Food Aug 2021

AUGUST 2021

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AUGUST 2021

How is the industry tackling food waste?

PLUS: Sustainability | Improving efficiency | Meet the Manufacturer

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CEO: John Murphy Publisher: Christine Clancy Group Managing Editor (Northern): Syed Shah Editor: Adam McCleery Ph: (02) 9439 7227 adam.mccleery@primecreative.com.au

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eing the editor of a food and beverage industry magazine gives me insight into the workings behind one of the most critically important industries.

I have had the advantage of covering a packaging feature, foodpro 2021, and now a feature around the problems being posed by food waste in Australia, and globally.

Learning how the industry produces enough food for 75 million people in a country of just 25 million and 5 million Australians suffer from food insecurity.

To know so many people suffer the indignity of not knowing where their next meal comes from while countless tonnes are wasted, is a hard pill to swallow.

However, I was heartened by those I spoke to from government agencies, organisations and industry leaders, who all outlined pathways forward and the changes already being made.

Governments are outlining new requirements around food waste, commercially and in households, changes which will create immediate and positive impacts.

The industry is being called upon to make adjustments around the handling of food that will result in signifigant reductions in food waste and lead to major savings in the supply chain.

Meanwhile, organisations and partnerships between peak bodies and producers are bringing into stark focus the reality of how much food is

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4 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

lost and not just what is costs the economy, but the environment.

Reading and being told about some of the positive impacts already created by these programs and new sustainability goals gives one hope for achieving 2025, 2030 and even 2050 goals.

But beyond reaching goals is the important step of recognising the problems, educating the industry and individuals on how to address them, and finally, on taking critical steps forward in correcting them.

I’ve also learned how prepared the food and beverage industry is for the future, with a number of sectors already on track to reach sustainability targets.

I’ve already found myself being extra vigilant around how I purchase and consume my own food, if only to feel as though I am playing my own little part.

A big positive I uncovered while working on this edition of the magazine is just how willing, and able, the industry is when it comes to curving long held methods of production in the name of sustainability, environmentalism and capital savings.

The face of the food and beverage manufacturing industry is set to change forever, and for the better.

I look forward to seeing what the future holds.

Have a great month.

CONTENTS INSIDE 6 NEWS

16

16 MEET THE MANUFACTURER Emerging alcohol company, Idle Hour Vodka, aims to change the way consumers look at vodka.

20 SENSOR TECHNOLOGY Vega details its latest offering, the VEGAPOINT 24, designed to create maximum efficiency with minimum effort.

22 SUSTAINABILITY Experts from Beca speak about how the industry can successfully undertake decarbonisation and become more sustainable.

24

28

24 WASTEWATER Aerofloat a recent project that saw it bring a South Australian food court up to industry wastewater standards.

26 GOVERNMENT Food waste moved to top of the agenda.

28 FOOD WASTE Stop Food Waste Australia was established after figures from 2015 and 2017 showed the growing problems around food waste across Australia.

30 AWRE Australasian Waste and Recycling Expo’s speaker program.

32

32 MEGATRANS MEGATRANS 2021 is set to return to Melbourne in 2021, with a focus on reimagining the supply chain.

34 CYBER SECURITY Concerns have grown around the shortcomings of cyber security across every industry.

36 PRODUCT SAFETY Sullair details the impact the 2020 pandemic has had on the industry and how oil-free production is regulated internationally.

38 FINE FOOD EXPO The Fine Food Expo is returning to Melbourne in September.

40 CONSTRUCTION Total Construction details the rise of ready to eat meals and how companies turn to to them for help.

38

42 AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PACKAGING Packaging specialists offer virtual tour of Melbourne site.

43 AFCCC AFCCC chairman has called on the industry to overhaul the cold chain supply.

44 DAIRY MARKET

45 NEW PRODUCTS

www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 5

NEWS

Bundaberg AgTech Hub to provide farmers with new tech solutions T

Bundaberg Regional Council is providing more tech support to the agriculture sector.

he Bundaberg Regional Council has launched the new AgTech Hub at Bargara in Queensland, unlocking agricultural technology for local farmers across the region.

“The adoption of AgTech by producers is key to the future profitability and sustainability of Queensland’s agricultural supply chain,” Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries, and Minister for Rural Communities Mark said Furner.

“The regional AgTech Hub will strengthen the state’s $18.5 billion agricultural sector and align with the Queensland government’s commitment to accelerate the adoption of digital solutions across industries.

“Agriculture is a critical part of Queensland’s Economic Recovery Plan

and investments like these will help it go from strength to strength.”

Agribusinesses in the Bundaberg area will have access to emerging technology and services, at the early stages of commercial release.

“CQ University is using the hub as a base to attract tech companies to the region and trial cutting edge agricultural technologies, including advanced robotics, artificial intelligence, block chain and traceability systems with producers and their supply chain partners,” said Furner.

The regional area is home to unique and diverse agricultural production, Bundaberg Regional Council mayor Jack Dempsey said.

“This lends itself to the development of AgTech across many fronts and we

must be at the forefront of the AgTech revolution,” said Dempsey.

“There is so much opportunity in agriculture for data collection and precision farming going forward, that it could open up a whole new world. It’s an excellent opportunity for our local producers and the wider industry and we want to be driving it.

“In recognition of that, Bundaberg Regional Council has re-purposed our former administration building at

Bargara specifically to provide a nexus for a nationally and globally significant regional Agtech ecosystem.”

The Bundaberg AgTech Hub received its seed funding and ongoing support from the Queensland government.

“The future is looking bright, with the state’s AgTech sector ready to respond and support agribusiness to address their challenges and embrace new opportunities,” said Furner. F

University of Adelaide could breed climate-smart barley plants T

he University of Adelaide has partnered with an international research team to identify a new mechanism in barley plants, which could aid crop growers in achieving high yields at higher temperatures.

The study published by Nature Plants explored increasing seed production through the reproductive systems in plants that respond to high temperatures.

The research was led by University of Adelaide Waite Research Institute’s Professor Dabing Zhang, and Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Joint Lab for Plant Science and Breeding.

“By having a better understanding of the genes underpinning desirable plant traits in response to temperature, scientists can offer insights into breeding climate-smart plants to sustain productivity,” said University

of Adelaide Waite Research Institute deputy director and study co-author, Associate Professor Matthew Tucker.

Traditional grains are highly sensitive to changing environmental conditions, with rising temperatures known to reduce seed numbers on each plant.

The researchers’ solution is to increase the number of flowers or branches on each “spike,” the reproductive structure which produces grains.

The research team discovered a barley protein known as HvMADS1 can regulate the number of flowers generated on each spike, in response to high temperatures. It was demonstrated that HvMADS1 is critical in maintaining an unbranched barley spike under high ambient temperatures.

6 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Using a genome editing technique, the researchers have generated new plants that lack the HvMADS1 function, converting an unbranched barley spike into a branched structure.

University of Adelaide hopes to create the climate-smart barley after discovering new protein.

This work provides new avenues for crop breeding, with the potential to overcome traditional compromises between heat tolerance and high yield. F

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NEWS

foodpro July event rescheduled for October at Sydney Showground A

s COVID-19 has recently affected NSW and Greater Sydney, foodpro has decided to reschedule the event for October 10 to 12, 2021, at the Sydney Showground. foodpro had been closely monitoring the situation and implications for the upcoming event, which was scheduled to take place from July 25 to 28 25-28, at the Sydney Showground.

In response to the recent developments and ongoing uncertainty, the difficult decision was made to postpone the event.

With foodpro 2021 due to take place in just four weeks, the health and safety of the community and

Due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in Sydney, foodpro has been forced to reschedule for October. limiting the threat of exposure was the greatest consideration.

While the decision wasn’t made lightly, it is a timely one as many

exhibitors started to meet crucial timelines in their event planning.

Organisers said the duty of care to visitors, exhibitors, partners and staff is taken very seriously and this is the most appropriate action to ensure the best and safest show experience for everyone when the food industry can come together later in the year.

Although this is not the first time foodpro has been postponed, the team are confident that the event can return with the same strength and resilience shared by the manufacturing community. foodpro said it continues to be grateful for all the support and look forward to reuniting the industry in October 2021. F

Ingham’s Wanneroo feedmill awarded platinum status in water efficiency I ngham’s Wanneroo Feedmill, in Western Australia, has been named Platinum Waterwise Business of the Year by the Water Corporation’s Waterwise Business Program.

The award was given for the site’s ‘innovative management and industry-leading best practice on site’.

The Waterwise Business Program supports many of the state’s biggest non-residential water users with improving water management and driving water efficiency across their operations.

Out of the 262 businesses that participate in the Waterwise Business Program, Ingham’s Wanneroo site was among eight Gold winners.

The site also received the Platinum Award, the highest-level water management recognition for

businesses in WA. Feedmill manager, Jaffer Alimohamed, credited the site’s success to its incorporation of Ingham’s sustainability action plan framework in the site’s Environmental Management Plan (EMP), setting specific actions towards the KPI targets and tracking them throughout the year.

The team identified an opportunity to reduce water use in the boiler by adjusting water softening algorithms to target and treat hard water only, resulting in reduced water and improved gas use efficiency.

Other projects included installing efficient fixtures, ongoing monitoring, staff training and using fit-for-purpose recycled water in the site’s hatchery and feedmill operations.

Water Minister, Dave Kelly,

8 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Ingham’s Wanneroo site was awarded gold for innovative management and leading practices. recognised the recipients for saving more than 9.5 billion litres of water in 2019-20.

“Aside from the environmental benefits, the sustainable use of water

in the workplace also makes good business sense. It reduces operating costs and promotes businesses as a sustainable place to work,” said Kelly. F

NEWS

New advisory group to manage commercial fishing in South Australia T

The new advisory group is being tasked with guiding management of South Australia’s shared fishery.

he Marine Scalefish Fishery Management Advisory Committee (MSFMAC), a new commercial fishing advisory group, will help guide the management of South Australia’s most prominent shared fishery, with expressions of interest now open.

The MSFMAC will replace the Snapper Management Advisory Committee formed in October 2019, to consider pressing fisheries management issues.

The formation of the new advisory is an important step in the historic $24.5 million Marine Scalefish Fishery reform program, according to Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham.

“Our commercial fishing reforms

are about strengthening the long-term financial and ecological sustainability of the industry and supporting regional jobs,” said Basham.

“A range of key reform changes, including the establishment of four fishing zones across the state, the adoption of a quota system for the priority species of snapper, King George whiting, southern garfish and southern calamari and a suite of measures to cut red tape, came into effect on 1 July.

