KitKat trial puts Australian recycled PP on shelf. By Lindy Hughson | 7 August 2026 The initiative, led by Viva Energy in partnership with Nestlé, builds on the companies' 2022 collaboration and shows how recycled polypropylene can be manufactured and converted into food-grade flexible packaging through an Australian production network. Soft plastic pyrolysis oil was processed at Viva Energy's Geelong Refinery before being converted into recycled polypropylene and supplied through a Victorian manufacturing chain involving Taghleef Industries, Amcor and Nestlé. The production run yielded seven million ISCC-certified KitKat wrappers, some of which are now being used on a limited run of KitKat 4 Finger bars. This trial used plastic pyrolysis oil imported from Alterra in the USA because suitable Australian feedstock is not yet available at commercial scale in Australia. However, Viva Energy says the work validates Australia's capability to manufacture food-grade recycled polypropylene and highlights the potential for a domestic circular system for soft plastics. Bill Patterson, executive GM Energy and Infrastructure at Viva Energy, said the trial confirmed the Geelong Refinery's potential to convert recycled feedstocks into high-quality food-grade polypropylene. "Geelong Refinery is Australia's last remaining site with this level of refining and processing capability and its only manufacturer of polypropylene," Patterson said. "We have proven the use of soft plastics pyrolysis oil as a feedstock and demonstrated how existing industrial infrastructure can be adapted to support a circular plastics economy." The company processed more than 9.5 tonnes of plastic pyrolysis oil at the Geelong Refinery in 2025 as part of the proof-of-concept program, confirming the site's suitability for larger-scale processing of recycled soft plastic feedstocks. According to Viva Energy, the refinery and adjoining polymers plant together form Australia's only facility capable of chemically recycling waste soft plastics into food-grade plastic feedstock. The trial also verified the use of International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) across a local manufacturing network, providing traceability for recycled material processed in Australia. Insights from the work are expected to help inform future packaging design and the development of commercial-scale advanced recycling pathways. Andrew Lawrey, GM Confectionery at Nestlé Oceania, said the initiative highlights the value of industry partnerships in advancing food-grade recycled packaging. "This collaboration demonstrates what's possible when industry works together to tackle packaging challenges and accelerate the transition to a more circular economy," Lawrey said. "By incorporating recycled soft plastic from Viva Energy's advanced recycling trial into a limited run of KitKat packaging, we're helping test new pathways to keep valuable materials in circulation and build confidence in emerging recycling solutions." Both companies say broader adoption of similar manufacturing pathways will depend on supportive policy settings, including progress on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), domestic collection and sorting systems, and investment in advanced recycling infrastructure. Viva Energy and Cleanaway are continuing a feasibility study into a large-scale plastics recycling project, with the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase expected to commence once details of the Australian Government's packaging reforms have been finalised.

Whitehaven and Viva Energy support Clontarf Driver Program. Young Indigenous men will have greater access to driver education and licensing support thanks to a joint $20,000 contribution from Whitehaven and Viva Energy Australia to the Clontarf Driver Program. The funding will support a cohort of Year 10, 11 and 12 students as they work towards obtaining their driver's licence, from preparing for their learner licence through to gaining their red provisional licence. For many young people in regional communities, having a driver's licence is an important step towards accessing education, training and employment opportunities. Whitehaven Advisor, NSW Indigenous Engagement Kelvin Allen said the program would deliver practical benefits for participants and help them achieve an important milestone. "A driver's licence can open the door to employment, training and greater independence, making it an important milestone for many young people," Kelvin said. "We're proud to support the Clontarf Driver Program alongside Viva Energy and help create practical opportunities for young Indigenous people." Whitehaven and Viva Energy have each contributed $10,000 to the program, which provides tailored support based on where participants are in their licensing journey. Students enter the program at different stages, with support ranging from preparation for the Driver Knowledge Test through to supervised driving experience needed to obtain a provisional licence. Kelvin said the benefits extend beyond getting behind the wheel. "Programs like this deliver tangible outcomes and equip participants with the skills and confidence to pursue their future goals," he said. "The Clontarf Driver Program is about more than getting a licence. It's about building confidence, independence and life skills that can support young people long after they leave school." Viva Energy said the program would help create opportunities for local students and their communities. "Supporting Indigenous young people to gain their driver's licence removes a significant barrier to employment and further education opportunities," Rob Bauer, Key Account Manager, said. "Viva Energy is proud to partner with Whitehaven and Clontarf to help create lasting pathways for local students to achieve their goals." The Clontarf Driver Program is designed to support participants throughout the licensing process, helping them build practical skills and work towards goals that can support their future education, training and employment opportunities. Through partnerships like this, Whitehaven continues to support initiatives that create positive outcomes for Indigenous youth in the communities where it operates.

