http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/thecode/index.cfm
Food Standards Code
All of the standards and subsequent amendments in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code) are available from the website in word or pdf format. Hard copies of the Food Standards Code and User Guides can be purchased from Anstat Pty Ltd, phone 61 3 92781144 or on-line http://anzfa.anstat.com.au/.
User Guides
The following user guides have been developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), in consultation with Australian and New Zealand government and industry representatives, to help manufacturers, retailers and food officers interpret and apply the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.
These guides incorporate extensive interpretation and compliance advice for manufacturers and retailers on key standards, including worked examples in many cases. These guide may be downloaded from the website as can the Code or purchased from ANSTAT
Food Enforcement Contacts
Contacts List - for State, Territory and New Zealand health department officials who can provide advice on the standards.Department of Health in a number of Australian States / Territories and New Zealand have also established resources and activities to help food businesses interpret and comply with the Food Standards Code.
Contact details for government agencies dealing with food can also be found under ' Food' in the Government Index of your White Pages phone directory.
Nutrition Panel Calculator
The Nutrition Panel Calculator (NPC) a web-based Nutrition Panel Calculator (NPC) has been developed to simplify the calculation of mandatory nutrition labels required for most food under the new Code.
It has been developed to provide manufacturers with the ability to readily calculate the average nutrient content of their food products and to prepare a Nutrition Information Panel as required under Standard 1.2.8 - Nutrition Information Requirements , of the Food Standards Code.
Food Safety Standards (Australia only)
The Food Safety Standards were developed to provide more effective and nationally uniform food safety legislation for Australia. This is reflected in Chapter 3 ( Australia only) of the Food Standards Code. The States and Territory governments of Australia are implementing these new Standards
Primary Production and Processing Standards
FSANZ in now responsible for the development of Primary Production and Processing Standards within Australia. The first such standard to be developed under this new mandate will be a primary production and processing standard for seafood.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Mandatory food safety training for NSW businesses
http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au
The NSW Government has announced plans to introduce mandatory food safety training requirements for the foodservice industry next year.
Announcing the plans today the Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said the rules would help safeguard NSW consumers from foodborne illnesses.
The move follows long time calls by the NSW arm of the industry body the Restaurant & Catering Association for mandatory food safety training for foodservice operators.
Mr Macdonald said the aim was to have mandatory training requirements in place by 2010 to ensure each hospitality business in NSW has a designated food safety supervisor responsible for implementing safe food handling on the premises.
“This will involve individuals being trained by registered training organisations on how to properly store, prepare and handle food.”
Mr Macdonald said the new requirements would benefit both consumers and the State’s food industry members. “About 36 per cent of foodborne illness outbreaks in NSW are the result of poor food handling in those restaurants and takeaways that don’t put food safety high on their agenda," he said. “These outbreaks cost the state $150m a year in terms of lost productivity and place a significant burden on the health service.
The initiatives have been developed in collaboration with a working group consisting of Australian Hotels Association, Clubs NSW and Restaurants and Caterers NSW, with all three organisations providing support.
Restaurant and Catering NSW/ACT chief executive officer, Robert Goldman, said the initiative represents an “important step forward for food service providers”.
“Restaurant and Catering believes this will be a vital initiative in making sure that safe food handling remains part of a food premise’s daily routine,” he said.
“Basic food safety is not difficult, but getting it wrong can have devastating consequences, destroy reputations and put customer health at risk.”
Mr Macdonald said the new requirements will be in place by early 2010.
The NSW Government has announced plans to introduce mandatory food safety training requirements for the foodservice industry next year.
Announcing the plans today the Minister for Primary Industries Ian Macdonald said the rules would help safeguard NSW consumers from foodborne illnesses.
The move follows long time calls by the NSW arm of the industry body the Restaurant & Catering Association for mandatory food safety training for foodservice operators.
Mr Macdonald said the aim was to have mandatory training requirements in place by 2010 to ensure each hospitality business in NSW has a designated food safety supervisor responsible for implementing safe food handling on the premises.
“This will involve individuals being trained by registered training organisations on how to properly store, prepare and handle food.”
Mr Macdonald said the new requirements would benefit both consumers and the State’s food industry members. “About 36 per cent of foodborne illness outbreaks in NSW are the result of poor food handling in those restaurants and takeaways that don’t put food safety high on their agenda," he said. “These outbreaks cost the state $150m a year in terms of lost productivity and place a significant burden on the health service.
The initiatives have been developed in collaboration with a working group consisting of Australian Hotels Association, Clubs NSW and Restaurants and Caterers NSW, with all three organisations providing support.
Restaurant and Catering NSW/ACT chief executive officer, Robert Goldman, said the initiative represents an “important step forward for food service providers”.
“Restaurant and Catering believes this will be a vital initiative in making sure that safe food handling remains part of a food premise’s daily routine,” he said.
“Basic food safety is not difficult, but getting it wrong can have devastating consequences, destroy reputations and put customer health at risk.”
Mr Macdonald said the new requirements will be in place by early 2010.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Restaurant operators share their knowledge
http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au
Operators thinking smarter in the running of cafes and restaurant has increased in importance as a result of the pressure from the financial downturn on our foodservice industry.
With this in mind there’s a one off workshop happening this weekend for the foodservice industry aimed at providing some advice on how to make sure your business is in the best shape it can be.
A panel of successful Victorian restaurant owners and managers will join together for what is expected to be a lively event that is part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
Facilitated by hospitality industry consultant Ken Burgin of Profitable Hospitality the workshop offers people the chance to learn from industry leaders including Alistair Drayton (The Dunes and The Max Restaurants), Ben Higgs (Wild Oak Café), Olivier Normandin (Chez Olivier), Craig Penglase (Circa The Prince), and Enzo Pollifroni (Polly Bar).
The workshop to be held at Polly Bar in Fitzroy this Saturday will cover topics including:
How to have success with staff. Your biggest expense and management challenge—the joys of staff recruitment, retention and management.
Discover the secrets of the kitchen—how to handle the chef and kitchen staff, especially if they know much more than you.
What equipment, design and marketing strategies will ensure a profitable operation? Cost control and financial management—how to make a profit.
Tricks and traps for the unwary, preparation for due diligence if you are buying a business, information about the latest trends, licensing, legal and purchasing issues.
For information on other Melbourne Food and Wine Festival events head to www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au
For information on Profitable Hospitality go to www.profitablehospitality.com
-->
Operators thinking smarter in the running of cafes and restaurant has increased in importance as a result of the pressure from the financial downturn on our foodservice industry.
With this in mind there’s a one off workshop happening this weekend for the foodservice industry aimed at providing some advice on how to make sure your business is in the best shape it can be.
A panel of successful Victorian restaurant owners and managers will join together for what is expected to be a lively event that is part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival.
Facilitated by hospitality industry consultant Ken Burgin of Profitable Hospitality the workshop offers people the chance to learn from industry leaders including Alistair Drayton (The Dunes and The Max Restaurants), Ben Higgs (Wild Oak Café), Olivier Normandin (Chez Olivier), Craig Penglase (Circa The Prince), and Enzo Pollifroni (Polly Bar).
The workshop to be held at Polly Bar in Fitzroy this Saturday will cover topics including:
How to have success with staff. Your biggest expense and management challenge—the joys of staff recruitment, retention and management.
Discover the secrets of the kitchen—how to handle the chef and kitchen staff, especially if they know much more than you.
What equipment, design and marketing strategies will ensure a profitable operation? Cost control and financial management—how to make a profit.
Tricks and traps for the unwary, preparation for due diligence if you are buying a business, information about the latest trends, licensing, legal and purchasing issues.
For information on other Melbourne Food and Wine Festival events head to www.melbournefoodandwine.com.au
For information on Profitable Hospitality go to www.profitablehospitality.com
-->
Small Business, Big World
http://www.forbes.com/
Dan Brutto
International clients can keep your company buoyant in tough times.
As the nation focuses on healing Wall Street, it's critical that we don't overlook Main Street. American small businesses, which employ half of the nation's workers, have the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit to drive our economic recovery--if we give them the tools they need to succeed.
And opening the doors to global trade is one of the best, but least talked about, ways of fostering small-business growth.
While this may seem counterintuitive as the stimulus bill's "Buy American" provisions dominate headlines, international trade can help small businesses stay strong in tough times by helping them diversify and by shielding them against the risk of being dependent on one market.
Access to global markets can move a new business from a backyard garage to a local warehouse to a global network. In fact, small businesses that export are 20% more productive and have 20% greater job growth than non-exporters, and they are 9% more likely to stay financially solvent.
The opportunities from global trade also can help fuel the entrepreneurial spirit we need right now. In a recent nationwide UPS survey of small businesses, 91% of small-business owners said that in one year, they expect their company to be in the same or better financial shape than it is today.
But of the respondents, small-business owners who engage in international trade were even more likely to project that their business would be in a better economic position 12 months from now. So keeping these economic engines humming by facilitating trade in today's tough times is critical.
To open trade doors for small business, the first thing we must do is prevent a potentially costly mistake: the resurgence of protectionism. Protectionism did not help the U.S. climb out of the Great Depression. In fact, in the wake of protectionist laws, world trade declined by 66% between 1929 and 1934.
In contrast, the World Trade Organization estimates that cutting trade barriers across agriculture, manufacturing and services by one-third would add $613 billion to the world economy. In the U.S., trade supports millions of American jobs. In fact, according to the U.S. Treasury Department, as many as 57 million Americans now work for companies engaged in global commerce.
At a time of economic uncertainty, America's exports are growing and helping the U.S. economy, not hurting it. Small businesses sold nearly $263 billion in known exports in 2006 (the latest data available)--that's up 68.7% from 1996. Clearly, entrepreneurs are recognizing the benefits of trade, and we should do what we can to help them harness the power of trade to grow their businesses.
To be sure, while trade has clear benefits, it also presents challenges, from learning about new markets to complying with complex customs regulations. Fortunately, there already is in place a network of resources available to help small businesses through the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Commercial Services, which have numerous export centers nationwide.
At a time when funding government programs is under the microscope, we must make sure that these organizations have the resources they need so they can help small businesses trade. In today's market, access to financing is critical. Expanding beyond borders requires an initial capital investment--something that's not easy for many small-business owners.
The U.S. Export-Import Bank and the Small Business Administration can help small businesses finance their global expansions in a manageable way. As credit markets tighten, legislators and the business community must do what they can to make sure these organizations keep credit open to help small businesses succeed.
As we work toward economic recovery, the most important thing for small businesses to know is that trade offers opportunities even during these difficult times, and there are resources that can help them expand to new markets.
But it is up to lawmakers, trade associations and the business community at large to empower small businesses with the tools they need to succeed on the world stage--which, in turn, will help preserve the optimistic, entrepreneurial spirit we need for economic recovery.
Dan Brutto is president of UPS International.
Dan Brutto
International clients can keep your company buoyant in tough times.
As the nation focuses on healing Wall Street, it's critical that we don't overlook Main Street. American small businesses, which employ half of the nation's workers, have the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit to drive our economic recovery--if we give them the tools they need to succeed.
And opening the doors to global trade is one of the best, but least talked about, ways of fostering small-business growth.
While this may seem counterintuitive as the stimulus bill's "Buy American" provisions dominate headlines, international trade can help small businesses stay strong in tough times by helping them diversify and by shielding them against the risk of being dependent on one market.
Access to global markets can move a new business from a backyard garage to a local warehouse to a global network. In fact, small businesses that export are 20% more productive and have 20% greater job growth than non-exporters, and they are 9% more likely to stay financially solvent.
The opportunities from global trade also can help fuel the entrepreneurial spirit we need right now. In a recent nationwide UPS survey of small businesses, 91% of small-business owners said that in one year, they expect their company to be in the same or better financial shape than it is today.
But of the respondents, small-business owners who engage in international trade were even more likely to project that their business would be in a better economic position 12 months from now. So keeping these economic engines humming by facilitating trade in today's tough times is critical.