“The formation of the MSFMAC is key to the future management of the fishery and will strengthen our consultation between stakeholders and help deliver better outcomes for marine scalefish species.”

Expressions of interest for roles in the MSFMAC are now open and

closes at 9am on Monday, August 2.

“The state government is now seeking expressions of interest for the positions of independent chair, economist and scientist, along with nominations from the commercial charter boat, rock lobster and marine scalefish fishing sectors, an Aboriginal traditional fishing sector member as well as the conservation sector,” said Basham.

“These will be three-year appointments to help the MSFMAC support commercial, and recreational fishers working together for the future of the fishery.”

The South Australian government will also ask the Minister’s Recreational Fishing Advisory Council (MRFAC) to nominate two recreational fishing representatives for membership on the MSFMAC. F

Australian food and beverage businesses benefit from MMF round two T

he federal government has awarded a further $55 million in grants to 86 Australian businesses under round two of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund (MMF), including food and beverage businesses.

In Western Australia, Bonissimo Coffee Roasters will use its grant to help reduce the number of plasticlined coffee cups and coffee pods ending up in landfill.

To do this, it will install $1.4M worth of new equipment to manufacture cups and pods made from biopolymers that are 100 per cent organic and fully compostable.

The upgrade will also enable Bonissimo Coffee Roasters to

increase its coffee pod production six-fold, allowing it to hire more staff and pursue new export opportunities for its premium coffee products.

The Manufacturing Modernisation Fund will aid businesses to modernise their manufacturing processes, improving productivity,

The Federal Government has released a further $55 million in grants as part of the Manufacturing Modernisation Fund.

reducing costs, creating high-skilled jobs and targeting new export opportunities, minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter said.

Manufacturing Modernisation Fund round two, building on the success of the first round, was a

competitive merit-based grants program with applications assessed by a committee of independent industry experts.

Businesses are required to match government funding on a three-toone basis, with government grants covering up to 25 per cent of eligible project expenditure.

The minimum grant amount is $100,000 and the maximum grant amount is $1,000,000. Projects must be completed within two years.

As part of the $1.5B Modern Manufacturing Strategy, eligible companies need to demonstrate that their products align with one of the federal government’s six National Manufacturing Priorities. F

www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 9

NEWS

Packaging Forum backs plastics phase-out N

ew Zealand’s largest packaging industry group has welcomed the government’s move to phase-out difficult-to-recycle and some single-use plastics.

Packaging Forum CEO Rob Langford says the forum, and its Soft Plastic Recycling Scheme (SPRS), had largely supported the proposal during its consultation period, and were pleased to see government take the next step.

“There was a long consultation period, as there should be, and it’s great to see government moving forward. It’s essential there are end-oflife solutions in place for packaging and in the case of the plastic types being phased out that is not the case,” said Langford.

“Oxo-degradable plastics are a

prime example as they are neither recyclable or compostable.”

He added that it’s important to note bio plastics (often referred to as ‘compostable plastic’) will also be part of the single-use plastic item phase-out.

The Forum cautioned against the phase-out causing unintended consequences.

Langford pointed out alternative materials, such as compostable and fibre (paper and cardboard) packaging also have challenges, especially when we consider New Zealand’s focus on a low-emissions and zero waste economy.

“Our Compostable Technical Advisory Group is currently developing a use-case for New Zealand and is busy consulting with

Packaging Forum CEO Rob Langford is pleased to see NZ Government acting on single-use plastic.

industry and stakeholders,” he said.

Moving to alternative materials is a major undertaking for a lot of manufacturers, importers and retailers, Langford said.

The forum’s submission during

the consultation period called for a full cost benefit analysis, which follows Treasury guidelines, to assess impact on business, food safety, shelf life and cool-chain (particularly for export items). F

Industry endorses ability to manage plastic waste T

he Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has commended the Federal Government for the Ban on Waste Plastics Exports, which came into effective in July, as a critical step to create a local packaging circular economy.

The two phases of the Waste Plastics Export ban, supported with

government funding from the $600 million Recycling Modernisation Fund invested in the recycling sector, should increase the quality of recycled plastics.

Currently, there is a global shortage for high quality recycled plastic that meets the stringent quality needs for food grade packaging. To ensure community safety, packaging for food,

The government’s Ban on Waste Plastic Exports is being commended by the Australian Food and Grocery Council.

10 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

medicines and chemicals must meet high quality standards which can’t be compromised.

“Plastic recycling in Australia shouldn’t be a challenge and we welcome working with all stakeholders to create a circular economy and the ability to recycle these mixed plastics,” said AFGC CEO Tanya Barden.

Due to the current low recycling

rates of soft plastics and the global lack of food grade plastic packaging, the AFGC is developing the National Plastics Recycling Scheme.

With support from the Australian Government’s Product Stewardship Investment Fund, the AFGC and member companies in collaboration with the entire plastics supply chain aim to increase collection, recycling and end market demand for recycled soft plastics.

The aim is to fast-track advanced recycling that can safely recycle soft plastic packaging back into soft plastic packaging, as recently piloted by Kit Kat, Central Coast Council, Licella, IQRenew, Viva Energy, LyondellBasell and Amcor.

“Whole of supply chain collaboration and investment in advanced sorting and recycling technologies are essential by all industry sectors if we are to create a successful and sustainable circular economy,” said Barden. F

NEWS

Reward Minerals Potash Project aids agricultural fertiliser production T

The Federal Government is supporting the Lake Disappointment Brine and Sulphate of Potash Project with $450 million grant.

he Federal Government has granted Major Project Status to Reward Minerals $450 million Lake Disappointment Brine and Sulphate of Potash Project, supporting the production and export of an essential ingredient for agricultural fertiliser.

The Reward Minerals project, located 320km east of Newman in Western Australia, will aim to produce around 400,000 tonnes of sulphate of potash per year from its mining and brine evaporation facilities.

Producing potash, a crucial ingredient for high-end agricultural fertiliser, will improve the production of food for Australia and overseas.

The project will also support the

government’s northern Australia agenda to generate economic growth and new job opportunities across the north.

“The Lake Disappointment project has an initial life of 25 years and will help Australian farmers access the fertiliser they need to improve production and grow food for both Australia and for export,” said Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia, Keith Pitt.

“Importantly, the project will create new opportunities to export potash and is in an ideal location to supply growing markets in Southeast Asia, India and potentially East Africa.

Additionally, the Reward Minerals project will support around 230 jobs

during construction and a further 200 direct jobs during operations, according to Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Christian Porter.

“The Lake Disappointment project will strengthen the security of Australia’s agriculture sector and support the government’s Ag2030 agenda to boost Australia’s agricultural production to $100 billion a year by 2030,” said Porter.

Major Project Status helps companies access extra support, coordination and information services from the Major Projects Facilitation Agency, which acts as a single-entry point into the federal government regulatory approvals pathway. F

Tuckerbox warehouse facility to expand HelloFresh operations M

eal kit company HelloFresh has announced plans to open the largest Australian meal kit pick-and-pack facility in Ravenhall, Victoria in July, nicknamed the Tuckerbox.

The 25,500 square metre production and distribution centre represents a continued investment in the HelloFresh customer experience.

This will mean quicker deliveries in Victoria and nearby states, as well as reduced delivery miles for suppliers.

The Tuckerbox will offer 350 employment opportunities across pick packers, forklift drivers, quality control and management positions.

The largest of the three HelloFresh warehouses in Australia, the Tuckerbox launch follows the company’s first commitment to reduce CO2 emissions in its production facilities by 60 per cent per dollar revenue by 2022.

The biggest impact to CO2 emissions comes from reducing transport time, but the Tuckerbox has also been designed with sustainability in mind. Environmental features include skylights to maximise natural light, a rainwater harvesting system, 600kW solar panels for both electricity and heating water, as well as motion and daylight sensors to reduce overall energy consumption.

“The launch of our third and largest Australian chilled production facility marks an impressive milestone for the business and will allow us to better serve our growing customer base,” said HelloFresh Australia CEO Tom Rutledge.

“Ultimately our focus is to continuously improve the product offering to our customers and how we can increase the value, convenience and accessibility of our service.

The Tuckerbox, with its size,

12 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

situation and sophistication, provides a tremendous platform for us to realise these objectives over the years to come.

“We are pleased to be creating new jobs in the local area and expanding on the partnerships we hold with many local suppliers to provide fresh and high-quality ingredients to our Tuckerbox is expanding to meet growing demand for HelloFresh.

customers,” he said.

“As the world’s largest meal kit provider, we also have a responsibility to set a clear precedent and strive towards more sustainable ways of working in our production facilities.

We’re proud of the sustainable developments we’ve made in the Tuckerbox.” F

Around a third of food in Australia is wasted, it’s time for action.

We produce enough high quality, safe food to feed 75 million people in a country with a population of 25 million. Around a third of this food is wasted, while 1 in 5 Australians are food insecure and charities are seeing a 47% increase in demand for food relief.

Australia’s waste: 7.6M tonnes of food every year

Costs us $20B a year

That’s enough to fill the Melbourne cricket ground 9 times over

To address this huge challenge, we’re launching the Australian Food Pact. If you produce or sell food in Australia, and you want to reduce food waste in your own operations, your supply chain and with your customers, you need to join us.

Generates around 20M tonnes of CO2 equivalent to 5% of Australia’s total emissions.

Join the pact Visit stopfoodwaste.com.au for more information or email us at enquiries@fightfoodwastecrc.com.au

NEWS

Western Australia’s Plan for Plastics bans single-use plastics W

WF-Australia’s 2021 scorecard for Plastic Free July has named Western Australia as the best in Australia for single-use plastic reform in its Plan for Plastics.

The Plan for Plastics has been fasttracked by the Western Australian government by four years and will see single-use plastics including bowls, plates, cutlery, straws and polystyrene food containers banned by December 2021.

“It is fantastic to see Western Australia being recognised for its nation-leading action on plastics,” said Environment and Climate

Action minister Amber-Jade,” said Sanderson.

“Single-use plastics are a scourge on our environment and our native wildlife, and we all have a role to play in reducing our use this Plastic

Free July.”

The second stage of the plan will start in December 2022 and will mean further single-use plastic products will be phased out, including takeaway coffee cups and lids.

Plan for Plastics has been fast-tracked by the Western Australian government.

WWF-Australia has praised the Western Australian government for becoming the first jurisdiction in the country to take action on coffee cups.

Fast-tracking the Plan for Plastics will save hundreds of millions of single-use plastic items from becoming litter or landfill.

“Our fast-tracked plan will prevent millions of tonnes of plastics ending up as litter and in our oceans,” said Sanderson.

