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Beverage giant Lion has created a recycled bar at the Melbourne Cup Carnival to launch its Quincy sparkling alcoholic seltzer.

Made of 98 per cent recycled plastic, and featuring furniture created from post-industrial and post-consumer plastic such as car bumpers and plastic bags, the Round II bar is an Australian first and will be used at many of the company’s key sponsorship events, says Libby Davidson, head of sustainability at Lion.

“The impact of single-use plastics on the environment is a key concern at Lion so we are always looking for new, innovative ways to repurpose this resource and promote the circular economy.

“The concept was developed by a group of our own people from different teams across the business during a lunchtime sustainability hackathon. Not only does this reinforce the power of diversity, it’s also a great example of what a company can achieve if you empower your people to share ideas and really make a difference beyond the bottom line,” she said.

The initiative is part of a celebration of Lion’s partnership with soft plastic recycling organisation REDcycle and its manufacturer Replas, announced in September. REDcycle collects and reuses soft plastics that cannot be collected at kerbside, and Replas turns it into a range of recycled plastic products such as street signage and park furniture.

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.