Food & Beverage Industry News September 2023

THE

HEART OF DIGITALISATION

TURNING

MACHINE DESIGNS INTO REALITY

EDGE INTEGRATION | INTEGRATED SAFETY | ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

THE IMPORTANCE OF A

ROBUST COLD CHAIN

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The importance of a strong cold chain

Editor: Adam McCleery

When it comes to freight and logistics in the Australian food & beverage industry, trucks and trailers play a supremely critical role.

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Being able to confidently transport perishable goods across large areas of the country without risk of contaminating the food through losses in the cold chain, is the most critical aspect of the sector.

As a result, a string of companies from software solutions to logistics, and even construction companies, play an integral role in the success of our cold chain.

The risk of contamination is a constant threat to any producer and manufacturer, so much so that entire sectors of the industry are devoted to constantly improving ways to protect food and beverages during and after the production process, even after the point of sale.

Every element of the production process presents contamination risks, and contamination presents a huge financial and reputation risk to companies in the industry.

Many of the experts, stakeholders, and key decision makers I’ve spoken to all reinforce how important it is for their companies to invest in cold chain technologies which not just improve food safety today, but as far into the future as possible.

New solutions are constantly appearing and being implemented successfully by the industry but contamination, and recalls, will remain a constant threat to the production of food and drinks.

As a result, the companies committed to improving these processes are constantly innovating through cutting edge research and development.

The wide breadth of the food and beverage industry and the products therein present a challenge to these companies, requiring them to create flexible solutions because no two food and beverage manufacturers will necessarily require the same solutions.

look to invest in newer solutions.

In this edition of Food & Beverage Industry News we speak to some of these companies about how they approach food chain processes and what solutions continue to prevail, and which have emerged as critical new elements in the field.

From software solutions to the best approach when it comes to constructing freezers and other cold chain storage units, all are covered in this edition.

According to key stakeholders, some of the most prevalent issues around the cold chain can be attributed, in large part, to the current state of cold chain requirements across the country.

Until a universal standard is implemented, there will be points along the cold chain where contamination can occur due to a lack of traceability.

Speaking of traceability, we also spoke with an expert in the area who has studied the cold chains from multiple countries and concluded how Australia can best achieve better results.

Among some of his conclusions was the need for a more universal standard around traceability to ensure manufacturers, producers, and retailers, can track the full path of the product and its ingredients, especially for protection against wholesale recalls based on inevitable contaminations which will occur at different times.

Australia is a large, and very warm, country. As a result, a robust cold chain is critical to the continued success of those in the sector, and in turn limiting the financial impact of a potential recall due to a loss of temperature along the cold chain.

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28 Dingley Ave Dandenong VIC

This creates a specialist approach to every element of food safety and hygiene which in turn can give confidence to producers and manufacturers when they

One thing is clear though, stakeholders within the cold chain are all working tirelessly to continually improve processes, while solution providers work just as tirelessly in improving and innovating existing solutions. The future looks bright for Australia’s cold chain.

Until next month.

Happy Reading.

18 MEET THE MANUFACTURER

Mitolo Family Farms take pride in being a fully vertical producer of potatoes and onions.

22 FOOD MANUFACTURING

Bioreactors and fermenters play a crucial role in food and beverage manufacturing.

24 COLD CHAIN

Scully RSV have donated two vans to the OzHarvest.

26 COLD CHAIN

Schmitz Cargobull continues to provide top of the line temperature-controlled trucks and trailers.

28 COLD CHAIN

Total Construction details the common pitfalls of freezer design.

30 TRACEABILITY

GS1 continues to examine the pitfalls and the strengths of cold chain traceability.

32 WASTEWATER

Aerofloat’s work with Meyer Food Co demonstrates the company’s ability to troubleshoot.

34 ECOMMERCE

BigCommerce is helping companies adapt and benefit from implementing its software.

36 AUTOMATION

APS Industrial has opened a first of its type facility in South Australia which has sped up turnaround times.

38 COLD CHAIN

Americold, specialist in temperature-controlled storage, are leading by example when it comes to reducing energy costs.

40 MICE

The Melbourne International Coffee Expo has set its date for 2024

42 FOOD MANUFACTURING

Earlee Products offers solutions to add value to food products without having to draw on capital or labour.

44 DIGITALISATION

Motion is excited to announce the launch of its new online store and industry Knowledge Hub, motion.com.au.

46 CRAFT BREWING

The Queensland Government is heavily supporting the rise of craft brewing with the state.

48 FOOD ENGINEERING

Pall Corporation specialises in filtration, separation, and purification.

50 COLD CHAIN

BOC helps deliver high-performance chilling solutions.

The Victorian state government is set to fast-track cereal, oilseed and pulse crop improvements by transforming the Australian Grains Genebank (AGG) into a more accessible database by 2027, thanks to a $15 million investment.

Minister for Agriculture Gayle

Tierney announced a $30 million co-investment between the state government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), which will give researchers more access to a wider range of genes to boost productivity and profitability in grain crops.

Located at Agriculture Victoria’s Horsham SmartFarm, the AGG is the national centre for grain crop genetic resources in Australia.

Traditionally it has been challenging for researchers to identify desirable genes within national and international genebanks. The new investment will make the plant genetic resources conserved within the AGG more accessible and valuable to the Australian grains industry.

grower’s paddocks sooner.

Research supported by the AGG will see high-yielding, adaptable and profitable grain crop varieties

with the completion of a $1.8 million seed multiplication facility that uses cutting-edge technology to enable rapid production and distribution of seed for

Upgrades to modernise Victoria’s grain growers Young Henrys unveil their new Brewers B- Side

enhancing the commercialisation of research – ensuring our agriculture sector is stronger, more innovative and sustainable. F

Newtown brewers and distillers, Young Henrys have launched its latest Brewers B-Side, an experimental IPA to join their stacked beer roster – the Phantasmic Mr Hops.

A Young Henrys take on a trendy cinematic classic, Phantasmic Mr Hops is a seven per cent experimental IPA utilising an innovative new flavourproducing compound named Phantasm.

A powder derived from New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc grapes, Phantasm is your taste ticket to tropical beer land. The organic compound increases the production of thiols, which are the aroma-active ingredients responsible for jacking up the fruity and juicy flavours in your beer.

From the experts in stepping

outside the lines and venturing into the world of the unknown, Young Henrys’ Phantasmic Mr Hops combines Phantasm with a healthy dose of hops, including Simcoe Cryo, Sabro and Taiheke, and two experimental US hops (HBC 1019 and HBC 586).

The result is a flavour sensation, drawing waves of caramelised coconut, sautéed pineapple and vacation citrus in every sip before giving way to a creamy luxurious body and mouthfeel.

“We hadn’t done a B-Side in a while, so the Brew Crew wanted to make this one super special. We used ingredients and processes that we had never tried before – from the malt to the hops, the yeast, the process aids, and the brewing processes themselves – almost

everything was a first,” said Jesse Searls, Young Henrys head brewer.

“This beer is different from any in our core range but still stands up as moreish and balanced. We hope everyone enjoys drinking it as much as

we did making it!”

The beer cleverly pays homage to the Wes Anderson film “Fantastic Mr Fox” with its name, “Phantasmic Mr Hops”.

Young Henrys takes pride in using fine ingredients and processes to create exceptional brews, and just like Mr Fox, who cunningly acquires fine ingredients and alcoholic beverages, this beer embodies that adventurous spirit.

Joining their Brewers B-Side range, the alternative tracks to their hit singles which include limited bangers like Wattle They Think Of Next, Dark Sour of the Moon, From Where You’d Guava Be and more.

Phantasmic Mr Hops is available in bottle shops nationally in singles, fourpacks and cases. F

The new product is available in bottle shops nationally.

The investment will better connect the AGG to international genebanks.

Coles welcomes first fully electric delivery van

ambitions, as well as maximise efficiency and meet customer demand for more environmentally friendly delivery options.

“We are happy to partner with Coles on this positive sustainability initiative. These vans have zero tailpipe emissions and offer a reduction in noise pollution. They also need less maintenance and are more comfortable to drive due to less vibrations,” said Chris Tulloch CEO of Custom Fleet.

In addition to the new electric delivery van, Coles has partnered with Linfox in the trial of an electric-powered truck in the retailer’s Supply Chain that will avoid more than 60 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per year.

Othanks to the addition of the supermarket’s first fully electric delivery van that will complete up to 240 orders a week in Flagstone, Queensland.

The delivery van, named Sparky by Coles team members, will emit less emissions than petrol powered vehicles and save up to $170 on fuel each week.

The EV will also be quieter to run

or run the engine when not in motion in order to keep groceries at optimal temperature, which will reduce up to 3 hours of emissions each day.

The new addition comes as Coles pledges to install electric fridges in 500 of its delivery vans following a successful trial that ran earlier this year. The vans will operate up and down the east

With Coles Online orders now delivering to 95 per cent of the Australian population 7 days per week, the supermarket is proud to be offering a more sustainable way for households to receive their groceries.

The initiative is in partnership with Custom Fleet which is proud to help support Coles achieve its sustainability

Coles is also partnering with Toll Group and Nexport to trial the first electric yard tractor in its Supply Chain. Capable of near 24-hour continuous operation and delivering zero emissions, the yard tractor is currently operating at a Coles Distribution Centre in Melbourne. Coles also introduced ten online delivery vans equipped with solar-powered electric fridges in parts of Victoria and Queensland. F

Kraft Heinz ANJ appoints Jerome Drolet as new president

Kraft Heinz has announced they have appointed Jerome Drolet as the new president of the regional operations of Kraft Heinz, covering Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Korea.

Drolet has extensive experience in the food and beverage sector, more recently as the area vice president of Omni, Walmart & Sam’s Club in the United States.

Prior to that, he held various roles with other industry-leading organisations such as Keurig Dr Pepper, Procter & Gamble, and Coca-Cola. His past focus has included designing and building high-performing teams and strategies.

Born in Canada, Drolet will bring a wealth of knowledge to the business and will relocate to Melbourne, Australia in the coming months.

Simon Laroche, who has been in the position for the last five years, is moving to a new role in the Kraft Heinz North America business. F

Drolet has extensive experience in the food and beverage sector.

Coles has also pledged to install electric fridges in 500 of its delivery vans.

Food packaging solutions company

Detpak has been named KFC’s Supplier of the Year for Australia.

Detpak, a subsidiary of South Australian third-generation, familyowned Detmold Group, was recognised by the fast-food giant ahead of more than a dozen suppliers of packaging, chicken, potatoes, beverages, other food ingredients – like those secret herbs and spices – and distributors.

Detpak has been working with KFC since 1972, establishing a long-standing relationship built on providing the highest-quality packaging products and reliability.

Detpak business manager Ben Suttell said the company was thrilled to receive the award, which reflected the entire business’ input, continued commitment, focus and innovation.

“It gives me immense joy to receive

the 2023 KFC Supplier of the Year award on behalf of Detpak,” Mr Suttell said.

“I am thankful to the greater Detmold team who work tirelessly to ensure that we have maintained and strengthened our solid partnership with KFC, to ensure a great future together.”

KFC has more than 730 stores in Australia. Detpak also supplies numerous products to KFC globally, having established a decades-long partnership that is supported by a dedicated account team and the wider group, including its recently-completed LaunchPad research and development facility in Adelaide.

“KFC has been a valued customer for many years, which Detpak looks forward to supporting into the future,” Mr Suttell said. “Congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the 2023 KFC Supplier Awards.”

Along with KFC, Detpak supplies

he nation’s most learned thought leaders will take to the stage at this year’s Fine Food Australia event delivering key insights into the hottest trends and topics driving the food industry.

The show, which takes place over two levels at Sydney’s ICC from 11-14 September, will feature more than 100 speakers presenting across four stages. There will also be four co-locating industry events, four industry competitions, and more than 850 Australian and international exhibitors showcasing the latest products, technology and services in foodservice, hospitality, catering, bakery, retail, import, export, distribution, manufacturing and more.

One leading speaker will be food expert and TV chef, Adam Moore, from food consultancy Culinary Revolutions. Mr Moore will be part of the new Concept to Consumer

First speakers announced for Fine Food Australia KFC crowns Detpak as national supplier of the year

workshop on September 13 for those interested in innovating and creating their own food brand.