“Thank you to WWF-Australia and Kate Noble for this honour which confirms Western Australia is number one in the country for tackling plastic pollution.” F

Unique Wine Experiences Fund Grant Program supports SA wineries T

he South Australian government’s Unique Wine Experiences Fund Grant Program has funded 47 projects across the state with more than $200,000, to enhance wineries’ new cellar door experiences.

Unique funded projects include interactive wine experiences in the Adelaide Hills, wine barrel tasting

pods in McLaren Vale, grapevine charcoal drawing workshops in the Barossa and an audio-visual wine tasting experience in the Clare Valley.

South Australian wineries thought outside the square to build their tourism and hospitality offerings in accessing the Unique Wine Experiences Fund Grant Program, according to minister for primary

The South Australian Government has funded 47 projects to enhance new cellar door experiences.

14 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

industries and regional development David Basham.

“With COVID-19 restrictions impacting cellar door trade, this grant program was created to provide an economic stimulus by attracting visitors to wineries across South Australia,” said Basham.

“Our funding has unlocked more than $500,000 worth of new projects,

which will encourage more people to visit our wonderful countryside to experience some of South Australia’s fantastic cellar doors and help support for our regional economies and local jobs.

“The wine industry is a key economic driver for South Australia generating more than $2 billion in revenue per year and I am excited to see the almost 50 new cellar door experiences come to fruition,” he said.

As the Year of South Australian Wine, these initiatives have been designed for 2021 to help cellar doors maximise their direct sales opportunities, according to Basham.

South Australia is considered the “wine state,” with 50 per cent of all of Australia’s bottled wine and almost 80 per cent of Australia’s premium wine produced there.

“This program builds on the government’s $5.4 million State Budget initiative to expand and diversify wine export markets,” said Basham. F

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MEET THE MANUFACTURER

Driving a reappraisal of what vodka can mean to consumers The new Idle Hour Vodka is the result of extensive market research and experimentation designed to bring a new type of spirit to the Australian market. Adam McCleery explains.

T

he three founders behind one of Australia’s latest vodkas, Idle Hour, set themselves lofty goals after entering the market with handmade rye vodka.

Co-founder and spokesman for the company, Ewen Pettit, one of the minds behind the development of White Claw seltzer, said the market had stagnated in recent years and was ripe for something innovative, like handmade filtered and unfiltered rye vodka.

Pettit said his time on the White Claw development team had given him critical insight into the buying and drinking behaviours of

consumers and how that related to vodka, specifically the uber popular Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

“My observation at the time was it had basically positioned itself as a bourbon that happened to be a vodka,” said Pettit.

“The brand had walked away from the traditional, conventional codes of what vodka was. Which is a lot of purity and the distillation process and a focus more on the provenance rather than what was in the bottle.”

This was the start of a path towards what would become Idle Hour Vodka.

In 2018 Pettit met his first co-founder, Lachlan Goldsworthy, who had experience working as a brand designer and creative thinker.

The following year the third member of the co-founding team, Matt Kowal, was brought on board.

“Matt had worked with the likes of Red Bull and Monster. His resume is important, with his marketing and operation experience and being the CEO of a Brisbane-based drink,” said Pettit. “I approached him to run the commercial side of the business for us because he has much more experience in distribution and the like.”

Together the three-man team found itself well equipped to launch Idle Hour Vodka.

“Collectively we brought everything we needed to the table to get us from zero to one,” said Pettit.

“I do think there is an incredibly significant commonality between the three of us, which is we worked in brands that had a connection beyond product.”

This was a critical element to the development of the product and brand, recognising the best way to engage with consumers based on their buying habits.

The team studied Pettit’s previous

Idle Hour brings a new handmade rye vodka to the Australian market.

16 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

MEET THE MANUFACTURER

Idle Hour co-founders Matt Kowal, Lochie Goldsworthy and Ewen Pettit. market research and conducted their own while also looking at what helped White Claw become a huge success in the US market.

They concluded that a number of brands found success with mediocre liquids because they had created iconic branding that consumers identified with.

The team knew early on they didn’t want to rely only on branding, but also on creating a quality liquid that would generate word of mouth among those that knew spirits best, bartenders.

“We spoke to a lot of bartenders who were saying the same thing, that vodka is very valuable but not very valued, and that was because gin and whiskey brands were all building more than the liquid,” said Pettit.

“The liquid is important but so is the role of building cultural relevance and connecting in a more meaningful way. And vodka has essentially evolved like that.

“We knew vodka was still one of the biggest spirits sold in the country, yet when we spoke to consumers about what they were drinking, they had no real affinity for the brand.

They didn’t really care.”

Further market research into what consumers thought about vodka brands uncovered what Pettit called

an ‘outdated model’, something that could be capitalised on with the right brand awareness.

“They didn’t have any new options,” he said.

“Our observation was we need to borrow a little bit from the

world of gin, in terms of how they communicate and build brands, and borrow a little bit from whiskey and bourbon in terms of what’s inside the bottle.”

To achieve a new vodka brand that differed from the rest, Pettit and

the Idle Hour Vodka team relied on the market research results, which told them the consumer was ready for something new and rewarding.

The company wanted to create a reappraisal of what vodka represented to the consumer base The company recognises the importance of creating a brand that consumers identify with.

www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 17

MEET THE MANUFACTURER

The company will continue to expand its product offerings in the near future.

“We are blessed in Australia that we are allowed to accentuate the flavour of the grain. The conventions when it comes to vodka flavour, is to distil it eight or nine times and then call that premium,” said Pettit.

“What we wanted to do was based on what people were tasting and preferring in spirits, they want flavour, they want character, depth and locally sourced. We opted to use rye, which would allow us to really maintain the integrity of that grain, and we only distil it once.

“From there you have a very interesting vodka ‘version two’,

which is ultimately what we wanted to build. We say it jokingly, but it is our goal to be Australia’s favourite vodka.”

The team had planned to release the new product to the market in 2021, that is until the COVID pandemic hit.

“When COVID came around we decided to accelerate its release because we could see from our own research people were experimenting a lot more with cocktails at home,” said Pettit.

The company was able to secure distribution deals with both Dan

The Queensland based company first hit the shelves in Dan Murphy’s and BWS stores.

Murphy’s and BWS in Queensland and have since secured deals with around 150 venues, both on and off premises.

Deciding to launch the product sooner than planned ended up paying off for the Brisbane-based company after receiving silver and bronze medals at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

“We all understood the value of what we were creating,” said Pettit.

“We now have an award-winning vodka, and we are absolutely confident in the formula we have.

People often buy with their eyes and their heart, and we knew that we needed to create that connection with the consumer.”

Looking forward, the brand is set to continue to expand its product offering with both a range of new expressions of Idle Hour Vodka inspired by native flavours and launching a subsequent offering of premium RTDs to Australians.

“We can’t and won’t stop now,” said Pettit.

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SENSOR TECHNOLOGY

Minimum effort and maximum efficiency with VEGAPOINT 24 VEGAPOINT 24 level switches master sticky and viscous substances, Food and Beverage Industry News reports.

VEGAPOINT 24 is the latest offering from Vega and iss specially designed for use with viscous products.

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any foods have a distinctive texture, from melt-in-your-mouth, like some processed cheeses, to grainy, like peeling cream along with tough, sticky, crunchy and soft.

Depending on the consistency, the demands on the level measurement technology used in production increase.

VEGA has developed and recently released the new frontflush level switch VEGAPOINT 24 especially for use with very sticky, viscous, or abrasive products. Its focus is on the achieving the greatest possible robustness.

Even with the strongest buildup, the piece reliably detects the level of coverage and indicates it with a coloured illuminated ring that is visible from a distance.

The rings are also available in 256 individually selectable colours.

Runs perfectly when it lights up The front-flush design ensures a host of aplications.

Thanks to its robustness, VEGAPOINT 24 is a real plug-and-

20 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

"With this device, we are specifically targeting the beverage, food and pharmaceutical sectors."

play sensor, and it can be installed in just a few simple steps.

Flexible production systems with frequent and fast product changes benefit from the fact that the piece detects all media with the help of the default setting, without adjustment.

Meanwhile, extended functions such as interface detection or foam blanking, can be configured with relative ease.

Only metal in the tank “With this device, we are specifically targeting the beverage, food and pharmaceutical sectors,” said Volker Allgaier, product manager at VEGA. “Here, mixing and conveying are all about efficiency and safety, even with demanding liquids and bulk solids like molasses or

nut-nougat cream.”

Meanwhile, the front-flush design of VEGAPOINT 24 ensures universal application possibilities.

“Even cleaning pigs works safely alongside the flat measuring tip,” said Allgaier.

“And the measuring tip also copes with sandblasting. This is because there is only metal in the tank.”

Compared to plastic, Allgaier concludes, extensive tests have shown an extended service life by a factor of four.

Fits like a glove Users are also able to achieve optimum visibility of their processes with the new VEGAPOINT 24 piece.

The decisive factor, however, is flexibility of use. With its versatile

SENSOR TECHNOLOGY

process fittings and adaptors, the level switch “fits like a glove”, even in already existing systems.

Some of features offered by the product includes complete flush process connection, ability to be used in a pigging system, no spray or shadow casting and it ignores build up with factory settings.

The other features of the VEGAPOINT 24 are its ability to work on low dielectric liquid processes with factory setting, individually settable outputs, abrasion resistance, compact form, and low cost.

Case Study Getting the right sensor is one thing but what is also important is being able to secure the right back-up services.

An example of this is a case study on Vega’s work with Hipex to help with the construction of pilot plants for companies to trial new products under working conditions.

Hipex is a company that specialises in equipment for the food and beverage industry and therefore expects a high standard of service and quality when it comes to instrumentation.

One of its specialties is making pilot

"With new operators all the time it had to be accurate, repeatable and reliable.

It got a lot of publicity."

plants for companies so they can trial new products under real working conditions The company had a small batch tank with an agitator, steam and a range of other complications that would affect instrumentation.

Ultimately Vega brought forth the VEGAPULS 64 sensor to meet the specifications that Hipex expected.

“It worked extremely well. It was a very small plant, but the whole system was complex and expensive,” said Hipex mechanical engineer Jay Edward.

“It went off without a hitch.

Because it is an R&D device, the department had people coming in from all over the place trialling products.

“With new operators all the time it had to be accurate, repeatable and reliable. It got a lot of publicity.”

One of the reasons it is critical that the instrument met the specifications is that Hipex is an OEM, which means not only are

local companies its competition, but overseas corporations are, too.

A key factor in Hipex continually turning to VEGA for its products is that there is immediate support and comprehensive local knowledge about the complex instrumentation they offer.

