MARCH 2020
Hype in Hops What’s brewing in craft beer
PLUS: Why air audits make sense | Food trends 2030 | Food & Beverage Industry Awards
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ustralia loves having a tipple or two. When convict James Squires brewed his first batch in 1790 two years after the First Fleet arrived, until the latest brewery opened (there are so many starting up, according to recent stats, two more would have put their hats in the ring by the time this magazine is published), Australians have been consummate consumers of the amber fluid. And it is that love of not only the beer itself, but the making of it, that has seen an explosion of craft breweries starting up throughout the continent – more than 600 at last count. In this issue, we speak to several stakeholders in the market, including some
big players. Where is it heading? What does the future hold? What are some of the key isssues facing the industry over the next few years? Also in this issue air compressor specialist ELGi offers some tips on how to save money via an air audit – plant managers would be surprised how much money is being lost due to air leaks in their compressor systems. What is even more surprising is that some companies don’t even realise that they have an air leak. Finally, Sam Moore, one of Mintel’s global food and beverage analysts, gives us the run down on what the future of food will look like in 2030. Have a great month.
INSIDE Copyright Food & Beverage Industry News is owned by Prime Creative Media and published by John Murphy. All material in Food & Beverage Industry News is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. The opinions expressed in Food & Beverage Industry News are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated. © Copyright Prime Creative Media, 2019 Articles All articles submitted for publication become the property of the publisher. The Editor reserves the right to adjust any article to conform with the magazine format. Head Office 11-15 Buckhurst St South Melbourne VIC 3205 Ph: +61 3 9690 8766 enquiries@primecreative.com.au http://www.primecreative.com.au Sydney Office Suite 303, 1-9 Chandos Street Saint Leonards NSW 2065, Australia Ph: (02) 9439 7227
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Victorian Government looks to rail to move more freight
Port Melbourne is seen as an important hub for Victoria’s rail future.
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Port Rail Shuttle Network will be key to the Victorian Government’s plans to deliver importers and exporters new efficiencies in their supply chains by moving more freight onto rail. Rail has been underutilised in Melbourne for short-haul freight operations, with the entire metropolitan freight task currently
undertaken by road transport. Rail is also seen as critical to the Port of Melbourne’s future success as container throughput triples by 2050. Eighty-seven per cent of import containers handled by the port travel to a destination less than 50 kilometres from the port. The proposed Port Rail Shuttle
Network would establish terminals in the city’s west, north and potentially the south east, where import containers could be railed prior to delivery by road to their final destinations. The proposed network promises an efficient and cost-effective alternative to road transport, as well as catering for export and empty
containers and – potentially – interstate freight. The Victorian Government has partnered with the private sector to develop the network. Operators of terminals located at Altona and Somerton have been selected to build the new rail sidings and connections needed for the efficient operation of the network.
Non-alcoholic wine market set to expand S urpassing a valuation of more than $15 billion, the non-alcoholic wine market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 7 per cent during the forecast period. The beverage industry is undergoing a transformation with the rise of ‘healthier’ categories of non-alcoholic beverage variants such as non-alcoholic wine. Compared to traditional wine, low and nonalcoholic wine is soaring on popularity owing to the development of non-alcoholic wine, which caters to a large segment of the population. Consumption of non-
alcoholic wine and other beverages is increasingly becoming one of the mainstream trends that is believed to be shaping the scale of the global beverage industry. The convergence of these patterns is underpinning the exponential growth for the non-alcoholic wine market over the forecast period. Key features of the study include the following: • Europe leads the non-alcoholic wine market, holding shares more than 40 per cent in 2018. The wine markets in Europe are well established with Italy and France
having the highest per capita consumption of over 35 litres per person per year. • Although volume and value growth are modest in Europe, North America is anticipated to be the most important non-alcoholic wine market in the world with a growth rate of over 8 per cent. • In 2018, the alcohol-free segment comprised more than 50 per cent of the total share of the industry. Increasing adoption of these products as a form of sports drink has enhanced industry growth, especially among athletes.
• S upermarkets represented more than 20 per cent of the total beer market. With several innovative ways to boost consumer spending on non-alcoholic wines, supermarket chains are thriving on increasing sales. • The online stores segment is projected to grow at the highest growth rate of over 9 per cent between 2019 and 2027. Inclination under the category of non-alcoholic wine to e-commerce and e-tailing is bringing about shifts in customer buying experience.
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 5
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How will the coronavirus affect agriculture in Australia Rabobank’s Tim Hunt.
both retail and foodservice for the Chinese New Year week could range from 20 per cent to 80 per cent”. A loss of between $46 billion to $185 billion across retail and foodservice is expected, it said. While the report said a quick and effective containment of the virus could lead to a rapid bounce-back, the longer the virus is uncontained beyond March, the more extensive, sustained and structural the impact will be on the F&A chain.
For Australia
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he coronavirus outbreak is already having a severe impact on China’s foodservice and ontrade channels and this could become “more serious and longer-lasting” if the virus is not contained over the next month, leading agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank has warned. But the extent of the impact on Australia’s agricultural sector will be limited in the short-term and will depend on how quickly the virus is contained, the company explained. In a just-released report by the bank’s China-based research team, Recent Coronavirus Impacts on Chinese F&A, Rabobank said “disruptions are being experienced across the entire F&A (food and agri) supply chain” with the virus – which has infected more than 75,000 plus people (as of Feb 21) – disrupting trade, production and supply chains. It will also have an impact on out-ofhome food consumption with the closure of many foodservice outlets in the country. With the virus outbreak arriving at the peak of 2020 Chinese New Year activities, it has had a large impact on out-of-home dining in the country, the report indicated. “Given what we have seen on the ground, along with news received from major chains – for example, the closure of stores by Starbucks, Haidilao, McDonald’s, and Yum China – potential revenue losses for
Regardless of when coronavirus is contained, Australian-based head of Rabobank Food & Agribusiness Research, Tim Hunt said it will “almost certainly” have a larger impact on food and beverage industries than the global SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) epidemic in 2003 – including in Australia. Discussing the current and potential impacts of the virus on Australia and New Zealand’s food and agribusiness industries in a podcast, Coronavirus: How Worried Should We Be?, Hunt said coronavirus has already spread more widely than SARS but it is Australia’s “much larger exposure to China” that is the biggest difference between current events and SARS. “If we go back to 2002 just before the SARS crisis, Australia sent eight per cent of its ag exports to China”, Hunt said. And this was largely in the form of fibre to be processed for export. Fast forward to 2020, he said, and Australia sends around 28 per cent of its food and agricultural exports to China, much of which is consumed within China. “Add to that, the stronger links that have been developed between Australia and China in terms of exports, tourism, education and investment, we have a very different environment in which we might see the potential impacts of coronavirus this time compared to SARS in 2003.” There are likely to be both first- and second-round impacts
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of coronavirus on the Australian agricultural sector, Hunt said, with the first round already being felt by any food and agriculture business relying heavily on the food service channel in China, particularly perishable goods. “For example, rock lobster shipments to China have all but ceased in the last couple of weeks,” he said, “while chilled meat shipments for foodservice are also a risk category given a lot of hot pot restaurants are closed at the moment.” And while wine isn’t perishable, Hunt said sales are also likely to be low for those focused on the Chinese food service industry. While Chinese consumption of meat, dairy and grains is unlikely to fall in the short-term, Hunt said if the virus continued for many months to come, second-round impacts –“likely to hit our F&A industries” – would come into play. “Hopefully we won’t get to ‘round two’,” he said, “but if we do, incomes may fall in China and we may eventually see less growth in sales of premium food and beverages as that wealth effect starts to kick in. “And this may start to go beyond just food service sales and logistical disruptions to potentially impacting consumption in general of meat, dairy, grains and seafood.” Hunt said in the event coronavirus has second-round effects, the currency exchange rate would act as an “important stabiliser” for Australian agricultural exporters, with the Australian dollar likely to depreciate as the market responded to slowing economic growth and rising risk concerns. And this, he said, would “somewhat offset” any fall in global commodity prices when expressed in local currency terms. Going forward, it will be important to monitor developments, including the return to work in China after the extended New Year holiday and how the Chinese government continues to manage the outbreak including restrictions on the food service sector. “But the most important development will be when we see a
slowdown in the rate of infection,” he said. “SARS took around three and a half months for the infection to start slowing but after that, it didn’t take long for infections to cap a few weeks later. Hunt said it will also be critical to monitor the spread of the virus to other countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam and other parts of South-east Asia, because if it spreads “we will start to see the same set of impacts in a second very large set of export markets for Australia”.
By commodity Rock lobster – likely to be the most exposed sector, with 95 per cent of sales going to China. While rock lobster sales from WA have ceased for now, fishermen can leave the lobsters in the ocean and catch their quota later if quota windows allow. Read meat – short-term disruption is likely given logistical disruption and reduced eating out by Chinese consumers. Grains – limited impacts are foreseen both initially and in the event of a second round phase. Dairy – at this stage, limited first round impacts as most of what is shipped (i.e. powders and infant milk formulas) have a good shelf life and are consumed at home. Sugar – little disruption is expected to impact sugar trade flows, processing and consumption. Wine – on-premise consumption of wine in China in 2019 accounted for around one third of total wine sales. Sales into this channel are expected to fall in the short-term while restrictions on group dining remain in place. That said, volumes of wine sold via e-commerce are likely to rise. Horticulture – fortunately the cherry industry had air freighted most of its crop to China before the virus hit, something that would have been highly problematic a month later. In the next two to three months the main threat to export fruit and vegetable crops will be logistical, with demand from Chinese consumers for quality imported fresh produce not expected to fall from current levels.
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Danone launches data-driven service for consumers & retailers D
anone has announced the launch of its baby formula Track & Connect service – a digitally-enabled service giving consumers and retailers greater transparency on the product’s farmto-fork journey. Furthermore, through Danone’s Track & Connect service, consumers and retailers will eventually be able to access new data-driven, personalised after-sales support and services for its baby formula brands like Aptamil, Karicare, Laboratoire Gallia and Nutrilon. Shoppers will be able to access this new service through their smart phones by scanning two QR codes on baby formula packs. This dual-QR code packaging innovation will see one QR code laser printed on the outer pack as well as a second, inner QR code laser printed behind a tamper-resistant seal, which can only be scanned after purchase. The dual QR code system
will let shoppers verify the quality and authenticity of the formula, while providing a new way for consumers to connect with the brand for after-sales support and services. Once the service has been rolled out, shoppers will scan a QR code on a baby formula pack to access a brand page containing verified information such as where and when the formula was manufactured and the product’s journey through the supply chain. After purchasing and opening the sealed pack, shoppers will then be able to scan a second, inner QR code – triggering a one-time, initial message, verifying the product is authentic. Danone aims to leverage this dual-QR code packaging innovation to introduce customised after-sales support and services that consumers value – such as health and nutrition apps and information, useful ‘how to’ parenting videos, and access to customer helplines or online
e-commerce services. Shoppers would access such support and services after opening their baby formula pack and scanning the inner QR code. The Track & Connect service will also allow Danone and its distributors and retailers to forecast consumer demands and preferences. This new service is powered by blockchain, serialisation and aggregation technology, which offer a secure method of storing data and information on the movement of the baby formula products through its supply chain. Danone has combined these technologies with its dual-QR code packaging innovation to offer its unique baby formula Track & Connect service. “We’re pleased to be rolling out our baby formula Track & Connect service to consumers and retailers in 2020,” said David Boulanger, senior vice president, operations, Danone Specialised Nutrition. “Thanks to
this innovation in packaging and data management, we’ll be able to offer one of the most comprehensive traceability services in the baby formula industry and connect more closely to our consumers and retailers to offer them after sales services they value.” Danone is initially launching its baby formula Track & Connect service in China for its Aptamil and Nutrilon brands. The company plans to roll out the service starting in 2020 in France for its Laboratoire Gallia brand, and in Germany, Australia and New Zealand for its Aptamil and Karicare brands.
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 7
software for good products
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Wholefoods online store packages its commitment to environment A
n Australian online wholefood store is upping the ante on reducing its carbon footprint by moving to compostable packaging made from 100 per cent vegetable material. Lismore-based Affordable Wholefoods sells bulk organic, non-organic and gluten-free wholefoods in resealable, reusable packaging but wanted to offer a more environmentally friendly option. Mark Evans, owner of Affordable Wholefoods, said customers are happy with the current option. “But
we wanted to give them a choice. More people are looking for ways to reduce waste. That is why we are seeing people move towards reusable and compostable packaging,” he said. “Since we opened in 2008, we have been searching for a more eco-friendly packaging option but nothing we tested made the grade. Our packaging needs to keep the products fresh from the time of packaging to delivery. With many of our customers in rural and remote areas, that’s important.” Evans and his team’s search
led them to NatureFlex, which is based on cellulose. It is a naturally abundant organic material that is derived from renewable resources, such as wood pulp from managed plantations. “We heard great things about its ability to keep items fresh, which was exactly what we were looking for. Being 100 per cent home compostable, now that was speaking our language,” Evans said. Affordable Wholefoods did not rush the packaging to market. “We tested it over and over, sending
parcels to ourselves and back again to see how well the food travelled,” Evans said. “The results were spectacular. Every single time, the wholefoods arrived fresh. “This is another way we commit to sustainability. Whether our customers use our soft zip lock bags that can be reused repeatedly for food storage, or the new NatureFlex bags, which can be disposed of in worm farms, green recycling bins or home composting systems. It’s another step towards reducing plastic, which is important for the environment.”
Coles partners with kitchen garden foundation A new three-year partnership between Coles and the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation will give thousands of children across Australia access to a food education program that helps them develop a healthy relationship with food, selfconfidence and life skills. More than 2,000 schools and early learning centres around Australia currently participate in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, reaching around 250,000 children and their families each year. The education-based food program founded by renowned Australian chef Stephanie Alexander, aims to make healthy eating second nature for children by making it fun for them to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh, seasonal and delicious food. In addition to the ongoing financial support Coles is providing to the Foundation to help spread the word about healthy eating, Coles is celebrating the new partnership by donating 10 cents from the sale of a selection of Coles salads until 24 March.
Customers can help support the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program by purchasing selected Coles Australian Large Bagged Salads, priced at $5 each for 280-300g, including spinach, baby leaf blend, and spinach and kale. With the support of Coles, the Foundation hopes to reach thousands more Australian families while allowing schools and centres already running the program to continue their work. Coles chief marketing officer Lisa Ronson said the partnership was mainly founded on a mutual desire to help Australian families lead healthier and therefore much happier lives. “The Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program teaches children to prepare, enjoy and love fresh healthy food, which is something we too are passionate about at Coles. We want to inspire our customers and bring them on the fabulous food journey by helping expand the program and ensure it reaches more families across Australia,” she said. Alexander said she is delighted that the partnership will help spread
Coles is providing financial support for the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation.
the word to more families that choosing and eating good fresh food is both a healthy decision and a fun decision for the whole family. “We are delighted that this partnership allows us to bring our fresh food philosophy beyond the school gate and further reach and engage families and communities; together with Coles we want to encourage Australians to enjoy food in the most healthy and sustainable way,” she said. The announcement of the partnership comes as Coles
launches the Coles Fresh 5 Challenge, a brand-new national healthy eating program aimed at Australian children. Endorsed by the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation, the challenge helps parents motivate their kids to eat a nutritious, balanced diet by helping them track the amount of vegetables, grains, calcium, fruit and protein they consume each day on a specially designed placemat chart that makes a mealtime game of healthy eating.
