• Burnt down: Jim's Bottler ©NSW Fire and Rescue
    Burnt down: Jim's Bottler ©NSW Fire and Rescue
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Packaging business Jim's Bottler has been destroyed in a seven hour fire that led to local residents being told to stay indoors and toxic smoke covering sections of western Sydney.

Owner Jim Baradan said he has lost everything, having spent the past 30 years building the business from scratch.

Fire ripped through the Yennora factory, thanks to ten tonnes of cooking oil and a number of 9kg gas cylinders feeding the flames. There were no injuries.

The ferocity of the blaze sent dozens of firefighters to attend the scene, complete with a battery of equipment and vehicles, including ten water pumps and five cherry pickers.

The fire started around 6.45pm and took NSW Fire and Rescue until 2am to get under control.

Food & Drink Business

Gold Coast brewery, Black Hops, has entered administration for the second time, with an urgent sale campaign underway for the business.

In the final chapter of court action regarding the 2020 collapse of Freedom Foods Group, the Federal Court has found former managing director and CEO, Rory Macleod, breached his duties as a director and officer, and failed to take all reasonable steps to secure the company’s compliance with its financial reporting obligations.

Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing industry is converging on Melbourne this week for foodpro 2026, the country’s leading trade event for processing, packaging and innovation. Held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) from 26-29 July, foodpro 2026 will be opened at 10am on Sunday 26 July by Victorian Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing and Minister for Skills and TAFE, Colin Brooks.