In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry is joined by Yume Food founder and CEO, Katy Barfield. The Yume tech platform integrates with food manufacturers’ systems, connecting them to other businesses to sell, buy, or donate surplus food. Katy shares the experience of starting the platform, an entirely new concept to the sector, and trying to get businesses on board. The realisation that existing processes to deal with surplus food were disorganised, ad hoc, and low down the priority scale meant Katy and the team knew they were in for a challenge. We also explore some of the ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry is joined by start-up Naked Rivals co-founder, Andrew Gordon. From the kernel of an idea to the relentless anxiety of bringing that idea to fruition, Andrew shares the highs and lows of launching Naked Rivals – a frozen citrus product range that upcycles ‘ugly fruit’ and provides cost-effective convenience year-round. We talk about the willingness of people in the industry to share their knowledge and experience, and the value that comes from those connections. Andrew takes us through the key steps of starting a business before we tur ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry is joined by Maria Christina, National Manager of Manufacturing & Wholesale Trade, Commonwealth Bank and the CEO of That’s Amore Cheese, Marco Alghisi, to discuss the current state of Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing industry. We hinge the discussion off CommBank’s latest Food & Beverage Manufacturing Insights Report, with Maria providing insights into manufacturers’ plans for productivity investments, improved efficiencies, and how they are navigating higher energy prices, inflation, and the cost-of-living crisis ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry is joined by Sam Oakden from End Food Waste Australia to discuss the latest global and local initiatives to reduce food waste. Sam provides an update on what is happening in the US and EU and the differences in approach between them. The US has just launched a voluntary agreement model, while the EU is putting legislation in place to advance its efforts. We talk about the success of the Australian Food Pact and how it works with members to achieve ambitious but realistic goals. This links into the importance of collaboration across in ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry is joined by the federal MP Meryl Swanson to discuss the findings and recommendations from the recent House Standing Committee on Agriculture inquiry into food security. As chair of the inquiry, Meryl expands on just some of the 35 recommendations and Australia’s food system. We start off discussing the recommendations for a National Food Plan, a Minister for Food supported by a National Food Council and a National Food Supply Chain Map. Meryl explains these concepts were rated as most important by the majority of people fronting the ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry is joined by Food Futurist, Tony Hunter, to discuss some of the latest food tech developments around the world and their potential impacts on food and beverage R&D. Kim and Tony catch up on the same day Australian cultivated meat company, Vow, revealed it has created an entire new animal made purely to eat and received approval in Singapore. We move swiftly into mouse neurons and cyborg computer chips being used for smell, to cultivation techniques used to create meat being used to do so with plants such as cocao and coffee trees ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry is joined by Murray Cod Australia CEO, Ross Anderson, and Luke Piccolo, the co-owner and head chef of Limone restaurant in Griffith, New South Wales. The discussion is about Aquna Sustainable Murray Cod, a world leader in sustainable aquaculture. Ross gives us an overview of how Murray Cod farming was pioneered by Matt Ryan in Australia, which resulted in a successful, highly scalable farming process with low labour costs that delivers high quality produce. Luke shares his experience working with Aquna, the initial challenge of changi ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry, talks to Unilever Australia & New Zealand general counsel, company secretary, and head of B Corp, David Dwyer, about how and why the ANZ business set out to become a B Corp. We start by unpacking what the rigorous certification process involves and the five categories that are assessed to become a B Corp: Environment, Workers, Community, Customers and Governance. The discussion gives us insight into the two-year journey Unilever ANZ went through to achieve the certification, the challenges it encountered in gathering data, and th ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry talks to Cormac Henry from Mintel about their recently released global Food & Drink trends for 2024. We explore the four primary trends of consumers prioritising healthy ageing, processes they can trust, inexpensive environmental sustainability, and opportunities for convenience. We assess the health focused consumer behaviours of ageing generations, stigmas surrounding highly processed foods such as plant-based alternatives, and the increased utilisation of technology and quick meals to provide convenience. We wrap up by explorin ..read more

In this episode, Food & Drink Business editor Kim Berry talks to plant protein food manufacturer Harvest B’s co-founders Kristi Riordan and Alfred Lo about their aim to provide locally sourced plant-based meat and alternative proteins to Australian food manufacturers. We discuss the cost, taste, and textures of plant based proteins, with a focus on consumer habits, current market costs, and the processes that the proteins undergo. Kristi gives us a breakdown of how Harvest B developed its shelf stable products, the challenges its faced, and the current trends in the Australian market. We a ..read more