“It’s helpful for companies under cost pressures to visit Fine Food Australia to get insight into new kitchen equipment, processes and menu innovations to reduce costs,” said Mr Moore who will present Innovation through the lens of a culinarian on the Talking Trends stage powered by Food Industry Foresight.

“Visitors get access to manufacturers, suppliers and producers offering invaluable solutions.

“Exhibitor Unox has the Evereo – the first ever hot fridge which preserves cooked food at service temperature for days. There will also be chefs demonstrating how to utilise ingredients to minimise wastage. When businesses can save money by working smarter they can keep afloat and lower costs during cost of living increases.”

paper and cardboard packaging solutions to other international food companies including McDonald’s, Hungry Jack’s, Subway, Starbucks and Uber Eats.

Fine Food Australia will be taking place in Sydney in September.

Detpak has been working with KFC since 1972.

Wine Victoria announces $2.2M

Wine Victoria has announced its plan to implement a $2.2 million USA Market Development Strategy aimed to increase premium Victorian wine sales in the South and South-East states of the United States of America.

The new strategy – funded by the Victorian Government through Global Victoria – will see Wine Victoria deliver a number of programs over the coming year to amplify the presence of Victorian Wine in the United States and help grow the local market.

The USA Market Development Strategy is divided into two phases and will be completed by mid-2024, with the first phase already well underway.

The program focuses on five core initiatives:

1. Supporting new entrants to the US market primarily through the Wine Australia Market Entry Program.

2. Trade promotions with distributors, retailers, restaurants, and

e-commerce platforms.

3. Attendance at selected trade shows.

4. Communications to build awareness and engage with trade and consumers.

5. Appointment of a US-based Business Development Manager to drive the program and support wineries. Activities already delivered under the USA Market Development Strategy include:

• Supporting 16 wineries to take part in the 2022/23 Wine Australia Market Entry Program.

• Development of a communications strategy that will provide the structure for all communications including a partnership with Vinous Magazine.

• Attendance at the Aspen Food and Wine Classic, featuring wines from 10 producers as part of the Wine Australia activation (alongside South Australia and Western Australia).

• A dedicated visit to Victoria from

Chair of Wine Victoria, Stephanie Duboudin, said the USA Market Development Strategy is an exciting opportunity for Victorian wine producers.

“These programs and activations are a great way for Wine Victoria members to showcase the quality of their wines and to tell their own unique stories on a

“Wine Victoria is delighted to be working with the Victorian Government and Global Victoria to amplify Victorian wine in the United States, and to create more ways to educate people on the diverse and world-class wine styles grown and produced in our beautiful state,” said Duboudin. F

Zambrero achieves milestone: 70 million meals donated

Zambrero, Australia’s largest Mexican quick-service restaurant group, has reached a new major milestone as part of their Plate 4 Plate social mission; distributing over 70 MILLION meals to help end world hunger.

Since the initiative’s inception, Plate 4 Plate has created a global movement to end hunger, mobilising Mexican food

lovers across Australia and the globe to give back, with every burrito, bowl, retail item or kids Zam Box purchased at Zambrero restaurants across the globe resulting in a meal provided to someone in need.

The restaurant’s Feel Good Mex proposition of delicious food that makes customers feel good, while also doing good for others remains central to the

brand’s DNA. Zambrero has Plate 4 Plate counters in each restaurant so customers can see their purchase immediately provide impact – it’s that important.

“Alongside our not-for-profit partners Rise Against Hunger, Love Mercy and Foodbank as well as our loyal Zambrero customers and volunteers, we will continue working towards our goal of donating a billion meals to those in need.” said Matthew Kenny, CEO, Zambrero.

“Our humanitarian mission is a core part of our business, and we are immensely proud of what we have achieved with our latest milestone.” Kenny adds.

The milestone comes as Zambrero gets ready for their annual Plate 4 Plate Day in mid-October, where Meal Packing events will be held across Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, the Gold Coast and Adelaide. With a goal to smash last year’s record of packing over 430,000 meals in one day, this milestone

sets the stage for volunteers to pack even more meals for vulnerable communities around the world.

“Zambrero’s relentless efforts have helped millions of people facing food insecurity, which in the current environment has never been more critical. Having already delivered one of the most impactful social missions of any fast food restaurant in Australia with last year’s Plate 4 Plate Day, we are not only proud of what’s been achieved so far, but are looking forward to continued impact through the initiative.” said Rick Kearney, CEO, Rise Against Hunger.

As Zambrero continues to expand their restaurant network in both Australia and overseas, with a global network of over 250 quick-service restaurants, Plate 4 Plate will continue to play a core role in driving the business at scale, with a collective determination to reach the goal of 1 billion meals donated. F

Plate 4 Plate has created a global movement to end hunger.

The USA Market Development Strategy is divided into two phases.

South Australians encouraged to ‘Buy SA. For SA.’

The South Australian Government’s “Buy SA. For SA” campaign aims to switch at least $1 in every $20 of consumer spending away from interstate and overseas purchases to local ones, in-turn fuelling hundreds of millions of dollars in support for SA businesses.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics data, South Australians spend around $10 billion in supermarkets and grocery stores each year.

Switching five per cent of that figure towards local products would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in support for local South Australian producers.

“Buy SA. For SA.’ is Brand SA’s first multi-platform and independently run campaign since its re-establishment, with ads to appear across TV, radio, print, digital, cinema and outdoor displays, raising awareness of South Australia’s owned and grown produce.

More than 60 iconic South

Australian businesses were involved in the campaign’s production, including Beerenberg, Haigh’s Chocolates, Fleurieu Milk, Port Elliot Bakery, Joe’s Henley Beach, along with the Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide Football Club.

A team comprised exclusively of South Australians produced the ‘Buy SA. For SA.’ campaign footage, filmed in landmark metro and regional locations, from Adelaide Oval to Waikerie, Goolwa and Port Elliot.

South Australia’s food and beverage sector accounts for around 30 per cent of jobs in the manufacturing industry. Exports of finished South Australian foods generated around $1.86 billion in 2020-21 – about 12 per cent of the State’s total export value.

Buy SA. For SA, aims to make South Australian products more accessible to consumers by encouraging them to look for the State Brand red ticket on products when making purchases.

Buy SA. For SA, aims to make South Australian products more accessible.

Nescafé’s new local partnership with Groupe SEB distribute Dolce Gusto will see the latter’s coffee machines in Australia and NZ for the first time.

The partnership is expected to bring innovation in portioned coffee to retail partners and coffee drinkers, further strengthening the presence of the Nescafé Dolce Gusto brand locally.

Groupe SEB is Nescafé Dolce Gusto’s biggest machine partner globally, with a relationship that spans 17 years since the system’s inception. Groupe SEB has a local and global presence due to its brand portfolio, which includes international

brands such as Tefal, Krups, WMF, and All-Clad.

“We are delighted to announce our partnership with Nescafe Dolce Gusto in Australia and New Zealand,” said Groupe SEB managing director, Australia & New Zealand Joe Tizzone.

“Our two companies have enjoyed tremendous global success with an ongoing collaboration spanning a remarkable 17 years, so it made perfect sense for us to nurture this synergy on a local level. On one hand, Nestle has long been an iconic household name, while Krups is an emblematic brand with a strong expertise in the coffee experience.

Nescafé Dolce Gusto announces new local partnership Pact Group signs major deal for Crate Pooling business

Pact Group is selling 50 per cent of its Crate Pooling business to global infrastructure investment manager Morrison & Co to expand its capabilities and accelerate growth opportunities.

The transaction will see the formation of a new joint venture with Morrison which will be 50% owned by Pact and operate as a separate entity. Pact will receive approximately

$160 million in cash proceeds from the sale net of costs and tax, and can receive a further earn out of $20 million, reflecting an enterprise value of $380 million for the business.

The Crate Pooling business, which is currently part of Pact’s Reuse division, manages an asset pool of reusable and recyclable plastic crates and folding produce bins used by retailers in Australia and New Zealand in their

fresh produce supply chains. The business manufactures the crates and bins in Australia and operates a network of wash and distribution facilities that keeps them circulating in a loop from suppliers to retailer distribution centres and into supermarkets.

The business recently extended its crate pooling contract with Woolworths by 10 years and plans to scale up usage

Tizzone said that his company is looking forward to working with Nescafe Dolce Gusto to bring both retailers and consumers innovative products to coffee enthusiast and households across Australia and New Zealand.

“We’ve long admired Groupe SEB’s reputation in driving innovation and success for the Nescafé Dolce Gusto brand globally, so to be able to announce a local partnership to help deliver our next stage of growth is very exciting,” said Nestlé Oceania General Manager Coffee and Dairy Martin Brown. F

from 50 million to 80 million crates a year by 2025. The business has also secured a long-term contract extension with ALDI Australia.

“This new strategic partnership with Morrison & Co is a great outcome for our customers as it will accelerate the growth of the business and offer an expanded range of products and service, with Pact sharing in the upside,” said Pact CEO and managing director Sanjay Dayal. F

Groupe SEB is Nescafé Dolce Gusto’s biggest machine partner globally.

The business recently extended its crate pooling contract with Woolworths by 10 years.

The business has also secured a long-term contract extension with ALDI Australia.

Image credit: Michael Leslie / Shutterstock.com

Coles and Origin to install solar panels on 100 stores

Coles and Origin Energy have signed a landmark agreement that will see the companies coinvest in renewable energy and battery assets at up to 100 Coles supermarkets and liquor stores nationally.

Over the next three years, Coles aims to install 20 megawatts of solar panels on top of 100 stores across the country, with batteries to be installed at one-third of the stores to capture and store excess renewable electricity generated on-site.

Coles’ rooftop solar, batteries, and energy assets such as in-store heating, cooling and refrigeration systems will be connected to Origin’s virtual power plant to help ease pressure on the energy grid during peak periods of demand.

The alliance between Coles and Origin aims to help reduce each

participating store’s electricity use from the grid by around 20 per cent on average and support Coles to achieve its 100 per cent renewable electricity goals by June 2025.

Solar panel installation is currently underway at six Victorian stores, with installation at all 100 Coles supermarkets, Vintage Cellars, Liquorland and First Choice Liquor Market stores expected to be completed by 2026.

Coles head of Energy Jane Mansfield said this important alliance will help the retailer lower emissions, reduce electricity consumption from the grid and bring down operational costs, with 20 sites to be completed by next year.

“This alliance with Origin is an important step towards achieving our 100 per cent renewable electricity target

by June 2025,” Mansfield said.

“Over the next three years, we expect to install solar panels on 100 Coles supermarkets and liquor stores. These

stores will have on average up to 20 per cent of their electricity needs met by renewable electricity generated on-site*,” she said. F

Ferrero Australia receives award for environmental commitment

Ferrero Australia has once again been honoured with the prestigious Gold Partner Award in recognition of its dedication to environmental sustainability.

The award is part of the Sustainability Advantage program, which is supported by the Office of Energy and Climate Change, NSW Government.

This program aims to empower organisations throughout NSW to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices and drive positive environmental initiatives.

Ferrero Australia has been a committed member of the Sustainability Advantage program since 2013 and has now achieved Gold Partner status for the third consecutive time.

Notably, Ferrero Australia’s factory in Lithgow, which has been producing Nutella and Tic Tac for over 40 years, showcases its unwavering focus on sustainability.

Key initiatives include:

• Solar panel installation now generates around 20 per cent of the

factory’s overall energy;

• R eduction of water consumption by 30 per cent since 2021; and

• A iming to reduce C02 emissions by 1.5 per cent year on year by utilising green energy from the grid and electrifying equipment which is aimed to cut gas consumption by 50 per cent.

In accepting the award, Derek Lath, director of Institutional Affairs at Ferrero Australia, expressed his gratitude and praised the dedication of the team.

“This achievement stands as a testament to the hard work and commitment of our team, showcasing our continuous efforts to reduce our environmental impact while expanding our operations.

