Search

Search
  Advanced Search
Results Total: 50 results found.
 Display
 
There have been some high-profile corporate failures over the past year, and the evidence suggests that the bloodbath isn’t over. We take a look at 25 more prominent cases to draw salient lessons for every business. It’s getting ugly out there. Credit agency Dun & Bradstreet believes one in nine compa...
For the fourth year in a row, BHP Billiton is Australia’s largest company by revenue, according to the BRW Top 1000, compiled by IBISWorld. The top 10 – with the exception of Coles, NAB and Telstra –enjoyed strong revenue growth thanks to the mining boom and the strong economic conditions of the past year.Currently, the top 10 looks like this:
It’s estimated that there are around 200,000 loyalty programs operating in Australia, which makes it extremely difficult for a business to stand out from the crowd. But there are ways to ensure your program stacks up against the rest – as long as you’re prepared to put in some hard yards during the set-up phase. There’...
Short of the dream lottery win, breaking into the ranks of the mega-rich seems unattainable. But the stinking rich have betrayed clues to their success – consistent traits that we can learn from. Here are the top 10. By JAMES BENNETTBy James Bennett
There are just two things standing in the way of a potential revolution in Australia's retail sector: Melbourne's notoriously fickle weather, and a roof.   For Costco Australia managing director Patrick Noone, whether the warehouse shopping giant opens its Melbou...
The Australian Retailers Association has urged the Federal Government to take the lead in deregulating Easter trading hours across the nation. The retail body claims that ambiguous and inconsistent state laws are hurting national chains, franchises and consumers. ARA executive director Richard Evans has praised the deregulated trading laws in the ACT and Tasmania as giving choice to traders and shoppers alike.He argues the chaos of the current laws is adding to the cost o...
Supermarket giant Woolworths is well known for its jingle “Woolworths the fresh food people”, but the line recently became the crux of a social media scandal. On Monday a social media storm erupted as consumers took to Facebook to express their outrage over a Woolworths’ billboard erected on the Warrego Highway near Ipswich which labelled donuts as ‘fresh food’. The complaints started when Facebook user and I...
Australia is on the brink of a war – for the hearts and minds of tradies, DIY-ers and sausage-sizzle-loving hardware consumers around the country. Tomorrow in the Melbourne suburb of Braybrook, supermarket giant Woolworths and its joint venture partner, US hardware giant Lowe's, will open the first in what it promises will be a 150-strong chain of Masters stores. The move is designed to break the dominance of market leader Bunnnings, which is owned by conglomerate Wesfamers, th...
The chief executives of the 300 largest Australian sharemarket-listed companies raked in an average of 28% more in salary and bonuses in 2006-07 compared to the previous year, according to the Australian Financial Review’s latest study of executive pay packets.The average earnings of Top 300 chief executives were up significantly, from $1.99 million to $2.56 million in 2006-07. This equates to $49,231 a week – close to average yearly earnings for the wider workforce a...
There’s a strong argument that the past year has been a landmark one for Australia’s female leaders.  There’s a woman (Julia Gillard) in the Prime Minister’s office. A woman (Gina Rinehart) has become Australia’s richest person. Two women (Kristina Keneally and Lara Giddings) have become State Premiers, a ...
Australia imports most of the spirits it consumes. Domestic manufacturing represents a relatively small proportion of the estimated $5.2 billion retail value of spirits consumed in Australia. For many products, some degree of transformation occurs domestically, particularly in the case of ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages. The main spi...
Confusion is growing over the upcoming Anzac Day public holiday, with Government departments and retailers seemingly unsure about what shops can be open and at what times. The dilemma is due to the fact Anzac Day falls on a Sunday this year, with all states recognising the public holiday on the next available Monday, April 26. However, on normal Anzac Day holidays retailers are restricted from opening until about 1pm in order to show respect for the dawn services occurring a...