VEGA’s area manager, Geoff Agg, who looks after the Hipex account, knew straight away how the company could help.

“It was really small pilot plant, the size of a kitchen table,” said Agg. “The 80Ghz liquid radar VEGAPULS 64 was a perfect solution for the application This is only one example of how Vega helps the food and beverage industry with instrumentation and sensor technology.

“Not only has VEGA been excellent with their support, but a comprehensive range of high quality instruments means that they are able to cover almost all of our needs,” said Edward. F

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SUSTAINABILITY

F&B Industry stepping up to the plate – Beca helping clients navigate the unfamiliar road to sustainability Food and Beverage Industry News speaks with Beca about the drivers for change, getting started and some of the solutions helping industry transform sustainable strategic objectives into a roadmap to reality.

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chieving decarbonisation will require a long-term strategy broken down into approach for the food and beverage industry, according to experts from engineering and advisory consultancy firm Beca.

Implementing change and reform to improve organisational sustainability practices doesn’t need to be difficult or overwhelming, with cross-sector experience and collaboration key to finding shortterm wins and developing a longterm plan.

Sarah Bacon, an associate industrial sustainability consultant at Beca, said many food and beverage manufacturers have the technical experience with good access to consultants and suppliers who have the breadth and depth of experience to support in their decarbonisation journey.

According to Bacon, it is hard to attribute one thing as the driver behind the push towards decarbonisation and integrating sustainability into a business, which are being spoken about frequently at the executive level.

“One of them comes from consumers and their desire for more transparency around how products are being produced across the full supply chain and the market driving that choice,” said Bacon.

“I think investors and shareholders also want more information on how companies are looking to manage and mitigate their risks when it comes to climate change. This may influence which companies they invest in.

Beca specialises in helping companies meet sustainability targets being set out across the industry, including decarbonisation.

“The last driver is coming from employees. People want to work for companies that are focused on sustainability and has a strong social and environmental conscious. These companies are more likely to attract and retain great people and their employees will feel empowered and feel like they can make a difference at work.”

Another area highlighted by James Rooney, principal consultant at Beca, was the role being played by multi-national corporations that are bringing their European and American policies into Australia, which is having an influence on the push to sustainability.

Managing Climate Risk James said international drivers

22 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

demanding accurate climate impact reporting are also driving a need for change in the industry.

In the past some companies have placed identifying and reporting on climate risk in the challenging or ‘too hard basket’, given the uncertainty inherent in climate change. This was one of the reasons the Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework was introduced in countries like New Zealand.

“The TCFD reporting is becoming front of mind for a number of clients, particularly in New Zealand where it has been mandated for publicly listed companies, and we are already starting to see this trend emerging in Australia,” said Rooney.

“It also helps a company to

incorporate those climate-related risks and opportunities into their strategic planning and makes a company more resilient in adapting to the impacts of climate change.”

One of our TCFD experts at Beca says “Getting started now also empowers your business to tell its own story on how it is managing its risks and responding to climate change, rather than reacting to regulatory requirements.”

Developing your roadmap There are many factors to consider when understanding and developing a company’s strategy to becoming more sustainable. Sarah Bacon said a good starting point for companies looking to focus on decarbonising their operations is to develop an

SUSTAINABILITY

A comparison of old and new pressure setpoints is pictured, where savings of $380k annually are achieved. organisational carbon footprint. This allows a company to baseline their carbon emissions, and then measure and track progress when initiatives or changes are introduced.

“We’ve mapped the carbon footprint for a number of organisations, in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and ISO standards, to make sure that it’s consistent with an international approach,” said Bacon.

“This enables a company to annually report and track progress in their carbon footprint, which is really important in providing transparency from an external perspective for shareholders and customers, but also from an internal perspective to employees.”

“Beca is in a unique position where we have expertise in understanding how to measure an organisational carbon footprint, combined with our in-depth technical knowledge on an organisations operations and processes,” said Bacon.

A company may also want to set a science-based target to reduce a company’s GHG emissions in line with scenarios limiting temperature rise to below two degrees. If a company has set an emissions reduction target, Beca can support them in creating a practical roadmap, broken down into a step-by-step plan of how to achieve that target.

A detailed understanding about a company’s own energy supply and demands and an overall energy balance is a critical step before being able to develop a realistic decarbonisation roadmap. This is becoming increasingly important especially when many companies have publicly committed to carbon reduction goals, some even by 2030.

“We’ve supported a number of F&B clients in creating

decarbonisation roadmaps across the beverages, meat, and the seafood sectors. We workshop potential emissions reduction opportunities with the client, then analyse the carbon and cost impacts of these projects. It’s important to start with small steps in energy optimisation, then process technology change especially when an asset is at end of life, then fuel switching to a renewable source once demand has been reduced. These projects are often sequenced to align with the capital works programme for the company,” said Bacon “While it’s great to get there tomorrow, I think it is more realistic from a capital investment point of view that you have a gradual approach to getting there.”

With a clear understanding of an organisations carbon footprint, and a road map for achieving carbon reduction goals, it becomes much easier to implement the small projects that start an organisation on their journey to decarbonise their operations.

Choose the small wins first The first steps will always be to find where it makes sense to optimise your assets from a sustainability, efficiency, and cost perspective, said Rooney.

Food and beverage manufacturers have been known to be good at doing exactly that because it leads to a reduction in running costs.

Most existing sites already have the capability to reduce energy efficiency and increase optimisation, but firstly the existing assets’ capabilities must be assessed.

Recently Beca has used advanced analytics to help its clients reach better optimisation within existing sites. One example was an Australian manufacturer who

contracted Beca to help reduce the energy consumption in the short and medium term.

“We coupled that with experience in data analytics and exploration which helped us identify a number of potential savings in the operation of their current plant,” said Bacon.

Beca assessed the site and found the compressed air and steam system was running inefficiently and immediately identified it as a problem area.

“We were able to use simulations and data processing expertise to explore that inefficiency in more depth,” said Rooney.

“We were then able to optimise the way they run their compressor system and the client was able to make some adjustments to set points which ultimately saved them just under $400,000 over a year.”

Moving to a circular economy Carbon energy solutions are not the only contributors to becoming more sustainable, waste and water are also important to consider.

“The industrial sector is already looking at improving its production processes to reduce, for example, the amount of waste

beverage manufacturers need to identify is the issue around sustainable water usage and wastewater management due to Australia’s dry climate, despite the increased rain over the last 12 to 18 months.

“I think most are aware the additional rainfall recently will only be a brief hiatus, which is exactly the time organisations should be implementing forward planned solutions. We are seeing many of our clients targeting quite significant improvements in water efficiency and we are seeing advanced treatment technologies being used,” said Rooney.

“Lots can be gained from looking at the source and recognising source separation and treatment opportunities. Once these opportunities have been exhausted, reverse osmosis can be considered to treat wastewater for re-use. When you look at reverse osmosis, and similar technologies, they are often quite high energy users, so I think it’s very important when evaluating water solutions, you look at the overall sustainability picture and tie it all together to make sure it’s the best way to go,” said Rooney.

"We’ve supported a number of F&B clients in creating decarbonisation roadmaps across beverages, meat, and the seafood sectors. We workshop potential emissions reduction opportunities with the client, then analyse the carbon and cost impacts of these projects." going into landfill, driven by recent legislation in Australia banning the export of recyclable materials.

Now companies are looking at how they can take the waste previously exported and convert this into a material that can be used in another way,” said Bacon.

With modern technologies and innovations now available to convert recyclables to reusable materials, this will continue to grow in popularity within the sector as companies continue to push towards their 2030 goals, and consumers continue to make their choices based on how sustainable an organisation is being.

Water and the big picture Another key area where food and

Support available There are so many elements a client needs to consider when navigating the increasing pressures and legislation around sustainability, particularly considering remaining competitive and profitable, while meeting demands from consumers, employees and shareholders.

“We have expertise across a broad range of services, and we can help clients break down their goals into clear, achievable steps to help them along their journey together,” Bacon.

Beca considers sustainability in all they do and are passionate about helping clients reach decarbonisation and sustainability goals as the industry becomes more environmentally friendly. F

www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 23

WASTEWATER

Aerofloat helps food court meet industrial wastewater standards Wastewater specialists Aerofloat is seeing the results of a custom-built wastewater treatment system in South Australia after constructing it during the pandemic.

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erofloat was approached by property owners Scentre Group to solve a wastewater problem at its Westfield West Lakes shopping centre food court in Adelaide.

Michael Anderson, Aerofloat general manager, said Scentre Group had caught wind of the company’s success with difficult wastewater projects before reaching out.

“The food court had some existing grease traps that required an upgrade to a more comprehensive system, but it was a small space for what they perceived to be a big problem, so they came to us to see how we could help,” said Anderson.

“The client appreciated that we were able to provide a solution within budget for a space that they thought would be too tricky. Aerofloat prides itself on tackling challenging wastewater problems with clever engineering and custom design, so it was a perfect project for us.

“It was a tight spot and through a lot of work with the centre group architectural team we custom designed a system to fit the tight space.”

During the design process, the Aerofloat team also had to address a situation which is unique to South Australia.

Every other state categorises shopping centre food courts as commercial customers with lower discharge requirements to meet, but South Australia classifies food courts as industrial customers with much stricter standards to meet. pH correction, chemical dosing (coagulation and flocculation) and hydraulic balancing was required to ensure the pH range was 6-10, and the solids and grease levels were less than 600mg/L TSS and 100mg/L FOG. “The footprint was quite small, but we had a lot of height to work with so instead of putting in lower cost tanks that would take up more space, we custom built stainless steel tanks that were quite tall,” said Anderson.

In order to create access to the top of the tanks for maintenance the Aerofloat team added more customisation.

“We needed to access the top of one of those tanks for maintenance.

What was unique in terms of design was we designed a platform that we

Aerofloat offers expert and customised solutions for wastewater treatment requirements.

24 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

South Australia is the only state that classifies food courts as industrial customers.

"The footprint was quite small, but we had a lot of height to work with so instead of putting in lower cost tanks that would take up more space, we had custom build stainless steel tanks that were quite tall." suspended off the top of one of the tanks,” Anderson added.

“And then we were able to access that platform from a walkway on the roof.”

During the build phase, the COVID pandemic struck. Thankfully Aerofloat was able to adapt to the challenges posed by the pandemic,

with remote monitoring technology and Aerofloat’s own Australian manufacturing.

The plant has recently become fully operational and is successfully allowing the Westfield West Lakes food court to adhere to the strict South Australian industrial water requirements. F

An example of a wastewater system constructed by Aerofloat.