To open trade doors for small business, the first thing we must do is prevent a potentially costly mistake: the resurgence of protectionism. Protectionism did not help the U.S. climb out of the Great Depression. In fact, in the wake of protectionist laws, world trade declined by 66% between 1929 and 1934.
In contrast, the World Trade Organization estimates that cutting trade barriers across agriculture, manufacturing and services by one-third would add $613 billion to the world economy. In the U.S., trade supports millions of American jobs. In fact, according to the U.S. Treasury Department, as many as 57 million Americans now work for companies engaged in global commerce.
At a time of economic uncertainty, America's exports are growing and helping the U.S. economy, not hurting it. Small businesses sold nearly $263 billion in known exports in 2006 (the latest data available)--that's up 68.7% from 1996. Clearly, entrepreneurs are recognizing the benefits of trade, and we should do what we can to help them harness the power of trade to grow their businesses.
To be sure, while trade has clear benefits, it also presents challenges, from learning about new markets to complying with complex customs regulations. Fortunately, there already is in place a network of resources available to help small businesses through the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Commercial Services, which have numerous export centers nationwide.
At a time when funding government programs is under the microscope, we must make sure that these organizations have the resources they need so they can help small businesses trade. In today's market, access to financing is critical. Expanding beyond borders requires an initial capital investment--something that's not easy for many small-business owners.
The U.S. Export-Import Bank and the Small Business Administration can help small businesses finance their global expansions in a manageable way. As credit markets tighten, legislators and the business community must do what they can to make sure these organizations keep credit open to help small businesses succeed.
As we work toward economic recovery, the most important thing for small businesses to know is that trade offers opportunities even during these difficult times, and there are resources that can help them expand to new markets.
But it is up to lawmakers, trade associations and the business community at large to empower small businesses with the tools they need to succeed on the world stage--which, in turn, will help preserve the optimistic, entrepreneurial spirit we need for economic recovery.
Dan Brutto is president of UPS International.
Ask an Expert: Flexing your digital muscles can pump up business
http://www.usatoday.com
By Steve Strauss for USA TODAY
Beefing up your online presence is like getting in shape. What you must do today is flex your digital muscles.
Here's how:
1. Build website muscles. As I said, the only thing worse than no website is having a bad one.
We all know what those look like, don't we? It's the site where the homepage scrolls on for about five minutes, where the graphics are jarring and ugly, it has too much copy and slow loading graphics, and it says "© 2004" at the bottom. In short, the site looks like, not only did your teenage daughter build it for you, but no one has attended to it in several years.
What a mistake.
To me, there are two exceptionally great things about the Internet, from a small business perspective:
• It allows you access to markets you otherwise could never reach
• It allows you to look every bit as big and professional as the Big Boys.
So where do you get that great website? There are no shortage of online options.
Example: Last week, my brother (who is no Webhead) had to build a site for one of his marketing clients. So he surfed over to Microsoft Office Live (Microsoft is a company I do some work with, btw), and built his client an elegant, great looking site – for free. With a simple point and click graphic interface, and pre-loaded templates, here is but one way that anyone can get and grow online easily and affordably.
The important thing is that you take advantage of such tools. Beefing up your Web muscles will make your business less wimpy.
2. Find some "workout" partners. Going to the gym is a social activity, and in that vein, the more friends who support your efforts to get in digital shape, the better you will do.
The Web is a social medium, so it behooves you to take advantage of everything that it offers. Doing so will help you create advocates, find new customers, locate strategic partners, and drive increased sales.
There are several ways to do this:
• Get social: It's not called "social media" for no reason. Sites like Facebook and Twitter enable you to connect with other small business owners and potential customers.
I have a pal in San Francisco who created many significant and lucrative business deals via LinkedIn. He will have some project he is working on and will need to tap some business for sales or partnering or whatever. He has found that he almost always is able to get to the right person in those companies through his LinkedIn connections.
• Be Web 2.0 friendly: This era of the Internet, the Web 2.0 era, is distinguished by interactivity; people want to do more than just read about your business on your site. They expect some level of interaction. So that is what you must give them.
That means different things, from forums and videos to blogs, comments, and podcasts. Making and posting a video, for example, explaining who you are and what you do is not difficult.
• Help people find you: Your site also needs to be search engine optimized (SEO). SEO will allow your site to be found by people who share your interests, who are looking for what it is you sell.
Having keywords sprinkled throughout your site will, like Jerry Maguire, help them help you.
The point is, the more professional, social, and interactive your site, the more you will be able to grow your business, easily and affordably, and allow you to get in Webtastic shape.
Next week: Using email to grow your business
Today's tip: "Do that one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire."— Oprah Winfrey.
By Steve Strauss for USA TODAY
Beefing up your online presence is like getting in shape. What you must do today is flex your digital muscles.
Here's how:
1. Build website muscles. As I said, the only thing worse than no website is having a bad one.
We all know what those look like, don't we? It's the site where the homepage scrolls on for about five minutes, where the graphics are jarring and ugly, it has too much copy and slow loading graphics, and it says "© 2004" at the bottom. In short, the site looks like, not only did your teenage daughter build it for you, but no one has attended to it in several years.
What a mistake.
To me, there are two exceptionally great things about the Internet, from a small business perspective:
• It allows you access to markets you otherwise could never reach
• It allows you to look every bit as big and professional as the Big Boys.
So where do you get that great website? There are no shortage of online options.
Example: Last week, my brother (who is no Webhead) had to build a site for one of his marketing clients. So he surfed over to Microsoft Office Live (Microsoft is a company I do some work with, btw), and built his client an elegant, great looking site – for free. With a simple point and click graphic interface, and pre-loaded templates, here is but one way that anyone can get and grow online easily and affordably.
The important thing is that you take advantage of such tools. Beefing up your Web muscles will make your business less wimpy.
2. Find some "workout" partners. Going to the gym is a social activity, and in that vein, the more friends who support your efforts to get in digital shape, the better you will do.
The Web is a social medium, so it behooves you to take advantage of everything that it offers. Doing so will help you create advocates, find new customers, locate strategic partners, and drive increased sales.
There are several ways to do this:
• Get social: It's not called "social media" for no reason. Sites like Facebook and Twitter enable you to connect with other small business owners and potential customers.
I have a pal in San Francisco who created many significant and lucrative business deals via LinkedIn. He will have some project he is working on and will need to tap some business for sales or partnering or whatever. He has found that he almost always is able to get to the right person in those companies through his LinkedIn connections.
• Be Web 2.0 friendly: This era of the Internet, the Web 2.0 era, is distinguished by interactivity; people want to do more than just read about your business on your site. They expect some level of interaction. So that is what you must give them.
That means different things, from forums and videos to blogs, comments, and podcasts. Making and posting a video, for example, explaining who you are and what you do is not difficult.
• Help people find you: Your site also needs to be search engine optimized (SEO). SEO will allow your site to be found by people who share your interests, who are looking for what it is you sell.
Having keywords sprinkled throughout your site will, like Jerry Maguire, help them help you.
The point is, the more professional, social, and interactive your site, the more you will be able to grow your business, easily and affordably, and allow you to get in Webtastic shape.
Next week: Using email to grow your business
Today's tip: "Do that one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire."— Oprah Winfrey.
Canada's franchised cafe opens in Sydney
http://www.franchise.net.au
If you want to set up a cafe business a partnership of property developer, hospitality expert and champion barista is probably a good start. And that’s the trio behind the latest cafe brand launch in Australia, Canada's franchised Presse Cafe which officially opened its doors in Sydney with a cocktail party attended by the Canadian Consul General.
Master franchisee for Australia and New Zealand, Tony Isaac explained “Australia has been missing a little French flair. We’ve been in business for two weeks and had a great response.”
Initially Isaac and partner Halim Hachem plan to open and operate five corporate stores before franchising the brand across the country. Hachem’s barista son Charlie is running the first store and will be responsible for future training of franchisees.
Finding the right venue, the ground floor of a commercial building near Circular Quay, was helped by Isaac’s property development experience. “This took two years to come to fruition,” said Isaac. “We want to be a blue chip tenant.” The second site has already been signed up in Sydney’s Elizabeth Street and is due to open in six months.
Veronique Boisjoly, marketing director for Presse Café, was on hand to oversee the Australian opening. “We are in the business of passion,” she said. In Canada there are more than 100 franchised outlets and the brand is due to be seen on the streets of Paris with a cafe launch in June.
The success of the brand is due to its mix of product and the café setting, explained Boisjoly. In Sydney a tight menu of sandwiches, French patisserie cakes and pastries are accompanied by a coffee serve specially blended to suit the Australian market. “We don’t want to impose but to adapt to the local culture,” said Boisjoly.
If you want to set up a cafe business a partnership of property developer, hospitality expert and champion barista is probably a good start. And that’s the trio behind the latest cafe brand launch in Australia, Canada's franchised Presse Cafe which officially opened its doors in Sydney with a cocktail party attended by the Canadian Consul General.
Master franchisee for Australia and New Zealand, Tony Isaac explained “Australia has been missing a little French flair. We’ve been in business for two weeks and had a great response.”
Initially Isaac and partner Halim Hachem plan to open and operate five corporate stores before franchising the brand across the country. Hachem’s barista son Charlie is running the first store and will be responsible for future training of franchisees.
Finding the right venue, the ground floor of a commercial building near Circular Quay, was helped by Isaac’s property development experience. “This took two years to come to fruition,” said Isaac. “We want to be a blue chip tenant.” The second site has already been signed up in Sydney’s Elizabeth Street and is due to open in six months.
Veronique Boisjoly, marketing director for Presse Café, was on hand to oversee the Australian opening. “We are in the business of passion,” she said. In Canada there are more than 100 franchised outlets and the brand is due to be seen on the streets of Paris with a cafe launch in June.
The success of the brand is due to its mix of product and the café setting, explained Boisjoly. In Sydney a tight menu of sandwiches, French patisserie cakes and pastries are accompanied by a coffee serve specially blended to suit the Australian market. “We don’t want to impose but to adapt to the local culture,” said Boisjoly.
Coffee business is zooming ahead
http://www.northernstar.com.au
IN JUST three years, Zoom Coffee's success has mirrored its name, going from a double garage at Lennox Head to its own roasting and warehouse site in Ballina.
And just recently, wholesaler Zoom purchased Coffee Nirvana, adding Lattetude and Nirvana to its existing brands.
Home-grown is a strong sentiment and Zoom has two brands - Australian-certified organic Fairtrade and Australian Arabica, a local coffee grown without pesticides. Nirvana comes from a local plantation at Newrybar. Zoom's products are licensed with the Australian Grown Campaign, as well as Fairtrade.
Zoom's managing director, Mark Nancarrow, said acquiring Coffee Nirvana enabled his business to expand into the important restaurant and cafe sector and to continue its reach into other states and areas, such as premium grocery lines.
The new facility at Ballina incorporates a coffee showroom, espresso training centre and a roasting and packaging plant workshop.
Zoom was one of the first coffees locally to recognise the trend towards Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance, and is now established as a leader in supplying both coffee products to the wholesale market.
“At Christmas we notched up our 35th store, but now with the purchase of Coffee Nirvana we'll be selling into about 150 stores and 60 cafes,” Mr Nancarrow said.
He said he was now concentrating on building the brand in stores.
“We've had a nibble from China and South Korea. They approached us, so we sent quite a bit of coffee over there and we'll see what comes of that. I'm really concentrating on our Australian coffee - Nirvana is registered with Australian growers.
Part of Zoom's success has been in partnerships it has made with schools.
“We're very heavily into marketing and we'll go to school fairs and set up a stand for them and an espresso machine and make coffees. The customers pay, but we give the takings to the school as a fundraiser. It's good, because the school gets good money and we get our branding out in the marketplace. Instead of handing out free samples, which we used to do - this works better. And we might raise $1000 for the school,” he said.
