So who is the 2012 Retailer of the Year?
The Outstanding Retailer of the Year Award for 2012 went to Dan Murphy’s in an unanimous choice. One of this year’s judges ,Stephen Kulmar, said “It (Dan Murphy’s) is best in class worldwide for what it does. It takes advantage of a growth category and delivers the most dominant and well-considered product offering on the market. It compromises on nothing, whether it’s an $8 bottle of wine or a $1000 bottle of wine.”
The other finalists in that category included; Australian Geographic, Crust Gourmet Pizza Bars, Grill’d Healthy Burgers, Oroton Group, Salvos Stores and Telstra.
The Awards are sponsored by AMP Capital Shopping Centres and is in it’s second year. There are seven categories;
OUTSTANDING RETAILER OF THE YEAR – Dan Murphy’s
NEW RETAILER OF THE YEAR – Sneaking Duck
MULTI-CHANNEL RETAILER OF THE YEAR – The Body Shop Australia
SUSTAINABLE RETAILING – Woolworths
INNOVATION IN RETAIL – Sneaking Duck
SUCCESSFUL RETAIL MARKETING CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR – Bankwest
BEST CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR – Aussie Farmers Direct
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Latest Recall
The following is included here with permission from Food Standards Australia New Zealand.
Please find below information on a recent Australian consumer level food recall. This information is also available on our website at www.foodstandards.gov.au
Woolworths Ltd (undeclared allergen – milk)
Woolworths Ltd has recalled four Macro Wholefoods Market Lactose Free Chocolate products from their Christmas 2011 range, sold at Woolworths, Safeway, Food For Less and Flemings Supermarkets nationally. The recall is due to an undeclared allergen (milk). Consumers with a milk allergy or intolerance should not consume these products and may have a reaction if they are consumed.
Date notified to FSANZ – 8 May 2012
Food type – Confectionery
Product name
- Macro Wholefoods Market Lactose Free Dark Chocolate Santas 80g 6pk
- Macro Wholefoods Market Lactose Free Dark Chocolate Treats 300g
- Macro Wholefoods Market Lactose Free Dark Chocolate Star Box 170g
- Macro Wholefoods Market Merry Christmas 2011 Lactose Free Advent Calendar with Dark Chocolate Santas 65g
Package description
- 6 individual Santa shaped lactose free chocolates
- Individually wrapped lactose free chocolates
- Individually wrapped lactose free chocolates arranged in a star formation
- Christmas 2011 advent calendar with lactose free chocolates
Date marking – All best before dates
Country of origin – Australia
Reason for recall – Undeclared allergen (milk)
Distribution – Woolworths, Safeway, Food For Less and Flemings supermarkets nationally
Consumer advice
Consumers with a milk allergy or intolerance may have a reaction if the products are consumed. Consumers with a milk allergy or intolerance should not consume these products and should return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Contact – Woolworths Toll-Free Customer Service Number 1800 103 515
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Pest control and contractors
Pest Control is one of the key components of good manufacturing practices or a business’s hygiene controls. It is essential that the contractor providing this service must be a recognised provider.
It is not a great idea for a food business to do pest control themselves or to have a contractor that is only doing domestic pest control. A food business has specific pest control needs and legal requirements, so it is vital that it utilises the services of someone who understands those. Therefore, it is a good idea to use the services of one of the larger providers as these are the ones doing the big food businesses, and therefore have the required knowledge and skills to be a pest contractor for a food business -regardless of it’s size.
Pest control is not all about sprays and traps, it should first be about design. It is better to first build the pests out and then to train staff in closing doors etc, before thinking about spraying and trapping.
When pest spraying, only chemicals which are food grade should be used, and a copy of the current safety data sheet for that chemical should be held by the business.
Poisons like that used for killing rodents should not be used within the walls of the business, so traps are the only alternative. This prevents poison from being in the business and also stops the affected rodent from becoming a potential source of contamination.
There should be a map showing where all pest control is located, and that includes the insectocutor (or bug zapper). A good pest controller will know exactly where to place each of these items and will supply a map showing that.
There should also be some form of Pest Log for staff to record what they have seen and where. This is an important document as it gives a permanent record and allows the pest contractor to identify activity and record actions taken.
A man was recently fined $19 0000 in Victoria for six breaches of that states pest control laws. The main part of the case was around the licences and training. It is essential that food business only use suitably licenced and trained pest controllers.
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Aged care and malnutrition
According to an article recently published in Nutrition & Dietetics, the journal of the Dietitians Association of Australia, up to 70percent of those in aged care facilities are malnourished. This means that these people are not getting the right amount and level of the nutrition they require for a healthy life.
Malnutrition results in more visits to doctors, more hospital stays and more health issues.
The research also found that people living at home have a malnutrition (or risk of it) rate of more than 40 percent. In a country that has an abundance of food and natural resources, it is shameful to think that a lot of the people over 65 in our community are not getting the nutrition they require or at risk of it.
The study was done over three months in Melbourne and involved 235 people between the ages of 65 and 100, and generally had incomes of less than AU$30 000.
