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”…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…