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 9
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BioPak develops packaging using sugarcane pulp N
ew South Wales-based packaging specialist BioPak has developed a sustainable alternative to conventional plastic packaging, which delivers a positive environmental impact. When consumers buy a product, they also buy any waste associated with it. In 2016, Australians sent 2.2 million tonnes of plastic and another 1.6 million tonnes of paper to landfill. The environmental impact of packaging waste, plastics, in particular, has become a global issue. Public demand for improved
sustainability and climate change action has resulted in the regulation and banning of single-use plastics in many countries and regions worldwide. This is placing pressure on the food packaging industry to switch to more sustainable options and is driving innovation in packaging. An example of a high-volume single-use plastic is a disposable food container. It is convenient, safe, hygienic and commonly used for takeaway food. However, when made from conventional plastics, these containers
are unsustainable and pollute the environment at every stage in their life cycle. Alternative single-use, foodservice packaging options with reduced environmental impacts are required. These options need to be easily collected and recycled. BioCane packaging is made from sugarcane pulp, also known as bagasse. It is the stalk residue remaining after the sugar has been extracted from the cane. Instead of burning this material, BioPak converts the bagasse into an moulded packaging raw material.
This material is suitable for creating packaging for a range of hot, cold, solid, and liquid products and it is ovenable up to 200°C. The sugarcane packaging is certified home and commercially compostable, free from contamination and recyclable in the paper co-mingled recycling stream – making it a sustainable, effective replacement for the plastic takeaway container. BioPak has developed a range of sizes and has displayed its solutions at many consumer events and industry trade shows.
Accidental discovery leads to dietary supplement export bonanza I
n what is believed to be a first for New Zealand, exports of an organic soil nutrient discovered by accident in a Southland farm have launched into the US. A deposit of fulvic acid covering one square kilometre, and believed to be worth millions of dollars in processed form, was discovered following oil and gas exploration surveys that happened in the 1950s. Deposits of this size are rare by international standards, with only a few countries around the world able to extract fulvic acid for nutritional products. Fulvic acid is a water-soluble material found in a part of soil called the humus. It is the result of a combination of several acids that are created when organic matter decomposes. The refined humus is processed into a liquid and marketed as a dietary supplement designed to support immunity, nutrient absorption and natural energy levels. An initial export order of more than 1.5 tonnes of the supplement has left New Zealand
destined for the US market and will be sold through Amazon – believed to be the first time this nutrient has been sold into the North American market. The nutritional business will be a boost for the Bay of Plenty economy with a planned factory upgrade to
Fulvic acid is rare and has been found in Southland, New Zealand.
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process the mineral in Kawerau for export markets. NZ Fulvic director, Rhys Brooking, said the factory will eventually employ 30 locals as they seek to grow international and local distribution volumes. He said the product has been
well received in the domestic market having launched here just 14 months ago. “Internationally, there is a well-established market for fulvic acid among consumers seeking to support their dietary needs – we believe the purity of the New Zealand product is well positioned to help capture a share of this wellness market. “Farming techniques can remove the nutrient from the soil so even people who have a diet rich in vegetables may benefit from supplementation with nutrients such as fulvic acid,” he said. Brooking said the soil extraction process used to extract the nutrient involves filtering the soil to separate the fulvic acid from the humus with the land later carefully reinstated – in line with their organic approach to production. Brooking says they are currently producing a nutrientrich fertiliser product, which is organically certified and are working on certification for their fulvic acid supplement as well.
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Grounded breaks into international markets via Seeds of Change Accelerator
The Seeds of Change Accelerator will hopefully take Grounded to the next level.
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rom a restaurant in Victoria to operating in the big smoke of New York, Grounded simply cannot believe how fast its business has grown worldwide. In 2019, the company was chosen as one of six Australian-based start-ups in the Seeds of Change Accelerator, a partnership with Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL) and MARS Food Australia, to fast-track the growth of innovative foodfocused businesses. Veronica Fil and partner Shaun Quade, are the duo behind Grounded who produce plant-based cheeses that look, taste and feel just like the real thing. The product is made from cauliflower and hemp seeds. They have found already that supply and demand is unbalanced, and consumers are frustrated because Grounded isn’t able to supply them
immediately. A challenge most manufacturers dream of, especially in the start-up stage. The duo first owned a fine dining restaurant in Melbourne and looked to take the concept overseas. While they were in this process, they discovered that their house-made vegan cheese was always the star of the show. After creating the product, they were quickly approached by companies in the hospitality and supermarket industries looking for supply, as well as investors. Knowing they were on the right track, Fil and Quade decided to grow the business themselves. “I’ve had no shortage of investment offers however, it was the skills and understanding of what we needed to get the business going that we were really looking for,” said Fil. “After receiving interest from investors, we decided we didn’t
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want to make a terrible mistake of losing equity. As a result, it was suggested we apply for the Seeds of Change Accelerator. We weren’t looking for investors but rather the specialist knowledge and mentors in manufacturing, scale-up and IP management. Going into the Accelerator was an absolute gamechanger for us. If we hadn’t been in that we would have been left with barely anything. It’s changed our entire lives and we’ve had a fantastic time from it. “Five weeks into the Accelerator program, I met a venture capitalist from New York who runs a plant-based food fund. He said ‘call me tomorrow, I think we can help’. Two weeks later, we were in New York with a $300,000 investment behind us, preparing to commercialise our products,” said Fil. FIAL’s Dr. Barry McGookin said,
“Grounded were selected to undertake a tailored four-month program to help tackle their challenges and were supported with a grant. The Accelerator program included face-toface workshops and access to a panel of expert mentors. “At FIAL, one of our main objectives is to help firms build their capabilities so they can grow the share of Australian food in the global marketplace. This expanded capacity is evident with Grounded, who are looking to manufacture in California and Victoria.” Grounded is still reeling from the speed of the success of the program. “It struck me partway through the program we had landed the biggest opportunity of our lives. For us, money had nothing to do with it. It was the brain’s trust and having that knowledge and backing,” said Fil.
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Conga Foods celebrates 70 years with Food Appeal partnership C
onga Foods, an Australian, family-owned business, has revealed an updated company image and a long-term, philanthropic partnership with Feed Appeal Rural Grants Series in celebration of 70 years since the Valmorbida family arrived in Australia and launched into Australia’s food landscape. This family history is a rich story; one of authenticity and passion, which began with an Italian, Fulvio Valmorbida, whose love for Australia began in his years as a hard-working tobacco farmer in Ovens Valley, Victoria in the 1920s. Caught by World War II, while he was back in the Veneto region of Northern Italy, Fulvio’s constant entrepreneurial spirit and understanding of good product led to the building of two small grocery shops in Australia, setting the scene for an enduring family business when the family resettled in Melbourne in 1950. It all started with the family taking over a small continental goods store at 508 Swanston Street, Carlton named Frank Agostino, selling continental goods to Melbourne’s growing Italian population. Like so many other migrant stories of Australia, the Valmorbida family brought with them a strong connection to culture and heritage; in particular a passion for authentic and crafted foods that remains the core of the Conga Foods business to this day. Throughout the last 70 years, the family has pushed the boundaries of Australian food culture through its various companies and branches; launching Australia’s first major bottled mineral water from Hepburn Springs, originating Australia’s love affair with canned tuna (fished from Port Lincoln) and bringing “liquid gold” olive oil from Europe at a time when it was only sold in pharmacies as a health tonic. Italian canned tomatoes, pasta, authentic cheeses and cured hams, legumes, pasta sauces, sardines and coffee are just a few examples of once rare continental specialties that through the passage of time and in part due to this family, are now commonplace ingredients
Saverio Valmorbida behind the counter of his store. in Australian pantries. Seventy years on, the children of Fulvio’s youngest son Saverio continue to bring new products to the plates of Australians with their focus on quality and good value and an understanding of the importance of creating and maintaining strong relationships. These relationships, with family businesses across Australia and around the world, include partnerships which started over 50 years ago. In large part, these form strong foundations and a competitive advantage for Conga Foods with the vast majority based solely on handshake agreements, respect and mutual passion. Thanks to these partnerships, Conga Foods brings high-quality brands such as Moro, Val Verde, Zanetti, Latteria Soresina, Saclà, La Famiglia Rana, dc Specialty Coffee Roasters and Squeaky Gate Growers Co. to the market, which have become regulars in many Australian households. “Family business is not just any business. It is the culmination of collective vision and shared beliefs of our family, our employees and their families, our customer families and the families that have made up our
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supply partners for many decades. It’s all connected,” according to executive chairman David Valmorbida. In truth, Conga Foods didn’t exist when the family started out in 1950. Although once believed to stand for “Continental Grocery Association”, the name has a different origin, yet another example of a story of family partnerships. A group of five businessmen, each with their own grocery stores, would regularly gather together to establish the supply needs of each store and order collectively from the larger importers and wholesalers. On colder nights they would sit around an elaborate, copperencased appliance filled with coals. According to lore, this particular heater was known, in Sicilian dialect, as a “conga”, and one cold night the businessmen decided their partnership needed a name – what better name to represent the partnership than the one thing that they gathered around. As the Valmorbida family group of businesses grew, they eventually took over Conga, incorporated as Conga Trading Co., and later changed its name to Conga Foods as it became the main business arm of the family’s food interests.
2020 represents a new decade with new horizons and new opportunities. For Conga Foods, it is also a time of reflection and revitalisation after a number of years of generational leadership transition and company modernisation; an opportunity to celebrate the 70-year family milestone with a sense of pride and renewed enthusiasm for the possibilities of the future. To mark the occasion, Conga Foods’ company logo has received a refresh – one that retains the heritage elements of strength, trust and confidence, but that now reflects modernity, innovation and expertise. Conga leads into the new decade pushing forward its vision for “Authentic and crafted foods on every plate”. According to the three family directors David, Marc and Bianca, the new logo is a small, but important reminder that we need to continue to push the boundaries and seek new value with our partners and customers, to deliver best-in-class service that ensures the best experience and best value for consumers. Beyond a passion for food, the new generation of the family believe that
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supporting other small businesses and communities is an important part of the purpose and opportunity of being in business at all. Launched in 2014, in consultation with and in support of a number of Australian olive farmers who needed long-term partnership, Conga Foods created the Squeaky Gate Growers Co. brand of olive oil. “We saw an opportunity to consolidate quality produce under a national brand, at the same time providing a fair price for many olive farmers who would otherwise not have market access to sell their oils. A win-win for farmers and consumers,” explained David. More recently, after a number of Conga Foods projects with products of other Australian businesses, the family launched Pakval Business Solutions, led by David’s brother Marc. Born out of an opportunity to leverage Conga Foods’ national distribution footprint to provide warehousing and logistics services to Australian entrepreneurs, Pakval Business Solutions enables trade access that allows these other businesses to thrive. Since 2018, Conga Foods and its parent, Corval Group, which incorporates dc Specialty Coffee Roasters and Pakval Business Solutions, have published an annual Corporate Social Responsibility
review, which has highlighted the family’s investment into renewable energy generation, the pursuit of ethical business practices in their supply chain (with regards to labour, environmental impact, raw material sustainability as well as packaging sustainability), workforce diversity and philanthropic and charitable activities of the group and its employees. Identifying and acting on business opportunities runs through the culture at Conga Foods. From a philanthropic point of view, Conga Foods understands the role and responsibility of being a good corporate citizen. “Being a family business, we may not have the scale or impact of other, larger companies, however we have a continued focus on both environmental and social projects at the centre of our CSR agenda. Our solar energy plant in Coburg North is a good example of this, being one of the largest in the region,” explained Marc. Yet the family and company employees desire to give back more, and in 2020, in line with their 70-year celebrations, are proud to announce a new philanthropic partnership, with Squeaky Gate Growers Co. becoming the principal partner for the Feed Appeal Rural Grants Series. This partnership between
Squeaky Gate Growers Co. and Feed Appeal will focus on generating awareness, community engagement and much needed funding for rural areas of Australia. “We are very excited about this partnership. Squeaky Gate was a brand born out of a community need in 2014, and now we hope to use its reach with Australian consumers to give back to the many communities and their families around Australia who are in need as a result of droughts, floods, fires and the longlasting consequences of these and other hardships, long after the initial impact,” said Bianca. “With more than four million Australians going without meals each year, Feed Appeal provides an invaluable community service we are proud to lend our support to with a long-term focus.” As a part of its partnership with Feed Appeal, in addition to supporting the Rural Grants governance itself, Conga Foods will donate to the Rural Grants Series Fund and also feature Feed Appeal to drive awareness of this important cause through Squeaky Gate’s general marketing and media for its “The Way It Should Be” campaign. Consumers should look out for 3L tins of Squeaky Gate Growers Co Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a Feed Appeal branded tag that commits to
an equivalent Rural Grants donation of a meal for someone in need in rural communities. Aptly dubbed as a “Meal for a Mate” pledge, the concept is founded on a common goal in providing food relief for fellow Australians doing it tough. Grants may be awarded by Feed Appeal to community meal programs such as funding the purchase of kitchen and storage equipment to help charities make the most of the rescued and donated food and keep up with demand. Katherine Gokavi-Whaley is the CEO of Feed Appeal. “We are thrilled to partner with Conga Foods and Squeaky Gate Growers Co. for the Rural Grants Series,” she said. “Our congratulations to Conga Foods and the Valmorbida family on a wonderful 70-year story; we are excited about working together with your family into the future in this new partnership that hopefully will last many years.” Feed Appeal’s Rural Grant Series raises and shares funds with local, rural communities to provide hope and nourishment for people going hungry. “It’s a simple concept, but so perfect and so important. My family and our teams are proud and humbled to be invited to be a part of this great initiative,” said David.
Asahi to open plastic palletising facility in Albury P act Group Holdings, Cleanaway Waste Management and Asahi Beverages have announced they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop a local plastic pelletising facility, which will be beneficial to all three companies. It is anticipated that the facility will be capable of processing up to 28,000 tonnes of plastic bottles and other recyclables into flake and food grade pellets, which will be used as a raw material for the production of packaging for products in the food and beverage sector. One of the benefits of the crossvalue chain collaboration is that the
expertise of each participant will complement the new venture. Cleanaway will provide available feedstock through its collection and sorting network. Pact will provide technical and packaging expertise and Asahi Beverages and Pact will buy the majority of the recycled pellets from the facility to use in their packaging products. The proposed facility will be located in Albury/Wodonga to service markets across the coast and create approximately 30 local jobs in regional Australia. It is anticipated that the facility will begin to operate
some time in December 2021. “I am thrilled with this arrangement and the opportunity to work with Cleanaway and Asahi in making a meaningful step in improving the plastics value chain,” said Pact’s managing director and CEO, Sanjay Dayal. “The partnership will create valuable raw materials from the recyclables we collect and sort to help make a sustainable future possible. It is a natural extension of our value chain and expands our footprint of prized assets,” said Cleanaway’s CEO and managing director, Vik Bansal. This project was supported by a grant to Cleanaway from the
Environmental Trust as part of the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative funded from the waste levy. “This venture will allow us to utilise Australian sourced recycled plastic resins to assist in meeting our sustainability commitment to transition our portfolio to recycled plastics.” “I am excited by the opportunity to participate in a strategic alliance that closes the loop of the circular economy and contributes to a sustainable plastics supply chain by combining our strategic capabilities,” said Asahi Beverage’s Group CEO, Robert Iervasi.
