Garage Project and Royalburn Station (aka Nadia’s Farm) have announced the release of their collaboration brew, Swifty, in packaged format. Swifty – initially released in keg-only format in December – is a 4.2% malt-driven beer designed for a mainstream audience. It is now for sale now in Liquorland stores nationwide and will be in select New World stores in the coming months. Nadia Lim and her husband Carlos Bagrie bought Wanaka’s Royalburn Station in 2019 after selling their stake in My Food Bag. The station is a 485-hectare alpine station is a large-scale farm-to-plate operation. Last year ..read more

New Zealand Food Safety has issued new import rules for frozen berries to help keep New Zealanders safe and improve processes at the border. In 2022-2023 there was an outbreak of hepatitis A virus associated with frozen berries, affecting 39 people. “New Zealand was among a number of countries which recalled frozen berries at different times due to concerns about the presence of hepatitis A,” says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle. “We’ve worked hard to identify and implement ways to improve food safety rules to better manage the risk to consumers. As part of thi ..read more

Chobani, a next generation food and beverage company known for its high-quality products – from yogurt and creamers to oat milk and coffee, is excited to announce the appointment of Scott Hadley as Managing Director – Australia/New Zealand. Joining Chobani’s global Executive Leadership Team, effective today, Hadley will report to Kevin Burns, Chobani President and Chief Operating Officer. Hadley brings more than 25 years of experience building premium brands, developing high-performing teams, and driving success in dynamic business landscapes. “Chobani Australia has always held a special place ..read more

Woolworths in Australia has launched a new range of 35 convenient and affordable ‘Dine In’ meal options for the family. The range is being trialled across 100 stores in NSW and Victoria, and includes a full 1.6kg dinner comprising a whole roast chicken, herb roasted potatoes, corn cobs, carrot and pumpkin wedges for $25, or $6.25 per serve, through to pastas including a 1.2kg meat lovers pasta bake for $20, or $5 per serve. All of the options are made to cook within 35 minutes, and are air-fryer friendly to cater to the increasing popularity of the latest kitchen gadget by many Australians. Th ..read more

Argon & Co, the global management consultancy that specialises in operations strategy and transformation, is delighted to announce the launch of NEOS by Argon & Co within the ANZ region. NEOS by Argon & Co helps supply chain operations ‘get it right’ and deliver best-in-class technology solutions that deliver tangible business value through system integration excellence in market leading products. We will sit at the intersection between strategy to execution and we work together to bridge the gap as a truly holistic supply chain solution provider. Through Leveraging the resources a ..read more

Nelson company Proper Crisps is making good on its promise to bring back kūmara crisps after Cyclone Gabrielle tore through the country last year and left the crop hanging by a thread. Proper Crisps was forced to “temporarily switcheroo” its kūmara to Australian-grown sweet potato in October to keep customers happy and shelves stocked on both sides of the Tasman. Gabrielle was the final blow in a weather trifecta which started with torrential rain and then saw the Auckland Anniversary Day floods. Ant Blundell, of Kaipara Kūmara, Proper Crisps supplier for a decade, describes it as a perfect st ..read more

Wiri-based snack food manufacturer, Bluebird, with funding from the PepsiCo Foundation, has awarded a grant of $100,000 to South Auckland charity, The Rising Foundation, to help young adults get the most out of their secondary education. The grant is the PepsiCo Foundation’s first investment into a New Zealand community partner, reflecting Bluebird’s commitment to its Rautaki Māori, a strategy of developing economic resilience in the communities it operates in and serves, and ensuring employees across all ethnic groups have equitable opportunities for development and growth. The funds will all ..read more

Woolworths New Zealand is introducing team safety cameras to all of its 191 stores this week, following positive feedback from team members who have been involved in a 17-store trial of the safety initiative. The retailer has listened to team members who have said the team safety cameras not only help with de-escalating conflict situations as they arise, but make them feel safer as they work. Woolworths New Zealand Director of Stores, Jason Stockill, says it’s troubling that these measures have to be taken, but heartening to see such good results from efforts to strengthen security and safety ..read more

Fonterra has announced that Anna Palairet has been permanently appointed into the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). Anna has been acting in the position since June 2023. CEO Miles Hurrell says Anna has valuable expertise and a strong relationship focus which serve her well in leading a critical part of the Co-operative. “Anna has extensive experience in operational, customer, sustainability, and sales roles. She spent more than a decade in senior leadership roles at Air New Zealand before joining Fonterra in October 2022 as Director of Global Supply Chain and she is the current chair of g ..read more

LeaderBrand was pleased to host Regional Development Minister, Shane Jones, who officially opened its completed 11-hectare mega greenhouse project in Tairāwhiti. In October 2019, the Provincial Development Unit (now Kānoa, Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit) approved a Provincial Growth Fund loan to help fund the ambitious construction and help boost regional development in Tairāwhiti.      The aim of the project is to accelerate crop growth year-round in a more sustainable manner, helping to mitigate weather impacts, significantly reducing fertiliser an ..read more