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FOOD WASTE

The government programs have proven to help reduce waste by 21 per cent.

NSW Government sets out new targets for reducing food waste The New South Wales Government has released a new program to help the food and beverage industry reduce the amount of food waste it creates.

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he NSW Government has moved food waste to the top of its agenda with the release of a new online program to help business reduce food waste and a new policy agenda to reduce emissions from organics waste in landfill.

Amanda Kane, organics manager at the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), said the recently released Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy would also drive change, requiring larger food waste generating business to source separate food waste from 2025. Kane said tackling food waste had multiple benefits for business, including saving

money, reducing emissions, improving sustainability and improving staff morale. Research has shown that for every $1 spent on food waste diversion there is a $14 dollar return.

“The new strategy sets out requirements for all households to source separate food waste by 2030 and larger food wasting business by 2025,” said Kane.

“It will start with the businesses which are sending the most food waste to landfill, which is currently the hospitality, retail and institutional sectors.”

The new requirement to source separate food waste is being described as a gamechanger for the

26 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

"It adds up when you start looking at it, so with this new requirement to sourceseparate, businesses will be able to see how much food waste they are creating." industry because it will bring into clear focus the amount of waste being thrown away.

“We’ve been running Your Business is Food, a waste avoidance education program for businesses, for four years. It’s part of our Love Food Hate Waste program and involves a three-step process of measure, act and celebrate,” said Kane.

“We’ve learnt a lot, including

particularly that most businesses don’t realise how much food they are wasting until they see it.”

The program helps reduce waste by an average of 21 per cent, targeting action in areas where the most food waste is generated, that is storage waste, prep waste or what’s left on the plate.

“In the food service businesses, plate waste is often the biggest area

FOOD WASTE

where changes can be made. Because the chef often never sees what’s left on the plate, they never realise how much customers are leaving behind,” said Kane.

“We’re anticipating this same principle of seeing is believing will drive increased action as more businesses start to source separate the waste. They’ll see how much there is and will want to do something about avoiding it.

The benefits are many, including cost savings from stock, labour and disposal, happier customers and staff and a reduction in emissions.

“Our research showed that 71 per cent of customers like it when they’re offered a doggy bag and 49 percent of customers are put off by portion sizes that are too large,” said Kane.

“Staff are your greatest allies on the food waste journey as, like almost everyone, they don’t like food waste and are very well placed to give your ideas for your business to reduce it.

“Your Business is Food helped the Sydney Hilton halve its food waste by identifying where food is

wasted and amending practices and procedures at the front and back of house. It has resulted in cost savings of $850,000 a year.”

Kane said Your Business is Food started as a face-to-face program, with assessors stepping the business through a three-bucket audit to

of landfill where it would generate emissions,” said Kane.

“Donating surplus food is the next best option.

“If you then source separate what you can’t avoid it becomes a clean, valuable resource that can generate energy through anaerobic digestion,

"So far we now have 43 councils offering food and garden collections and the new requirement is all households will be doing that by 2030." identify where food is wasted and introducing changes to reduce it. Because of COVID and the challenges for business to fit food waste management into a busy day, the EPA has now made the program available online.

“Avoidance is the pinnacle when it comes to food waste because it makes the most of your stock, saves all the resources it took to get the food to you and it keeps food out

improve soil health when processed into compost or feed animals through processes like maggot farming.”

Creating the added benefit of returning carbon to the soil..

Kane said the organics component of the new waste strategy is supported with $69 million. Following consultation with the sector, a new program will be developed to help business transition to source

separation, expected to include support for audits, education and infrastructure, for things like bins, scales and onsite processing equipment.

Kane said the EPA’s approach has evolved over the years as more research sheds light on problem areas which can be corrected.

“There are commitments on a state, national and international level to halve food waste by 2030 and if we’re to achieve that, we need to address the problem from every angle,” said Kane.

“In NSW we have been running a $100 million organics program since 2013 which has laid the foundations for this next stage.

“Our investment has supported Love Food Hate Waste, new collection services for households and business, and new facilities to process 600,000 tonnes more organics waste each year.”

The net zero commitment and the new Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy is putting food waste high on the agenda for business. F The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has created programs to help reduce food waste.

www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 27

FOOD WASTE

Organisations and governments unite to combat food waste Stop Food Waste Australia is leading the way in the fight against the scourge of food waste, Food and Beverage Industry News reports.

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he new partnership between the federal, state and territory governments, industry peak bodies and the food rescue sector was formed in part due to 2015 figures bringing into stark focus the growing problem of food waste in Australia.

Dr Steven Lapidge, the inaugural CEO of Fight Food Waste, which runs Stop Food Waste Australia and the Fight Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre (CRC), said waste figures had been compiled in the past for different sectors but never added up, until 2015.

Those figures indicated that food waste from residential households was costing over $10 billion, while waste from primary production and manufacturing was also costing billions of dollars.

“When we added up the sector figures in 2015, it showed that food waste was, conservatively, a $20 billion issue for this country,” said Lapidge.

“That’s when it started grabbing some headlines showing how serious

the situation was and something that collectively we needed to be addressed.”

“So while there was already great examples of individual companies and states fighting food waste at the time, what we didn’t necessarily have was the national picture.”

Lapidge said it was already widely known that food waste in landfill is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases on the planet, but the hard figures help drive a national push for sustainability.

Stop Food Waste Australia was created earlier this year in response to the need for an independent national food waste governance entity, as identified in the 2017 National Food Waste Strategy, which set the pathway to a more sustainable food industry by 2030.

“The drivers for the Australian government committing to halving food waste is no doubt the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals which were also published in 2015,” said Lapidge.

28 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

“Plus, there was a lot going on in places like the UK and America already. We were looking to those countries and trading partners and thinking this is really something we needed to start focusing on.”

Another critical point of action for Stop Food Waste Australia is reducing how much food finds its way into landfill, and while practices such as composting divert food waste it doesn’t actually count towards the target of halving food waste.

“Whether it is composting or other actions, like anaerobic digestion, those nutrients are internationally considered lost to the human food supply chain which still makes it food waste,” said Lapidge.

Lapidge said one of the most awful figures uncovered during past research by Foodbank Australia is that despite Australia producing enough food to feed 75 million people there are still 5 million people who are food insecure, something the organisation is eager to address.

“The CRC did a project with

Foodbank Australia and KPMG late last year. For businesses its generally cheaper to throw food away than donate it to charity because they get very little rebate, they can claim ingredients costs but that’s about it,” said Lapidge.

“They still have to cover costs of transport, cold chain logistics and things of that nature.”

The project partners are proposing a tax incentive be given for food donations much in the same model as the research and development tax incentive.

“Rather than throwing the food away companies can donate it to a registered food rescue charity, and they can claim a tax reduction for donation, transportation and logistics,” said Lapidge.

It is examples such as these that underline the importance of Stop Food Waste Australia.

“It is through bringing all the key players together and identifying the game changing solutions that we can make the greatest difference towards

FOOD WASTE

Studies show there are many areas where food waste can be reduced significantly.

halving food waste in this country” said Lapidge.

“The food rescue tax incentive project is now one of the pillars of the Food Rescue and Relief Sector Action Plan being delivered by Stop Food Waste Australia and the food rescue sector.”

Other sector action plans have been developed, such as one with key operators in the Australian food cold chain, while others are currently in development.

“Sector action plans are about pre-competitive collaboration with all the key players in a sector, such

as dairy, to help solve the many common challenges they face in eliminating waste from their production systems” said Lapidge.

“Food waste from production lines is often seen as the cost of doing business. It is cheap to produce and its often cheap to throw away as

Stop Food Waste Australia was founded to help meet the goal of reducing food waste by 2030.

well. That’s a mindset that we need to change.”

The other key focus area for Stop Food Waste Australia is the Australian Food Pact, which will be launched at Parliament House in Canberra on August 25 this year.

The Australian Food Pact is a voluntary agreement with food producers and retailers throughout the supply chain that supports them to target, measure and act when it comes to food waste.

“Voluntary agreements have been proven to be one of the most effective ways of reducing industry food waste globally” said Lapidge.

“Perhaps the best examples is the Courtauld Agreement in the United Kingdom, which has reduced food waste in the UK by 27 per cent to date.”

Lapidge said food waste is not just a national issue, but a global one, and changes need to be made as the world marches towards a population of 10 billion people.

“While Australia has 5 million people who are food insecure, there are 800 million people globally or around 10 per cent of the world population,” Lapidge said.

“The World Resources Institute predicts there is a 56 per cent gap in the amount of food that we grow now compared to what we will need in 2050.

“Unless we reduce our food waste there is no possible way that we can feed a population of 10 billion people in 2050.” F

www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 29

WASTE AND RECYCLING EXPO

Speaker program announced for Australasian Waste and Recycling Expo The Australasian Waste and Recycling Expo is due to return to the ICC Sydney from August 25 to 26 and visitor registration is now live.

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he speaker program for Australia’s leading business event for the waste, recycling and resource recovery sector, the Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo (AWRE) has been finalised.

The AWRE will be held at the ICC Sydney from August 25 to 26 and will be the first time in 2021 the industry finally gets back together for business.

Visitor registration is now live, and the event will be conducted with a proven and fully government compliant COVIDSafe event system.

Product manager, Melissa Clendinen, said it’s more important than ever for the industry to re-group and share new ideas.

“Last year really showed how important the waste and recycling industry has become to the lives of Australians in this increasingly circular economy,” said Clendinen.

“More than ever it’s vital for the industry to get together and digest new reforms, discuss exciting opportunities and generate creative solutions and this year’s AWRE has been designed to maximise our time together,” she said.

The Australasian Waste & Recycling Expo returns on August 25.

This year’s AWRE will feature over 100 exhibitors, with the popular AORA Organics Zone returning, as well as a newly launched Innovation Zone, showcasing the latest solutions and technology to hit the market since January 2020.

The expo is due to take place at the ICC Sydney.

30 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

New to AWRE is the Resource Recovery Summit “Getting to 80 per cent”. This half day event features opening keynotes by Federal Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management, The Hon Trevor Evans MP and NSW EPA CEO

Tracy Mackey.

Facilitated sessions with a stellar line of panellists will explore the specific challenges in the key waste streams of Municipal Solid Waste, Commercial & Industrial and Construction & Demolition.

AWRE’s free Seminar Series is once again being held and this year will be presented in two theatres.

An extensive array of topics will be covered across key industry actions and insights from policy & regulation, trends & insights to practical and tangible solutions from innovators shaping the future direction for Australia.

