Agrifood tech

Cool changes as Dutch tech boosts Australia’s refrigerated storage

Australian farmers currently produce enough food for 80 million people per year, or more than 3 times the needs of our local population. This means 70% of agriculture production is exported.

The Australian Government aims to boost this further under the Delivering Ag2030 plan to reach A$100 billion in food production by 2030.

The current shortage of cold storage capacity and efficiency is a significant barrier to growth. That’s where the innovative technology and expertise of NewCold comes in. Originating in the Netherlands, the temperature-controlled food logistics specialist is helping Australian food producers store produce safely, efficiently and sustainably.

NewCold opened its first frozen storage warehouse in Melbourne’s Truganina complex in 2017. The company now has 2 facilities in Melbourne with a combined capacity of over 200,000 pallets.

NewCold is growing its Australian presence, recently opening an office in Melbourne and announcing plans to build a third warehouse in western Sydney. However, the company’s ambition to address industry challenges goes much further. It wants to embed sustainability practices in Australia’s food supply chain.

Addressing cold storage resourcing challenges

Storing frozen food safely can be expensive – especially as land and energy costs increase.

Traditionally, cold storage warehouses need large amounts of both space and energy. Manual handling makes the process less efficient. Extra space is needed for vehicles and people to move around warehouses safely and temperatures cannot be as cold.

‘NewCold’s sites are generally at least 50% more energy efficient than traditional warehousing,’ explains Abhy Maharaj, NewCold’s Chief Commercial Officer. ‘They require fewer product movements and can use space more efficiently.’

High-bay storage, such as NewCold’s 43-metre-high Melbourne II facility, can store high concentrations of pallets in a relatively small physical footprint. Automation and robotics move pallets efficiently, while algorithms maximise storage efficiency.

NewCold’s sustainability goals do not stop there.

‘We’re doing some really interesting work on green energy,’ says Maharaj. ‘Over the next 5-plus years we would like to be self-sufficient with clean energy and even supply power to local councils and communities.’

Safer environments for people and products

Technology and automation bring other important advantages.

Handling goods at sub-zero temperatures can be physically demanding and dangerous. Automation and reduced manual handling make operating environments safer for employees.

Also, storage facilities can operate at lower temperatures and lower oxygen levels. This results in a lower fire risk and less likelihood of spoilage. Improved tracking can also reduce food wastage.

Customer partnerships drive expansion

Technology sets NewCold apart. However, Maharaj says the company’s real differentiator is its client relationships. NewCold is proud of its long-term relationships and some of those have taken it into new markets to support customers’ expansion.

Customer demand for increased storage capacity is what brought NewCold to Australia.

‘Australia is unique for us,’ says Maharaj. ‘We have large facilities in the UK, but nothing on the same scale as our Melbourne facility. There’s probably nowhere in the world where there's so much automated technology in one region.’

Supporting domestic and export markets

The impetus to build at such scale in Victoria came from the high concentration of agriculture and food companies operating there.

While food from NewCold’s storage facilities feeds the domestic market, most of it is exported. This means safe storage and reliable tracking help preserve Australia’s reputation as a supplier of high-quality produce.

Partnering with Austrade 

NewCold opened its first facility in Melbourne in 2017. Years later, plans to extend were challenged by COVID-19. The pandemic closed borders and disrupted supply chains. But it also underlined the need for more local cold storage capacity.

NewCold turned to Austrade for help with visa and logistical arrangements so key staff could set up systems and train local technicians.

‘Without Austrade’s support we would really have not been able to connect to the right people within the Australian federal and state governments,’ says Maharaj. 

As the company has expanded in Australia, so has the relationship with Austrade.

‘It’s been a great partnership,’ Maharaj concludes. ‘Austrade appreciated that if automated solutions were not introduced, there could be a significant flow-on effect for the supply chain. They came and saw us in the Netherlands and did a great job of making sure that Australia was front and centre for us as a priority.’

The Netherlands is a global leader in agricultural production and logistics, says Austrade Investment Director Rolf Karst. ‘The Netherlands has a smaller land mass than Tasmania, but it is the second largest exporter of agricultural products globally. We’re excited to continue supporting companies like NewCold who can improve sustainability and efficiency throughout the supply chain.’

Developing skills to support the Asia-Pacific region

Maharaj explains that NewCold is looking to Australia to become a centre of excellence for a skilled workforce for the region. This will include developing automation and technical operating skills.

NewCold's bespoke technology platform also needs software-development skills. The project team in Melbourne is already designing local facilities, with support from Europe.

Plans for the future

NewCold intends to start building its new facility in Western Sydney in 2023. This expansion is a sign of the growing demand from Australian customers for help in supplying quality produce to local and global markets.

‘There is always scope for increased scale and efficiency across the full logistics value chain,’ says Maharaj.