“Our commitment to sustainability is particularly evident at our plant in Lithgow, where we have taken significant measures to ensure that all our operations are responsible and sustainable, and we take immense pride contributing to the sustainability journey of the local region.” F

Solar panel installation is currently underway at six Victorian stores.

The award is part of the esteemed Sustainability Advantage program.

Keeping a key staple on Australians plates

Mitolo Family Farms have been providing Australians with quality potatoes foe decades and continue to innovate where possible to ensure the product they produce is the best it can be. Adam McCleery writes.

With more than 50 years of operations, Mitolo Family Farms is a category leader across potatoes and onions in Australia, supplying high quality fresh produce to major supermarkets and wholesalers nationally.

John Tselekidis, head of Sales and Marketing for Mitolo Family Farms, said the continued innovation around how they produce their potatoes and onions was a core of the business.

“Essentially the greater control you have over every aspect of the process you

can then fine tune your processes and varieties that you use to increase yields and volumes year over year,” he said.

“If you are buying in from third party external abroad you have to work with them and ensure that they have the same level of controls you expect to maintain

seed, plating, harvesting, land prep.

“Soil borne diseases is another thing you have to be aware of and avoid and making sure the fertiliser programs are all up to speed with what you need.”

Mitolo Family Farms prides itself on providing affordable potatoes for

Mitolo Family Farms specialise in producing both potato and onion.

Australians, especially during these tough economic times.

“It underpins everything that we do,” said Tselekidis

“Potatoes are a top five household staple when it comes to the weekly shopping list and obviously with the rise of the cost of living it’s never been more paramount to ensure that if the consumer will spend money on a bag of potatoes that they get the best quality out of them.

“They can feed their family and they can depend on that week in and week out and not have to worry about a sub quality product that won’t deliver for them in that cooking process throughout the week.”

Mitolo Family Farms is a completely vertically integrated business, which Tselekidis said helps the company maintain its product standards because fewer hands are used in the whole production process.

“It starts form seeds sourcing

overseas and we bring our own tissue cultures back to Australia with varieties we are interested in from overseas growing houses,” he said.

“They then go through a nine-month quarantine process to ensure there is no diseases being brought in and form there that’s where the mini program begins and takes a further 18 months to get the sets of potato seeds we want.

supermarkets across the country,” said Tselekidis.

“We control every aspect of that which then allows us to make sure we are fine tuning and picking the best varieties form a growing, sensory, and taste perspective to make sure consumers resonate with our products”

“They are also easy to cook, and we are working on new varieties that are

One of the things we are trialling now are things like drone sprays and what increase yields that can do.

“Previously we had two row harvesters but now we are going to four. Any efficiency that can be gained and time saved will ultimately deliver a better and higher quality product with less damage and greater yields which are returns for the grower.

“We are in an ongoing revolution around progress and perfection and that is heavily engrained in our farm strategy.”

“We then put them through our trial process.”

All of this demonstrates the level of care Mitolo Family Farms puts into each and every aspect of the production process.

“From tissue cultures, development, and final product grown and harvested here in Virginian, it then ends up in

quicker to cook but still taking great.”

A good example of how Mitolo keeps a keen eye on its processes is the way in which they spray their crops.

“It is currently done from the back of a tractor with a wide spray bar and the tractor tires can cause unintentional damage or exposure and from that point you do lose percentages of your crop.

The producer also applies this same level of dedication and attention to detail to its production side.

“On the flip side, with our production site, we are always looking for the latest in grading technology to ensure line speeds can be increased and we essentially are grading with optical graders,” said Tselekidis.

“Whether that’s the new graders of the optical for the potatoes which are

“From tissue cultures, development, and final product grown and harvested here in Virginian, it then ends up in supermarkets across the country.”

The team at Mitolo Family Farms work hard to source the best potatoes for Australian consumers.

trained each and every moment based on particular varieties from particular farms to grade our any imperfections.

“That system ultimately can then grade that our more frequently, which means less hands touching it before its bagged and sent to consumer.

“We can also increase line speeds as a result of that, we are always looking at implementing new technologies to increase or efficiency and productivity.”

A great, and current, example of Mitolo Family Farms’ dedication to improved processes across the entire production of its product, right to the dinner table, is in its recent announcement of a first of its kind potato bag in Australia.

Mitolo Family Farms has partnered with Coles as well as sustainable packaging solutions provider, Detpak, to create what is believed to be Australia’s first kerbside recyclable paper bag for fresh potatoes.

The packaging innovation will see Mitolo Family Farms’ premium Gourmandine potatoes sold in new paper bags – delivering a 64 per cent reduction in plastic, with 8.2 tonnes less plastic being used each year (when compared to the previous packaging for this product).

The new Gourmandine paper packaging extends on previous sustainability steps taken by Mitolo Family Farms – having cut its use of plastic packaging by 60 tonnes in 2022 by reducing the thickness of plastic used to bag potatoes.

The packaging innovation is the result of more than three years of rigorous

The packaging innovation will see Mitolo Family Farms’ premium Gourmandine potatoes sold in new paper bags – delivering a 64 per cent reduction in plastic, with 8.2 tonnes less plastic being used each year (when compared to the previous packaging for this product).

development and it’s hoped it may lead to other fresh produce items being packed in a way that makes it easy for consumers to support recycling efforts.

“This bag may sound like a simple

solution, but it has taken immense work to ensure there is absolutely no compromise to the quality of the potatoes while allowing us to achieve the sustainability outcome we were seeking,” said Mitolo Family Farms managing director Frank Mitolo.

“We had to consider everything from lux lighting levels in the supermarket through to breathing holes that don’t tear, new sealing solutions, bag strength and more.

“We know Australian consumers are increasingly looking for sustainable supply chains for the products they purchase, and we’re proud to be leading the way and partnering with Coles for a product that so many families love to cook and share.”

Detmold group general manager of Innovation and Sustainability Tom Lunn said Detpak applied proprietary technology to deliver on both sustainability and efficiency outcomes for Mitolo Family Farms, Coles and the

end-consumer.

“We’re very pleased to have been able to draw on our in-house development capabilities in order to assist Mitolo Family Farms with their desire to transition their Gourmandine product away from plastic packaging,” he said.

“Consumers are becoming more and more conscious of making responsible choices when it comes to choosing which brands to buy from, and packaging plays a significant part in those decisions.”

Mitolo Family Farm’s Gourmandine potatoes are exclusively available in Coles supermarkets. Coles Business Category Manager for Vegetables Tim Nitschke said Coles was pleased to work with Mitolo Family Farms to develop the innovative paper packaging solution for the Gourmandine range.

“Coles has partnered with the Mitolo family for over 25 years, and we are pleased to work closely with them to develop this innovative paper packaging solution for the Gourmandine range available exclusively at Coles,” he said.

“We are always looking for ways to reduce unnecessary and problematic plastic packaging in our stores, as well as reduce food waste, and this innovative new paper bag helps to achieve these sustainability ambitions.” F

Mitolo Family Farms recently launched a new sustainable paper bag.

Mitolo Family Farms recognise the importance of tasty and affordable onions and potatoes for Australian consumers.

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Precise gas control for bioreactors and fermenters

These technologies are essential for controlled fermentation processes, which are used for a wide range of consumable foodstuffs as well as to enhance flavour, texture, nutritional value and shelf life.

Bioreactors are used to support and control biological processes involving living organisms or their products. In food production, bioreactors are employed for the cultivation of microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast, fungi, and algae. Typical uses include yoghurt and cheese production, sourdough in bread making and the production of enzymes and additives for flavourings and vitamins.

Similar to bioreactors, fermenters provide an environment for the controlled growth of microorganisms, such as yeast and bacteria, to convert raw materials into valuable food products through fermentation. They are typically used in beer brewing, wine making and the production of other fermented products such as soy sauce and miso.

Today, bioreactors are also playing a crucial role in the development of cellular agriculture, which uses cells and innovative biotechnologies to produce accessible, ethical and sustainable agricultural products. It is most commonly used to make animalderived foods and ingredients such as meat, seafood, dairy products, fats, egg whites and gelatin, and is an innovative approach to sustainable food production.

The process that takes place inside bioreactors and fermenters needs to be carefully controlled to optimise the desired product, and reproducibility of the fermentation process is crucial.

Precision gas control

Fermentation requires the help of biocatalysts such as enzymes or cells and depends on optimum temperature conditions (usually 35°C to 37°C). Precise control of the process also requires accurate supply of up to four gases: oxygen (O2), nitrogen (N2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and air.

Bioreactors and fermenters play a crucial role in food and beverage manufacturing, more so now Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

The growth of new food and plant based food products has put extra importance on bioreactors and fermenters.

Oxygen and carbon dioxide drive the growth process, while pure nitrogen controls growth rate. Air can serve as an all-purpose gas when no specific gas supply is required.

Conventional solutions for the control of gases have involved rotameters (mechanically-acting floating flow meters), but while rotameters are simple and cost-effective flow control devices for some applications, they may not be the best choice for precision gas control in sophisticated and automated processes.

Rotameters have a relatively narrow flow range and may not be suitable for applications requiring the measurement of a wide range of gas flow rates. As well as having a non-linear measurement response across their measurement range, they also suffer from lower precision, and their calibration and measurement accuracy can be affected by factors such as gas density changes due to variations in temperature and pressure. As passive flow instruments, they also require integration into a control loop with a separate controller such as a PLC.

For high accuracy and reliable gas flow control, mass flow controllers (MFCs) offer greater precision, and overall cost savings of up to 35% through benefits such as better accuracy, built-in control, wider flow ranges, digital

communication, and higher resistance to external factors such as pressure and temperature variations.

Bürkert mass flow controllers

Unique to Bürkert, the Type 8741 and Type 8742 mass flow controllers for gases offer a wide control range from 0.010 l/min to 160 l/min with high accuracy and repeatability. A thermal MEMS sensor located directly in the gas stream achieves very fast response times and a direct-acting proportional valve guarantees high response sensitivity.

Both MFCs support numerous different control network architecture and provide analogue (0/4-20 mA or 0-5/10 V) or fieldbus interfaces, while the Type 8741 also has the option of direct industrial Ethernet connection (supporting PROFINET, EtherNet/ IP, EtherCAT and Modbus TCP). A variant of either model also offers the CANopen-based Bürkert Systembus (büS) suitable for integration into existing CANopen networks or – in combination with the Bürkert Type ME43 fieldbus gateway – for integration into all common industry standards fieldbus or industrial Ethernet networks.

Bürkert can also customise modular gas mixing units to suit the specific application. The units are configured

according to specifications using the space-saving 8741 and 8742 mass flow controllers arranged side by side, including valves. The units are supplied pre-tested for tightness, pressure and correct electrical operation. A customised assembly saves on installation costs, simplifies engineering of the bioreactor or fermenter, and does not require the ordering and storage of numerous individual parts.

Part of a wider digital solution

The modern decentralised digital technologies supported by the Bürkert MFCs helps to reduce costs and improve maintainability. In addition to the MFCs for gas control, Bürkert also offers complete automation solutions to suit all aspects of bioreactor and fermenter control.

Digital automation solutions significantly reduce the amount of cabling complexity, and all relevant data is available digitally, so that significantly more parameters can be utilised than in traditional systems. This enables permanent diagnostics to ensure system availability at all times.

Bürkert’s portfolio of

products and services can be customised to suit diverse applications within the food and beverage industry. Whether the application is brewing, precision fermentation, or alternative dairy products, Bürkert can provide expertise and experience to provide tailor-made solutions suitable for all fermentation applications. F

Discover more at www.burkert.com.au.

Fighting food waste one charitable donation at a time

Scully RSV, experts in refrigerated transport, have donated two vans to the OzHarvest as part of an ongoing partnership with the food waste charity. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

Refrigerated transport specialists, Scully RSV, has demonstrated a charitable disposition after donating two refrigerated vans to the OzHarvest charity to help the organisation rescue more food and by extension feed more people in need.

Lisa Dainty, national community partnerships manager, OzHarvest, was full of praise for the partnership with Scully, which came after the company initially reached out to help during the warmer months.

“It was towards the end of last year that OzHarvest reached out and told us they wanted to support our work,” said Dainty.