As well as hitting a chord with the public, Zoom Coffee has a swag of awards under its belt, including two bronze medals at the Equal Golden Bean Roasting Awards.
“Zoom Coffee ranked overall in the top five per cent of roasters in Australia. We beat some of the big names in the coffee industry,” Mr Nancarrow said.
With a background in managing big newsagencies in western Sydney, Mr Nancarrow appreciates the compact nature of his business. Although with its rapid expansion, he has upgraded systems.
“We have a good inventory system which I've set up and that's important to get a handle on cash flow and what we have on the floor. I do worry about how quickly it's growing, but I'm passionate about what we do and I'm confident we have an excellent product, so I plan on getting in touch with AusTrade to look at our export possibilities,” he said.
Zoom Coffee uses local companies to supply of reusable bags and labels. And the company supplies its green coffee beans in hessian bags to minimise waste.
As well as exceptional coffee, Mr Nancarrow puts Zoom's success down to excellent service.
“That's our point of difference. I'll go around the shops each week or fortnight and tidy the shelves up or restock and say g'day, just to get a face out there. And we only roast the beans as the orders come in, it's absolutely fresh. I'm not just dumping the box and saying see you later, we actually put the stock up on the shelves,” he said.
IN JUST three years, Zoom Coffee's success has mirrored its name, going from a double garage at Lennox Head to its own roasting and warehouse site in Ballina.
And just recently, wholesaler Zoom purchased Coffee Nirvana, adding Lattetude and Nirvana to its existing brands.
Home-grown is a strong sentiment and Zoom has two brands - Australian-certified organic Fairtrade and Australian Arabica, a local coffee grown without pesticides. Nirvana comes from a local plantation at Newrybar. Zoom's products are licensed with the Australian Grown Campaign, as well as Fairtrade.
Zoom's managing director, Mark Nancarrow, said acquiring Coffee Nirvana enabled his business to expand into the important restaurant and cafe sector and to continue its reach into other states and areas, such as premium grocery lines.
The new facility at Ballina incorporates a coffee showroom, espresso training centre and a roasting and packaging plant workshop.
Zoom was one of the first coffees locally to recognise the trend towards Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance, and is now established as a leader in supplying both coffee products to the wholesale market.
“At Christmas we notched up our 35th store, but now with the purchase of Coffee Nirvana we'll be selling into about 150 stores and 60 cafes,” Mr Nancarrow said.
He said he was now concentrating on building the brand in stores.
“We've had a nibble from China and South Korea. They approached us, so we sent quite a bit of coffee over there and we'll see what comes of that. I'm really concentrating on our Australian coffee - Nirvana is registered with Australian growers.
Part of Zoom's success has been in partnerships it has made with schools.
“We're very heavily into marketing and we'll go to school fairs and set up a stand for them and an espresso machine and make coffees. The customers pay, but we give the takings to the school as a fundraiser. It's good, because the school gets good money and we get our branding out in the marketplace. Instead of handing out free samples, which we used to do - this works better. And we might raise $1000 for the school,” he said.
As well as hitting a chord with the public, Zoom Coffee has a swag of awards under its belt, including two bronze medals at the Equal Golden Bean Roasting Awards.
“Zoom Coffee ranked overall in the top five per cent of roasters in Australia. We beat some of the big names in the coffee industry,” Mr Nancarrow said.
With a background in managing big newsagencies in western Sydney, Mr Nancarrow appreciates the compact nature of his business. Although with its rapid expansion, he has upgraded systems.
“We have a good inventory system which I've set up and that's important to get a handle on cash flow and what we have on the floor. I do worry about how quickly it's growing, but I'm passionate about what we do and I'm confident we have an excellent product, so I plan on getting in touch with AusTrade to look at our export possibilities,” he said.
Zoom Coffee uses local companies to supply of reusable bags and labels. And the company supplies its green coffee beans in hessian bags to minimise waste.
As well as exceptional coffee, Mr Nancarrow puts Zoom's success down to excellent service.
“That's our point of difference. I'll go around the shops each week or fortnight and tidy the shelves up or restock and say g'day, just to get a face out there. And we only roast the beans as the orders come in, it's absolutely fresh. I'm not just dumping the box and saying see you later, we actually put the stock up on the shelves,” he said.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
The company of strangers
http://www.smh.com.au/
March 17, 2009 - 12:00AM
It's the latest trend in dining out - get a text and go to a one-off event. You never know who you'll meet, writes Carli Ratcliff.
A TEXT message arrives with an address, a dress code and a request to be prompt. Dinner will be served at 10pm.
Welcome to the world of underground dining, Sydney-style.
Transient Diner is the brainchild of an apprentice chef who felt stifled working in five-star kitchens. Realising many of his colleagues felt the same, he developed the dining concept to give third- and fourth-year apprentice chefs the opportunity to run a virtual restaurant for an evening.
From finding the location and creating the menu to curating a theme and employing staff, the experience gives young chefs the freedom to experiment without the commitments and responsibilities of opening a real restaurant.
The chef behind Transient Diner refuses to be named, remaining true to the group's strict code of conduct. Explaining the motivation behind the collective, he says, "These young chefs are highly competent, they are the ones executing the signature dishes of Australia's best restaurants . . . it is our intention to bring them in from the background, to encourage, motivate and grow them."
Menus vary from hearty home-cooked fare served in a paddock to a Spanish-influenced 10-course degustation menu with matched wines.
Dinners are held monthly. Patrons log their interest via email and, if selected, receive a return email with a reservation date. No further information arrives until the day of the dinner, via text message.
Underground dining collectives were born of the speakeasy (illicit liquor outlet) tradition in the US during the Prohibition years (1920 to 1933). It is estimated there are more than 100 secret dining groups in the US and a growing number across Europe and Latin America.
Some secret dining groups are closely aligned with political and social movements. Chef Alice Waters, of California's famed Chez Panisse, began her career on the underground dining circuit in the late 1960s. Catering for fellow free-speech campaigners, Walters's community-conscious dinners became known as Alice's Restaurant.
Some groups operate as social networks for like-minded foodies, such as Casa Felix in Buenos Aires. It's a private dining club, known as a "closed door", where patrons enjoy fish and vegetable feasts in gastronomic defiance of the city's obsession with beef.
Others provide a way to meet new people, such as Sydney's Cheap Eats group, a collective of North Shore singles who love food and wine. The group has met weekly since 1982. Punters register interest via a website and, once approved, are supplied with a phone number for details of the next location. Convenor "Kingsley" believes secrecy and privacy are major drawcards.
"Secret locations intrigue people and the fact that the group changes constantly means you never know who you will meet," he says.
For many patrons, however, it's all about the allure of the unknown. Dinner might be in a field or a car park or a private home.
The underground dining trend reached Hong Kong in 1997, following the Asian economic crisis. In her memoir, Shark's Fin And Sichuan Pepper, Fuchsia Dunlop chronicles the rise of private kitchens run by families keen to supplement their income, often from their own kitchen table. Many private kitchens gained a cult following and have grown into larger underground restaurants. Some are booked out months in advance.
Michael Fantuz began his underground network, Table for 20, in Sydney in 2004. Together with other Surry Hills locals, he was keen to create a communal dining experience with a focus on simple food and interesting company.
"The underlying objective has always been conviviality," he says.
They started as informal "hood dinners" in friends' kitchens and living rooms. Everyone would bring a plate and help out in the kitchen. In 2006 Fantuz decided to rent a permanent space in Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Community-spirited dinners now run weekly. Interested patrons send a text message to a mobile service and are contacted if there is room at the table.
Fantuz welcomes diners, runs the floor and eats with his guests. Two communal tables are covered in platters of food. There is no menu. "Sharing and eating the same dishes provides a sense of communion and encourages discussion between people who may never have met otherwise," Fantuz says. "It's a shared experience."
Alison Drover, convivium leader of Slow Food Sydney, says it's no surprise underground dining is an emerging trend.
"It's all about connecting people through food and a consciousness about what you are eating," she says. "It's a move away from flashy restaurants to a more intimate, often private experience."
Savva Savas of Plated catering agrees. Savas curates bespoke secret dinners for clients and goes to great lengths to guard their privacy. "The host wants their guests to be comfortable, to be able to be themselves and to enjoy an experience that can't be had in a restaurant," he says.
Savas has designed and executed a secret dinner for 20 in a tunnel. "The client was so insistent on secrecy that all correspondence was hand-delivered and details discussed in person," he says. "Even I wasn't privy to the location until four hours prior."
On another occasion, guests were transported blindfolded in a minibus to a private home. The windows were blacked out and the guests had no idea where they were.
The style of food is dictated by the environment, Savas says. "The menu has to be designed around logistical limitations," he says. At a secret dinner in a warehouse we had no power and no gas, so we arrived with the food ready and a box of candles."
He believes the key to a successful secret dinner is an extraordinary location, appropriately matched food and a sense of freedom."In a private scenario people tend to be bolder and to mingle more broadly," he says. "The experience gives guests a common talking point, it's a great conversation starter."
March 17, 2009 - 12:00AM
It's the latest trend in dining out - get a text and go to a one-off event. You never know who you'll meet, writes Carli Ratcliff.
A TEXT message arrives with an address, a dress code and a request to be prompt. Dinner will be served at 10pm.
Welcome to the world of underground dining, Sydney-style.
Transient Diner is the brainchild of an apprentice chef who felt stifled working in five-star kitchens. Realising many of his colleagues felt the same, he developed the dining concept to give third- and fourth-year apprentice chefs the opportunity to run a virtual restaurant for an evening.
From finding the location and creating the menu to curating a theme and employing staff, the experience gives young chefs the freedom to experiment without the commitments and responsibilities of opening a real restaurant.
The chef behind Transient Diner refuses to be named, remaining true to the group's strict code of conduct. Explaining the motivation behind the collective, he says, "These young chefs are highly competent, they are the ones executing the signature dishes of Australia's best restaurants . . . it is our intention to bring them in from the background, to encourage, motivate and grow them."
Menus vary from hearty home-cooked fare served in a paddock to a Spanish-influenced 10-course degustation menu with matched wines.
Dinners are held monthly. Patrons log their interest via email and, if selected, receive a return email with a reservation date. No further information arrives until the day of the dinner, via text message.
Underground dining collectives were born of the speakeasy (illicit liquor outlet) tradition in the US during the Prohibition years (1920 to 1933). It is estimated there are more than 100 secret dining groups in the US and a growing number across Europe and Latin America.
Some secret dining groups are closely aligned with political and social movements. Chef Alice Waters, of California's famed Chez Panisse, began her career on the underground dining circuit in the late 1960s. Catering for fellow free-speech campaigners, Walters's community-conscious dinners became known as Alice's Restaurant.
Some groups operate as social networks for like-minded foodies, such as Casa Felix in Buenos Aires. It's a private dining club, known as a "closed door", where patrons enjoy fish and vegetable feasts in gastronomic defiance of the city's obsession with beef.
Others provide a way to meet new people, such as Sydney's Cheap Eats group, a collective of North Shore singles who love food and wine. The group has met weekly since 1982. Punters register interest via a website and, once approved, are supplied with a phone number for details of the next location. Convenor "Kingsley" believes secrecy and privacy are major drawcards.
"Secret locations intrigue people and the fact that the group changes constantly means you never know who you will meet," he says.
For many patrons, however, it's all about the allure of the unknown. Dinner might be in a field or a car park or a private home.
The underground dining trend reached Hong Kong in 1997, following the Asian economic crisis. In her memoir, Shark's Fin And Sichuan Pepper, Fuchsia Dunlop chronicles the rise of private kitchens run by families keen to supplement their income, often from their own kitchen table. Many private kitchens gained a cult following and have grown into larger underground restaurants. Some are booked out months in advance.
Michael Fantuz began his underground network, Table for 20, in Sydney in 2004. Together with other Surry Hills locals, he was keen to create a communal dining experience with a focus on simple food and interesting company.
"The underlying objective has always been conviviality," he says.