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Published: 16 June 2023

Minerva Foods brings new life to regional communities in Western Australia

Investment by Brazilian agribusiness giant Minerva Foods is reviving two regional communities in Western Australia. The company and its joint venture partner Saudi Agricultural Livestock and Investment Company have invested US$35 million (A$48 million) in 2 meat processing facilities. It is the first such investment for both companies.

In the town of Tammin, the investment has secured 50 jobs in the local community and stabilised operations at the Great Eastern Abattoir. In Esperance, Minerva has upgraded and reopened the Shark Lake facility. It created jobs for 50–60 people initially with plans to scale up to 220. It is sourcing sheep and cattle from local farmers, investing in staff training and development programs, and embedding itself in the local community.

‘Minerva is continuing to look to expand its footprint in the Australian red meat sector,’ says Iain Mars, CEO, Minerva Foods Asia. “We have received great ongoing support from Austrade, which has helped with the development of our operations here in Australia. This support gives us confidence in our investments and our planned future investments in Australia.”

‘The Australian meat industry has an enviable worldwide reputation in producing good-quality beef and lamb, backed by world-class systems and controls in all aspects of its production. We look forward to continuing working with Austrade in exploring further investments here.’

A top destination for sheep and beef processing

Minerva Foods is one of South America’s largest beef producers. The company has processing plants in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Colombia. In 2020, it started looking for investment opportunities overseas as part of broader expansion plans.

Top of Minerva Foods’ list was Australia. It wanted to leverage its Australian trading operation, Minerva Foods Asia, to access export markets around the world. Investing in Australia would also allow the company to integrate with the Australian operations of its joint venture partner, the Saudi Agricultural Livestock and Investment Company (SALIC).

Minerva Foods was interested in entering the Australian sheepmeat sector. In an investor briefing, it said: ‘Australia is by far the most efficient place to produce sheepmeat in the world, in terms of scale and capacity to allow exports. The country’s meat products are perceived as of higher quality, which is reflected through higher prices.’

Investment in regional meat processing plants

Minerva Foods looked for investment opportunities in Western Australia. The state has around 15 million head of sheep and delivers turnover of around 5.5 million head each year. SALIC also has substantial investments in sheep production operations in Western Australia.

In 2021, Minerva Foods and SALIC invested US$35 million (A$48 million) to acquire 2 meat processing plants in regional Western Australia. The Great Eastern Abattoir is a sheep processing facility near Tammin, about two hours from Perth. The Shark Lake facility near Esperance processes sheep and beef. Both facilities are primed for expansion and licensed to export.

Austrade worked with the former Global Business and Talent Attraction Taskforce (GBTAT) and the Western Australian Government to progress the investment. Austrade met with Iain Mars, the CEO of Minerva Foods Asia, in 2020 to discuss details of the potential investment. Austrade also provided advice on Foreign Investment Review Board processes and EU export approvals.

The GBTAT granted a Global Talent Visa for Iain Mars. Key Minerva Foods staff were also granted work visas. Austrade supported Minerva Foods through state border closures to ensure key personnel were onsite.

Bringing new life to Tammin

Before 2020, the Great Eastern Abattoir in Tammin processed up to 1,200 sheep a week. It has been operating sporadically since COVID-19 hit export supply chains, creating uncertainty for workers. While operational, the ageing facility needed upgrading.

Minerva Foods set about refurbishing the facility to ensure it complies with best practice workplace health and safety, food security and animal welfare standards. The facility’s electrical system has been upgraded and new rain collection tanks installed. Minerva Foods also bought and is upgrading the adjoining railways barracks as staff housing.

The facility now employs 50 staff and processes around 900 sheep a day. Minerva Foods expects to increase production by 50% and grow the workforce by 20–30% in the short to medium term.

‘It was great to get the local guys back on board and support local families,’ says Cory Hogg, Director Operations, Minerva Foods. ‘Some of our people have been working here for 20 years.’

Creating new jobs and industry in Esperance

The Shark Lake processing facility at Esperance stopped operating when COVID-19 shut down export supply chains. It had been processing up to 1,700 sheep and 120 cattle on alternate days.

Minerva Foods has installed new steam boilers and hot and cold-water systems, replaced the electricals, floors and ceilings, and upgraded staff amenities.

‘We reopened on 18 July 2022 with 50–60 staff,’ says Hogg. ‘When we move to business-as-usual operations, that number will rise to 110 people. As we expand, we hope to increase to 220 staff.’

Minerva Foods is also in talks with the Port of Esperance to build a Reefer Terminal. This would allow the company to ship products worldwide from Esperance rather than trucking to Fremantle.

Minerva Foods has big plans for the Shark Lake facility. Hogg says the company wants to expand the facility to include manufacturing value-added products for supermarkets and restaurants.

Supporting the local community

Minerva Foods is sourcing sheep and cattle from farmers and livestock agents in Tammin and Esperance. The company has brought on an experienced livestock agent to work with local farmers.