Speakers include Kathleen Guinta, EPA director of circular economy programs, Pablo Dias, UNSW, Amanda Kane, NSW EPA, Barry Cosier, Australian Food and Grocery Council and Jo Holman, APCO, presenting the APCO Annual Data Report. F

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MEGATRANS

MEGATRANS set to return to Melbourne in 2022 With COVID-19 disrupting so many facets of life in 2020 and 2021, MEGATRANS has been postoned to February 16-18, 2022.

M

EGATRANS 2022,’ reimagining the supply chain’, is setting the goal of overhauling the way the freight and logistics supply chain will operate in the face of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event is an integrated trade exhibition and conference showcasing the full freight and logistics supply chain, spanning warehousing and logistics, through to multimodal freight and final mile delivery, important aspects of the food and beverage manufacturing industry.

After a disrupted year where face-to-face business interactions have been dramatically reduced, physical events that allow you to engage with potential customers will be more important than ever and can provide a valuable advantage over any competitor who is not on display in the exhibition.

MEGATRANS will facilitate the industry’s best opportunity to showcase innovative solutions to the challenges that COVID has brought to a wide audience, with a strong focus on the retail and foodservice sector.

COVID also means trade exhibitions will look a little different in 2022, with a raft of health and

MEGATRANS 2021 is set for February 16 to 18 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. safety protocols to be implemented as directed or recommended by authorities and safety experts at the relevant time.

Organisers praised the efforts of the majority of 2020 exhibitors and sponsors who have carried across their support to the new dates, MEGATRANS is also accepting new exhibitor enquiries now.

Spaces are strictly limited, so

potential exhibitors are encouraged to book now to ensure you can secure your exhibition stand.

A long list of exhibitors has already been confirmed for the event, including ASCI, Dematic, CEVA Logistics, Colliers International and Global GPS Tracking.

“Trade exhibitions will look a little different, with a raft of health and safety protocols to

The event will showcase new and innovative solutions for the food industry.

32 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

be implemented as directed or recommended by authorities and safety experts at the relevant time,” said Simon Coburn, show director.

“We’re delighted to announce such a high-calibre range of speakers for this year’s MEGATRANS conference. Australia’s logistics and supply chain industry is experiencing an unprecedented period of growth.

“As organisations explore ways of operating a more efficient, sustainable and cost-effective operation, MEGATRANS will present a unique opportunity for delegates to find out what some of the largest organisations in this sector are doing to meet these increasing challenges and demand.”

The Mercury Awards are also set to return with MEGATRANS. The awards celebrate the best of the industry from across 2020 and 2021, with 2020 nominees being carried over to year’s event at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. F

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CYBER SECURITY

Australia’s “corporate soft underbelly” the first point of cyber attack Last year, the then Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton raised cyber security as a critical issue for all industries when he introduced the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020.

W

hen the then Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton introduced the Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020 he told parliament it was “a significant step in the protection of the critical infrastructure and essential services which all Australians rely upon”.

He might have appeared like a prophet of doom back then when he told Parliament, “Australia has not suffered a catastrophic attack on our critical infrastructure, but we are not immune,” said Dutton.

With food production becoming more automated, the food industry is also open to cyber attacks While the original Bill dealt mostly with threats ranging from natural hazards such as weather events, it also considered human-induced threats such as cyber attacks, espionage, chemical or oil spills, and from trusted insiders.

Dutton said that Australia is facing increasing cyber security threats to

essential services, businesses and all levels of government.

Since then, Dutton has moved to the Defence Ministry and there has been cyber attacks on federal parliamentary networks, logistics, Channel Nine, banking ATM networks, the medical sector and universities, just to name a few.

Elsewhere, the Russian-linked SolarWinds attack and the Chinalinked attack on Microsoft Exchange have stunned governments and observers worldwide.

And yet, cyber security budgets in Australia’s corporate sector have remained stagnant and executive teams continue to underestimate the level of damage cyber threats can do to organisations according to the Sophos survey report, The Future of Cybersecurity in Asia Pacific and Japan.

The survey found that 52 per cent of Australian organisations suffered a data breach in 2020, up from 36 per cent in 2019, this is despite 61 per cent

of Australian organisations claiming to have a proactive or better security capability in place today.

Vice-President of the Australian Security Industry Association, Rachael Saunders, said the key word in Cyber Security is the word “security”.

“There are plenty of IT consultancies who advise their customers on fortifying their computer systems, but that is not enough,” said Saunders. “Cyber Security is about a lot more than just computer systems and organisations have to examine their operations from a broader security standpoint.”

Saunders said corporations need to be better educated about how cyber incursions are done.

“So, it’s important that companies stop thinking about cyber attacks as just something that happens in computers and see it as a major security challenge,” she said.

Last year, the Australian Strategy Policy Institute’s researched

Australia’s cyber vulnerabilities and found: “Our approach to national security planning should now include key companies and their supply chains: it’s time to rethink our national security approach in a more complex, dynamic and interconnected world.”

Its report, From Board Room to Situation Room, described the corporate sector as Australia’s soft underbelly and the most likely point of first strike by a hostile nation state.

The authors recommended closer integration between Australia’s government security agencies and the Australian Defence Force with the private sector. “Our corporate sector is now a key component of our deterrent posture against a range of threats.”

In the final analysis, Australia’s characteristic “She’ll be right” attitude will have to give way to a strong dose of reality. The country as a whole will have to wake up and get cyber-ready before it’s too late. F

The Australian Strategy Policy Institute conducted reserach on Australia’s cyber vulnerabilities.

34 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

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PRODUCT SAFETY

Peace of mind with oil-free and why best practice is smarter choice Food and beverage manufacturing may have been taken for granted in everyday life, that is until the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, Food and Beverage Industry News reports.

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he way the industru produced and distributed its food was brought to the forefront in 2020 and the scenes of empty supermarket shelves are still etched in the public’s memories.

The impact of the pandemic on companies behind the scenes was enormous and as a result, many are re-evaluating everything about how they do business. This will be even more necessary where the transit of goods across international borders is concerned, especially in the post-

pandemic marketplace of the future.

Product safety has become more of a priority than ever and regulations are expected to tighten in the marketplace to match international standards. These standards are determined by both the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

For those in food and beverage production, there’s a sense of inevitably that changes will come around the use of oil-injected

The pandemic has forced a re-evaluation around the future methods of production.

36 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

compressors in the food and beverage sector.

It has been a point of growing contention for some (especially for those exporting to heavily regulated overseas markets) and ambivalence for others, that the Australian food industry has no mandated standards around oil-free equipment in food and beverage manufacturing.

Internationally, this is not the case, ingestible products are produced under strict regulations and must be manufactured using oil-free machines.

ISO 8573-1:2010 specifies “purity classes of compressed air with respect to particles, water and oil independent of the location in the compressed air system at which the air is specified or measured.”

In fact, this standard specifically provides a classification system for the main contaminants of a compressed air system.

In many countries, standards around oil-free status are strictly enforced.

Companies uniformly must provide evidence of being certified to this standard for their products to be legally allowed on the market, to cross borders from one country to another, and to be protected for the purposes of insurance, to name a few examples.

This kind of tight regulation protects manufacturers as much as consumers.

Food contamination of any kind is not just a health and safety issue for consumers, the negative impact on a company’s reputation and its brand would be significant if consumers were alerted to the level of contaminant risk in their product.

Australia currently lacks overarching standards around the use of oil-injected compressors within the food and beverage industry, and as a result the details embedded within existing standards differ from seafood to dairy, poultry to seeds and so on.

The concept behind standards and regulations is to minimise risk as much as possible. However, most risks can never be completely eliminated, but can be managed (and ideally mitigated) through comprehensive standards and regulations to ensure public safety.

Given the lack of Australian standards on the topic, many food and beverage manufacturers currently

PRODUCT SAFETY

operate in a grey zone of safety and contamination levels. Some manufacturers argue that the air is not always in contact with the food, so the risk is removed.

Others continue to use oil-injected equipment but with filters to minimise (not eliminate) contamination. The use of well-filtered oil-injected equipment still comes with the risk of contamination, as filters saturate over time and aren’t always replaced on time.

However, in the majority of food production, compressed air must come into contact with food, think air being blown into bags for food to be inserted, or liquids being injected into cartons, filling deposited into cakes and pies, so the risk of oil contamination exists.

Sullair aims to always take on an advisory role on this subject.

Supporting the customer with insights into best practice, whilst assisting them to make choices around the best equipment for their needs is paramount.

New food and beverage clients are advised to choose oil-free, for reasons outlined, while existing customers are supported to upgrade if and when they feel the need arise.

Some food and beverage

Sullair is advising new food and beverage clients to choose oil-free production. manufacturers are already taking the initiative to switch to oil-free, even though regulations don’t yet demand it of them.

This may seem overly cautious to some, but there is a sense that proactively making the change to oil

free, will build in high levels of trust from their consumers and reduce everyone’s risk by design.

Until national and mandatory regulations around compressed air quality in food manufacturing in Australia are implemented, food and

beverage producers must take it upon themselves to follow best practice production processes by using oil-free compressors.

After all, the easiest way to avoid oil contamination risk is to remove oil entirely. F

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www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 37

FINE FOOD AUSTRALIA

How butchers are helping carve up the meat market The team at Fine Food Australia spoke to two butchers who are doing things differently and helping educate other businesses about alternative ways of supplying and selling meat.

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hile Australia remains one of the world’s great consumers of meat, about 110kg per person a year, compared to a global average of 44kg, our tastes are changing.

There was a time when beef was the king of meat, but beef consumption in Australia has dropped by 41 per cent since 2000, just behind lamb, which has plummeted by almost 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, we’re eating more chicken and pork.

For butchers across the country, this changing landscape presents an opportunity to pivot, and to look at ways of staying relevant.

Alison Meagher, a qualified butcher and educator, has been travelling through China and Southeast Asia for the past six years as an ambassador for the Australian meat industry and has returned home to share her insights with local butchers and chefs.

Based near Warrnambool, Victoria, she recently launched

Butcher Girl, and is on a mission to help butchers understand how to grow their business, increase profits and stay viable. She’s particularly focused on the possibilities of beef, beyond the common prime cuts.

“It’s been good to come back to Australia and see what’s going on in the industry, especially the butcher shops,” said Meagher.

“I’ve noticed that the price of beef is very high, and the average consumer doesn’t know about cuts apart from the prime cuts. And to be completely honest, I don’t think most of the butchers know about these either. Many of them throw most of the secondary cuts into the mincer because that’s what they’ve always done.”

