text:
Self-driving cars like Google's controversial 25mph autonomous pod could get significantly more affordable to make, researchers have promised, with a new LIDAR radar system far cheaper than the expensive turret on top of current models. The laser tracking system - the distinctive "turret" on top of the Google self-driving car - is one of the single most expensive components in the vehicle, estimated to add around $80,000 to the bill of materials. However, a Berkley team believes it could do the same thing at a fraction of the cost.
Microsoft has given its IllumiRoom concept a makeover, with the immersive projected gaming experience evolving to deliver interactive web content that fills the living room and engages with Xbox One, Windows Phone, and Windows. Dubbed Microsoft SurroundWeb, the concept relies on the same approach of using projectors to cast digital graphics onto the surfaces of real-world objects, like the wall surrounding a TV or the coffee table in front of it, which then react to the user within that space.
When you have a product like Kinect, so closely associated with gaming, how do you convince everybody else that they should be installing a motion-tracking camera in the home? Microsoft is looking to smart home technology and health, among other things, to do just that with Kinect for Windows v2, though a stealthy spread through Cortana and smartphones may be just as vital. We caught up with Microsoft’s Michael Mott, general manager of Xbox applications and developer relations, to find out how virtual assistants and home automation could make Kinect-tech the next must-have.
Motion-tracking startup Thalmic Labs has been showing off what its early developers can do with a muscle-reading Myo armband and a little imagination, with the new peripheral already integrated with Oculus Rift, capable of remotely controlling mean-looking robots, and more. The company isn't planning to ship broadly until midway through this year, but its Myo Alpha Developers program is underway, and already the ideas are proving diverse.
Faceware and Vicon, two makers of motion capture technologies, has announced a new partnership that will bring their respective offerings together. For now, the partnership is bringing a simple merging of Faceware's software with Vicon's hardware to expand so-called mocap options in the industry, but additional options may be made available in the future.
With the folks at Tobii Technology you've got some of the most advanced work in the world being down with eye-tracking with the PC. This month they're introducing a partnership with gaming peripheral leaders SteelSeries in an effort to jump-start their entry into the personal PC eye-tracking market. The first introduction we've had with Tobii has been their very own Tobii EyeX Developer Kit, a unit that's already rolling for a variety of PCs and getting prepared for launch this Spring.
Samsung may be developing a new wearable fitness tracker. The so-called "Galaxy Band" would likely be an update to the seemingly discontinued S-Band, the screen-less, wrist-mounted tracker for pairing with a Galaxy S 4. The Galaxy Band would add a screen along with an array of other fitness- and health-oriented tracking features.
Researchers at MIT have created a new way to track movement through walls, and it is even more accurate and revealing than the motion tracking technology they created in June of this year. It's called WiTrack, and it can sense a person's movements in three dimensions -- physical occlusions or no. It's an update to the same researchers' "WiVi", which could "see" through walls but wasn't nearly as comprehensive as this.
Apple's purchase of PrimeSense last week had all the tech industries howling. The Israel-based company's motion tracking technology had largely informed early versions of Kinect, Microsoft's motion-tracking and voice command interface for the Xbox 360 gaming console. Was Apple planning to use PrimeSense's expertise in motion tracking to propel its gadgets into a new era of universal motion tracking capability? Maybe not, says former Washington Post tech journalist Jessica Lessin. It's all about PrimeSense's other, lesser-known, claim to fame: 3D indoor mapping.
Apple today confirmed its widely rumored purchase of PrimeSense, the start-up company that made it possible for Microsoft to develop the motion-tracking technology behind the Kinect device for the blockbuster Xbox line of gaming consoles. The deal was reported by Calcalist to have been completed last week, but neither Apple nor PrimeSense would comment. Today's confirmation opens the floodgates to all manner of innovation for all of Apple's product lines.
Apple has reportedly acquired PrimeSense, the motion-tracking company responsible for the technology in the original Xbox 360 Kinect, in a deal said to be worth around $345m. Whispers of the possible purchase, today reported by Israeli news site Calcalist, began back in July though were described as being in the early stages, and PrimeSense unofficially dismissed the speculation along with chatter rumors of a $280m price tag.


text:
This could have been the year that the Toyota Camry took a chance.
Read This Article
According to a recent report in Wards Auto, midsize cars and crossover utility vehicles will lead sales—Wards projects 60 percent—of all new and redesigned vehicles in 2013.
When you sell a lot of cars, you recall a lot of cars.
Can nearly 30 million happy customers be wrong?

domain: news


text:
Just a week after Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk announced Tesla “suspended vehicle purchases using bitcoin” he has now clarified that the company has not sold any Bitcoin.
Many users on Twitter speculated that Tesla did in fact sell their Bitcoin holdings after Musk sent out a tweet that indicated that Tesla did sell their Bitcoin holdings.
The speculation began when a user on Twitter said “Bitcoiners are going to slap themselves next quarter when they find out Tesla dumped the rest of their Bitcoin holdings”.
Musk responded to the tweet by saying “indeed” which added more speculation that Tesla dumped their Bitcoins.
The CEO of Tesla then decided to silence the rumors by tweeting “To clarify speculation, Tesla has not sold any Bitcoin”.
— Bitcoin News (@BTCTN) May 17, 2021
— Mint (@livemint) May 17, 2021
CNBC covered Musk’s latest comments and shared these details:
Tesla CEO Elon Musk clarified in a tweet early Monday that the electric vehicle maker “has not sold any Bitcoin.”
“To clarify speculation, Tesla has not sold any Bitcoin,” Musk said in a tweet.
The price of bitcoin saw a partial recovery, trading at $44,680 as of 2:35 a.m. ET Monday, according to data from Coin Metrics.
Earlier, bitcoin’s price had tumbled below $43,000 after Musk implied in a Twitter exchange Sunday afternoon that the electric vehicle maker sold or may sell the rest of its bitcoin holdings.
A Twitter user who goes by @CryptoWhale said, “Bitcoiners are going to slap themselves next quarter when they find out Tesla dumped the rest of their holdings. With the amount of hate @elonmusk is getting, I wouldn’t blame him…”
Musk replied, “Indeed.”
The exchange came just days after Musk said the company planned to hold rather than sell the bitcoin it already has and intended to use it for transactions as soon as mining transitions to more sustainable energy. Tesla did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 16, 2021
Market Watch covered Musk’s latest statements too:
A day after sparking another selloff in the world’s biggest digital asset, Tesla’s chief executive officer Elon Musk took to Twitter to say his electric-car company hasn’t done any divesting.
“To clarify speculation, Tesla has not sold any bitcoin,” Musk tweeted in the early hours of Monday. He was responding to a tweet from another user who accused him of triggering losses in the cryptocurrency.
His latest tweet came after a Twitter exchange on Sunday with user @cryptowhale who said investors would “slap themselves next quarter when they find out Tesla dumped the rest of their #Bitcoin holdings. With the amount of hate @elonmusk is getting, I wouldn’t blame him…”
Musk replied cryptically: “Indeed.”
Bitcoin BTCUSD, -3.33% moved higher after that tweet, last hovering at $44,792, a roughly 9% drop over 24 hours, but off a low of $42,212 seen over the period.
Here’s the tweet Musk sent out to clarify that Tesla hasn’t sold their Bitcoin holdings:
To clarify speculation, Tesla has not sold any Bitcoin
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 17, 2021
Want more? To stay up to date on all our news, please follow us on Facebook here:


text:
Karl Sice has revealed plans to vacate his role as head of Winc Technology Solutions across Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ), exiting the provider after almost six years.
Formerly Staples Technology Solutions, ARN can confirm that the industry veteran will depart on Friday 15 September.
“After almost six years with the business, Karl has made the decision to look for opportunities outside of Winc and will first take a few months to spend quality time with his family,” a spokesperson for Winc told ARN.
“Karl has played an integral role in building the external profile of our business and successfully transitioning us from Staples Technology Solutions to Winc Technology.
“This decision was made in conjunction with a pivot on our existing strategy that will focus on the changing and ever increasing expectations of our customer base and our overall business wide digital transformation.
“Our Winc Technology team has gone from strength to strength in recent times and in the interim, Jarad Nass our head of solutions will lead the team while we search for a suitable replacement. We wish Karl all the very best on the next stages of his career journey.”
Since joining in May 2012, Sice has returned the business to growth on both sides of the Tasman, building out alliances with key vendors such as Microsoft, HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Dell EMC and Lenovo among others.
During his tenure, Sice spearheaded a local team which was awarded Lenovo Business Partner of the Year on two occasions - in 2015 and 2016 respectively - alongside operating as one of HP’s top three Platinum level partners across A/NZ.
In addition, Winc is a Platinum Dell EMC partner and was selected as a Microsoft Surface, Office 365 and Azure Solutions Partner in 2016, before taking on the CSP status in 2017.
A key part of Sice’s work involved creating industry-leading research and thought leadership events, designed to drive brand equity and opportunity growth through affiliate partnerships with the CEO Institute, AIM, CPA Australia and NSW Business Chamber.
Such an approach was recognised during the 2016 ARN ICT Industry Awards, when the then Staples took home the Best Partner Performance Initiative of the Year.
The provider was recognised for its work around customer experience at the CXO level, through a series of thought leadership campaigns and events which attracted over 70 new executive level customers.
Before taking on the Staples role, Sice was general manager of Acronis across Pacific and A/NZ, alongside sales and director roles at Gartner and Sun Microsystems respectively.
In addition, Sice has held management roles at American Express and Dell, working in markets spanning both sides of the Tasman, the US and across Asia Pacific, including Japan.