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 15
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Packaging cuts fresh green bean waste StePac has developed packaging that can eliminate excess moisture.
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odified atmosphere bulk packaging (MAP) newly developed by sustainable packaging company StePac is being used in the packaging of green beans. The company’s solution under the brand name Xtend, targets food waste in the foodservice supply chain and delivers added benefits of preserving the quality, crispiness, and glossy green colour of fresh green beans while maintaining full fresh flavour. Green beans are grown in South Florida and Tennessee, with peak season from November to May. A large percentage of the green beans are packed and shipped to the foodservice industry. But fresh green beans have a short shelf life of around 8 to 12 days. Dehydration, a common post-harvest problem, causes the pods to shrivel and become limp from progressive weight loss, and plastic packaging is often used to reduce this waste.
However, excess moisture generated in standard packaging aggravates decay and russeting – reddish-brown spots that result from chilling injury when beans are stored at 5-7.5°C. Foodservice outlets must discard food supplies that do not meet specifications for appearance and quality, and are rendered unfit for consumption. StePac developed MAP films inbuilt with water vapour transmission rates (WVTR), which are said to eliminate the excess moisture from fresh green bean packaging, mitigating risk of decay and reducing sensitivity to russeting. The company’s proprietary solution is said to also preserve the crispiness and glossy green colour of fresh green beans and prevents excessive weight loss, which can be caused by dehydration. Food waste is an estimated $100bn problem within the US hospitality sector, reports Winnow, producers of
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a device that monitors food waste in commercial kitchens. “Food waste in the foodservice sector is a major challenge, affecting the entire global food value chain,” notes Gary Ward, Ph.D., business development manager for StePac. “Our technology offers a solution for helping curb that waste and enhancing the quality of the produce reaching the kitchens. It also isn’t limited to green beans but extends to a range of other vegetables, such as peas, carrots, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and others that are freshly bulk packed for the foodservice sector. StePac’s packaging solutions can help increase the shelf life of green beans and other vegetables, often by as much as 50-100 per cent, and allows foodservice providers to serve vegetables cooked from higher quality fresh produce, more sustainably and with reduced waste.
StePac offers a range of films that caters for most requirements. In addition to Xtend carton liners, its Xflow films, with their patented sealing layer, have facilitated applicability for automated packaging, such as vertical form-fill and seal (VFFS) packing. This lets the packaging of green beans and other vegetables meet the demands of high turnover facilities and is already gaining momentum within facilities in regions of the US, especially Florida. “The new Xflow packaging supports high-speed, high-throughput automated packaging lines for fresh vegetables; supports distributors and growers; and better meets the needs of hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and other institutions across the US,” said Ward. “Foodservice sites can receive enhanced quality produce while enjoying the benefits of reduced labour costs.”
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Healthy Grain appoints distributors for non-GMO super-grain, BARLEYmax T
he Healthy Grain (THG) company has announced it has signed agreements for the distribution of the all-natural, wholegrain, BARLEYmax. MAURI has been appointed as the exclusive distributor for the Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) bakery sector, with Scalzo Foods as exclusive distributor for all ANZ non-bakery categories. The Scoular Company has been appointed both exclusive growing and non-exclusive distribution rights for BARLEYmax in the North American market. BARLEYmax was developed by
Australia’s research organisation, the CSIRO, and provides 25.5 per cent Total Dietary Fibre (TDF). Additionally, the unique combination of prebiotic fibre found in BARLEYmax is known to support good gut health. Naturally high in fibre, protein and beta-glucan, the all-natural BARLEYmax wholegrain has the potential to help reduce the risk of a variety of chronic diseases including colorectal cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. BARLEYmax is currently used in health foods such as breakfast
cereals, muesli and snack bars, and loaf and flat breads. THG specialises in commercialising non-GM wholegrains with substantiated health-claim benefits. The company has an exclusive portfolio of these grains, protected by patents and trademarks such as BARLEYmax wholegrain and Kebari hulless barley. “We are thrilled to appoint market leading partners in MAURI and Scalzo Foods domestically, and The Scoular Company in the North American market,” said
THG CEO Robert Burbury. “We know that the technical expertise, product development capabilities and advanced systems in sales, supply chain and logistics that each of these partners to The Healthy Grain provide will ensure that BARLEYmax is made widely accessible within our Australian market, and internationally. Our appointment of MAURI, Scalzo Food Industries and Scoular is not only critical to the growth of our business, but also imperative in our mission to improve the health of people globally.”
BARLEYmax is said to provide more than 25 per cent total dietary fibre. www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 17
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Australia in top five of biggest sellers of F&B businesses in 2019 O
rkla, Pernod Ricard, Nestlé, Asahi, PepsiCo, Lactalis, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Azelis, Berlin Packaging, Kirin and Waterlogic were the most acquisitive companies of 2019, according to the bevblog. net food and drink transactions database, with each responsible for five or more takeovers. The biggest players in that group were Archer Daniels Midland, Bimbo, Diageo, Emmi, JBS and Refresco, who between them made four purchases each.
Campbell Soup was the only company to agree five or more sales, followed by Fonterra on four, then Coca-Cola, Hain Celestial and Nestlé on three. A total of 1,290 companies were involved across 59 countries, with the US and UK most prominent overall. Japan was the biggest net buyer (+18), followed by France (+10), then Belgium and Norway (+9 each). The UK was the main net seller (-37), followed by the US (-23), Australia (-16) and Brazil (-11).
PepsiCo was one of big acquirers of food and beverage businesses in 2019.
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RANK
COUNTRY
2018
2019
TOP BUYERS 1
United States
312
305
2
United Kingdom
94
93
3
France
39
51
4
Spain
29
35
5
Canada
26
25
1
United States
329
328
2
United Kingdom
116
130
3
Spain
34
41
4
France
24
41
5
Australia
22
25
TOP SELLERS
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All-in-one solution for allergen testing F or almost four decades Romer Labs has been listening to the needs of customers in Australia, New Zealand, and the entire APAC region by delivering innovative diagnostic solutions for the food and beverage industry. Romer Labs realised that its customers were interested in three core areas – analytical services, technical support and customer training. Romer Labs has established itself in the region for providing accredited mycotoxin analytical services, which is expanding in the form of multi-mycotoxin analysis 50+. This means a single report can give specific information on more than 50 mycotoxins that can be present in any one sample. In response to demand from countries like Australia, the company has also integrated full-service food allergen testing facilities into its analytical offerings. It will serve the region with analytical services that cover gluten testing and the broadest range of allergenic analytes on the market including specific nut species. To complement these new capabilities, the Romer Labs APAC Solutions Centre provides enhanced technical support, such as sample validation, troubleshooting and insight into best practices to Romer Labs’ customers. The APAC Solutions Centre is bringing a new service to the region in the form of customised training programs, which includes workshops and webinars. It is designed to adapt to when, where and how often customers test. Romer Labs issues training certificates and other documentation that may be necessary for audits and accreditations. Both Australia and New Zealand have stringent regulations on allergenic content in food. With its new centre, Romer Labs can provide these products to businesses who do not have access to analytical services. It can also help those customers who need training programs to help them stay efficient and compliant. For analytical testing services, customers can expect to receive their
Romer Labs APAC Solutions Centre provides enhanced technical support.
test results in five business days for food allergen testing and six business days for mycotoxin testing. These turnaround times are based on the date of receipt of samples in the company’s laboratory. For an extra cost, customers can receive their results within a day. Customers are emailed their analytical test results in a certificate of analysis. Other communications can be directed to the APAC Solutions Centre or through a local sales representative. Technical support is another primary service provided by Romer Labs. At times, the Centre collaborates with industry bodies for seminars or webinars to help professionals keep up with the latest trends in food safety and analysis.
Romer Lab clients include government and independent commercial consulting laboratories as well as global food manufacturers who it has helped to verify results for specific matrices that proved problematic. One food manufacturer producing food coatings and spices used Romer Labs’ allergen test kits with positive results. A technical specialist from the centre was engaged to examine the matter; the analysis of samples from a similar batch confirmed the results. Following discussions with the customer, the technical specialist suspected that the source of the allergen was the ingredients that were supplied to them. Tests performed on several batches of
the goods confirmed this original suspicion, according to Romer Labs. The company was satisfied with the result and has used the test kits on several other occasions for in-house testing. Customers have also received technical training from Romer Labs on how to improve their capabilities for detecting ergot alkaloids using LC-MS/MS. Romer Labs APAC Solutions Centre said that it provided customers with hands-on training in the method, and staff showed them how to apply Biopure reference materials and clean-up columns for use in their own laboratories. This is one example of customised training programs that help customers keep their food supply chain safe.
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 19
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Endeavour Drinks joins forces with Shorty’s Liquor E
ndeavour Drinks has entered into a strategic partnership with business-to-business drinks specialist Shorty’s Liquor to help take the proposition to more customers across Australia. Established in 2001, Shorty’s Liquor is a drinks retailer servicing corporate customers and on-premise venues in Sydney. Shorty’s Liquor offers online ordering and delivery to corporate offices in Sydney, and its client list includes a number of prominent financial services, legal, and advertising businesses. Endeavour Drinks has acquired a majority interest in Shorty’s Liquor alongside its founder David Short and will support its growth plans
in Melbourne, Brisbane and other capital cities over the coming years. David Short will continue to lead the business within the broader Endeavour Group. “Developing new growth avenues is a key priority for Endeavour Drinks as we work to connect everyone with a drinks experience they’ll love,” said Endeavour Drinks managing director Steve Donohue. “We have a track record partnering with innovative players in drinks having successfully integrated the likes of Dan Murphy’s, Cellarmasters and Jimmy Brings into our portfolio. “Shorty’s has developed an exciting proposition over the years and we’re pleased to be partnering with them to build a presence in the
business to business segment. “We look forward to partnering with David and his team to offer even better value and more convenience to more corporate customers across Australia.” “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Endeavour Drinks to help fuel our next wave of growth,” said Shorty’s Liquor managing director David Short. “We’ll benefit greatly from tapping into Endeavour’s national supply chain, while also retaining our agility as a distinct business within the group.” In July 2019, Woolworths Group announced a plan to combine its drinks and hospitality businesses – Endeavour Drinks and ALH Group
(‘ALH’) – into a single entity. In December 2019, Woolworths shareholders approved a restructure scheme to combine Woolworths Group’s drinks and hospitality businesses to create Endeavour Group. Woolworths Group intends to implement the ALH Merger to combine Endeavour Group with Bruce Mathieson Group’s interests in ALH in February 2020. Following the restructure and ALH merger, Woolworths intends to pursue a separation of Endeavour Group from Woolworths by way of demerger or other value accretive alternative. Separation of Endeavour Group by demerger will require shareholder approval.
Crop production hit by unfavourable seasonal conditions I n its Australia crop report – February 2020, ABARES says production prospects for summer crops in Queensland and northern New South Wales remain well below average. Peter Gooday, acting executive director of ABARES, said that this is a trying time for many crop growers, especially those in New South Wales and Queensland. “Summer crop prospects were adversely affected by unfavourable seasonal conditions in December that further depleted soil moisture levels to well below average in most summer cropping regions and to record lows in some others,” Gooday said. “With the planting of summer crops in Queensland and northern New South Wales now largely complete, we expect planted area and production to be lower than our forecasts of December 2019. “This largely reflects seasonal conditions in December that were
Rice production is set to remain low. more unfavourable than expected. “Rainfall in late January and in February was largely too late to plant more grain sorghum in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest three-month rainfall outlook indicates that for most summer cropping regions in Queensland and northern New South Wales rainfall is more likely to be below average than
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above average from March to May. “We are likely to see a 66 per cent decrease in summer crop production down to 878,000 tonnes,” said Gooday. Cotton production is forecast to fall by 72 per cent to around 135,000 tonnes of lint and 191,000 tonnes of seed. Grain sorghum production is expected to be down by 77 per cent to around 292,000 tonnes. “Rice production will remain
low at around 54,000 tonnes due to low water allocations and high water prices,” said Gooday. “ABARES’ winter crop production estimate for 2019-20 will remain largely unchanged from our forecast of December 2019 at around 29 million tonnes. “Higher than expected barley and canola production is estimated to have largely offset lower than expected wheat production.”
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Amore Cheese wins two gongs at dairy awards T
hat’s Amore Cheese can add two more awards to its list of achievements this week after taking home two of the 12 awards up for grabs at the Australian Grand Dairy Award – Flavoured Cheese and Dairy Dessert. The awards were held last night, Thursday 6th February and the Melbourne-based cheese manufacturer was named Champion in the following categories: • Flavoured Cheese – That’s Amore Cheese Diavoletti • Dairy Dessert – That’s Amore Gelato Tartufo
That’s Amore Cheese Diavoletti is a very unique and special product. It is a small provolina shaped smoked cheese with a chilli stuffed olive at its centre. “The balance of the mild cheese, with salty olive and a kick of chilli makes for a wonderfully unexpected taste sensation,” said Giorgio Linguanti, managing director at That’s Amore Cheese. “The name translates to ‘little devils’ which is fun. “The Diavoletti has won many awards and it is fantastic to add this Australian Grand Dairy
Award to the recognition.” The Dairy Dessert category was won by the That’s Amore Gelato Tartufo. This is a hazelnut and chocolate gelato, dark chocolate ganache centre, coated in cocoa powder. “To win one Australian Dairy Award is amazing, but to win two is a dream come true,” Linguanti said. “The That’s Amore Cheese team work so hard every day to produce the best quality product for our customers. We love making tasty and unique cheeses and desserts and to be recognised with two awards will
spur us on to keep creating.” The Australian Grand Dairy Awards are considered by most to be the industry’s most prestigious and highly-regarded accolades. Established to recognise excellence and quality in the dairy industry. To win, products have to have won a state-based gold medal and then they are judged by two panels of trained judges of various backgrounds including technical dairy experts, food experts, retailers, brewers, cheese mongers and chefs to provide a broad spectrum of skill to judge the awards.
That’s Amore ‘s managing director, Giorgio
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Keeping spirits high: brewing in a niche market One craft brewery is opening every six days. What is it that attracts people to these endeavours and what are some of the issues the industry is facing? Mike Wheeler talks to stakeholders in this booming sector.
