The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), the peak industry body for Australia’s food and grocery industry has announced the formation of a new forum designed to promote the health benefits of breakfast cereals for Australian consumers.
Australia’s breakfast cereal products market is worth over $1.2 billion in retail sales per annum and employs over 3000 people, mainly in the rural and regional areas.
The AFGC has initiated with The Australian Breakfast Cereal Manufacturers Forum (ABCMF) made up of Australia’s leading breakfast cereal manufacturers, including Kellogg Australia Kellogg Australia, Nestle Australia, Popina Foods and Sanitarium, Carman’s Fine Foods, and Freedom Foods, whose combined produce accounts for approximately 80 percent of all breakfast cereals purchased within Australia.
The AFGC says the aim of its new Forum is to improve consumer understanding of breakfast cereals by providing evidence based-practical information for all Australians. The AFGC says this will include:
Proactively emphasising the benefits of breakfast cereals
Engaging in a positive dialogue with stakeholders and consumers
Highlighting the benefits of breakfast cereals and correcting misinformation
The AFGC’s new Chief Executive Mr Gary Dawson has said “Through continued education, the ABCMF aims to improve consumers understanding of the important role that breakfast cereal can play as part of a healthy, balanced diet. A healthy start to the day is important and breakfast cereals represent the most cost effective, nutritious way to get your day off to a good start.”
The move comes not long after various criticisms of the “unhealthiness” of some breakfast cereals for being high in sugar, sodium or oils.
Food Legal Health Claim Hazards Symposium
Information on the regulatory controls over health claims for food and innovative food ingredients are to be addressed at the FoodLegal Health Claim Hazards Symposium on August 21, 2012. Pre-booking is essential and can be done online via FoodLegal.