Sice’s exit comes after the Staples brand name across A/NZ was replaced by Winc, coming roughly five months after private equity investment firm, Platinum Equity, struck a deal to acquire the office supplies and IT services company’s local business.


text:
Web giant aims to deliver data transfer speeds that are roughly 1,000 times faster than the average US Internet connection.
An increase in proposed speed for USB brings its throughput closer to that of Thunderbolt, though perhaps not for long.
Well-known cable and tech firms announce the formation of a coalition to expand access to Wi-Fi networks.
Huawei has promised a sizable amount of funding for the next generation of mobile network technology, but just what that involves remains unclear.
The upcoming USB cable design is reversible, has no right-side-up or upside-down problems, and will click when you plug it in. Expect the new design on the market as soon as this year.
The new Tile-IQ effort is designed to use the company's aggressively multicore processors to try to unburden x86 servers bogged down by networking chores.
Samsung claims new 5G tests have hit dizzying speeds of 1Gbps, and could be ready for you to use by 2020.
Intel's Thunderbolt cable is doubling speed to 20Gbps with Falcon Ridge -- and it can handle 4K video at the same time.
The Seagate subsidiary moves its 2big and 5big storage systems to the faster Thunderbolt 2 data-transfer technology -- but adds USB 3 support, too. The new 8big rack-mount system is for those who need even more speed and capacity.
Windows computer maker Acer decides USB 3.0 is a better deal than Intel's high-speed communications technology. And despite notable newer fans, including Dell, HP, and Asus, Thunderbolt remains scarce.


text:
Confederation of Indian Industry (Southern Region) organized a Conference on ‘Entrepreneurs – Catalysts of Growth’, here today on the occasion of Annual Regional Meeting of CII Southern Region.
Addressing at the Inaugural of the Conference, Dr. D Purandeswari, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Government of India pointed out that India needs opportunity driven competent entrepreneurs, who set up sustainable enterprises, create employment, and generate wealth. “India is a land of ideas. Young Entrepreneurs will convert the land of ideas to a land of opportunities”, she said.
The Union Minister emphasized that the entrepreneur does not ask questions about whether they can succeed or whether they are worthy of success. “They are confident with the knowledge that they will make their businesses succeed. They exude that confidence in everything they do”, she said.
Talking about the scope of entrepreneurship development in India, Dr. Purandeswari, pointed out that there is a need to enhance the skills of people in industry, which demands high level of entrepreneurship development programme throughout the country for the growth of Indian economy.
Dr. Purandeswari also expressed that the role of entrepreneurship is not only about creation of enterprise but also includes creation of the capacity to produce wealth, jobs and income, which are the most direct indicators of economic development. “In fact, underdevelopment is not because of the lack of natural resources but because of the absence or inadequate supply of entrepreneurs. In fact, economic growth is the outcome of entrepreneurial endeavours”, she emphasized.
Mr. Adi Godrej, President, CII, in his keynote address pointed out that entrepreneurship development has never been felt as keenly as today at a time when the pace of growth of economy is low, at below 6%. Livelihood is not merely a matter of employment but extends to those who create employment. Creation of new industry, new enterprises and new units is a condition for employment generation and this task is undertaken by entrepreneurs, said Mr Godrej.
The President CII also opined that even if a capable entrepreneur develops a model to monetize his idea, succeeds in finding funding, and in developing capabilities in marketing his product, extenuating circumstances can easily affect the business. “On the other hand, few occupations are as rewarding as entrepreneurship, the process of taking a new idea to its logical conclusion and seeing it widely accepted by markets. It is not just monetary gains, but also high satisfaction that one can expect as rich returns”, he said.
The Union Minister Dr. D Purandeswari and Mr. Godrej gave away the awardees for emerging entrepreneur for 2012.
CII had received 400 + nominations for the entrepreneur Award out of which the award was given to seven emerging entrepreneurs. The main objective of this Award is to celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship as well as to showcase the Emerging Entrepreneurs from Southern States. The award went to –
1. Mr. Atin Gupta, Managing Director, Atin Promotions and Advertising Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad
2. Mr. Anil Kumar.S, Managing Director, Great Sports Infra Pvt. Ltd, Hyderabad
3. Mr. Phanindra Sama, CEO & Co-Founder, RedBus.in, Karnataka
4. Ms. Ruchika Gupta, President, Borderless Access Panels Pvt. Ltd., Karnataka
5. Mr. Deepak Ravindran, CEO, Innoz Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Karnataka (Mr. Abinav Shree, Co-founder of Innoz, received the award)
6. Mr. Vivek Steve Francis, Co-founder & COO, MobMe Wireless Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Kerala (Mr. Manu Scaria, co Founder received the award)
7. Mr. R S Prabhakar, Director, Taiyo Feed Mill Pvt. Ltd., Chennai
Mr. Le Phuoc Vu, Chairman, Hoa Sen Group, Vietnam, also received a special award from the Union Minister.
Earlier, in his welcome remarks, Mr. G V Sanjay Reddy, Chairman, CII Southern Region & Vice Chairman, GVK Power & Infrastructure Ltd., pointed out that for entrepreneurship to flourish in India there is a need to create an enabling ecosystem which supports entrepreneurial activity. “Today’s youth are self driven and blessed with innovative ideas – they only need a platform to showcase their talent which would help them to earn recognition and opportunity to set up new business. The Youth Wing of CII – the Young Indians, is one such driving force embedded with entrepreneurial spirit. We need many more such youth movements in the country to drive entrepreneurship” he said.
Talking about penetrating into global market, Mr. Reddy emphasized that the entrepreneurs should work towards scaling up their business by adopting innovative and sustainable models. “To achieve global scale, entrepreneurs should embrace world class quality and create the Indian Brand for them to penetrate into global market, which is the essence for ultimate success in the entrepreneurial journey”, he said.
Mr. B Santhanam, Deputy Chairman, CII Southern Region delivered the concluding remarks.


text:
Interbrand 2023, a global brand consultancy, has released its annual list of the 50 most valuable Indian brands. The list, which was released on May 31, 2023, is based on a number of factors, including brand strength, brand equity, and brand awareness.
TCS Tops the List
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) topped the list for the second consecutive year, with a brand value of INR 1,095,766 million (USD 14.7 billion). TCS is a global leader in information technology and consulting services. The company has a strong brand reputation for its innovation, quality, and customer service.
Reliance Industries Ranks Second
Reliance Industries, a diversified conglomerate, ranked second on the list with a brand value of INR 653,208 million (USD 9.2 billion). Reliance Industries is one of the largest companies in India, with interests in a wide range of industries, including energy, retail, and telecommunications.
Other Top Brands
Other top brands on the list include Infosys, HDFC Bank, Hindustan Unilever, and State Bank of India. These brands are all leaders in their respective industries and have strong brand reputations.
The FMCG Sector is the Fastest-Growing
The FMCG sector (fast-moving consumer goods) was the fastest-growing sector on the list, with a CAGR of 25% over the past ten years. The home building and infrastructure sector and the technology sector also grew at a healthy pace, with CAGRs of 17% and 14%, respectively.
The Top Five Brands Account for 40% of the Total Value
The top five brands on the list, TCS, Reliance Industries, Infosys, HDFC Bank, and Hindustan Unilever, account for 40% of the total value of the list. This shows that these brands are the most valuable in India and have a significant impact on the Indian economy.
The Interbrand report is a valuable resource for businesses that want to understand the Indian market. The report provides insights into the most valuable brands in India and the factors that contribute to their success.


text:
“There’s no need to be ashy.” This directive from Chicago-based Hanahana Beauty comes as a perfect reminder as colder months approach and protecting our skin from the city’s bristling wind […]
Two local women entrepreneurs entering the cannabis industry are bringing holistic wellness, better access, and equity to the game.
Where to stream your local instructor’s classes.
The latest addition to Gwyneth Paltrow’s empire is a spineless exploration of wellness wrapped in a glossy package.
Dr. Kenneth Weber offers tips on good back health Sat 3/20 2 PM at Ravenswood Chiropractic & Wellness Center.
Saint Joseph’s Hospital offers a month of free wellness sessions, from prostate checks to exercise tips for pregnant woman.


text:
Reliance Jio’s Latest Plan – 100 Mbps FREE For Three Months
Reliance Jio’s Latest Plans For 2017: Jio Offers An Insane Speed Of 100 Mbps FREE For Three Months
Reliance Jio has already disrupted the Indian telecom space with the launch of its 4G LTE services, and now the company aims to change the broadband landscape too. The company has now stepped up its game in home broadband with upgraded FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) service.
Now, the company has reportedly started rolling out its ‘Jio Fiber’ FTTH service in Mumbai. According to a report, the service is available in some buildings in the Southern Mumbai areas, such as Walkeshwar Road and Nepeansea Road. Rushabh Vora, a resident of Rahul building in Walkeshwar Road, told the publication that Jio Fibre connectivity is available in his building and people are already using it.
As an introductory offer, Reliance Jio is giving users three months free unlimited high-speed internet access. However, users need to pay charges of Rs 4,500, for installation and the router.
Jio Fibre broadband is quite similar to your existing wireline broadband service, except for the fact that it uses fiber optic technology for establishing a high-speed connection. Unlike your existing broadband, FTTH can offer speeds up to 1Gbps (or 125MBps).
According to one of the users, the JIO FIBER service is giving an insane speed of around 70-100 Mbps which is now free for the coming three months. The service is further expected to be launched in cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Chennai.
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, while announcing the launch of 4G services last year, had said that fiber to home wireline service will push the power of data even further, and will offer data speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second. “This is on par with the most advanced wireline offerings anywhere in the world,” he said.
“In many cases, we are working jointly to create first-of-its-kind solutions that are unique to the Indian market,” Ambani said.
Currently, the aim of Reliance Network is to launch this service at 100 top cities of its list. They have planned to install around millions of WIFI Hotspot across India in the year 2017. Their JIO FIBER Service has also included special plans for WiFi purposes that will be delivered to schools, colleges, and public places.


text:
The CRC Greenlight program sounded like the perfect package to Steve Carr, Engineering Manager for Suprima Bakeries, when he first learned about the program through John Perri, Key Account Executive at BSC. Read more
Australia’s award-winning extra virgin olive oil, Cobram Estate, is advertised as ‘the only oil you need,’ and while that message pertains to the delicate process of cooking, the less delicate process of harvesting the olives relies on other types of lubricants, as Bryden Coote, Branch Manager at BSC’s Swan Hill explains.
“When you have a chain worth thousands of dollars installed on a harvesting machine, it can become quite expensive if the chains do not last through the harvest season, not to mention the downtime from having to replace the chain in the middle of harvesting,” says Bryden.
Cobram Estate is the flagship brand of Boundary Bend Limited (BBL) – Australia’s largest olive farmer and producer of extra virgin olive oil. Across its multiple olive groves in the Murray Valley region of Victoria, BBL owns over 2.5 million olive trees on more than 6000 hectares of farmland.
To efficiently harvest olives from these groves, BBL has been involved in developing its own unique olive harvester machines that enable continuous harvesting rather than the discontinuous system used in most other olive growing countries. During the harvest season, these machines work 24 hours a day to pick the olives when they are at their best.
Over the past couple of years and as recommended by Bryden, Sam Griffiths, Maintenance Manager at the Boundary Bend Estate has been using CRC TAC2 chain lubricants for the maintenance of the Boundary Bend harvester machines – with more than satisfactory results.
“Every day, as part of our routine maintenance, we spray the CRC TAC2 on the harvester chains and this has helped us extend the service life of the chains considerably,” says Sam. “We only use the harvester machines during the harvest season but by keeping the chains lubricated throughout the year, we have almost halved our chain breakdowns. Now we only replace the chains once or twice a year as part of our routine maintenance.”
Iain Faber, National Channel Manager at CRC Industries explains why TAC2 is a suitable choice for lubricating high-speed chains, such as the ones in Boundary Bend’s harvesters.
“The CRC TAC2 is a dual-viscosity lubricant, which means it can be sprayed onto the chain as an oil but it firms up into a grease-like consistency as it sets, enabling it to remain in place without flinging off. Because of this unique formulation, TAC2 can penetrate into the pins and the seals in the chain to effectively protect the chain against wear.
“Moreover, the TAC2 lubricant is resistant to water wash downs, so it can be safely used in areas where water is present. It has a wide operating temperature range, so you can use TAC2 in both hot and cold temperatures.”
But TAC2 is not the only chain lubricant CRC has on offer. The CRC GEL TAC is another chain lubricant with similar properties as TAC2 but suited to different applications, as Iain explains.
“I always use the example of a motorbike and a forklift,” says Iain. “Whereas the TAC2 is best suited for high speed applications like motorbike chains, GEL TAC is designed to stay in place in low speed, high pressure applications such as the chains used in general leaf and pin chains and overhead forklifts.
“The CRC GEL TAC has the similar benefits as the TAC2 in terms of dual-viscosity and water resistance, in addition to having a higher temperature performance. The GEL TAC can withstand temperatures up to 300 degree Celsius compared to the 165 degree Celsius in TAC2. Both products are water-insoluble, meaning that they both perform very well in high water environments and resist water wash off.
Additionally, CRC also offers the Food Grade range of chain lubricants for applications where risk of incidental contact with food is present.
“The CRC Food Grade chain lubricants use a special blend of mineral oil and synthetic additives. The formulation for these lubricants is such that after you spray the oil, it forms bubbles and this foaming action gives the oil better penetration rate into the chain,” he says.
“CRC’s Food Grade range are all NSF-H1 certified and tested for a list of 25 allergens, making them safe to use across all food processing applications. CRC also has all of the certifications required for audit purposes, enabling food processors to easily produce these when required.”
Back to the context of the BBL application, Bryden says in addition to recommending the best lubrication product for each application, BSC experts can also advise on the best maintenance regime to help extend the chain longevity for customers.
“Our customers invest heavily on chains and sprockets for their equipment and it’s important that these chains are maintained as best as possible. When BSC staff visit any site, they often check the equipment and make maintenance recommendations depending on the site conditions and the equipment available on the plant,” says Bryden.
As for Sam, he says he is quite pleased with the services he receives from the BSC Swan Hill branch, particularly Bryden, with whom he has been engaging regularly for the past four years.
“BSC is a very good supplier and the team are genuinely helpful, always going out of their way to supply us the required parts and products when we need them urgently. It’s a relationship built on trust and grown over time.”
Read more articles like this at: www.lets-roll.com.au
Safety was top of mind for a top Australian manufacturer of bakery products when they approached their long-term product suppliers at BSC seeking recommendation for a suitable chain lubricant. Nick Gunn, the BSC account manager at the time, recommended the ROCOL FOODLUBE Hi Temp Chain Lubricant from ITW Polymers and Fluids, which resulted in a long-term supply program, covering not just the ISO-certified oven chain lubricants, but also a wide range of other oils and greases in the FOODLUBE family.
According to Nick, the ROCOL FOODLUBE portfolio adds an invaluable safety dimension that not only ensures food industry requirements are met, but additionally works to optimise the production in food plants and simplify the overall cleaning process.
“FOODLUBE’s reputation as a globally recognised lubricant for food and beverage manufacturing means that our customer could use the products with complete peace of mind, with no concerns regarding contamination or machinery performance,” he says. “Due to the wide operating temperatures, FOODLUBE Hi-Temp Chain Oil can operate at temperatures ranging from minus 25 degrees to 280 degrees Celsius, they use the same product in their ovens, as well as in their freezers.”
Emilio Seballos, Channel Manager for Heavy Industry at ITW Polymers and Fluids, explains what makes the FOODLUBE proposition attractive for food manufacturers.
“ROCOL FOODLUBE has NSF accreditation, which is globally recognised, and it is also HACCP certified. On top of that, many ROCOL products provide an additional level of safety assurance through their ISO 21469:2006 certification. Like NSF H1, this certification is globally recognised and important for British Retail Consortium audits as it provides credible, independent assurance that products are formulated, manufactured, stored and supplied hygienically and safely.”
Another area where food manufacturers can benefit from the use of ROCOL FOODLUBE products, Emilio explains, is to rationalise and simplify their lubricant inventories.
“The technology behind food grade lubricant products has improved drastically over the last 10 to 15 years. Whereas many food manufacturers still prefer to keep separate inventories for food grade and non-food grade lubricant in their plants, they are increasingly coming to realise the simplifications they can achieve by switching to food-safe products through more of their applications, thus eliminating the risk of cross-contamination in their plants,” he says.
“In the case of the FOODLUBE product range, all the oils and greases are made with a synthetic base oil, which means they don’t break down and carbonise when exposed to high temperatures. This in turn leads to prolonged maintenance intervals as the lubricant does not evaporate from the chain, nor does it cause the chain to drag. The FOODLUBE Hi Temp Chain Spray also has great resistance to water washdowns, so you don’t need to lubricate your chain as frequently in a high water washdown environment. All of this leads to reduced maintenance expenses for the plants and enhances their total reliability and efficiency,” he adds.
As a routine practice, Emilio says the ITW and BSC personnel often perform joint assessments for BSC clients to help them rationalise their inventories.
“The beauty of the ROCOL FOODLUBE portfolio is that many of the products serve multiple purposes. For example, your gearbox oil in one application can be used as chain lubricant in another application. Similarly, your hydraulic lubricant might double up as a chain lubricant, depending on the situation,” he says.
“Where ITW P&F and BSC come into play is to help our customers rationalise their inventories to simplify their management. In one audit we did in conjunction with BSC some years ago, the customer was using 25 different lubricants from 13 different brands. We were able to simplify this down to 12 lubricants from the FOODLUBE range.”
Within this portfolio, Emilio says the FOODLUBE Premier 1 grease has been a “game-changer” in the food industry.
“The FOODLUBE Premier 1 grease is a food grade grease designed for bearings operating at high speeds and high temperatures. Because this grease has a consistency grade of 1, in addition to a wide temperature range of minus 30 to 180 degree Celsius, it can effectively replace multiple types of greases in one application line.
“The FOODLUBE Premier 1 grease is resistant to water washdowns and ISO21469 certified, so you can safely use it where stringent quality control measures are in place.”
The FOODLUBE WD spray is another popular product within the range, Emilio says.
“The FOODLUBE Water Displacement (WD) spray is ideal for use as a general lubricant to protect small components such as linkages, pivots and pins. Having high temperature resistance (up to 120 degree Celsius) and being synthetic based make this a multi-purpose spray that you can use for many applications. The WD Spray is also fortified with PTFE for increased lubricity and like all FOODLUBE products, it is free from colour and odour – which is very important in the food industry.”
As an additional safety measure, all plastic components including the lids and actuators in the ROCOL FOODLUBE products are metal detectable and capable of detection by most metal detection equipment.
Read more articles like this at: www.lets-roll.com.au
It’s not too often you get to talk to a person who is the third-generation owner of a local company – one that is celebrating its 140 year anniversary in 2019.