T
he 2019 Australian Craft Beer Survey results backed up what a lot of anecdotal evidence has shown over the past five years – Australian consumers like their craft beer. The survey showed that the attitude of 68 per cent of those surveyed towards the regular release of new/limited beers was ‘exciting and shows the creativity of breweries’, while only 5 per cent thought it ‘reduces the quality of beer’. Craft brewing has been around since beer was invented, however as a brand becomes more popular
and moves into the mainstream, it loses the moniker. In modern times, Western Australia’s Matilda Bay is considered the first in the renaissance of craft beer when it was launched in 1984. The average craft beer drinker is aged between 30 and 49, while unsurprisingly the Eastern states make up 86 per cent of all craft beer drinkers. It is a business that is not only flourishing but attracting new start-ups at a fast rate. Peter Philip is chairman of the Independent Brewing Association (IBA), and founder of the Wayward
James Squire is one of Lion's brands in the craft beer space. 22 Food&Beverage Industry News | March 2020 | www.foodmag.com.au
Brewing Co. The IBA has more than 500 members and is a fierce advocate of the industry, which is currently growing at the rate of one new brewery opening every six days. “The craft movement started because people were looking for something different,” he said. “I don’t particularly think that is a new trend. It has been a trend for the past 50 years that craft brewers tapped into and that is what created the whole craft industry. “It is a segment that is a major growth area and really resonates with rural and regional Australians.
They are bringing a whole new beverage to country towns. Country towns are thirsty places so people are really getting behind those small breweries.”
Acquisitions Some have been so successful, they have been bought by some of the bigger players. Carlton & United Breweries' (CUB) acquisitions over the past couple of years include 4 Pines, Pirate Life, the awardwinning, Mick Fanning-backed Balter and its initial purchase of the aforementioned Matilda Bay
SPECIALTY BEVERAGES
Chuck Hahn pouring a pint of James Squire.
“We look for businesses whose owners are passionate about making great beverages and are committed to creating value not only for both parties but also for our customers across the country.” There have been many ups and downs in the industry. According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, data showed that just over 250,000 businesses were deregistered from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission between July 2017 and June 30 2018. In other words a lot of businesses fail. The specialty beverage space is no different. Many players believe that the state and federal governments could do more to help.
A taxing time
Brewing in 1990, which has closed and opened on different sides of the continent. “We opened the Matilda Bay microbrewery in Healesville, Victoria late last year, with the father of craft beer in Australia, Phil Sexton,” said Julian Sheezel, vice-president of corporate affairs for CUB. Another major brewer, Lion Nathan bought Little Creatures but tends to start up its own craft beer brands from its Malt Shovel subsidiary, including its James Squire range. For some younger consumers, they will be hard-pressed to know that such a well-known brand as Hahn’s started out a boutique beer. And while founder, Chuck Hahn might not be the father of craft beer, he could claim the title of grandfather. Approaching his 50th year in the business, starting out at Coors in the US, Hahn is now the Brew Master at Lion and shows no signs of slowing down. He has some nostalgic memories of those days gone by. He even helped revive one of the original craft brands that was established on the east coast in the 1980s. “We’ve been developing authentic brands rather than going out and buying,” he said. “The Hahn brewery was one of the first craft breweries on the east coast, along with Power Burning Company, which was born in
1988 along with the Eumundi Brewery started by John Lynch up on the Sunshine Coast. “Ten years ago, Lion was able to buy the trademark for Eumundi and about a year ago we put a small brewery back in to the same motel – the Imperial Hotel just across the way from the Eumundi markets – and we rebirthed that brand. We eventually convinced our marketing department to develop the brand and that is what we have done.”
While some brewers are happy to rest on their laurels and find a niche in their local country town, shire or even city, a lot of companies – Balter being the latest example – are looking for the big pay day when one of the bigger brewers can no longer ignore their presence. What does a multi-national brewer look for when buying up a smaller player? “Businesses we’ve purchased have all had great people, great products and enormous potential,” said Sheezel.
If you talk to Philip and Hahn, they believe that the craft brewers in particular have it a little harder as they are treated differently from the big players. “Australia is one of the highest taxed countries for beer and alcohol,” said Philip. “We’re contributing more than our fair share to the tax coffers. Over half the production cost of the beer is tax – more than we are paying for the malt; more than we are paying for the hops; more than we are paying our staff. It is our single biggest ‘supplier’ that we are having to pay. We’re overweight in terms of what we are paying compared to other countries.” Hahn concurs.
There are now more than 600 craft breweries in Australia.
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 23
SPECIALTY BEVERAGES
The IBA's chairman Peter Philip. “Australian alcohol is taxed almost more than most other places in the world. Excise is based on your alcohol level,” he said. “We’re paying over $2 a litre in tax, even more so if it is more than 5 per cent alcohol. In the US it is a about one tenth of that – about $0.20 a litre. Excise tax is the biggest single cost to making beer. It’s crazy. You might use $1 a litre or $1.5 a litre for all your malted barley and hops and processing, but not $2 a litre. People don’t realise that and the excise just went up again. It goes up every six months.” There has been some relief thanks to lobbying of the IBA and its predecessor the Craft Brewers Industry Association (CBIA), according to Hahn. “This is something we fought for in the CBIA and finally got the government to allow the smaller breweries to claim back $30,000 a year on excise,” he said. “Further lobbying by the IBA got it up to $100,000. That has helped smaller brewers exist. It doesn’t hide the fact that Australia pays more money to the government than almost any other country in the world.” CUB’s Sheezel also believes it is an issue that needs addressing.
"We’ve been developing authentic brands rather than going out and buying. The Hahn brewery was one of the first craft breweries on the east coast along with Power Burning Company, which was born in 1988 along with the Eumundi Brewery started by John Lynch up on the Sunshine Coast." “Australians now pays one of the highest beer taxes in the developed world, much higher than the UK, NZ, the US and Germany,” he said. “Beer should not be a luxury – it’s the drink for the everyday Australian. Given the sensible approach shown to alcohol consumption by the vast majority of Australians, the high tax slug on Australians is just not right.”
A matter of choice One of the key issues that is always on the drawing board is how sustainable is the industry? With a brewery opening up every six days, won’t there become a saturation point somewhere? Depends on who you talk to. Under the right conditions, Sheezel believes it is sustainable. “Australian beer lovers have
24 Food&Beverage Industry News | March 2020 | www.foodmag.com.au
more beers to choose from than ever before,” said Sheezel. “We believe any brewery that will brew consistently high-quality, smallbatch beers in an environmentally sustainable way can expect to be sustainable.” The IBA does see a bit of a David and Goliath situation playing out between its members and the bigger brewers. As well as the tax issue, he believes that the government should examine the tap contracts the bigger breweries have with hotels and bars, which he believes are not as fair as they could be towards the smaller brewers. He said that the craft brewers get on well together and back each other up – not just in trying to gain marketshare, but in the more practical aspects of
making their favourite tipple. “There’s an amazing camaraderie in the industry. Small, independent brewers help each other every day,” he said. “We don’t view each other so much as competitors, we view each other as co-partners in building an industry. Most days of the week I’ll get a call from somebody saying, ‘I’m short a bag of grain, can I borrow one off you?’ And they come on over and grab it. That is the kind of industry we are in.” But with a lot of craft beers now becoming mainstream, isn’t it an industry that will slowly become the norm anyway? There are also aforementioned beers like Hahn and Balter that are now mainstream or about to become so. Philip pulls out an interesting statistics that shows that there is still a gulf – whether it gets bigger or not, only time will tell. “Large brewers own 94 per cent of the market and have virtually unlimited access to capital and they can use that to automate their processes to a massive extent,” he said. “We are 6 per cent of volume but employ 47 per cent of all the people in the industry. It shows how automated they are, and how much
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this year we will be releasing a few other spirits around the native fruitinfused line in particular.”
The future
Traditional brands like VB are still popular among consumers. of a craft industry we are. It truly is hand-crafted products and that has a cost implication. Our operating costs and production costs are massively higher than the multi-nationals.”
Distilleries And it’s not just beer where boutique beverages are making a splash. The spirit space is also making waves and not just in Australia. Mr Black is a high-end coffee liqueur that is distilled in New South Wales’ Central Coast. It was started by Thomas Baker and Phillip Moore and was borne out of a gap in the market that both men saw. “Philip was so excited when he met Tom at the distillery. Together, they collaborated, started a company, and after two iterations, released Mr Black,” said the company’s operations manager Rick Roper. In 2014, Mr Black went on to win a gold medal award at the London Spirit Show as the finest in its category and has consistently won international awards since that time. “They launched the product in the UK not long after developing it, and in a relatively short period of time it has become the leading coffee liqueur in both of those markets,” said Roper. “In 2017, it was launched in the US and is now the biggest selling Australian spirit in the US. Although it is Australian based, it is expanding globally. It is continued to manufactured at Distillery Botanica. It is highly regarded. It’s blended with a high-quality grain spirit and is crafted into Mr Black. It is sold through on and off premises. It’s now also now being distributed through the Asia Pacific.” Then there is Bryon Bay Slow
Gin (see story page 36 of this issue), that uses the Davidson Plum as its main ingredient. The plum is a native of Australia, and something that co-founder of the Cape Byron Distillery, Eddie Brook, sees as something that all spirit producers can embrace and make them a point of difference in the world market. The company also produces a macadamia nut and roasted wattle seed liqueur. “You get this rich butterscotch, toffee, toasted nut flavour, almost coffee and dark cacao notes coming through as well,” Brook said. “It has been a really great addition. Later
Overall the niche beverage industry is expanding and there are a slew of distilleries and breweries popping up all over the country. What is the advice from some of those who have already made the journey to those that are starting out? “One thing I would say about brewing is that cleanliness is next to godliness,” said Hahn. “Any problems that are associated with brewing are usually housekeeping and in hygiene. “The next is you have to deliver on consistent, quality favour. If the beer looks flat, then it doesn’t look appealing. If it doesn’t look appealing, then you need to work on presentation. “Finally, you have to have the brewer out there talking about the beer. That is something that I have always done. “I used to have three or four beer dinners a month at various hotels to get Australians to taste beer rather than just drink it. It’s more about tasting rather than slamming it down. I say slam it down slowly and savour the flavour, which leads to responsible drinking, which is what the craft element is about.”
Sheezel sees a few trends coming through that are not just about beverages themselves but where they come from. “Over the past five years we have seen an increase in mid-strength beers sales, the demand for a greater variety of beers and more demand for beer in cans and we expect these trends to continue in coming years,” he said. “Consumers are increasingly consumptionconscious, and interested in what goes in to their products. Consumers are increasingly interested in sustainability, a focus that will only intensify in coming years. “We also believe drinkers will place a greater premium on convenience, so that they can enjoy drinks in much the same way beer has traditionally been enjoyed.” The last word is left to Philip, who despite some of the challenges, loves the industry. “It is enormously satisfying to deal with people who have fun and enjoy the product that they create,” he said. “We are being creative in how we come up with new products and how we engage with customers. And this is why the public respond like they do to independent beers because we’re giving them an experience that they can’t get from some of the mainstream beers.” F
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INVENTORY SOFTWARE
Covering all bases with inventory software
Because Eloments took off so quickly it was important to have an inventory software that could keep up with the fast-paced nature of the business.
When Julie Hirsch and Nicole Lamond started vitamin- and mineral-infused tea company Eloments, they knew that keeping on top of logistics was paramount. Mike Wheeler explains why.
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tarting a new company is risky – and the food and beverage industry is no exception. It pays to have done your research and development into the product you are hoping to sell. If that isn’t hard enough, then adding in specific conditions to how the food is made produces a new set of challenges. When Julie Hirsch and Nicole Lamond started tea company Eloments, they didn’t just want to make it different in terms of what it delivered in taste and health benefits; they also wanted to make sure that the ingredients for its range of patented vitamin- and mineralinfused teas were sourced ethically and via fair trade agreements. “Tea is a beautiful, healthy beverage and we know that a lot of people like tea, enjoy tea, and love it for its health benefits as well as the taste,” said CEO Lamond. “It seemed like a perfect medium to add vitamins and minerals to. So, we developed Eloments, which contains nine essential vitamins in every cup.” “We would often talk about how
hard it was to focus on our health as busy professional women,” said COO Hirsch. “Sure, vitamin supplements were there, but we often forget to take them and didn’t like swallowing tablets. When we were looking at the fact that five per cent of Aussies aren’t eating enough fruit and veg for their general health, we thought we could combine our love of fair trading with our love of healthy products and put natural vitamins in a fair trade cup of tea.” Lamond and Hirsch found it a challenge to blend the tea leaves with the natural nutrients so they could be put into teabags. They spent two years on research and development and came up with a patent-pending process on how to do it. “We had a lot of fun blending. We partnered with members of fair trade collectives around the world to source some truly beautiful fair trade-certified ingredients,” said Hirsch. “We sourced vanilla from Madagascar, Egyptian mint and fantastic cardamom, cloves and cinnamon from Sri Lanka.”
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With these range of selfimposed conditions for making sure the ingredients were sourced ethically, as well as making sure they were giving the consumer a refreshing and healthy experience, Unleashed software helps Eloments keep track of stock and shipments.
both Lamond and Hirsch knew the logistics of keeping track of all the different aspects of their business was going to be tricky. Enter Unleashed inventory software. “When we launched the product
INVENTORY SOFTWARE
we did a trial manufacturing run and then realised we needed a very good inventory management system,” said Hirsch. “One that could manage organic and fair trade inventory for us, such as batch numbers, multiple locations and multiple warehouses etc.” Hirsch said the company didn’t have the time to trial any products but did do their homework on what sort of inventory system they wanted. “We did quite a bit of research and Unleashed was the best option for us,” she said. “We started using Unleashed from the beginning. It’s a very powerful program. Once you have it set up and working well, it is easy to use.” And what are the features that Hirsch and Lamond like best? There are a few that have piqued their interest and made life easier. “From the sales perspective I find it absolutely fantastic for reporting sales figures,” said Lamond. “From that end of it, it is so adaptable and has a lot of great filters, so you can pull any information you want. I really like the interface too. In fact, the ease of use and the reporting are probably the two biggest things I like about it.” Hirsch agreed, and added that, because of the way the company does business, this function is a necessity. “Our sales are very complex,” she said. “There are seven territories around the world. We sell into Australia and the UK – both larger retailers and smaller retailers – so we
Hirsch sources the ingredients for Eloments various teas from fair trade-certified sources.
Nicole Lamond and Julie Hirsch invested in two years of research and development before going to market. need a lot of flexibility in being able to do different sales reports and sales templates for our various customers.” Another reason Hirsch and Lamond decided to use Unleashed when they launched the business was that they knew that the business was going to take off quickly and they needed to be able to scale to demand immediately. “We’ve been selling for about 14 months now, and we’ve got shelf spacing on more than 2,500 stores around the world,” said Hirsch. “If we had started out with an inventory management system with limited capabilities, we would have had to
change it six months in. It was great how we started out straight away without having to swap it out. “Because we are organic and fair trade certified, we have to be able to trace our product’s journey every step of the way. We need a package that has the ability to do that and Unleashed certainly does.” Eloments’ rapid expansion means it has moved into overseas markets quickly. Again, Unleashed has helped them navigate the sometimes ever-changing landscape of exchange rates and foreign currencies. “One thing we utilised with Unleashed was the foreign currency
feature,” said Lamond. “We are buying in multiple different currencies and we’re selling in multiple different currencies, so having a programme that can support that is important.” Hirsch explained further. “Especially as a small Australian business, we don’t have lots of support, so it is really important and helps make the business possible,” she said. “And we can put in those different currencies and track sales and purchases directly to the Unleashed system. “We partner with the Fair Trade Collective in Sri Lanka for most of our teas and spices. We purchase them in US dollars, Australian dollars and the UK pound. Having the flexibility to manage that in one system it makes it possible for us to run our business.” Overall, Hirsch and Lamond are very happy with the software. Lamond has a final piece of advice. “When you are assessing software, I would say make sure it does what you need and make sure the system you choose can meet your needs,” she said. “Unleashed ticks our boxes and is easy to use. Because when you are running a business, you don’t want to be sitting there working out how to use a piece of software. These days, software should be intuitive enough so you can mostly work out how it functions just by using it.” F
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ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Air compressors form an important part of a plant’s infrastructure, which is why it is important they run efficiently.
