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JUN/JUL 2019

Open Sesame: Why Alibaba has a food future in Australia

PLUS: GS1 and the future of the barcode

WELCOME

Managing Director: John Murphy Publisher: Christine Clancy Managing Editor: Syed Shah Editor: Mike Wheeler

SMEs bread and butter for Alibaba in food and beverage space

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ust over 20 years ago, Jack Ma and few friends got together and formed Alibaba.

With an $36 million investment from Goldman Sachs and SoftBank, the online retail company was up and running. The company recently posted its latest results. However, it wasn’t the numbers that caught the eye (as you would expect, it was in the 10s of billions of dollars), but the number of customers it services – more than 650 million in China alone. And the good news for the Australian food and beverage industry is that they love our products. Not just because of the quality we produce, but how it is produced, and where it is produced. Ma himself was here in 2017, and he said that Australia’s clean, green image is what attracted Chinese consumers to its food and beverage products. In this issue, we

talk to Alibaba employee number 48, Maggie Zhou, Ma’s person on the ground here in Australasia. This article will be especially of interest if you are a small to medium enterprise in our industry. These types of companies are Alibaba’s bread and butter.

Also in this issue, we talk to Air Liquide about gas in the wine industry; Sealed Air and its ideas on packaging; plus GS1 talks to us about the future of barcoding.

Finally, due to the buoyancy of the market, Food & Beverage Industry News is going monthly from August.

It will give us the chance to cover more stories, in greater detail, about this fascinating industry we work in.

Mike Wheeler

INSIDE 30

52

55

10 NEWS

32 AIP

50 FOOD TECHNOLOGY

18 DOING BUSINESS IN ASIA

34 PACKAGING

51 BELTS

22 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

36 FOOD PROCESSING

52 BULK PRODUCTS

26 SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

41 SUPPLY CHAIN

53 CONSUMER

28 MANUFACTURING STRATEGIES

44 WASTEWATER

55 DAIRY REPORT

46 FOOTECH 2019

56 MARKETWATCH

48 PACKAGING RECYCLING

57 NEW PRODUCTS

30 FOOD PROCESSING

Ph: (03) 9794 8337

4 Food&Beverage Industry News | Jun/Jul 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

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NEWS

Continued growth as MHIAA expands its national team

Supply chain manager, Amir Naqvi.

F

ollowing on from its recent success, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Air-Conditioners Australia (MHIAA) is growing its team to better service its customers’ needs.

After recently moving to the new state-of-the-art premises in Regents Park, NSW, the company announced that Amir Naqvi and Damian Hatch have joined the company as supply chain manager and national accounts manager, respectively, to Australia and New Zealand.

National accounts manager, Damian Hatch.

As a seasoned supply chain professional, Naqvi brings 15 years of expertise to the team. “Prior to MHIAA, I was involved in reviewing and optimising supply chain structures for large multinationals.

I’ve also handled transport, logistics, warehousing, project and change management,” said Naqvi.

MHIAA prides itself on service delivery and customer satisfaction; and ensuring that its processes are optimised is critical to the

company’s success. Naqvi believes that logistics plays a pivotal role in building a company’s reputation and in expanding its customer base. “By ensuring that robust processes and back up plans are in place, we can deliver seamless, safe logistics,” he said Naqvi looks to bolster MHIAA’s efficiencies by taking its supply chain to the next level. “I am a strong believer in team work, and I will work closely with my new team to make sure that we achieve all our objectives,” he said.

Optimistic about the future, Naqvi said that he is looking to settle down at MHIAA and to utilise his experience in the best way possible.

“I was fortunate to receive a short contract with MHIAA prior to my full-time employment at the company. It gave me the opportunity to immerse myself in the brand, and I immediately noticed the friendly and cooperative culture”.

MHIAA also welcomed Hatch, who assumes the role of National Accounts Manager and will oversee MHIAA’s national reseller and retail customers.

With years of trade experience under his belt, Hatch gained a wealth of business acumen while running his own business. He then moved into the corporate space,

where he spent almost two decades in sales and client services.

“I’ve dealt with key national accounts in the past and pride myself on the strong and established relationships that I’ve built over time,” says Hatch.

Aligning with the company’s intrepid goals for the future, Hatch will be responsible for developing and implementing a sustainable sales strategy across Australia and New Zealand.

“I am pleased and privileged to have joined MHIAA and I look forward to helping them bring their goals to life,” he said.

Hatch commented that he looks forward to meeting with all national accounts and building on the trusted and established partnerships.

“It’s an exciting time to join MHIAA, and I am ready to start working with the national accounts to create an even bigger presence for MHIAA in the industry.”

Adrian Brown, general manager of sales and planning says that these new appointments gave the company ample opportunities for expansion, refinement and improved collaboration. “We welcome Amir and Hatch to our family and we look forward to the continued success of MHIAA in the market,” said Brown.

Protecting Australian wine from copycats A

ustralia’s valuable and worldclass wine industry will be better protected from copycat exporters thanks to a new Wine Label Intellectual Property Directory.

The previous Minister for Agriculture, David Littleproud, said the directory will bring greater transparency of exported labels to prevent dodgy copies. “Copycat

export wines mimic Australian brands by copying our labels,” Minister Littleproud said.

“This rips off our producers and it also ruins the reputation of our wine when customers expect a quality Australian wine and receive a cheap knock-off.

“This directory will help protect Australian wine by identifying

6 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

potential copycat labels.

“The publicly accessible directory will require all Australian wine exporters to submit images of their labels prior to gaining export certification. “It will be searchable by image elements, brand name and publication date and will display the trademarked image of labels, the exporter ABN, brand name and date

the label was published to the directory.

“This allows wine growers and exporters to identify copycat labels.

Copycats can be stripped of their export licence and those being copied could also take private legal action.

“There are significant punishments for those who breach the law and the directory will help ensure copycats are held accountable.”

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NEWS

TasFoods buys Betta Milk T

asFoods is expanding its portfolio of premium Tasmanian dairy brands with the acquisition of the Betta Milk Co-Operative Society Limited business. TasFoods and Betta Milk today announced that an agreement has been assets and brands.

Established in 1956, Betta Milk has a reputation as a leading producer of fresh Tasmanian milk. The sale agreement includes Betta Milk’s recently upgraded export-accredited processing facility in Burnie as well as distribution centres in Launceston and Hobart. Betta Milk will complement and strengthen TasFoods’ existing dairy brands – Pyengana Dairy, Meander Valley Dairy and Robur Farm – and will expand its present distribution network.

The acquisition of Betta Milk is another step in TasFoods’ strategy to build a successful premium food business leveraging Tasmania’s

unique environmental and marketing advantages.

“This is an exciting step forward for TasFoods and represents the acquisition of a well-known Tasmanian brand that is highly complementary to our existing dairy brands. We are passionate about helping our brands grow and thrive in markets across Australia and overseas, and we will continue to support the Betta Milk brand in the Tasmanian market where it has a strong and loyal following. We believe there are also opportunities in mainland and Asian markets to leverage our recently registered Van Diemen’s Land Dairy brand,” said Shane Noble, TasFoods’ executive chairman.

“TasFoods was born out of a desire to share Tasmania’s highquality produce with Australian and overseas markets. The scale this acquisition will bring will further

TasFoods has bought Betta Milk as it plans to expand its premium range of dairy products.

10 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

enhance the opportunity to continue to showcase the State’s finest product whilst retaining our solid, focussed market position in Tasmania. Betta Milk has been a long-term supporter of the Tasmanian dairy industry and we look forward to welcoming its dedicated and passionate team to TasFoods,” said Noble.

Discussing the transaction, Betta Milk chairman, Neville Latimer, said that a compelling reason for the Betta Milk board agreeing to divest of its milk interests was the fact the company would remain in the hands of another highly regarded Tasmanian business entity and would continue operating from its Burnie plant, without compromise to current operations.

“The sale of the milk processing assets and brands will allow the board to focus on the company’s whisky business, Hellyer’s Road Distillery.

Our whisky business is garnering

strong interest from overseas thanks to the high-quality single malts it produces. The sale of the milk business will provide us with the funds to grow and expand whisky operations to take advantage of emerging demand from Europe, Asia and the US,” he said.

The transaction is subject to final due diligence and approval

by Betta Milk’s shareholders. All employees will be offered continuing employment under TasFoods’ ownership.

The purchase price for the Betta Milk processing assets (excluding cash and receivables, which will be retained by Betta Milk) will be approximately $11.5 million, payable in cash funded from internal and external sources including an $8 million fully underwritten non-renounceable rights issue. The transaction is expected to complete in late June/early July 2019.

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NEWS

New glass technology to replace straws?

T

he very first plastic straw you ever used will be on the planet long after you’re not.

Australians use over 10 million straws a day, which now feature in the top 10 of all ocean pollutants, yet they are still popular as some consumers find it hard to transition to the paper varieties that are now available, or not use them at all.

Single-use straws are readily available through to bars and restaurants. The good news is that the

masterminds behind new glassware brand, Wave, have spent the past six months developing a new concept to help eliminate plastic straw pollution.

The new Wave Glass will put an end to the need for disposable straws, and is inspired by the very thing it’s trying to protect – the ocean.

With revolutionary, patented dualchamber technology, Wave Glass has an internal wall that sits down into the vessel – separating it into two chambers. It is a concept that the

The new Wave glass is designed to replace plastic straws

company hopes will be taken up by the public as they become more aware of environmental issues surrounding the use of straws.

One chamber holds liquid mixed with crushed ice and garnish (or whatever features in your preferred drink). The other vessel acts as the drinking chamber, allowing only the chilled liquid from the bottom of the vessel to be enjoyed.

Plastic straws are too small to be recycled, with a huge proportion

ending up in the Earth’s oceans, and it’s estimated by 2050 every seabird will have plastic in its stomach. Plastic ingested by fish is even starting to enter the human food chain.

Now is the time to act, which is why Wave’s creators teamed up with The Last Straw to support their cause and come up with a solution.

Eva Mackinley, founder The Last Straw, says, “Over the last few years the plastic straw has almost become a symbol of the waste-free movement.

People, where possible, have widely changed their thinking and behaviour around disposable plastic straw use.

“While the market is becoming full of disposable alternatives vying for primacy, I have always believed the heart of it is about just using less, or engaging with BYO and reusable options,” said Mackinley.

The Wave Glass design offers the convenience of a straw but without the disposable factor.

“The future of sustainability is material innovation and out of the box design solutions like this,” said Mackinley.

Straws are increasingly becoming an environmental issue. www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 13

NEWS

Organic wine sales increasing

The popularity of organic wines keeps growing.

O

rganic Old World wines are the most imported in domestic markets with New World wines lagging considerably far behind, according to the IWSR Organic Wine Report.

Vinexpo Bordeaux’s organic wine exhibition-within-an-exhibition reflects consumers’ growing interest in organic wine, with a 25 per cent increase in exhibitors over 2017’s show.

Around 150 exhibitors representing 10 countries as diverse as Australia, South Africa, Argentina, Chile, Greece, Romania and Canada, as well as market leaders in organic wine production – Spain, Italy and France – will be at WOW! this year in Bordeaux, France.

Additionally, WOW!’s international offer of organic and biodynamic wines and spirits

is complemented this year by a walk-around tasting of the leading organic/biodynamic wine producer association, “Renaissance des Appellations”, dedicated to ensuring the validity and integrity of organic/ biodynamic wine producers’ products through stringent entry qualifications.

These include a legal guarantee of “best agriculture practice” – an organic/biodynamic certificate being awarded once three years of best practice in biodynamic agriculture has been completed, accompanied by certifiable evidence. Renaissance des Appellations will have 60 biodynamic wine grower members participating in the event, with organic wines from France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, Germany and Austria represented.

For the world picture, currently organic wine accounts for just 2.4 per cent of global consumption but

14 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

is gaining strongly – worldwide.

Organic wine consumption is forecast to increase by 30m (9-ltr) cases in 2022, compared to an increase in growth of the total (non-organic) still wine market by 35m cases, forecast in 2022. Europe dominates the organic wine market with a 77 per cent share, and is expected to increase to 78 per cent by 2022.

Vinexpo CEO, Rodolphe Lameyse, commented, “Bio wine is unquestionably a commercial reality now and demand for the product keeps on growing. Everyone in the wine business – retailers, restaurant owners, sommeliers, wine merchants and importers – recognise this.

WOW! is our response to meet exhibitors’ and visitors’ needs for the latest information on the best and latest products. It is a strong commitment we make with our

exhibitors and to our visitors, which is why it has become such an integral part of the exhibition.”

Related to what WOW! represents – reflecting increasing consumer demand for environmental integrity in what they buy and consume in the food and drink market – the Vinexpo Symposium directly addresses increasing industry concerns about the environment and the impact of climate change on global vineyards, vineyard management and winemaking, and the wine economy.

Opening a month earlier this year and running for four days from May 13 to May 16, Vinexpo Bordeaux 2019 is themed on the phrase Shape the Future to position itself as the international wine and spirits exhibition that understands the key concerns of all professionals in the wine and spirits industries.

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NEWS

Aquaculture project to put more prawns on plates A $100 million aquaculture project that will generate 2700 tonnes of North Queensland black tiger prawns annually, is a step closer to service after being granted prescribed project status by the Queensland Government.

The Guthalungra aquaculture project – located 40 kilometres north of Bowen and adjacent to Elliot River – will be the second North Queensland aquaculture project for Pacific Reef Fisheries, who are already operating a facility in Ayr. Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning, Cameron Dick, said the project is expected to support 130 jobs during construction and 220 jobs once operational.

“Prescribed project status will help ensure this aquaculture facility can become a reality sooner,” Dick said. “It’s innovative and ecologically

sustainable farming, and it’s going to provide a real boost for one of our most popular food exports.”

Prawns will be grown using a reportedly world-first bioremediation technology created in conjunction with James Cook University.

The project will also supposedly set a new global benchmark for aquaculture water remediation, with algae to be used to remove nitrogen and phosphorous from waste water so the facility operates at zero net discharge.

Member for Mackay and Assistant Minister for State Development, Julianne Gilbert, said economic diversification was key to creating more jobs for the region.

“If we want to give our communities more employment opportunities, we’ve got to get behind projects like this,” Gilbert said.

“That’s what our government is

16 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

doing. We’re making it easier for more jobs to reach our region.”

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, Mark Furner, said the large-scale project would feed Australia’s love of prawns and deliver a huge boost to Queensland’s market share.

“Aquaculture is the fastest growing food industry globally, so it’s important we’re doing everything we

Prawns will be grown using bioremediation technology.

can as a government to tap into that potential,” Furner said.

“We are supporting Queensland jobs when we eat great-tasting Queensland produce, and this project will result in more people eating quality Queensland seafood.”

Pacific Reef Fisheries proposes to construct 259 one-hectare aquaculture ponds, 1.5m deep on a total site area of approximately 768ha.

NEWS

In-shell pasteurisation reintroducing eggs into commercial kitchens F

ood safety is always of the upmost priority in the hospitality trade, however something as simple as an unsafe egg anywhere in a food preparation area can put an entire business at risk.

A single egg with salmonella can contaminate work surfaces as far away as 40cm, leaving bacteria that persist for 24 hours. Australia has the highest incident rate of salmonella outbreaks in the developed world and most of those occurrences arise from the mishandling of eggs within the supply chain.