“ They told us they wanted to support the work that we did and wanted to send refrigerated vehicles our way for Summer. I out that out to our logistics team and they pounced on it.”

After the initial couple of months OzHarvest and Scully RSV came together and decided a longer-term charitable partnership would be beneficial.

“When the partnership was coming to an end our logistics team asked if we could hold onto the vans. Scully were so accommodating, and we extended month on month. In the interim we spoke about what partnership could look like and what that opportunity was,” said Dainty.

“It has been a slow burn, but we just signed off on the new partnership, which is amazing.

“It means we will have a refrigerated Scully van in Sydney and one in Victoria and on the road for two years.

“They will be branded with OzHarvest, and Scully will be covering the costs. As a charity, this partnership is a big deal for us and one we are very thankful for.”

Scully RSV CEO, Andrew McKenzie reiterated that the company aims to support local communities.

“Scully RSV has made a commitment to dedicate time, people and resources to the communities they serve and the goods they transport,” he said.

“Scully RSV vehicles are delivering the food that Australians consume. Whether its supermarkets, local grocers, restaurants, or food distributors, its highly likely that a Scully RSV has been part of the cold chain of the food that Australians eat every day.”

To extend these features to help a charity such as OzHarvest has proven to be a great way to extend the reach of Scully RSV refrigerated vehicles.

“It made sense to not just raise awareness of the great work that OzHarvest do but also support their cause in rescuing and delivering food to communities that need it most,” added McKenzie.

“Our objective is to raise awareness with our customer base on the opportunity to rescue food, where to deliver this to and how the importance of when you can give, it’s the right thing

By supplying two refrigerated trucks to OzHarvest, on a two-year partnership, has also created a flow on of benefits for the charity.

“Scully’s trucks are large which increases capacity for our pickup. We can now load pallets, which we can’t do in vans, which has increased our efficiencies,” said Dainty.

“And across the charity we have limited resources and run our fleet at capacity so when we have to service the vehicles it impacts our output.

“Having these additional vehicles in means we can run at capacity and have our vans on the road every day and reduces the downtime for maintenance which our logistics team said was a big hurdle the partnership assists with.”

The generous partnership from Scully RSV also means OzHarvest can redirect funds towards other areas of the charity.

“For us, every single dollar we receive we can recue and deliver two meals, that is our operational cost breakdown, so this is great for OzHarvest,” said Dainty.

All OzHarvest’s vehicles are

Scully RSV has entered a charitable partnership with OzHarvest.

refrigerated, because of the perishable nature of many of the foods they collect, especially fresh produce and meats.

“Fresh produce and meat are literally like gold to us, it is the most valuable stuff we collect,” said Dainty.

“Because of its nutritional value and the demand for it. Add to that the current cost of living crisis it is becoming inaccessible for some people to purchase fruit and vegetables or fresh meat.

“We collect a wide range of food types but the most important is fresh and nutritious food.”

The support of the food and beverage industry has been an invaluable resource for OzHarvest, as demonstrated by Scully’s charitable donations, resourced Dainty said the charity was thankful for.

“Without the food industry wanting to donate it would be harder for us,” Dainty added.

“We are so grateful for the donations. At the same time, we have financial and in-kind partners like Scully RSV who provide other tools or direct funding to help make all the food rescue possible.”

McKenzie said it was a no brainer for Scully RSV to do what it could to help OzHarvest achieve its goals of

fighting food waste and food insecurity.

“We couldn’t be prouder of this initiative as we embark on this journey with OzHarvest serving our communities with the goods we transport, in a Scully RSV,” said McKenzie.

“ We encourage everyone in the food, transport and beverage community to support if and where they can.”

OzHarvest was founded in 2004 by Ronni Kahn AO after she noticed how much food was going to waste, giving rise to the charities mission to drive down both food waste and food insecurity.

Figures show that one third of all food produced will ultimately end up in food waste, and not always as a result of being out of date or faulty. And wasting food makes up almost 10 per cent of global greenhouse gases, which is more than air travel, plastic production, and oil extraction.

In the 19 years since its inception, OzHarvest has gone from strength to strength in helping curve as much food waste and food insecurity as possible.

“We are so lucky that these guys care so much about not wasting food and the value of food. They lend their support and their voice and that is very valuable,” said Dainty. F

OzHarvest are now able to save more food and help combat food safety thanks to its partnership with Scully RSV.

Quality temperature control critical for cold chain

Schmitz Cargobull prides itself on providing trailers that are designed for the food and beverage industry with its smart trailers winning over stakeholders such as Bright Horizon Transport & Logistics, based out of Queensland.

One of Horizon’s clients, Cross Family Farms, specialise in small crop fruit and vegetable transport and donating to Food Bank, which means the company relies heavily on the quality of its trailers.

“We are predominantly a refrigerator transport for mostly small crops. Our major grower is Cross Family Farms in Bundaberg,” said Mason Barbera, of Bright Horizon Transport & Logistics.

“He is one of the largest Food Bank donators in the small crop sector. We have always done fresh produce to market.”

Because of this, a partnership with Schmitz seemed like the best choice for the logistics company.

“Schmitz offer a great product that is well valued,” said Barbera.

“They are one of the leaders in temperature-controlled trailers, I think they are one of the best on the market in thermal control, which is especially important for us transporting perishables like fresh produce.”

with no temperature waivers is very important for shelf life so having trailers that give you that extra support helps you sleep at night.”

The logistics company bought two 34 pallet B-Double trailers from Schmitz Cargobull and have been thrilled with the results ever since.

“They hold their temperature and I think Schmitz has invested a lot of money to create such great temperaturecontrolled trailers,” said Barbera.

“We are massively involved, we do a huge amount for foodbank, along with our customer Cross Family Farms.

“A lot of his business revolves around supporting people in need in that foodbank sector.”

Road transport is critical for the cold chain, especially in Australia. And Barbera said what Schmitz Cargobull provides allows them to maintain a level of standard they have become known for.

“Road transport is probably one of the most critical forms of freight here in Australia,” said Barbera.

“It is really important to have good quality gear, high on safety standards and highly reliable. That is a big factor for us joining Schmitz.”

The temperature-controlled trailers provided by Schmitz Cargobull also help limit fuel usage, which is a huge cost saver for companies like Cross

“The fuel usage is dramatically less you have.

“The quality of the product is great; the reliability is great and internal temperature control is top notch. Especially for people doing freezer work.”

Schmitz Cargobull provides a host of services to its clients, beyond providing trailers, which includes a database for potential service partners, and a telematics data service that provides all the necessary information about the vehicles.

The company also provides a data management centre to share telematics data and compliance with data protection regulations. And for those times where you need a new part, Schmitz Cargobull has a spare parts shop that identifies the best spare parts for the required job.

Schmitz can help with any of your cold chain logistics needs and continues to help the sector strengthen its efficiency. F

Schmitz Cargobull are experts in temperature-controlled trailers and customers continue to rave about the quality and standards of the company’s products. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

“They are one of the leaders in temperature-controlled trailers, I think they are one of the best on the market in thermal control, which is especially important for us transporting perishables like fresh produce.”

Schmitz Cargobull supplies temperature controlled trailers to the industry.

Cross Family Farms were thrilled with Schmitz Cargobull B-Double trailers.

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Common pitfalls in freezer design and construction

Cold chain logistics have always been a critical sector for food and beverage manufacturing, with very little room for error.

As a result, when companies like Total Construction are contacted about freezer designs and construction, they find themselves having to ensure common pitfalls are avoided.

There’s a laundry list of pitfalls to avoid when beginning a new construction project, especially when working in the food and beverage industry, so it’s critical to find the right construction company to partner with.

“We have a team of experts who know exactly what is required in terms of building for the food and beverage industry,” said Blythman.

“There are things that people may not think about prior to the building process and it’s too late once the building is completed to make changes to suit your operations.”

One of the most common pitfalls when designing and constructing freezers centres around the roof of the structure. If the freezer is not built with the right materials or in the right dimensions than the structural integrity of the unit is compromised.

“People naturally look at the cheapest way to do things but one of the biggest problems is not doing a proper roof over the freezer,” said Blythman.

“Of course, using sandwich panel as an external roof can be fine and will

last for the first five or more years but inevitably the seal between the end-toend joints of the panel will deteriorate and eventually leak. Once you have water ingress into the panel it can freeze and cause all types of problems, even collapse.

An easy way to mitigate this risk is to create an extra barrier of protection. Even though it costs a little more it’s better to do an actual roof over the freezer roof.

Another common issue in the design and construction of cold chain freezers is condensation, but this is an issue Total Construction is well versed in addressing.

“You always have the potential for condensation problems because you have a situation where below the sandwich panel is -18 or -40 degrees and above in the roof void can reach in excess of 50 degrees in the summer,” said Blythman.

“As a result you can get condensation, to avoid this, you must allow for air flow through that void, and we usually put in mechanical extraction and vents to increase that air flow.”

The size of the space, and whether it is greenfield build (new) or brown field build (retro fit), also must be taken into consideration when designing a freezer. With greenfield presenting easier solutions.

“For example, if you do a brown field build in an existing warehouse and to keep the cost down you don’t want to dig up the slab. You need to consider if you have room for ramps in and out of

the freezer as you will need to raise the freezer slab by around 300-370mm,” said Blythman.

“You need to raise the level of the freezer slab, because you will need to put a heater mat, insulation and then a wearing slab on top of the existing slab and that becomes your freezer floor level.

“Whereas if you do greenfield build then you do what’s called a set down slab and it is level all through the building.”

In terms of current trends in freezer design and construction, greenfield tends to be the favoured approach where possible.

“We are mainly seeing greenfield projects being built from the ground up in this space at the moment, “said Blythman.

“But it depends, you may have smaller client that doesn’t have the capacity or budget to build from the ground up and may only need a small to medium size freezer to complement their existing operations. They would probably do a raised slab inside an existing warehouse or operation. “They can of course opt to dig up the slab and introduce a set down if it’s imperative to have a level floor between operations and the freezer.”

Space requirements are another area that shapes the design of the freezer, however the experts from Total Construction are well versed in designing and building a freezer to fit the space, and the budget, of clients.

“It has to be evaluated on space requirements, budget, it comes down

to what you can live with and what you can’t,” said Blythman.

“Most of the people building cool rooms in the market know what they are doing, it’s when customers look to save on costs and push for shortcuts in standards when issues can come into play.”

Some of the other key things to look out for in the freezer is icing.

“Which is what you will get if you have any condensation,” said Blythman.

“You don’t want ingress of warm air, because it can lead to ice, simple as that.

“The ice is deadly, it’s like black ice on the floor.”

“It’s usually at doorways, so clients have to work out the frequency they are in and out of the freezer and the temperature of an adjoining room. If your people are in and out of the freezer a lot, the refrigeration plant is working overtime and you also have a lot of warm air getting in. Anterooms can be used in areas with frequent traffic, but those need to be installed properly because even those can ice up if not maintained at correct temperatures.

As the cold chain strengthens, on the back of better tracking technology and practices, the demand for industrial freezer space will only continue to grow and selecting the right site and avoiding common pitfalls is possibly the most critical step.

Total Construction has a proven track record of giving the best results for its clients. F

As a key contractor in the food and beverage manufacturing space, Total Construction sees first-hand the common mistakes being made in designing and constructing freezers. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

How much progress has been made in traceability?

GS1 Australia’s Peter Carter has released an extensive report into the current state of food traceability on a global scale, and what lessons can be learned in Australia. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

The question of how far traceability technology and standards have come in recent years is one that Winston Churchill Trust Fellow and GS1 Australia general manager, Public Policy and Government Engagement, Peter Carter is asking.

Carter published a report for the Winston Churchill Trust about understanding international best practices and capabilities of Australian national food traceability, and from his extensive research has some interesting observations.

“A lot of people have been confused about traceability,” he said.

“Many see it as an objective in its

own right – the ability to trace produce through the supply chain. My research reveals it is really just a capability – a critical capability for many businesses.”

We have all been talking about traceability for years. Since the strawberry and needle incident, which wasn’t the only catalyst but is a good example.”