‘I’ve also been speaking at local farmer meetings about our operations and plans,’ says Hogg. ‘We’ve also put up signs outside both facilities inviting people to come talk to us. The nearest meat processing facility to Esperance is 4–5 hours away. Having a mixed processing facility here means local farmers can save on transport costs and ensure animal welfare.’

Minerva Foods is planning to set up staff programs in Tammin and Esperance. These range from meat-processing training to professional development courses that prepare people for a long-term career in the meat industry. The company will assess staff skills to ensure they receive appropriate training.

Community integration and pastoral care is also important. Minerva Foods will offer workplace health and safety programs to ensure staff, their families and the community are looked after.

‘The community response has been great,’ says Hogg. ‘Once they hear about us, what we want to do and our commitment to staying local, they’ve been hugely supportive. We’re very excited to be here.’

Published: 9 May 2022

UK agtech firm Deep Planet sets up HQ in Australia’s wine capital

Deep Planet has set up its Australian headquarters in Adelaide, South Australia. The UK agtech firm will have access to the state’s renowned wineries, skilled workforce and research institutions that specialise in its key technologies. 

A home in Australia’s wine capital

Deep Planet’s VineSignal platform monitors vineyards at scale. The platform helps growers and viticulturists to manage vine health, predict grape maturity and forecast yield. It can also be used to optimise irrigation scheduling and identify problem areas. 

As the historic heart of Australian wine, South Australia is the ideal home for Deep Planet. The state is home to renowned regions and wineries and some of the country’s oldest vines. 

‘We commercially launched our VineSignal platform in Australia last season,’ says Sushma Shankar, Deep Planet’s CEO. ‘We saw an exceptional level of uptake of our technology. This has given us the confidence to make this investment into South Australia.’ 

Leveraging Australia’s space and machine learning expertise

Deep Planet’s platform is built on satellite imagery, computer vision and machine learning. South Australia has a thriving technology sector with research institutions and experts in these areas. 

The state is home to the Australian Institute for Machine Learning and the Australian Space Agency. There is also a skilled workforce from which Deep Planet can find local staff. 

‘The South Australian Government clearly demonstrated the skills and knowledge across the space, machine learning and wine sectors that we can leverage, making it a natural fit for us,’ says Shankar.

Government support

Deep Planet received support from the South Australian Landing Pad to set up its HQ. This program supports companies making their first investment in Australia or South Australia. The company’s investment must help stimulate the local economy, create jobs and grow new industries. 

Deep Planet also received help from Austrade. The agency worked with Innovate UK EDGE on its Global Business Innovation Program to Australia. Austrade organised for Deep Planet to attend the evokeAG2020 conference in Australia as part of a UK delegation. evokeAG2020 is the premier agrifood event in the Asia Pacific region. 

Austrade also connected Deep Planet with a variety of Australian organisations, delivered a pre-departure briefing and facilitated introductions to state governments. These activities accelerated Deep Planet’s investment journey into Australia. 

‘Innovate UK EDGE is proud to support companies such as Deep Planet and celebrate their continued successes in Australia,’ says Bradley Rowley, Global Innovation Programmes Manager, Innovate UK EDGE. ‘Sushma and the team took full advantage of the opportunities presented through the Global Business Innovation Programme. With support from Innovate UK EDGE, Deep Planet is now reaping the rewards. We look forward to building on our relationship with Austrade and others. Together, we can help UK companies to explore the opportunities in the Australian market. This will help build partnerships and collaborations for the benefit of both countries.’ 

‘My colleagues and I in the South Australian Department for Trade and Investment were glad to provide ongoing support to Deep Planet. This includes site visits in Australia and the UK, follow-up information and advice, introductions to specialist industry consultants like Matthew Moate, and guidance on applications,’ says Henry Lawton, Investment Director for the Government of South Australia. 

‘This collaboration will further enrich South Australia’s booming tech and innovation ecosystem. It is already having a positive financial impact for South Australian grape growers large and small. It is a win for this key South Australian export to the UK too, as growers can optimise their production.’

Jennifer Mackinlay, Senior Trade & Investment Commissioner at Austrade UK, says: ‘Our Austrade team was pleased to facilitate vital connections with institutions and state governments for Deep Planet in Australia. We were also pleased to work alongside Innovate UK to help UK firms explore exciting business opportunities in Australia. This is a fantastic example of how Australian and UK businesses, governments and institutions can collaborate to future-proof traditional industries. Together we can build a sustainable, resilient future with innovative technology.’ 

Potential benefits of a new Australia-UK FTA

Deep Planet sees the Australia-UK FTA as a key opportunity to ease mobility of their staff and increase collaboration on R&D, which will help grow their business in Australia.

‘An example of this is the opportunity we see in environmental conservation with global cross-border collaboration of soil carbon baselining for the wine industry,’ says Shankar.

Published: 17 December 2021