They started as informal "hood dinners" in friends' kitchens and living rooms. Everyone would bring a plate and help out in the kitchen. In 2006 Fantuz decided to rent a permanent space in Campbell Street, Surry Hills. Community-spirited dinners now run weekly. Interested patrons send a text message to a mobile service and are contacted if there is room at the table.
Fantuz welcomes diners, runs the floor and eats with his guests. Two communal tables are covered in platters of food. There is no menu. "Sharing and eating the same dishes provides a sense of communion and encourages discussion between people who may never have met otherwise," Fantuz says. "It's a shared experience."
Alison Drover, convivium leader of Slow Food Sydney, says it's no surprise underground dining is an emerging trend.
"It's all about connecting people through food and a consciousness about what you are eating," she says. "It's a move away from flashy restaurants to a more intimate, often private experience."
Savva Savas of Plated catering agrees. Savas curates bespoke secret dinners for clients and goes to great lengths to guard their privacy. "The host wants their guests to be comfortable, to be able to be themselves and to enjoy an experience that can't be had in a restaurant," he says.
Savas has designed and executed a secret dinner for 20 in a tunnel. "The client was so insistent on secrecy that all correspondence was hand-delivered and details discussed in person," he says. "Even I wasn't privy to the location until four hours prior."
On another occasion, guests were transported blindfolded in a minibus to a private home. The windows were blacked out and the guests had no idea where they were.
The style of food is dictated by the environment, Savas says. "The menu has to be designed around logistical limitations," he says. At a secret dinner in a warehouse we had no power and no gas, so we arrived with the food ready and a box of candles."
He believes the key to a successful secret dinner is an extraordinary location, appropriately matched food and a sense of freedom."In a private scenario people tend to be bolder and to mingle more broadly," he says. "The experience gives guests a common talking point, it's a great conversation starter."
Shaking things up in the world of e-learning
http://www.hospitality-industry.com
The last two decades have witnessed a dramatic rise in the popularity of e-learning.
Extraordinary changes that we are now facing in terms of communication and sharing information has meant that e-learning has had to adapt to meet the needs of today’s businessmen and women.
e-Learning is an area that is currently being used by many, but why use e-learning and what are the reasons for its popularity? Marco Faccini, account director, hospitality division of ThirdForce PLC, one of the largest e-learning providers in the UK, tells hospitality-industry.com why.
Traditionally, e-learning was plainly a method of uploading manuals online. From its infancy e-learning had an extremely long journey to complete to ‘wow’ its audience.
More recently, e-learning has become much more focused on engaging the learner and providing a constructive and rewarding environment. The classroom comes alive with lessons packed full of sights, sounds, quizzes and games.
A learner in the e-learning environment can now become part of the class through the interactive nature of online learning. With a combined functionality of text, audio and visual media, e-learning has become much more accessible to international students.
Offered in languages such as English, Polish and Portuguese, a diverse workforce can partake in the e-learning phenomenon. The senses, namely sights and sounds, are fully intrigued through the array of online possibilities.
e-Learning was renowned for its presentation in large chunks of information. This method did not help the learner to retain information, nor did it motivate course completion.
In fact, it had a negative effect on the learner, daunting the individual with the sheer amount of material that needed to be learnt in a one off session. More recently, the placing of the learner at the heart of learning has meant a rapid increase in popularity. The e-learner is ideally placed to know what they want to study and in what format. And so they should be!
Now available in smaller portions, e-learning material has become much more inviting for an array of students, of differing academic backgrounds. Material can be digested more easily and with increased flexibility.
Shake it, shake it!
The use of scenarios and games has also shaken and stirred the world of online learning.
The ability to experiment, discover and reflect has made e-learning progressively more fashionable, encouraging an environment in which mistakes are permitted.
Flexible material tailored specifically to the learner allows for a non-threatening learning space, where learners can progress at their own pace and can actually enjoy the experience.
More confident learners are shaped, achieving the qualifications they truly deserve. e-Learners with basic IT skills can also experience online activity on fun, user-friendly platforms.
Online discovery
In its formative years e-learning was a highly dictatorial method of teaching and learning.
Presented as a ‘tell and test’ activity employees were told the content that they must learn and then they would be tested. Learners were unable to discover new information: this was seen as a huge downfall!
Nowadays, the learner can be part of a much more relaxed and personalised ‘try and see’ process.
Now presented as a route to discovery, e-learning, reported by numerous learners, is 100 per cent more motivating as it builds on prior knowledge. Discussions are spurred on by exploratory and thought provoking questions between the learner and online tutor and even social networking with both colleagues and external participants.
Rightfully so, active learning environments are places where questions should be posed and answered.
Creators and designers of e-learning have cleverly introduced character simulations that engage the online learner in a social experience where a ‘real person’ guides instruction and the lesson. Personality is created through visual impact, choice of language and even voice. Given all the advances that gaming and social technologies have made in recent times, why can’t e-learning incorporate some of these engaging and interesting components?
Extending the boundaries of learning
Once designed for desktop computer use, e-learning constrained learners to the confines of the classroom. With advances in technology witnessed over the past few years, why should students’ learning be restricted?
Learning should be an activity performed with ease and one that encourages learners to commit to their course of study and further their qualifications.
The long awaited availability of e-learning on the move has now arrived. Obtainable on mobile, tablet-form computers, known as the el-box, e-learning caters for those employees that live life on the move.
Being able to use handheld technology, employees can dip in and out of their training whenever and wherever convenient. This supports the current lifestyle of today’s learner and those who may have sporadic working hours such as those working in bars, restaurants and hotels.
Most of us are now permanently attached to our mobile phones and laptops, and are used to accessing what we want, when we want it! 21st century learning needs to mirror these advances.
The attractiveness of e-learning has also arisen from the types of materials that are presented.
The digital generation of the new millennium seek blogs, discussion forums and web pages that allow them to initiate their own styles of learning and take part in extremely interactive and engaging tasks. These online pages provoke thought and debate, allowing learners to explore their understanding of their workplace and job role.
With the use of network technologies to deliver and facilitate learning, anytime anywhere learning is rapidly growing in today’s hospitality sector. e-Learning gives people the competitive edge to lift performance, raise standards and guarantee best practice. Ultimately it facilitates a modern and forward thinking approach.
The last two decades have witnessed a dramatic rise in the popularity of e-learning.
Extraordinary changes that we are now facing in terms of communication and sharing information has meant that e-learning has had to adapt to meet the needs of today’s businessmen and women.
e-Learning is an area that is currently being used by many, but why use e-learning and what are the reasons for its popularity? Marco Faccini, account director, hospitality division of ThirdForce PLC, one of the largest e-learning providers in the UK, tells hospitality-industry.com why.
Traditionally, e-learning was plainly a method of uploading manuals online. From its infancy e-learning had an extremely long journey to complete to ‘wow’ its audience.
More recently, e-learning has become much more focused on engaging the learner and providing a constructive and rewarding environment. The classroom comes alive with lessons packed full of sights, sounds, quizzes and games.
A learner in the e-learning environment can now become part of the class through the interactive nature of online learning. With a combined functionality of text, audio and visual media, e-learning has become much more accessible to international students.
Offered in languages such as English, Polish and Portuguese, a diverse workforce can partake in the e-learning phenomenon. The senses, namely sights and sounds, are fully intrigued through the array of online possibilities.
e-Learning was renowned for its presentation in large chunks of information. This method did not help the learner to retain information, nor did it motivate course completion.
In fact, it had a negative effect on the learner, daunting the individual with the sheer amount of material that needed to be learnt in a one off session. More recently, the placing of the learner at the heart of learning has meant a rapid increase in popularity. The e-learner is ideally placed to know what they want to study and in what format. And so they should be!
Now available in smaller portions, e-learning material has become much more inviting for an array of students, of differing academic backgrounds. Material can be digested more easily and with increased flexibility.
Shake it, shake it!
The use of scenarios and games has also shaken and stirred the world of online learning.
The ability to experiment, discover and reflect has made e-learning progressively more fashionable, encouraging an environment in which mistakes are permitted.
Flexible material tailored specifically to the learner allows for a non-threatening learning space, where learners can progress at their own pace and can actually enjoy the experience.
More confident learners are shaped, achieving the qualifications they truly deserve. e-Learners with basic IT skills can also experience online activity on fun, user-friendly platforms.
Online discovery
In its formative years e-learning was a highly dictatorial method of teaching and learning.
Presented as a ‘tell and test’ activity employees were told the content that they must learn and then they would be tested. Learners were unable to discover new information: this was seen as a huge downfall!
Nowadays, the learner can be part of a much more relaxed and personalised ‘try and see’ process.
Now presented as a route to discovery, e-learning, reported by numerous learners, is 100 per cent more motivating as it builds on prior knowledge. Discussions are spurred on by exploratory and thought provoking questions between the learner and online tutor and even social networking with both colleagues and external participants.
Rightfully so, active learning environments are places where questions should be posed and answered.
Creators and designers of e-learning have cleverly introduced character simulations that engage the online learner in a social experience where a ‘real person’ guides instruction and the lesson. Personality is created through visual impact, choice of language and even voice. Given all the advances that gaming and social technologies have made in recent times, why can’t e-learning incorporate some of these engaging and interesting components?
Extending the boundaries of learning
Once designed for desktop computer use, e-learning constrained learners to the confines of the classroom. With advances in technology witnessed over the past few years, why should students’ learning be restricted?
Learning should be an activity performed with ease and one that encourages learners to commit to their course of study and further their qualifications.
The long awaited availability of e-learning on the move has now arrived. Obtainable on mobile, tablet-form computers, known as the el-box, e-learning caters for those employees that live life on the move.
Being able to use handheld technology, employees can dip in and out of their training whenever and wherever convenient. This supports the current lifestyle of today’s learner and those who may have sporadic working hours such as those working in bars, restaurants and hotels.
Most of us are now permanently attached to our mobile phones and laptops, and are used to accessing what we want, when we want it! 21st century learning needs to mirror these advances.
The attractiveness of e-learning has also arisen from the types of materials that are presented.
The digital generation of the new millennium seek blogs, discussion forums and web pages that allow them to initiate their own styles of learning and take part in extremely interactive and engaging tasks. These online pages provoke thought and debate, allowing learners to explore their understanding of their workplace and job role.
With the use of network technologies to deliver and facilitate learning, anytime anywhere learning is rapidly growing in today’s hospitality sector. e-Learning gives people the competitive edge to lift performance, raise standards and guarantee best practice. Ultimately it facilitates a modern and forward thinking approach.
Chefs go back to basics
Celebrity chefs were given a bake last week over the nutritional value of their top-selling recipe books. But three leading Queensland chefs have tipped the drainer on suggestions the industry needs a master class in how to cook for real people.
David Pugh, Brad Jolly and Paul McGivern create top-quality cuisine at work every day, but these award-winning culinary kings know they need to get back to basics when it comes to impressing their toughest critics—their kids.
While Nigella Lawson and Gordon Ramsay were accused by a UK report of encouraging unhealthy eating through fat-filled recipes, Mr Jolly, of Brisbane CBD restaurant Alchemy, said the key to cooking for his family was to do "something that's not too complicated but with great quality ingredients''.
The chef's favourite meal is a ragu using a recipe supplied by his Italian mother-in-law. He also likes whipping up vegetable soups which he uses to trick his three-year-old son Mackenzie into eating veges.
The Sunday Mail., March 15
David Pugh, Brad Jolly and Paul McGivern create top-quality cuisine at work every day, but these award-winning culinary kings know they need to get back to basics when it comes to impressing their toughest critics—their kids.
While Nigella Lawson and Gordon Ramsay were accused by a UK report of encouraging unhealthy eating through fat-filled recipes, Mr Jolly, of Brisbane CBD restaurant Alchemy, said the key to cooking for his family was to do "something that's not too complicated but with great quality ingredients''.