Commercial kitchens who work with or use egg products are at financial and reputational risk, with restaurateurs, caterers and food service suppliers, potentially exposing

customers, aged care residents, hospital patients and tourists to the risks of preventable food poisoning.

While food-borne illness can affect anyone, the research found that one in three (33 per cent) Australians are especially vulnerable to foodborne illnesses caused by pathogens such as Salmonella.

“People most susceptible are the elderly, pregnant women, diabetics, people with poor nutrition, kidney or liver disease and those currently undergoing cancer treatment,” said food safety and quality consultant Gabrielle Thoreau.

“Under current legislation, food businesses must cook with and serve pasteurised products. Until now, this has meant kitchens have had to use

products such as liquid whole egg pulp, which sacrifice on flavour and culinary versatility,” says Thoreau.

However, newly available wholeegg, in-shell pasteurisation can now assure of safety against salmonella in the egg supply chain, with raw or undercooked recipe versatility.

Salmonella is only eradicated in the cooking process when eggs reach temperatures in excess of 63-67˚C scrambled eggs are potentially putting their patrons as risk.

The technology used by Australian Pasteurised Eggs ensures eggs are free from risk of Salmonella by removing 99.999 per cent of the bacteria. The pasteurised eggs extend shelf life to 90 days while also preserving the full flavour, texture and appearance.

Pasteurisation protects eggs against Salmonella.

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Editorial credit: / Shutterstock.com

DOING BUSINESS IN ASIA

Two to tango: The AustraliaAlibaba relationship With more than 650 million customers in China alone, Alibaba needs a good food supply. Australia is the perfect starting point. Mike Wheeler explains why both need each other.

B

eing employee number 48 in one of the biggest online retail channels on the planet that employees more than 100,000 people worldwide, means people sit up and listen when you have something to say. And Maggie Zhou has a lot of interesting things to say when it comes to China-based Alibaba making inroads into the Australian food market.

With revenue of $57 billion and climbing, the Zhejiang-based company knows that Australia and New Zealand both play an important part in the future of Asian food supply, thus

"Alibaba sees great opportunities for Australian products and the food that it produces,” she said. “Events like the Global Food Forum are very important [so we can] share knowledge and work together to work out the challenges that we come across in the industry." sending big hitter Zhou to set up the Australasian operation in early 2017.

Zhou is quick to point out that Alibaba has more than 654 million active consumers in China and that number is growing year by year.

18 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

To put things in perspective, when current Alibaba CEO, Daniel Zhang, was running Tmall, the largest B2C platform in China, he created the 11.11 Global Shopping Festival. This annual sales event ended up having three

times the gross sales of Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined.

It is these types of numbers that should make Australasian farmers, food processors, food and beverage packaging specialists, and other interested third parties stand up and take notice. While hosting a lunch table at the Global Food Forum, Zhou made it clear that Alibaba’s ambitions, along with those of the Australian food and beverage sector, are similar.

“Alibaba sees great opportunities for Australian products and food that it produces,” she said. “Events like the Global Food Forum are

DOING BUSINESS IN ASIA

"Year on year growth for wine is 33 per cent compared with the French wine,” she said. “This growth is due to the Chinese middleclass consumer, which now number more than 300 million and is still growing. It’s an amazing opportunity for Australian exporters."

very important [so we can] share knowledge and work together to work out the challenges that we come across in the industry.”

The Chinese Consumer Equation

Maggie Zhou points out that Alibaba has more than 654 million consumers in China. stores on the Chinese mainland, as well as distribution centres. The company has also invested in the RTMart Fresh supermarket chain. As the name suggests, fresh produce is also big on the Chinese consumer’s “must-have” list. “Today, in China, many Chinese love Australian food, especially fresh food,” Zhou said.

technology in an attempt to curb food fraud. While visiting New Zealand and Australia in 2018, CEO Zhang

announced that the world’s biggest dairy exporter, New Zealand’s Fonterra, and Blackmores and launched a pilot order through Alibaba’s Food Trust Framework. This was done via Tmall Global, a cross-border trade platform under Alibaba’s Tmall, which was sponsoring an initiative that, again, uses blockchain technology to improve supply chain traceability.

While all these initiatives put the Australian food and beverage products in a good light, there are some common mistakes made when dealing with China – easily avoidable ones.

One being, that just because from an economies of scale point of view the Chinese market is huge, don’t bet on getting even a small slice of the pie if you haven’t done your homework.

Because, even though a minute piece of China’s ever-increasing 300 million

Jack Ma said that Australia’s clean green image is important to Chinese consumers.

The Importance of traceability As well as Australian food standards being a beacon of light when it comes to trustworthiness of a product, traceability is something that Chinese consumers take seriously. In March 2017, Alibaba signed an MoU with vitamin supplier Blackmores, and Australian Post, to establish a pilot program that uses blockchain

Editorial credit: / Shutterstock.com

Founded in 1999 by Jack Ma and his 17 co-founders, Alibaba has transformed the way how business is conducted by empowering small to medium enterprises with the technology infrastructure and marketing reach they might not otherwise have if left to their own devices.

“Ninety-five per cent of Chinese businesses are SMEs,” said Zhou.

“Our mission has never changed from the beginning, which is; to make doing business easy, anywhere.

We still believe that – to make business easy anywhere – but now, over the past 10 years, this includes in the digital arena.”

So, what are Chinese consumers looking for in Australian goods when it comes to the food and beverage industry?

“Australia has a very strong image as clean and safe. When Jack (Alibaba founder Jack Ma) was in Australia and New Zealand two years ago, he mentioned the clean and green image,” said Zhou. “Clean water. Clean air and clean soil. While mining may be big business, it is those three things – the environment – that is our treasure. All the things that are related to eating, drinking, what you put on your skin – there is a huge demand for these things from the Chinese consumer. We can see big and potential growth for food. The market for baby formula and vitamins is also very strong.”

Within the beverage sector, Zhou is seeing huge growth for Chinese citizens wanting Australian wines.

“Year on year growth for wine is 33 per cent compared with the French wine,” she said. “This growth is due to the Chinese middle-class consumer, which now number more than 300 million and is still growing.

It’s an amazing opportunity for Australian exporters. Australian wine going to China has zero duty due to the International Trade Agreement between the two countries.”

Alibaba knows that the Chinese demand for such products means they have had to invest in brick and mortar

www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 19

DOING BUSINESS IN ASIA

The future of digital retail Unsurprisingly, Alibaba takes a collective approach when it comes to measuring success.

“I was just back from our top management meeting,” said Zhou.

“This year, we decided we’d go from our synergy mantra to one of unity.

That we are all in it together – like one brain; thinking in terms of strategy and execution. We want to bring more power to the suppliers and producers outside of China into our ecosystem.”

Just how important can Alibaba be to the Australasian food and beverage industry? Its long-term strategic plan says it all – “Alibaba’s long-term goal is to serve two billion consumers around the world and support 10 million businesses to operate profitably”.

The company intends to do this by using three key initiatives:

Tmall is the largest B2C platform in China.

Editorial credit: / Shutterstock.com

middle-class can have financial benefits for a SME trying to make headway, it will come to nothing if you don’t do the research.

“Some of the mistakes the brand owner might think, ‘oh, Alibaba is big enough to launch my product’. You need team work,” said Zhou. “You need that to work in China. You also need to have a strong commitment to the Chinese market. You need to find a partner in China, but you also have to have your own team to work in China as well as Alibaba.”

The other thing a potential exporter needs to realise that just because a brand is strong in Australia, doesn’t mean it will be good in China.

Chinese consumers have tastes that are completely different from the mainly European-dominated taste palettes from Australia. They need to understand the market better and decide what kind of products might be suitable for the Chinese market. Maybe find out about Chinese consumer habits before going into the market.

Also, packaging is very important “Australians sometimes think ‘I’ll send a food gift to my friend’, and give it ugly packaging,” said Zhou. “Packaging is very important.

When people start working with us, they already think in terms of great packaging.”

One reason Alibaba is part of a lot of Expos both in Australia and overseas is to incubate SMEs in order to get brand awareness out in the marketplace. These Expos expose the brands to Chinese merchandisers. Zhou is explicit in the term, merchandiser, not daigou. globalisation of its brand; giving China’s 590 million rural citizens greater access to high-quality goods; and a data strategy that incorporates data technology as opposed to information technology. In other words, embracing Big Data and cloud computing. Zhou said there is a sizable sector of Chinese consumers who are embracing prepacked meals.

Besides vitamins, Chinese consumers want cereals, snacks and healthy foods, she said.

“They want to try things, so they want products in small packages initially,” said Zhou. “Chinese consumers want to experience the taste first. Many people might follow a trend, maybe they don’t know much about a particular product, but their colleague might tell them it is very good. Then the whole team will follow their advice.”

One reason Alibaba is part of a

20 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

lot of Expos both in Australia and overseas is to incubate SMEs in order to get brand awareness out in the marketplace. These Expos expose the brands to Chinese merchandisers.

Zhou is explicit in the term, merchandiser, not “daigou”, who are the Australian-based personal shoppers for Chinese clients.

“That is why we had expos in Melbourne and Sydney,” she said.

“We had over 150 exhibitors – mainly small- to medium-sized brands. That is why expos are important. When it comes to vitamins for example, even companies like Blackmores and Suisse need to get their new products into the expo. The Chinese community that live here – we call them merchandisers, not daigou. We think of daigou as those who simply deliver products from Australia to China. A merchandiser, however, is more professional. They tell the story

behind the brand and can reach the Chinese consumer better.”

Zhou believes there are still many different digital strategies that need to be explored. Its Taobao Global platform is but one.

“Taobao Global is a portal for those merchandisers who are doing live streaming and tells the story behind a brand,” she said. “One live streaming product – in just one hour – attracted 2.4 million viewers.

This is very helpful in incubating the brand awareness and working in local ecosystems.” And if brands, SMEs and anybody else is trying to figure out the end-game of where Alibaba is heading, a paragraph in its corporate overview sums it up.

“The consumer retail industry is experiencing radical disruption driven by digital technology. We believe e-commerce will be replaced

by New Retail where the distinction between online and offline retail becomes obsolete. We have been driving the development of New Retail with the vision of delivering true convergence of the online and offline consumer experience through mobile and enterprise technology.”

In other words, Alibaba is at the cutting edge, and not only intends on staying there, but leading the way. F

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

What’s next for barcode technologies?

GS1 Australia is celebrating its 40th year, and in doing so it recently held the Nexus 2019 conference at Sydney’s International Convention Centre and Melbourne’s Exhibition and Convention Centre.

GS1’s Nexus 2019 Conference brought together people who wanted to know the future of barcode technology.

O

ver the past few years, with the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0, data has been at the forefront of a lot of thought processes when it comes to smart factories and new products. If there is one thing GS1 knows about, it’s data. That is the raison d’etre of the standards bearer. After all, it was at the forefront of the barcode revolution. So what of the future?

A keynote speaker at the company’s Nexus 2019 Conference, was the not-for-profit organisation’s global chief solutions and innovation officer, Robert Beideman, who

spoke about the importance of new technologies and where the likes of barcodes and/or their future iterations stand.

GS1 standards are the link between technology and business.

Beideman believes that at the core of every consumer interaction is data. He also believes that a lot of companies are struggling to know what to do with all this information.

As the video shown before his speech stated – “anything that can be connected will be connected” and “the identification of everything, makes anything possible”. Unique

22 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

identification – something becoming more critical when it comes to food and beverage traceability, especially in emerging lucrative markets – is at the forefront of the latest moves towards digitisation and how it affects the consumer experience.

Technology, disruption and the supply chain were the main themes Beideman wanted to talk about.

“This conference is about what we can do to solve the problems that we all have together. Whatever those problems might be,” he said.

“Part of what we do with GS1 globally is take a look and scan the

horizon. We work with GS1 Australia, with 113 GS1 member organisations around the world. These are country organisations that represent industry all around the world.”

He said, that what GS1 was concentrating on at the moment was looking at the major business problems that were facing everyone and prioritising them. Only then, said Beideman, is it possible to look at the technologies that might come to the fore and help solve the most pressing issues. He said the first thing people have to look at is data security and privacy.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

“It is a $200 billion industry already,” he said. “This means we have the opportunity to do better when it comes to the amount of data we consume, that we share across enterprise, or we share with our trading partners. It is a huge trend – data security and privacy. Who owns what data?”

He said a side-effect of this, especially in the food and beverage industry, is issues around traceability.

Standards for traceability have been around for more than a decade. He said that every so often there was a push for supply chains to do better with traceability, but it has never really taken hold – it has never become true end-to-end traceability.

“Until now,” said Beideman.

“Regulatory drivers. Consumer drivers. People want to know where the stuff they buy is coming from.

Where it has been? What it is made of? These business drivers are on the rise. There are things we have to do as an industry to address them.”

Beideman sees this as a huge opportunity for businesses, especially if the visibility, history and movement of goods is improved.

He added that there are a couple more pieces to the supply chain puzzle. Sustainability and the two-worded latest buzzword phrase “circular economy” as it relates to recycling. It also includes, he said, fair trade initiatives.

“With all these business challenges and issues arising every day, how do you prioritise?” he said.

“What do you spend money on? But there are massive opportunities to serve customers more efficiently.

And the list goes on. What about on-demand logistics services? I recently saw a video of an airship where drones were flying out of it and dropping off packages to people.”

He reiterated that the work needed was both Business to Consumer (B2C) and Business to Business (B2B). Streamlining processes, reducing transit times and warehousing and carrying costs – these are all business challenges that companies are being faced with every day.

“Then, there is the trend of automation and everything getting smarter,” he said. “You have smart cities, smart factories, smart homes

"The value chain goes further upstream these days, to include growers and farmers, and it goes further downstream past the point of sale to the use of products and to the end of their life,” he said. “The value chains of today are far more complex than the traditional supply chains of yesterday." and you have smart health. I’m not sure everything is getting smarter, but there is absolutely more data being generated.” And the challenge, said Beideman, is; how do companies adapt to these changes?

“I mean, when refrigerators know how to place an orders for food, how do we react?” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you are a retailer, a brand or a transport company, you need to consider how this future impacts on your business.”

He said that another trend that was starting to gain traction, was bespoke products and services – drugs, food, vitamins.

“How do we react as an industry?” said Biederman. “This is up to individual companies to solve, but they are things that we need to talk about.” GS1 Australia can provide some insights into the technologies that are available. This is also true of the value chain that it considers as it builds up standards with industry to remove costs and create better experiences to help companies sell more products.

“The value chain goes further upstream these days, to include growers and farmers, and it goes further downstream past the point of sale to the use of products and to the

end of their life,” he said. “The value chains of today are far more complex than the traditional supply chains of yesterday.”

After GS1 looked at business trends, it looked at how technology could help. Put simply, IoT-enabled products create data and that enables the development of applications across industry, according to Beideman.

“Whether it is machine optimisation, smart industrial applications, or warehousing or logistics applications, sensors are becoming cheaper and more abundant and the data they are generating has the opportunity to help users address the aforementioned business challenges,” said Beideman. “But harnessing that data and making it useful for you is the challenge. Most of it is unstructured and not defined, and most of it is not standard.”

