Coopers Brewery - Tim Cooper

South Australian Coopers Brewery was established by Tom Cooper in 1862. The largest Australian-owned brewery was almost lost to the Japanese in 2005, after a strong takeover bid from Lion Nathan. Managing director Tim Cooper talks about his journey working in the family business and handing over the baton to the next generation.

Stacy Mitchell (USA)

Stacy 's TEDx talk (2012) "Why we can't shop our way to a better economy" isn't something you'd expect us to promote (from the title), but it's spot on. Stacy Mitchell is a researcher and writer at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR), a national nonprofit organisation that challenges corporate consolidation of the economy and champions policies to nurture community-scaled enterprise.

Household electrical appliances

Breville Group distributes kitchen appliances and coffee machines under the Breville and Kambrook brands.

[Major foreign-owned companies dominating brand choices for household electrical appliances are De'Longhi (Italy), Electrolux (Sweden), Miele (Germany), Bosch (Germany), and Whirlpool (USA).]

Cleaning products

Aware Environmental merged with Orange Power in 2009 and acquired Actizyme drain cleaner in 2010. Their products are endorsed by Planet Ark.

Natures Organics manufactures body care and cleaning products in Ferntree Gully, Victoria.

Pental is Australia's largest soap maker, with a production facility in Shepparton, Victoria. They bought the White King brand from Sara Lee in 2010.

[Major companies dominating brand choices for cleaning products are Colgate-Palmolive (USA), Unilever (UK/NLD), PZ Cussons (UK), Clorox (USA), Reckitt Benckiser (UK), and SC Johnson (USA).]

Light Globes

Mirabella was founded in 1960, beginning as a white goods shop in Lygon street, East Brunswick, Victoria.

[Major foreign-owned companies dominating brand choices for light globes are Osram/Siemens (GER), Philips (NLD) and General Electric (USA).]

Baby food and formula

Bellamy's Organic was established in Launceston, Tasmania in 2004. Acquired by Tasmanian Pure Foods in 2007 and listed on the Australian stock exchange in 2014

[Major foreign-owned companies dominating brand choices for Baby food and formula are Kraft-Heinz (USA), Nestle (SWI) and Danone (FRA).]

Bread

Many small bakeries Some examples include:

• Mias Bakery, Western Australian based. Operating since 1950 with one flour mill - West Coast Milling.
• Schwob's Swiss Bakery, Victoria based. Established in 1954.
• Riviera Bakery, South Australia based. Founded in 1969.
• Gold Coast Bakeries, Queensland-based, with brands Gold Coast Bread and Golden Hearth.

[Major foreign-owned companies dominating brand choices for Bread George Weston Foods (UK) and Goodman Fielder-Wilmar (SGP).]

Milk

Devondale Murray Goulburn is Australia's largest dairy foods company. Operates as a co-operative, controlled by Australian dairy farmers.

Also see organic, family-owned or independent dairies in your state at Flavour Crusader's Alt Milk directory .

[Major foreign-owned companies dominating brand choices for Milk are Lion/Kirin (JPN), Parmalat/Lactalis (ITA/FRA) and Fonterra (NZL).]

Margarine

Nuttelex Food Products is a family run business, founded in 1932, producing margarine, free of animal products with brands Nuttelex and Pulse.

Peerless Foods manufactures Unilever brands such as Flora, Flora Proactiv, Olivio, Bertolli, and Becells under a long-term supply contract.

[Major foreign-owned companies dominating brand choices for Margarine are Unilever (UK/NLD) and Goodman Fielder-Wilmar (SGP).]

Beer

Coopers is Australia's 3rd largest brewery. Established in 1862. Run by the 5th generation of Coopers. Remains Australian-owned after having fought various takeovers in the past.

Plus small breweries Check out the many microbreweries.

[Major foreign-owned companies dominating brand choices for Beer are Carlton & United Breweries/SABMiller (UK) and Lion/Kirin (JPN).]

Globally, consolidation continues as the world's top two brewers, Anheuser-Busch InBev and SABMiller, agreed in 2015 to merge. The deal will see the merged AB InBev/SABMiller increase market share in Australia from 39 to 45 per cent and a combined company with revenues of $64 billion, surpassing Coca-Cola in sales and roughly matching the revenues of Unilever and PepsiCo. Only Nestle and Procter & Gamble would have significantly greater sales than the merged company in the consumer products space. More More