Starting life as a company that imported disinfectant in 1879, J.L.Lennard has grown to be a major distributor of food equipment and packaging machines.
Managing director, David Boekemann, is the third generation from his family to run the company that was taken over by his grandfather William from original founder Julius Levy in 1905. Boekemann’s father, Bob, became managing partner in 1953, before David himself took over the business in 1988.
Over that time the Boekemann family has seen a raft of changes throughout the company, Australia and the world. It has traded through the Great Depression, two world wars, and has won and lost several distributorships, but has always survived.
William Boekemann had an entrepreneurial streak that saw him import an eclectic bunch of products during the company’s formative years. This included goatskins, menthol crystals, celluloid fountain pens, cheese, bottles, vials, caps, waxed paper, and cellophane, to name a few.
Building on this success, during the post-World War I era, William started to import machinery including flour-packing plant, tea-packing and confectionary-wrapping machines and chocolate-processing machines. Eventually the company would pioneer such machinery as those used in tablet making, capping, and labelling products, as well as those that were capable of cartoning ice cream and filling beer bottles.
In order for the business to thrive, relationships needed to be built, and this the family did with great aplomb, especially with high-end manufacturers in Europe. Over the years the company has been the distributor for such well-known and reliable brands as Krones, Rovema, Manesty, CE King, Glatt and an array of others.
When the company celebrated its 125-year anniversary in 2004 it not only had a grand history in the annuls of Australian food and beverage machinery, it had worked with some of the biggest consumer brands in Australia and the world. This included the likes of Kraft, McDonald’s, Carlton United Breweries and Arnott’s Biscuits.
Since it celebrated that landmark anniversary 15 years ago, David Boekemann has not rested on the laurels of the company’s history. He has been busy expanded the business, moving away from aspects of the industry that don’t show profit and continuing to build what has been, and continues to be, a sterling reputation within the food and beverage space.
Recently, Krones made the decision to start their own business in Australia and New Zealand which was a logical move for them.
It was however very disappointing for David, especially as J.L.Lennard had been a champion of the brand for over half a century.
It was a very friendly change and not only was David appointed a director of the new company, but Krones Pacific still operate out of J.L.Lennard’s offices in Sydney and Melbourne.
As is often the case in business, as one door closes another one opens. In this instance, David saw an opportunity when he received a call from the receiver of Walls Machinery, which had hit hard times financially.
“We were very interested in this business in particular the agencies of Fuji, Anritsu and Toyo Jidoki which had been very successful for Walls over many years with a huge customer base. After discussions with the three manufacturers and the staff in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, we came to an agreement just before Christmas in 2018 and took over 10 staff and the agencies,” said David.
Some of the bigger projects the company has worked on include rolling out 800 sets of equipment for McDonald’s Deli Choices brand; supplying the same company with 340 Taylor grills as McDonald’s changed the way it ran its business from pre-prepared fast food to cooking to order; selling 600 Taylor frozen yoghurt machines during the height of the food trend in 2013; being at the heart of the Arnott’s Biscuits’ Queensland Rovema packaging project; and helping Coca-Cola Amatil set up its PET blow fill lines across Australia.
David is proud of the company’s history. In 1970 it had a staff of 24. Fast forward almost 50 years and those numbers have grown to more than 100, with 55 of them having notched up more than 10 years’ service, while 10 have 25 years’ of service. David is optimistic about the future. He knows there are hurdles ahead, but nothing that cannot be overcome.
“Packaging is under attack from all sides – from environmentalists, the sustainability side of the world, and the politics is interesting,” he said. “There is a lot of pressure for film manufacturers to make biodegradable and compostable films. That includes the likes of PET bottles. There’s still going to be a big demand for packaging, it just needs to be more sustainable. The packaging industry needs to sell their message better.”
And David is not one to wax lyrical about making packaging more sustainable.
Already J.L.Lennard is leading by example with its Pod Pack business, which it started in 2006.
“With our ESE coffee pod business we are about to launch a pod that includes a film which will make it a fully compostable product,” he said.
He is also a practical man, in the sense that packaging is going nowhere in the near future. It is necessary for so many reasons, but the main one is down to consumers themselves. They have certain expectations and demands. Sure, these days they are more interested in what a product is packed in, but the reality is it does have to packed in something.
Sound governance and having good people on board is shown by the fact that the company has lasted for 140 years. David’s son Henry joined the company in 2004, so the next generation is ready to step into the senior management of the firm. Does he still think there is room in the modern world for medium-sized family businesses when a lot of the multi-nationals like nothing better than to take over successful businesses and add them to their portfolio?
“These types of businesses are great to work for. I think there’s a lot more loyalty in family-owned businesses than there is in public companies,” he said. “If times are tough, family businesses work hard to retain their people. I think that is very important. People appreciate it and the loyalty is a two way street.
“Family businesses are much more reactive too. We make decisions quickly and don’t necessarily have to wait for board meetings to get things approved.”
David believes the company will be around for the next 140 years as it builds on the resilience that has seen it through many good times since its inception all those years ago.
Socati’s newest water soluble ingredients bring advanced microencapsulation technology from the food and beverage world into the hemp-derived ingredients market, delivering flavor and texture profiles unmatched by current offerings.
Socati’s new water soluble ingredients are truly flavorless. Their unique properties enable manufacturers to incorporate hemp-derived cannabinoids into their products without the need for emulsifiers, surfactants, additional flavoring agents or other complicated treatments.
This advanced microencapsulation technology helps make unique and customizable formulations possible. Capabilities include the integration of natural antioxidants and antimicrobials to extend shelf life, flavor solutions to create comprehensive ingredients for product development, and other functional ingredients such as vitamins. For example, Socati is currently formulating a custom solution for a client containing vitamin B12, specific levels of CBG and CBD, and a distinct fruit flavor for functionality testing.
“Incorporating cannabinoids into beverages, food and topicals without altering flavor or texture of finished products has been a significant problem faced by the industry which, up to now, hasn’t had a viable, commercial solution.” said Socati CEO Josh Epstein. “Through leveraging some of the most advanced technologies in the food and beverage industry, our new ingredient offers the precision that manufacturers require to satisfy the rapidly growing consumer demand for products containing CBD and other cannabinoids.”
Like all of Socati’s ingredients, this water soluble product uses proprietary chromatographic processes to ensure all of the CBD and other desirable compounds found in hemp remain in the finished product, while THC levels are far below most commercial labs’ ability to detect.
These ingredients take advantage of Socati’s fully customisable product technology, which offers manufacturers the ability to purchase all-natural ingredients with specific cannabinoid profiles to meet increasing consumer demand for personalized products.
The category finalists for the 2019 Food & Beverage Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced at a gala event at Doltone House in Darling Harbour, Sydney on Thursday July 18th. All category winners are eligible for the Best of the Best Award, which will be the last gong handed out on the night.
A big thank-you to our sponsors Flavour Makers, Rockwell Automation and Total Construction.
Tickets are still available for the event but are selling fast. Last year’s event was a sell out almost a month before the event. If you wish to purchase tickets, please click here.
Beverage of the Year
Maltra Foods – Brod Kvas
Ginscato – Ginscato
Herbal Fix – Herbal Fix
Brouhaha Brewery – Strawberry Rhubarb Sour
Bowled Over Beverages – Espresso Tonic Syrup
Kombucha Me – Kombucha Beverages
Nutra Organics – Lunar Latte
Margaret River Kombucha Co – rok Kombucha
MateCo2 – Sparkling Yerba Mate Drink
AquaBotanical Beverages – AquaBotanical
Cape Byron Distillery – Brookie’s Byron Slow Gin
The Australian Superfood Co – Native Ingredient Extracts
Sensient – Non-Dairy Protein masking
Lori’s Wholesome Pantry – Watermelon Seed Butter
Sunshine Sugar and Nutrition Innovation Group – Low GI Sugar
Botanical Innovations – Wine Powder
H2coco – H2melon watermelon water
Fire.works & Smoke – Smoked Honey
South Pacific Jam Company – Banana Jam
Food Safety Equipment & Materials
CRC Industries – CRC Food-grade Bio Degreaser
Air Liquide – Cryo Tunnel FP1 + ALIGAL 1 or ALIGAL 2 Supply
Spraying Systems – Klarion EGS6020
Roxset Health & Safety Flooring – Roxset SE 1/2/3
Sealtick – Sealtick6086b
Lindsay PieMaking Equipment – Simple Simon Pie Machine
PA Packaging Solutions – Home Compostable Paper, and Film Barrier Duplex and Triplex Laminated Film Pouch
Collagen Beauty Bars – Nutra Organics
Hemp Oz – Hemp Kombucha
BE Campbell – Mexican-style Slow Cooked Beef with Beans
Youfoodz – Youfoodz Meal Kitz
Innovative Technology of the Year
Operations Feedback Systems – OFS-X and OFS-Flow
Pollen Consulting Group – Digital Twin
Trust Codes – QR/NFC Codes
Inox Australia – Stock Processing Systems
CSIRO – Shockwave Technology
GoodMix – Blend11
Nutra Organics – Collagen Beauty Bars
Blue Dinosaur – Peanut Butter Protein Bar
Herbs for Life – Sauerkraut
Kitz Living Foods – Tomato & Basil Crackers
Youfoodz – Protein Bliss Balls
Best in Design
Texas BBQ Foods – Inglewood Meat Smoking Facility
Coopers Brewery Maltings – Coopers Maltings Facility
Miraka – Mokai
Meat Poultry and Smallgoods
Texas BBQ Foods – Smoked Brisket
Country Cooked Meats – Italian-style Meatballs in Napoli Sauce
NCMC Foods – Slow Cooked Veal Osso Bucco with Tomato Red Wine Source
BE Campbell – Beef, Sweet Potato and Kate Meatballs
Paddock to Plate
Cider Australia – ‘100 Per Cent Australian Grown’ Trust mark
Australian Organic Food Co – 100 Per Cent Organic Australian Soups
Kakadu Plum Co – Bush Foods and Bush Tea
Yarrawonga Gold Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Rich Glen Olive Estate
It was a balmy night in August that brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, risk takers and industry stalwarts for the 15th annual Food and Beverage Industry News Awards.