Global surfwear giant Billabong has beaten the likes of Coca-Cola Amatil and Lion Nathan in a new ranking of corporate Australia’s most valuable brands as a share of total enterprise value. With a brand worth just over $1.6 billion, 41% of the company’s value, Billabong works its brand harder than any other company in the nation, according to research by analyst and adviser firm Brand Finance.That puts it ahead of Coca-Cola in terms of brand worth...
The consumer watchdog has weighed in on the debate over false and misleading comments on brands’ Facebook pages, calling for a 24-hour turnaround for large businesses and more leeway for SMEs. Following the Advertising Standards Board’s ruling last week that Facebook pages were an advertisement, the Australian Competition and Co...
Supermarket giant Woolworths has confirmed that is has lodged a complaint with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over the behaviour of the Bunnings hardware chain, which is owned by West Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers. Woolworths is in the process of establishing its own hardware chain in a joint venture with US-based hardware giant Lowe's. This will extend the battle ground between Woolworths and Wesfarmers, which also owns the Coles, Target and Kmart chains...
JB Hi-Fi has refused to be drawn on media reports that claim the high flying retailer had been involved in talks with Woolworths about the sale of its business. JB Hi-Fi has refused to be drawn on media reports that claim the high flying retailer had been involved in talks with Woolworths about the sale of its business. Richard Uechtritz, JB Hi-Fi CEO, said the company did not comment on speculation but he had heard the Woolworths rumour circulating. The Austral...
Former McDonald's Australia boss Guy Russo has unveiled a three-phase plan to fix the troubled department store chain Kmart, now part of the Wesfarmers Group.   Russo outlined his plans in an interview with The Australian Financial Review. The strategy - and the problems he has indentified within K-Mart - provides some great insights for any manag...
German supermarket giant Aldi has launched a $1 billion expansion plan that will see it build at least 25 stores a year over the next three years - and it's desperately looking for Australian grocery suppliers to support its push. "We are looking for suppliers that can meet our required volumes and importantly, are as passionate about high quality goods as we are," group managing director Michael Kloeters says. "We are growing by at least 25 new stores a year and are committed to buildin...
With the new financial year upon us, we look at the Australian industries set to fly and fall in the next 12 months. Organic farming will be the biggest winner in 2010-2011 as Australians consider the health benefits and environmental impacts of their food choices, while insulation services will be the bigg...
Large-format retailer Costco has confirmed plans to open its first Australian store in Melbourne’s Docklands precinct by mid-2009.   Costco has announced it will occupy a 14,000 square metre warehouse format store in the Waterfront City area of Docklands being developed by ING Real Estate, with construction to commence in September 2008 (artist's impression of new complex below).   The ...
Small business will be slammed by three cost increases in the new financial year: An increase in the minimum wage, another 0.25% rise in superannuation contributions and an increase in penalty rates for many retailers, according to the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Australian Council of Trade Unions is before the Fair Work Commission today lobbying for a $30 per w...
Paul Greenberg has almost doubled the revenue of online retailer Deals Direct, to $40 million, in a year. Now, he tells AMANDA GOME, he plans to double it again.Paul Greenberg runs online department store Deals Direc...
Consumers’ increasing preference for fresh juice is good news for the industry, which has struggled with poor crops and wild weather. By Jason Baker of IBISWorldThe $927.1 million fruit juice drink manufacturing in...
The key to business success is to look carefully at your mistakes – and stop repeating them. But extraordinarily, some companies never seem to learn. They pay too much for acquisitions or pursue strategies that have been overtaken by the market. Many business owners have no exit strategy. Some start out in a niche and the...
Internet search giant Google has released an interim list of the "fastest rising" search terms for the year, with "Swine Flu", "MasterChef" and even Microsoft's "Bing" search engine reaching the top 10. The company regularly releases lists of the top search terms in several categories, including film and television, retail stores, products and services and individuals. Microsoft's Bing search engine has come up as the seventh most popular keyword, just behind "Twitter"...