The chef's favourite meal is a ragu using a recipe supplied by his Italian mother-in-law. He also likes whipping up vegetable soups which he uses to trick his three-year-old son Mackenzie into eating veges.
The Sunday Mail., March 15
Correct beans means better coffee
Fallon Hudson 12th March 2009
BARISTA Jonathan Whitfield doesn't need a shot of coffee to awaken his senses.
For Mr Whitfield, coffee is not just a drink but an emotional experience which should be enjoyed.Mention the word “coffee” and he can transport you to the spicy and floral aromas of the world.
Mr Whitfield and his business partner Justin Humphrey are qualified baristas who run Coffee Dominion in Townsville.
The pair, who have trained under the Australia World Barista Champion Paul Bassett, held a coffee appreciation class at Harrup Park Country Club yesterday.
The Don's Coffee Lounge was filled with eager students who learnt about different varieties, how coffee was grown, coffee roasting as well as cupping coffee samples.
“The aim of the class was to increase coffee appreciation to Harrup Park members and teach them how to make an espresso,” Mr Whitfield said.
Both Mr Whitfield and Mr Humphrey undertook coffee course with the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the European Trade Association.
“I don't think many appreciate coffee in an holistic approach, which values the type of coffee beans and the characteristics of it in the cup. They are used to buying packaged coffee,” Mr Whitfield said.
How to brew perfect coffee
• To make an espresso always wipe the filter basket of your coffee maker rather then washing it out, that way the filter maintains the seasons of the coffee oils.
• Try to use fresh coffee beans, preferably three months after roasting.
• For a fuller flavour use coffee beans one to three weeks after roasting.
• When buying coffee beans try and buy beans where the label describes the origin and area where the coffee was grown.
• Clean your machine at least once a week.
• Store coffee beans in the fridge rather than in a cupboard.
Unions opt for jobs over pay
Ewin Hannan, Brad Norington and Lauren Wilson March 12, 2009
Article from: The Australian
PAY rises for thousands of workers in the nation's struggling retail and hospitality sectors could be deferred for up to five years, as unions concede the need to minimise cost pressures on employers during the economic downturn.
Confronting employer claims that the Rudd Government's proposed revamp of award conditions for low-paid workers would cost jobs, union officials said yesterday they were prepared to spread the pay rises over five years to help business.
Julia Gillard's plan to have the workplace umpire modernise hundreds of awards that govern minimum pay and conditions by January 1 is running parallel with the introduction of Labor's new laws to replace the Coalition's Work Choices.
The proposed pay rises flowing to many workers in retail and hospitality -- which have sparked warnings from employers of large-scale job losses -- challenge the Deputy Prime Minister's claim that Labor's industrial regime will not cost jobs.
Employers have complained bitterly that they will suffer pain from the process as restaurants, hotels and other businesses are forced to accept increases of 8 per cent to 50 per cent in wages, penalty rates, loadings and allowances as states with lower minimum rates are forced to accept a higher common standard.
The Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union said it would also consider an employer demand to delay any pay rises for the next 12 to 24 months in exchange for higher increases in later years.
Union officials representing retail workers have also agreed to spread pay rises over five years. While some retail workers would be worse off, many would be better off and unions said they accepted the need to sensibly address employer complaints.
LHMU national secretary Louise Tarrant will meet with the chief executive of the Restaurant and Catering Association, John Hart, today to discuss an implementation schedule for award changes introduced along with Labor's Fair Work Bill.
"There may well be a five-year phase-in for the additional loadings," Ms Tarrant said. "That way it can be transitioned in a way that can be sympathetic to employers. We want to make it workable, that's our intention."
Mr Hart said the association would want all pay rises deferred for the first 12 to 24 months.
"What we'd be looking to negotiate is greater increases later in the five-year period, with probably no increase in the next 12 months to two years, depending on the economic outlook," he said. Ms Tarrant would not rule out a wage-rise deferral. "We want to make sure it's done in a managed way," she said.
Joe de Bruyn, the national secretary of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, said some retail employees would lose out under award modernisation, including casual retail employees in Victoria, who would have their loadings reduced.
But Mr de Bruyn said the union was prepared to "be reasonable" and allow the pay rises to be phased in over the five years. "To overcome this employer bleating about 'we can't pay', we just say, 'well, let's phase it in over time'," he said. "Whether employees are going to be disadvantaged or whether they are going to be advantaged, let's just do it over a five-year period and then nobody can really complain."
Ms Gillard's office confirmed yesterday that the minister was willing to accept a transition period of up to five years to ease the pain for employers.
A spokeswoman for Ms Gillard referred to the Government's supplementary submission to the commission on awards last month, in which it backed employers and unions having sufficient time to become familiar with the content of new awards "before their commencement on 1 January 2010".
Quoting from the Government's submission, she said: "This is particularly important in light of the global financial crisis, with businesses requiring certainty regarding their costs."
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry claims Ms Gillard's directions on phasing-in common award pay rates appear confused because it was not clear if she meant a fixed January 1 starting date or "signposts" for increases over the next five years.
The chamber's workplace director, Scott Barklamb, said employers wanted to avoid "massive shocks" as minimum pay rates in different industries and states were dramatically increased for the sake of simplifying the system.
Mr Barklamb said employers were not clear whether or not she meant freezing some award pay rates and lifting others over time.
"We are looking forward to getting award modernisation right with little or no costs change," Mr Barklamb said. "But we remain sceptical because Ms Gillard has said the modernisation of awards is not meant to disadvantage employers or employees.
We can't see how employers will be spared cost increases if rates are increased up to a common level."
Ms Gillard proposed a round of late amendments to the Fair Work bill on Monday, in a letter to senators that was meant to satisfy concerns about the legislation raised by employers.
Employers remain deeply concerned, however, that unions will be able to force "good faith" bargaining on employers with few members at a worksite. Small business objects to a reintroduction of unfair dismissal claims for all workers, overturning an exemption for companies with fewer than 100 employees under Work Choices.
Speaking on Sydney radio yesterday, Ms Gillard said she accepted employers needed to have a "really good look" at new workers to see if they fitted into a business.
Under Labor's revised laws, she said, small business employers with fewer than 15 employees would have an exemption from dismissal claims for up to 12 months.
"In bigger businesses, it's six months," Ms Gillard said.
While not ruling out job losses caused by the economic downturn, she insisted Labor's laws were fair and the legislation should proceed unchanged. Family First Senator Steve Fielding has proposed amendments to exempt small business from compulsory union bargaining and right of entry provisions.
Additional reporting: Patricia Karvelas
Article from: The Australian
PAY rises for thousands of workers in the nation's struggling retail and hospitality sectors could be deferred for up to five years, as unions concede the need to minimise cost pressures on employers during the economic downturn.
Confronting employer claims that the Rudd Government's proposed revamp of award conditions for low-paid workers would cost jobs, union officials said yesterday they were prepared to spread the pay rises over five years to help business.
Julia Gillard's plan to have the workplace umpire modernise hundreds of awards that govern minimum pay and conditions by January 1 is running parallel with the introduction of Labor's new laws to replace the Coalition's Work Choices.
The proposed pay rises flowing to many workers in retail and hospitality -- which have sparked warnings from employers of large-scale job losses -- challenge the Deputy Prime Minister's claim that Labor's industrial regime will not cost jobs.
Employers have complained bitterly that they will suffer pain from the process as restaurants, hotels and other businesses are forced to accept increases of 8 per cent to 50 per cent in wages, penalty rates, loadings and allowances as states with lower minimum rates are forced to accept a higher common standard.
The Liquor Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union said it would also consider an employer demand to delay any pay rises for the next 12 to 24 months in exchange for higher increases in later years.
Union officials representing retail workers have also agreed to spread pay rises over five years. While some retail workers would be worse off, many would be better off and unions said they accepted the need to sensibly address employer complaints.
LHMU national secretary Louise Tarrant will meet with the chief executive of the Restaurant and Catering Association, John Hart, today to discuss an implementation schedule for award changes introduced along with Labor's Fair Work Bill.
"There may well be a five-year phase-in for the additional loadings," Ms Tarrant said. "That way it can be transitioned in a way that can be sympathetic to employers. We want to make it workable, that's our intention."
Mr Hart said the association would want all pay rises deferred for the first 12 to 24 months.
"What we'd be looking to negotiate is greater increases later in the five-year period, with probably no increase in the next 12 months to two years, depending on the economic outlook," he said. Ms Tarrant would not rule out a wage-rise deferral. "We want to make sure it's done in a managed way," she said.
Joe de Bruyn, the national secretary of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, said some retail employees would lose out under award modernisation, including casual retail employees in Victoria, who would have their loadings reduced.
But Mr de Bruyn said the union was prepared to "be reasonable" and allow the pay rises to be phased in over the five years. "To overcome this employer bleating about 'we can't pay', we just say, 'well, let's phase it in over time'," he said. "Whether employees are going to be disadvantaged or whether they are going to be advantaged, let's just do it over a five-year period and then nobody can really complain."
Ms Gillard's office confirmed yesterday that the minister was willing to accept a transition period of up to five years to ease the pain for employers.
A spokeswoman for Ms Gillard referred to the Government's supplementary submission to the commission on awards last month, in which it backed employers and unions having sufficient time to become familiar with the content of new awards "before their commencement on 1 January 2010".
Quoting from the Government's submission, she said: "This is particularly important in light of the global financial crisis, with businesses requiring certainty regarding their costs."
The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry claims Ms Gillard's directions on phasing-in common award pay rates appear confused because it was not clear if she meant a fixed January 1 starting date or "signposts" for increases over the next five years.
The chamber's workplace director, Scott Barklamb, said employers wanted to avoid "massive shocks" as minimum pay rates in different industries and states were dramatically increased for the sake of simplifying the system.
Mr Barklamb said employers were not clear whether or not she meant freezing some award pay rates and lifting others over time.
"We are looking forward to getting award modernisation right with little or no costs change," Mr Barklamb said. "But we remain sceptical because Ms Gillard has said the modernisation of awards is not meant to disadvantage employers or employees.
We can't see how employers will be spared cost increases if rates are increased up to a common level."
Ms Gillard proposed a round of late amendments to the Fair Work bill on Monday, in a letter to senators that was meant to satisfy concerns about the legislation raised by employers.
Employers remain deeply concerned, however, that unions will be able to force "good faith" bargaining on employers with few members at a worksite. Small business objects to a reintroduction of unfair dismissal claims for all workers, overturning an exemption for companies with fewer than 100 employees under Work Choices.
Speaking on Sydney radio yesterday, Ms Gillard said she accepted employers needed to have a "really good look" at new workers to see if they fitted into a business.
Under Labor's revised laws, she said, small business employers with fewer than 15 employees would have an exemption from dismissal claims for up to 12 months.
"In bigger businesses, it's six months," Ms Gillard said.
While not ruling out job losses caused by the economic downturn, she insisted Labor's laws were fair and the legislation should proceed unchanged. Family First Senator Steve Fielding has proposed amendments to exempt small business from compulsory union bargaining and right of entry provisions.
Additional reporting: Patricia Karvelas
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Excellent reason to indulge in a cuppa
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
Necia Wilden
WHAT champagne is to sparkling wine, a Cup of Excellence is to your standard morning coffee.
Bringing new meaning to the term international roast, the Cup of Excellence range is recognised by the coffee industry worldwide as the cream of the crop.
Cup of Excellence beans are considered the peak of coffee production, offering the best quality brews from nine of the world's top coffee-producing nations.
British coffee expert Stephen Hurst, who is visiting Australia this week, is on the board of directors of the annual Cup of Excellence competitions, in which producers vie to be ranked their country's top coffee producer.
"We're at the sharp end of the industry, the top 2 to 3 per cent of coffee production," he said. "This is the very top level of tasting."
Since the non-profit Cup of Excellence organisation was launched in Brazil in 1999, with three member countries, the value of its coffee beans sold at auction has risen from $US4.63 per pound to $US7.05 per pound between 2005-2008.