MC’ed by the ABC’s War on Waste host Craig Reucassel, the gala event was a sell out and showcased all that was good about the food and beverage industry in 2017 and 2018.
Below are the champions in each category.
Best of the Best, sponsored by Flavour Makers, and Beverage of the Year, sponsored by VEGA Australia, were awarded to Utonic
Young South Australian drinks company Utonic Beverages was awarded Beverage of the Year, sponsored by VEGA Australia and the top award – Best of the Best, sponsored by Flavour Makers.
Utonic is a functional beverage manufacturer that aims to create and promote a healthier body and mind through naturally great tasting drinks. Each drink is backed by science and designed to serve a purpose, whether it’s providing an afternoon boost, recovery from a big night out or stress relief after a hard day at work.
Utonic co-founder, Michael Brinkley, said the company was stoked to be awarded Beverage of the Year. “Industry recognition means a lot to a young company like us and it’s encouraging to know we bumped out some major drink brands to win this award.”
The awards were won by the Utonic Repair natural tonic. The drink aims to restore the body with powerful antioxidants from blueberry, pomegranate and sour cherry, as well as containing turmeric and ginger, which have been shown to provide anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea functions.
Founded in 2016, the company was created by founders Brinkley, Tyson Goldsack, Leigh Morgan and Toby Yap, who shared a belief that it should be possible to lead a healthy life while also achieving daily goals in today’s high-pressure, fast-paced, work, sporting and social environments.
The team created a range of scientifically blended drinks produced from concentrated real foods and targeted nutrients. The drinks have no added sugar, preservatives, chemical highs or negative side effects.
“We wanted to produce a functional drink range, free from artificial flavours and preservatives,” said Brinkley. “Sports drinks are typically loaded with artificial ingredients and sugar and we knew there was a better solution.”
The drinks include ingredients such as passionflower, sour cherry, chamomile, kale and spirulina. “It’s a very new category,” said Brinkley. “We chose ingredients that had functionality but also tasted good.” It was about getting a balance of good flavours and creating a product that was truly healthy, he said.
Utonic released to the market in April 2017, focusing on South Australia first. “Our sales strategy was to focus on our home state first and fine tune our marketing and communication before going national,” said Brinkley.
The award came just weeks before Utonic started national distribution with Manassen Foods. The full Utonic beverage collection is avaliable Australia wide from October.
Paddock to Plate, sponsored by Manark Printing, was awarded to Australian Primary Hemp
Supporting the Australian agriculture industry while developing a sustainable food source, is paramount to the makers of Australian Primary Hemp.
The company’s journey began in August 2016, with four friends and a vision of growing and manufacturing a sustainable, high-protein product in Australia. Co-founder and sales director, Skye Patterson said that research highlighting hemp’s nutritional content, sustainability, success in similar western countries and the opportunities to easily integrate into current farming made their decision obvious.
At the time, national food standards didn’t allow for the sale and consumption of hemp food products in Australia. But, this did not deter the team. “We were pretty confident it was going to come to fruition,” said Patterson. “On a global sense it was popular, so it was just a matter of time until it took off in Australia.” Laws to legalise the consumption of hemp foods in Australia were passed in late 2017. Now after just two years of business, the company is one of the country’s largest producers of Australian-grown hemp.
Australian Primary Hemp handles every step of the hemp process – from farming and production, to packaging and selling. This allows the company to ensure the quality and freshness of all products including de-hulled hemp seeds, cold-pressed hemp seed oil and hemp protein powders.
The company’s headquarters are based in Newtown, Geelong, where day-to-day business operations and processing facilities are kept. The hemp is grown across Tasmania, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia with the company’s partnered farmers.
“We started growing hemp ourselves and then with the legal changes, the demand for hemp food products grew astronomically,” said Patterson. “We needed to expand our growing capacities, which led to building relationships with partnered growers to increase our hemp supply.”
The company continues to grow its four core products – hemp oil, hemp seeds, hemp balance and hemp boost. It also launched hemp milk kits in September, so people can make hemp milk from home. Patterson said the hemp milk is best when sweetened with a few dates.
The company also has hemp-based recipes online, including hemp granola bars and hemp tabbouleh. Hemp food is still a relatively new concept in Australia, but Patterson said it is a growing industry. With a focus on health and sustainability, Australian Primary Hemp hasn’t looked back, she said.
Ingredient Innovation was awarded to Botanical Innovations
Botanical Innovations is an Australian manufacturer of phenolic rich flavours, fragrances and ingredients for functional foods and beverages, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical applications. The company invests heavily in research and development, which has led to innovations and the development of a unique range of products.
Botanical Innovations won the ingredient innovation section for its apple cider vinegar powder. The company’s managing director, Kerry Ferguson, said a number of people had asked if Botanical Innovations offered natural preservatives that didn’t have a strong flavour. “We look at what the needs are in the market. There’s a demand out there,” she said.
The apple cider vinegar powder is naturally fermented. “It has two functions. It can be used as a flavouring and it can also be used as a natural preservative,” said Ferguson. The benefit of Botanical Innovation’s apple cider vinegar powder is that it’s got a neutral taste. “It hasn’t got a terribly strong flavour,” she said.
Botanical Innovations is a business-to-business company that supplies to bakeries and other food manufacturers. The apple cider vinegar powder increases the shelf life of products. A bread could last two or three days longer with the powder, said Ferguson.
People wanted natural, cleaner products that were not laden with chemicals, she said. Ferguson is passionate about health and providing alternative products to consumers.
“I never used to read labels, but now I do,” she said. “I believe very strongly in the use of natural products.”
Vinegar has historically been used to treat diseases and wounds. More recently it’s been used in food and beverages as a health supplement. Botanical Innovations highlights that potential health benefits of apple cider vinegar, and fermented vinegars and extracts, include weight loss, lowering cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. It can also help in preventing and treating diabetes and alleviating asthma symptoms.
Other products the company develops include fermented grape seed extract, fermented papaya extract, cherry seed oil, quandong seed oil and sweet pea flower powder.
Meat, Poultry and Smallgoods was awarded to Sunshine Meats
Sunshine Meats started as a small butchery in Redfern, Sydney, in 1988. Founder Jose Pereira took the opportunity to buy the small butcher shop, despite having little financial backing. Thirty years later, his investment is still paying off.
Sunshine Meats has now moved away from being a traditional butchery, but business developer Nalita Ferraz said the company’s values remain the same. “We still get phone calls from people wanting traditional meat cuts. We’ve definitely evolved into a totally different business, but it’s always about quality,” said Ferraz.
Sunshine Meats won the award for its smoked duck breast. Smoking is what the company focuses on. The company has a range of duck products including chorizo, duck thigh and duck breast.
Sunshine Meats’ director, and Jose’s daughter, Celina Pereira, said consumers are becoming more interested in duck. “There is a need for these kinds of products,” said Pereira. “With almost two year’s development to fine tune the recipe, it has really made the product what it is.”
The company sells its products at independent and specialty stores. Creating duck products was a great opportunity for Sunshine Meats, as restaurants were using duck due to it gaining popularity with consumers, said Pereira. “Chefs need to rely on a product that’s always going to be consistent. Sunshine Meats is mostly retail based, but we would like to explore the idea of food services. The possibilities are endless,” she said.
Ferraz said providing quality smoked products cuts back the time people spend in the kitchen without compromising on food quality. “You can achieve a meal that would take two hours, that can now be prepared in half an hour,” she said. For an industry perspective, chefs can use Sunshine Meats’ products and save time by not smoking meats themselves, but still having a great product to use, said Ferraz. “When we are talking about our products we try to talk about the convenience aspect.”
Pereira and Ferraz agree there are plenty of meals that can be made with the smoked duck breast and other duck products made by Sunshine Meats. But their favourite is a risotto with smoked duck breast or chorizo.
Health Foods, sponsored by JCurve Solutions, was awarded to COYO
COYO is a brand dedicated to making delicious and healthy coconut yoghurt and ice cream. The company won the Health Foods award for its coconut yoghurt kids’ pouches.
COYO started with a natural, unflavoured coconut yoghurt and the range has since expanded into offering other flavours such as blueberry, and plum and guava. COYO co-founder Sandra Gosling said the idea was born in 2009 by her husband Henry Gosling. Henry was born in Fiji and grew up with coconut as part of his diet. Sandra said with her background in bacteriology and gut health, and her husband’s life experiences, the company was able to flourish. “It puts us in a unique position,” Sandra said.
“We come very much from that health platform and remaining true to our values. We have a philosophy that all our foods and all the we produce has to be delicious. It has to be good for us and it has to be functional,” she said.
Despite becoming a successful business, Sandra wasn’t sure at first that coconut yoghurt would work. “It was all about Henry’s idea. He woke up on a Sunday morning with this ridiculous idea saying, ‘I’m going to make yoghurt out of coconut’. I just said, ‘Don’t be stupid, go back to bed’,” she said.
“After a lot of research we found that no-one was doing it. At first, I wasn’t sure about it, but then with my interest in gut health and the benefits of coconut, I thought, ‘Hang on, this could be good’.”
