Popular bread brand sues for $2.5 million
Nonna's Bakehouse – which supplies more than 100 different types of baked goods to Woolworths, Aldi and Harris Farm – and Ben Furney Flour Mills battled it out in the NSW Supreme Court this week as part of an ongoing disagreement between the two companies.
The Dubbo-based flour mill lodged the legal action, which sought $800,000 from the bakery for the unpaid invoices from 2022, with Nonna's countersuing for $2.5 million for a breach of contract.
The court heard how the bakehouse's issues began in 2021 when its bread became water absorbent and 'sticky' with director Francesco Sergi urging the flour mill to 'fix the issue'.
Despite test runs, visits to the factory and meetings, Ben Furney Flour Mills was unable to identify any issues with the flour provided.
The court heard how the bakery's research and production manager, Jorge Gironda, pleaded with the flour mill to: 'Please provide us with the right fuel to run the Ferrari.'
In May 2022, Nonna's stopped paying invoices to the flour mill, resulting in the flour mill ceasing supply in August.
However, Justice Kelly Ann Rees found the change came after Nonna's changed its head baker, who resigned in September/October 2021, with Mr Gironda taking over.
Judge Rees found that after taking over the role, Mr Sergi had told Mr Gironda to revert to an 'original recipe'.
'Mr Sergi appears to have taken the opportunity of a change of baker to return to the baker's original recipe.
'This departed from (the former head baker's) process of adding gluten or malt if needed to achieve a consistent baking product.'
Judge Rees also ruled the bakehouse's claims that they had suffered a 'substantial loss' as a result of the 'inconsistent flour' were unfounded.
'What is immediately striking from the historical financial performance of the baker, for the 2019 to 2023 financial years, is the significant increase in the baker's sales over those years, increasing by 45 per cent overall,' Judge Rees said.
'Whatever is said to have been wrong with the flour provided by the miller, it does not appear to have affected sales.'
Judge Rees ruled in favour of Ben Furney Flour Mills, ordering a payment of $783,178 together with interest at 10 per cent per annum. Nonna's Bakehouse was also ordered to pay the flour mill's legal costs.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Daily Telegraph
Australia provides 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine to bolster fight against Russia's invasion
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australia is providing 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks – valued at $245m – to Ukraine to help bolster its war against Russia's illegal invasion. The first tranche of the retired tanks are now in the possession of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after they were shipped from the Port of Geelong. Australia first purchased the fleet of 59 Abrams tanks – which were never deployed into a combat zone – in 2007. The Australian Army has since replaced the fleet with newer M1A2 tanks. An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams main battle tank is lifted onto a ship in Australia, bound for Ukraine. Picture: Supplied Last year, Ukraine expressed interest in taking the M1A1 fleet after Australia refused to donate its retired fleet of Taipan helicopters – which have since been dismantled and buried – due to concerns they would be too complicated to maintain and operate. The current $245m support package involving the M1A1 Abrams fleet is part of the $1.5bn in assistance Australia has provided to the war-torn nation since the start of Russia's conflict in 2022. 'The M1A1 Abrams tanks will make a significant contribution to Ukraine's ongoing fight against Russia's illegal and immoral invasion,' Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, who met the army personnel who helped deliver the tanks, said. 'Australia remains steadfast in our support for Ukraine and seeing a just and lasting peace.' The first tranche of M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks gifted to Ukraine are prepared for servicing at a port in Europe. Picture: Supplied Part of a support package worth $245m, the tanks have been retired by the Australian Army but were gifted to Ukraine as part of its fight against Russia. Picture: Supplied Ukraine has now taken possession of the majority of these tanks, with delivery of the final tranche to occur in the coming months. Australia is also due to deploy a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail to Europe to help protect a vital international gateway for assistance to Ukraine. Since 2003, the Australian Defence Force has helped train hundreds of Ukrainian troops as part of the UK-led and based multinational training mission Operation Kudu, which continues today. Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko thanks Australian Army soldiers for their efforts in loading M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks onto a ship. Picture: Supplied 'Australia stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine,' Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said. 'These modified M1A1 Abrams tanks will deliver more firepower and more mobility to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. 'They meet a direct request from the Ukrainian government and form part of Australia's unwavering commitment to protect the global rules-based order.' The major update follows Russia handing over the bodies of 1000 slain soldiers to Ukraine, as further peace talks between both countries appeared to break down. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Picture: AFP Russian President Vladimir Putin. Picture: AFP Ukraine also agreed to return the bodies of 19 soldiers to Russia as part of the agreement. Earlier in the week, a 'very unhappy' US President Donald Trump set a 50-day deadline for Russia to reach a ceasefire deal with Ukraine, or risk tariffs that could cripple the eastern superpower. Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far rejected calls for a ceasefire. 'The US president's statements are very serious. Some of them are addressed personally to President Putin,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier in the week. Originally published as First tranche of Aussie M1A1 Abrams tanks delivered to Ukraine to bolster fight against Russia
