News on Food Trends from Australia

Universal Robina Corporation (URC), one of the largest branded consumer food and beverage product companies in the Philippines, is to buy Snack Brands Australia, according to a Snack Brands Australia statement dated August 17.

AUSVEG and PMA Australia-New Zealand Limited (PMA-ANZ) will unite to deliver a joint industry conference and trade show in 2017.

Australia's food regulator has called for submissions as it reviews a genetically-modified potato designed to produce less chemicals when fried.

With pesticide resistance rising in species of aphids which feed on potatoes and spread viruses, one of the best control options for growers battling these pests may be found in nature, free of charge: parasitic wasps.

Kangaroo Island (South Australia) potato producer Peter Cooper has been named the 2016 Rabobank Potatoes South Australia and Ruralco Industry Award winner.

National vegetable industry body AUSVEG is concerned that Australian potato growers will be left out of pocket following Australia’s largest potato supplier entering receivership in early May.

After Oakville Produce (formerly known as the Moraitis Group) entered receivership earlier this month, questions arise how that could happen to a company good for almost a quarter of the Australian Potato market.

Australian shoppers can expect grocery prices to keep coming down as Coles and Woolworths battle it out to prevent more Australians defecting to Aldi, one retail expert has predicted.

Potatoes Victoria is being launched today to replace the previous Victorian Potato Growers Council. A division of the Victorian Farmers Federation, Potatoes Victoria has been representing Victorian potato growers for more than 20 years.

Potato growers say the West Australian industry has 'collapsed' amid speculation over the timeline for deregulation.

Heat and Control has helped a snack manufacturer take processing capabilities to a new level with another delivery of the
company’s innovative vacuum fryer technology, the Unitized Vacuum Fryer (UVF)

Australian Researchers are working closely with the country's potato industry to investigate the potential for the highly destructive Tomato-potato psyllid (TPP) to enter Australia using natural pathways.

The impact of drought and water quality on Australian potatoes could be significantly reduced by a new research project from Potatoes South Australia and Landmark Australia.

Potatoes are becoming more appealing to Australia’s innovative home chefs ('Eager Explorers') who are searching for the next exciting food trend, according to new consumer research.

UK chip brand, Tyrrells Potato Crisps Ltd, has acquired the Australian company Yarra Valley Snack Foods, producer of the Thomas Chipman Organic Chips range.

Consumer research in Australia, Potato Tracker, has shown that Australian consumers prefer to purchase pre-packaged potatoes, with one to two kilogram packages as the ideal sizes.

The South Australian Potato Industry has received funding of $100,000 to enable a project to add value to potatoes which are graded-out due to size or shape and do not meet supermarket specifications.

It appears that many Australians don’t know their King Edwards from their Kennebecs, with the latest wave of the Potato Tracker consumer research project indicating that some people can’t name a single variety of potato, despite being the most commonly purchased vegetable commodity.