Is that hissing noise the sound of money going up in smoke? An air audit of your air compressor systems could save you a lot of money. Food & Beverage Industry News talks to ELGi’s Greg Gillespie.
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ne thing that never fails to amaze Greg Gillespie is the amount of times he walks into a manufacturing or processing plant and hears hissing. It immediately tells him that they are running an air compressor or a bank of air compressors. It also tells him that the company is throwing money down the drain. That hissing sound is either one, or a series of leaks, coming from the compressed air system. Gillespie, who is the national sales manager for air compressor manufacturer ELGi, said that in some cases companies are literally throwing thousands of dollars down the drain every year. Not only that, but when he hears that tell-tale sign of hissing, he knows that doesn’t include the ones he can’t hear. “I’ve walked into a lot of different places – and to be fair my ear is tuned for it – and I immediately
hear all the air leaks,” he said. “And I’ll say to the person on site, ‘you’ve got a few air leaks’. They generally reply, ‘no we don’t’. They don’t hear them because it is background noise to them.” What he encourages people to do is stay back for five minutes after the work day when everything is quiet. He’s confident that they will then hear the noise. “And the thing is, if you can hear an air leak, it’s a large one. There will be quite a few air leaks you’ll never hear without ultrasonic equipment, especially if they are inside a piece of equipment,” he said. Gillespie said the culprits in these leaks are usually the same range of suspects – hose clamp connections, seals failing, and worn fittings. And he’s not saying that maintenance managers have to fix them all at once. He knows that, especially in the some of the bigger
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food and beverage manufacturing and process plants, it can be a big job. A maintenance plan is needed and such a plan is not something whereby a leak is fixed once and then forgotten about. It will depend on the size of the factory and plant and how many compressors are working. He acknowledges it would be a big task to do it all in one go, so maintenance managers would set about a plan to go and rectify the leaks starting with the biggest one first. Then they would just do a constant, weekly check. But what is the cost? “If someone has an air audit done then they start to realise that ‘holy heck, we’re leaking thousands of dollar per annum’,” he said. “The more plant and machinery you have in place, the more the leaks are going to cost your bottom line. “If you have a small place with a 2.2kW compressor, then that cost isn’t going to be that high. But if it
is a larger factory with 100kW of installed compressor power, then it will cost a lot. “I know of a place that has three 55kW machines. One of those 55kW machines pretty much services air leaks. If they fixed their air leaks they can turn one of their compressors off. Do the maths of 55kW of power running all day. They operate 24/7 – not at full capacity – but they are aware of it. I’m sure if you put all the numbers down in front of the people running the place, suddenly it wouldn’t be too hard to fix.” Education is also a key ingredient. A lot of places he visits think the air is free. Quite often Gillespie will see people “sweeping” the floor with an air gun. It’s convenient, it’s quick, but it does come at a cost. “Some think it is quicker doing it that way because it reduces the labour cost involved,” he said. “I
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
routinely see people cleaning down their areas using air. It’s not a safe practice to do it.” But what causes the leaks in the first place? The leak itself is being caused by faulty equipment, but what caused that equipment to become faulty in the first place? Gillespie believes that not only does the factory need the right air compressor for the right job, but it is also the type of air distribution network that is being used that can be a problem. This includes not only the size of the pipe that is distributing the air, but what it is made out of, too. “I talk to people about becoming efficient, which starts with the right compressor and the right distribution network,” he said. “That is where things like the pipe size, pipe type (poly, aluminium, copper) and how you articulate it comes into play.” A good distribution system will be one that will be less likely to leak over time – what sort of pipe and the distance over which it is set up are important considerations to limit pressure losses. “The type of pipe is important because with some piping temperature changes can cause it to expand and contract, and start to bend and twist, so I much prefer people investing in rigid pipe,” said Gillespie. “Depending on the type of rigid pipe system you go for – if you go for something like a braised copper, or stainless steel or even
An air audit will tell users where leaks are occurring. aluminium/copper pipe with fittings – these are going to be less leaks than some other methods.” If it is the wrong size pipe it will put unnecessary load on the compressor under pressure, which can induce something called artificial demand. This can be magnified if there are multiple compressors in the system, which can be very costly, he said. Gillespie also pointed out that there are also Seals failing and worn fittings are the usual culprits when it comes to air leaks.
lots of government grants that can help companies become more energy efficient. They change on a regular basis. At the moment there is grant that finished recently that was available for companies that were replacing existing equipment with more efficient equipment with variable speed drives. “I helped a customer do that and they got nearly 50 per cent of the price of the compressor rebated,” he said. “There is another grant available at the moment which is up to $5,000 rebate for people to put permanent monitoring equipment in to their plant so they can monitor the efficiencies of their compressed air system. Compressed air systems account for about 30 per cent of all industrial power.” As part of the government’s push to increase energy savings and reduce emissions, they are encouraging industry to work in a more economical way and an area to do that is air compressors, said Gillespie. A lot of people think these things revolve around lighting and solar power. However, quite often there are grants going around to make more efficient compressed air systems. For the bigger companies that are setting up a new system or refurbishing an older system, Gillespie said putting some budget aside for a monitoring system
is also a good idea. “I have a company I’m dealing with at the moment and they are going to need about 300kW of power. It’s going to be a couple of hundred thousand dollars’ worth of equipment and I’m putting monitoring equipment in my quote – $6,000 worth. To me, it would be absolutely crazy not to do it. The advantages are a no brainer on a system that size.” Gillespie also cautions against overthinking too much about what to do. An air audit is a simple thing to do and that will give a clearer indication of what a company’s needs are and how they can be remedied. “I would try not to oversell it because sometimes you can take somebody down that rabbit hole and they can become overwhelmed because they have been inundated with the information and data,” he said. “You have to find that balance. There are instances where you might spend $10,000 to modify pipework and save yourself $1,000. There’s no payback.” There are lots of things going on with flow and thermodynamics, you could easily make someone’s head spin. “At the end of the day, a well-designed and maintained compressed air system is going to be more efficient. And that will save money every day of operation.” F
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HYGIENE/SAFETY
Bespoke flooring solutions available for small and large beverage plants Roxset doesn’t make a one-size-fits-all flooring for beverage plants. The company will find out the exact needs and find a solution that fits. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.
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ood hygiene and safety are critical in an industry where traceability is a key plank on which some brands live or die. And it’s just not the source of the product where traceability comes into its own, there are the processing aspects, too. Australian food and beverage manufacturing and processing have a good worldwide reputation when it comes to the quality of its processing plants. As well as having high-end technologies, the country’s safety and hygiene standards are up there with the best in the world. There is a reason the rest of the world covets produce made on these shores.
This reputation doesn’t come by accident. It is due to diligent, and sometimes overbearing government standards and regulations that make Australian-made food and beverages popular around the globe. It is also due to the commitment by service providers who build the plant and machinery that make up this important primary industry. Flooring is a key component of any food or beverage plant, but it’s not just a case of laying a concrete slab and hoping for the best. There are many considerations that need taking into account. “First, the flooring, will have to
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be safe underfoot,” said Tony Miller, who is director of flooring specialist, Roxset. “In other words it has to be a finish that’s slip resistant. “Second, it needs to be graded to floor waste because they’ll have a lot of liquids about, not only during the cleaning process, but for general processing, too. “Third, the floor should conform to Food Safe Australia regulations. From the point of view it needs to be seamless, impervious, and have a radius cove at the floor wall intersection. “Finally, there is the aspect of cleaning depending on what
sort of chemicals they use. If they use a CIP, or caustic solution for cleaning, then they need a floor that doesn’t wear away.” Miller has been in the flooring business for 35 years and knows the pitfalls that customers – especially those who are starting on their manufacturing and processing journey – can fall into if they don’t get the right type of flooring in place. When Roxset first visits clients, usually there is a general awareness about the regulations and standards that need to be met, but it still pays to get expert advice. “Not only is there an expectation
HYGIENE/SAFETY
from regulators that standards are met, but end-users and customers – the like of Coles and Woolworths – that are going to buy a product from a particular beverage manufacturer might send in their own auditors. They will come in and make sure these standards are being met. They will also have an audit trail, which goes through and looks at all aspects of what the manufacturer is doing and they would expect it to meet and certain standard. If it doesn’t, they are not likely to buy it.” Traceability is where the audit trail comes in. According to Miller, these companies would expect manufacturers to be able to demonstrate that they have followed procedures and at various demarcation points it has been signed off. “There may be a recording made of things like temperatures and bacteria counts and all sorts of things could be incorporated into the audit trail,” he said. “And that is where a HACCP system is good. It details the various aspects of an audit that need to be met so that management has a guideline and something to follow.” While the type of flooring that Roxset produces is top-end, it is the outcome that is important. Miller knows that when it comes to building a plant that is up to state or federal standards then it is the whole package that is important – and that can come at a cost. “Every aspect of the building is going to be expensive, but they are upfront costs,” he said. “You can’t operate a business without drainage, without proper equipment and it just falls into that category. You can’t be expected to run a business without proper ceiling, wall and floor finishes.” When it comes to beverage manufacturing such as boutique breweries and distilleries, Miller not only can supply the right type of floor for the environment, but also give advice on how to make it last as long as possible. “In beverage manufacturing, we have a client whose floor we laid over 20 years ago and they have never had to replace it,” he said. “It comes down to a couple of things. One is maintenance – if they are using the correct cleaning procedures and are maintaining the floor correctly, the floor will last a lot longer. If they are abusing the floor, and they do have to drive traffic on it and people
"In beverage manufacturing, we have a client whose floor we laid over 20 years ago and they have never had to replace it... It comes down to a couple of things. One is maintenance – if they are using the correct cleaning procedures and are maintaining the floor correctly, the floor will last a lot longer. If they are abusing the floor, and they do have to drive traffic on it and people are wilful in their actions, of course they can damage it." are wilful in their actions, of course they can damage it.” In a working environment like a beverage manufacturing place, Miller recommends the epoxy floor be a minimum of 6mm in depth, and that will give users in excess of 20 years of life. Roxset also puts an extensive warranty on it that can range from about seven to 10 years depending on what it assesses the activity is occurring on the floor and the state of the existing building. Miller also said that the type of surface that the floor is going to be is something Roxset can design for the customer. Roxset tailors the slip-resistance of that floor to meet the requirement of the individual customer. “For example, if someone is involved in completely dry production then they don’t need the same level of slip-resistance as some of them where there is a lot of liquid on the floor ,” he said. “If you don’t have a sufficient slip-resistant medium on the floor, and you’ve got something like a banana skin on it, you are going to have a problem.” Roxset specialises in epoxy finishes, which look smooth and easy to clean. Is that the reality? “Epoxy is very easy to clean,” said Miller. “Inherent in a slip-resistant finish is the fact is what you need to do the requirement of how you clean the surface as opposed to something that is completely smooth. It is not something you are going to go around with a mop and bucket and mop. That is not compatible with a slip-resistant surface. Captivating scrubbing is.” One thing that Miller is keen to push is that Roxset is not a company that’s products are a one-size fits all. It designs bespoke floors for a range of different environments in the food and beverage industry. “We’re not an off-the-shelf
product,” said Miller. “What we are doing is tailoring the floor in situ to meet their individual requirements. They are bespoke solutions. “What we decided to do was make our own product to suit the requirement that we see in the individual operation depending on what they are doing. We look at what liquids might go on the floor; what contaminant might go on the floor; and what chemicals might go on the floor. We design to their circumstance so they are getting the best possible for finish for their particular requirement rather than give them a generic product that might not suit what they are doing.” Miller said it is important to differentiate between different types of flooring because the requirements for say, an abattoir over a gin distillery, are far apart – different chemicals are needed. “If it is a lamb abattoir for instance, they can have solid particles of fat on a floor,” he said. “Well, if you don’t have a certain degree of non-slip there, you are going to have major problem. There is going to be a lot of blood going on the floor. “However, in a beverage manufacturer, it may be just constituent parts of whatever the product they are making. It might have high sugar content but it hasn’t got any fat, so the slip resistance doesn’t need to be to the same extent. That is why we tailor the floor to meet the expectation.” Finally, Miller said if customers were to remember one thing when putting down a new floor, it’s this: “It needs to reach a certain standard from the point of view of beverage safety, which in other words it can’t harbour bacteria. That practically means it needs to be impervious, which is what we offer.” F
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FOOD TRENDS
Food trends: the decade ahead What will the future of food bring for the next 10 years? Mintel’s Sam Moore talks to Food & Beverage Industry News about its latest research.
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Mintel’s global food and beverage analyst Sam Moore.
s the world’s population heads towards the 10 billion mark, there are a lot of challenges that lie ahead – whether it be health, housing or employment. Then there is the question of food. The world has to figure out how to make enough food to feed what could become an insatiable demand. How will this demand be met? What are some of the current trends? What will food companies have to do to make sure they meet those demands? Mintel is a company that specialises in market intelligence in the food and beverage sector. It recently conducted internal research and spoke with a number of external stakeholders to see what the coming issues over the next decade will be and how companies can get on board. Sam Moore is one of Mintel’s global food and beverage analysts
Research shows that the cost of animal agriculture could become unsustainable as a standalone solution to feed people. 32 Food&Beverage Industry News | March 2020 | www.foodmag.com.au
who has looked at the trends to see what the experts think will happen over the next 10 years. “One thing about the food and beverage industry is how fast everything changes,” she said. “That is why we decided to look at the trends for 2030 and the long-term analysis and take a more strategic approach and think about what the food and drink industry is going to be like in 10 years’ time. We also wanted to see how businesses can prepare for that future so that there are fewer surprises.” One of the outcomes of the research was the aforementioned population boom and how it would affect the supply chain of food. “We are seeing that just having animal agriculture on its own won’t be enough to feed everybody,” said Moore. “We are going to have to figure out how to do that and that
is why we are seeing a trend with high-end technologies being used. For a start, we are going to see more lab-grown food and that trend is all about how much consumer trust there is in food science and technology. That trust will strengthen as these things become vital conduits to save our food supply.” Moore acknowledges that food created in the lab – especially meat – is in its infancy, but because of how fast things can change, it probably isn’t as far away as everybody thinks. “Lab food hasn’t become commercial, but we are starting to see a lot of investment and interest in it and it is seen as a solution,” she said. “We do see it as becoming something that will strengthen our food supply. When we think about animal agriculture, 34 per cent of
FOOD TRENDS
More consumers are asking if their food is sourced sustainably. Australian urban internet users have said that they have environmental concerns relating to meat and we’ve seen a lot of investment in that and being able to provide a solution to this. It is something that we do predict that consumers will look more positive on in the future.” The other problem that lab-grown meat might have to overcome is perception. “With the lab-grown meat, a lot of the marketing strategy is about positiveness in the future,” said Moore. “I think the term ‘lab-grown meat’ can sound unappetising, but it can be sold with positive messaging around it. Potentially, it can be sold by mentioning its benefits. If they are educated about how it is produced, that could help ease that perception and make it sound more appealing. “One of the positives we are seeing around lab-grown meat is that a lot of the companies are already investing in it. There are a lot of benefits, like being more ethical and affordable. Lab-grown meat is clean,
has no hormones and is free from animal cruelty.” As well as the issue of trying to provide enough food for the planet’s population, another emerging trend that food producers need to take heed of is how the younger generation is looking at how food and beverages are sourced in terms of being farmed and processed. “What we predict is that success for some companies will come from those that are invested in improving the health of the planet and its population – if they are really trying to make a difference and really trying hard to help,” said Moore. “We are seeing a rising sense of urgency from people who are frustrated by this lack of action. “We can see that there is going to be interest in that. Around 44 per cent of UK adults consider how ethical a food or beverage brand is before buying the products. Therefore, companies that do invest in the health of the planet and its population are going to do well.