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Australia's Abrams tanks reach Ukraine after nine months
The first of Australia's retired M1A1 Abrams tanks have arrived in Ukraine, nine months after they were gifted to aid the country's war effort. Defence Minister Richard Marles said the tanks, first promised last October, would "make a significant contribution" to Ukraine's "ongoing fight against Russia's illegal and immoral invasion". More than half of the 49 promised tanks have now reached the Ukrainian army, according to a statement from Mr Marles, with the remainder expected "in the coming months". The lengthy delay was blown out by the need to gain Washington's approval to send the US-made tanks to a third country, and what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described earlier this year as "logistics challenges". In May, when the ships were first being loaded, a US official told the ABC of American frustration about the "complicated" undertaking to send tanks that the Ukrainians would find "difficult to sustain" once in their possession. An Australian official told the ABC in April there was "doubt if the Ukrainians actually want these vehicles", which had never seen combat and were being replaced, and which could be vulnerable to drones given their weak roofs. But the tanks were requested by Ukraine, and the gift has been welcomed publicly by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko. "These modified M1A1 Abrams tanks will deliver more firepower and more mobility to the Ukrainian Armed Forces," Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said. "They meet a direct request from the Ukrainian government and form part of Australia's unwavering commitment to protect the global rules-based order." The 49 tanks come from a fleet of 59 originally purchased in 2007. They are being replaced by the M1A2 model. They are valued at $245 million, part of a total of $1.5 billion in Australian assistance to Ukraine.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
First tranche of Aussie M1A1 Abrams tanks delivered to Ukraine to bolster fight against Russia
Australia is providing 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks – valued at $245m – to Ukraine to help bolster its war against Russia's illegal invasion. The first tranche of the retired tanks are now in the possession of the Armed Forces of Ukraine after they were shipped from the Port of Geelong. Australia first purchased the fleet of 59 Abrams tanks – which were never deployed into a combat zone – in 2007. The Australian Army has since replaced the fleet with newer M1A2 tanks. Last year, Ukraine expressed interest in taking the M1A1 fleet after Australia refused to donate its retired fleet of Taipan helicopters – which have since been dismantled and buried – due to concerns they would be too complicated to maintain and operate. The current $245m support package involving the M1A1 Abrams fleet is part of the $1.5bn in assistance Australia has provided to the war-torn nation since the start of Russia's conflict in 2022. 'The M1A1 Abrams tanks will make a significant contribution to Ukraine's ongoing fight against Russia's illegal and immoral invasion,' Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles, who met the army personnel who helped deliver the tanks, said. 'Australia remains steadfast in our support for Ukraine and seeing a just and lasting peace.' Ukraine has now taken possession of the majority of these tanks, with delivery of the final tranche to occur in the coming months. Australia is also due to deploy a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail to Europe to help protect a vital international gateway for assistance to Ukraine. Since 2003, the Australian Defence Force has helped train hundreds of Ukrainian troops as part of the UK-led and based multinational training mission Operation Kudu, which continues today. 'Australia stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine,' Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said. 'These modified M1A1 Abrams tanks will deliver more firepower and more mobility to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. 'They meet a direct request from the Ukrainian government and form part of Australia's unwavering commitment to protect the global rules-based order.' The major update follows Russia handing over the bodies of 1000 slain soldiers to Ukraine, as further peace talks between both countries appeared to break down. Ukraine also agreed to return the bodies of 19 soldiers to Russia as part of the agreement. Earlier in the week, a 'very unhappy' US President Donald Trump set a 50-day deadline for Russia to reach a ceasefire deal with Ukraine, or risk tariffs that could cripple the eastern superpower. Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far rejected calls for a ceasefire. 'The US president's statements are very serious. Some of them are addressed personally to President Putin,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier in the week.
