thought Food Agility CRC to drive the digital transformation of Australia’s food industry
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Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Senator the Hon Arthur Sinodinos AO has announced funding for the Food Agility CRC. Following a successful bid by a consortium led by the Knowledge Economy Institute at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), together with QUT and Curtin University, the Food Agility CRC will be funded with $50m over 10 years through the federal government's Cooperative Research Centres program. "UTS is proud to be working together with the Australian Technology Network of universities and our colleague regional universities on the Food Agility CRC," UTS Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs said. "Australia has one of the most advanced agricultural industries in the world. We look forward to working hand in glove with the food and agricultural sector to advance the sector, and demonstrate how innovation is crucial to providing opportunities and prosperity for all segments of Australian society," Professor Brungs said. The Food Agility bid raised over $160 m in commitments for the proposal and has 54 partners across the food value chain — including 15 technology providers, 11 food production companies, 7 service providers, 7 research providers, 6 regional development agencies, 5 government agencies and 3 industry networks. Projects currently underway include: In horticulture: Food Agility consortium partners are using the Internet of Things to improve the shelf life of bagged lettuce, which is dramatically affected by its water content when harvested. Combining on-farm data with data from processing and retailers optimises those harvesting decisions. Just one day of shelf life dramatically improves yields and reduces food wastage, worth billions to the food industry. In food export markets: The CRC is working with the food and agribusiness growth centre Food Innovation Australia Ltd (FIAL) to develop a Market Insights & Information portal which will use real-time information from a number of sources to produce qualitative and quantitative insights to support businesses interested in entering new markets, both domestically and overseas. In finance: Food Agility is working to provide viticulturists with better and more timely information so they can benchmark themselves and identify opportunities to improve farming practices, reduce costs and improve the quality and yield of their produce.
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May/June 2017
www.foodprocessing.com.au
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Nestlé invests in gluten-free New Zealand Recognising the continuing demand for gluten-free products in Australia and New Zealand, Nestlé has just opened a new, dedicated gluten-free facility in Cambria Park, South Auckland. The factory will produce gluten-free products in the Maggi range as well as Nestlé Docello — dessert mixtures used in professional food service. It is anticipated that the site will generate $60 million in exports annually. The controlled production opening plant was officiated by NZ Prime Minister Bill English. “Our international research and development program now allow us to create high-quality gluten-free products that taste great and maintain texture. Gluten-free no longer means compromise,” said Veronique Cremades, Nestlé New Zealand CEO.