There was a lot of soy yoghurt at the time, but no coconut yoghurt, Sandra said. “It’s been a long, very satisfying journey.” More people are becoming interested in plant-based yoghurts. “The tidal wave is coming so it’s very exciting. From an environmental point of view, we have to make some changes, but they have to be changes that are very palatable. It has to be a win-win for everybody, including farmers,” said Sandra.
The kids’ pouches were introduced after extensive research, she said. “Our yoghurt doesn’t contain any sweeteners. In the children’s market they screw their noses up a bit so we use an unrefined brown rice syrup so we’ve actually now created a new range,” said Sandra. “The pouches have been incredibly well-received. The kids are loving it.” The Goslings then found out that some adults were wanting slightly sweeter yoghurts as well.
COYO has now adapted to cater to the sweeter tooth by creating two bases – one without sweetener and one with unrefined brown rice syrup. “In our ice-creams again, we are very low sugar but no less delicious than other ice creams. We use chicory root – it’s only about a tenth as sweet as sugar,” said Sandra.
The COYO kids pouches come in vanilla, strawberry, and banana and mango flavours.
Packaging Innovation, sponsored by Jet Technologies, was awarded to Result Group
When it came to creating packaging for Grape N’Go, Result Group was there to deliver the next innovation in packaging for table grapes, working alongside Fruit Master and Navi Co Global. Result Group was challenged to deliver packaging that was user friendly, improved shelf life, protected the product from damage and spoilage, improved overall sustainability and reduced product waste.
Result Group general manager, Michael Dossor, said Grape N’Go was developed using good design principles based on addressing the product life cycle to achieve a more environmentally sound packaging alternative to what already existed on the market.
With Fresh Lid re-closable film, the company managed to meet the brief. “By delivering a fully recyclable pack, as well as addressing the food waste challenges, we were able to address key issues faced by today’s packaging and consumer brand owners,” said Dossor.
Result Group is involved in the development of a new range of label applicators developed specifically for the fruit and vegetable sector. “These will be equipped with multifunction labelling capability and offered via a cost-effective platform. We are also using laser coding and marking technology. The great part about laser coding is it gives you the ability to print human readable text as well as symbols and logos, but all without using printing inks,” said Dossor.
“Remove the ink and the environmental footprint is unsurpassed. All we are doing is using the laser coder to etch the surface of the product. That also helps when it comes to authenticity projects for companies exporting,” he said.
Result Group staff enjoyed working on the Grape N’Go project as it had numerous environmental benefits, said Dossor. These include a longer shelf life and consumption window due to the printable Fresh Lid film. With Fresh Lid, less material is used and the need for additional self-adhesive labels is eliminated, which results in a plastic footprint reduction. “The packaging is also 100 per cent recyclable and easily facilitates household kerbside recycling,” said Dossor.
“Customers have an appetite for wanting to know that brands are doing their best in the area of sustainability. Packaging is an area that is closely aligned with Result Group’s own sustainability goals and corporate social responsibility,” he said.
Result Group aims to keep embarking on projects that aim to deliver a sustainable packaging solution while reducing the environmental impact through the use of equipment in innovative ways.
Best in Design, sponsored by Wiley, was awarded to Oji Fibre Solutions
Oji Fibre Solutions produces market pulp, paper and fibre-based packaging products throughout Australia and New Zealand. The company aims to deliver environmentally sustainable products and to work with customers to develop solutions that enhance their business operations.
The company successfully opened its state-of-the-art corrugated packaging facility in Yatala in March 2018 and received the award for this plant. The new facility enables Oji Fibre Solutions to meet anticipated growth in demand for packaging solutions. Corrugated packaging products are one of the fastest growing segments of Oji Fibre Solutions, with its paper and product specifications being well-suited for the fruit, vegetables and meat sectors.
National sales and marketing manager, Philip Nuttall, said winning the award was a great step to creating more brand awareness. “We’ve invested $70 million in the new plant. It’s great to be recognised for the work,” said Nuttall. “Our biggest strength is our papers.” The company wanted to continue growing in the food sector, he said.
The majority of Oji Fibre Solutions’ operations are based in New Zealand, where kraft pulps, packaging papers and a range of packaging products are manufactured from locally-grown softwood plantations, producing materials that are suitable for primary sector packaging systems and are in demand across the globe.
Nuttall said Oji Fibre Solutions targeted horticulture and meat companies, but it could help other businesses in the industry as well. “We’ve got the potential to be a corrugated supplier to anybody in the food and beverage industry,” said Nuttall. “It’s giving people choice.”
The Brisbane-based Yatala Packaging Plant created 300 jobs during the construction phase and now has about 70 employees. The plant has a five-star Green Star environmental rating. It is designed to consume reduced amounts of water and electricity as part of the company’s focus on sustainability. Some of the sustainable features include a rainwater harvesting system, which will reduce potable water consumption by 80 per cent. A 100kW solar PV system, daylight sensors and an efficient lighting control system in the warehouse are also part of the facility.
The new plant aims to provide customers with innovative and environmentally sustainable products that enhance their competitiveness, while attracting new customers.
It will enable the company to expand its operations in Australia and provide customers with innovative products.
Innovative Technology of the Year, sponsored by NHP, was awarded to HMPS
HMPS won the award for its HMPS8000 robotic flat-bread packer. The company shows there is an intricate process to packing, stacking and sorting flatbreads. While most people simply enjoy the end product, HMPS was behind the development and build of a system that created the best packaging solution for a flatbread producer.
HMPS CEO, Shaun Westcott, said the company needed to meet its clients’ needs to create a product that would allow the flatbreads to be packed in a variety of formats, while increasing productivity. “The project is designed to improve the throughput, productivity and efficiency of our client” he said.
HMPS was tasked with packing four different-sized flatbreads, in five different-sized stacks. This needed to be done to fit the customer’s existing carton range and the application required a cycle rate of up to 110 packs per minute. It also needed to adhere to food safety requirements and remain flexible with little operator involvement. “We were successfully able to achieve that for them,” said Westcott. But, the task came with challenges. The HMPS team realised the biggest challenge would be catering to the variety of product sizes, packing formations and varying weights, while still maintaining a good production speed.
By taking this into consideration, the team opted for the HMPS8000 robotic flat-bread packer as the ideal solution. “We value the opportunity our customers give us to develop new and innovative solutions and recognise our staff for working tirelessly to make it happen. Developing innovative and cutting-edge solutions for our clients, remains an ongoing focus for our team,” said Westcott.
HMPS was grateful for the recognition the award gave the company as it continued to offer automated and customised solutions to clients, he said. The company works on projects worldwide, including current jobs such as a specialised packaging solution for packing of pet food pouches in Thailand.
HMPS is an Australian-owned company specialising in the design, development and manufacturing of high-quality machinery for packaging processes. The company started off designing and developing bag-in-box machinery in the 1980s. It has since grown to offer case packers, RSC, palletisers, carton erectors and sealers, pick-and-place applications and specialised robotic solutions. HMPS machinery is exported to Asia, South Africa, New Zealand, Europe, USA and other markets across the globe.
Food Safety Equipment and Materials, sponsored by COG Advertising, was awarded to CCP Technologies
CCP Technologies is an Australian company that specialises in product development and product management within the realm of the Internet of Things (IoT). The company builds business-to-business hardware and software solutions, which provide customers with a critical control point monitoring platform. For companies such as Earth Walker and Co, this means the Wollongong-based café and general store can save money on refrigeration.
CCP Technologies executive director, Anthony Rowley, said monitoring was important considering that refrigeration made up 80 per cent of some companies’ energy consumption.
“We tuned an eight-foot by eight-foot cool room and saved the owner $120 a-month,” said Rowley.
Earth Walker uses CCP’s wireless temperature monitoring system in its fridges to ensure all perishable foods are kept in optimal condition. Earth Walker co-owner Bianca Poscoliero said she started using CCP’s monitoring system in early 2017, when the café opened. “We’ve got a general store and a café, so we use them in all of our fridges,” she said.
“We’ve had a few incidents – including fridges failing.” Poscoliero knows immediately when something is wrong with a fridge as she receives an email and an SMS. “We’ve also got the app on our phone so at any time we can log on to the app,” said Poscoliero.
Earth Walker saved time and money by not having staff members manually check on fridges daily, she said. “It’s made our lives much easier. It’s a weight lifted off our shoulders. We are saving thousands a-year,” said Poscoliero.
CCP chief executive officer, Michael White, said based on data captured by CCP, 4.9 per cent of refrigerated coolers and freezers in businesses would suffer a complete failure each year. “In the food industry, if something goes wrong with a fridge, it causes enormous business disruption and can jeopardise food safety,” he said.
“While strengthening regulatory compliance remains a key driver for adoption, customers are using our solution to yield energy savings, reduce waste and support preventive maintenance programs,” said White.
CCP is harnessing the convergence of cloud computing, IoT, blockchain and big data analytics to deliver solutions to food and beverages businesses that help save them money and time.
Food retailing led a rise in retail spending in June 2018, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics retail trade figures.
The retail turnover rose 0.4 per cent, which followed a 0.4 per cent rise in May 2018.
Director of quarterly economy wide surveys Ben James said at 0.4 per cent food retailing led the rises, followed by clothing, footwear and personal accessories.
There were also rises for cafes, restaurants, takeaways and household goods.
Other retailing was relatively unchanged, while at -1.2 per cent, department stores fell in June 2018.
In seasonally adjusted terms, there were rises in Victoria – 1.1 per cent, New South Wales – 0.4 per cent, Western Australia – 0.2 per cent, the Australian Capital Territory – 1.2 per cent, and Tasmania – 0.9 per cent.