By secondary cuts, Meagher is referring to those usually used in slow cooking, such as oyster blade, flank and skirt. Instead of mincing these, and other cuts that commonly end up in sausages, she believes we should be educating customers on their qualities and showing how they

The meat industry is undergoing changes around how the product is supplied and sold.

38 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

can be turned into many different dishes.

“I’ve said to many butchers, ‘You know, this is the skirt, the inside skirt, the outside skirt, the palm skirt’ and they just say, ‘It’s all just mince to me.’ But you look at something like an oyster blade, for example. Most people slow-cook it,” said Meagher.

“But what you can do is remove that sinew in the middle and you can make flat iron steaks, which

then become the second most tender muscle in the whole animal, the first being the tenderloin.

“I think butchers could benefit from knowing more about the cuts of the animal, which is only going to help their business grow.”

Top to tail meat in fashion For butcher Grant Hilliard, using the whole animal is essential to his business Feather and Bone in

FINE FOOD AUSTRALIA

Sydney’s Marrickville. He said Feather and Bone, unlike many butchers who rely exclusively or substantially on boxed meat, only buys carcass meat or meat on the bone.

“We buy directly from producers,” said Hilliard.

“We don’t deal with wholesalers, and we visit every farm that we source from. So, it’s a very, very different way of running a butcher shop.”

Like Meagher, Hilliard promotes using the whole animal.

“If you’re only looking at prime cuts, you’re doing both the animal and the production process a disservice,” he said.

“We believe that if you’re going to eat meat then you have to account for the whole animal, so we buy the whole animal. Then we can verify that it will meet our ethical framework for livestock management and environmental management.”

"We don’t deal with wholesalers, and we visit every farm that we source from.

So, it’s a very, very different way of running a butcher shop."

Qualified butcher Alison Meagher is an active ambassador for the Australian meat industry.

Hilliard has been running Feather and Bone for 15 years and has built up a strong customer base that he

says is prepared to pay more for the value of nutritionally high meat.

“We find that just because some cuts are more expensive than our customers may be used to, they may consider other cuts – so-called lesser or secondary cuts – and they will recognise the quality of the meat and that it is tremendously flavoursome and rewarding,” said Hilliard.

“It’s taken us a while to build that diverse audience for all the different parts of the carcass.”

Instead of promoting more meat consumption, Hilliard argues that eating less meat, but with a higher nutritional content, is part of the solution to keeping butchery viable.

“By working with farmers who are focused on soil fertility, we’re

also working with produce that has as high a nutritional content as possible,” he said.

“And if it’s high nutritional content, you don’t need as much of it.

We’re talking about less quantity but higher quality.

“I try and convince people that what they eat matters, for the environment’s health and ultimately for theirs as well.”

Hilliard is the co-author of The Ethical Omnivore, a book promoting the importance of regenerative agriculture and community, and he is passionate about helping people better understand how we can live with less impact on both animals and the environment.

“We’re very interested in the educational process that allows people to see the benefits of those things and why it might be important from a personal level, but also on a social and environmental level, too,” he said. F Beef consumption in Australia continues to drop as consumer taste undergoes changes.

www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 39

CONSTRUCTION

Ready-to-eat meal market is experiencing rapid growth Total Construction is helping companies get new manufacturing facilities off the ground for the growing ready-to-eat meal sector, Food and Beverage Industry News reports.

Consumers have flocked to readyto-eat meals which has resulted in companies accelerating investment.

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he ready-to eat-meal market has seen an explosion in popularity in recent years and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many companies in the space have accelerated investment.

Total Construction, a commercial building company, is getting a front row seat to the growth of the market after working with stakeholders in the sector.

Total Construction’s national general manager, food and beverage division, Tony Tate, said a number of factors were driving the sector’s growth after it stalled at the turn of the millennium.

Back then it was shown to be too expensive to produce quality and affordable ready-to-eat meals for the

average consumer in Australia, but thanks to advancements in production methods and a growing demand for the product, the sector is in the best shape it’s ever been in.

The volume of output, coupled with the growing consumer demand, has seen the sector experience three to four per cent growth week on week in recent times.

As manufacturers ramp up production of ready-to-eat meals, and others enter the Australian market, Total Construction finds itself being sought after to get facilities, which meet the stringent quality and hygiene standards around the product, off the ground.

“The new facilities have to be designed and built to high food

40 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

standards because some of these products will have 7-to-10-day shelf lives,” said Tate.

Adding to the challenges of meeting quality and hygiene standards are the requirements for the product to be made in the chilled model, like in the UK, and not like the frozen model from the United States.

“Ready to eat manufactures have to exceed the normal food safety standards that a lot of restaurants have. These food standards follow the brief of the UK standards,” said Tate.

“The organoleptic mouth feel also has to be the same from day one to day 10, and obviously the microbial growth has to be minimised for it to be reheated in the oven or the microwave.”

As a result, the machinery and software used on the read-to-eat production line has to be of the highest quality.

“There are some manufacturers in Australia, but majority of the automated specialist process equipment comes from Europe,” said Tate.

“They meet all the hygienic designs in finishes and fabrication in stainless steel. They have no areas that can’t be accessed easily for cleaning and the design allows the equipment to be fully sanitised.”

The machinery also has to be swabbed at the start of every day and if any residual protein is found they are sanitised and swabbed again.

Despite the costs of raising a

CONSTRUCTION

ready-to-eat manufacturing facility from the ground up, many companies have accelerated their investment in the sector in recent years, with the pandemic playing a surprising part.

“Because of COVID, these businesses are thriving,” said Tate.

“They are currently investing a lot of money to get facilities up and running and these sites are not just small manufacturing plants, they are producing high volume ready meals, anywhere to 200,000 meals a day, 1 million a week.”

With that sort of output, it’s little wonder a range of potential clients have reached out to Total Construction to help with the development of their new facilities.

The popularity of the product has also been reflected in sales from major supermarkets, Coles and Woolworths, who reported strong sales in 2020.

The shortage of supply and cold storage vacancy created by the demand is another key driver behind an increase in demand for temperature-controlled facilities, which is where Total Construction steps in.

“Clients come to us for our expertise,” said Tate.

“We have fitted out, or built from

The ready meals space has seen rapid growth in recent years due to a number of factors, including COVID.

scratch, 85 facilities in the 13 years that food and beverage has been a part of our company, which has made us one of the go to experts.”

Tate said while the fabrications and building doesn’t make the client money like the processing equipment,

it pays to engage a construction company that understands the industry standards required.

For example, using the correct insulated sandwich panel to make sure surfaces are smooth, helping to reduce microbial build and making it

easy to clean.

Thanks to the recent explosion in the ready meals space, Total Construction currently has three major projects in various design stages and is excited at what the future holds for the sector. F

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Sealed Air opens site for virtual visit Author

Nerida Kelton MAIP, Executive Director, Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP)

The AIP is inviting all members to attend a virtual site visit of Sealed Air CRYOVAC brand food packaging plant in Tullamarine, Victoria on August 4, 2021.

S

ealed Air is in business to protect, to solve critical packaging challenges, and to leave our world better than we found it.

Their solutions and systems include Cryovac brand food packaging, Sealed Air brand protective packaging, Autobag brand automated systems and Bubble Wrap brand packaging.

These brands collectively enable a more efficient, secure and less wasteful global food supply chain and enhance commerce through fulfilment and packaging solutions to protect the worldwide movement of goods.

Sealed Air’s industry-leading expertise in science, engineering, and innovation transforms businesses, industries, and consumers’ lives.

The company continues to expand its portfolio of nextgeneration sustainable solutions including packaging materials, automated systems, and smart services to deliver savings and create measurable long-term value.

With approximately 16,500 employees who serve customers

The packaging specialists are offering a chance to see how CRYOVAC is produced in Melbourne.

across 115 countries, Sealed Air invites AIP Members to its Cryovac brand food packaging plant in Tullamarine, Victoria.

Here you will take a closer look at its zero waste, polypropylene tray and tub manufacturing facility and learn more about how product design plays an important role in enabling a sustainable and less wasteful food supply chain.

Meeting the criteria of its key

Sealed Air is offering a virtual site tour for interested stakeholders.

42 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

customer partners for circularity of plastics is a key part of Cryovac brand food packaging solutions – the tour will also look at the work that has enabled the entire product range of this facility to be kerbside recyclable and look at the future of post-consumer polypropylene recycling as Sealed Air partners with NextLooPP. The future is exciting and Sealed Air looks forward to your company.

During the Virtual Tour you will be able to meet and talk to a broad range of leading experts from the Sealed Air Team including Kevin Taylor, portfolio manager, APAC – trays, lids, absorbent pad; Brett Perrin, director ANZ manufacturing transformation; Simon Tassone, technical manager, Tullamarine; and Alan Adams MAIP, director sustainability, APAC. F

AFCCC

AFCCC chairman calls on the industry to change cold chain Cold chain culture must change if food waste targets are to be met, writes Mark Mitchell, chairman of the Australian Food Cold Chain Council.

I

have made abundantly clear in earlier stories that the Australian cold food chain is well and truly broken in more than one place.

Indeed, those involved in the industry, including food producers, distributors and retailers agree that there are problems that need fixing.

Those companies that have to face sometimes crippling insurance premiums or just cop the loss of food from a transport or storage asset that had to be dumped or discounted because it was out of temperature will know the feeling.

Wearing my AFCCC hat, I go to many meetings with a range of industry players. Invitations are plentiful and I guess it is because I am spelling out the unsavoury truths about the problems which are contributing towards the annual loss and waste of 7.6 million tonnes of produce every year, amounting to a value of $25 billion. And it’s not just the value of the food that is wasted, but its growing costs, water costs, energy costs and the annual greenhouse gas emissions amounting to 20 million tonnes of CO2e.

The figures, for a so-called modern and progressive country like Australia are appalling, and everyone I speak to agrees.

What I am about to say will be unpopular, but someone has to say the bleeding obvious – if left to the cold chain industry at large, nothing will change and the potential for even bigger losses of food are ever present.

I know that’s generalising, and I know there are many industry groups that are following world best practice in the handling of their produce.

I could draw an analogy between the secrecy that contributes to the lack of sharing of essential temperature data as food passes through its sometimestortuous journey from farm to plate, and the reluctance that we didn’t quite expect from many in the industry to share their data, upskill their front-line

staff, and adopt quality management measures that could easily change the situation overnight.

On the surface, this all sounds depressing, but with or without the support of the entire cold chain industry, changes are happening, slowly but surely.

I sensed this very recently as I presented at a three-day workshop for APEC, the Pacific economies that have adopted an aggressive program of investigation and action to reduce food loss and waste within their economies.