Pain at bowsers fuels doubling of profits for SA's OTR owners. Skyrocketing fuel prices are hitting businesses and drivers hard but the owner of hundreds of SA's OTR servos has recorded an astonishing profit. Jul 27, 2026, updated Jul 27, 2026 Viva acquired South Australian petrol station chain OTR in 2023 for $1.15 billion from one of the state's richest families: the Shahins. Picture: Tony Lewis/InDaily. Viva Energy bought petrol station chain OTR in 2023 for $1.15 billion, and it now expects its earnings to more than double to at least $770 million in the first half of this financial year alone. The result comes on the back of mass disruption to global energy markets, with the company's latest trading update revealing it was production margins that drove its bumper result, while sales of petrol rose by 2.4 per cent. Viva bought the South Australian petrol station chain OTR in 2023 for $1.15 billion from one of the state's richest families, the Shahins, and now owns 153 across the state. Today, it announced that its first half earnings before interest and tax, were expected to be between $770 million and $780 million, a huge increase from the $305 million recorded at the same time last year. Viva's profits were driven by demand for petrol and uncertainty in the market, the company's CEO Scott Wyatt told the market in an announcement today. "The first half of this year was shaped by geopolitical events which have caused significant disruption across the global energy markets," Wyatt said, attributing substantial financial success to its Geelong petrol refinery's output along with increased demand at the bowsers. "Our strong financial results reflect a substantially improved refining margin environment which has been driven by a regional shortage of oil supply and refining capacity, as well as improving retail sales growth and continuing strength of our commercial businesses. "Domestic refining has reduced dependency on international refineries and will continue to play a critical role in maintaining fuel supply security into the future." Viva's update comes after war in the Middle East shut down a key marine trading route for oil, the Strait of Hormuz, in the first half of the calendar year, sending petrol prices surging in Australia. It also announced plans to open more service stations in the coming year and that it was planning to convert 25 to 30 stores to an unattended self-service format this year, following a "successful trial". Regular unleaded petrol spiked to as much as $2.30 per litre in late March and early April before the federal government extended relief on petrol taxes to calm the volatile market. The government also announced it would crack down on petrol price gouging with real-time price monitoring, imposing penalties on retailers failing to update prices appropriately online. It also tripled funding for compliance, allowing an additional 100 fuel inspections each month. Earlier this month, the state government announced it had fined 29 unnamed petrol stations $20,000 in total for either failing to list fuel as being available or pricing it incorrectly. In response to questions from InDaily, a government spokesperson said: "Financial results of private fuel operators are a matter for those companies". The spokesperson also said: "South Australia and all other state and territory governments supported the Australian federal government's temporary fuel excise discount as a means to save consumers on fuel costs due to price shocks from the situation in the Middle East". Viva's trading update today revealed it had sold more fuel and made more money from its own fuel refinery at Geelong from January this year until June 30 which is at the centre of its financial boom, with fuel now selling for a $US21.10 profit per barrel. Its fuel sales increased by 2.4 per cent, a trading update to shareholders saying this reflected "competitive pricing" across the country's service station networks. The trading update also showed that "retail fuel margins were robust" throughout the first half of the year. The trading update today showed the company is planning to open another 20 to 25 new OTR stores in 2026 and wanted to convert 10 to 15 Reddy Express stores to a mix of OTR and Liberty Convenience stores. It currently has 251 OTR stores nationally, up from 223 at the same time last year. Its convenience sales inside stories (excluding tobacco) also increased by 1.3 per cent, boosted by more customers visiting stores as they bought petrol. Shares in Viva Energy were up 4.71 per cent in early trading this morning. TOP STORIES