The competition is now run every year in nine coffee-producing countries, from Colombia to El Salvador and Rwanda, and Cup of Excellence coffee is sold at cafes and foodstores from Britain to America to Norway and Japan.
The cafe latte sets in Sydney and Melbourne can now enjoy Cup of Excellence coffees in a few specialist cafes in Sydney and Melbourne.
Russell Beard, owner of The Source cafe and roastery in Mosman on Sydney's northside, will be charging his standard $3.50 for the special brew.
"The whole experience is really about celebrating the farmer and the farm where it was grown," he said.
At Brother Baba Budan, a cafe in Melbourne's CBD, owner Mark Dundon is offering Guatemalan "Finca La Perla" Cup of Excellence for $3 a cup, his standard coffee price.
Mr Dundon, who is travelling to Colombia next week to be one of 15 international judges at the 2009 Colombian Cup of Excellence competition, said the program offered significant financial benefits for coffee farmers.
Almost all the coffees are sourced from a single estate, and occasionally two or three small farms will be grouped together. As well, the farmer's name is included on the elaborate tasting notes that accompany each bag of beans.
So what's the best way to enjoy the ultimate coffee?
Mr Hurst said the best way to appreciate the individual qualities of a Cup of Excellence is to enjoy it as filter or plunger coffee.
"That's when they really come into their own," he said."You might taste a Kenyan alongside an Ethiopian. The Kenyan will be like a Barolo wine, with big, bold, blackcurranty flavours; the Ethiopian will be floral, jasmine, delicate, like a refined white wine. They're totally different."
To continue the wine analogy for the moment at least, you can go to a cafe and drink the coffee equivalent of a glass of Krug champagne for the price of a Domaine Chandon.
Necia Wilden
WHAT champagne is to sparkling wine, a Cup of Excellence is to your standard morning coffee.
Bringing new meaning to the term international roast, the Cup of Excellence range is recognised by the coffee industry worldwide as the cream of the crop.
Cup of Excellence beans are considered the peak of coffee production, offering the best quality brews from nine of the world's top coffee-producing nations.
British coffee expert Stephen Hurst, who is visiting Australia this week, is on the board of directors of the annual Cup of Excellence competitions, in which producers vie to be ranked their country's top coffee producer.
"We're at the sharp end of the industry, the top 2 to 3 per cent of coffee production," he said. "This is the very top level of tasting."
Since the non-profit Cup of Excellence organisation was launched in Brazil in 1999, with three member countries, the value of its coffee beans sold at auction has risen from $US4.63 per pound to $US7.05 per pound between 2005-2008.
The competition is now run every year in nine coffee-producing countries, from Colombia to El Salvador and Rwanda, and Cup of Excellence coffee is sold at cafes and foodstores from Britain to America to Norway and Japan.
The cafe latte sets in Sydney and Melbourne can now enjoy Cup of Excellence coffees in a few specialist cafes in Sydney and Melbourne.
Russell Beard, owner of The Source cafe and roastery in Mosman on Sydney's northside, will be charging his standard $3.50 for the special brew.
"The whole experience is really about celebrating the farmer and the farm where it was grown," he said.
At Brother Baba Budan, a cafe in Melbourne's CBD, owner Mark Dundon is offering Guatemalan "Finca La Perla" Cup of Excellence for $3 a cup, his standard coffee price.
Mr Dundon, who is travelling to Colombia next week to be one of 15 international judges at the 2009 Colombian Cup of Excellence competition, said the program offered significant financial benefits for coffee farmers.
Almost all the coffees are sourced from a single estate, and occasionally two or three small farms will be grouped together. As well, the farmer's name is included on the elaborate tasting notes that accompany each bag of beans.
So what's the best way to enjoy the ultimate coffee?
Mr Hurst said the best way to appreciate the individual qualities of a Cup of Excellence is to enjoy it as filter or plunger coffee.
"That's when they really come into their own," he said."You might taste a Kenyan alongside an Ethiopian. The Kenyan will be like a Barolo wine, with big, bold, blackcurranty flavours; the Ethiopian will be floral, jasmine, delicate, like a refined white wine. They're totally different."
To continue the wine analogy for the moment at least, you can go to a cafe and drink the coffee equivalent of a glass of Krug champagne for the price of a Domaine Chandon.
Small Businesses Special Tax Break
http://smallbusiness.smh.com.au
Mark Davis
OWNERS of small businesses will gain a special tax break if they buy new equipment ranging from computers and fax machines to cars and industrial machinery before the end of the financial year.
As part of its latest economic stimulus package, the Federal Government is offering small businesses a tax deduction of 30 per cent of the cost of new capital equipment worth more than $1000 so long as it is bought by June 30 and installed before the year's end.
The Government gave the examples of a business buying a $2000 computer, which would attract a $600 deduction against its tax liability, and a firm buying a $60,000 backhoe, which would gain an $18,000 deduction.
The tax deduction will be available for any business with a turnover of $2 million a year or less. It will fall to 10 per cent for equipment bought from July until the end of December for installation by the end of 2010.
Bigger businesses will be eligible for the same tax deductions but will have to spend at least $10,000 on new equipment to qualify.
The Treasurer, Wayne Swan, said the tax break would help businesses increase their investment spending, which would bolster economic activity and support jobs.
"Businesses in Australia, especially small businesses, are the engine of the Australian economy and deserve direct support during a global recession," Mr Swan said.
The Government expects the tax break, which will come on top of existing deductions to business for depreciation of capital equipment, will cost it $2.7 million in foregone revenue over the next three financial years.
Mark Davis
OWNERS of small businesses will gain a special tax break if they buy new equipment ranging from computers and fax machines to cars and industrial machinery before the end of the financial year.
As part of its latest economic stimulus package, the Federal Government is offering small businesses a tax deduction of 30 per cent of the cost of new capital equipment worth more than $1000 so long as it is bought by June 30 and installed before the year's end.
The Government gave the examples of a business buying a $2000 computer, which would attract a $600 deduction against its tax liability, and a firm buying a $60,000 backhoe, which would gain an $18,000 deduction.
The tax deduction will be available for any business with a turnover of $2 million a year or less. It will fall to 10 per cent for equipment bought from July until the end of December for installation by the end of 2010.
Bigger businesses will be eligible for the same tax deductions but will have to spend at least $10,000 on new equipment to qualify.
The Treasurer, Wayne Swan, said the tax break would help businesses increase their investment spending, which would bolster economic activity and support jobs.
"Businesses in Australia, especially small businesses, are the engine of the Australian economy and deserve direct support during a global recession," Mr Swan said.
The Government expects the tax break, which will come on top of existing deductions to business for depreciation of capital equipment, will cost it $2.7 million in foregone revenue over the next three financial years.
Top 10 from Taste of Sydney
http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au
The food festival, Taste of Sydney arrives in Centennial Park, with over 15,000 Sydneysiders set to enjoy the fine fare March 12-15.
Featuring 15 of the cities finest restaurants plus wineries, producers, cocktail bars, live music and well appointed seating areas, the park will be transformed into an outdoor dining wonderland where visitors can create their own degustation and enjoy what the hospitality industry has to offer.
These are the top ten picks for Taste of Sydney this week.
1. Chef’s Table is the place to ask the Taste chefs for cooking tips, tricks and techniques to improve your culinary knowledge. Have a chat to Peter Conisitis of Civic Dining, Lindt’s Swiss Master Chocolatier Thomas Schnetzler, Armando Percuoco of Buon Ricordo or the host of other chefs.
2. The Emirates VIP Lounge are where visitors to Taste can experience Emirates first class hospitality and service in the VIP ticketed lounge with exclusive seating, coupled with complimentary drinks and refreshments. Tickets are $100 which includes entry, $30 worth of Crowns & access to the VIP lounge.
3. Beechworth Honey who have quickly grown to be Australia’s largest privately owned honey company will be showcasing their recent range of products including red stringy bark, peppermint, apple blossom, and creamy honey with ginger and fig.
4. Chandon Sparking Masterclass in the Taste Wine Theatre is shaping up to be popular, hosted by the Chandon experts the session will give bubble lovers a greater appreciation and understanding of what it takes to make a great sparkling.
5. The Lavazza A Modo Mio will be unveiled at Taste of Sydney, which will allow people to create the perfect espresso at home. The compact unit delivers café quality espresso with individual capsules containing the exact dose of fine ground coffees at the touch of a button.
6. Create a degustation with a selection from the Taste of Sydney restaurants which include Civic Dining, Ottoman Cuisine, Pilu at Freshwater, Centennial Parklands Dining, Flying Fish, Bird Cow Fish, Jonah’s at Whale Beach, Becasse & Etch, Berowra Waters Inn, Restaurant Balzac, Assiette, Danks Street Depot, Sailors Thai, Longrain Restaurant & Bar and Buon Ricordo.
7. Wollundry Grove Olives have set the standard for premium olive oil and table olives in the Riverina region. Visitors to Taste of Sydney will be able to sample the distinctive range of table olives and oils and speak to the owner’s first-hand.
8. James Squire Beer Masterclass, hosted by Chuck Hahn will give visitors a chance to hear about the evolution of beer in Australia and insight into the art of beer and food matching.
9. Kurrajong Kitchens have been making lavosh since 1993 and it has now become a popular staple in many cupboards. Launching their new Sheperd’s bread at Taste of Sydney, visitors will also be able to purchase the new product and try the full range of products.
10. Event details:
Taste Sydney Dates 12-15 March 2009
Venue: Centennial Park – Brazilian Fields
Session Opening Times:
Thursday 12th March - 5pm-9pm
Friday 13th March - 11:30am-3:30pm & 5pm-9pm
Saturday 14th March - 11:30am-3:30pm & 5pm-9pm
Sunday 15th March - 12pm-5pm
Entry only ticket (Pre purchased) $25
Premium ticket $50 includes entry and $30 worth of Crowns
Pre purchase essential through www.tastefestivals.com.au and Ticketek 132 849
Standard Entry is $30 on the door.
The Emirates Lounge VIP Ticket $100 includes entry, $30 worth of Crowns & access to the VIP Emirates Lounge including complimentary drinks
Child (age 6-14) $15 entry only
The food festival, Taste of Sydney arrives in Centennial Park, with over 15,000 Sydneysiders set to enjoy the fine fare March 12-15.
Featuring 15 of the cities finest restaurants plus wineries, producers, cocktail bars, live music and well appointed seating areas, the park will be transformed into an outdoor dining wonderland where visitors can create their own degustation and enjoy what the hospitality industry has to offer.
These are the top ten picks for Taste of Sydney this week.
1. Chef’s Table is the place to ask the Taste chefs for cooking tips, tricks and techniques to improve your culinary knowledge. Have a chat to Peter Conisitis of Civic Dining, Lindt’s Swiss Master Chocolatier Thomas Schnetzler, Armando Percuoco of Buon Ricordo or the host of other chefs.
2. The Emirates VIP Lounge are where visitors to Taste can experience Emirates first class hospitality and service in the VIP ticketed lounge with exclusive seating, coupled with complimentary drinks and refreshments. Tickets are $100 which includes entry, $30 worth of Crowns & access to the VIP lounge.
3. Beechworth Honey who have quickly grown to be Australia’s largest privately owned honey company will be showcasing their recent range of products including red stringy bark, peppermint, apple blossom, and creamy honey with ginger and fig.
4. Chandon Sparking Masterclass in the Taste Wine Theatre is shaping up to be popular, hosted by the Chandon experts the session will give bubble lovers a greater appreciation and understanding of what it takes to make a great sparkling.
5. The Lavazza A Modo Mio will be unveiled at Taste of Sydney, which will allow people to create the perfect espresso at home. The compact unit delivers café quality espresso with individual capsules containing the exact dose of fine ground coffees at the touch of a button.