The 2018 ‘Australian strawberry contamination’ impacted every strawberry grower in the country. Produce was removed from retail shelves; harvests were destroyed and export was stopped.

The industry did not have a good enough line of sight on where the product was coming from including

where farms were located.

Carter said the lack of traceability and ability to rapidly determine exactly the source of contamination resulted in massive avoidable losses to the sector and significant costs to taxpayers with hundreds of police officers dispatched to investigate.

“A key question I often ask government and industry leaders is, if we had another strawberry incident tomorrow, are we in a better position than we were 5 years ago?” he said.

“Progress is evident however, after spending millions of dollars and a large number of programs around enhancing traceability, we still don’t have a clear

line of sight for things like plantproducing properties.”

Growing up on a farm in Crookwell NSW, Carter says, “traceability it’s not just about knowing where our food comes from”

“We need better farm location data to address biosecurity risks and also to help rural fire and emergency services more effectively protect valuable farming assets,” said Carter.

The benefits of traceability are significant, and it is easy to pigeonhole the word to mean one thing or another depending on your stake in the supply chain. He says, “to one person traceability might mean, better

An extensive report details the current state of traceability in Australia.

Image credit: Trong Nguyen / Shutterstock.com

inventory and stock management. To another, it might mean more regulation and reporting or perhaps better consumer engagement.”

Carter’s research highlights the importance of industry using common methods to exchange information about products, places and parties involved in food supply chains.

“Let’s just say an issue is detected and a cold chain is broken, and contaminated products have been picked up at the retail point,” he said.

“How do we trace back to find the source of the problem if we don’t have the ability to ID locations along the way?

Carter’s research paper assessed traceability in other countries such as Singapore, which scored highest in his grading and informed him of some of the areas that may need closer attention to improve food traceability in Australia.

“Food traceability is often confused with provenance or knowing where food is from. That’s important but knowing where or how food was produced is one of many things that traceability makes possible,” he said.

Reflecting on his recent travel Carter said, “I met with many wise people on my travel, and one of them likened traceability to losing weight. There are so many benefits to shedding those extra kilos – feeling healthier, improved mobility, better sleep, mental health etc.

“The way I try to present it is that traceability is not the objective, traceability is an essential industry capability – a capacity that allows us to improve our line of sight on where products are in the supply chain, cold chain or otherwise.

“That capability allows us to unlock a heap of benefits.”

Carter’s research highlights where progress is being made abroad and calls out the need to raise the level of industry awareness of traceability enablers (foundational capabilities) with a focus on standards,

“There’s nothing like getting out of your country and seeing what’s happening in the rest of the world to put what we do into perspective,” he added.

“The overwhelming message I picked up in every country I visited was that supply chain transparency and the ability to better manage produce is transforming government and industry policy, worldwide.

“A cold chain example, if we didn’t have the means to identify the temperature of something how can we make sensible management decisions about freight options and shelf life.”

Carter said a quote he likes to use helps to simply the messaging he has around the importance of improved food traceability.

“I often refer to a quote that says, ‘if you can’t measure you can’t manage it’ and I think that works nicely,” he said.

“It’s not just a plug for data standards, it is a basic process. You don’t have to be an operations manager or accountant to realise the reality of that quote.

In his report, Carter states that in Australia the National Food Traceability Framework does provide a comprehensive approach to traceability across the supply chain, along with a world-leading traceability when it comes to livestock.

However, enforcement measures are limited and challenges in data sharing and standardisation across states and sectors still presented some hurdles.

Despite that, Australia earned a ‘Mature’ rating for its current capability, with Singapore being categorised as the only country from the report with an ‘Advanced’ maturity around traceability.

“There are not many countries talking

can move through supply chains with speed and security to deliver greater value. It’s getting rid of paper and simplifying the process.

“There is a lot to be learned from their approach.”

“Such as the Department of Infrastructure supported the National Locations Register, which is critical for supply chain, as are national registries of products,” he said.

“National registries are important. We can avoid duplications, general confusion, and ensure product is collected and delivered up at the right time and place – simplifying systems while also addressing data privacy concerns.”

Carter said one example of an industry practice that could be changed is centred around competitive data used by transport and logistics companies, especially around the cold chain.

“For many years we have had 40,000 independent transport organisations with each considering that knowing how to get to the warehouse and when it is opened is somehow commercially

hours, amenities, refrigeration capabilities and the like should not be competitive data. That needs to be open information to streamline logistics.”

To address these challenges, and a string of other issues to prevent contamination risks and traceability failures in the future, an increase in collaboration between industry stakeholders and regulatory bodies is developing new and improved standards.

Carter says, “governments can help industry focus on the simple things that matter and make an impact – building foundational capabilities for enhanced supply chain traceability and letting industry drive innovation.”

The emergence of innovative new technologies is exciting however history has shown that without the right foundations and conditions in place, the best ideas make interesting media releases but can come to little or naught in the real world. Supply chain standards of the likes of GS1 are helping in this regard.

“By addressing these challenges, the food and agriculture industry aims

Traceability

Thinking outside the box leads to excellent solutions

Aerofloat, experts in wastewater solutions, has recently installed a low-maintenance wastewater treatment system at a Meyer Food Co. site, formally Bryopin, as part of the company’s expansion.

Meyer Food Co. is one of Australia’s largest dedicated sous vide foods manufacturer. The meat-based production processes required lots of water, therefore Meyer Food Co. needed a robust wastewater treatment solution to ensure compliance and support its growth.

Aerofloat’s design included its patented AeroDAF, which applies modern engineering to traditional dissolved air flotation technology.

Dissolved Air Flotation is a method in which suspended solids, fats, oils and grease are removed from wastewater, so that it can be safely put back into the sewer.

Some of the benefits and features of the wastewater solution include the patented scum removal system, which reduces maintenance time, coupled with a unique double hopper design that is self-cleaning, eradicating the need for mechanical scrapers.

This also creates a more costeffective solution for food and beverage manufacturers and producers.

Michael Anderson, director, Aerofloat, said the project came after a long consultation period to ensure the design and installation met the needs of both the Meyer Food Co. and local regulations and standards around wastewater.

“The client asked us to design a wastewater treatment plant that would fit a specific area of the plant,” said Anderson.

Despite some restrictions created by the layout of the site, Aerofloat was able to utilise its 3D modelling to come up with a viable solution that created

additional benefits for the client.

“We collaborated with Meyer Food Co. to capitalise on the split-level space in the facility. We were able to add equipment to the upper level, such as the control panel. And hydraulically we were able to put the screen on that upper level,” said Anderson.

“ The client was happy we were able to work with the space and come up with a successful outcome for them.”

Aerofloat’s AeroDAF is already compact in design, making it easier to fit into a small footprint, saving space to produce goods for the client.

Because the wastewater solution had to be installed across two levels the Aerofloat team used gravity to ensure a correct flow.

“Essentially, you need some things elevated and we are big fans of minimising the number of pumping systems in a process train. Using gravity is an easy way to create a more energy efficient wastewater treatment plant,” said Anderson.

“Anywhere we can cascade from one process to the next is clever design.

“We look to do that when we can and with this split level set up, we gained access to certain equipment on that second level while using the hydraulics through the fall of the system to our advantage.”

Even without the use of gravity as an added benefit to the two-level solution, AeroDAF’s come in capacities of 100 & 200 l/min litres per minute, with the Meyer Food Co. solution being a 200-litre solution.

B eing a meat processor, the Meyer Food Co. required a solution which could separate fats, solids and grease from the wastewater before it was pH corrected and then discharged into the local sewer.

Because of the tight space the installed tanks had to be tall, with a 200-litre per minute, or 12,000 litres per hour,

capacity. Future proofing the solution was also important to Aerofloat and Meyer Food Co.

“Selecting the right product is key, we have three types of DAF’s that we sell in the small flow to large flow ranges,” said Anderson.

“Different clients require different DAF’s, depending on their requirements and we take pride in doing our due diligence to provide the best wastewater treatment solution.

“We look at data around waste streams and gain a deep understanding of a client’s internal processes, and we use that sound wastewater data to select the right DAF.

“We can process to the 200-litre per minute speed, or we can slow it down. This system is ideal because it creates a lot of room for expansion alongside the company, without having to be replaced any time soon.”

They also had to provide 600mg/l meet local standards. All of which were achieved by the team from Aerofloat.

The installation falls under Sydney Water’s jurisdiction, meaning it must meet the standards set out by Sydney Water, something it has not only met, but exceeded.

Another aspect of the Meyer Food Co. installation, which is becoming more common across the industry, is the automated plant which allows Aerofloat engineers to monitor the system remotely and contact a client if data

indicates an issue with the system.

This significantly reduces downtime for the client, and travel time for Aerofloat engineers. While also preventing a smaller issue turning into a much larger one before being discovered.

Wastewater standards vary from state to state. With a vast number of projects in the food and beverage industry completed and multiple new projects underway, Aerofloat always has its pulse on the regulations that are specific to each state.

Aerofloat can apply the required standards and regulations to each job, no matter where in the country it is, to ensure its clients not only meet, but exceed the requirements.

This is helped along by the company ensuring its engineers assist in both the de-sign and construction of water treatment plants using a variety of options for clarification, filtration, and disinfection.

Anderson says it’s important to consider incoming feed quality, which will dictate the water treatment design, along with the best way to integrate other systems into the design.

“Our team undertakes extensive consultation with a client to ensure the design is the best one for the space and requirements, namely ensuring treatment systems will run effectively, are future proofed, and produce effluent that meets discharge requirements,” said Anderson. F

When it comes to wastewater treatment plants, Aerofloat has a proven track record of being able to overcome unforeseen restrictions to install the best wastewater treatment for its clients. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

Aerofloat was able to provide a tailor made solution for Meyer Food Co.

Open your business up to new opportunities with BigCommerce

Merchants selling on BigCommerce are seeing firsthand the benefits around the rise of ecommerce in the food and beverage industry. BigCommerce, an ecommerce platform helping midmarket and enterprise merchants grow their online channels, encourages key stakeholders within businesses to adopt new technologies to get the most out of the market.

Lance Owide, general manager B2B at BigCommerce, said evolving consumer preferences is having a visible impact on the need for advanced ecommerce functionality.

“B2B buyers are used to online shopping in their personal lives, and they want that same kind of experience when they are shopping on behalf of their company.”

Owide said surveys and market research have reinforced this claim, and the company’s work within the space had also shown a move towards an ecommerce platform that provides robust features that meet the specific needs of B2B buyers and sellers.

“A large number of buyers will switch to a new seller if the digital offering isn’t good enough,” said Owide.

“When we think about why that is, it’s because as a buyer I will care about the efficiency of the purchase.

“I want to be as efficient as I can when placing an order on behalf of my company.

“If I’m working for a catering company and ordering beverages or raw

“Ecommerce is at the core of that transition because it makes it so much easier because I can see the catalogue, place the order track the order, and I can do it all online and that’s what a digitally native individual wants.”

BigCommerce’s B2B offering, B2B Edition, addresses these shifts in buying trends by providing a robust feature set designed specifically to help B2Bs grow.

An advanced buyer portal allows for almost complete customisation of the buyer experience, making it easier for customers to buy products their way, and on their time.

Multi-storefront capabilities allow merchants to reach new customers across segments and regions, while

for advanced functionality, seamless integration, and personalized experiences through APIs.

Owide said concerns around replacement of a sales team were also unfounded. Instead, the implementation of new B2B ecommerce tools would benefit both the sales team and the company’s bottom line.

“The salesperson is imperative to the B2B relationship and keep those clients coming back, but they shouldn’t have to pick up the phone to take an order,” he said.

“That’s an inefficient approach. They should be able to empower that buyer to make that purchase themselves online after showing them how to do it.

to take those orders, they have more time

As B2B ecommerce becomes more prevalent in the food and beverage industry, companies like BigCommerce are helping companies adapt and benefit from implementing its software. Adam McCleery writes.

Ecommerce platforms allow companies to reach a broader market.

Owide said the benefits to salespeople had a positive flow-on effect.

“They can spend their time driving more business instead of having to pick up the phone to take an order,” he said.

“Part of it is all about the seamlessness for the sales team, making them more efficient in the processes they have to run.”

