It’s been just over 18 months since we first discussed the idea of blockchain for food traceability. As we head into 2020, what’s changed? Are Australian suppliers and retailers any closer to using blockchain to improve food traceability? Where will it go next? Before we dive in, here’s a quick recap: What is food traceability? Food […]
Australia is in the midst of a global waste pandemic and manufacturers need to take action. The packaging industry is currently worth USD$900 billion and forecast to grow at an annual rate of 3.1% between now and 2022, as our consumption continues to soar. In 2018, the Australia Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) outlined targets to create a more sustainable […]
The USA and China escalated their trade war in August this year. What happened here as a result? Firstly, the Australian dollar immediately fell to its lowest value in more than a decade. With the world’s two largest economies in conflict, the global economy is looking more volatile than ever, with declining sales across many industries. […]
Could the circular economy help deal with the crisis around recycling in Australia? Here’s how Australian manufacturers could make a difference. The crisis around recycling in Australia made front-page news last year when China announced its decision to ban imports of recyclable waste from all over the world. China had been handling nearly half the world’s […]
Mistakes happen in labelling. However, the mistakes you make with SSCC labels can have expensive repercussions for your business and your customers. Why? Because retailers rely on SSCC pallet labels (aka logistics labels) to efficiently and accurately process inbound pallets into DCs. The industry standard for logistics labelling is a Serial Shipping Container Code (SSCC), which uniquely […]
Will Australia thrive in the next 40 years? Or is its future prosperity at risk? That’s what the Australian National Outlook 2019 (ANO 2019) is all about. The report, published by CSIRO in June, spells out the challenges, choices and likely consequences we face between now and 2060 that could disrupt Australia’s current conditions and influence our […]
Is it time to be upgrading from metal detector to X-ray inspection? Over recent years, Australia’s major supermarkets – Coles, Woolworths and Aldi – have been pushing suppliers to implement metal detection systems. The strawberry needle crisis of 2018 forced the hand of many fresh produce suppliers, especially. There were some interesting lessons for Australian food processors in […]
*** Thank you; this competition is now closed. Make sure you connect with us here for insights and tailored information for Australian makers & movers, domestically and on the global stage. *** “Spring is sprung, the grass is riz. I wonder where the barbeque is?” If this is you, we can help. Matthews Australasia is running a […]
Now that the August reporting season is coming to a close, it’s time to take stock and look at what we can learn from the past financial year. We took a snapshot of the reports from 8 Australian manufacturers: Gage Roads Brewing Treasury Wine Estates Bega Cheese Group Bellamy’s Organic A2 Milk Freedom Foods BlueScope […]
…plus Aussie hemp start-ups to watch Australia’s hemp industry is booming, with farmers, retailers and consumers all chasing its potential. Hemp is a sub-species of the Cannabis sativa plant, but without the psychoactive properties of its sibling marijuana. (Among the latter’s many cannabinoids giving the drug its “high”, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is probably the best-known. Hemp is […]