The food and grocery manufacturing sector pays wages and salaries of $13.56 billion.
The industry’s workforce accounts for about 3 per cent of the population.
The food and grocery manufacturing industry consists of 30,104 businesses.
The industry provides around 24 million nutritious, affordable meals to Australians every day.
312,000 Australians are employed in the food, beverage and manufacturing industries, including half in rural and regional areas.
Australia’s $108 billion food and grocery manufacturing industry is the nation’s largest manufacturing sector.
Industry spends on average 0.5 per cent of turn-over on R&D – about $368 million a year.

Media Centre

Prepare your pantry for a flood or bushfire

Wednesday, 06 January 2010 11:10

Australians who live in areas prone to natural disasters need to ensure they keep enough food, beverages, groceries and other daily essentials in their pantries this summer in case of emergencies, the Australian Food and Grocery Council warned (AFGC) today (January 8).

The timely reminder comes after severe flooding has affected northern NSW where many isolated towns have been disaster-declared and bushfires have ravaged Perth’s outer suburbs.

AFGC Chief Executive Kate Carnell said most Australians rely on being able to shop every day with about 95 per cent of Australian households only keeping three to five days of food and groceries in their pantries.

“With many Australians facing the possibility of cyclone, flood or bushfires again this summer, an important way for families to increase their resilience is to maintain a household pantry with up to 14 days supply of essential items,” Ms Carnell said.

Australia’s food and grocery industry has developed a comprehensive resource – supported from the Federal Government – called the Pantry List, which has been specially-designed to help families to cope with prolonged emergency situations or disasters, possibly without water and electricity.

The Pantry List is grouped into a range of foods and other essential items that may be required during an extended stay at home, including:
•   Drinks
•   Pet food
•   Dried and long-life food
•   Snack food
•   Health supplies
•   Emergency back-up power supply
•   Baby supplies
•   Snack food
•   Other items (such as prescription medications).

“Accessing the Pantry List can help families to better prepare for a flood, bushfire or cyclone period – it’s the smart thing to do especially at this time of year in Australia’s harsh conditions,” Ms Carnell said.

Families are also encouraged to plan for a 14-day stay at home by building and rotating existing items in their pantry and ensuring they are prepared for a wide range of circumstances.

Further information is available at www.pantrylist.com.au

-ENDS-

More information: Brad Watts AFGC Media Adviser (02) 6270 9021 or 0437 379 818

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