This move began when I first attended a session in 2018, and this year, I noted a much larger contingent of influential people from government and industry who have picked up the banner and want to help.

On the national public front, the Commonwealth Government led the way by adopting the EU goal of 2030 to halve food waste and has financed detailed studies to determine the real extent and cost of food waste across all food types. The main report, released in early 2020 opened many eyes to the problem. Information is one thing – taking action on it is something else.

Realising that more had to be done to stimulate industry, the government has financed a huge program for Stop Food Waste Australia, a powerful partnership of committed organisations who operate along the farm-to-fork food supply chain.

They are focusing on four areas: developing new products for food that might otherwise be wasted or ploughed back into the ground; collaborating with industry partners to identify the root cause of food waste and the solutions to it; maximising food rescue from farms, creating new upcycled food and ingredients; and helping consumers get more value from the food and drink they buy.

Stop Food Waste Australia is signing up a minimum of 50 of Australia’s major food suppliers to commit to a new food loss and waste accounting and reporting standard and devoting some of their resources and expertise towards achieving the goals of what will become known as the Australian Food Pact, due for official launching in August.

Instead of regulation, which the industry certainly doesn’t want, the

Pact is a voluntary agreement that follows a proven international way of tackling food waste, focusing on prevention, reducing waste and food chain transformation and innovation.

The AFCCC is part of this process.

And finally, even COVID has impacted on attitudes to Australia’s food loss and waste in unexpected ways. People have stayed at home more and engaged in more home cooking, meaning food retailers have done well and even food growers have noticed more ‘whole of crop’ purchases by the supermarkets.

Consumers are starting to ask more questions about their food purchases. Their renewed interest in the raw food produce has triggered mounting questions about food safety, provenance, packaging and whether the food is Australian made.

Solutions are being applied to many of these post-COVID issues, but the fact remains that a significant culture change is needed throughout the cold chain industry, from farm to plate, if Australia is to have any chance of meeting its target of halving food loss and waste by 2030. F Industry leaders are being called on to overhaul the cold supply chain.

www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 43

DAIRY

Global Dairy Commodity Update July 2021 Global market fundamentals have started to weaken but remain mostly supportive of prices, writes Dustin Boughton, procurement director, Maxum Food.

Maxum Food has released the global dairy commodity update for July.

The market has weakened as a result of several factors.

44 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

E

levated commodity prices, driven by both the tightness of the domestic EU market, and China’s stronger demand which drove a higher involvement in GDT events – will continue to unwind.

The expected continued slow growth in EU-27 milk production should keep fat and protein values relatively stable, although some short-term “drift” is happening as the weather outlook is better.

Feed prices have eased a little and a more normal summer is forecast.

The strong growth in US milk output will remain a factor for much of H2-2021 and will continue to affect global SMP and (possibly) cheese prices if domestic demand doesn’t recover quickly. The

The recovery in population mobility is driving a steady change in meal occasions in developed dairy markets.

worsening west-half drought could slow output more quickly, but farm margins should get a little better and no sudden fall in cow numbers is on the radar.

The recovery in population mobility is driving a steady change in meal occasions in developed dairy markets. A large “burstingout” phase will pass before the reality hits of lower household incomes and the risks of (still) living with COVID. The pushback from a far more price-sensitive market in both developed and developing regions, where NZ has a large exposure, is likely to continue to weaken butterfat prices, while protein balance sheets should remain tighter.

The shifts in demand between retail and foodservice channels are well underway in most regions but none are more seismic than in the US with the layered complexity of regional milk and product output.

A hot northern summer could help on both ends of the supply chain.

China continues to hold the global commodity market together, dominating recent growth in the trade.

Its internal economic recovery and tight milk supplies don’t suggest that support will collapse any time soon. F

NEW PRODUCTS

Elettric80 launches the Unicorn system, an efficient and sustainable automation for the tissue sector The new model of Laser Guided Vehicle for the tissue sector can lift and move reels up to 3 - 5 tons in weight and 3 meters in diameter. The result is greater flexibility, enhanced safety, and less waste.

The advanced automatic handling system guarantees the optimisation and safety of the operations throughout the supply chain by fully integrating intralogistics flows in smart tissue factories.

This new LGV model is especially suited to the automatic handling of parent reels in the tissue paper sector and is designed to reduce waste and to safeguard the quality of the finished product.

Patented by Elettric80, the Unicorn automatic system attains three main goals, zero damage to the parent reel, 6-7 per cent optimisation of warehouse storage and drastic reduction in the so-called “chimney effect” in case of fire and automatic handling of the reel core.

The group has already implemented 900 LGVs, over 600 robotic lines, approximately 200 stretch wrappers and numerous factories with high density warehouses around the world.

The system can lift reels weighing up to 3-5 tons, with a diameter of 3m, and stack them vertically up to three levels, reaching a final height of 9m. Unicorn can therefore work with all kinds of reel.

The new handling system is equipped with two pins that act inside the reel core and with which the reel can be picked up and deposited with both vertical and horizontal axis.

The first pin is expandable and enables to lift the reel from the inside, while the second pin is inserted in the lower part of the reel to support it and allow its rotation.

This system guarantees the highest standards of parent reel quality by eliminating the crushing associated with pressure-type grippers.

Since there is no longer any contact with the outside of the paper reels, they can be moved and stored automatically without further interventions, and without any damage whatsoever.

Such efficiency means an almost total reduction in waste caused by the product deterioration and a 6-7 per cent optimisation of warehouse space, since reels can be stored in direct contact with each other, thus maximising safety in case of fire.

Finally, this latest addition to Elettric80’s LGV fleet is able to handle

spent reel cores automatically, a task that today is handled almost exclusively manually.

This extra functionality comes on top of incredibly high levels of efficiency guaranteed by the LGVs that ensure the utmost integration of the intralogistics operations inside the factories and the traceability of all the processes.

Furthermore, power supply with lithium batteries developed by Elettric80’s partner Flash Battery cuts energy consumptions by over 25 per cent.

Elettric80 0039 0522 98 84 81 www.elettric80.com/en/

ICP Electronics Australia presents iEi’s AFOKAR-08A-RK39, in-vehicle panel PC Series ICP Australia is proud to introduce iEi’s AFOKAR-08A-RK39, which adopts Linux and Android systems with a powerful Rockchip RK3399 for transportation solutions in AI. With the sunlight-readable TFT LCD, it can optimise visibility in any critical environment. It’s built-in GPS, OBD-II, and has high communication which supports 4G LTE, GPS, Bluetooth, NFC, and WLAN 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac.

AFOKAR-08A-RK39 enables vehicles to easily integrated with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) to offer fatigue driving detection by the front camera, VSA (Front Vehicle Start Alarm), FCW (Front Collision Warning), and LDW (Lane Departure Warning) to enhance your vehicle safety.

In the AFOKAR-08A-RK39 the CPU will run A53 for low power consumption. If the application needs more computing power, the A72 CPU will increase performance by 50 per cent. RK3399 has a more powerful GPU and supports

a 4K resolution video decode. Also, RK3399 has features of high performance, high expansion, all-round application and it will empower AI and assist the layout of industry products KEY FEATURES: • 8-inch sunlight readable TFT LCD with projected capacitive touchscreen • Optional LTE module • Built-in GPS receiver • Built-in OBD-II/J1939 • OS: Android 7.1 ICP Electronics Australia (02) 9457 6011 www.icp-australia.com.au www.foodmag.com.au | August 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 45

NEW PRODUCTS

SPX FLOW debuts new APV Pilot 4T Homogeniser in compact unit SPX FLOW has unveiled a new APV Pilot 4T Homogeniser to help customers test recipes with a new level of versatility in a compact unit.

The APV Pilot 4T homogenises immiscible liquids into an emulsion, operating like a positive displacement pump with a valve.

Liquids get forced through a small gap in the valve at high pressures, increasing velocity, decreasing pressure and causing a turbulence/pressure differential that disrupts and disperses particles.

International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) began testing the compact homogeniser late last year to develop recipes for food and beverages, including dairy products and plant-based food, such as peas and oats.

The abrasive particles on those recipes can cause heavy wear on the homogenisers, but the new machine is durable and requires less maintenance.

• The APV Pilot 4T Homogenisers integrate into customer processes with a short lead time, easy installation and reduced maintenance.

• A three-plunger design that improves stability for pump, single- or twostage homogenization.

SPX Flow (02) 9763 4900 www.spxflow.com

Other features of the new homogeniser include: • Flexible capacities that can be easily adjusted for flow and pressure because of integrated variable speed drive and controls. This scalable, repeatable performance makes it easier to test recipes for a variety of products, from plant-based drinks to ketchup and sauces.

• Easy ways for operators to meet batch capability needs. Options vary from manual to fully automatic touchscreen PLC control that can link to plant control systems for remote operation.

• Compact modular construction options that can be easily added as market needs change.

• Plug-and-play technology that saves time and money because of integrated controls and a variable speed drive.

New fluke 730G series pneumatic/hydraulic portable test pumps solutions for process industries Fluke Australia adds new pneumatic/hydraulic test pumps to its Fluke 730G series for pressure testing and calibration solutions. The new Fluke 730G series consist of a digital calibrator in a gauge form and a range of portable test pumps feature fast pressure generation and stable pressure and are easy-to-use.

The pumps come in four models with unique design that enables them to solve the common problems associated with pressure pumps, such as blocking, leakage, and labourious operation. The test pumps unique rod structure design feature saves time and labour in the pressure making process, making them an essential right-hand assistant in manual pressure calibration.

The new Fluke 730G series test pumps, when used with the Fluke 730G Smart Digital Pressure Calibrator with internal HART communication, will enable high-efficiency and high-accuracy measurement, and calibration of pressure gauges, pressure switches, and pressure transmitters.

When you combine the application of Fluke 730G pressure test pumps with Fluke 730G smart digital calibrator, you will have highly accurate and consistent testing results, making the ideal pressure testing and calibration solution for metrology institutes and enterprises seeking to establish pressure laboratories with high standard precision measurement and quality control.

The Fluke 730G smart digital pressure calibrator is a smart calibration solution with superior operating experience that greatly optimises the engineer’s field calibration for efficiency, while delivering high-accuracy results. When faced with errors in pressure verification, the user can directly perform HART adjustments without additional tools.

46 Food&Beverage Industry News | August 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Fluke 730G pneumatic/hydraulic portable test pumps are an ideal pressure measurement and quality control solution for process industries: oil and gas power generation, chemical processing, pharmaceuticals, and metrology laboratories.

Fluke Australia (02) 8850 3333 www.fluke.com

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