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POSTED BY in Blog, Food Safety, Strategic Risk, Supply Chain - TAGS , , , , ,

Consumer pressure on retailers creates an opportunity for suppliers

With upcoming changes to your Grocery Supply Agreements have you considered how you can navigate the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct to successfully negotiate your terms with the retailers? The ACCC has recently instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against Woolworths limited. This is due to the retailer’s unconscionable conduct in dealing with its suppliers. Woolworth’s “Mind the Gap”…

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POSTED BY in Blog, Legal Risk, Strategic Risk - TAGS , , , ,

What Food and Beverage companies can learn from the BHP crisis in Brazil

We’ve all recently been shocked by the BHP Samarco disaster which saw 11 Brazillian villagers lose their lives, with 15 still reported as missing. This tragedy has rocked BHP, with Samarco’s publically traded bonds initially losing 50% of their value. So, what can the Food and Beverage industry take away from this crisis? People are always going to want answers…

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POSTED BY in Blog, Financial Risk, Production Risk, Strategic Risk - TAGS , , ,

What the 7-Eleven scandal means for your organisation and your job security

We’ve all read about the huge scandal 7-Eleven recently faced after Fairfax Media and Four Corners blew the lid off a “half pay” scam being conducted by franchisees. Obviously, franchisees are forced to back pay the exploited staff, and fines have been imposed by Fairwork legislation, but what about the impact felt at the highest levels of the organisation? The…

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POSTED BY in Asset Risk, Blog, Legal Risk, Strategic Risk - TAGS , ,

Millions of reasons why you need to care about the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct

As we all know, major Grocery retailers across Australia have agreed to the voluntary Food and Grocery Code of Conduct, which ensures they adhere to certain standards of conduct whilst engaging with suppliers. As a supplier, this provides you with a valuable tool to engage and negotiate your terms and conditions with these powerful retailers. The catch? You must do…

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POSTED BY in Blog, Financial Risk, Legal Risk, Supply Chain

Are you becoming complacent when it comes to supply chain risk management?

Recently, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) released a report claiming the Food and Beverage industry is highly capable of managing their supply chain risk. Despite this statement by the AFGC, there is a serious possibility of complacency if we pat ourselves on the back with respect to supply chain risk. Ask yourself the following two questions: How good…

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POSTED BY in Blog, Financial Risk, Food Safety, Global expansion, Legal Risk, Safety

Would a global expansion make or break your organisation?

With the mining boom all but over, commentators are hungry to seek the next driver for Australia’s growth. And with a fast growing middle class in Asia seeking more products for consumption, the Asian Food Bowl becomes an obvious source of potential. This Asian potential was reinforced with the 2014 trade mission by the Prime Minister and 600 or so of…

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POSTED BY in Blog, Human Resources, Supply Chain

What does the food industry have in common with FIFA?

A Four Corners investigation that aired in early May revealed widespread exploitation of labour on Aussie farms and factories who supply some of our country’s major supermarkets. Some labour hire contractors are playing the middle-man between vulnerable migrant workers and food producers, paying these workers below their entitlements to win lucrative contracts. In some cases, this exploitation extends to slave-like…

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POSTED BY in Blog, Fire risk, Safety

How quickly would a fire spread through your building?

After reading the report issued by the Metropolitan Fire Brigade into the cause of the fire that ripped through Melbourne’s Lacrosse tower in November last year, it struck me how similar the issues highlighted by this incident are to the Insulated Sandwich Panel exposure faced by many Australian Food and Beverage organisations. In particular, the legal action being considered by…

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POSTED BY in Blog, Cyber risk

Are your cyber risk management practices evolving with the digital world?

A common misconception amongst Australian Food and Beverage businesses, who don’t consider themselves to be online organisations, is that they are immune to cyber-attacks. However, the 2014 Trustwave Global Security Report found that 18% of all cyber-attacks in 2013 involved Food and Beverage companies, second only to retail merchants (at 35%). Our digital business landscape is rapidly changing. The vast…

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POSTED BY in Blog, Food Safety

Would a contamination disaster spark financial strife for your organisation?

If the catastrophe that has rocked Patties Foods over the past few weeks doesn’t prompt every company in the food and beverage industry to seriously consider their exposure to risk, then I’m inclined to say that nothing will. That is, of course, until a disaster strikes in home territory; but by then it will be too late. The outbreak of Hepatitis A,…

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