David Jones has had a year to forget – will a new slogan do the trick? Fresh from contested comments that the carbon tax is partly to blame for this month’s profit downgrade, the upmarket retailer is set to scrap the long-standing "There’s no other store like David Jones" line in favour of "Was. Is. Always David Jones". Here at SmartCompany we’re underwhelmed by the new line, particularly given it is reported to have cost $2 million. We’re willing to conce...
Administrators are looking for a buyer for troubled car servicing company Midas Australia after the business was placed in administration by its directors on 23 December.Administrators are confident of finding a buyer for troubled car servicing company Midas Australia after the business was placed in administration by its directors on 23 December.Administrator George Georges of Ferrier Hodgson will hold a creditors meeting on 7 January in Melbourne and is in the process of attem...
Businesses and individuals are being warned to watch out for fake Christmas gift cards being distributed through social media sites after some Australian companies have been forced to issue clarifications saying they are not offering discounts of any sort. The scams have also caused some victims to become upset with businesses they thought were offering discounts – a trend Sophos security head Paul Ducklin says is likely to increase this time of year. "Certainly around Christma...
After a return to positive economic conditions during 2010, we've compiled a list revealing the top sectors set to fly and fall in the year to come – some more surprising than others. The "Top 5" 1. Organic farming Demand for organic products in Australia has risen ...
The SmartCompany Dun & Bradstreet Industry Growth List for the transport and logistics industry shows a sector fighting to hold its ground. While the downturn hit the transport industry about six months later than most sectors, the slowdown in domestic and international trade is now buffeting transport and logistics companies.
Alcohol consumption has edged up to $4 billion, but future growth is being slowed by a range of factors, says JASON BAKER. Lower disposable household income and an attitudinal change to alcohol consumption have conspired to slow the growth of liquour sales in Australia.By Jason Baker
Six short weeks. That's all it took for Google to completely change the SEO landscape for Australian SMEs. And it's not just entrepreneurs that are struggling to keep up. Right across the country, SEO experts are being forced to review client strat...
Organic is the new black, with consumers demanding organic alternatives on everything from honey, canned goods, cosmetics and even clothing. Right through the downturn, the organic industry showed remarkable resilience as consumers proved they don't mind paying a premium for products that have been through the rigour of independent certification. ...
Businesses might be preparing themselves for the Christmas Eve onslaught, but they need to keep in mind one important topic – the chaos of public holidays. And this year, it's even worse. With Christmas, Boxing Day and New Year's Day all falling on weekends, each state has its own schedule of which days are classified as public holidays, for which extra pay must be awarded, and which days have restricted trading hours. To keep you updated, here's SmartCompany's ultimate guide t...
Woolworths has finally made its much-anticipated entry into Australia's $24 billion hardware market by launching an $87 million takeover bid for Australia's second largest hardware group, Danks Holdings. The board of Danks, which supplies 205 Home Timber & Hardware stores, 312 Thrifty-Link Hardware stores, 66 Plants Plus Garden Centre stores and 939 independent hardware stores, has unanimously recommended the deal to investors, effectively bringing the curtain down on the company'...
The chaos over Christmas holiday trading continues to escalate, with supermarkets warning the New South Wales Government that it will lose $15 million in sales due to the structure of the state's public holiday schedule, which will prohibit it from opening on Boxing Day. The warning comes as Fair Work Australia will hear a proposal from the Australian Industry Group this morning regarding a plan to harmonise all the states' and territories' public holidays – but a new proposal from t...
One of Sydney's oldest food companies, 91-year-old lolly manufacturer Snow's Confectionery, has collapsed into administration and has been put up for sale. According to ASIC records, the business was placed in the hands of voluntary administrator Adam Shepard of Sydney insolvency firm Setter Shepard on November 30. Shepard formally advertised the business for sale this morning. Snow's Confectionery was established in 1929 by Harry Hughes, who started making...