Generation Z consumers are being more frustrated and we can see that they are getting more and more into activism. The food sector is no different.” And it’s not just the actual production of the food, and how it is processed that consumers are looking at when buying from the supermarket. More customers are going in-depth into as to what goes into food. Some of these issues have been around for a while, but they are still on consumers’ radar, according to Moore. “When we think about how food is being produced, we see a fair amount of waste and that is definitely going to be addressed,” she said. “There is also a lot of concerns around antibiotics and hormones in food. Also, things like animal cruelty are on peoples’ minds.” In summing up, Moore said there are three main planks that will help a lot of companies navigate through the ever-changing expectations of a public that is more informed
than ever of where its food and beverages are sourced. “First, successful companies will be those that invest in improving people and the planet,” she said. “Second, consumers’ trust in food science and technology will strengthen when it comes to choosing what food to buy. The third point is also around technology and how it is going to enable consumers to construct hyper individualised approaches to physical and mental health.” Finally, according to the research released by Mintel, the food and beverage industry ‘will be compelled to elevate the role of nature, and humans, in the storytelling of these new, modern solutions. Transparency of information is essential to building trust in a future where scientists play as integral a role as farmers. And championing the people behind the food – whether it is grown in a laboratory or a field – will remain a timeless way of building trust with consumers’. F
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CONVEYOR SYSTEMS
Conveyor belts: which system meets your production line needs? Tajana Milenovic, food and beverage group vice president at ABB, tells Food & Beverage Industry News about the different varieties of conveyor belts and explores their pros and cons.
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onveyor belts have been used to transport material from point A to point B since 1892. However, until recently they were unreliable and prone to breaking down or wearing out, though still more effective than continuing to use manual labour to transport goods around a production plant. The advent of industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of things (IIoT) technologies has reinvigorated conveyor belts by allowing them to develop and evolve. There are now an ever-growing variety of conveyor systems each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Conventional conveyor belts The most conventional conveyor belt used in the food and beverage industry is made up of two key components: a belt and motor. This simple method can transport most solids and is
highly customisable. Overall, there are more than 15 different varieties of traditional belt, such as bucket, trough and magnetic. The variations don’t stop there, because there are more ways to modify belts. For example, belts can be divided into multiple cross sections, each travelling at a different speed allowing operations managers to appropriately balance the belt. In other cases, variable speed motors allow the belt to speed up and slow down at different points optimising energy efficiency and reducing energy costs. Then there were other weaknesses. For example, belts often have to be replaced due to fraying. This can be disastrous for food and beverage manufacturers as elements of the belt can contaminate the product, resulting in a product recall and downtime if the problem has not been identified Different conveyor belts suit different production lines.
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sooner. With more plants now working 24/7, unless proper care is taken then there is a chance of motor failure too, which can result in product build up and further downtime. Because few parts are needed, it has been easy to boost the performance of conveyor belts by using IIoT devices such as smart sensors. For example, when ABB Ability smart sensors have been used to monitor motors, customers have seen a drop in operational costs by up to 30 per cent while commissioning costs of new lines have been reduced by 50 per cent.
Vibrating conveyor belts Vibrating Conveyors, as the name implies, use rotary, or linear vibration to convey material along the medium. They are best use for moving dry, bulk materials that are durable, such as corn, gravel and coal. One of the main benefits of a vibrating column is its vertical potential. Unlike traditional belts, vibrating conveyors can lift materials up in relatively compact space. This is because the medium is moulded into a screw shape, allowing for materials to travel up the medium. Due to fewer parts being required, and the fact that the medium can be made of a sturdier material, in order to resist the vibrations, vibrating conveyors are said to require less maintenance on average than their counterparts. They also require fewer motors than traditional conveyor belts, but this also means that monitoring and maintaining the motor in question is important. Another important factor for vibrating conveyors is their bearings. Due to the intensity of the vibrations, the state of bearings can deteriorate faster than normal. For this reason ABB not only provides bearings specifically made for vibration applications, but they are also custom made to be monitored by ABB Ability smart sensors.
Air conveyor belts Air or pneumatic conveyor systems are great for moving easily damaged items, like aluminium cans or empty plastic bottles, at speeds greater than traditional conveyors. There is a reason that this method of conveyor is used in a range of soft drink production systems, most famously Coca-Cola. This does not mean, however, that the system cannot move more traditional materials that have irregular shapes. Coal and other mined materials come in a variety of sizes and can fracture into highly flammable dusts. Using air conveyors with containment tubes can keep the coal dust contained. Compared to other systems, air conveyors have a definite speed advantage. However, due to their use of suction or air pressure differentials, they are more delicate systems and require higher levels of maintenance. For example, in the case of a system that uses tubing, these can become clogged creating a blockage that will back log the entire system, However, those that use air pressure differential to transport goods are vulnerable because if one motor fails then the objects may not have enough speed to reach the next motor, causing the system to fail. Overall, each one of these conveyor systems has its individual strengths that can bolster opportunities in their specific use cases. The decision on which style of conveyor will come down to the material that needs to be moved, the space available, the properties of the material and the speed requirement of the production system. A lot of time has passed since the industrial revolution, which means many new forms of conveying have come into play. The variety is out there – all that is left is to decide which one is for you. F
CONSUMER
Alternative proteins an opportunity for local agriculture Alternative proteins could be big news for Australian food manufacturers. Food & Beverage Industry News explains why.
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esearch into the changing landscape of protein production in Australia estimates that there will be an additional opportunity of $19.9 billion for the sector by 2030, of which $3.1 billion is attributed to alternative protein categories. There is good news for Australian protein producers, with a recent study concluding that there is more than enough room for both animalbased and alternative proteins in the Australian market. Forecast global demand for protein is strong and will accommodate growth in both sectors. The newly released report, The Changing Landscape of Protein Production, funded by AgriFutures Australia’s National Rural Issues Program and delivered by the Australian Farm Institute, provides analysis which estimates there will be additional opportunities for the Australian protein sector by
2030. This includes $8.9 billion for Australian animal proteins, $7 bn for traditional plant-sourced proteins, while alternative protein products could deliver a $3.1 bn opportunity for Australian agriculture. Alternative proteins are those foods that act as a substitute for traditional animal-sourced protein. This includes plant-sourced and non-traditional proteins including plant-sourced meat, dairy and egg substitutes, cultured or cellular meat, insects and algae. AgriFutures Australia managing director, John Harvey said this research provides important analysis not only on the size of the alternative protein trend but more critically on the implications for Australian producers and investors. “We now have the facts about the aggregate opportunities for Australian agriculture in response to an emerging market for alternative proteins up to 2030. This means we can replace
speculation with reliable forecasts to underpin policy, regulatory changes and advocacy positions,” said Harvey. Harvey added that prioritising producing enough protein for the growing global population requires a united front. “Segregation and competition between traditional and alternative protein producers are not as big a threats as expected.” “Enabling traditional and alternative protein producers to work in collaboration – such as using the by-product of insect farming as feed for chickens, pigs or fish – will provide a mutual sustainability benefit,” Harvey said. Australian Farm Institute executive director, Richard Heath said while there’s been a lot of hype around the potential of so-called ‘fake meat’ as a disruptor to the livestock industry, this research shows the emerging market
for alternative proteins should not be seen as a threat to existing production systems but as a means of diversifying choices for producers, processors and consumers. “New demand for animal protein from a growing global population will outweigh any additional market share that alternative proteins may gain in the next decade,” Heath said. Alternative proteins were discussed at evokeAG, 2020 and capitalising on new diets was part of the keynote presentation from Hungry Jacks’ founder Jack Cowin as was the panel discussion on how to make room on the plate for both traditional protein and new protein. AgriFutures Australia’s National Rural Issues Program invested in this research as part of its mandate to lead cross-sectoral research into rural issues of national and global significance.
Alternative proteins includes insects like grasshoppers. www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 35
FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY AWARDS
Making the most of indigenous ingredients
Native ingredients are key to the success of Brookie’s Slow Gin.
Since he was young, Eddie Brook wanted to do something with the native ingredients growing in his back yard. Now he has, Mike Wheeler writes.
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iversification is one way for an enterprise to spread its wings – not only can it open up new markets, it can have a positive impact on the bottom line, as well as bringing new ideas and
palette pleasers to a public that is hungry for new taste sensations. When Eddie Brook, the director and co-founder of Cape Byron Distillery, decided to venture into the spirit market in the form of
Cape Byron Distillery calls the Northern Rivers of New South Wales home.
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Slow Gin, he decided to forego the sloe berry. Both Brook and fellow distiller, Jim McEwan, were thinking of an ingredient a little closer to home – the native Davidson Plum. Cape Byron Distillery is situated in the sub-tropical climes of New South Wales’ Northern Rivers region, which is ideal for growing the plum. Brook’s parents moved to the region 30 years ago at about the same time he was born. They bought an old, rundown dairy farm and quickly started planting trees on the 90-acre site. As well as planting macadamias, his parents, Pam and Martin, planted more than 35,000 native tropical plants. Of the 25 botanicals in Brookie’s Byron Dry Gin range, 17 are sourced from the Northern Rivers region, including from the family’s rainforest. Which brings us back to its Slow Gin. Why use Davidson Plums as the core ingredient? “From an early age I’ve always
known about the Davidson Plum,” said Brook. “Every year, come December, we used to harvest them. Mum and I would make Davidson Plum jam. We’d pick them from the rainforest and then we’d cook it into a jam. The flavour of the jam is incredibly tart and sour. It is thriving with flavour and acidity, but there is a sweetness to it there. “In the spirit industry I have been lucky enough to work with some great brands. I used to do a lot of work with different English ways of doing things. When you look at some of the characteristic of those fruits, they are similar to the Davidson Plum. I wanted to make a spirit in the same style, but also showcase what we’ve got in terms of native ingredients from the rainforest.” There are several different varieties of Davidson Plum with the two main commercial varieties being the Jerseyana and Prurien. It is the former that makes up the
FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY AWARDS
bulk of the distilling process when it comes to producing Cape Byron’s Slow Gin. Since first making the gin, the number of plums needed as skyrocketed. In its first year of production in 2017, the distillery used two tonnes of the fruit. Fast forward to 2019 and they are up to 22 tonnes. And this is where issues might arise in the future. “Supply is a tricky one. We’re now the largest purchaser of the Davidson Plum in Australia,” said Brook. “The vast majority of the berries come from Northern Rivers, while the remainder come from Queensland. The exciting thing is we get to purchase them all from the Northern Rivers and a little bit from Southern Queensland. However, the issue in the future might be supply.” The distillery is limited with how much supply it can get because of the lack of plums being grown. A big part of getting enough supply is building relationships direct with farmers and getting the quality. Brook said the biggest challenge he has is that the Jerseyana variety only has one harvest per year.
“We purchase as much as we can over that 12 month period and we have to keep that in freezer storage throughout the year,” he said. “There are a few costs associated, and some call us a bit crazy but it is that little bit of craziness you have along the way that keeps you dedicated to quality.” And with quality comes demand. And the spirit is in huge demand. So much so, the company cannot keep up with production, despite producing in excess of 100,000 litres per year. “It has really taken off. We have been focused primarily on the Australian market but we do distribute to the UK as well as a little bit to Malaysia,” said Brook. “We will be doing more exporting this year. All the demand comes from the local market to the point that we have some of our largest customers in Australia in the spirit industry. The Dan Murphys and Coles of this world would love to have our product, and we would love to supply it, but we just don’t have enough of it to be able to be able
Cape Byron Distillery’s’ hero product, its Slow Gin.
Eddie Brook with his parents Martin and Pam Brook.
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 37
FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY AWARDS
Brook is now developing other products based on native ingredients. supply it to them.” Another issue is that this popularity means other distillers are figuratively starting to look over Cape Byron’s shoulder – not that Brook is too concerned. “Since we’ve started there has been a number of other spirit brands that have come out producing
Brookie’s Dry Gin uses traditional gin ingredients.
Davidson Plum infused spirits and gins,” he said. “At the end of the day I don’t see that as too bad of a thing. One of our big passions is to speak to people about native flavours; people have zero education about what they are. For Australian spirits or food, that native food has to be the cornerstone of it. The fact that more people are using it, and there may be some imitation – and they say imitation is the greatest form of flattery – we’re not too concerned.” The other reason Brook isn’t concerned is because he believes it has a superior product due to the production process. For Cape Byron Distillery to produce one bottle of its slow gin, it takes on average 11 months of aging to get to the flavour profile that Brook is after. A 700ml bottle currently retails for $65 but will soon increase to $70, with the increase down to the cost of the plums and freezer storage. And while Brook is happy with the product and sees a rosy future, he presses the case that more farmers need to grow native fruits, and not just the Davidson Plum. He also thinks education is important when it comes to using native ingredients.
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“There are a lot more farmers starting to grow native ingredients, but there’s not an industry-type body where people can go into the native industry and learn from it and develop it,” he said. “This leads to one major issue – there is a real discrepancy with quality and also difference in pricing. “If you turn up and are selling native foods to a restaurant the price can be as much as $80 a kilo, or as little as $20 a kilo and anywhere in between. And if that quality is not there, and there is huge price variation, it is understandable for venues or people not to use it in their produce.” Not one to rest on his laurels, Brook and his team are thinking of the future. The family recently invested in buying up another old 70-acre dairy farm and they are going to convert that into growing native plants including the Davidson Plum. It will take a while for the trees to bear fruit, but Brook sees it as a step in the right direction to help them be more self-reliant on supply. “One thing we’re going to be doing – because the amount of volume we need is going to be a challenge for us – is going to invest in growing our own Davidson plums in an orchard. “We will be able to get enough fruit to produce the gin for the next five years. “A Davidson Plum tree will start producing fruit after three or four
It takes time to produce one bottle of Brookie’s’ Slow Gin (left).
years, depending on the season,” he said. “This season, we had a huge dry season. We got a splattering of rain and some of the harshest conditions, and yet this has been one of the biggest crops the Northern Rivers has had for Davidson Plums over the past five years. Every grower coming into it was quite concerned. But it’s actually when the plants become stressed they do really well in these conditions. “When the tree first matures we will be getting five to eight kilos per tree. When they are completely mature, we should get around the 30-40 kilo mark. It is all about scaling the orchard. We start with 2,000 to 5,000-odd trees, and then we’ll have volumes and we might be able to supply others who need the ingredient.” Overall, Brook is confident that his little corner of the world is doing its bit in putting native ingredients to the forefront of Australian consumers in the beverage space. And he sees Australian ingredients as the cornerstone of some great innovations. “The exciting thing is, if we can create more demand in the industry, that will lead to more regulations around quality and all of that, which will be a good thing for everybody.” F For Food & Beverage Industry Awards nomination please visit our website at: https://foodmagazineawards.com.au/ nominate/
MARCH 2020
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FOOD PROCESSING
Poly Chain belt brings large benefits to bottler Gates’ Poly Chain conveyor belts helped solve drive issues for a bottling plant. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.
