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Kerry plans expansion in emerging markets

02-Sep-2010 - Kerry Group’s strong interim performance has prompted the Irish ingredients and finished product firm to raise its earnings forecast, with more investment planned in emerging regions.

Tayto to close Red Mill Snack Foods plant in September

01-Sep-2010 - Tayto’s Red Mill Snack Foods factory at Wednesbury is scheduled to close next month as all remaining production is transferred to its factory at Corby in Northamptonshire.

Nestle invests in premium Russian choc plant

30-Aug-2010 - Nestlé reports that an upgrade to its premium chocolate manufacturing facility in the Samara region of Russia will transform it into a key competence centre for confectionery products in Europe.

Weekly comment

Don’t worry about wheat prices: Look at grain stocks

30-Aug-2010 - There’s nothing like a shortage of wheat to send some news media searching for superlatives. Talk of “soaring” wheat prices and “rocketing” bread prices were common, in the British press, after Russia decided to temporarily ban grain exports earlier this month. Three weeks later what lessons can we lean?

Buhler buys stake in Italian firm to strengthen coffee presence

26-Aug-2010 - Buhler Technology Group said its move to buy a stake in Italian coffee equipment manufacturer Petroncini Impianti would boost its position in the medium and top-end segments of the market.

First Milk’s new creamery faces potential delay

25-Aug-2010 - First Milk’s plan to build a new creamery in Campbeltown could be delayed as a contigent planning application from Tesco is held back.

Campbell Soup may bite into United Biscuits

24-Aug-2010 - Campbell Soup Company is considering making a move on the biscuit arm of the British-based firm United Biscuits, according to press reports.

News in brief

Fair trade cocoa could protect against price volatility, analyst

20-Aug-2010 - Opting for fair trade cocoa could be one way for food firms to protect themselves against price volatility for the commodity, according to an industry analyst.

Baked Snacks Co has a future – if enough capital is injected into the business

18-Aug-2010 - Middlesbrough-based snacks manufacturer Baked Snacks Company (BSC) has good prospects provided any new backer can inject sufficient capital into the business to give it a fighting chance, according to sources close to the firm.

News in brief

Carlsberg UK posts 'low double digit' increase in volumes in H1

17-Aug-2010 - Volumes at Carlsberg UK increased in the low double-digits in the first half of the year.

Hedging on Russian wheat may mean EU bakery price hikes, economist

17-Aug-2010 - A leading economist says that industry sources and analysts predicting the Russian wheat export ban will have little impact on EU food prices are “naïve”, and overlook the fact that major futures contracts for Russian wheat are now worthless.

News in brief

Swiss group to increase global presence

17-Aug-2010 - Swiss food group Aryzta have announced the full purchase of Canadian bakery firm Maidstone Bakeries.

CSM feels the pinch from uneven recovery across Europe

11-Aug-2010 - The struggling economies of Southern and Eastern European countries marred the sales figures of CSM’s bakery supplies division over the last six months, which growth from the UK and Germany could not offset.

EU should act to end food speculation after wheat price rises, warn millers

06-Aug-2010 - Co-ordinated EU-wide action is needed urgently to end food price volatility induced by market speculation, warns the European Flour Milling Association after wheat prices reached a 23-month high yesterday.

Fonterra reports slide in auction prices

04-Aug-2010 - Prices at the Fonterra globalDairyTrade auction have fallen sharply for the second month running, prompting the dairy to warn farmers of a lower than forecast payout.

Premier Foods: ‘Open-minded’ about disposals

04-Aug-2010 - Premier Foods remains ‘open-minded’ about selling off assets to pay off debts, bosses have revealed as the firm released interim results broadly in line with expectations, but warned of rising cost inflation in the second half.

Commission sets up competitiveness forum for food sector

02-Aug-2010 - The European Commission has upgraded the High Level Group on Competitiveness in the Agri-Food Industry to a High Level Forum which will pursue and report on progress towards the group’s 30 recommendations.

Danone backs probiotic juice with ProViva investment

29-Jul-2010 - Global probiotics leader Danone has paid an undisclosed sum to Swedish dairy Skånemejerier for a 51 per cent stake in its probiotic juice brand, ProViva.

Danone sells stake in Coca-Cola courted, Chinese juice firm

29-Jul-2010 - Danone has agreed to sell its stake in China Huiyuan Juice Group for significantly less than what Coca-Cola offered before its acquisition bid was blocked last year by Chinese competition authorities.

Roshen to invest €8m in Lithuania caramel plant upgrade

29-Jul-2010 - Ukrainian confectionery group, the Roshen Confectionary Corporation, has announced that is planning to invest €8m in the modernization of its caramel production facility in Lithuania.

Butt Foods unveils bid to double sales in two years

26-Jul-2010 - Butt Foods, the Nottingham-based firm behind the innovative edible ‘bread bowl’, is aiming to double the size of its business in the next two years.

United Biscuits' units may split in private equity firm exit: analyst

23-Jul-2010 - The snacks and biscuits division of UK manufacturer United Biscuits could be parcelled out to different buyers, according to a research firm's analysis of the market following media reports the company is to be sold by its private equity owners.

PAI Partners considers sale of Yoplait stake

23-Jul-2010 - The private equity owner of Yoplait is considering selling its 50 per cent share in the French dairy company, according to newswire reports.

Nestle Waters opens new Polish factory

22-Jul-2010 - Nestle Waters has opened a new water bottling factory in Poland to support the development of its Dar Natury brand in the country.

News in brief

Refresco Iberia pursues diversity with new canning line

22-Jul-2010 - Refresco Iberia has installed a new canning line at its production plant in Marcilla, Spain, to diversify the packaging formats available.

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