The recently released Federal Government Aged Care Plan has a focus on community care and keeping people in their homes for as long as possible. This research is frightening indeed, and shows that part of this focus must be on improving the nutrition of our elderly citizens.
The question really is why is this happening? Is it that the people are unable to get good food due to lack of transport, lack of money or lack of knowledge, or is it that their families and centres are not paying enough attention? It is a national health issue that must be addressed, and it will most likely only get worse as our population increases.
In centres, it is the responsibility of both the nursing staff and those in the support services area to ensure that residents are eating properly and well. Menus need to be reviewed regularly utilising the services ofa nutritionist.
It is more difficult within the community as there are many people who are living alone and not receiving support from their families or community nurses. We all need to keep an eye on our neighbours.
Study leader Georgie Rist, an Accredited Practising Dietitian said; “Community nurses are ideally placed to pick-up nutrition issues in older people as they are at the forefront of client care in the home.”
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Current FSANZ applications and proposals
The following are the latest Proposals and Application from the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) newsletter and are included here with permission. To find out more about each of these go to Food Standards Australia New Zealand – subscriptions@foodstandards.gov.au
FSANZ has published a fact sheet on how to cook poultry liver safely following outbreaks of Campylobacter food poisoning in Australia and overseas. The outbreaks were linked to dishes such as paté or parfait, where poultry liver was undercooked.
FSANZ has approved a proposal (P1011) to extend country of origin labelling to unpackaged beef, sheep and chicken.
FSANZ has approved a proposal (P1007) recommending permission be given for the sale in Australia of raw milk hard to very hard cooked curd cheeses.
FSANZ has approved a proposal (P242) to develop a new food standard to govern food for special medical purposes. These are specially formulated foods used by health professionals to manage the diets of people with ongoing chronic medical conditions or during acute phases of illness or injury.
Application A1071 – Food derived from herbicide-tolerant canola line MON88302. FSANZ has completed an administrative assessment of an application from Monsanto Australia for permission for food derived from genetically modified canola. There will be an opportunity for public comment later.
Proposal P1019 – Carbon Monoxide as a Processing Aid for Fish. This proposal is to ensure that carbon monoxide is not permitted for use as a processing aid for fish. There will be an opportunity to comment on this proposal soon.
Proposal P1021 – Code maintenance XI: to correct minor typographical errors or inconsistencies, update references, correct formatting issues and correct cross references.
Application A1068 – FSANZ invites written submissions by 5 June on an application from Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd, which is seeking permission to use hydrogen peroxide as a processing aid to maintain a stable pH in the manufacture of fermented dairy ingredients and products.
Proposal P1018 – FSANZ invites written submissions by 13 June on the proposal to remove restrictions on the presence of campanion dogs in outdoor dining areas of food premises.
Proposal P1020 – FSANZ invites submissions by 15 May on its proposal to permit the use of the preservative auroyl arginate as a preservative for sausage and sausage meat containing raw, unprocessed meat.
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Sauces – the times they are a’changing
It has been an Australian icon for years – Tomato Sauce. It has been on our tables for as long as we can remember. We have even had tomato sauce flavoured crisps!!! We now have lots of other choices and Tomato Sauce is no longer the confirmed king of condiments.
In Australia, the favourite sauce rotates around a list of four; tomato, satay, BBQ and sweet chilli. You only have to look at the ads for the quick service chains to realise that sweet chilli is well and truly a favourite. BBQ is an interesting one, because there are as many different types as there are types of sauces.
Some research by international research body Innova Database found that we are looking for spicier and more complex flavour in our sauce. The research was based on the product releases over the last five years around the world.
There are basically two sauce categories; table sauces used primarily on food once it has been served and cooking sauces used as an ingredient when cooking. The table sauces category also includes salad dressings. The trend has been found in both.
It is the BBQ sauces that have had the most interesting changes, with new varieties being regularly released as special or limited editions.
Another innovation being seen is the individual pouches or sachets, more suited for single person households.
Lu Ann Williams, Innova Market Insights’ Research Manager, said, “Increasing use of unusual ingredients has already been in evidence for 2012, including wasabi and tequila, following on from 2011 launches featuring flavourings such as raspberry vodka, bourbon whiskey and blackberries.”
With health related issues, like wholegrain etc, being better known by the public, companies are developing and releasing products targeting this area. According to the research, about 45% of the sauce launches in 2011 has some health claim.
The clean label issue has also made an appearance with 30% of the sauce launches in 2011 having some wording on their label showing this. Clean label is about “natural” and minimising additives in the food.
There was a competition last year to come up with a flavour for crisps, it may not be long before a similar contest may happen for your favourite tomato sauce.
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New foodservice sector group to standardise recalls
The foodservice industry is crucial to retail and hospitality. It is the supplier for nearly every restaurant, café and aged care centre in the country. It is who these businesses call to get whatever they need.
The industry is comprised of manufacturers, distributers and wholesalers. They either make products, or store and deliver them.
It is a key part of any product recall run by a business and this is one of the aspects that a new group will be working on.
The GS1 Australasian Foodservice Industry Steering Group (or FSIG) has been formed to give a voice to this important industry and to work together to develop common methods for dealing with recalls, and other issues.
