Ancient grains stage a revival in the packaged food industry

Packaged food and beverage markets are seeing a growing influx of new products featuring grains that were favored by civilizations thousands of years ago. According to Datamonitor's Productscan Online database of new products, new food and beverage launches featuring a short list of ancient grains, including chia, have doubled since 2005 as manufacturers jump on the latest health food band wagon.

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Armani: still going it alone

Giorgio Armani denies he is considering selling his eponymous business. The question of succession comes to any fashion company closely associated with its designer, however at Armani, the creative force, Mr Armani himself, is also the business force. Having built up a global operation worth over E4.0 billion in worldwide retail sales, the question of who will succeed him becomes pressing.

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Asia Pacific cosmetics industry: safety scares spark organic success

Cosmetics companies in Asia Pacific are responding to consumer safety concerns by introducing a growing range of natural and organic cosmetics. In the rapidly expanding Asian personal care market, such brands have the opportunity to seize valuable market share from North American and European competitors.

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Australasian beer: Australian market flat to 2009

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Australia: binge drinkers in for a Rudd awakening

The Australian government has launched a radical plan aimed at making Australians healthier, attacking a number of key areas including growing obesity levels, binge drinking and smoking. While the ambitious plans are a necessary preventative approach to Australian healthcare which in the long-term are likely to reap dividends, they pose opportunities and threats to the food and drink industry.

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Australia: Choice 'Shonky Awards' keep consumer products honest

Australia's Choice Magazine recently announced its latest 'Shonky Awards', given to misleading or shoddy products, and their marketers. Brands were chided for false scientific claims and unnecessary packaging. These awards give voice to growing consumer skepticism and reflect tighter demands in the face of ready, available competitor information and increasing quality checks.

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Australia: long-standing brands top consumer survey

Reader's Digest's 2009 list of Australia's most trusted brands is indicative of Australians' propensity to seek comfort in the home amid the current economic climate, with Cadbury taking the top spot. At a time when economic conditions are testing the resolve of Australian consumers, a survey such as this reminds companies that there are other qualities worth regarding outside of value.

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Australia: two of the country's largest grocery retailers found guilty of "local washing"

Woolworths and Coles, the "big two" in Australian grocery retailing, have been named, shamed, and fined for incorrectly labeling imported produce as "local." While Australians are generally keen to support their local community, violations such as these threaten to weaken the local movement. At a time when rising food prices are already putting pressure on local offerings, authenticity is key.

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Australia: Victorian government proposes fast food industry reforms

The Victorian government is considering imposing a mandatory calorie count on fast food menus. Similar efforts introduced in New York had a strong impact on consumer behaviors. Looking forward, Datamonitor views the move as an important step toward the industry developing healthier meal options and greater transparency to its food offerings.

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Australian consumers give energy drinks a boost

A report from food and drink consultancy Zenith International has found that Australia is one of the main countries to have driven global energy drink volumes up in 2008. Category developments and changing consumer approaches to managing their energy levels have been important to this growth, but further innovation is vital if the category is to prove its staying power.

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