And this is the same for the buyer, which Owide said has already shown a desire for this transition.

“Food and beverages are a fantastic example of this,” he said.

“One of our merchants in the USA sells to bars and those bars can place orders at 2am. There is no salesperson up at 2am to take an order but the owner wants to place it on their way home after closing.

“BigCommerce’s B2B platform is all about bringing everything that happens offline, online — not replacing it. We want to enable you to be online to supplement what happens offline.”

Research conducted by BigCommerce also found that up to

94 per cent of all ecommerce sales are B2B, with the global B2B ecommerce market currently sitting at $10.4 trillion and Australia sitting second in average annual online expenditure per head.

Meanwhile, the market is expected to reach $37 trillion by 2028.

Tapping into this market will bring with it a string of benefits, not least of which is reaching a wider audience by adding a digital element to sales.

“I call it the crawl, walk, run strategy,” Owide.

“You take little bites of the apple, if you have not been online before you can start with something like putting your product catalogue online.

“You can start by spinning up a store and having products online and anyone can find your site and your ability to attract new customers has grown exponentially.”

The process of getting the ecommerce platform up and running is also a simplified one, thanks to the tools provided by BigCommerce, such as pre-built website designs.

“We have prebuilt themes, right out of the box,” said Owide.

“They are mostly free, some are paid, but they all look fantastic right out of the box, and some are even built specifically for food and beverage companies.

“It’s easy to create a beautiful looking site and that is all about engaging. You want to engage customers with product details they want when they want them and with BigCommerce you can build sites like that.”

Owide said many merchants he deals with are coming to BigCommerce as part of an expansion plan, whether that is to new markets or new product lines.

“With BigCommerce multiple sites can be managed from one BigCommerce control panel,” he added.

“If you want to create a new brand you can do it with the click of a button. It is a simple process.”

The ecommerce platform ultimately provides more efficiency around sales and makes it a 24/7 prospect as opposed to within business hours, or other traditional limitations, allowing a growth in sales conversions.

“We have one merchant who jumped onto BigCommerce and saw a big jump in the success of their ecommerce site because of how engaging the site was,” said Owide.

“Their conversion rate increased 191 per cent.”

Owide said by employing the tools outlined above, a company stood its best chance of helping draw in new customers while also building upon existing relationships. F

BigCommerse offers a platform to help companies get the most out of ecommerce.

APS and Siemens open innovative new facility in Adelaide

APS Industrial has opened a first of its type facility in South Australia which has sped up turnaround times and created 150 new jobs for the industry. Adam McCleery writes.

APS Industrial’s new manufacturing facility in South Australia is set to help the automation specialists manufacture and supply its products to the market in a quicker and more efficient manner.

The Adelaide based facility is the first non-Siemens facility worldwide to adapt and assemble Siemen’s air circuit breakers.

“This is the first time in the world that these Siemens products will be assembled and certified outside of a Siemens factory, giving the same quality assurances,” said Peter Halliday, CEO, Siemens Australia and New Zealand.

“This demonstrates the trust and ability of our national distribution partners, APS Industrial. APS will adapt and assemble Siemens ACBs and peripheral equipment right here in Adelaide, which is good for jobs, good for industry, and good for the economy.”

Thanks to the innovative new facility, those air circuit breakers will now reach the market 50 per cent quicker than before.

“This is a significant investment for our business,” said Siemens business manager for Electrical Products, Stephen Gough.

“The 8000sqm site is owned entirely by us and is primed for development.

“We will be moving the warehouse out of there and off site for a couple of years whilst we move the DB manufacturing site and the ACB adaption centre into that building.

manufacturing centre for APS Industrial

and it very exciting for us. The facility creates a growth opportunity for the company and for staff.

“One of the reasons we purchased the Adelaide site is it gives us a footprint to expand.”

It’s estimated more than 150 technology jobs will be created at the site over the coming decade.

“We have also purchased a Perforex machine from Rittal which will enable us to respond to the market quickly, reduce lead times and all with local and Australia built content in our projects,” said Gough.

The facility will enable APS Industrial to speed up the delivery of ACBs to switchboard builders and electrical contractors who service both the Australian and New Zealand markets.

“This is a significant investment for

APS Industrial.

“Five years ago, APS was formed as Siemens’ master distributor in Australia and since then we have grown significantly in size and scale as we’ve helped electrify the digitalise industries.”

The new facility will also reduce APS’ reliance on global supply chains, mitigating the risks of extended turnaround times.

“We have evolved into something far more effective and efficient,” said Gough. The creation of more technology jobs, and the capacity for more growth on the new site, is in line with the some of the core values of APS Industrial.

“We are all about jobs and growth, it is pivotal to our approach,” said Gough.

“We engage the human interface with the human interface because there is still an assembly, design element that is required.

“Everything from estimation through to design, final manufacture and shipping, the human element is still required in that process.”

Gough said an emphasis on manufacturing locally, and with Australian sourced materials, was another key element in speeding up the turnaround time for customers.

“We put in more local content into our ACB’s, we no longer rely on Siemens to do those modifications in Europe,” he said.

“We can do those here in Australia,

that is exciting for us. We had a big customer event in Adelaide and over 60 customers attended and while speaking to some and they placed an order, and it arrived the next day.

“Siemens is a huge organisation and very risk averse. For us it is a feather in our cap to have the ability to do that modification outside Europe. To do it locally in Australia speaks volumes about what our company can do.”

Gough said another important aspect of the facility was making sure everything was fully compliant.

“Earlier this year we went back to our test station to test our distribution boards and our now fully compliant,” he said.

Gough said much of the feedback they received at their recent customer open day was centred around the level of local support for the food and beverage industry, indicating APS Industrial was meeting the demands on the market.

“I think it’s easy to say no, but APS says yes, and we find reasons to do it, not reasons not to do it,” he said.

“It’s interesting that a business that is certainly very fluid and dynamic in its response to the market.

“If we see an opportunity, and this is a great one, the business commits 100 per cent.”

Halliday said Siemens was proud of the relationship the company has built with APS Industrial.

“And how the decision demonstrates an expansion of Siemens footprint in South Australia and our long-term commitment to the state,” he said.

“We APS we are helping progress Australian industry and economy.

“We can’t expect industries to innovate and continue growth trajectories without access to the right resources.

“This is a significant move that helps address one of the most critical challenges being faced by industry today.”

Gough said he was excited to see APS help with those growth trajectories, while simultaneously having its own.

APS Industrial has opened a new manufacturing facility in South Australia to assemble Siemen’s air circuit breakers.

The new APS facility will also create 150 new jobs.

QUEENSLAND MANUFACTURING MONTH YOU CAN MAKE IT HERE.

With a rich and iconic history in food and beverage manufacturing, more land devoted to agriculture than any other place in Australia and a highly developed manufacturing sector, it’s no wonder Queensland is a location of choice for global food and beverage manufacturers.

Through Queensland Manufacturing Month, we’re celebrating the things that make our manufacturers great, and the great things our manufacturers make.

Find out how the Queensland Government is backing our manufacturing industry to succeed

Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water

Reducing energy costs is critical for the cold chain

Americold is a global leader and provider for temperaturecontrolled storage and logistics for grocery retailers in Australia and New Zealand, and services major international quick-serve restaurants (QSR) and food manufacturers in the region.

With over 2,200 Associates supporting customers in 21 facilities in Americold’s ANZ network, the company plays an integral role in the temperature-controlled supply chain connecting food producers, processors, distributors, quick-serve restaurants, and retailers to consumers.

The company’s mission is to help their customer feed the world.

As part of this mission, Americold is leading by example when it comes to combating the rising energy costs associated with the cold chain and providing relief to the power grid. With the purchase of energy contracts currently increasing up to 100% across the region, this decision was an easy one for multiple reasons.

From solar installations to better education around easy steps to curve energy costs, Americold is helping guide the industry towards a more energy efficient, and sustainable model.

The cold chain industry is one of the highest consumers of energy, as they operate to maintain the integrity and safety of food and beverage products, through maintaining a consistent storage temperature. The sheer size of the warehouses requires considerable amounts of equipment and energy to make this happen.

Americold is leading the charge towards a solution with the adoption of solar energy at their sites. This includes the installation of a new solar farm at their Laverton site, in Victoria, which will reduce energy consumption at this automated facility by anywhere from 30 to 35 per cent.

“Out the front of our facility we have a block of land of close to 5 hectares which has been earmarked for construction, but we have decided to build a solar farm on it,” said Phillip

Langham, Strategic Sourcing Manager, Americold.

“It is nearly 1.6 megawatts, and it will work on a single axis tracking arm so it can follow the sun through the day.”

“The panels are bi-facial as well so we will have crushed white rock on the ground to get the reflected sunlight to maximise the energy that we can gain from it.”

Maximising the energy intake was critical in achieving the highest energy offsets possible.

“It’s being installed now, and we are at the stage of installing the DC cabling ” added Langham.

“There is a lot of work in that part of the design, and it’s planned to be up and running by the end of October or early November.

“All in all, it will generate about 30 to 35 per cent of our energy at that site, which is significant. That is one of our larger automated sites, which adds significantly to the energy use and costs.”

For Americold, savings on energy

costs have a positive impact on the bottom line, as with any business.

“In our business, energy cost is one of the biggest costs we have after labour,” said Gerard Hanrahan, Regional Facilities Services Manager ANZ, Americold.

“It’s a big part of our spend and any dollar we can save off our energy usage hits the bottom line directly and assists our customers in keeping their prices down in a challenging financial landscape.”

“Our senior leadership team are proactive in supporting any ways to save energy and they actively encourage the investment of time in looking for solutions in this space.”

“This commitment has led to the installation of energy saving equipment across all the sites.”

This long-term investment, which has been ongoing for seven years, demonstrates Americold’s ability to help reduce energy consumption at a time where energy costs are rising for the sector.

Americold, specialist in temperature-controlled storage and logistics, are leading by example when it comes to reducing energy costs through alternative avenues. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

Americold has invested heavily in solar power to help reduce energy costs.

“We undertake a lot of analysis on how our sites run, and we have different data inputs,” said Hanrahan.

“We look at ourselves compared to other sites in our industry around the world who all supply data to a single point, and we can compare ourselves against these sites and we are proud that we come up favourably in Australia.

“We have some of the most efficient sites in the Americold business, right here in Australia.”

And as suppliers of temperaturecontrolled supply chain solutions, Americold can use its own energy saving initiatives as proof positive of how to advise customers on achieving the same results.

“There is a big return on the percentage of the energy you can save with solar. We are looking at saving energy by installing solar at any of our sites that have suitable roofs and have recently had four large solar installation projects approved in the ANZ region.”

Hanrahan said the company had already addressed the big-ticket changes, particularly around other energy saving

initiatives. These include the installation of LED lights, rapid response roller doors and the updating of the equipment that power the refrigeration systems.

Langham said one area where energy consumption can be reduced is among the people.

“Other things which can help, they are little things, but they all add up. Which centres around changing the culture and the habits of our people,” he said.

“For example, if in one of our facilities someone leaves a freezer door open then that is a lot of energy going out to waste.

“Changing those type of cultures is critical. Something as simple as turning off the lights when nobody is in the room can save a lot of energy. It’s all about educating our people to do the right thing.”

Another positive step Americold has taken in the avenue of changing cultures and habits is by creating site energy champions and teams.

“We have formed energy teams on our site made up of workers on the floor

who do energy walks,” said Hanrahan.

“We have a checklist of things to look at each site, are the doors working, do they have strip curtains, are lights being left on, things of that nature.

“Like Phil said, it’s about changing the culture of business to make sure everyone has a mindset of saving energy. That is an initiative from the USA and it’s been driven through our global business. One month each year is dedicated to the message of energy conservation”

Weekly team discussion points provides a constant reminder for staff about the little things each of them can do to help with the journey to reducing energy consumption.

Advocating for improvements in energy efficiency is an ongoing commitment at Americold with environmental stewardship at the forefront of Americold operating principles. Their approach to sustainability is driven by their people, projects, and purpose and demonstrates a willingness to lead by example in the cold chain industry. F

The long-term investment demonstrates Americold’s commitment to reducing energy costs.