6. Create a degustation with a selection from the Taste of Sydney restaurants which include Civic Dining, Ottoman Cuisine, Pilu at Freshwater, Centennial Parklands Dining, Flying Fish, Bird Cow Fish, Jonah’s at Whale Beach, Becasse & Etch, Berowra Waters Inn, Restaurant Balzac, Assiette, Danks Street Depot, Sailors Thai, Longrain Restaurant & Bar and Buon Ricordo.
7. Wollundry Grove Olives have set the standard for premium olive oil and table olives in the Riverina region. Visitors to Taste of Sydney will be able to sample the distinctive range of table olives and oils and speak to the owner’s first-hand.
8. James Squire Beer Masterclass, hosted by Chuck Hahn will give visitors a chance to hear about the evolution of beer in Australia and insight into the art of beer and food matching.
9. Kurrajong Kitchens have been making lavosh since 1993 and it has now become a popular staple in many cupboards. Launching their new Sheperd’s bread at Taste of Sydney, visitors will also be able to purchase the new product and try the full range of products.
10. Event details:
Taste Sydney Dates 12-15 March 2009
Venue: Centennial Park – Brazilian Fields
Session Opening Times:
Thursday 12th March - 5pm-9pm
Friday 13th March - 11:30am-3:30pm & 5pm-9pm
Saturday 14th March - 11:30am-3:30pm & 5pm-9pm
Sunday 15th March - 12pm-5pm
Entry only ticket (Pre purchased) $25
Premium ticket $50 includes entry and $30 worth of Crowns
Pre purchase essential through www.tastefestivals.com.au and Ticketek 132 849
Standard Entry is $30 on the door.
The Emirates Lounge VIP Ticket $100 includes entry, $30 worth of Crowns & access to the VIP Emirates Lounge including complimentary drinks
Child (age 6-14) $15 entry only
Go fig
Matt Moran
Many chefs, when asked, find it difficult to nominate a favourite fruit. Depends on the season, they say, or what you're using it for.
Not me. I love a new season raspberry or cold climate quince, but there's one out-and-out favourite: the fig.
Some ingredients are destined to be bit players, others naturally take centre stage. Figs are one of the latter. With their unique texture, earthy flavour and undeniable good looks, they're movie star material.
Figs are thought to be one of the first fruits cultivated by man. Known as 'the tree of life' in ancient Egypt, they've been found in tombs there.
They're unusual in structure: the edible pulp inside is the remains of the flower.
Sunday Telegraph (Sydney) March 1
Many chefs, when asked, find it difficult to nominate a favourite fruit. Depends on the season, they say, or what you're using it for.
Not me. I love a new season raspberry or cold climate quince, but there's one out-and-out favourite: the fig.
Some ingredients are destined to be bit players, others naturally take centre stage. Figs are one of the latter. With their unique texture, earthy flavour and undeniable good looks, they're movie star material.
Figs are thought to be one of the first fruits cultivated by man. Known as 'the tree of life' in ancient Egypt, they've been found in tombs there.
They're unusual in structure: the edible pulp inside is the remains of the flower.
Sunday Telegraph (Sydney) March 1
Aussie food trends set the next course for Brits
http://www.hospitalitymagazine.com.au
Aussies have taken a leaf out of Jamie Oliver’s cookbook and are teaching the Brits a thing or two about food with the launch of an Austrade food trends report in the UK.
Austrade’s Senior Trade Commissioner for the UK, Kylie Hargreaves, said the Austrends 2009 Report was developed to create some buzz in the UK Market around the interesting and unique food trends coming out of Australia, during a difficult time for new product development and marketing.
“Retailers here in the UK are a little bit behind some of the Australian trends," said Hargreaves.
"For example, even though Australia has a much smaller population than the UK, things like tasty free-from products have become mainstream.
“Free-from is a highly profitable area in the UK as the market has grown dramatically over the last five years, by more than 300 per cent according to market analysts Mintel. But it’s not yet mainstream.
“There continues to be negative flavour and quality perceptions - something that Australian producers could help shrug off with their premium and flavourful free-from product lines.
Supermarket retailers will be seeking to differentiate themselves from each other in this difficult climate through innovation, quality and value for money and Australia has a lot to offer UK retailers in this space."
Carman's Fine Foods, managing director, Carolyn Creswell, which produces a gluten-free muesli, sees supplying Sainsbury's supermarkets free-from offerings as a way to add depth and variety to a category.
“Dietary requirements have been recognised in Australia for a long time, but due to vast media coverage and increased awareness, many people now choose to avoid certain ingredients, which we previously considered ‘staples’ even if they do not suffer from an allergy or intolerance,” said Ms Creswell.
"Carman's chooses not to use cheap bulking ingredients such as wheat and bran; these ingredients aren't needed for taste and so by excluding them the product is available to a wider audience.
Hargreaves comments that other interesting Australian trends include Super Premium lines and Enhanced Convenience For Convenience foods.
“The Australian convenience market is full of innovative offerings that add value to the convenience sector without compromising on flavour, value for money or quality,” said Hargreaves.
“Quick and convenient products for the foodservice market that are proving popular in Australia and could be a success in the UK include smoothies distributed as frozen packs that can be de-frosted and mixed to create bespoke flavours at the point of sale and pre-mixed gelato that simply requires the addition of water.
Hargreaves added that the UK food and drink sector may be going through a turbulent time, but innovative retailers, suppliers and producers are focusing on the better times ahead by developing a stronger understanding of evolving consumer needs and demands.
Aussies have taken a leaf out of Jamie Oliver’s cookbook and are teaching the Brits a thing or two about food with the launch of an Austrade food trends report in the UK.
Austrade’s Senior Trade Commissioner for the UK, Kylie Hargreaves, said the Austrends 2009 Report was developed to create some buzz in the UK Market around the interesting and unique food trends coming out of Australia, during a difficult time for new product development and marketing.
“Retailers here in the UK are a little bit behind some of the Australian trends," said Hargreaves.
"For example, even though Australia has a much smaller population than the UK, things like tasty free-from products have become mainstream.
“Free-from is a highly profitable area in the UK as the market has grown dramatically over the last five years, by more than 300 per cent according to market analysts Mintel. But it’s not yet mainstream.
“There continues to be negative flavour and quality perceptions - something that Australian producers could help shrug off with their premium and flavourful free-from product lines.
Supermarket retailers will be seeking to differentiate themselves from each other in this difficult climate through innovation, quality and value for money and Australia has a lot to offer UK retailers in this space."
Carman's Fine Foods, managing director, Carolyn Creswell, which produces a gluten-free muesli, sees supplying Sainsbury's supermarkets free-from offerings as a way to add depth and variety to a category.
“Dietary requirements have been recognised in Australia for a long time, but due to vast media coverage and increased awareness, many people now choose to avoid certain ingredients, which we previously considered ‘staples’ even if they do not suffer from an allergy or intolerance,” said Ms Creswell.
"Carman's chooses not to use cheap bulking ingredients such as wheat and bran; these ingredients aren't needed for taste and so by excluding them the product is available to a wider audience.
Hargreaves comments that other interesting Australian trends include Super Premium lines and Enhanced Convenience For Convenience foods.
“The Australian convenience market is full of innovative offerings that add value to the convenience sector without compromising on flavour, value for money or quality,” said Hargreaves.
“Quick and convenient products for the foodservice market that are proving popular in Australia and could be a success in the UK include smoothies distributed as frozen packs that can be de-frosted and mixed to create bespoke flavours at the point of sale and pre-mixed gelato that simply requires the addition of water.
Hargreaves added that the UK food and drink sector may be going through a turbulent time, but innovative retailers, suppliers and producers are focusing on the better times ahead by developing a stronger understanding of evolving consumer needs and demands.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Queensland Coffee Festival on again
By FoodWeek Online
The second Gold Coast Coffee Festival will take place this year on May 31 in Surfers Paradise."
Queensland's first The Coffee Festival, held last June, saw a huge crowd enjoy the wonderful line up of coffee, chocolate, tea and spice stalls as well as the inaugural Gold Coast Barista Championship," said event organiser, Liz Pommer.
"The most popular activities at the event, however, were the workshops where coffee, chocolate and tea fans could taste and use their favourite products," she said.
"Due to the popular demand, we will again host the painting with coffee, chocolate appreciation and where's that coffee from? workshops, as well as adding a couple of new sessions based around tea and spice."
"We will also again include the educational talks on the main stage which had experts from the tea, coffee and chocolate industries talking on everything from the history of coffee in Australia to how to make the perfect cup of tea to how to detect the quality of your chocolate," Pommer said.
"The first Gold Coast Barista Championship saw some of the best baristas come up with the most amazing concoctions including a Mandarin latte and a honeycomb Cappuccino."
This Gold Coast Barista Championship is now listed on the official circuit and can provide a pathway to the World Barista Championships for the top local baristas. "
This year the festival will be held on the same weekend as iconic music events Blues on Broadbeach and Wintersun so we think this will be an exciting weekend for anyone who wants to visit the Gold Coast," said Pommer.
The second Gold Coast Coffee Festival will take place this year on May 31 in Surfers Paradise."
Queensland's first The Coffee Festival, held last June, saw a huge crowd enjoy the wonderful line up of coffee, chocolate, tea and spice stalls as well as the inaugural Gold Coast Barista Championship," said event organiser, Liz Pommer.
"The most popular activities at the event, however, were the workshops where coffee, chocolate and tea fans could taste and use their favourite products," she said.
"Due to the popular demand, we will again host the painting with coffee, chocolate appreciation and where's that coffee from? workshops, as well as adding a couple of new sessions based around tea and spice."
"We will also again include the educational talks on the main stage which had experts from the tea, coffee and chocolate industries talking on everything from the history of coffee in Australia to how to make the perfect cup of tea to how to detect the quality of your chocolate," Pommer said.
"The first Gold Coast Barista Championship saw some of the best baristas come up with the most amazing concoctions including a Mandarin latte and a honeycomb Cappuccino."
This Gold Coast Barista Championship is now listed on the official circuit and can provide a pathway to the World Barista Championships for the top local baristas. "
This year the festival will be held on the same weekend as iconic music events Blues on Broadbeach and Wintersun so we think this will be an exciting weekend for anyone who wants to visit the Gold Coast," said Pommer.
Top city restaurants cut prices and waiting lists
WAITING lists at some of Sydney's top restaurants have been slashed as recession-conscious consumers opt for takeaway and cheaper dinners.
Restaurants including world-famous Tetsuya's, are cutting prices and taking bookings with just 24-hours notice.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures on consumer trends show a 13 per cent fall in the amount Australians spent on eating out over the last three months of 2008.
"Spending at cafes and restaurants has continued to fall, showing the largest annual decline in the 25 years records have been kept," Commsec analysts, who obtained the figures, said yesterday.
At Tetsuya Wakuda's Kent St restaurant the waiting list has shrunk from three months less than a year ago to as little as 24 hours.
Diners hungry for Peter Kuravita's fare can call his Pyrmont eatery Flying Fish in the afternoon and reserve a table for that night. In better times the restaurant was booked weeks in advance.
And Justin Hemmes' stylish Est. restaurant is adapting to leaner times, offering a two-course "credit crunch lunch".
"It's $50 for two courses and $60 for three. That is pretty good value for three hat dining," Merivale Restaurants head Frank Roberts said yesterday.
KPMG partner and demographer Bernard Salt said the figures showed people were shying away from being openly extravagant.
"We used to idolise celebrity chefs," he said.
"Now we are learning frugal ways forgotten for a generation."
Mr Salt said he expected the dinner party to become more fashionable as the wealthy opted to enjoy excess in private.
Restaurants including world-famous Tetsuya's, are cutting prices and taking bookings with just 24-hours notice.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures on consumer trends show a 13 per cent fall in the amount Australians spent on eating out over the last three months of 2008.
"Spending at cafes and restaurants has continued to fall, showing the largest annual decline in the 25 years records have been kept," Commsec analysts, who obtained the figures, said yesterday.
At Tetsuya Wakuda's Kent St restaurant the waiting list has shrunk from three months less than a year ago to as little as 24 hours.