He feels that the better the standards can be mashed together, the better everybody will be. He

GS1’s Robert Beideman said that bespoke products and services are on the rise. www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 23

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

said that Artificial Intelligence (AI)and the IoT create sets of data and knowledge and allow people and companies to take information from it – useful insights into whatever a company has to do. However, he said for AI to be something that helps solve business challenges, massive sets of data are required.

“Data that you understand the meaning of,” he said, “is essential. There is a massive trend out there in every industry in the world for data to become more readily available and easier to comprehend by machines. Everybody’s websites can be better than they are by using standards.

It is the simplest thing in the world, but not something we have properly thought about. Not even if you are the representative of the IT team in your organisation. The more data we can put out there for consumption by machines, the easier it will be to solve those big business issues.”

He also said to be careful using blockchain as a blockchain is only as good as the data and information that is contained within it.

“If the information you have in it isn’t accurate or of good quality, all you have in your blockchain ledger is the ability to share bad data really well,” he said. “That is not helpful. Get the foundation right, and layer the technology on top of it, and solve your business problems.”

What GS1 has ended up doing is taking all of these technology enablers, and mapped them against business trends.

“We have released a report that is unique, in that I have never seen this done before,” said Beideman. “Truly mapping technology enablers to business trends as it relates to supply chains. So anyone – whether you are in the logistics space, part of the supply chain, or a manufacturer, the contents of this report can be helpful for you prioritising the technology investigations that you choose to do, or how to map them into the business challenges you are faced with solving.”

He said that GS1 sees a future where every retailer can verify every product that every brand makes, automatically. Where every retailer can connect to brand-authorised data about every product automatically and globally. Where every consumer can engage with every product in a way that generates added value back to the trading partner’s supply chain. Or every product that is made, can be a source of data back into a manufacturer’s enterprise.

“You can learn about what happens as it leaves your production line,” said Beideman. “But every product can also be a source of data back into every retailer on which that product sits on shelf.

And imagine all that can happen while lowering costs and removing friction across supply chains.”

Beideman said it sounds like an impossible task, but he said GS1 is trying to do four things to bring that future closer to life.

The first, he said, is that they are developing a registry platform – a global, thin, neutral registry – of all the things that have identification based

"You can learn about what happens as it leaves your production line." on GS1 standards. This means that anything that has a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) on it, anything that has a barcode on it, will have the opportunity to be registered in this global, neutral, not-for-profit platform with some basic, simple attribution that raise the visibility of the smallest of the small business products.

“Number two, is making things into sources of data,” said Beideman. “There’s a standard out there that now bridges the physical and digital world of commerce that allows you to put a single barcode on a package that works and goes beep at the checkout, but also works on two billion mobile phones. There is work going on in Australia called data-embedded barcodes where we are investigating what is the right way to take the next steps are in terms of volume-pack barcoding. But one thing is essential – if we want two billion consumers out there to scan and read the stuff we make or sell, you have to bridge the physical and digital worlds much more effectively than we have.” Then there are the web pages.

Beideman believes companies are really good at making web pages that enable people to add items to carts and checkout and have things delivered.

But he believes that companies are bad at making websites that are easily consumed by Google, Yahoo, Yandex and Bing – the largest search engines of the world.

“It turns out the keys to the castle when it comes to data on the web,” he said, “is to know there are standards for that. How to define and describe products online in a way that has no impact on how your consumer sees your web page, but have a massive positive impact on the visibility and availability of your products. It’s called the GS1 Web Vocabulary. It’s really a little-known secret. Being able to supply accurate, structured data about products on your web pages changes the game. And there are standards for it.”

The final point Beideman wanted to make, is only a suggestion, he said.

“Think about how devices that talk to you – like Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri – are changing the game when it comes to things like buying decisions,” he said. “It’s starting now with a conversation with an electronic device. How are you going to adapt to that in your business?

How are you going to ensure that your company is going to have a voice? That’s something to think about. Because right now, there is a world filling up with companies that own the microphones in your home and in your pocket via your mobile phone. And if you are a retailer, a brand, a transport organisation – how do you connect into those ecosystems. Or better yet, how do we figure out a way to make it open and balanced and neutral? F

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www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 25

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

RouteOptimiser’s streamlined processes saves time and money Manual delivery routes were costing SEQ time and money. A solution was found that also had other added benefits. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

Keeping good relations with its customers was one reason SEQ Ice Cream used PTV’s software solution.

D

elivering ice cream in tropical Queensland is not without its challenges. In a climate with an average year-round temperature of 29˚C, ice cream is an in-demand commodity. An efficient and reliable distribution network is key in the delivery of this product.

With more than 1,600 customers – ranging from petrol and convenient

stores to supermarkets and leisure centres, covering over 150 postcodes and a fleet of 13 vehicles – SEQ Ice Cream was searching for a new way to map their routes in order to improve efficiency and increase customerdriver face time.

Don Mackaness, Distributor, SEQ Ice Cream, said that much of the business had previously been run

Unilever is the parent company of SEQ Ice Cream.

26 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

manually and was using knowledge rather than system-driven processes.

“We had some staff turnover, and we quickly realised that we lost the ability to retain the knowledge they had about the business, because we were more human process driven than system driven,” he said. “We needed to look at the bigger picture – to look at the whole system and work out how we could become more efficient.”

With this in mind, SEQ Ice Cream approached route optimisation software provider, PTV, to implement a new solution for planning and scheduling.

With PTV on board, the first step was to take 10 months of sales data and model it in RouteOptimiser.

“Historically, we would have done this manually by looking at maps. With PTV we managed to analyse all of the data in two days,” said Mackaness.

For SEQ, a priority was to ensure that a majority of the drivers were able to keep the same customers they had before the re-route, while also making the routes more efficient.

“In our brief to PTV, we wanted to keep good relationships with our customers. We were thrilled when we were able to ensure that 80 per cent of our trips kept the same driver even after the re-route – this was a big win for us,” said Mackaness. “One of the major gains in this exercise was for our drivers to stick to their original customers as much as possible.”

Once SEQ got to know the system and its benefits, Mackaness started to recognise the gains in efficiency that could be had.

“Due to the growth of our business, we had some imbalance in our routes. By looking at this data we could start the whole route from scratch.”

This is backed up by SEQ’s logistics manager, Shaun Chandler, who was pleased at how the system allowed him to figure out new routes.

“We have done some re-routing using it,” said Chandler. “This system allows me to see our entire customer base on a map of Brisbane. In doing that, I can easily plot new boundaries

SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

RouteOptimiser has taken the manual process out of making new routes.

and create new territories and new runs because I can see where the customers are.”

“The initial re-route had great results, it worked straight away. Our re-routing exercise kicked off in May last year and we have been fine-tuning it since then,” said Mackaness. “Using smart tools, we created a system that is 90-95 per cent correct. Now we’re looking at the bigger picture and the seasonal data for stage two.”

The first 10-month data analysis is really the first step for SEQ. “We are now at stage two, where we have asked our drivers to report back every day with their knowledge about traffic flow, route efficiency etc. – this will enable us to know exactly what is going on every day,” said Mackaness.

For Mackaness, the solution is two-fold. “We have the smart tools, but also we want the knowledge and information from our drivers, which is what we are continuing to collect.”

Mackaness said that route optimisation is about giving his drivers as much time with the customer as possible. For SEQ, this is the first step in the right direction.

“I always knew this isn’t an overnight success, this is only as good as the information you put in,” said Mackaness. “By finishing this initial exercise with PTV, we’re 30-40 per cent there already. The next level of detail is how long we spend with customers and making sure that all our customer data is correct.

“Our drivers have confidence in the system and its abilities and we are looking forward to planning more

efficient trips and spending more time with our customers.”

Mackaness is happy with how the optimisation is going so far. The fact that PTV were able to do a full strategic review of SEQ’s operation in a matter of days was invaluable to SEQ and its ability to improve the efficiency and time spent with customers.

“The initial re-route has had great results already, and now we’re fine-tuning and working closely with PTV to optimise our service offerings even further.”

Chandler said that some of that fine-tuning is saving time and money in other ways.

“With all that data, it gives me the kilometres travelled on that route,” said Chandler. “It also gives me a total of the value of their delivery day. It pulls that data in from across our sales program. Not only can I try and even up kilometres that have been travelled and the number of drops, I can also look at the dollar value in the day. It allows me to even that up as well.

“For example, if I compare two runs and they both have 10 deliveries to do that day, that looks even without knowing the dollar value. If you look at the dollar value, one of those routes may equate to $5,000 while the other is $10,000. Obviously, they are doing the same number of drops, but one might be twice as big and they have a lot more to unload per drop. It allows me to see immediately three or four different criteria to even the efficiencies up. Before, we had to do that type of procedure manually.” F www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 27

MANUFACTURING STRATEGIES

Building reputable businesses that connect with others For companies working in a fast-paced environment where clients expect equipment in short timeframes, there is a need for partnerships that provide the right solution, quickly. Miri Schroeter writes.

R

eputation can lead to failure or success. And in a world where many speak about negative experiences more than positive ones, a company needs to hold a good name among industry.

As a part of sustaining a reputable business, PwC stated in a survey – What drives a company’s success?

– that companies were more likely to succeed if they had a clear understanding of their own business.

The survey shows that companies find it harder to understand their own strengths than to understand their customers. By knowing themselves well, and leveraging their distinctive strengths to build a clear identity, companies can outperform their peers. But many companies aren’t basing their strategies on this insight, the study found. In fact, companies have widely divergent views on how

"ifm supplies the network of controls to allow us to drive things. You don’t have to wire a single wire through a device. You add to it as well. That’s what I like about ASI – it’s always able to grow." ifm products help build conveyor and automation systems. to develop strategy, despite evidence that a capabilities-driven approach delivers the best returns. Additionally, companies with a clear identity – standing for something unique and ifm knows the right equipment that needs to be put in place.

28 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

consistent over time – tend to perform better than others.

The survey, which included 720 participants, identified what people recognised as key strategies for success. The most important drivers of success for the world’s 105 largest companies include having a coherent business strategy where everything the company does points in the same direction. It is also important that of products and services perfectly fit together and support a company’s value proposition.

Successful companies are also deemed to be agile, fast-moving innovators that stay one step ahead of challenges. ifm’s clear business strategy, and its commitment to putting customers’ requirements first, are among the reasons engineering solutions provider, Agito, chooses to work with the company. ifm sells sensors, safety systems, light curtains and other products to Agito so it can fulfil its projects, which include building conveyor systems, PLC control equipment and automation systems.

Agito managing director Michael Musca said he prefers to work with ifm because the ifm team is takes time to look at a company’s needs. “They care about us and they actually care

about what they do. They answer the phone, they provide good services and they are invested in what we are doing.

“They need to understand what we are doing to be able to sell the right equipment to us. They make the right suggestions for new equipment they have because they know what we are about.

“That’s important because if you don’t know what’s available, you might just do what you’ve always done. Sometimes, for example, buying new products can be more cost effective,” said Musca.

He said ifm’s service and support differentiates them from companies that offer similar products.

“They’ve got a good system in place to get the phone answered every time and the people care and are interested.”

Agito uses ifm’s AS-Interface (ASI) system, which allows devices to communicate.

“It’s simple and the installation takes is a lot less time when compared with other systems. We have halved the installation time. “ifm supplies the network of controls to allow us to drive things.

You don’t have to wire a single wire through a device. You add to it as well. That’s what I like about ASI – it’s always able to grow.

“Other systems can be more expensive,” said Musca.

MANUFACTURING STRATEGIES

Agito has used the ASI system for many applications, including in food manufacturing facilities and in airport motor control systems. The ASI system includes inductive dual sensors for position detection on valve actuators, position feedback for single and double seat valves and

for diaphragm valves, and inductive sensors for use in machine tools.

Agito builds specialty machines such as robotics or PLC control equipment. The company works predominantly in the food and beverage industry on projects such as conveyor systems for bakeries and

Agito uses ifm sensors and other products in its factory.

ifm equipment is used in applications in the food industry.

soft drinks manufacturers.

“We build new equipment. We design it and decide which products to use. ifm’s products are easy to use, provided that people have a bit of training. Nothing is simple in electronics.”

While Agito trains its staff

in-house, ifm is also able to provide training to customers. The company offers internal and external seminars and presentations about individual devices or whole product groups.

All documents about system documentation are also available as a download. F

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www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 29

FOOD PROCESSING

Steel belts offer versatility for the food industry Steel belts can be used across a range of food production processes. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

S

teel belts were first used for conveying food in 1925 when a carbon steel belt was installed in an oven to enable continuous baking.

Six years later, the arrival of the stainless-steel belt opened the door to hundreds of more hygiene-critical applications across the food industry.

The company behind both technical breakthroughs was IPCO. IPCO is now an independent company owned by FAM AB, part of the Swedish-based Wallenberg group.

The company has 600 employees; production facilities in America, Asia and Europe; more than 35 sales and service offices around the world and annual sales in excess of $368 million.

Hygienic processing on IPCO steel conveyors Steel conveyor belts can be produced in solid or perforated form, in carbon or stainless steel, and to virtually any length or width. They are strong, stable and durable, and a flat, smooth surface enables, fast, easy and efficient cleaning for the highest standards of hygiene.

They are used across applications ranging from simple conveying to the processing of fish, meat, poultry, fruit, vegetables, coffee, tea, confectionery, baked goods, pet foods and more.

For some of these applications, thermal properties are key. No other material can be used across a range of processes, maintaining their strength and flexibility at operating temperatures from minus 80°C to +750°C. Applications include freezing, cooling, steaming, solidifying, drying and baking, and the ability of the steel belt to conduct heat quickly and efficiently is a major benefit.

"The steel belt’s inherent stability, durability and resistance to stretching means it can deliver a long working life, in many cases 20 years or more."

This is a challenging environment and bake oven belts have to be able to withstand extraordinary stresses.

They are tensioned, tracked, heated up, cooled down, and turned around rollers thousands of times a day. And every single steel belt includes a welded joint that has to be just as capable of withstanding this treatment as the belt material itself.

However, the steel belt’s inherent stability, durability and resistance to stretching means it can deliver a long

Bake oven belts Bakeries are another area in which steel belts are used for production. In this instance, the belts are carbon steel, rather than the stainless used in most food processing applications.

30 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

working life, in many cases 20 years or more.

The solid surface provides a crisp base that cannot be achieved on any other conveying medium, and its hard, smooth quality delivers a clean product release. Whether solid or perforated, a steel belt stays flat, keeps its shape and offers excellent thermal conductivity. Products as varied as pizza bases, granola bars, biscuits, cakes, macaroons and brownies can all be baked on a steel belt.

IPCO has a large range of steel belts designed for the food industry.

Steel belts were first introduced into the food industry in 1925.

One benefit not always recognised about steel belts is their energy efficiency. Solid-steel belts are lighter than wire mesh – perforated steel belts lighter still – and so cost up to 30 per cent less to heat. Each time the belt exits the baking chamber, it begins to cool and has to be heated up again, so the savings are continuous. As much of 25 per cent of an oven’s energy consumption is needed to heat the belt, so the savings can be considerable.

