most intriguing beer styles. “While many celebrated beers owe their predominate flavours to malt or hops, Culture House beers feature a distinctive fermentation-driven style that is approachable and refreshing and set to appeal to beer lovers old and new,” said Kristian. Culture House Raspberry Berliner Weisse is made with a combination of premium malts and Australian raspberries to produce a deliciously delicate beer that is bursti...

In partnership with Maltesers®, Krispy Kreme New Zealand releases a new limited-edition doughnut dedicated to the much loved, chocolatey ball. The hole-y grail of collabs just landed with Krispy Kreme and Maltesers® teaming up to create an all-new, limited edition, one-of-a-kind: Maltesers® Doughnut. Available at all Krispy Kreme locations today, the chocolately doughnut creation mimics the flavour profile of one of New Zealand’s most popular chocolate brand’s1: Maltesers®. Chocolate-lovers can enjoy an Original Glazed™ doughnut dressed with smooth, gooey milk choc ganache and experience the light crunch of Maltesers® as the cherry chocolate on top. With both brands being well-loved since they both launched in 1937, this power-collaboration will be one that chocolate lovers won’t want to miss. The limited-edition doughnut creation is also available online through UberEATS and Krispy Kreme Click & Collect. Krispy Kreme’s Food Technologist, Tasha Kaur says, “Together with Mal...

Imagine being able to divert all our food waste away from landfill to create clean renewable energy but to also help us grow food sustainably? Victorian company Enesys has been awarded a grant administered by Sustainability Victoria’s Waste to Energy Infrastructure Fund to develop a business case for a fully sustainable commercial precinct. The project will demonstrate how commercial precincts and communities can create their own energy while growing local fresh, nutritious food, and recycling their waste. Australia has a waste problem. We spend more than $10.1 billion on food that ends up in our bins or as landfill. What if we could divert this waste and use it to create clean energy? Extracting energy from organic waste via a process called Anaerobic Digestion is not a new technology. However, unlike burning waste with incineration, Anaerobic Digestion is a natural process where bacteria break down organic matter and produce a gas that is 50–75% methane. This clean gas creates ...

Food service venues are missing out on business because they’re not adequately catering for customers with food allergies. Sydney mum of three, Annabel Selby-Jones, is frustrated at not being able to take her kids with Coeliac Disease out for a family meal more often, or grab a quick take-away, so she has quit her job to launch a business that helps food businesses more easily manage food allergies. FeedMeToo not only supplies allergy-friendly food to businesses, but Annabel also provides education, resources and advice on how to avoid cross contamination in the kitchen. “Australia has a really high rate of food allergies, and prevalence seems to be increasing. At the same time, the number of people choosing to avoid ingredients like dairy and gluten is on the rise. This is a significant number of people looking for better allergy-friendly eating out options. In addition, these people dine out with friends and family, making that proportion of lost business even higher, said Annabe...

One of Australia’s favourite sports drink POWERADE has launched a new campaign encouraging people to ‘Sweat it Out’. The integrated marketing communications campaign aims to inspire active people of all ages and genders to sweat out the daily pressures of life. The campaign showcases that scientifically formulated POWERADE ION4 delivers hydration and replaces electrolytes lost in sweat. It will be led by a locally made TVC with the 30 second spot scheduled to air nationally from this week across television, online video and social media. Along with the new TVC, a series of creative executions will feature high profile POWERADE brand ambassadors, Sam Kerr and Dylan Alcott, who will appear in creative across digital out-of-home, proximity, POS, social and in a range of fitness centres. Natalie Whitehead-Farr, Marketing Manager, Sports at Coca-Cola South Pacific, said: “Our new POWERADE ‘Sweat it Out’ campaign is about connecting the brand to a broader audience. We all have daily pre...

Quick service restaurants are growing rapidly and competition can often feel like a feeding frenzy. With all restaurants – big and small – wanting to take a fair portion of the pie, it’s important to make sure your business is top of mind. Luckily for your quick service restaurant, everyone needs to eat, but mastering ways of staying noticed and at the top of the table will ensure your restaurant shines above all others. By trialling some of these quick marketing solutions from Melissa Haywood, head of Vistaprint Australia, you can soon become the cream of the crop. Faithful feeders:There are a lot of ways you can set up a loyalty program, but one of the easiest to execute (and manage) is to create a membership card that allows customers to work towards earning a free item of your choosing. This requires little long-term planning and can be a simple as a business card format. Customise a simple template with your logo and business information using one of Vistaprint’s online design ...