South Australia at 0.0 per cent was relatively unchanged in June.
There were falls in Queensland at -0.3 per cent, and the Northern Territory at -0.4 per cent.
For the June quarter 2018, there was a 1.2 per cent rise in seasonally adjusted volume terms.
This follows a rise of 0.2 per cent in the March quarter 2018.
The quarterly rise in volumes was led by food at 1.6 per cent, household goods at 1.4 per cent, and clothing, footwear and personal accessories at 2.0 per cent.
Online retail turnover contributed 5.7 per cent of total retail turnover in original terms in June 2018, a rise from 5.6 per cent in May 2018.
In June 2017 online retail turnover contributed 4.1 per cent to total retail.
Continuing its vision to build a premium and strong local craft portfolio, SouthTrade International will have exclusive distribution of Australian craft spirit brand 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka, from the 1st of October 2018.
This follows the announcement that Think Spirits will be taking over the distribution of Stolichnaya Vodka trademark in Australia.
Founder of 666 Vodka, Dean Lucas, said SouthTrade International was a business with fantastic energy and momentum as evidenced by recent brand additions.
“We are thrilled to be joining the SouthTrade family and what we consider to be the leading Australian craft portfolio. With the SouthTrade team’s knowledge, expertise and highly complementary portfolio, we plan to expand 666 Vodka with the next evolution of the brand inclusive of new packaging and product innovations,” said Lucas.
“The 666 Vodka brand transitions to SouthTrade after a period of strong growth over the last 12 months,” he said.
SouthTrade International managing director Ray Noble said joining future icon brands of Mr. Black, Starward Whisky and Adelaide Hills Distillery, SouthTrade was excited to expand and strengthen its local craft spirits portfolio with 666 Pure Tasmanian Vodka.
“[It] marries with SouthTrade’s vision of driving long-term success for premium local craft brands across Australia. While this is a fantastic opportunity for both companies, we would also like to acknowledge the great work Think Spirits has undertaken on the brand to maintain a leading position within the Australian premium vodka category,” said Noble.
“Established in 2007 and committed to sustainability, we were drawn to the brand’s authenticity using local ingredients and capturing the purity of the surrounding environment of Cape Grim and North West Tasmania,” he said.
Stockists of 666 Vodka include Dan Murphy’s, First Choice and Vintage Cellars.
Victoria’s wine industry has received a $2 million boost from the government through the third round of the wine growth fund.
Member for Buninyong, Geoff Howard, represented minister for agriculture and regional development, Jaala Pulford, on the 30th of July, to announce the extra funding and expanded guidelines for the fund.
Howard said the wine industry contributed more than $7.6 billion to the economy.
“[It] employs more than 13,000 people in grape growing, wine making, cellar door sales and hospitality operations – that’s why we’re investing in its future.”
The fund aims to develop and sustainably grow the wine industry in Victoria by providing innovative growers, organisations and projects with money to build both domestic and international markets.
It supports activities including marketing, exporting, tourism and business development.
Funding guidelines have been altered so infrastructure projects that attract significant investment and create new jobs are eligible for grants of up to $100,000.
The first two rounds of the fund supported 106 projects worth nearly $2 million in Victoria.
These projects have created new jobs in the wine industry, generated an increase in visitation to Victoria’s wineries, and increased sales and exports of Victorian wines.
Pulford said the government was proud to announce a third round of this program.
“Victorian winemakers produce beautiful wines for every occasion, taste and price and we’re supporting them on the world stage and closer to home.”
Applications are open to businesses or organisations from all wine regions in Victoria directly involved in the wine industry, including the growing, making and marketing of wine.
New findings from University of Adelaide researchers, could help provide more stable brewing processes or new malts for craft brewers.
The researchers discovered a link between one of the key enzymes involved in malt production for brewing and a specific tissue layer within the barley grain.
The most important malting enzymes come from a layer of tissue in the barley grain called the aleurone, a health-promoting tissue full of minerals, antioxidants and dietary fibre.
The research showed that the more aleurone present in the barley grain, the more enzyme activity the grain produced.
Barley is the second most important cereal crop for South Australia and contributes over $2.5 billion to the national economy. This is largely due to its use in beverage production.
University of Adelaide school of agriculture, food and wine associate professor and project leader, Matthew Tucker, said barley grains had impressive features ideal for creating the malt required by the brewing industry.
“During the malting process, complex sugars within the barley grain are broken down by enzymes to produce free sugars, which are then used by yeast for fermentation. The levels of these enzymes, how they function and where they are synthesised within the barley grain are therefore of significant interest for the brewing industry,” he said.
“Until now, it was not known that this key ingredient in the beer brewing process was influenced by the amount of aleurone within the grain, or that the aleurone was potentially a storage site for the enzyme,” said Tucker.
The researchers examined the aleurone in a range of barley cultivars used by growers and breeding programs in Australia and found remarkable variation in the aleurone layer between varieties.
Tucker said breeders and geneticists could make use of this natural variation to select for barley varieties with different amounts of aleurone and different malting characteristics.
“This will be of potential interest to large brewers who depend on stable and predictable production of malt, and also the craft brewers that seek different malts to produce beer with varying characteristics.”
PhD student Matthew Aubert used the variation to examine levels of enzymes involved in malt production.
He discovered that barley grains possessing more aleurone had noticeably more activity in one of the key enzymes that breaks down starch and determines malt quality of barley, an enzyme called free beta-amylase.
Aubert said grains with more aleurone could have an advantage that allowed them to break down complex sugars faster or more thoroughly than grains with less aleurone.
The researchers are now trying to find the genes that explain this natural variation.
Aubert’s research was supported by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in plant cell walls and the Grains Research and Development Corporation.
Mindfulness and individual choice are at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to food choices in 2018.
Although these are not new trends, they are ongoing factors that continue to shape the consumer food market.
Consumers are developing a more holistic way of questioning what they eat.
Rather than random selection, they’re looking to connect with a brand’s values – be it health and wellness benefits, a social conscience, or enhanced nutrition.
Consumer packaged goods companies must become more innovative and relevant to meet consumer needs.
This pushes companies to run incubator programs for product innovation and experiment with creative technology in stores to keep consumers satisfied.
Studies conducted by Haines Consulting Group show that consumers are increasingly mindful in their food choices. It is the main driver to consumer behaviour in the food industry.
Modern consumers want to know what is in their food and how it was sourced, so they can make better decisions about their health and how the product impacts the environment and the community.
This behavioural shift means that brands must advertise and create an environment that empowers consumers through convenience, health and choice.
The technology and tools available to consumers mean they have more insight into their personal health than ever before.
Knowing how many steps they’ve taken, calories they’ve burnt, or how much sleep they’ve had, can play a big role in people’s food choices.
For brands, messaging is key, to help consumers make the desired choice for their health.
Consumers are becoming more educated on nutrition and food quality, as they want to make responsible food decisions.
Food is becoming less of a commodity and more of an individual choice.
Preferences need to be catered for and shopping needs to feel relevant and personal.
But, it’s a fine line to find the balance of enough options to overwhelming choice.
The ability to personalise is essential, but people don’t want to be confronted with too many choices.
Brands also need to effectively communicate food messages about nutrition and health.
Another trends that isn’t new, but is proving important to consumers, is fitting products into people’s busy lifestyles.
Products need to be conveniently packaged and marketed to tick the convenience box for consumers.
This trend is evident in the uptake and increase in food delivery services and meal packages, blurring the line between restaurants and supermarkets.
E-commerce is set for huge growth with fast ordering and delivery services, meaning shoppers can get everything they need quickly and easily.
Understanding all of these consumer trends can help business increase engagement and ultimately increase brand sales and success, Haines Consulting Group explains.
Coles is introducing meat packaging made entirely from a combination of recycled and renewable material.
The new packaging will be used for a wide range of its Coles brand fresh meat and poultry products.
Coles bought about 121 million recyclable meat and poultry trays, in 2018, from Australian manufacturer Plantic Technologies.
Coles will use Plantic’s barrier trays, made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET), along with a thin layer of Plantic’s renewable barrier material to help keep the meat fresh.
During the recycling process, the thin plant starch layer washes away, allowing the PET tray to be recycled.
Coles director of fresh produce, Alex Freudmann, said it was an important step in Coles’ goal to become more sustainable.
“For four years, our Coles brand beef, lamb and pork mince has been packaged in recyclable trays sourced from Plantic. We now want to take the next step by transitioning a wider range of our fresh meat and poultry trays to Plantic’s new packaging, so that it is not just recyclable but also made from recycled plastics and renewable plant materials including corn,” he said.
“We understand the important role that packaging plays in maintaining food safety, supporting product longevity and reducing food waste. At the same time, we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment and continue to look for opportunities to increase the content of recycled material in Coles brand packaging and improving recycling communication to customers on pack,” said Freudmann.
Plantic’s materials carry the Australian Recycling Label, which provides consumers with information on what packaging can be recycled and whether it can be recycled in kerbside recycling.
Plantic Technologies CEO Brendan Morris said the company saw the partnership with Coles as a defining opportunity to strengthen the local recycling industry.
“The problem in Australia is that there hasn’t been lot of processing of kerbside recycling done on-shore. Instead we’ve been sending it to China. As a result, there has been little investment to reprocess the waste within Australia and there’s not enough capacity here. At the same time, Australia is importing plastic into the country that can’t be recycled. These two factors combined means the waste is just piling up,” he said.