Conveying and cooling The most basic application is simple conveying, where the qualities of stainless steel – chemical and bacterial neutrality, inherent inertness, and ease of sanitising – make it a good choice for the transportation of chocolate and other bulk ingredients.

Wear-resistance is a useful quality when considering materials like sugar, whose abrasive properties mean rubber or plastic belts are often unsuitable, not only due to a limited lifespan, but also because of the risk of contamination by

FOOD PROCESSING

rubber fragments. For applications such as meat cutting and tomato sorting, durability and resistance to damage caused by corrosion or impact are other important factors.

In terms of cooling, products typically processed on steel-belt coolers include caramel, chocolate chips/pastilles, hard melt candy, nougat, nut brittle and more. In each case, the product is applied to the belt as a melt, either through casting or drop depositing, and solidified as it passes through a cooling tunnel.

In the case of chocolate, the heat of the melt is transferred to cooling air blown onto the product and to the belt itself. For products less sensitive to humidity, chilled cooling water can be sprayed against the underside of the belt, and the excellent thermal conductivity of the belt transfers the heat from product to coolant, delivering fast, controlled solidification.

For others, it is the inherent durability of stainless steel that makes these belts the right investment decision. Far more resistant to damage by corrosion, abrasion or impact than any other belt type, a stainless-steel conveyor provides the ideal long-term solution for potentially aggressive

applications, such as sugar conveying or meat boning plants.

Full Range of conveyor components This process expertise puts IPCO in the position to support equipment manufacturers and end users in the design of conveyor systems. As well as supplying steel belts, the company offers a range of ancillary equipment, including graphite skid bars that optimise performance, sheaves, shafts, bearings and breakpoints.

IPCO’s conveyor accessory range also includes a selection of belt tracking controls for accurate and effective belt tracking. One example of these is the Compact Belt Tracker (CBT), a light, self-supporting device available in a range of sizes to suit belt widths from 600-3000mm.

and confectionery machine builders and end users to achieve optimum performance and reliability, and this process expertise is readily available.

As well as manufacturing steel belts for use in OEM systems, the company is able to supply every aspect of a steel belt conveying unit, including drums, tracking devices, skid bars and more. Engineers can advise on upgrade paths or optimum process layouts, and the company’s worldwide technical support

network means that installations and commissioning can be carried out quickly and efficiently.

IPCO Australia is moving to a new office The company has recently announced its relocation to a new business park in Burwood, Victoria.

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AIP

How innovators save food through sustainable packaging Not only do the PIDA awards have relevance for the food packaging industry but they help drive innovation.

O

ne of the key objectives of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), outside of providing the industry with professional packaging education and training, is to continually shine the light on individuals and companies who are making a significant difference in their field of packaging.

Recognising innovation and unique packaging development is important to the AIP as we believe that it not only acknowledges inspiring individuals and teams, but also

encourages others to be innovative.

Sadly, packaging technologists and designers often go unrecognised within their business and establishing the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA) is an external peer-reviewed and deserved industry recognition.

The PIDA Awards have been designed to recognise companies and individuals who are making a significant difference in their field across Australia and New Zealand and are coordinated by the Australian

The PIDA awards look at new packaging technologies and innovations.

32 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Institute of Packaging (AIP) and Packaging New Zealand.

A feature of the PIDA Awards is that they are the exclusive feeder program for the prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards and provide an opportunity for Australian and New Zealand companies to also be recognised on an international packaging platform. The 2019 PIDA winners, for example, will automatically be eligible for entry into the 2020 WorldStar Packaging Awards competition which will be

held alongside the largest packaging exhibition in the world Interpack in Germany.

Within the 13 award categories, there are a number of special awards that are focussed on encouraging packaging technologists to consider the issues of accessible packaging, sustainable packaging and save food packaging as everyday criteria for their packaging development.

With all of the discussions focussed on fighting food waste, and the role of packaging in minimising food waste, it is important that the industry recognises and awards companies who are working in this design area and trying to make a difference. The Save Food Packaging Design Special Award is designed to recognise companies that have developed innovative and sustainable packaging solutions that minimise food losses and food waste, extend shelf life and improve the supply of food.

A key component of the Save Food Packaging Design Special Award is to raise the profile of the critical role of packaging to reduce food waste and therefore, reduce product’s overall environmental impact. Avoiding food waste is a critical packaging issue and one that food producers, manufacturers, brand owners, retailers and consumers need to better understand. While the primary function of packaging is to protect the contents, the function of packaging to reduce food waste is rarely discussed.

The connection between packaging design and food waste needs to be discussed more openly in the industry.

From field to fork, there are a number of possibilities for food loss and waste to occur. It has been approximated that up to one-third of the edible food produced does not reach the fork and packaging a role to play to minimise food waste.

Opportunities for packaging design to reduce or eliminate food waste can include better facilitation or communication around portioning,

AIP expiry date/best before extensions, or better clarification and even leftover storage solutions. The packaging should also highlight a range of design factors that help to prevent food waste including mechanical protection, physical-chemical protection, resealability, easy to open, grip, dose and empty, contains the correct quantity and serving size, food safety/ freshness information, expiry date and “Best before” date, information on storage options and improved communication on packs including open, reseal, close and dispense.

The packaging should also facilitate sorting of household waste – easy to clean, separate, recycle or reuse.

The 2019 Save Food Packaging Design Special Award Finalists are Hazeldene’s Chicken Farm and Sealed Air for Cryovac Darfresh on Tray vacuum skin technology, Plantic Technologies for the Plantic RV Material that was designed for Moana seafood company and Flavour Creations for their pre-thickened Ready-to-drink (RTDs) new Dysphagia Cup and Cup Holder.

Hazeldene’s Chicken Farm and Sealed Air have been recognised for Cryovac Darfresh on Tray vacuum skin technology that has been engineered to address food

Packaging design is a key element of the PIDA awards. safety, 25 per cent extension of shelf life over the previously used Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) format and improved on-pack communication. The Hazeldene design project had included a range of design factors to reduce food waste and included the tear tap peelable top film allows for easy access to the product. The top film is tough enough to withstand possible bone puncture marks, with the serving size optimised for two people. The skin packaging format allows the pack to be frozen and thawed without product degradation and “best before” date is

clearly shown on the packaging.

Plantic Technologies have been recognised for the Plantic RV Material that was designed for Moana seafood company to be able to supply fresh fish to the online meal delivery company “My Food Bag”. The fish had to be protected to maintain freshness for home deliveries, extend the shelf life of fresh fish from the day that the fish were caught and packed until delivery to warehouse to provide Moana with greater flexibility in their production.

Flavour Creations has been recognised for their pre-thickened

ready-to-drink (RTDs) which are a shelf-stable product with 12 months shelf-life when unopened and best before dates are clearly legible, When the RTD’s are packaged in the new dysphagia cup and cup holder they are designed to reduce food wastage by enabling better motor control of the drinking process, improving grip, stability and ensuring the ability to consume the full contents.

The AIP has Best-Practice examples to showcase what true and innovative Save Food Packaging Design really looks like to help guide others. The AIP has spent the last four years developing Save Food Packaging Design guidelines that have been the foundation of the award category judging. These guidelines enable the judges to provide feedback and areas of improvement to the entrants so that they can ensure that all of the criteria are met to successfully market their packaging as unique for saving food. The longterm goal is that all Food Packaging Technologists and Designers incorporate Save Food Design guidelines as a standard practice into their NPD process. Every food manufacturer has a role to play in minimising food waste and it can start with your packaging design. F

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www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage 12/12/18 Industry 9:55 Newsam33

PACKAGING

Designed to leave nothing behind There are misconceptions about packaging and its role in the environment. Sealed Air’s Alan Adams explains why people and companies need to be better informed.

Consumers need to know how packaging contributes to a safer and less wasteful food supply chain.

W

ith the war on packaging waste, together with 2025 global packaging targets, it’s fair to say that the food packaging industry is busy finding new ways for smarter packaging.

The strong media focus on “end of life” for packaging means consumer awareness and demand for green solutions is growing, along with the increasing concerns that packaging is ending up in our landfill and oceans.

While efforts to reduce end-oflife impact are certainly critical, the significance packaging plays in protecting food and reducing food waste is often underestimated. So, as we get busy finding new smarter ways for packaging, where exactly should we be focussing?

Designing food packaging for longer product shelf life and product protection is non-negotiable.

Resources need to be optimised and end of life taken into account. Welldesigned packaging takes the full life cycle of a product into account – end of life cannot be considered in isolation of the primary role of packaging.

Reducing, reusing and recycling are great ways to make a smart difference and certainly have their uses in the greater scheme of things.

However, the best way is to embrace

the opportunity to re-design, reinvent and change the status quo.

For example, fresh proteins packed in a modified atmosphere tray lid configuration require absorbent pads to retain product purge. In fact, across ANZ’s fresh meat sector, more than 750 million soiled pads end up in landfill each year. That is a huge number. Rather than re-designing the pad to make it recyclable and therefore address ‘end of life’ concerns, a total rethink of the solution gave rise to a new sustainable way.

Sealed Air’s Cryovac HydroLoQ barrier tray is a new concept where product purge is retained by the purposefully designed cavities in the tray, thereby eliminating the need for a soaker pad. The recyclable tray offers extended product freshness and shelf life and with no soaker pad to dispose of, Cryovac HydroLoQ is designed to leave nothing behind.

Another example of re-design and reinventing is the gradual evolution from modified atmosphere packaging technology to vacuum skin technology, which offers a step change to Sealed Air’s food value chain. For example, Cryovac Darfresh is proven to at least double the shelf life of fresh red meat, enhance logistic and retail efficiencies

34 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

"Another example of re-design and reinventing is the gradual evolution from modified atmosphere packaging technology to vacuum skin technology, which offers a step change to Sealed Air’s food value chain. " and offer an enhanced consumer experience. Extended shelf life of this magnitude means less food waste, less packaging waste and it means better profits for our processors and this means better business sustainability. Not to mention, the best eating experience available.

Smart design means smart for everyone along the value chain, from processors to retailers and consumers. While down gauging (reducing) ticks one box, its benefits cannot be negated by poor operational throughput, down time and lost profits.

Cryovac OptiDure is an example where traditional barrier shrink bags have been re-engineered to use

less material, drive improved abuse resistance, and improve operational efficiency and throughput. Its leading clarity and gloss characteristics drives stronger shelf aesthetics and that means greater consumer appeal.

And once the product is opened, consumers can place the shrink bag into polyolefin recycling streams.

A holistic approach to packaging design will yield the best outcome, but a design around end of life only is a flawed approach. The noise around end of life alone should not dictate future packaging design and development.

Beyond saving food and delivering operational excellence, smart design must also take into account product and consumer safety. As we commit to including recycled content into “direct food contact” packaging, we cannot simply introduce a new recycled element into a re-design without proper validation. This is not an area of guesswork and must be validated from a regulatory perspective, ensuring it meets all necessary food law requirements.

While all of this logic may resonate across industry professionals, this is a story waiting to be told. In the minds of consumers, plastic waste is

PACKAGING

" Consumers need to understand how packaging contributes to a safer and less wasteful food supply chain. They need to know how it impacts food accessibility around the world and how it drives better business sustainability for local producers and processors." still perceived to be worse for the environment than food waste.

According to a recent survey, ANZ consumers agree that re-sealable packaging is the best way to reduce household food waste. The findings also show that packaging has a reputational impact on the supermarket. More than 45 per cent of ANZ shoppers state they would react positively to a store promoting

The Cryovac HydroLoQ – designed to eliminate the need for absorbent pads. their food items as being packaged in a way that optimises food freshness.

Now is the time for education and B2C communication. Consumers need to understand how packaging contributes to a safer and less wasteful food supply chain. They

need to know how it impacts food accessibility around the world and how it drives better business sustainability for local producers and processors. Brand owners have a role in telling this story. Without a story, consumers and non-industry

stakeholders see packaging as unnecessary, simply adding to our waste piles.

To reduce is priority, but whether we design for reduce, reuse or recycle, the full product lifecycle must be at the front of mind when

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PACKAGING

Cryovac Optidure offers processors an opportunity to reduce rework due to leaking packs. designing packaging. A smart design that yields a sustainable outcome for all of our value chain is a fail proof way of leaving our environment in a better place that which it was found.

And, that’s a stronger story we should all own.

Part of the problem is that there are a few misconceptions out in the marketplace when it comes to the sustainability of food packaging.

Sustainable packaging is often met with the perception that it is green and environmentally friendly in that it is made from renewable materials and can be recycled or is compostable. Quite often, the focus on end of life and its disposal dominates. But, there’s a missing part of this story about packaging’s primary role in keeping food fresh

"Longer shelf life and freshness allows us to consume products within a greater time period, enabling less waste. But it also goes a step further." and safe. If you consider the resource intensive nature of our food supply chain, packaging that can double shelf life offers immediate and substantial environmental benefits.

Longer shelf life and freshness allows us to consume products within a greater time period, enabling less waste. But, it also goes a step further. There are also peripheral benefits, such as not wasting the resources that surround the packaging of products, such as the water and energy required to

produce an item.

Sometimes, damaged products, or spoiled foods, have a greater environmental impact than the products that protect them. For example, the carbon footprint of 1kg of beef is nearly 400 times that of the plastic packaging used to protect it during distribution and sales.

We need to remind stakeholders that sustainable packaging involves understanding the life cycle analysis of the whole package including the product, packaging and shipping.

This is something some people do not consider when looking at the big picture. Cost sensitivity is a concern, but is often negated when processors and retailers realise the myriad of supply chain benefits.

From reduced re-work and down time through to extended shelf life and product appeal, it’s easy to see how value sells itself. Again, while the initial outcome seems obvious, if you dig a little deeper, there are other considerations that need to be taken into account.

Sealed Air just doesn’t talk the talk, it is dedicated to the 2025 pledge and its packaging targets, and it does so by strongly supporting its research and development team.

While efforts are deployed to meet targets, smart design underpins Cryovac innovation. It starts by efficient design and waste avoidance, ensuring packaging design provides efficiency and functionality.

One of the challenges is changing the mindset of the consumer. In the minds of many customers, plastic is still perceived to be worse than food waste for the environment. Let’s applaud the past three consecutive years where FMCG brands including Harvey Beef, The Bared Bird and Don KRC have been awarded gold for the Packaging that Save Food category at the Packaging Innovation and Design Awards (PIDA) using Cryovac solutions that extend shelf life and reduce waste across the supply chain. Brand owners have a great opportunity to leverage this and drive a sustainable brand story.

Sealed Air loves exciting the industry and we like to keep some things a secret. What we can say is that as we reinvent Sealed Air, we reinvent the way we make our

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PACKAGING

"Sealed Air loves exciting the industry and we like to keep some things a secret. What we can say is that as we reinvent Sealed Air, we reinvent the way we make our products and solve our customers solutions. " products and solve our customers solutions. As an industry however, we know that education at store level and across consumer brands will drive better informed consumer buying decisions and thus we should start to see brands tell this story.