Diners hungry for Peter Kuravita's fare can call his Pyrmont eatery Flying Fish in the afternoon and reserve a table for that night. In better times the restaurant was booked weeks in advance.
And Justin Hemmes' stylish Est. restaurant is adapting to leaner times, offering a two-course "credit crunch lunch".
"It's $50 for two courses and $60 for three. That is pretty good value for three hat dining," Merivale Restaurants head Frank Roberts said yesterday.
KPMG partner and demographer Bernard Salt said the figures showed people were shying away from being openly extravagant.
"We used to idolise celebrity chefs," he said.
"Now we are learning frugal ways forgotten for a generation."
Mr Salt said he expected the dinner party to become more fashionable as the wealthy opted to enjoy excess in private.
New dates for Restaurant 09 Melbourne
The restaurant 09 Melbourne trade show is moving to new dates in June to better suit the market and attract more international chefs. It will now run on June 17 and 18 at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre.
The restaurant shows are now part of the growing food and hospitality portfolio of Diversified Exhibitions Australia, which includes Fine Food, Good Food & Wine and the Gluten Free shows.
Exhibition manager Michael-William Kelly said the new dates would allow participants to work with overseas chefs and winemakers appearing at The Good Food & Wine Show.
The restaurant 09 Sydney show, scheduled for August 10 and 11, will remain in its current dates. Both shows will feature a wide range of food, drink and equipment suppliers as well as business related seminars and chef demonstrations. Entry is strictly trade only
The restaurant shows are now part of the growing food and hospitality portfolio of Diversified Exhibitions Australia, which includes Fine Food, Good Food & Wine and the Gluten Free shows.
Exhibition manager Michael-William Kelly said the new dates would allow participants to work with overseas chefs and winemakers appearing at The Good Food & Wine Show.
The restaurant 09 Sydney show, scheduled for August 10 and 11, will remain in its current dates. Both shows will feature a wide range of food, drink and equipment suppliers as well as business related seminars and chef demonstrations. Entry is strictly trade only
Salt in your coffee?
TAIPEI (Reuters Life!) - Taiwanese java fans accustomed to pouring sugar into their coffee now have the option of flavoring their brew with another white powder: salt.
Taipei's buzzing 85C Bakery Cafe is offering a T$40 ($1.15) drink which melts sea salt into the coffee foam to give a more complex mouthful for customers constantly seeking out the new in the island's competitive coffeehouse market.
The cafe chain expects salt to hold, said company's publicity director Kathy Chung. The cafe's 326 stores islandwide have sold about 15,000 cups of salted drinks since the concept was introduced in December, Chung said.
"Taiwanese are very greedy, so they want lots of flavors in one mouthful," she said. "Also we have a lot of products, more than 50 kinds of drink, and our boss is always pressuring us to keep coming up with new things."
Sea salt is considered healthy, Chung added.
At the cafe, baristas marinate unrefined salt in a thick cream while making a light Arabica brew, sugar pre-added. The coffee is poured into the cup and the foam mix, with a dash of cocoa powder, is placed on top.
"We haven't heard any strong views about it," Taipei barista Lin Yi-wu said, though some customers are "a bit surprised."
Hung Hsiao-yu, who purchased a salty take-out coffee this week, said the trend could perhaps become mainstream.
"Most people are used to a sweet flavor, but there are two kinds of drinkers," said Hung, 21, who aspires to work in the coffee business. "Some will keep drinking salted coffee, and some will go back to the sweet stuff."
The coffee shop chain aims to launch sea salt drinks at its stores in Shanghai and Australia later in the year, Chung said.
Taiwan's beverage business is known for creating bubble tea, a beverage containing gelatinous tapioca pearls which has spread to other parts of Asia.
In a bid to lure coffee connoisseurs, some Taiwanese coffee farmers are using seeds partially chewed by Formosan rock monkeys, long a scourge to coffee growers because they eat the ripe berries, to produce a naturally sweet blend.
(Editing by Miral Fahmy)
Taipei's buzzing 85C Bakery Cafe is offering a T$40 ($1.15) drink which melts sea salt into the coffee foam to give a more complex mouthful for customers constantly seeking out the new in the island's competitive coffeehouse market.
The cafe chain expects salt to hold, said company's publicity director Kathy Chung. The cafe's 326 stores islandwide have sold about 15,000 cups of salted drinks since the concept was introduced in December, Chung said.
"Taiwanese are very greedy, so they want lots of flavors in one mouthful," she said. "Also we have a lot of products, more than 50 kinds of drink, and our boss is always pressuring us to keep coming up with new things."
Sea salt is considered healthy, Chung added.
At the cafe, baristas marinate unrefined salt in a thick cream while making a light Arabica brew, sugar pre-added. The coffee is poured into the cup and the foam mix, with a dash of cocoa powder, is placed on top.
"We haven't heard any strong views about it," Taipei barista Lin Yi-wu said, though some customers are "a bit surprised."
Hung Hsiao-yu, who purchased a salty take-out coffee this week, said the trend could perhaps become mainstream.
"Most people are used to a sweet flavor, but there are two kinds of drinkers," said Hung, 21, who aspires to work in the coffee business. "Some will keep drinking salted coffee, and some will go back to the sweet stuff."
The coffee shop chain aims to launch sea salt drinks at its stores in Shanghai and Australia later in the year, Chung said.
Taiwan's beverage business is known for creating bubble tea, a beverage containing gelatinous tapioca pearls which has spread to other parts of Asia.
In a bid to lure coffee connoisseurs, some Taiwanese coffee farmers are using seeds partially chewed by Formosan rock monkeys, long a scourge to coffee growers because they eat the ripe berries, to produce a naturally sweet blend.
(Editing by Miral Fahmy)
NRA announces 2009 Kitchen Innovations Award recipients
CHICAGO -- The National Restaurant Association has announced the recipients of its prestigious Kitchen Innovations (KI) Awards for 2009. All the KI products will be showcased in an interactive demonstration area at the 2009 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show at Chicago's McCormick Place, May 16-19.
The 2009 Kitchen Innovations Award recipients are:
Advanced Composite Materials LLC - Silar Microwave Flatstone: Silar Flatstone speed-bakes fresh-dough pizzas in microwave-convection ovens in less than three minutes.
Arctic Industries Inc. - Desmon USA: Desmon Refrigerators are "knock-downs" for assembly and installation in impossible-to-access areas.
Eneron Inc. - Turbo Pot: Turbo Pots feature an advanced fins-design base that reduces gas range cook time and energy use by 50 percent.
Everpure LLC - MRS-Envi-RO 600: Envi-RO Reverse Osmosis system averages 78 percent water conversion efficiency and features 600 gallons/day capacity.
Frymaster, Manitowoc Foodservice - Gas Protector: Gas Protector's 30-pound fry pot delivers the production capacity of 50-pound fryers and auto oil replenishment.
Garland, Manitowoc Foodservice - Garland Restaurant Range: Xpress Clam Shell Grills can be pre-programmed with up to 30 easily adjustable platens-gap settings.
Halton - M.A.R.V.E.L. Demand Control System: M.A.R.V.E.L. Control System integrates multiple hoods on a common duct that individually adjust exhaust and replacement air.
Henny Penny Corp. - Evolution Elite: Evolution Elite's SmartFryer Express enables operators to conduct as-needed oil filtering in four minutes.
Hobart - Hobart's Bluetooth-enabled Combi Oven with Barcode Scanner: Bluetooth-Enabled Combi Oven with barcode scanner automatically controls the cooking program and features wireless exchange of recipes.
Irinox USA - CP Multi Function Holding Cabinet: CP Multi Function Holding Cabinets provide combined temperature and humidity control for fresh or frozen foods.
Kairak - BLU Technology Prep Table: BLU Series Prep Tables circulate glycol coolant through maximum contact chiller plates, requiring no defrosting.
Lincoln Foodservice Products, Manitowoc Foodservice - Quest EMS Energy Management System: Quest Energy Management reduces air flow, combined with fastBake finger profiling technology, to maintain uniform heating and recovery to full performance within 45 seconds.
Market Forge Industries Inc. - 3500 Power Plus: Power Plus boiler based convection steamer with jacketed kettles uses 80 percent less water and 30 percent less energy.
Power Soak Systems Inc. - High Powered Silverware Pre-Washing System: High Powered Silverware Pre-Washing system uses a unique push/pull technology, allowing only one-pass washing.
Rational USA - Self Cooking Center with CareControl: Self Cooking Center with CareControl features automated de-liming to eliminate filters, labor, and down time.
Somat Co. - eCorect Waste Decomposer: eCorect Waste Decomposer provides automated on-site reduction of compostable food waste by 90 percent.
Viking Range Corp., Commercial Division - Modular Range Design: Modular Range and Suites design allows flexibility of changing individual modules before and after installation.
Winston Industries - CVap Universal Holding Bin Cabinet: CVap Universal Holding cabinets allow operators to serve directly from the cabinet with optimum conditions.
The 2009 Kitchen Innovations Award recipients are:
Advanced Composite Materials LLC - Silar Microwave Flatstone: Silar Flatstone speed-bakes fresh-dough pizzas in microwave-convection ovens in less than three minutes.
Arctic Industries Inc. - Desmon USA: Desmon Refrigerators are "knock-downs" for assembly and installation in impossible-to-access areas.
Eneron Inc. - Turbo Pot: Turbo Pots feature an advanced fins-design base that reduces gas range cook time and energy use by 50 percent.
Everpure LLC - MRS-Envi-RO 600: Envi-RO Reverse Osmosis system averages 78 percent water conversion efficiency and features 600 gallons/day capacity.
Frymaster, Manitowoc Foodservice - Gas Protector: Gas Protector's 30-pound fry pot delivers the production capacity of 50-pound fryers and auto oil replenishment.
Garland, Manitowoc Foodservice - Garland Restaurant Range: Xpress Clam Shell Grills can be pre-programmed with up to 30 easily adjustable platens-gap settings.
Halton - M.A.R.V.E.L. Demand Control System: M.A.R.V.E.L. Control System integrates multiple hoods on a common duct that individually adjust exhaust and replacement air.
Henny Penny Corp. - Evolution Elite: Evolution Elite's SmartFryer Express enables operators to conduct as-needed oil filtering in four minutes.
Hobart - Hobart's Bluetooth-enabled Combi Oven with Barcode Scanner: Bluetooth-Enabled Combi Oven with barcode scanner automatically controls the cooking program and features wireless exchange of recipes.
Irinox USA - CP Multi Function Holding Cabinet: CP Multi Function Holding Cabinets provide combined temperature and humidity control for fresh or frozen foods.
Kairak - BLU Technology Prep Table: BLU Series Prep Tables circulate glycol coolant through maximum contact chiller plates, requiring no defrosting.
Lincoln Foodservice Products, Manitowoc Foodservice - Quest EMS Energy Management System: Quest Energy Management reduces air flow, combined with fastBake finger profiling technology, to maintain uniform heating and recovery to full performance within 45 seconds.
Market Forge Industries Inc. - 3500 Power Plus: Power Plus boiler based convection steamer with jacketed kettles uses 80 percent less water and 30 percent less energy.
Power Soak Systems Inc. - High Powered Silverware Pre-Washing System: High Powered Silverware Pre-Washing system uses a unique push/pull technology, allowing only one-pass washing.
Rational USA - Self Cooking Center with CareControl: Self Cooking Center with CareControl features automated de-liming to eliminate filters, labor, and down time.
Somat Co. - eCorect Waste Decomposer: eCorect Waste Decomposer provides automated on-site reduction of compostable food waste by 90 percent.
Viking Range Corp., Commercial Division - Modular Range Design: Modular Range and Suites design allows flexibility of changing individual modules before and after installation.
Winston Industries - CVap Universal Holding Bin Cabinet: CVap Universal Holding cabinets allow operators to serve directly from the cabinet with optimum conditions.
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