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hen one of the world’s global beverage manufacturers called upon the expertise of CBC Australia to assist in improving their roller chain conveyor drive issues, a collaborative effort ensued with both CBC and Gates engineers recommending a Poly Chain GT Carbon belt solution. That belt solution was installed in 2008 – and it’s still running successfully today. “If you look at it from a product point of view, we changed the drive chain to a polyurethane belt. And this conveyed a number of efficiency improvements for the customer, in terms of both maintenance and from an occupational health and safety (OH&S) perspective,” said John Perri, who was the CBC representative working with the client at the time. Perri explained that the drive chain that had been used previously needed regular lubrication, in which the Gates Poly Chain belt does not. Additionally, because the roller chain would stretch after a period of use, it also needed to be changed out periodically – again, the Gates belt does not (in fact, the original drive installed has still not been replaced after over a decade of use). And, besides the costs involved in regularly replacing the chain, there was also the issue of safety for those doing maintenance work onsite. “The roller chain drive in use was heavy and the maintenance team would have to be lying down on the next conveyor just to access it, which was a clear concern from an OH&S standpoint. The Gates Poly Chain belt solved that issue as well,” Perri confirmed. As a result of the positive performance of the Gates Poly Chain GT Carbo drive in the first two years, the beverage company went on to convert the entire bottling site to the Gates belt product. As Australia’s largest bottler, the costs saved from converting all drives has been significant. Importantly, this example also
Poly Chain GT Carbon belts are ideal for the beverage industry.
demonstrates the confidence that client’s such as this particular beverage manufacturer have in the CBC team. Matthew Byrnes is the current business development specialist from CBC. He looks after the food and beverage segment that this client falls under. “They have absolute confidence as a result of the many years that we have worked with them – and that is testament to John’s work – in our services. We have built a rapport that enables us to look at ways we can improve various applications at their plant,” he explained. Also, the customer still has the option to contact Perri, who first started working with them in 2001. After observing the canning line conveyor and gaining an understanding of the problem they were having with the roller chain drive, Perri initially recommended the Gates product. “I’m proficient in the Gates product but this was very much a collaboration with a Gates engineer to come up with the right solution for the client. We needed to ensure the belt was installed correctly and with the right tensioning,” he said.
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Based on the outcomes of this experience, the customer also came to rely on Perri and CBC’s collective expertise in supplying products for other applications such as power transmission and sealing upgrades. “They often still call me when they want to discuss an issue, and I always pick up. They know that they can rely on me or any of our CBC team to be available to them, which is really not a service that other distributors provide,” Perri said. Moreover, the saturation of CBC stores across Australia and distribution network ensures that speedy delivery of parts and products as well as availability of personnel. “Where we differentiate ourselves is that we are able to offer such a wide range of products and services, and our customers only have to come to the one place – they don’t need a separate supplier for power transmission, or bearings, and so on. We are in the unique position of being able to consolidate all our products, knowledge and technical expertise into the one delivery,” said Byrnes. F
CASE STUDY DETAILS: AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST BOTTLER Application: Canning line roller chain drives on conveyors 1.1kW at 300rpm Original components: Chain = 5/8-inch simplex roller chain, DriveR Sprocket = 17 tooth, DriveN Sprocket = 21 tooth Problem: Customer having roller chain conveyor issues, frequent maintenance and lubrication caused excessive downtime. High noise levels of roller chain, 55dBA on each drive. Single chain drives were changed out approximately two-three times per year. In wash down areas roller chain would lose lubrication and rust solid. Solution Description: Belt = 8MGT1760-12 Poly Chain GT Carbon, DriveR Sprocket = 40 tooth (stainless steel), DriveN Sprocket = 48 tooth (stainless steel) Benefits of Gates Product: After 24 months the drives showed no signs of wear on either belts or sprockets. The entire bottling site has since been converted to Poly Chain GT Carbon drives. The drives are clean with no grease, lube, or maintenance required. Noise levels dropped to 40dBA on each drive. Drives have remained untouched since installation.
AUTOMATION
Engineering 4.0: one-click dashboard eliminates an entire work step The ability to create dashboards at the click of a button could be a game changer. Food & Beverage Industry News explains. TwinCAT Analytics has a one-click dashboard that leads to time savings.
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any machine builders and systems integrators looking to transform their business models have identified machine and plant process data as being a core fundamental. When it comes to tailoring new data-driven services to individual customer requirements, however, they need solutions that are as costefficient as possible. Here, keeping the engineering as simple as possible is a key factor. TwinCAT Analytics supports this kind of Engineering 4.0 approach with the one-click dashboard, a new feature that reduces the once time-consuming process of dashboard creation to nothing more than a simple mouse click. Beckhoff’s TwinCAT Analytics’
automated functionality for converting analysis configurations into executable PLC code now also includes dashboard generation. With one-click dashboard, all it takes for users to generate an entire HTML5-based analytics dashboard based on the PLC code and to load it into a selected Analytics Runtime container is a click of the mouse. When the process completes, users receive a network address that they can then use to access the dashboard in a web browser. This ability to generate dashboards without the need to write a single line of code or design graphics is a time-saver within the engineering process. Based on TwinCAT 3 HMI, the new functionality provides at least one
HMI Control for every TwinCAT Analytics algorithm, each with an up-to-date tile design that follows the latest web standards. The controls contained in a dashboard can be selected individually in an algorithm’s properties with the aid of a control preview. Users can also combine multiple algorithms within an individual HMI Control.
Generated automatically, tailored individually Automatically generated dashboards can be customised by configuring individual user settings. For instance, users are able to pick their own header colours and logos, and can even choose to show geographically distributed machine locations on a
world map. In addition, the controls are available in a choice of layouts and themes as well as multiple languages. It is also possible to switch between light and dark themes, and to automatically set links to methods that reset the algorithms. Despite this high level of flexibility, dashboards that are created automatically may not always meet every user’s needs, so when TwinCAT 3 HMI projects are generated, they are integrated into Visual Studio as well. This enables users to adapt their dashboards to their requirements in the graphical editor. Even with dashboards that need extensive customisation, the engineering process still involves fewer clicks than the conventional approach, saving time and expense. F
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AFGC
Report highlights opportunities in food and beverage sector The latest industry report from the AFGC looks at the state of Australia’s largest manufacturing sector. Geoffrey Annison, acting CEO of the AFGC, explains.
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espite strong domestic and global economic, political and social headwinds, Australia’s food, beverage and grocery manufacturing sector remains resilient. It is a key national employer, a trade powerhouse and contributes billions to the national economy. The Australian Food and Grocery Council’s latest annual industry snapshot, State of the Industry Report 2019, highlights where the strengths of the industry lie, identifying the greatest opportunities for growth, and reinforcing the ongoing challenge of staying competitive in a country with high costs and low margins. Areas of focus include: • Industry turnover.
• Employment. • International trade. • Capital investment. The report found the sector injected $122.1bn into the economy in 2017-18, with 4.5 per cent real growth largely due to increased exports totalling $34.4bn. Food product manufacturing was the largest sub-sector, with a turnover of $90.1 billion. The major sources of production were meat processing, cheese and other dairy manufacturing, and human pharmaceutical and medicinal products. Jobs are central to the success of the Australian economy and the food the grocery manufacturing sector is Australia’s largest manufacturing sector, representing 32 per cent of
all manufacturing jobs. It is also one of the biggest employers in the country, providing more than 273,300 jobs, of which 39.3 per cent – just over 107,000 – are in regional and rural communities. Regional and rural communities rely on the sector not just through direct employment, but also because of the multiplier effect it has in boosting and sustaining local economies. This filters right along the supply chain through the sector’s sourcing of not only agricultural inputs but also other goods and services used in food and grocery production. Similar to employment, the number of businesses in the Australian food and grocery sector increased by 1.4 per cent year-on-
year to 15,325, driven largely by the growth of the business count in the grocery sector. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland are the dominant states, together constituting 85.3 per cent of sector turnover and 79.9 per cent of sector employment. Australian food and grocery exports increased by 7.6 per cent over 2017-18, led by a 45.3 per cent increase in Chinese exports. This comes off the back of the ChinaAustralia Free Trade Agreement and the opportunities it has unlocked. It has also been spurred on by a favourable exchange rate and the great reputation of Australia’s food and grocery products. Growth in imports was much lower at 3.3 per cent year-on-year,
Australian food and grocery exports increased by 7.6 per cent.
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AFGC
The Australian food and beverage arena remains strong and is a key employer in the manufacturing sector.
totalling $33.4bn. The USA was the leading exporter to Australia, followed by New Zealand and China. As the sector’s global footprint continues to expand, with new free trade agreements opening up more export opportunities for Australian food and grocery manufacturing businesses, policy settings must be right for continued growth are crucial. While the AFGC supports the federal government’s commitment to a strong deregulation agenda, there are other opportunities that can be harnessed to ensure the strength of the sector into the future. For example, trade and investment policies should be reviewed to ensure they are ‘fit for purpose’ in supporting the international competitiveness of Australian food and grocery manufacturers. This would not only will help ensure the expansion of the export market, but also shore up new jobs and investment domestically. While the sector has a strong presence and remains Australia’s largest manufacturing industry, its recent growth has been subdued. This is the result of domestic challenges, both in terms of input
"While the AFGC supports the Federal Government’s commitment to a strong deregulation agenda, there are other opportunities that can be harnessed to ensure the strength of the sector into the future." cost pressures and a deflationary retail market, which are putting pressure on profit margins and eroding willingness to invest. Capital investment was less than $3bn in 2017-18 and although companies have continued to make efficiency improvements to stay competitive this is not sustainable in the long term. There is a need to strengthen the sector through innovation, increased automation and modernisation. And for this to occur companies need the confidence to invest. Governments and industry can work as partners through identifying key areas for cutting red tape and designing efficient incentives and allowances for targeted investments. In addition, policies addressing cost competitiveness and fair retail trading conditions are essential and will help
ensure the sector remains viable, retaining business and jobs into the future. In its 2020-2021 Pre-Budget Submission, the AFGC has focused on the need for more sector incentivisation for innovation. Three key areas of opportunity are: • the introduction of a food, beverage and grocery manufacturing site modernisation program; • workforce upskilling for small to medium enterprises; and • support for the sector’s positive contribution to meeting community health, environmental and consumer information demands. Measures that would help bring these goals to fruition could include mechanisms such as instant write off and grants programs,
investment allowances, support funding for education programs and incentivisation grants. In addition to site modernisation programs, AFGC has proposed the Federal Government implements a grants program to support manufacturers to innovate their packaging to meet packaging recycling targets. Specifically, the program would seek to establish increased collaboration between the food, beverage and grocery, and the recycling and packaging sectors, in order to expedite the delivery of the national packaging and food waste targets. Government policies to encourage industry investment in the food, beverage and grocery manufacturing industry will help to ensure a return to all Australians with a reliable, safe and affordable food and grocery industry that also provides jobs and stability for local economies, especially in rural and regional Australia. Given the magnitude, significance and contribution of the industry, it should be a central consideration when shaping economic, industrial and trade policies. F
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Accessible packaging design is the key to helping many consumers have the ability to eat and drink Author
Nerida Kelton MAIP, Executive Director, Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP)
As the Australian population ages, packaging companies would do well to look at the needs of this growing sector of the community. AIP executive director Nerida Kelton explains why.
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ow many times have we all grabbed a knife to open a pack of food, spilt it across the kitchen because the pack was too hard to open, been unable to read the text on the pack (even with glasses on) and then vowed to never buy that brand again? Now imagine if you were part of the ageing population, hospitalised, a consumer with a disability, an arthritis sufferer or a child. All too often, accessible packaging is not considered when
designing products, which in turn leads to unnecessary frustration when opening and closing packs, reading the ingredients and opening instructions on packaging. It is important that packaging technologists consider how their packaging design could affect someone’s ability to eat, drink and the flow on of wasting food. Research from Arthritis Australia in 2018 shows that: • A ll consumers struggle with packaging, but the growing
ageing population, consumers with disabilities, arthritis sufferers and children are impacted the most. • 4 4 per cent of consumers struggle with packaging every day. • 92 per cent of consumers have spilt or damaged a product when trying to open the packaging. • W hen consumers experience hard-to-open packaging: o 56 per cent look for the product but in a different type of packaging.
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o 21 per cent look at buying a competitor’s product. 65 per cent of consumers have had to wait for someone to come and open packaging for them. 1-in-2 Australians have injured themselves opening packaging - including deep cuts and chipped teeth. 89 per cent of consumers are currently feeling frustrated or furious with packaging. 67,000 people in the UK visited hospitals’ casualty Easy-to-open packaging is now an important facet of packaging design.
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departments every year due to an accident involving food and drink packaging. So, I ask you do you consider accessible design and ease of use critical design elements on your packaging? Are your packaging technologists using available resources and training to better understand the needs of this consumer market?
Step one: accessibility packaging design guidelines If you aren’t using the Accessibility Packaging Design Guidelines developed by Arthritis Australia, in conjunction with Brad Fain from Georgia Tech Research Institute, and available in New Zealand through a partnership with Arthritis New Zealand, then you could already be losing customers whose abilities are not being considered and their needs are not being met. Key guidelines include that packaging must be easy to open and use for those with limited functional abilities, packaging labelling must be highly legible, and packaging shall be fit-forpurpose and must be able to demonstrate accessibility.
Step two: accessible packaging design training The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), in conjunction with Arthritis Australia and Georgia Tech Research Institute, have developed a one-day training course on accessible packaging design. The course allows attendees to become aware of the required design requirements and understanding the ease-of-use packaging design tools, which include examples from around the world. It also provides information on changing household demographics, meal preparation requirements and case studies from users. Attendees will learn measuring techniques, injuries caused by packaging and current consumer satisfaction levels with packaging accessibility. The course offers an activities-based approach, hands-on team exercises letting participants understand the constraints on current packaging designs for people with disabilities, arthritis sufferers, children and the ageing
SPC ProVital Easy-Open Diced Fruit in Jelly is designed for those with reduced motor skills. population. This includes the testing with simulation gloves that have been developed by Georgia Tech Research Institute in the US and reading glasses from a UK researcher. Attendees will leave the course with a different approach to packaging design; an approach that includes all sectors of our community.