As mentioned, research shows more than two in five Australian and New Zealand grocery shoppers stated they would react positively to a store promoting their food items as being packaged in a way that optimises food freshness. But what they also said was that they would react positively to a store promoting that its fresh food items are safer to eat. The reputation and image of food brands and retailers is likely to be positively enhanced by participation in educating the public about food packaging and helping them to make more environmentally friendly choices. A store or retail brand being proactive in communicating about how to reduce food waste is likely to drive favourably among consumers. F Alan Adams, Sustainability Director, Sealed Air, APAC

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www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 37 FoodBevIndNews_JunJul19_100x275_nobleed_amended.indd 1

5/21/2019 11:27:52 AM

BEVERAGE PROCESSING

Putting wine on ice Air Liquide’s Gavin Hall talks to Food & Beverage Industry News about the role gas has to play in the wine-making process.

T

he main hero and villain in the wine-making process is oxygen. Generally, the use of various gases in wine production is necessary to negate the destructive nature of oxygen. Gavin Hall, Air Liquide’s sales representative for food and wine in South Australia, said this is where his company’s expertise comes to the fore.

“The management of oxygen in all the wine making processes is paramount to the industry,” he said.

“This is because oxygen is what defines the quality of the wine and its organoleptic properties.”

Throughout the production process, the wine itself is subject to various oxidation processes. A certain degree of oxidation is necessary, but direct contact with oxygen has a detrimental effect on the quality of the final product. It is possible to

control how oxygen interacts with the wine by using a variety of different gases. All wineries have to use gases to control the intake of oxygen. These gases include nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO2) argon and sulphur dioxide.

Hall said there are eight stages in which gases are involved in the processing of wine.

Stage 1 The first stage is during the harvesting and transport of grapes from the field to vineyard/winery. In this stage, the crushed grapes start getting in contact with oxygen in the air. It is important to negate that contact but it is difficult to achieve, which is why there is a need to lower the temperature in order to slow down the oxidation process, said Hall.

“As soon as the grape juice comes in contact with oxygen, the

The management of oxygen is paramount in the production of wine.

38 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

fermentation starts, as does the oxidation process. What you want to do is lower the temperature of the grapes,” said Hall. “Because the lower the temperature the slower the oxidation process.”

In this stage CO2 is mainly used in the form of dry ice. “In Australia, compared to Europe, most wineries don’t use this cooling process due to the initial phase, they usually try to process the grapes as soon as possible,” said Hall.

Stage 2 Once the grapes are crushed, the pressing process allows for the production of clarified juice, which is transferred to different tanks to ferment. Winemakers need to displace the air from empty vessels into empty pipes before transferring the wine to ensure there is no residual oxygen.

This is called purging.

“When you need to purge the tank,” said Hall, “you utilise an inert gas to flush out the remaining liquid or air under a certain pressure.”

Nitrogen is mainly used in this stage. The process of purging is done by building slight overpressure with nitrogen in the tank, or in the pipeline. The wine maker is stopping the oxygen from coming in contact with the grape juice that has just been crushed out of the grapes.

“You are basically displacing the oxygen from the air that has already come in contact with the juice,” said Hall. “You’re using nitrogen under pressure to purge and transfer juice within the tanks.”

Stage 3 Then comes what is called tank inerting. This encompasses blanketing

BEVERAGE PROCESSING

the surface of the wine tank after the juice has been collected.

“You are blanketing the surface with a protective layer of gas during the storage, or when you are emptying the tank,” said Hall. “By doing this to the tank, you prevent oxidation.”

The gas used can be nitrogen, CO2 , or a mixture of the two.

Vintners can also use argon, but that can be a little more expensive.

In Australia, tank inerting is very important, and it is common to do it with dry ice.

“Using dry ice is preferred by winemakers because it’s practical, and they can actually see it and it’s a bit cheaper,” said Hall.

“You scoop it into the wine tank.

Because CO2 is heavier than air, it creates a layer at the bottom of the tank blanketing the wine, thus preventing oxygen contact.”

Oxygen is eliminated from the bottle before wine is filled.

Stage 4 Winemakers are constantly measuring the dissolved oxygen in the wine.

Depending on the wine being made, some vintners do what is called deoxygenation which consists of stripping out the excess oxygen that is dissolved in the wine.

“For this process you would use nitrogen,” said Hall. “By injecting nitrogen in the form of tiny bubbles into the wine, you are forcing the dissolved oxygen into the gas phase, and then the gas is vented out of the tank.”

Depending on the type of wine that is made, vintners need a certain amount of dissolved oxygen. It is one of the key criteria to produce quality wine.

Step 5 The next step, also using nitrogen, consists of mixing or homogenising.

Nitrogen is bubbled at the bottom of the tank. When the bubbles raise to the surface, they are mixing the various products together.

“That is why it is called mixing,” said Hall. “This comes into effect when wine makers need to homogenise the wine they are making.

It avoids oxygen pick up.”

Bubbling nitrogen is also used during must lifting process but this time during the fermentation. This process brings up all the dense solids that have accumulated at the bottom of the tank.

The benefit of must lifting using gas is that it saves times.

Step 6 Bottle inerting is the next step. This means that when the wine is being bottled, gas is already being used.

Like most of the other steps, it is all about minimising the amount of oxygen in the wine.

For this step, it is possible to use CO2 or nitrogen, or a mixture of both.

Every bottling line in a winery has filling machines equipped with gas injection. The decision on what type of gas is to be used depends on the type of wine that is being made.

“Most winemakers use nitrogen to apply counter pressure in the bottles to purge the oxygen before filling them with wine,” said Hall. “The oxygen is eliminated inside the bottle, then you fill them with wine.”

The second step in the bottling line is the headspace of the bottle. After the bottle has been filled, there is a gas injection point, which is filling up the headspace of the bottle after the wine has been put into the bottle.

said Hall. “Oxygen is not always bad in the winemaking process. This is a controlled situation. You’re not putting wine in contact with air, you’re injecting oxygen in micro doses. The yeast works on oxygen. The simple process of wine making is that you have the sugars in the grapes and then the sugars become alcohol, or ethanol in this case. This process is using oxygen to transform the sugars into ethanol. What you don’t want to do, is put in too much oxygen. Then the alcohol becomes oxidised. You need to control the amount of oxygen you put in the wine.”

Step 8 In the case of still wines, the CO2 level is usually adjusted before bottling, according to Hall. Winemakers can measure the level of CO2 that is dissolved in the wine and bubble

nitrogen if it is too high or dissolve CO2 if it is too low. In the case of sparkling, this adjustment is brought about to carbonisation of the wine.

“Now you have the wine that is ready,” said Hall. “Oxygen is the one that creates the magic. It is the management of oxygen that is important and you need it to be controlled at all steps of the process. It is a critical thing for winemakers. An excess of oxygen is bad. You want to avoid direct contact with air.”

If winemakers are thinking of using the gas suite offered by Air Liquide, they come in three different modalities.

For small wineries they come in gas cylinders. For medium- to large-sized installations, the gases are supplied in bulk via big tanks. For big wineries, Air Liquide can install and operate a nitrogen generator onsite. F

Step 7 Depending on the wine and oxygen level of the tank, some winemakers might use oxygen in the different steps of the winemaking process. This is called oxygen enrichment.

“The winemaker reintroduces oxygen to help maintain the yeast activity in the wine to minimise the risk of stuck fermentation and the production of undesirable sulphides,”

There are many processes wine has to go through before it is ready for consumption. www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 39

SUP P ORT I N G S P O NS O R

EXHIBITION SPACE NOW ON SALE 1ST - 3RD A P R I L 2 02 0

ME LBO U R N E CO NV ENT I O N & E XHI BI T I ON C ENT RE ASSOC IATION PA RTN ERS

SUPPLY CHAIN

How keeping track of meat leads to longer shelf life The University of Tasmania and Meat & Livestock Australia are working together to give red meat longer shelf life, and therefore less waste. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

A

ccording to the OzHarvest website, the Australian Federal government said that food waste costs the Australian economy $20 billion a year. This includes putting five million tonnes of food in landfill, and the average household’s bin waste is made up of 35 per cent of food.

The same set of figures also state that more than 710,000 Australians rely of food relief every month, with four million people experiencing some form of food insecurity.

With that in mind, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and the University of Tasmania are working together and have developed a working model for vacuum-packed beef and sheep meats. This model is being used, with near to realtime collection of temperature data, to predict and manage customer experience of red meat products.

Possibilities are also being explored to produce a visual sensor that will indicate when the shelf life of the product is near its end. It will hoped that this will avoid product waste with product no longer being discarded due to a doubtful history as the new packaging will better manage what is to be expected for the shelf life.

At the AUSPACK conference held in Melbourne, Dr Ian Jensen, the program manager, market access science and technology for Meat & Livestock Australia, explained the concept behind the new process.

“First of all, it’s about knowing the shelf life of our product,” he said.

“We send product around the world and it takes a long time to get there.

Fortunately, our product has a very long shelf life and we at MLA have done research and published studies showing that we get over 140 days of shelf life for beef, and we can get 90 days of shelf life for lamb.

“When we started this work on shelf life, one of our aims was to publish these studies because

the industry knew that they got a lot longer shelf life than what the scientific literature was admitting. In many countries around the world, they actually have prescribed maximum shelf life. There’s nothing worse than sending your product to a market and discovering that maybe you only have two weeks to sell it because the mandatory shelf life expires.”

Jensen said that there are some countries in the world where Australia cannot sea freight vacuum-packed chilled meat because exporters cannot get it there within the time of the mandatory shelf life period stated by those countries. One of the aims of the collaboration between the university and MLA, was to publish these studies as a way of getting a greater understanding by regulators in other parts of the world and, hopefully, allowing Australian meat companies to put a more realistic shelf life on their products.

“The reasons why we have a long shelf life is that you need good meat quality. Often, that means having a

"We send product around the world and it takes a long time to get there.

Fortunately, our product has a very long shelf life and we at MLA have done research and published studies showing that we get over 140 days of shelf life for beef, and we can get 90 days of shelf life for lamb." pH that’s as low as possible for red meat, having good hygiene – ie. a low microbial count – as well as good vacuum packaging with low oxygen transmission and pulling a really good vacuum,” he said. “Last, you need low temperature storage. And,

it’s this last factor that can be very variable after you have packed the product. As a meat processor, you can have looked after the first three items very effectively, and then you send your product out into the unknown.

They need to have something that will look after the shelf life of the product after it leaves their door. So as far as knowing the shelf life of a product is concerned, Australia can deliver a good quality product – vacuumpacked chilled meat – around the world, regulations notwithstanding.”

The question that MLA and the university asked themselves, was, “How can processors predict the shelf life of that product?” They needed to collect data about the temperature in supply chains and make a prediction of shelf life. The meat industry recommends that processors keep a product just a little bit below 0˚C, so it uses -0.5˚C as its reference temperature. At this temperature, meat doesn’t freeze, but it is possible to get 160 days of shelf life. As the temperature gradually increases, the

Data will help determine the shelf life of meat products in the supermarket. www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 41

SUPPLY CHAIN

shorter the shelf life. In order to make sure things are running smooth, the temperature has to measured and monitored on a regular basis.

“There are a number of brands of monitor – you need to fit them in and stick them into the USB port on your laptop or computer to get the data out,” said Jensen. “The industry routinely collects data. They put a data logger into a container when they ship product, and if there’s any doubt about the temperature control, they can download the data logger and have an argument with their shipper or their insurance company.

“If we can get the data from the data logger, then we can put the time and temperature data into the spreadsheet. We then electronically enter what the approximate initial number of bacteria are in that product, and we get a graph. The graph presents the temperature over time and we’ve interpreted that the product as packed, it’s been shipped to a port in Australia, it’s gone on a boat somewhere, and been transhipped onto another ship. We can see, for example, that a second vessel might not have had quite as good control

"We’ve got these data loggers that are able to send their data to the cloud. Some of them have quite long battery life, so we can put them into products that are going to the other end of the world, and the batteries will continue to work and data will continue to be sent to the cloud throughout the shelf life of the product. " – maybe they forgot to plug it in for a little while or something like that, and it eventually arrived at port and went into the importer’s warehouse.

On the graph, a green line shows the base of remaining shelf life. For lamb, it starts at 90 days, and so by the time it’s unpacked at the destination, there’s about 60 days shelf life remaining.

It’s possible then to add to that predictions of what happens in that particular market if you know about the temperature of that product.”

The shelf life of the product can be predicted if the temperature history is known. The University of Tasmania developed that model, the MLA validated it with products shipped around the world and around Australia, and its confident that the

42 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

model is working well. How does the MLA use this model to the manage the shelf life?

“We’re currently working in this area and I won’t say that we’ve solved everything, but we’re making some good headway in real time monitoring and getting information that supply chains could use to manage products,” said Jensen.

“We’ve got these data loggers that are able to send their data to the cloud.

Some of them have quite long battery life, so we can put them into products that are going to the other end of the world, the batteries will continue to work and data will continue to be sent to the cloud throughout the shelf life of the product. Once the boat leaves Australia, it kind of

goes into radio silence until it gets within an hour or two of arriving in its port, but then, once it goes into the warehouse and the container is unpacked, then we’re getting the data. Once it’s at the destination, it’s unpacked, it’s in a truck, it reaches a restaurant or is placed in a cold room of a supermarket, and then we’re pretty much getting the data in real time. And so we’ve been able to follow that through and that allows you to analyse the data pretty well immediately and to know what’s going on.”

He cites an example of a shipment that went from South Australia to Melbourne to Dubai that had data loggers on board. The loggers measured temperature, humidity and air pressure. Jensen carried one of the loggers around with him on an overseas trip and he knew exactly when he took off and when he landed because of the change in pressure in the plane. The devices also measure exposure to light, the motion and tipping of the box, and acceleration if a box is dropped. He said users can usually tell when the logger has been taken out of the carton because the

SUPPLY CHAIN

temperature goes from 2˚C to 22˚C in half an hour. “We did this work on several shipments and got this real-time monitoring of international supply chains,” said Jensen. “The loggers worked in the Middle East, throughout Southeast Asia, China, Europe and North America. So, there don’t seem to be too many limitations on communication. You get precise information, including temperature differences in the container from one end to the other – we saw this consistently across a number of containers.”

The reason real-time data is critical is because of the difference it can make in not only in extending its shelf life, but whether it even makes it to the shelf at all. A few years ago, MLA used a data logger that used the shelf life model. They could see that for a period of time the product was off power and got up to about 18˚C and the shelf life disappeared precipitously.

“If you get this data in real time – on a boat we can’t quite get it in real time yet – then it does allow you to take some action and phone the captain and say ‘Could you

It is critical that meat is delivered to consumers in the best condition.

send somebody down to plug that container in please?’ In our recent trial, product was unloaded at the customer warehouse and then shipped to a number of retail establishments,” said Jensen. “In one example, the temperature of the product was

around 1.5˚C to 2˚C, another around 3˚C, and another was sitting up at around 7˚C. And so, that will make a significant difference to the shelf life of the product. “In summary, we’ve worked at knowing the shelf life and looking at the long shelf life of our

vacuum packed products, predicting the shelf life using models that are fairly simple and then moving to being able to manage our shelf life in the cold chain. Hopefully, this will lead to increasing the supply of higher quality meat to the world.” F

www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 43

WASTEWATER

Enclosed DAF system still achieving excellent results When Sunfresh Salads needed a solution for its effluent discharge issues five years ago, it turned to wastewater treatment specialist Aerofloat. The system is still giving great results.

