• Growth Tank founder David Willey.
    Growth Tank founder David Willey.
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Youth marketing and recruiting experts shared some surprising insights on Gen Z workers at the NextGen Breakfast Forum this morning at AUSPACK 2019.

By 2025, Generation Z will comprise more than a quarter of the Australian workforce, and Growth Tank founder and a youth marketing expert David Willey shared his insights on how to connect with this important group.

Gen Z members prioritise positive workplace and culture higher than financial benefits, and place a higher importance on job security and fair pay than their millennial counterparts.

To make this group happy and productive, WIlley says, companies will need to be seen to be ethical, offer clear and structured career progression, and offer them personal (in addition to professional) development opportunities that help them grow as an individual.

They also value regular feedback, flexibility and work-life balance, he says. “Understanding that your employee’s life is more important than their work is key.” 

Presenter PWC Australia’s Justin Ling said the company uses more digital channels than ever to recruit and engage with its younger recruits.

He also noted that alternative pathways to employment are growing, and he predicted that school leaver recruitment will overtake graduate recruitment within five years.

Food & Drink Business

Cobram Estate Olives (CBO) has formally claimed a purchase price adjustment of up to US$31.9 million on its California Olive Ranch (COR) acquisition and expects to pay no earn-out on the deal, as the Australian producer works through the completion of its largest ever transaction.

Maggie Beer Holdings (MBH) has pushed back the expected timing of its proposed $10 million sale of Hampers and Gifts Australia (HGA), with completion now targeted for February 2027 rather than a binding agreement signed by the end of this month.

RMIT University and End Food Waste Australia have launched the new Food and Beverage SME Packaging and Machinery Solution Centre, to help Australian food and beverage SMEs navigate the complex transition to more sustainable packaging and processing technologies, while protecting product quality and minimising food waste.