The Costa Group, Australia's number one fruit and vegetable grower and marketer with links to the Geelong Football Club, has sold a 50% stake in the business to US private equity Paine & Partners, as the ambitious company looks to double in size. The family-owned business traces back to 1888, when Italian immigrant Francesco Costa established the first Costa fruit shop in Geelong. Its produce is now sold in Woolworths and Coles supermarkets, and its annual revenue for this ...
Kristina Karlsson, the entrepreneur behind Kikki.K, explains her strategy to expand her mature business while juggling business and a new family. By AMANDA GOMEBy Amanda Gome
As industry gets set to embark on a new financial year, IBISWorld has released its annual list nominating Australia’s top 10 industries set to soar in 2011-12 – and the five worst-performing. 10 growth industries 1. Oil and gas production Forecast to grow by 18.3% in the coming yea...
The pressure being placed on Australia's food companies has resulted in another corporate collapse, with one of Australia's largest food and vegetable growers placed in receivership. Bundaberg-based Barbera Farms, which supplies about 65% of Australia's capsicums, 60% of zucchinis and 25% of tomatoes, was placed in the hands of Justin Walsh and Chris Munday, partners at accounting firm Ernst & Young by secured creditor Suncorp. The bank said it has supported the business for ...
There are developers, and then there are developers you'd willingly have a drink with. And they can usually afford to shout.Why it’s Tom Hedley’s shout…Somebody asked me the other night to name the five property developer...
 There is something very familiar about the collapse of Tom Hedley's pub, property and construction empire, which was placed in the hands of receivers KordaMentha yesterday. Hedley was one of those classic rags to riches tales that we all know and love. He was the knockabout plumber who became one of North Queensland's richest and most prominent entrepreneurs and loved nothing more than sitting in one of his pubs enjoying a quiet schooner and a punt. He even had a great nickname t...
Supermarket giant Coles will discontinue its My5 loyalty program introduced only six months ago – and it serves as a warning to SMEs on how to create a viable rewards program. Experts say overly complicated systems like the My5 program are a recipe for turning customers away – even though program was met with initial praise in April. "Simplicity is key when it comes to loyalty programs," says...
Supermarket giant Coles has been slammed by social media professionals after starting a Twitter campaign that got out of hand last week, prompting experts to warn businesses to keep their marketing and communication departments on the same page when it comes to Twitter campaigns. SR7 co-founder James Griffin warns businesses undertaking a social media campaign that all departments need to be in sync so messaging doesn’t get lost. This means the marketing and communications teams nee...
Over 16 million Australians will open their mail today and discover a brand new flybuys card from Coles as part of the supermarket’s relaunch of the loyalty scheme. Launched in 1994, today flybuys has over five million active cardholders.  Coles acquired full ownership of the loyalty program in February 2011 and relaunched flybuys last week. Speaking at the relaunch, Ian McLeod, managing director of Coles said the program would offer customers mo...
The beer and malt manufacturing industry is highly concentrated, with Foster's Group and Kirin Brewery owned Lion Nathan National Foods dominating the industry. Despite volume growth being flat, double-digit growth in premium and low-carbohydrate beer sales drove revenue growth over the past five years. While the big two have seen sales of th...
Coles will "vigorously defend" the proceedings the competition watchdog is bringing against it over claims made by Coles about the freshness of its bread. The Australian Competition and Consumer Competition commenced proceedings yesterday in the Federal Court against the supermarket, alleging Coles has engage...
Have you clicked and collected recently? Or shopped at a kiosk? Or popped into a pop-up shop? If you have, you’ve experienced one of the new retail models which are changing the way consumers shop. Innovative retailers are turning to these new models to fight back in the face of low consumer confidence and
Consumers’ increasing preference for fresh juice is good news for the industry, which has struggled with poor crops and wild weather. By JASON BAKER of IBISWorld. By Jason Baker of IBISWorldThe $927.1 million fruit ju...