FISG members include PFD Food Services, GS1 Australia, McCain, Bidvest, Snap Fresh, NAFDA, Food SA, Countrywide Australasia, Simplot, Foodservice Suppliers Association of Australia, National Foods and Nestlé Australia.
The FSIG will also work on improving cost efficiencies and traceability, as well as developing standards for all in the industry.
The Chairman of the group is Mandeep Sodhi, Nestlé’s Supply Chain Technology Manager.
GS1 Australia’s CEO, Maria Palazzolo said, “The business of food is changing fast. There are many cost reductions, efficiency gains and improved traceability available to foodservice businesses through supply chain best practice. With the industry working together, these standards will drive measurable improvements in efficiency, product information, and safety for foodservice businesses individually and the industry as a whole.”
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We are hungry for food and recipe ideas.
The most popular shows in Australian television over the last two years are food related. The giant event that is Masterchef had huge ratings and is still doing well when on.
Whether it is because of the Global Financial Crisis and people watching their dollars or a return to the pleasure of cooking good food well at home, these food shows have found a strong place on our televisions.
According to a survey by Roy Morgan Research of 18,935 Australian consumers over the age of 14 between January 2011 and December 2011, we are not only watching food related TV shows we are also really busy on line looking at food and recipe sites.
The research shows that since 2006 and until the end of the survey, the number of people visiting one of the five top food or recipe websites in a four week period went from 138 000 to 1.51 million.
Based on the results from the survey, the following are the most popular food or recipe related websites;
- Taste.com.au
- Allrecipes.com
- NinmsnFood
- Cuisine.com.au
- GourmetTravller
The Industry Director for Roy Morgan Research, George Pesutto, said, “The growth of these websites demonstrates the growing demand for food content. Consumers are embracing the convenience of access to huge archives of recipes, advice and information on food. As a communications channel, food/recipe websites like Taste.com.au are important to marketers because these sites are attracting highly valuable consumers. This represents an important opportunity for new products launching in this category and wanting to generate product trial, and also in terms of reaching those highly influential consumers who also guide other consumers via ‘word of mouth’ recommendations and advice.”
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So what does free range mean?
When standing in front of the egg shelves in a supermarket, the variety of product now available is very daunting.
Some years ago, the space given to free range, barn laid and organic would have been significantly less that we see now. Supermarkets have realised that the public is looking for free range eggs and is prepared to pay for it.
Producers have also realised that there is a growing demand for free range. Unfortunately this can lead to some misleading labelling and advertising.
The problem is, that it is not exactly clear what free range actually means. The public have a different idea to industry. Now there is a call to change the recognised definition in the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals.
The definition relates to the number or density of hens per hectare, and currently that is 1500, with a proviso that any higher bird density is acceptable only where regular rotation of birds onto fresh range areas occurs and close management is undertaken which provides some continuing fodder cover.
The Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL) has recently released figures showing that about a third of the eggs labelled as free range do not meet the Code’s definition.
As a result the AECL is pushing to increase the density in the definition to 20 000 hens per hectare, which more closely reflects what is actually happening in the industry. To meet the increasing demand for free range eggs, this is the density that is actually in place in many farms.
In the release, the AECL said, “AECL believes there is no economic, scientific or consumer research supporting or justifying the suggested density of 1,500 hens per hectare. This figure was created in 2001 at a time when the free range egg market was in its infancy (8 per cent market share in 2001) compared to the growth it is experiencing today (25 per cent market share in 2011) and therefore does not represent the reality of the market today and into the future.”
Interestingly, the Free Range Farmers Association is calling for the density to be reduced to 750 hens per hectare, and said that “The FRFA believes that it is essential for the free range sector of the egg industry to ensure that the AECL is not successful with its plans for intensive production standards to be adopted in place of the extensive requirements of the current code.”
It will be interesting to see what happens.
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Projects to study pork benefits
Potential research projects are about to be assessed by the Australian Pork Co-operative Centre (PCRC) to find suitable beneficiaries of up to $50 000 per project. The aim is to expand knowledge about the benefits of eating Australian pork.
The following are the priorities for the successful project applicants;
- To determine the role of pork as part of a balanced diet and lifestyle on weight management and weight maintenance to address health issues, including Type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease in Australia.
- To demonstrate the use and form of pork in the diet of elderly Australians to preserve muscle mass and cognition.
- To demonstrate the inherent benefits of consuming pork in diets of Australian children, with a particular focus on innovative methods to incorporate pork into children’s meals.
- The effect of pork on protein digestion and amino acid metabolism.
The projects may work on nutrition, production improvements or even other related health issues.
The CEO of PCRC, Dr Roger Campbell said, “Applications will be judged on the impact of the proposed outcomes on the Australian pork industry, the novelty of the research, the potential of the project to develop IP, the quality of the science and experimental approach, the budget and the history of the researcher/research team to deliver outcomes, on time and within budget.”
Australians are well aware of the key words of “get some pork on your fork” from the ads on TV to encourage us to eat more pork. The projects will hopefully show that this meat also has distinct health benefits.
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