Celebrating 10 years of MICE in 2023

With the 2023 MICE event now over, event organisers have announced the dates for the next event in 2024. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

After celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, MICE 2024 has been announced for 12-14 of May 2024 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

With the close of the 2023 MICE event in the rear-view mirror, potential exhibitors are being encouraged to organise their 2024 displays in order to get a head start on next year’s event.

MICE routinely hosts more than 170 exhibitors representing all sectors of the global supply chain, including coffee producers and green importers, equipment manufacturers, roasters, café owners, and baristas.

The event also routinely attracts close to 11,000 attendees each year and exhibiting is considered one of the best ways to highlight brands and products to key stakeholders in the market.

Many sectors within the coffee industry showcase at MICE and find success in doing so, from dairy, alternative dairy, packing technology, machines such as grinders and coffee makers, to other general areas of the industry.

Among some of the exhibitors who have found a place at MICE are ADM Packaging Automation, BioPak, Brewtech, and Ally Coffee.

Since its inception in 2012, MICE has become the largest dedicated coffee show in the Southern Hemisphere.

Organisers reiterate the purpose of the expo is to connect buyers and sellers and bring industry members together in the one space annually to do business. It’s a one-stop-shop for the latest and greatest technology circulating the global coffee industry.

Whether you are in search of top-quality equipment or looking to

showcase your business alongside other top-tier companies, MICE2024 is the place to be.

Awards recognises the best innovations from exhibitors, and are judged by an independent panel throughout the expo. The Awards offer the chance for exhibitors to showcase their newest products to the wide-ranging MICE audience.

In addition, all finalists are eligible to be considered for the People’s Choice Award. The People’s Choice Award will be decided by votes from attendees.

This year, among the 2023 winners, Trimatt ColourStar AQ V by Trimatt Systems was awarded the Product Innovation Award for Coffee Accessories. The Trimatt ColourStar AQ V is a digital colour printer for sustainable paper and cardboard packaging.

Roastar Coffee Packaging won the People’s Choice award for their product “The Good Cup”.

The Good Cup is a one piece, compostable, sustainably sourced paper cup with an integrated lid, available in a range of sizes and ideal for hot or cold drinks.

This year, MICE renewed its focus on a more environmentally conscious

industry and this focus is expected to continue into the future.

“We want all visitors and exhibitors to know that we’ve put our best efforts into making MICE2023 the most sustainable event to date,” said MICE show director Lauren Winterbottom.

“We had a lot to celebrate this year, and it included the number of sustainability partners and initiatives we had taking place throughout the show.”

MICE was launched in 2012 with the express purpose of connecting buyers and sellers, combined with giving industry members a dedicated space for the coffee industry.

It remains Australia’s first and only dedicated coffee trade show, providing an anchor point for both national and international guests to add to their calendars.

In its 10 years, MICE has built a reputation for generating valuable leads and insight for guests, stakeholders, and exhibitors.

And in those 10 years, the trade show has also become the biggest dedicated coffee expo in the Southern Hemisphere.

Get in early and secure your spot at the 2024 MICE trade show. Visit internationalcoffeeexpo.com. F

With MICE 2023 done and dusted, all eyes turn to the 2024 event.

MICE remains the largest dedicated coffee expo in the Southern Hemisphere.

Boost your business efficiency with Motion’s NEW Digital Experience

Looking to quickly source parts and send an order to your local branch?

Look no further than Motion, a leading provider of industrial solutions, and our new online store with industry Knowledge Hub!

Key Benefits:

• Conveniently order, access account information, order history, and invoices from any device

• Skip the queue and shop online at your leisure

• User-friendly interface designed with you in mind

• A wealth of material from the industry Knowledge Hub, including case studies and learning material

• Dedicated customer support

Instantly boost productivity and take your business to the next level with Motion’s new innovative online platform.

Visit our website to learn more!

www.motion.com.au

Value adding without the high costs

Earlee Products offers innovative value add solutions to the food industry with minimal capital spend for manufacturers. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

the product,” he said.

“This introduces new flavours and textures, ultimately making that the reason people choose to buy the chicken rather than something that just fills up space.

“It allows the protein processing companies to make their products stand out and it’s an easy value add, you don’t need high-tech machinery. The discs and cores are portion controlled which makes it easy to handle and ease with access to nutritional data, and costing is straight forward as well,” said McMullen.

Earlee Products have food manufacturers at the forefront of their minds when designing the butter discs and stuffing cores, particularly with their manufacturing capabilities.

“Both the discs and cores are sold frozen with a 12-month shelf life. The products are individually quick frozen (IQF), making it is very easy for the manufacturer to handle, with no mess” Chen added

“The flexibility of the butter discs and stuffing cores is endless,” said Chen.

“The stuffing cores can be designed with various melting properties which can actually act as a sauce for the protein when cooked. For example, a selfsaucing disc on a steak such as a gravy or a jus base,” said McMullen.

Einnovative new solutions for food manufacturers looking to Value add with premium elements without a huge capital investment.

Butter discs are uniformly shaped components mainly consisting of butter that can be used on a variety of proteins and vegetables. These discs can be provided in various flavour profiles and can have many inclusions such as chilli flakes, herbs, garlic granules.

Stuffing cores are extruded shapes mainly consisting of butter and crumb and various inclusions such as fruits, seeds and grains such as rice, polenta, cous cous. Stuffings cores are traditionally used inside poultry products and beef and lamb roasts.

The benefits of the discs and stuffing cores is to value add, introduce new and exciting flavours and offer flexibility. Each solution and recipe is bespoke to

Products, is a member of the development team who develop the solutions and recipes. She said “the flexibility it provides is a key selling point.”

“It’s a range where the product is formed in various shapes, sizes with ingredient inclusions which provides many opportunities of value add, particularly with meat products. It’s an easy way for manufacturers to value add and introduce new flavours.”

“The butter discs are additions to steaks, fish portions and vegetables, whilst the stuffing cores are suitable as a value add to roasts or whole chickens.

“It’s not just for proteins but also for vegetables and roast potatoes, seafood is another great option.”

Brett McMullen, group general manager at Earlee Products, echoed Chen’s comments.

“We can also add additional protein

product, particularly in products that don’t have high protein values to start such as vegetable dishes.

“We can also add to the overall texture with ingredients such as seeds and nuts, creating textures you might not normally experience in meat and some vegetable products.

“The solution can work interchangeably, which means we can add several different inclusions into the product. Anything from fruits to seeds, nuts, spices, vegetables, grains, we can even put meat pieces into our products.”

McMullen said traditionally stuffing cores are made from bread crumbs and mostly for the purpose of just filling the cavity in a meat product, such as a chicken for roasting, ultimately soaking up some of the juices being cooked out.

“With Earlee’s stuffing cores, we have tried to make the stuffing the feature of

“The disc or stuffing core can be designed to be totally solid when cooked, or it can have any degree of melt required for the finished product after cooking”.

“Our technologists do a lot of work and can manipulate the melting characteristics of the product.”

“We also have the knowledge and technology in the ingredients to control the texture at different temperatures. For example, the core can be designed to be consumed the next day in the meat as a cold sliced meat product with a solid core centre as opposed to a soft texture after cooking”

Chen said being able to adapt each solution to a customer’s needs results in a huge variety of outcomes.

“It’s important in this day and age to be on top of trending new flavours with everyone looking for the next big thing,” she said.

Earlee Products’ butter discs can be used on a variety of proteins and vegetables.

give a wide range of different flavours

The ease of applying the solutions to the manufacturing process was also brought into stark contrast during the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic really put a spotlight on production capacity and how to do things more efficiently,” said McMullen.

“Because the butter discs and stuffing’s can be used in various ways, sauce bases, fillings, coatings, and so on, they are actually an efficient way of adding a high level of sophistication and advancement to the protein with a limited number of people needing to be involved.”

Reid reiterated the goal of Earlee Products’ butter discs and cores for roasts was to benefit their customers being the manufacturers and ultimately the end consumers.

“Earlee Products goal is to help our customer achieve better food outcomes, every time.” she said.

“Earlee Products butter discs and stuffings core range are a fantastic opportunity for the manufacturer to increase their margins by value adding with something simple, like a butter disc, without any capital investment or a major draw on resources.” F

Butter discs are an affordable way to add premium quality to a product.

Stuffing cores provide value add opportunities which can showcase a range of ingredients.

Motion opens its digital front door with new website

Motion, a leading distributor of maintenance, repair, operation replacement parts, and a premier provider of industrial solutions, is excited to announce the launch of its new online store and industry Knowledge Hub, motion.com.au. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

Tahis innovative platform has been specifically designed to cater to the diverse needs of business’ customers across major industries, transforming their digital experience.

Nick Kerwin, Executive General Manager of Sales, and Zac Gray, Head of eCommerce at Motion, have hailed the platform’s launch as a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing commitment to delivering unparalleled convenience, easy-to-access product information/search features, and comprehensive industry knowledge and support.

“The site enhances our branch network by allowing customers to seamlessly shop around the clock, and connects them closer than ever to their local branch through live pricing and availability,” says Zac.

According to Nick, “The new online store and Knowledge Hub represent a major step forward for Motion, enabling us to engage with our customers through our online channels and open a digital front door to them.”

Zac echoes this sentiment, stating that “It has been designed from the ground up with the customer in mind, ensuring it’s user-friendly and easy to navigate Motion’s vast range of products.”

The new platform represents a significant upgrade from the previous digital offering, featuring a sleek and highly intuitive user interface that is designed to provide customers with an unmatched online experience.

The development of Motion’s innovative online platform is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Motion team, with Nick and Zac playing active roles in bringing the project to life over two years of meticulous planning and execution.

The team underwent extensive training to ensure smooth site navigation, demonstrating Motion’s commitment to providing a seamless and user-friendly experience to its customers.

Nick and Zac acknowledge their colleagues’ tireless work to ensure that the new online store and Knowledge

Hub ticks all the boxes.

Motion’s latest platform has been designed with businesses of all sizes and industries in mind, providing a convenient online experience for customers from the comfort of their devices. Customers can effortlessly navigate the extensive catalogue of MRO replacement parts, which includes a range of products such as bearings, power transmission components, hydraulic and industrial hoses, safety products, and material handling equipment from any device.

With just a few clicks, customers can also conveniently access their account information, view their order history and invoices, and check the pricing and availability of products based on their location, making the ordering process swift and stress-free.

In addition to the online store, Motion’s new platform also includes an industry Knowledge Hub, converging various useful features into one convenient place. Nick adds, “The fact that the Knowledge Hub is available for customers displaying features like

the keyword search for instance lets them really focus on what’s important, which is a great benefit. They don’t have to try and look at a whole suite of products, services, engineering solutions and wonder, how do I navigate my way through there?”

Nick highlights that regardless of what industry a customer is in, “they’ll be able to access case studies where Motion has visited manufacturers or processing plants around Australia and provided support, so the ability to have instant access to all of that knowledge is a real benefit for businesses.”

Motion will be unveiling its new online store and industry Knowledge Hub over the next month. By providing a streamlined and efficient way for customers to access the necessary information they need, these new offerings are poised to become indispensable resources for customers of all types.

Those who wish to learn more about Motion and its new online platform can visit motion.com.au for further information. F

MEGATRANS is Australia’s largest integrated conference and exhibition dedicated to the logistics industry. MEGATRANS will showcase the latest in artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, automated racking, telematics and route optimisation, warehouse automation, intelligent fleet systems, blockchain, Internet of Things, big data and advanced analytics.

No longer Australia’s best-kept secret: Queensland’s craft brewers and artisan distillers

Most famously known for producing some of the world’s best rum, there’s a not-so-quiet revolution happening in the craft brewing and artisan distilling industries in the Sunshine State.

Queensland’s craft brewers and ar tisan distillers are innovative, dynamic, and proudly producing some of the best products in Australia – with an eye to taking on the world.

September’s Queensland Manufacturing Month puts the spotlight on the state’s growing manufacturing industry and the state’s alcoholic beverage manufacturing mavericks are shining the brightest.

No longer Australia’s best-kept secret, Queensland’s craft brewers and artisan distillers are grabbing the headlines.