A

delaide-based Sunfresh Salads produces packaged food that can be found on leading supermarket shelves throughout Australia. The familyowned business takes respecting the environment seriously, especially when it comes to effluent discharge.

So when the company’s wastewater wasn’t up to council specifications some years ago, it called on wastewater specialists Aerofloat to find a solution.

Five years later, the Aerofloat wastewater treatment system continues to remove up to 97 per cent of fats, oils and grease and ensures a compliant effluent discharge.

Sunfresh specifically chose Aerofloat’s system over other products on the market, according to Sunfresh Salads’ HR and environmental service manager, Robert Mika.

“The AeroDAF 100 system was

Sunfresh Salads need a DAF system that would get rid of odours.

initially built as a prototype from Aerofloat’s new patented design, and we chose it for good reason,” he says.

“Many other systems that we looked at were open top tanks exposed to the external environment. The Aerofloat system was completely enclosed,

which meant there were no odours.

Being enclosed also means we have no issues with rodents and there is no visual attraction for birds on site.”

Health and safety are integral to Sunfresh Salad’s food preparation principles, and a system that The AeroDAF 100 addresses a number of wastewater issues.

44 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

allowed it to meet council effluent regulations, and was also odourless was a win-win for the company.

Michael Anderson, general manager for engineering for Aerofloat, said it is not the first time a company has installed the system for this reason.

“We completed a similar project for 4 Pines Brewing Company where the treatment plant was located about five metres away from a restaurant sitting area and bar,” said Anderson.

“In the brewery installation, we included a similar DAF to the Sunfresh Salads system and vented every pipeline above the building, so as to not affect those in the restaurant.”

The patented design of the AeroDAF 100 has stood the test of time, continuing to give great results.

Anderson advises companies that are thinking of investing in a new system to make sure they know what’s included and what they are getting for their money. “A recent client had been shopping around and finding highly variable pricing on the market,” he said. “I explained that a DAF is just one piece of the puzzle.

“A complete treatment system needs to address a number of factors.

For example, water needs to be averaged out, pump flows selected, pH corrected and the correct chemicals applied.”

“A critical part of the process is having good screening equipment up front and appropriately sized tanks to accommodate flow. Remember that wastewater flow and consistency varies with production. The chemical dosing to the system is essentially set-and-forget after commissioning so it’s also important to have a decent balance tank to average out the wastewater.”

“Some companies will install basic equipment and then need to call in a number of third parties – this is where is Aerofloat is different. We

WASTEWATER

have a large team that can deal with all the disciplines required to create a successful waste treatment plant that can accommodate production changes and growth.”

Mika commended the ease of use and simplicity of the installation at Sunfresh Salads and explained the wastewater treatment process in detail.

“All our waste was previously collected in grease traps which were no longer supporting our needs.

Aerofloat converted the system to allow the waste to be pumped via a rotary screen.”

“The wastewater is then discharged into a blending tank to be mixed and corrected for pH. It then flows to a balancing tank and on to the AeroDAF 100 where it is treated with coagulant and polymer. The flocculated waste particles are floated to the top of the tank and then, automatically pushed into the waste tank.”

The AeroDAF 100 system is easy to use. As Anderson explains, it is also mechanically simple, with less working parts, which lessens the chances of a breakdown.

“With our system, you push the sludge out through a conical shape from the DAF. This means that you don’t have to maintain complex

scraping chains. It also means we can manufacture the DAF more economically.”

“Depending on the project, we can offer our patented design or traditional scraper DAFs. We decide on the best fit for the client’s needs following a thorough assessment,” Anderson continued.

As food and beverage companies grow they tend to create more wastewater. So, how often does a company need to revise its wastewater plant?

“Higher wastewater flow means more pressure on existing systems and companies are therefore at increased risk of facing council water compliancy issues.”

“If the authority is happy with the wastewater amount and effluent quality being produced, then the company won’t have any issues.

However, once the facility starts to grow, or the equipment they have installed isn’t working properly, then everything must be reviewed.”

“There are subtle signs that things might be going wrong. Often a system appears to be working but is at high risk at not being able to sustain the flow or discharge requirements.”

Aerofloat’s flexible designs allow companies to expand, change and grow and the company’s engineers can simply enhance or add technology to the existing system as required.

Custom designed solutions that apply patented technology in combination with other cuttingedge products, means Aerofloat is equipped to address a range of

wastewater treatment needs in the industry. The long-term success of the innovative AeroDAF 100 design over time has been demonstrated repeatedly since its inception five years ago.

Sunfresh Salads look forward to ongoing growth in the future and are confident that its wastewater needs will be met with Aerofloat’s technology on hand. F Aerofloat can decide on what DAF system fits best.

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+61 2 9698 1292 www.ptvgroup.com www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 45

FOODTECH 2019

Digital technology a main focus at this year’s QLD FoodTech FoodTech promises to be an eye-opener for new technologies that are infiltrating the food industry.

Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

FoodTech will cover all the latest technology trends in the food space.

Q

ueensland will open its doors on July 28 to the second edition of the FoodTech exhibition, showcasing the latest innovations in the state’s food manufacturing industry.

The exhibition, which is held every three years at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, provides exhibiting companies with the opportunity to showcase brands, products and services to key decision-makers within the industry.

The event is hosted by leading food manufacturing trade show, FoodPro, through Diversified Communications Australia (DivCom) from the 28-30 July.

DivCom event director for

FoodTech, Jonathon Wilczek said that the global development of technology within the industry has meant that this year’s edition of FoodTech promises to showcase the latest trends in digital technology.

“Right now globally, food and drink manufacturers are experiencing a digital shift. There are some huge efficiencies that can be gained by implementing a digital plan and the offset can be mammoth,” he said.

“This year there will be a high level of content and the exhibition stands to showcase the latest products in the market.”

One of the main areas of focus for this year’s exhibitions has been

46 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

an increased concentration on educational content through key industry workshops and seminars.

“We’ve spoken with industry about who is the best to speak at FoodTech and we’ve put together a list of the top 20 topics of interest,” Wilczek said.

Representatives from the federal government and key players in the food manufacturing industry such as the Australian Institute of Packing (AIP) will run seminars in order to encourage innovation and growth within the food manufacturing industry.

Food Factories of the Future is one of the new seminars being presented at this year’s FoodTech

which provides information on the impact digitisation can have on bottom line and also in driving operational excellence.

This coincides with the presentation of case studies which entices companies from different states to attend FoodTech due to common issues that are occurring across the industry.

“That’s why FoodTech came about – companies like to hear case studies, so we made an event for them,” Wilczek said.

“We’ve designed the event so that it suits specific needs and purposes, as a lot of issues that are occurring in Queensland are similar to those in Melbourne and Sydney.”

FOODTECH 2019

The cyclical nature of the food manufacturing industry means that the event aims to pick up on trends that have affected the market both locally and on an international scale.

This year’s increased focus on IT and digital techniques represents a growing push by the state and federal governments to compete with European food manufacturing companies – who Wilczek said are leading the way.

“The Queensland government is fully endorsing food manufacturing.

They can see that in 15-20 year’s time, if manufacturers don’t get on board the digital wave, we’re going to struggle to compete.”

“We are behind Europe and other parts of the world, so this exhibition ensures that we are still competing and, in particular, getting onto this digital idea.”

The Queensland food sector contributes more than $16.9 billion to the state’s economy and is the second most important export commodity earner.

Its close proximity to Asia-pacific markets, coupled with the quality of local produce, makes it an important industry for the government to protect against increased competition overseas.

FoodTech’s positioning in

"Right now, globally, food and drink manufacturers are experiencing a digital shift. There are some huge efficiencies that can be gained by implementing a digital plan and the offset can be mammoth."

Queensland therefore allows for ease of access from neighbouring countries as well as local residents according to Wilczek.

“A lot of our exhibitors are going through Sydney and Melbourne and we also have a lot of New Zealand and international visitors,” he said.

“We would normally struggle getting people from Queensland down [to Melbourne and Sydney], so that’s why we’ve been asked to host FoodTech in Queensland.”

The dominance of food and beverage events in Melbourne and Sydney means that FoodTech also assists in putting Queensland on the map, potentially attracting more business from both within Australia and neighbouring countries.

While FoodTech currently boasts a 42 per cent retention rate of exhibitors, more than half the stalls this year will be new, offering a range of the latest equipment and ideas to visitors.

Key players within the industry will still be present among the 140 exhibition stands this year, including Vemag Australia, Multivac, Select Equip and J.L.Lennard.

The exhibition is aiming to attract an array of companies ranging from small butchers to large-scale food manufacturers. However, an increase of SMEs entering into the industry over the last three years has seen a slight change in FoodTech’s target audience. “There are a lot of incubators popping up in Queensland due to a lot of SMEs wanting to take the next step, whether that be through networking with content manufacturing or taking the big step of setting up their own factories,” Wilczek said.

“FoodTech this year isn’t just for big companies but also SMEs. And Sunday’s content (28th July) is actually designed to be very SME focused whereas Monday will be focussed a lot more around food safety.”

FoodTech is anticipating a similar turnout to its inaugural event in 2016 given the steady number of participants within the market.

The last exhibition attracted 2,431 attendees, with a total of 136 exhibitors – numbers are expected to be replicated this year, according to Wilczek.

“The total area market size is the actual market size, hence we have kept the exhibition to the same floor level this year,” he said.

“We haven’t allowed exhibitors to go larger because we want to match exhibitors to visitors and we’re expecting around 2,300 – so that’s going to be representative of the market size.”

In terms of visitors, FoodTech is expecting to have a wide variety of occupations from a range of industries present at the event.

2016’s exhibition saw the meat, poultry and seafood industry most heavily represented, taking up 18.98 per cent of visitors, closely followed by the packaged foods industry at 15.68 per cent.

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GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY LOCAL SUPPORT www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 47

PACKAGING RECYCLING

Incorporating circular economy not as easy as it seems Some people in the food, packaging and beverage industry mistake the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) as an industry association. It’s not, according to the organisation’s CEO Brooke Donnelly.

APCO helps with the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines.

A

PCO is what is called a co-regulatory body, whose role it is to administer the Australian Packaging Covenant.

“The Australian Packaging Covenant is a regulatory framework that sits under the National Environmental Protection Measure for used packaging. It is very firmly a co-regulatory body,” said Donnelly at a speech she gave at AUSPACK 2019 in Melbourne. “If you think about product stewardship, there are a couple of ways in which you can do that. You can do it in a voluntary sense, which is the industry getting together and deciding to do something. You can do it in a co-regulatory sense, which is industry and government getting together to do something, or you can do it in a mandatory sense, which is the government telling the industry what to do. We’re in what I like to think is the nice place in the middle, where we’re working together and we’ve got a framework to work to.”

The covenant has been going for 20 years, and every five years a new strategic plan is put in place that is agreed between industry and government together. In 2016, both industry and government got together to begin looking at a new approach.

The covenant had been around for quite some time and it was struggling

to find a way to deliver effectively to industry and government on the packaging changes that needed to happen. Government and industry looked at what model could be applied – looking particularly at the circular economy.

“We had a mandate in the 2017 strategic plan to deliver the sustainable packaging pathways in Australia through a circular economy model, which is no small feat,” said Donnelly. “It’s wonderful to talk about circular economy conceptually, but it is quite difficult to deliver in an operational sense, because it does require a complete transformation of the entire packaging ecosystem.

That requires a level of collaboration and is driven through a collective impact model, which is all about shared value. If one of us doesn’t get there, none of us get there – that means you’ve got to take everybody on that journey with you. When you have 1,500 organisations and eight different governments (including states, territories and federal), that’s quite the challenge. So a co-regulatory body has a big task in terms of bringing stakeholders along the journey and getting everybody to where they need to be to be effective in this space.”

They focussed on four key areas.

One is helping with the Sustainable

48 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Packaging Guidelines (SPG), which APCO has reviewed, with the end result being a new version of the SPG due out at the end of 2019. They are also at the forefront of providing a prep tool, which is a packaging recyclability portal, that is available to all APCO members, giving them the ability to actually know that they are designing packaging that has the ability to be recycled.

The second area APCO focussed on helping businesses identify and develop operational systems required for this work. Some of the key resources in this area are about strategic partnerships – bringing together organisations that otherwise would have no alignment with each other, other than that they have a similar end of life material.

“For example, we have 1,500 organisations that represent 153 different ANSZIC codes,” she said.

“And if you can end up with an airline, a homewares company, a retailer and a pharmaceutical who, in any other sense, would probably not be having conversations – but who all have a similar material that they may need to deal with at end of life – that gives you the ability, in terms of looking at programs and options going forward, of scaling up material volumes and models that previously may not have been economically or operationally viable. That is because the limited

scope of the material available can actually be scaled up on that collective impact model.”

The third area is education.

The Australasian Recycling Label is the flagship piece of work for APCO in terms of helping industry and governments to communicate with consumers/communities about packaging and how to deal with packaging at end of life.

Finally, the fourth area is about material circularity. There’s no point recycling a piece of packaging unless it has a home to go to that has a value, said Donnelly. Material circularity is about dealing with the end market and creating a sustainable ecosystem for post-consumer recyclables.

Donnelly also touched on China’s national sword policy that reduced the amount of impurities it would allow in recycled materials coming from countries like Australia.

And this, said Donnelly, is where Australian food, beverage and other industries that rely on packaging need a change in mindset.

China’s new policy saw the value of recycled materials drop through the floor. What this did was highlight the economic impact of the decision within Australia and whether it was palatable to have that level of risk on the global market for a commodity item such as waste.

PACKAGING RECYCLING

“After much conversation among industry and government, it became obvious that that level of risk was not palatable,” said Donnelly. “So what’s our alternative? Our alternative is that we must create a domestic market and domestic opportunities for those materials to be used. Here there is a big transformation that’s required.

APCO did a report that is available on our website, and that was completed around the time the China national sword policy was announced. That was one of the key things that really drove the need to do something different to what we’ve been doing traditionally.

That coupled with the sustainable development goals and consumers’ greater awareness coming from things like ‘The War on Waste’, really drove a need to take a very different approach.”

In April 2018, APCO met with the state and federal environment ministers to discuss how APCO could support the response to these issues. Initially, the organisation went through a series of ways it could do that and it also tried to look how it could reach a target that could enable it to have something for companies to work towards.

“It was at that point that the 100 per cent target with regard to

packaging being reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025 was endorsed by every government in Australia, including federal,” said Donnelly. “We then went away and, in coordination with industry and government, we sat down and spent about six months working through what other targets and what other areas needed to be addressed to support such an audacious target. There were a range of targets that were discussed, but the consensus and the agreement in the end was around three other sub-targets that support that 100 per cent target. We talked about 70 per cent of plastic packaging being recycled or composted.”

Another target was 30 per cent average recycled content across all packaging.

“This is very much about driving the pull,” she said. “We need a pull in the market to give a home to these materials, and there’s no home if the home doesn’t have a value. Looking at recycled content is about understanding how we can get recycled content into certain material. And this is not a ‘purist version’ of bottle to bottle, this is about finding a home for materials that can be recycled across a range of activities. This conversation is very

open about what the solution can be.