Step three: recognition of innovative accessible packaging design The AIP, in conjunction with Arthritis Australia and New Zealand, has developed a new Accessible Packaging Design Award that is designed to recognise packaging that is accessible, intuitive, easy-to-open and innovative. The judges are looking for accessible packaging design, which includes measuring techniques, understanding injuries caused by packaging and consumer satisfaction levels with packaging accessibility. The inaugural award winners were announced as a part of the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA), which are run by the AIP and are designed for Australia and New Zealand. Finalists for 2019 were SPC Ardmona, Flavour Creations, Moana New Zealand & Sealed Air for Cryovac Grip and Tear
and Campbell Arnott’s. All four finalists deserve to be recognised for incorporating accessible packaging design into their ranges and it is inspiring to see some of the innovations that they have been working on. The 2019 Gold Award went to SPC Ardmona. They developed their SPC ProVital Easy-Open Diced Fruit in Jelly range that is designed for all consumers to open, including those with reduced fine motor skills. It has dexterity and strength, and on-pack communication is clear, crisp and legible for all. This design achieved easy-to-open certification as well as an ISR +8 Accessibility Rating (i.e. the product is universally easy to open, with 95 per cent of the population able to open the pack without tools). The 2019 Silver Award went to Flavour Creations who developed its pre-thickened Ready-to-drink (RTD) packaged in the new dysphagia Cup and Cup Holder that were designed to specifically increase rates of hydration and decrease rates of malnutrition for residents/patients with dysphagia. Along with the reusable holder and plastic over seal, the snap fitting portion control cup has a large overhanging tab that is textured and clear ‘peel back’ wording to make it obvious to the consumer how
to open the product. A Special Commendation went to Moana New Zealand & Sealed Air for Cryovac Grip and Tear (including ‘small tab’), which was designed to foster ease of use to packaged meat, poultry, and seafood products for processing, food service and retail markets. This accessible packaging design enables convenient product access using a packaging design that is simple and intuitive for consumers to use (irrespective of their age or functional abilities). Previously, these difficult to open items required opening tools, which could easily cause injuries. The grip-and-tear feature means the packs can now be opened by a simple hand action. Sealed Air have undertaken design innovation in the development of the gripand-tear feature to meet both the food handling and food protection requirements for the range of products proposed for the packaging format. Accessible packaging design that is intuitive, easy-to-open and innovative should be an integral part of your packaging and we encourage you to integrate this critical element into your future NPD processes. Imagine the difference you could make. F
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 45
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DAIRY REPORT
Global dairy commodity update T
he fundamentals underpinning the global market outlook remain positive. While there has been a slight increase in milk output growth in major commodity exporters in late 2019, aggregate demand – in domestic and export markets – remained well ahead of the growth in milk supply. The tight balance in dairy markets will gradually ease into 2020 with improving growth in milk supply as producers in the EU and US respond to better milk prices and farm margins, while the flow-on of higher product prices and the reduced availability of SMP may slow trade. The Coronavirus will however impact dairy trade in the short-term and cannot be ignored in our base outlook. Dry weather in NZ, limits on growth due to weather and feed issues in parts of Europe, and ongoing challenges in Australia will help keep
expansion of milk output in major exporters below 1 per cent in Q1-2020, increasing to 1.1 per cent in Q2-2020.
Skim milk powder SMP trade slowed 4 per cent YOY in November, despite a continued resurgence in US trade which grew 44 per cent to lift US exports by 27 per cent for the three months to November. The US growth in November was again mostly due to stronger sales into SE Asia, where it is winning share due to a price advantage. Since the clearance of intervention began, the EU accounted for 95 per cent of the growth (246,000t) in global trade of SMP to November 2019. EU exports in November were 60,003t – down 11.6 per cent YOY and a 15-month low. While the US and Canada grew trade, exports from every other major supplier fell in November.
Whole milk powder
Spot values are moving apart with NZ prices softening in December and recovering in January and remain relatively steady. The fear of disruption to trade and logistics in China due to Coronavirus weakened spot and futures prices late in the month.
November but AMF trade worsened and fell 18 per cent YOY. Spot prices weakened in December as NZ values fell below US$4,000/t, narrowing the gap between EU and NZ values. NZ spot prices have since recovered with signs that demand has gained some traction at these lower prices.
Cheese
Whey
The expansion of cheese imports by Russia still represented a significant portion (43 per cent) of overall market growth in the 11 months to November, while the growth in US imports ahead of the imposition of tariffs on EU product added 16 per cent in that period. Excluding these, the market grew just 2.3 per cent in 2019.
The decline in global trade in whey products for the 11 months to November was 6.1 per cent, mostly the result of weaker shipments into China & HK which imported 26 per cent less, due to the culling of their pig herd to address swine fever and the imposition of punitive tariffs against US products. F
Butter Butter trade is improving, with total tonnage up 32 per cent YOY in
By Dustin Boughton, Procurement, Maxum Foods
Skim milk powder trade has slowed to 4 per cent.
www.foodmag.com.au March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 47
NEW PRODUCTS
iBase’s IB918 compact AMD Ryzen SBC featuring four independent 4K displays Backplane Systems Technology has announced the release of the iBase IB918 AMD Ryzen 3.5-inch disk-size, SBC-based on the AMD Ryzenembedded V1000/R1000 SoC. The IB918 allows system designers to create feature rich systems targeting panel PC, kiosk, POS, medical display and industrial applications. Generating 4K ultra high-definition resolution for sharper images provided by the integrated Vega GPU, IB918 can drive up to four independent displays via two HDMI (2.0a), a 24-bit dual channel LVDS and an eDP graphics output. It has two SO-DIMM sockets supporting fast data transfers with up to 32GB DDR4-2400 memory and ECC for data integrity. Flexible I/O connectivity and expansion ports come in the form of one USB 2.0, four USB 3.1, one SATA III, four COM, a 12V~24V DC input and two M.2 sockets (M/E Key). The compact IB918 board comes with low power consumption AMD Ryzen APUs, namely the 64-bit quad-core V1605B (IB918F-1605) and the dual-core V1202B (IB918F-1202), R1606G (IB918F-1606G) and R1505G (IB918F-1505G). The models are equipped with an advanced TPM 2.0 chip, a high level of hardware-based security that enables cryptographic operations for access control and authentication to prevent phishing attacks and authorisation value guesses on devices. Measuring 102mm x 147mm, the SBC provides an optimal fan and heatsink cooling solution and supports an operating temperature range of 0°C-60°C. The board supports both Windows 10 and Linux Ubuntu operating systems. Key features: • AMD Ryzen-embedded V1000/R1000 SoC; • 2x DDR4 SO-DIMM, maximum 32GB; • 2x PCI-E gigabit LAN;
New Product Master Trimec Flow products offers a range of insertion paddle wheel flow meters for accurately metering flow in larger diameter pipelines (40-2500mm). The Trimec Flow Products Dualpulse insertion paddle wheel flow transducer is a cost effective means of accurately measuring the flow of water, waterlike liquids or a wide variety of low viscosity liquids in completely full, large diameter pipes. The sensor is inserted into the process piping via a suitable fitting. Liquid flow through the pipe results in rotation of the affixed paddle wheel. The rotational speed of the paddle is proportional to the flow velocity, and therefore, proportional to the flowrate in the pipe. The insertion type design provides a measuring technique that is much less expensive than full bore flowmeters, especially in larger pipe sizes. Insertion paddle wheel sensors are a robust measuring technology that have good tolerances with dirt and solids.
Trimec Flow Products +61 (0)3 9937 1811 www.trimec-fp.com.au
48 Food&Beverage Industry News | March 2020 | www.foodmag.com.au
• 2x HDMI, 1x eDP, 1x 24-bit LVDS dual-channel; • 1x USB 2.0, 4x USB 3.1, 1x SATA III, 4x COM; and • 2x M.2 sockets (M/E key). Backplane Systems Technology (02) 9457 6400 www.backplane.com.au
NEW PRODUCTS
Fluke 1625-2/KIT advanced GEO earth ground tester kits Measurement Rentals has introduced the new Fluke 1625-2/KIT advanced GEO earth ground tester kit to their extensive test and measurement rental fleet. The Fluke 1625-2 is a unique earth ground tester that can perform all four types of earth ground measurements including 3- and 4-pole fall of potential, earth resistance loop testing, 4-pole soil resistivity testing, selective earth ground rod testing using one clamp and stakeless earth ground rod testing using two clamps. Designed for ease of use, the testers inform you which stakes or clamps need to be connected for each test, and the large rotary switch can be used even with a gloved hand. The Fluke 1625-2 earth ground testers are able to measure earth ground loop resistances using only clamps. With this test method, two clamps are placed around the earth ground rod with each connected to the tester. No earth ground stakes are used at all. A known fixed voltage is induced by one clamp and the current is measured using the second clamp. The tester then automatically determines the resistance of the earth ground rod. This test method only works if a bonded earth ground system exists for the building or structure under test. If there is only one path to ground such as in many residential applications, the stakeless method will not provide an acceptable value and the fall of potential test method must be used. With stakeless testing, the earth ground rod does not need to be
disconnected, leaving the bonded earth ground system intact during test. Earth ground tests can also be performed inside buildings, on power pylons, or any place where there is no access to soil. Measurement Rentals also offers AC power analysers, DC power supplies, RF power meters, RF spectrum analysers, RF network analysers, digital oscilloscopes (CRO), data acquisition, telecommunications and data communications test equipment, fibre test equipment, audio and acoustic measurement, antennas and a wide range of specialist test and measurement equipment for immediate hire, Australia-wide. Measurement Rentals 1300 726 550 www.measurementrentals.com
Air conveyor converts standard pipe to convey in corrosive environments EXAIR’s new Type 303 stainless-steel 2-1/2 NPT threaded line vac airoperated conveyors convert ordinary pipe into a conveying system for parts, scrap, trim and other bulk materials. They are suitable for food, chemical, pharmaceutical and medical processes or areas likely to be wet and corrosive that require the benefits of 303SS including chemical and corrosion resistance, performance in higher temperatures, long service life and low maintenance. Their larger size makes them perfect for conveying bigger parts and large volumes of material over long distances. The threaded line vac is designed to attach to standard plumbing pipe couplers, making it easy to build a complete system using common pipe and fittings that are readily available. Threaded line vac conveyors eject a small amount of compressed air to produce a vacuum on one end with high output flows on the other. Response is instantaneous and regulating the compressed air pressure provides infinite control of the conveying rate. Applications include scrap trim removal, material conveying, part transfer, fibre tensioning and filling operations. 2-1/2 NPT 303SS threaded line vacs are CE compliant and meet OSHA pressure requirements. The complete size range is 3/8 NPT through 3 NPT. Threaded line vac models are also available in type 316 stainless steel for high temperature, corrosive and hygienic environments. Compressed Air Australia 1300 787 688 www.caasafety.com.au
www.foodmag.com.au | March 2020 | Food&Beverage Industry News 49
NEW PRODUCTS
Light industrial interactive widescreen Panel PC series ICP Australia has introduced the iEi’s AFL3-WXXA-AL light industrial interactive widescreen Panel PC series. The AFL3-W10A/W12A/W15A-AL Series is a quad-core Intel Celeron processor J3455 powered flat bezel Panel PC with a rich variety of functions and peripherals. The flat-bezel design is ideal for easy and simplified integration into various applications. The Intel Celeron J3455 is a SoC (System-on-Chip) that ensures optimal memory, graphics, and peripheral I/O support. It is equipped with 4GB of DDR3L SO-DIMM memory ensuring smooth data throughputs with reduced bottlenecks and fast system access. Two serial ports, two external USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports and two external USB 2.0 ports ensure simplified connectivity to a variety of external peripheral devices. Wi-Fi capabilities and two RJ-45 Ethernet connectors provide the system with smooth connection to an external LAN. One of the Ethernet connectors is capable of supporting a PoE port by installing an optional PoE module. Key features are: • 10.1-inch, 12.1-inch and 15.6-inch light industrial interactive widescreen Panel PC; • 9V-30V wide range DC Input with lockable DC jack; • selectable AT/ATX power mode; • built-in speakers; • support PoE PD IEEE803.2 af/at/bt; • IP64 compliant front panel; and • touch screen with Anti-UV/anti-glare coating. ICP Electronics Australia (02) 9457 6011 www.icp-australia.com.au
In-vehicle computer with supercapacitor-based power backup module Neousys has released the Nuvo-7250VTC Intel 9th/ 8th-Gen Core in-vehicle controller with 4x or 8x PoE+ Ports and supercapacitor-based power backup Module, which is available from local distributor Backplane Systems. It is a rugged in-vehicle controller that utilises Neousys’ innovative supercapacitor-based power backup solution. Powered by Intel 9th/ 8th-Gen Core processors with up to 8/6-core and 64GB DDR4 memory, it offers over 50 per cent performance increase over previous generations for versatile in-vehicle applications. This in-vehicle computer is equipped with supercapacitor technology to provide 2500 watt-second stored energy to sustain the system to safely shutdown during unforeseen power outages. It also has a variety of peripherals and connections. It has four or eight 802.3at PoE+ ports to supply 25W power to connected devices such as IP cameras with M12 (x-coded connectors) and connector screw-lock mechanisms on I/Os like Gigabit Ethernet, USB3.0 and USB3.1 to guarantee extreme rugged connectivity in shock and vibration environments. Internal expansionwise, it features two M.2 and three mini-PCIe sockets with corresponding wireless modules for 3G/ 4G, WIFI, GPS, and CAN module for wireless communication. Additionally, there is a 4G cellular module option that is certified to work with Australia telecommunications which can save implementation time and cost. The Nuvo-7250VTC also features isolated CAN bus for in-vehicle communication, isolated DIO for sensor/actuator control, 8-35V wide-range DC input with ignition power control and complies with EN50155 railway certification. Coupled with supercapacitor power backup technology, the Nuvo-7250VTC offers data protection and supports various in-vehicle applications. 50 Food&Beverage Industry News | March 2020 | www.foodmag.com.au
Key features: • supports Intel 9th/8th-gen core i7/i5/i3 LGA1151 socket-type CPU; • 4x or 8x 802.3at gigabit PoE+ ports via M12 or RJ45 connectors; • onboard isolated CAN Bus for in-vehicle communication; • 4-CH isolated DI and 4-CH isolated DO; • 2x hot-swappable SATA HDD trays, supporting RAID 0/; • 2x M.2 B key and 3x full-size mini-PCIe sockets; • 8-35V wide-range DC input with built-in ignition power control; • patented supercapacitor-based uninterruptible power backup; and • E-Mark and EN50155 certificate. Backplane Systems Technology (02) 9457 6400 www.backplane.com.au
Dust and buildup on the antenna? No problem! The future is 80 GHz: a new generation of radar level sensors
VEGAPULSÂ 69 is designed specifically for level measurement of bulk solids. Even in dusty conditions, it always provides precise readings. Dust in the silo or buildup on the antenna have no effect. This radar sensor also features unrivalled focusing at a frequency of 80Â GHz. Simply world-class! www.vega.com/radar