Craft brewers including Moffat Beach Brewing, Range Brewing, Brouhaha and Revel are securing major awards at national beer competitions, while distillers like FNQ Spirits, 20 20 Distillery, Milton Distillery and Mt Uncle Distillery are doing the same at national spirits awards.

These passionate manufacturers are

being recognised with national accolades and their hard work is making significant contributions to local economies.

As an emerging sector in our economy, they are playing their part in contributing to the state economy and, importantly, regional communities.

Queensland’s craft brewing industry has seen rapid growth over recent years, expanding to more than 100 craft brewers and 70 distillers across the state, with more than half in regional towns.

As the popularity of locally produced craft beer continues to grow, so have employment opportunities from product manufacturing through to customer service.

The sector employs more than 1,800 Queenslanders and contributes an estimated $100 million each year to the Queensland economy.

With direct links to tourism and supply chain inputs of Queensland agricultural products, the craft brewing

Queensland’s brewers and distillers are winning major awards at national competitions.

industry is having a significant impact on other parts of our economy.

Artisan distillers are showcasing unique produce such as grains, tropical fruits, sugar cane and botanicals, continuing age-old traditions while using innovative techniques to remain agile and appeal to changing consumer demands for premium products.

Recognising these important contributions to the state, the Queensland Government released the Queensland Craft Brewing Strategy in 2018 to support the local and national growth plans – and international ambitions – of the local industry.

The strategy focused on improving the capabilities of local craft brewers to grow their businesses and expand into new markets – including supporting access to international opportunities.

This included the promotion of local products through the Trade and Investment Queensland network and providing support to exhibit at international showcases.

A centrepiece of the strategy was the establishment and funding of Australia’s first BrewLab in 2020.

The Queensland Government invested $1.1 million over five years to provide craft brewers with an easily accessible proof-of-concept facility to develop their skills and test new taste concepts before moving to full production.

BrewLab’s establishment also facilitated development of the Certificate

III in Food Processing (Brewing), delivered by TAFE Queensland.

The TAFE course was an important step in addressing the shortage of qualified brewers around the state as existing breweries continued their growth into new markets and new breweries were established.

Course graduates are now employed in breweries across Queensland, while other graduates are establishing their

own brewing businesses.

In collaboration with industry, the Queensland Government has worked to identify legislative and regulatory changes to increase market access and reduce regulatory burden for small manufacturers.

For instance, the introduction of the Artisan Distilling Licence has provided a range of benefits for local producers, including the removal of requirements

on distillers that restricted retail sales to 2.5 per cent of production and allowing for the sale of product samples at promotional events.

As rapidly as the sector is growing, so too are the opportunities.

Collaboration between Queensland craft brewers and artisan distillers is opening new markets for both.

Customer demand for unique examples of regional flavours is fuelling significant growth in the export of Australian spirits to international markets.

With this backdrop, the Queensland Government has recently revitalised its Artisan Liquor Advisory Group (ALAG) to provide enhanced engagement between industry and government to ensure future planning meets the needs of the local industry to maximise growth potential.

In collaboration with the ALAG the Queensland Government is developing an expanded and revised version of the Craft Brewing Strategy to include artisan distillers with a focus on supporting further growth into national and international markets.

Hard work, skill, innovation, and collaboration have put the Queensland craft brewing and artisan distilling sectors at the forefront of the Australian landscape.

With further government support and a new wave of ideas the time is right for these Queensland manufacturers to take on the world. F

The Queensland Craft Brewing Strategy supports local and national growth plans of the sector.

Artisan distillers are showcasing unique produce such as grains and tropical fruits.

Alternative proteins and food safety

Pall Corporation’s innovation in alternative protein processing are helping provide greater food security on a global scale. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

Pall Corporation, experts in filtration, separation, and purification for over 70 years continues to provide the Australian food and beverage industry with cutting-edge solutions.

Pushing the limits of science and technology, Pall solves challenges that other customers believe are unsolvable. This is due to their ability to identify and solve complex customer challenges with their unique breadth and depth of application knowledge and diverse product offering.

Some of the key services provided by Pall Corporation include research and

development support, helping innovate new solutions, SLS Global Technical Support for customers before and after project execution and a global team of experts servicing all regions.

‘Feeding more people and protecting the planet is a key tenet of how we approach the business”, says Stephanie Joseph, director of Global Growth Protein at Pall.

The plant-based protein sector has experienced growth in recent years, off the back of several factors including changing consumer demands.

Other key drivers behind the growth of this sector include:

• Supporting customers working on the security of food supply on a global scale.

• Providing environmentally sustainable solutions to help customers grow in the space.

• T he rise in the use of plants to produce food instead of feeding animals to produce animal protein.

“But the plant-based protein sector is not sufficient. All alternative protein will be needed to meet the daily dietary requirement of protein,” said Joseph.

The last point directly addresses the rise in cellular agriculture, which has emerged as a viable solution in recent

The Pall Corporation provides a series of services to the industry including extensive research and development and Global SLS support for customers.

years but is still undergoing some key research and development.

Pall Corporation expects the cellular agriculture sector to continue to grow in popularity as it becomes a more viable solution, specifically around creating greater food security.

Protein ingredients produced using precision fermentation and cultivated meat, fish, etc, together will contribute to eradicate food insecurity.

As part of this push to help grow sectors that can help address food security concerns, Pall Corporation offers several solutions.

“Pall can provide comprehensive solutions to protein manufacturers to produce high-quality multifunctional protein,” said Joseph.

Pall Corporation has a proven track record when it comes to helping innovate in the protein space.

“Pall has been able to offer an economical, sustainable, and technologically viable solution to recover

Helping to feed more people while also protecting the planet is a key tenet for the Pall Corporation.

protein from the side streams in potato starch production,” said Joseph.

“The beer industry has also benefited from our Membralox technology for yeast beer recovery, protein recovery from beer spent grains and the barley isolates beverage from Evergrain,” added Joseph.

Meanwhile, as the industry and society as a whole push towards more sustainable and efficient models of production, companies like Pall Corporation offer their expertise to help clients reach and exceed these new standards.

“Pall is perfectly aligned with these field needs in terms of sustainability, being the only one who can offer such robustness with ceramic membranes that last more than 10 years,” said Joseph.

“These ceramic membranes have been manufactured by Pall since 1983 and Pall systems, due to their conception, enable low water consumption.

“Meanwhile, our food and beverage unit can offer studies to help customers

improve their existing technologies and optimise their water consumption.

“Pall systems will always try to recover all the streams at lower energy consumption.”

Manufacturing ceramic membranes in-house provides Pall and their customers a real advantage and insurance for a lasting partnership, security of membranes sup-ply, and continuous innovation based on unique know-how.

“The Pall Membralox GP membrane is designed for optimum soluble macromolecule transmission across the microfiltration membrane,” said Joseph.

“In conventional microfiltration conditions, the natural pressure drop creates asym-metric transmembrane pressure (TMP) from the inlet to the outlet of the flow channel.

“To correct this TMP decrease, Membralox GP membranes have a longitudinal permeability gradient built into the support structure without modification of the filtration layer.

“This is a key driver to ensure a stable microfiltration regime all along the membrane.”.

Key Features

• Precisely calibrated flux

• Controlled selectivity all along the membrane

• Hydrodynamically optimised

• Proven long operational life

• Meet the requirements for food usage

Some of the applications used for the above include clarification, defatting, micro-organisms’ removal, macromolecules fractionation (Globulin & Albumins), purification and concentration, resulting in a significant increase in yield, extended shelf life of the final product and selective separations between macromolecules leading to high quality and functionality of protein ingredient end product.

Pall ceramic GP membranes provide another clear example of the company’s innovation in space.

“Pall ceramic GP membranes have a

unique structure that enhances the protein transmission performance compared to conventional membranes,” said Joseph.

“GP ceramic membranes are designed in such a way that protein loss would be minimal (less than 10 per cent) along with higher flux rates and this has happened be-cause of a more porous support structure which allows a constant flux profile and result in higher protein transmission”

In addition to the above points, Pall has started ceramic systems manufacturing in different locations across the world including the APAC region and this will have a direct impact on customers to optimise their capital investments.

“Pall has dedicated systems service support in the region to help in feasibility trials and provide after-sales service after project execution,” added Joseph.

For more information on Pall’s filtration solutions for alternative protein processing visit pall.com or email foodandbeverage@pall.com. F

High-performance chilling delivers top-shelf benefits

For Australian food processors, technology is rapidly changing. When making investments across the manufacturing line, there is a balance between improving productivity, and maintaining product quality. Food & Beverage Industry News reports.

With high inflation costs and pressures on supply chains impacting the way many businesses operate, now is a good time to review food chilling processes and equipment.

BOC, a Linde company, offers a range of Linde’s leading chilling technology to make large scale food manufacturing more productive.

As a pioneer of “bottom injection” chilling technology, Linde has been helping to make food processing more effective and efficient for decades. The evolution of this technology has now delivered a new solution that is providing high-performance chilling for Australian food manufacturers.

LIXshooter® offers a fresh take on tried

and tested Linde technology, drawing on decades of engineering innovation – and is now a preferred chilling solution for food processors right through to largescale food manufacturing.

Productivity

Strict temperature control is critical to ensuring products are the best quality possible. The LIXshooter®’s bottom injection chilling process involves cryogenic coolants being injected into the bottom of the mixer, directly cooling the food ingredients rapidly and precisely. The

business goal for every company, and with demanding market conditions, you need to be able to rely on dependable technology you can trust. The even and rapid cooling from a LIXshooter® offers more than just assurances that your products are systemically and consistently chilled. Less chilling time directly translates to higher production rates as turnaround times are significantly decreased, allowing higher output without any decreases to quality. Consistency in chilling allows for tighter weight control with formed products resulting in minimised wastage and higher yields.

The LIXshooter® offers your business protection from potential costs associated with slow production. Cryogen chilling with Linde is reliable,

safe and will work towards making your business as efficient as possible without infringing on quality.

Easily adaptable to current models

One of the key benefits of LIXshooter® is its ability to be retrofitted onto existing food chilling systems to offer dual chilling methods via carbon dioxide or nitrogen. Carbon dioxide shortages have been increasingly common in recent years, resulting in unpredictable delivery and high import costs. The LIXshooter® nozzle allows for nitrogen cooling as a cryogenic chilling solution. With minor modifications you can continue production with either method. Most nozzles available in the market are manufactured with only carbon dioxide

Once installed on the cooling system, the LIXshooter nozzles inject cryogenic coolant directly into the bottom of the mixer, rapidly and precisely cooling ingredients.

chilling in mind and are unsuitable for nitrogen use.

Linde’s patented LIXshooter® offers consistent and proven results every time, providing homogenous cooling throughout the entire product and working with you to ensure your products are high quality and exactly how you envisioned them to be.

The LIXshooter® is designed to be a completely turnkey package. Sit back and let some of our expert technicians install our nozzle to your existing system and watch the magic happen. The highly retrofitted nature of the LIXshooter® means it can be easily installed in most existing systems, allowing the seamless transition to dual cryogenic chilling by either carbon dioxide or nitrogen.

Versatility

Businesses need technology as versatile as they are. The LIXshooter®’s cooling technique is adaptable to a range of food

Hygienic

Rest easy knowing your products are being chilled with food safety at top of mind. The stainless steel, singleorifice, positive shut-off design is manufactured to prevent particles re-entering the nozzle, avoiding bacteria growth and ensuring your product remains a high-quality food grade.

Bacteria is known to grow in warm environments. The LIXshooter® eliminates the potential for this by helping to create an unhospitable environment for bacteria to grow and ruin your products.

Get in touch to review your food processes

Linde’s long-standing status in the food and beverage industry is in place for a reason: our high-quality technology has been tried and tested to offer customers the most efficient, productive chilling services in the market. Our patented chilling system is market-leading for a reason. F

Get your hands on the LIXshooter® nozzle and revolutionise your businesses productivity today. For all enquires, please reach out to bulk.enquiries.au@boc.com.

LIXshooter can offer significant benefits for food processors forming products such as hamburger patties and meat mince.

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