“You’ll note that the target is an average recycled content, and that is because recycled content can’t go into all packaging. There are some things that it can’t go into and that is really challenging – things like pharmaceuticals, some food products – and if you’re looking at a 30 per cent recycled content target, really the focus area is about looking, initially, at your tertiary packaging and your secondary packaging. And primary packaging is something that we can look at, but not where we would be suggesting to start from a strategic viewpoint.”

The final target APCO mentioned was phasing out problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging through re-design, innovation or alternative delivery methods.

“This is a big, contentious area,” said Donnelly. “This is the whole space where people are talking about plastic-free and all these kinds of things. What’s bubbling up from this is a need to recognise that there are some packaging materials where we just shouldn’t use single-use plastics.

But here’s the thing – if you’re not going to do that, you need to have a plan on what your alternative is.

There’s no point in banning straws or balloons, and that’s what we’ve seen recently. Some councils have come out and banned things like straws and then they’ve had an issue with the disability sector, where some people need straws to consume food. We need to be working through alternative models and planned pathway for transitioning away from these materials.

“It’s not that you shouldn’t transition away from things. There are going to be some materials that are just simply too hard to recover, or not recoverable, which we can use alternative materials for, but we need to do the work and planning for what those things will be, and for that transition pathway.

“You’ll see some news pieces around people and certain industry sectors pushing back and saying we should mandate recycled content.

Well, we’ve got to agree on what recycled content is first. In this space right now, we are in a very big transition and it’s a transition that needs to be done in a considered way.

It is about making sure that we have the best possible outputs and outcomes in a considered way so that we don’t drive perverse outcomes.” F

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www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 49

FOOD TECHNOLOGY

Plastics save on wear and tear Plastic componentry have many uses in the food and beverage processing industry.

Mike Wheeler explains.

I

f you are a company that is in the business of manufacturing components for plant and machinery, it pays to do your homework on the type of material you use.

Plastic Machining Solutions is based out of South west Sydney, and director Django Rodriguez has been in the business for more than 30 years.

He knows his products inside out, and makes a lot of componentry for processing plants, especially those in the food and beverage industry.

Materials matter to him. It is the difference between a good job and a great job.

The company manufactures all conveyor components from scratch including sprockets, as well as tracking systems that people put their conveyor belts or chains onto.

“Normally, somebody will give me a drawing of what they want, I’ll tell them the material that would suit it, and I go ahead and make it,” said Rodriguez.

A lot of the products he makes are from plastic, so he turns to plastics’ specialist, E-Plas, for his materials. He has been using the company for a long time and is particular about the type of products he uses.

“We mainly use their TIVAR range, PTFE products as well as some of their superior modified plastic materials,” he said. “These products are good for sliding properties and wearing properties. This means those on the shop floor can run their conveyors

E-Plas products are popular with manufacturers due to their sliding properties.

without lubrication. There is no drag and that’s because there are special additives in some of these higher spec materials that create less wear. We use TIVAR HPV material when we manufacture conveyor tracks.

“The E-Plas product will last longer, which means there will be less downtime,” said Rodriguez. “If I was to use the normal ultra-high – just the standard ultra-high – companies would need to replace components more often because it would wear quicker.

Other types of plastics the company sources from E-Plas include oil-grade versions, which are ideal for the food industry due

Plastic Machining Solutions uses E-Plas products in a lot of the machinery it manufactures.

50 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

to their hygienic properties, and polycarbonate, Perspex and acrylic that are used as guard rails for safety reasons on some of the machines.

And it is this long-lasting aspect of these products that is the key not only to satisfying Plastic Machining Solutions as a customer of E-Plas, but also the former’s clients in turn.

And there are upsides for Rodriguez’s company, too. His tools last longer.

“Another thing I like about these products is, with the solid lubricant additive for instance, it is much easier to machine,” he said. “The tools don’t heat up as much. In fact, if you used

this material more, your tools would last longer. The appearance of the product is also high quality.”

Rodriguez jokingly said there is only one downside for him, and even that has an upside in the long run.

“The only downside for me is that I don’t get to supply my clients as often because the E-Plas material lasts longer,” he said. “However, at the end of the day, if these plastics solve their problem, they will come to me for other things. That is the idea. To have a relationship where you can get most of their work for other areas as well. It’s a very good product. I totally recommend it.” F

BELTS

Increased power rating with Poly Chain belts Not all belts are created equal. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

T

he Poly Chain GT Carbon is Gates most powerful synchronous belt, has been designed for optimum performance on high torque, low speed drives in any industrial application. This lightweight belt features increased power ratings of up to 30 per cent higher than previous constructions, while maintaining the same long service life.

Poly Chain GT Carbon belts operate on Poly Chain GT sprockets and do not require any adaptation of existing GT2 applications. The belt’s construction is based on innovative design. The body and teeth of the belt are made of a unique polyurethane compound, making the belt tough and virtually immune to abrasion and chemical attack.

The belts are ideal for washdown environments when used with Gates nickel plated or stainless steel hardware. These belts also make an excellent alternative to roller chains, requiring neither retensioning nor lubrication. Space-saving, weightsaving and money-saving, Poly Chain GT Carbon drives offer a long and reliable service life.

Its teeth and body are made of a lightweight polyurethane compound, especially blended for adhesion to the cords and fabric. The carbon fibre tensile cords provide extraordinary power carrying capacity.

Flex fatigue life of carbon is exceptional, and its high impact strength withstands shocks and surge loading.

Another in the Gates range is the Poly Chain Carbon Volt belts, which deliver very good antistatic performance. Antistatic power transmission belts are a must in volatile environments.

Power transmission belts that meet the ISO 9563 standard for static conductivity are only required to meet that level when new. As soon as the belts are in use, their antistatic

properties decrease.

These belts deliver reliable dissipation of electrostatic charges.

They are suitable on ACHE (air cooled heat exchangers) for maximum efficiency and optimum air flow. The 8GTV and 14GTV units are static conductive to ISO 9563.

They are also suitable for replacing belt and roller chain drives in explosive environments such as flour,

sugar and grain processing plants.

They are of patented static conductive construction, with their teeth and body being made of a lightweight polyurethane compound, specially blended for adhesion to the cords and fabric.

They also have a patent-pending antistatic black tooth jacket, while the carbon fibre tensile cords provide good power-carrying capacity.

The flex fatigue life of carbon is

"The belt’s construction is based on innovative design. The body and teeth of the belt are made of a unique polyurethane compound, making the belt tough and virtually immune to abrasion and chemical attack." great, and its high-impact strength withstands shocks and surge loading.

Other features of both belts include they are maintenance free, have 400 per cent greater capacity than HTD belts, with 99 per cent efficiency for life of the drive and cuts maintenance and downtime machinery. They can also reduce weight and overhung loads, have more than 120,000 possible drive combinations, are inert to most acids, chemicals and water, and have a temperature range of -54°C to +85°C F

Gates Poly Chain belt offer outstanding fatigue life. www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 51

BULK PRODUCTS

How vibratory compaction tables settle product in the packaging industry Vibration compaction tables not only compact and settle dry bulk materials, but they also help save on the bottom line, too. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

C

ompanies in the bulk packaging industry experience a range of material challenges during the packaging and filling process. These challenges include material condensing, densifying, de-airing, material settling and material packing.

During the packaging and filling process, materials become aerated.

Material that is transported in an aerated state will eventually settle and compact due to gravity or the vibration in transit.

Aerated material can compact up to 20 per cent and this results in dead space in the container.

This dead space can cause product breakage and loss, and in some cases contamination. Further, when transporting materials on a cubicmetre basis, the opportunity to fully utilise the capacity of the entire container is lost. These issues are especially common in industries that process and package, such as nuts, spices, pet food, biomass pellets, livestock feed and grains.

These issues also occur in fertiliser and cement-sand packaging and processing. The consequences of these challenges are reduced efficiency, increased operation, transport and storage costs.

VSS vibratory compaction tables are designed to compact, settle and consolidate product and dry bulk materials during the packaging and filling process. VSS vibratory compaction tables are available for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty, depending upon the specific material, application and processing facility.

VSS vibratory compaction tables are suitable for a range of applications in the bulk-packaging processing line. They flatten the cone or pile of material made from the filling station

"VSS vibratory compaction tables compact and stabilise flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), including bulk bin bags or super sacks for easier stacking and handling prior to storage or shipment." discharging into rigid structure packaging. This compacts and settles material, allowing for up to 20 per cent more material to be added to the container, utilising the full container’s capacity and protects the product from breakage, product loss and decreases the risk of contamination.

This also allows for more product to be shipped in the same amount of space, saving money for the producer and customers.

The vibratory compaction tables compact and stabilise flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), including bulk bin bags or super sacks for easier stacking and handling prior to storage or shipment.

In addition, these tables remove air bubbles from moulds, cast products and liquids (like chocolate) to improve structural integrity, surface finish and quality control.

They can also be custom designed to accurately weigh material and fill containers to the required mass. This is important when products are sold or shipped by weight.

With the correct application of vibration, the material should move up and down in the centre of the compaction table with little side

52 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

to side movement. While all VSS vibratory compaction tables utilise vertical linear vibration to achieve this “up and down” movement, each compaction application design requires the consideration of each application’s unique variables.

When designing a vibratory compaction table, variables like weight, material characteristics and structural design must be taken into consideration as it affects table design, applicable accessories and the vibration frequency necessary for the specific application.

Depending on the application, tables may be designed with a flat deck, a grid deck or a belt table.

For areas that have limited space and where height requirements are at a minimum, the compaction tables are available in low profile. For

applications that require accurate weighing and filling, VSS vibratory compaction tables can be equipped with digital scale instruments that use set points to control the start and stop of the fill device and the vibration sequence.

When choosing the correct pneumatic vibrator for the application, the required vibration frequency is largely dependent on the material density; high-frequency vibration with smaller resulting strokes is suitable for heavier material. While lower frequency vibration with its larger strokes is more suitable for lightweight materials.

These tables lower labour hours and costs for packaging and processing lines in the bulk packaging industry. F

Vibration compaction tables lower labour costs for packaging lines.

CONSUMER

Collaboration leads to organic idea The Australian Food Co believes organic food is not only good for the body, but Australia, too.

Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

I

deas change things. The Australian Food Co’s had an idea to create a range of 100 per cent Australian-certified organic food products that took into the consideration the state of the country’s climate-challenged soils.

While this looked good and sounded great on paper, ideas by themselves change nothing.

An idea needs effort to make it happen. So, together with Australia’s organic farmers, the company started work on its first product offering and, together launched a new brand, with eight chef-crafted soups into 900 stores across the country.

Using 100 per cent Australian organic produce was an Australian first. But this wasn’t just any soup.

Nor was it just another branded product. More importantly, these soups and every range to follow needed to offer more than just another option to baffle already confused consumers, in a mature and

crowded category.

From a simple idea, driven by Australian farmers’ unwavering commitment, a proposition was created, one so appealing to customers that they have bought almost half a million packs to date.

And this is just the beginning, according to Adrian Cester, CEO of Australian Food Co. The company is continuing on its journey with a growing team of Australia’s most dedicated regenerative farmers to ensure only the best organic food lands on plates, and in bowls and pantries in every household in the country.

“While we know we haven’t chosen the easy path, we are 100 per cent certain that we have chosen the right one – the one that will make a lasting difference. After all, this planet needs as many friends as it can get,” said Cester. “So far, we’ve saved 22 tonnes of healthy, organic produce from going to waste. Our

"After all, this planet needs as many friends as it can get,” said Cester. “So far, we’ve saved 22 tonnes of healthy, organic produce from going to waste. Our farming partners have harvested almost 160 tonnes of organic produce and together we’ve filled 460,000 bowls with 100 per cent Australian Organic soup." farming partners have harvested almost 160 tonnes of organic produce and together we’ve filled 460,000 bowls with 100 per cent Australian Organic soup.”

Cester said the company realises the commitment it takes to bring these products to market, from seed to harvest, manufacturer to shelf, which is why it is investing in the infrastructure that the organic farming industry needs to fully utilise their organic produce.

“We know we can’t do this alone,

but equally, we know that we can make a huge dent in the amount of organic food being wasted and have a much bigger impact,” said Cester.

“We’re investing in the machinery required to convert ‘unsellable’ fruit and vegetables into usable products for food manufacturing.”

The company believes it can grow, process, make and sell more certified organic food.

But it can only do it by working together with farmers and similar organisations. F

Australian Organic soups have come about with the harvesting of 160,000 of organic produce. www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 53

CONSUMER

Tool measures consumer reaction to food launch Megan Stanton, senior analyst at Mintel Purchase Intelligence and Mintel Food and Drink, gives the run down on a new tool that measures how consumers react to new products that the company has launched.

Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

C

hocolate confectionery is considered a permissible indulgence, as consumers balance portion control with enjoyment. Manufacturers are providing pre-measured portions like bites, crisps or thins, to help consumers manage their portion sizes.

According to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), chocolate bites have edged out crisps and thins in global product launches over the past couple of years, with a promise of “just enough” chocolate to serve as a reward, pick-me-up, or treat.

As Mintel’s 2018 Global Food & Drink Trend “Self-Fulfilling Practices” highlights, more people find modern life to be hectic and stressful; so flexible and balanced diets will become integral elements of self-care routines. Mintel research reveals that seven in 10 urban Australians say that eating a balanced diet contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

Consumers who are seeking self-care solutions will continue to look for better-for-you (BFY) and flavourful treats because they can form part of a balanced lifestyle.

Permission to enjoy treats, or satisfy cravings, is an integral aspect of self-care that particularly addresses the stress relief aspect of one’s wellbeing.

Mintel’s Megan Stanton

purchase intent among Australian consumers.

The tool reveals that 24 per cent of Australians say that minis are good value while 20 per cent say the same of regular chocolates, which is interesting because mini chocolates

"The reason for the higher purchase intent could relate to how minis tend to come in innovative formats – like tubs and resealable pouch solutions – that provide convenience to consumers."

–often command a higher price point.

The reason for the higher purchase intent could relate to how minis tend to come in innovative formats like tubs and resealable pouch solutions – that provide convenience to consumers.

In addition to convenience, Australian consumers rate mini chocolates as having more appealing packaging, are more fun, and being tastier than regular chocolates.

The verbatims provided by Australians on mini chocolates reveal that consumers feel bite-sized chocolates help with portion control, however, they are concerned with the

use of excess plastic packaging. That said, they are willing to pay more if the packaging is recyclable.

With the intense focus on sustainability today, chocolate manufacturers may need to find new ways to reduce the excess packaging associated with mini formats to align with the one third of urban Australians who say that they prefer products that are sold in eco-friendly packaging. The Cherry Ripe Bites that retail in a cardboard tub are a good example of companies rethinking the need for plastic packaging in favour of a recyclable option. F

Mini chocolates outperform regular chocolate Mintel Purchase Intelligence, a tool that measures consumer reactions to newly launched food and drink products, reveals that mini chocolates outperform regular chocolates on instant reaction and purchase intent in Australia.

More importantly, mini chocolates outperform regular chocolates on attributes that typically drive 54 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Most people see flavourful treats as part of a balanced diet.

DAIRY REPORT

Emerging dairy trends to look out for in 2019 2019 has well and truly arrived and this year might be the year for dairy to take charge when it comes to product innovation. The dairy category in general has been trending ever since studies indicated the lower health risks from consuming dairy-fats.

E

ssentially, high-fat dairyenriched diets are in and low-fat diets are old news. However, today’s consumer expects more bang for their dairy buck, which has driven innovation in this category. Here’s your guide to the top dairy trends which will be hitting the menus and dairy aisles this year.

Gourmet-flavoured butters are here to stay It’s not “just” butter anymore, flavoured butters will really gain momentum in 2019. We’re not talking about the ‘brown butter’ trend, that’s yesterday’s news… Think sweet and savoury flavoured butters such as honey, pistachio, jalapeno, lemon zest, pumpkin seed and even seaweed-flavoured butters. Chefs have been taking butter to new flavour places for a while now, but

in 2019 we’ll see food companies answering consumer demands and providing packaged flavoured butters sold at retail for convenience.

“How do you take your coffee?

With cheese please.”

Believe it or not, that’s what people will be hearing in coffee shops around the nation this year. First it was butter coffee, commonly referred to as “bulletproof coffee”; now cheese coffee is the latest fad that baristas all over the world are catching on to.

Cheese in coffee has a similar texture to marshmallows in hot chocolate: the cubes of cheese float to the top and absorb the coffee, developing a squeaky texture. It doesn’t stop there, though; cheese tea is also a trend which we expect will become mainstream by the end of the year. The cheese tea trend started in Asia, then

moved to the United States, and it will finally hit Aussie shores in a big way this year. Cheese tea is usually served with either green or black tea topped with a thick layer of salted cream cheese. As the cheese melts on top, it forms a similar texture to melted ice cream with a salty tang.

Protein, protein, protein The protein trend has taken many food categories by storm, but we believe the dairy category presents numerous opportunities to satisfy these protein savvy customers. Once just a trend amongst the healthobsessed millennials, this trend has extended to families with children as well as senior couples who are also putting high-protein foods into their shopping trolleys.

We’re now seeing high protein yoghurts, ice cream and convenient

snack products which fit into the “on-the-go lifestyle” of so many consumers these days. New dairy proteins make formulating proteinfortified products even easier. We’re now seeing a completely new category for protein emerging because a form of whey protein which can function in clear beverages is now available.

Consequently, “Protein Waters” is a category that is growing at a rapid rate.

Furthermore, consumers are becoming more aware of the importance of gut health and the benefits of the fermentation process.

Nutritional ingredient companies have been quick to respond to this trend and are now offering a whey protein isolate with prebiotic-promoting properties, tapping into the interest in the gut microbiome. F

By Dustin Boughton, Procurement, Maxum Foods

Gourmet-flavoured butters are here to stay.

www.foodmag.com.au June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 55

MARKET WATCH

Deal activity picks up F ollowing a slow start to the year, deal activity in the food and beverage industry has picked up with eight transactions announced in March and April 2019.

Maggie Beer and her husband Colin sold the remaining 52 per cent of Maggie Beer Products to Longtable Group in a deal worth $10 million. As a result, ASX listed Longtable Group will become the sole shareholder of Maggie Beer Products.

Graincorp sold its liquid terminals business to ANZ Terminals for $350 million. Graincorp has entered into a long-term storage agreement with ANZ Terminals for Graincorp’s oilseeds business.

First Pacific sold its 50 shareholding in Goodman Fielder to Wilmar International for US$180 million (AUS$259 million) and First Pacific’s shareholders loan for US$120 million (total consideration of US$300 million).

Wilmar will pay an additional US$25 million if Goodman Fielder’s EBITDA reaches US$235 million in the year to December 2020.

Hongkong Jiang Trade Holdings, a subsidiary of China’s Yili Industrial Group, acquired New Zealand dairy company, Westland Milk Products, for NZ$588 million (AUS$555 million). Under the transaction, the farmer shareholders of Westland will be able to sell their product to Westland and receive a payment not less than the Fonterra farm gate milk price. The pricing floor will be in place for ten seasons.

Kirin Australia’s beer business, Lion, acquired a 50 per cent interest in Four Pillars Gin. Four Pillars Gin is located in Healesville (VIC) and was established in 2013.

Vitality Brands announced the sales of its Well Naturally and Power Super Foods brands to Darrell Lea. Well Naturally is the leading sugar-free chocolate brand in Australia with distribution through the corporate and independent retail channels. Comet Line Consulting advised Vitality Brands on the sale of Well Naturally and Power Super Foods to Darrell Lea. ASX listed Bubs Australia announced the acquisition of Australia Deloraine Dairy for a consideration of $35 million, settled $25 million in

cash and $10 million in shares. Deloraine is an infant formula producer and one of just 15 licenced canning facilities in Australia that meets regulatory import conditions into China. As part of the transaction, C2 Capital Partners (15 per cent) and Chemist Warehouse (9 per cent) became shareholders of Bubs Australia.

The quarter also saw the listing of two successful food businesses on the ASX. SunRice transferred the listing of the B Class shares to the ASX, while industrial hemp company, Ecofibre, also listed on the ASX. Deal activity in the first four months of 2019 started strongly. The food and beverage industry remains attractive with strong interest in the industry from both trade investors and financial investors.

Ben van der Westhuizen and David Baveystock are directors of Comet Line Consulting, an advisory business that specialises in acquisitions and divestments within the Australian food & beverage industry. For more information visit www.cometlineconsulting.com.au.

Date

Target Name

Acquirer

Sector

1 March 19

Maggie Beer Products (52%)

Longtable Group

Packaged Foods

4 March 19

Graincorp Bulk Liquid Terminals

ANZ Terminals

Liquid storage

11 March 19

Goodman Fielder (50%)

Wilmar International

Baked goods

14 March 19

Sushi Sushi

Odyssey Capital

Hospitality

19 March 19

Westland Milk Products

Hongkong Jiang Trade Holdings

Dairy

22 March 19

Four Pillars Gin (50%)

Kirin Australia (Lion)

Alcoholic beverages

29 March 19

Well Naturally and Power Super Foods

Darrell Lea Confectionery

Healthy snacking

1 April 19

Australia Deloraine Dairy

Bubs Australia

Dairy

Commodity Outlook WHEAT – World wheat prices to recover slightly from low levels due to lower tradeable supplies.

COARSE GRAINS – World barley prices to rise due to low stocks and strong demand for feed and industrial-use coarse grains.

BEEF AND VEAL – Australian cattle prices to fall due to higher production and strong competition in export markets.

SHEEP MEAT – Strong competition from processors and restockers to drive lamb prices higher.

OILSEEDS – World canola prices to fall due to abundant oilseed supplies.

DAIRY – Milk prices to rise due to a falling Australian dollar and increased competition for milk.

SUGAR – World sugar prices to fall due to world sugar supply growing faster than demand.

Source: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (ABARES), Agricultural commodities March quarter, 2018.

56 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

NEW PRODUCTS

AMS Water Metering’s new range AMS Water Metering has a new range of smart water meters from Axioma Metering.

The company will distribute the Qalcosonic W1 ultrasonic water meter, which is the new flagship of the QALCO range of metering products. The meter represents a new generation of patented design, wide communication possibilities, IoT technology, impeccable metering accuracy and an outstanding durable housing – and those are just a few of the features that were fulfilled by the dedicated and professional teams working in our Engineering, Innovation and Commercial Departments.

The design features of the QALCOSONIC W1 represents a new technological evolution. Axioma believes that any product must be not only technologically advanced – but also nice to look at. With QALCOSONIC W1, they sought to combine clarity with innovation through the shapes that are found in nature. When creating the device design, their designers looked for inspiration in the shapes that are the most comprehensible to us and that are also the most appealing. The size of this meter and its clarity led us to base the design composition on the humble apple – one of the most familiar items to each of us.

The QALCOSONIC W1meter measures the flow of water using ultrasonic technology. The ultrasonic method is one of the most quickly-developing solutions in numerous sectors, because it can identify and immediately react to the tiniest changes in any system.

Together with a high dynamic range, this ensures an exclusive flow metering accuracy and precision even with the smallest water flows.

This guarantees a cost reduction of 10-20 per cent.

Other products on display will be the QALCOSONIC F1 (IP68), is designed for measurement of cold and hot water consumption in households and

blocks of flats, as well for industrial applications and the QALCOSONIC E3 ultrasonic heat meter which is designed to measure the heat and cooling energy consumption, where data are recorded in two separate registers. The meter is used in the district heating objects (residential houses, companies and organisations, heat supply facilities, etc.).

AMS (03) 9017 8225 www.amswatermetering.com

Fanless heavy-duty, rack-mount panel PC for ultra-harsh conditions Backplane Systems Technology is proud to introduce Winmate’s new heavy-duty military-grade rack mount panel PC, the fanless 20.1-inch LCD R20IB3S-RKA2ML. Winmate’s military-grade products are designed for durability, and the R20IB3S-RKA2ML is no different. With anti-corrosion housing, a standard operating temperature range of 0°C ~ 60°C, optional wide range of -10°C-70°C, and meeting MIL-STD-810F/G vibration, humidity, and transit drop standards, this panel PC is built to endure.

Within the fanless PC sits a low-power, high-performance Intel

Celeron N2930 2.16GHz processor for consistent operation.

Outside sits convenient on-screen display controls, a built-in light sensor for automatic brightness control, military-grade power connector (MIL-DTL-38999/1), and a rack mount mechanical design for easy installation and straightforward use in demanding environments. And if possible electromagnetic interference is a concern, this PC even comes with the option of upgrading to an EMI mesh resistive touch screen.

Finally, in terms of I/O, the R20IB3S-RKA2ML features a standard 1x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0, 2x RJ-45, 1x VGA, and optional 1x RS232 to facilitate connectivity. It also supports up to 256GB of storage (mSATA SSD, default 64GB) and 8GB of RAM (SO-DIMM DDR3 1666, default 4GB).

Key features are: • 1-inch LCD (1600 x 1200) • Intel Celeron N2930 2.16GHz processor • Fanless, with anti-corrosion housing • Compliant with MIL-STD-810G/F • Flush rack/rack-mount mechanical design (9U) • Convenient on-screen display controls •A C 110~240V power input default/isolation DC 9~36V power input (optional) • Built-in light sensor for auto brightness control • Military-grade power connector (MIL-DTL-38999/1) Backplane Systems (02) 9457 6411 www.backplane.com.au

www.foodmag.com.au | June/July 2019 | Food&Beverage Industry News 57

NEW PRODUCTS

Pouches and cups – a total package from filling, sterilising to packing.

ESKO provides The Waldner Dosomat filler, which uses precision filling techniques developed in Germany for tub and pouch filing of liquids and solids. Whether it’s dairy, baby food, fruit or pet food, Waldner is able to de-nest, fill, seal, barcode every tub or pouch automatically in one machine. Servo drives developed in Germany provide high speed movements with no spillage. Check weigher data feedback to the Dosomat ensures no underweight filling issues occur. This ensures minimum giveaway and more product on a pallet per batch. The inbuilt statistics software provides OEE data to ensure not only the Filler but downstream equipment is performing during a shift.

Once filled, the cups/pouches are handed over to the batch retorting system STERIFLOW, which achieves an efficient thermal process by using cascading water to shower the cups or pouch and transfers heat from superheated water into the product. As this is done under pressure, the water remains liquid with minimal evaporation. The result is a product pasteurisation or shelf-stable application. Through real time logging, the STERIFLOW Retort can record every step of the process and control temperatures, pressures and cooling, resulting in a product that is cooked safely and quickly while maintaining quality and flavours. Energy savings are available through water/condensate recuperation.

Food safety is paramount in today’s food manufacturing world, that’s why the Steriflow Retort provides an inbuilt QA system that monitors every aspect of the process, and generates FDA/AQIS approved reports.

MESPIC’s Robotic Automation can pick and place rigid or flexible

products for end-packing or retort trays ready for thermal processing. Using robotic technology, we can dry and pack various different shelf ready pack formations, whether 6, 8, 12 count or more. Multi-flavour or take-home retail packs add to the capability, to provide the consumer with variety.

The MESPIC/IMBALL all-in-one packer is able to form, pack, close the carton in one machine, using a small foot print. A smaller, less powerful motor, can be used for the picking actions due to the MESPIC carbon fibre arm construction.

Through ESKO Australia there is a total solution for your pouch and cup filling and packing using technology customised for different needs.

Esko (03) 9464 5611 www.eskoaust.com

Innovative drive solutions for the digital revolution Nord Drivesystems manufacturers drive solutions (hardware and software) and supports customers with its communication and application know-how in the Industry 4.0 realm.

Nord’s intelligent, networked drives enables continuous condition monitoring and forms the basis of predictive maintenance. In addition, they offer intelligent digitised production, advanced maintenance concepts and new services. All Nord drives are Industry 4.0 ready and can be directly integrated as active components in Industry 4.0 environments throughout the world. According to managing director for Nord Drivesystems Australia, Martin Broglia the prerequisites for this is the internal PLC as decentralised intelligence and the extensive range of communication options. “The drive units are compatible with all common field buses and Ethernet-based protocols and provide analogue and digital interfaces for sensors and actuators. Drives are prepared for integration into a cloud and can be connected to various external cloud systems,” says Broglia.

Action instead of reaction “Fast, efficient and comprehensive evaluation of analogue and digital data by the intelligent PLC in the drive electronics forms the basis for modern maintenance and servicing concepts, such as condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.”

Due to continuous monitoring of the field level, linking of communication, sensors, process data and vital parameters of the drive, deviations from the normal state can be quickly detected. “Drive operators therefore have the possibility of responding in good time before damage or breakdowns occur,” said Broglia.

Condition-oriented maintenance replaces time-based maintenance.

This results user benefits such as an increase in plant availability, prevention of unscheduled down times, improved planning of service and maintenance as well as a significant reduction in costs.

58 Food&Beverage Industry News | June/July 2019 | www.foodmag.com.au

Virtual sensors At present, Nord is investigating sensorless monitoring of oil ageing and the condition of geared motors with virtual sensors. The aim is a predictive maintenance concept which determines the optimum oil change and maintenance intervals for each individual geared motor, oriented to the actual condition of the geared motor and the gear oil. “For this, intelligent algorithms evaluate the operating data of the frequency inverter and determines the oil temperature from this information.”

Without the hardware costs for external sensors, oil ageing and the optimum time for replacing the gear unit lubricant can be determined with great reliability.

“Tests have shown that the oil temperature as measured in tests can be reliably calculated,” Broglia concludes.

Nord Drivesystems (03) 9394 0500 www.nord.com/cms/en/home-au.jsp

Dust and buildup on the antenna? No problem!

The future is 80 GHz: a new generation of radar level sensors

VEGAPULSÂ 69 is designed specifically for level measurement of bulk solids.

Even in dusty conditions, it always provides precise readings. Dust in the silo or buildup on the antenna have no effect.

This radar sensor also features unrivalled focusing at a frequency of 80Â GHz. Simply world-class! www.vega.com/radar

EARLY CONTRACTOR INVOLVEMENT With a specialist builder such as Total Construction you can avoid potential cost blow outs in your project before design and location is determined.

Contact us today to find out how we can help with construction planning for your next Food & Beverage project. |

Call: (02) 9746 9555

|

Visit: totalconstruction.com.au