Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 7:15:19 to 7:19:09
Questions regarding the number of alternative protein companies in Australia and the government's approach to food labeling for plant-based products.
Topics: Food security, Manufacturing
Speakers: Speaker 21, Uh The, Speaker 12, Speaker 18, Speaker 1, Speaker 13, Speaker 9
Good to see you back again. Uh, still in outcome one. Uh, Senator McDonald.
>> Thank you very much, Chair. And, um, I won't be long, but I just have a couple of topics that I need to finish off on, please. Um I want to ask some questions about the uh voluntary code of the food labeling. Um so uh I was reflecting on the the CEO of uh Cattle Australia said um with the collapse of so many of these kind of companies globally honestly I had no idea so-called alternative protein companies still existed in Australia. Well that was fabulous. How many alternative protein companies still exist in Australia?
>> I'm sorry.
>> No, it's not.
>> That's sorry. Um I'll see if we've got that information. I'm not sure we have it on hand, Senator. Okay. My apologies.
Well, my question is is how many of these still exist or are we simply looking to accommodate multinationals who are trying to lever out natural foods and lever in these alternative
proteins. >> I'm I'm reluctant to go off my own knowledge. I'm aware of alternative plant proteins in Horscham um that manufactures um plant protein um isolate but outside of that I don't have any
data available. >> Does anybody else in the room have any
data? I'll see I'll see I'll make eye contact
with a bears. >> No, not on the number of not on the number of companies um Senator, but we do have retail sales. Um so in in 22 23 uh retail sales for plant-based meat alternatives were 148.9 million. So um pretty a pretty small part of the
market. >> Is that the latest you've got?
>> No. Uh yes, that is the the latest I've got unfortunately at the moment. So I can take on notice whether there's more recent data, please.
>> Okay. I mean that is a a good point. The the protein isolators used for protein bars and things like that. What we're really looking at is alternate meat uh protein. And so it would be interesting to know are there any Australian companies or are these all overseas multinationals that are seeking to influence government policy on um labeling food labeling. Um I'm I don't know minister if you'll be across this. I want to know why the government didn't follow the recommendations of the Senate committee on to into food labeling.
>> Uh hello hello Senator. This is uh the committee that you you were on. Is that correct? Yeah. >> Uh look, I I can say this is uh the don't mince words inquiry. >> Yes. >> Look, I can say that the government has focused on implementing uh its commitment to deliver the accurate clear food labeling based on strong evidence senator including from FSAN's research uh published on the 30th of January this year. Um and a response will be issued
in due course. >> Okay. So the government's still not landed. I thought we now had a voluntary code being developed by the department.
>> Uh look, I understand that and I know the department will answer, but I I do understand that funding is being spent on consumer research and costs assoc associated with stakeholder consultation, but I'm happy to hand over
the rest to the department. Senator, we can I can confirm that um government will be working with the alternative proteins council to develop an voluntary industry code of practice.