“Plantic decided that if we’re really committed to this and want to make a benefit to the environment and make a real difference then we need to start now, with Coles supporting us.”
Coles aims to make all Coles brand packaging recyclable by 2020.
Practical Innovation helps food companies develop innovative products, with similar ideas to those used by start-up companies.
The aim is to get companies, stuck in their old ways, to take more risks that will benefit them long-term.
Practical Innovation pushes companies to break the old paradigm of marketing the same products on a reduced margin, which can set the product up for eventual failure.
Practical Innovation CEO Tal Leizer said gambling a company’s reputation in the market with a new product that might not survive on-shelf was a huge impediment.
“If you want to succeed in the competitive food market, the very first step is to take failure off the table and start thinking audaciously, like a start-up.”
There is a huge gap between start-ups that launch innovative products and traditional companies that don’t, irrespective of company scale.
Using the multidisciplinary expertise of professional innovators is necessary to drive the changes required and to launch win-win products.
Many established food companies want to develop new products and increase sales and revenues, but to do so involves harnessing tremendous efforts and resources that are not always available to traditional companies such as bakeries and sweetener companies.
Starting an innovation process in an existing company that has produced the same products over many years comes with challenges.
With so much at risk, older, and larger, companies often only make minor changes rather than introducing new ideas.
Being inherently risk-averse, they might only add a new flavour, improve packaging, or simply cut costs.
Leizer shares a few tips on how to revive a company’s innovation process, which include searching for creative ideas, even if those ideas seem impossible.
Identifying important food trends, and knowing what the market wanted, now and five years from now, was also important, he said.
Company’s also had to make the concept feasible and scalable, said Leizer.
From fruity drinks to coconut yoghurt, the finalists for the Food and Beverage Industry Awards 2018 shows the broad range of companies making their mark on the food industry.
The prestigious awards program recognises successful and innovative people in the industry, including brands that have a focus on health, and companies that are committed to providing equipment and services that focus on safety-first.
All finalists are automatically entered for the ‘Best of the Best’ award, sponsored by Flavour Makers.
Beverage of the Year – Sponsored by VEGA Australia
UTONIC – UTONIC Repair
The Good Seed Kefir – Kefir Soda, fermented beverage
Chai Addict – Chai Addict and Chai Harder
Emma and Tom’s – Colour Cleanse Purple Recovery
PepsiCo ANZ – Pepsi Max Vanilla
Raglan Coconut Yoghurt – Coconut yoghurt range
Fermentanicals – Organic sprouted grain line
Golden Grind – Golden Grind full range
Botanical Innovations – Apple cider vinegar
Chr. Hansen – SafePro
Morlife – Hemp falafel mix
Food Safety Equipment and Materials
Mitrefinch Australia – Time and attendance access and fatigue management
SICK – Bottle cap detection
ACO – Hygienic drainage systems
CCP Technologies – CCP Network Australia
Packaging Innovation – Sponsored by Jet Technologies
Result Group – Grape n’ Go
PakWorld – Pic’s Peanut Butter Slugs
The Low Carb Living Group – Protein Bread Co baking mixes
Chai Addict – Chai Addict and Chai Harder
Innovative Technology of the Year – Sponsored by NHP
Mitrefinch Australia – Mobile time and attendance live reporting
Aerofloat – DAF and MBBR
Automaint Solutions – HSC Lidding Attachment
HMPS – HMPS8000 Robotic Flat Bread Packer
JCurve Solutions – JCurve ERP
SICK – Bottle cap detection
Health Foods – Sponsored by JCurve Solutions
Well and Good – Hamburger buns
Nuts By Nature Mylk – Almond Mylk base
Extraordinary Foods – Pure kale chips
The Low Carb Living Group – Plant based range
COYO – COYO kids’ pouches
Mr Lee’s Pure Foods – Mr Lee’s noodles
Best in Design – Sponsored by Wiley
The Low Carb Living Group
Monash university – Incubation facility
Victorian Government and La Trobe University – AgriBio
Oji Fibre Solutions – Yatala packaging plant
Meat, Poultry and Smallgoods
Country Cooked Meats – The Standard Meat Co char siu pork
Hazeldene’s Chicken Farm – The Bare Bird
The Original Lamb Bacon Co. – Lamb bacon
Sunshine Meats – Smoked duck breast
Paddock to Plate
Prestige Foods Manufacturing – Chickpeas
Australian Primary Hemp – Hemp seeds and oil, hemp balance, hemp boost
The Original Lamb Bacon Co. – Lamb bacon
Fonterra – Anmum QR code
The Food & Beverage Industry Awards 2018 will be held at Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf, Sydney on Thursday the 16th of August 2018.
Morinaga Milk Industry has announced it has attained self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognised as safe) status in the United States for LAC-Shield, a unique immunogenic ingredient. This development opens the door for manufacturers of dietary supplements, functional foods and beverages in the US to include LAC-ShieldTM in products designed to enhance immune function.
Thanks to mounting research demonstrating the positive health benefits of probiotics, the probiotics market has experienced explosive growth over the past decade. In fact, according to Nutrition Business Journal, probiotics posted 17 per cent year-over-year growth from 2015 to 2016 in the US — the highest of any supplement category. BCC Research predicts the global market will grow to US$50b (A$67.3b) in 2020, as people’s awareness of and interest in healthful products continues to increase. However, the market is evolving beyond conventional probiotics to include metabolites of probiotics and non-viable microbes — called “immunogenics” or “immunobiotics.”
LAC-Shield (Lactobacillus paracasei MCC1849), widely recognised in Japan for its ability to enhance immunity, is one such ingredient. Unlike live cultures, LAC-Shield is rendered non-viable by heat treatment. Yet LAC-Shield still induces the production of a cytokine which activates and stimulates immune function.
LAC-Shield’s immune-boosting power was recently demonstrated in a human clinical study Morinaga Milk conducted with Kyushu Women’s University, which found it can lower the risk of contracting the common cold in susceptible subjects (Murata et al., Benef Microbes. 2018, in press). Another human clinical study, reported by Maruyama et al. (Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2016), found LAC-Shield may enhance the immune responses of the flu vaccine in the elderly with immunosenescence.
One of the most noteworthy aspects of LAC-Shield is the diversity of its potential applications. Usually, probiotics are difficult to incorporate into functional foods and beverages because of their intolerance of high temperatures and moisture. However, since LAC-Shield is pasteurised, it is highly tolerant of high heat and humidity, making it easy for manufacturers to incorporate it into a wide variety of products.
“In recent years, people have been demanding additional value and health benefits from the foods they consume. LAC-Shield has excellent potential to respond to those needs in the global market,” said Ko Shiino, general manager of the International Division at Morinaga Milk. “Achieving GRAS status enables LAC-Shield to be included in a wide variety of functional foods and beverages. We will continue our efforts to gain GRAS status for other probiotics in our portfolio so that we can contribute to healthier and brighter futures of people throughout the world.”
Morinaga Milk has a solid track record with GRAS ingredients. It attained GRAS status for its flagship probiotic Bifidobacterium longum BB536 (GRAS Notice No. GRN 000268) in 2007 and for Bifidobacterium breve M-16V (GRAS Notice No. GRN 000453 and GRN 000454) in 2013. BB536 is well-known for its stability, quality and wide-ranging functional effects, as shown by 160 scientific reports, including numerous clinical studies. M-16V is well-known for its strong safety profile and its efficacy in infants, having been used in more than 120 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) hospitals in Japan for low-birth-weight infants to support healthy growth. As a result, Morinaga Milk attained not only FDA-notified GRAS status for M-16V, but also GRAS status for infants.
Organic milk formula company Bellamy’s Australia is seeing massive revenue growth and is on its way to become a global business.
The Weekly Times reports that half-yearly earnings were $105.1 million, following last year’s net revenues of $125.3 million (after beginning the year with a forecast of $83.8 million).
Its 2014 sales were 85 per cent domestic, with exports to Singapore, Vietnam and other Asian markets on the rise.
Most of its organic milk supply comes from New Zealand and Europe, with only a small local supply of organic milk available. This was an area of opportunity for dairy farmers, said managing director Laura McBain.
“We source our milk powders from a global supply chain,” McBain told The Weekly Times.
“The reason is that, if you took the entire Australian organic milk supply, it would last us about a month.
“Bellamy’s Australia does not own processing plants, having made a decision early in its business operation to remain flexible and agile by remaining unencumbered by factories.”
Manufacturing is performed under contract by Tatura, Soon, this will also be provided by Fonterra.
The Productivity Commission has released a report today arguing that anti-dumping measures consider only a narrow set of industries, remove the need for innovation, and don’t consider the overall cost to the economy.
AAP reports that the paper by the commission, an influential advisor the federal government, has blasted the anti-dumping system, which imposes tariffs on things like dumped tinned tomatoes following complaints made by SPC Ardmona.
Dumping is the practice of exporting and selling goods below cost, and is described as a type of predatory pricing.
"Once the emotive terminology is stripped away, any general distinction between anti-dumping protection and conventional tariff protection is a fine one," The Australian Financial Review quotes the report as saying.
"Like tariffs, anti-dumping measures benefit recipient industries, but impose larger costs on other industries, consumers and the broader economy [and] reduce the need for recipient industries to innovate in order to remain competitive and to adjust to changing market conditions more generally.”
The report’s release follows research on Asian steel dumping commissioned by the federal government – announced the day after Arrium revealed it was considering shutting its Whyalla steelworks – announced last week. The commission will report in April.
The steel industry is under heavy competition from imported Asian steel as China’s economy and its infrastructure building slows.
86 per cent of investigations into dumping in 2014-15 were to do with steel imports.