The Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC) has released Towards 2030: A food and grocery snapshot, assessing the food and grocery manufacturing sector five years on from Sustaining Australia: Food and Grocery Manufacturing 2030, published in 2020.
The report reviews developments between 2020 and 2025, a period marked by the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, inflation and changes to energy and regulatory settings. It notes the sector’s continued supply to Australian households and export markets during this time, and acknowledges the role of retailers and wholesalers.
“This report shows how important food and grocery manufacturing is to everyday life in Australia. Despite extraordinary challenges, the sector has kept shelves stocked and supported regional jobs,” said AFGC chair Bernie Brookes.
“Looking ahead to 2030, strong policy and investment settings will be essential to secure long-term growth and competitiveness.”
AFGC chief executive officer Colm Maguire said the report examines how the sector has navigated recent disruption and where further focus is required.
“As the peak body bringing Australia’s FMCG industry together to champion growth, Towards 2030 takes stock of how the sector has navigated a challenging period and provides a practical lens on where focus is now needed as priorities are set for the years ahead,” said Maguire.
The snapshot outlines developments since 2020 and identifies structural pressures including rising costs, margin constraints and investment gaps that limit long term growth.
“This is a forward-looking contribution to the policy conversation,” Maguire added.
“For Australia to unlock the full potential of food and grocery manufacturing, we need to sharpen our focus on investment, productivity, and competitiveness.
“The foundations are strong, but continued collaboration is essential if we are to build a sector that is globally competitive, future-ready, and able to seize emerging opportunities.
“The next phase of the decade is critical,” he said. “Building on the resilience demonstrated between 2020 and 2025 will be essential to ensuring the sector continues to thrive and remain a cornerstone of Australia’s prosperity.”