Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has revealed his annoyance that the sugar-producing state does not have a large chocolate factory.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Concerned about the future of Queensland’s beleaguered sugar industry, Beattie is of the opinion that it does not make sense that Cadbury Schweppes’ Australian unit is based in Tasmania when Queensland produces 95% of Australia’s raw sugar. Beattie has said he will try to encourage as much investment in Queensland’s chocolate industry as possible.


An A$150m (US$82.2m) rescue package has been announced for the state’s ailing sugar industry. Beattie has given his encouragement for some of the package’s diversification provisions to be used for sugar producers to diversify to chocolate production, reported the Australian Financial Review.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact