Page 6 - Food & Drink Magazine March 2021

NEWS
Pernod Ricard, Woolies gender equity recognition
Diver Foods CEO Chris Diver
Arnott’s
PERNOD Ricard Winemakers is the first wine company to
be recognised by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency as
an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality.
Chair and CEO of Pernod Ricard Bryan Fry said it was a long-term commitment of the company to foster a diverse and inclusive workplace.
new
Fry said: “Everyone having access to the same resources, opportunities and rewards
is an important part of our commitment to valuing people. We are achieving this by instilling a mindset that drives long-term change, with gender being one area of focus.”
Pernod Ricard is also the only South Australian-based business to receive the citation.
Fry said 53 per cent of senior managers and 43 per cent of the total workforce are women.
“It is a result of strategies we introduced to improve our
division
gender mix, such as making flexible work mainstream, uplifting parental leave entitlements, introducing diversity and inclusion training, closing the gender pay gap and conducting regular analysis to maintain our results,” he said.
Woolworths also gained recognition this year, the first
major food retailer to do so. The Employer of Choice for
Gender Equality citation is awarded to organisations that meet stringent criteria for best practice in promoting gender equality. It involves a rigorous assessment process with emphasis on accountability, outcomes, evidence and internal reporting processes.
THE Arnott’s Group has acquired Diver Foods as part of its growth strategy into the cereal and snacks market.
In December it bought the cereal and snacks business from Freedom Foods for $20 million. The deal is expected to be completed in March.
Once both transactions are complete, Arnott’s new cereals and snacks division will be called the Good Food Partners.
Arnott’s Group CEO George Zoghbi said it was no secret the group wanted to expand locally. “The Arnott’s Group has become the custodian of a 150-plus year legacy of Australian food manufacturing and we have made no secret of our desire to build on that legacy by expanding our operations locally,” Zoghbi said.
Under the agreement, The Arnott’s Group will acquire 75 per cent of Diver Foods and the transaction is expected to be completed later this month.
Diver Foods owner and managing director Chris Diver (above) will continue to own the remaining 25 per cent of the business. Diver said he saw “huge potential” by joining Arnott’s. “Over the last 18 years, we have successfully partnered with leading brands and retailers to become one of Australia’s largest cereal and snacking manufacturers,” he said.
Fresh juice vs soft drink
THE Australia and
New Zealand Ministerial Forum on Food Regulation has decided the Health Star Rating (HSR) calculation for 100 per cent fruit and vegetable juices will remain unchanged.
In December, the Forum agreed to a minor HSR adjustment to ensure fresh juices did not receive a lower rating than diet soft drinks but
said it would have further review at its February meeting.
Industry bodies including Ausveg raised concerns fresh 100 per cent Australian apple juice and orange juice would receive 2 Stars and 2.5 Stars respectively, while diet cola would be given 3.5 Stars.
Under the proposed changes, the lowest score for fresh juice with no added sugar is 2.5 Stars
and the highest is 4 Stars. Diet soft drinks can score
from 0.5 Stars up to 3.5 Stars, with the highest score given to those that have no or low sugar content.
The Australian Beverages Council (AusBev) said it was disappointed with the decision and that it goes against the federal government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy’s intent to support the beverages industry. “The juice industry in Australia comprises more than 5000 jobs and contributes more than $900 million to the nation’s economy,” it said.
AusBev said the vote to award juice between 2.5-4 Stars was likely to impact the livelihoods of thousands of Australians working in the juice industry from growers through to the entire supply chain.
6 | Food&Drink business | March 2021 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au