News on Food Trends from Australia

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board, a Canadian pension fund, acquires the majority stake in Mitolo Family Farms, the largest potato grower and packer in Australia.

Australian supermarket chain Woolworths has confirmed a major potato shortage has caused the price of potato-based snacks to soar – resulting in 'insane prices' for a single bag of chips.

Snack brand Pringles has had a change to the packaging of its 53g varieties, with the plastic cap removed and replaced with a foil laminate seal, made by Sonoco.

Simplot Australia has announced an AUD 65 million (about USD 44 million) upgrade to its Bathurst manufacturing facility and acquisiton of farming land in the Central West region of New South Wales valued at AUD 40 million.

Developed by Freshlogic, the annual Horticulture Statistics Handbook includes the latest available data on 75 different categories across fruit, vegetable, nut, nursery, and cut flowers in Australia.

Nicole Stevens traveled to Australia from the United Kingdom after completing her science and tourism management studies. Her career pathway has now diverted to horticulture.

McCain Foods has installed proprietary world-leading technology in the form of a Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) generator, as part of the company’s latest upgrade to its Smithton plant in Tasmania.

The multi-generational farmer's passion for the simple spud seems to have paid off, helping secure growers like himself an additional $9 a tonne deal with major food manufacturer Simplot over the coming financial year.

Australian vegetable and potato industry body AUSVEG has announced the appointment of Michael Coote as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 1 July 2021.

The post-Covid economy is driving strong growth for Australian vegetable producers. Fueled by the increase in consumer demand for fresh vegetables, Australian growers have chosen to invest significantly in improving their post-harvest operations.

The World Potato Congress is extremely pleased to present its next webinar on Tuesday, April 6, 2021/Wednesday, April 7, 2021, with Dr. Paul Horne, Entomologist, and owner and Director of IPM Technologies Pty Ltd., Hurstbridge, Victoria, Australia.

Innovative, specialist fresh potato producers Terrence and Wendy Rattray are diversifying after buying Perfecta Produce and further expanding the substantial agricultural business in the fertile North-West food bowl.

The recent finalization of a takeover of Thomas Foods International’s potato business and a spike in demand through the coronavirus pandemic has cemented Mitolo Group as Australia’s largest fresh spud producer.

Pure Foods Tasmania Limited has agreed to buy the business and assets of Daly Potato Company Pty Ltd (DPC) for $1.8M with a mixture of cash and shares, subject to working capital adjustments.

It has been an exciting journey for tna over the last few years. From developing our very own manufacturing service line in Melbourne in the 80s, to making some key acquisitions that helped shape our entire offering, we have come a long way.

AUSVEG has welcomed the announcement from Agriculture Minister David Littleproud that two key commitments are now realised under the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), which will improve market access for Australian potato exporters into the Thai market.

In the race to decarbonise the economy, industrial processing is a tough nut to crack given the amount of heat needed to process goods.

Tasmanian potato growers, who produce the bulk of Australia’s French fries, are having a disastrous harvest. Months of wet weather is making it impossible to get onto paddocks in parts of the state.