Breaking News on Food Marketing and Retailing

All news articles > March 2007

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30-Mar-2007

Lactalis promises innovation with Croatian acquisition

Safety and innovation were on the agenda this week, when the head of French dairy group Lactalis met with the Croatian vice president to discuss the company's plans for rejuvenating the country's dairy sector.

29-Mar-2007

Tate & Lyle teams up with Eridania for Italian sugar supply

Tate & Lyle and Italian sugar producer Eridania Sadam have formed a joint venture for the marketing and sales of all sugar products to the Italian market, seen as an important step in developing new sugar markets following EU sugar reform.

Lagging bakery fails to dent Northern Foods

Despite underperforming bakery operations, UK producer Northern Foods has said trading is currently in line with expectations and the group is on track to hit targets.

M&S sealing technique extends shelf life

A new a way to seal flexible film packaging, partially developed by a supplier to UK retailer Marks & Spencer, reduces the amount of material required and extends the shelf life of products, according to results of recent trials.

Xango to launch new functional juice in Europe

A new juice containing a host of added value ingredients, including the latest superfruit, mangosteen, will be launched in Western Europe this summer to target the growing functional food sector.

28-Mar-2007

FSA launches saturated fat consultation

The UK's Food Standards Agency has launched a three-month consultation on ways to reduce saturated fat in the diet and make healthy eating easier.

27-Mar-2007

GlaxoSmithKline admits false health claims

Australian legislation on nutritional labelling has come under the spotlight with the announcement by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) that its Ribena drinks brand may have misled consumers over the amount of vitamin C it contains.

Tetra Pak to expand in China

Tetra Pak plans to tighten its grip on China's growing beverage and dairy markets with a €60m state-of-the-art packaging materials plant in the country, it announced Tuesday.

Dairy Crest upbeat on market prospects

Dairy Crest said trading during 2006 was in line with its expectations, and highlighted 'significant progress' made to transform its business, in a statement this week.

26-Mar-2007

Functional Diet Coke anyone?

Coca-Cola North America has announced its plans to launch Diet Coke Plus, a carbonated calorie-free beverage with the added value of vitamins and minerals, that could put the concept of functionality at the front line of the soft drink category.

How processors are coping with trans fat changes

A survey of three large food manufacturers have found that they were among those who moved fast to change their processing methods and ingredients to offset the consumer and regulatory backlash against trans-fatty acids.

23-Mar-2007

Bradman Lake sells packaging businesses

Packaging company Bradman Lake is selling off recently acquired brands Albro, Dico and Gravfil only months after investing in a new multi-million euro manufacturing facility.

Tate & Lyle launches 4m R&D centre

Tate & Lyle has announced a €4m investment to establish a Wellness & Nutrition Centre in Lille, France.

22-Mar-2007

Anheuser-Busch looks to China

US brewer Anheuser-Busch is to expand its Chinese distribution outlets as it looks to offset declining sales growth in its domestic operations.

InterLink profits stale with second warning

UK cake firm InterLink Foods has posted its second profit warning in five weeks bringing its estimated loss before tax to between £6 million (€8.8m) - £7 million (€10.3m).

21-Mar-2007

Danisco on track after structural change

Danisco recorded revenue of DKK 15,220 million in the first three quarters of 2006/07, a period which saw significant structural change within the company.

20-Mar-2007

Nestle Waters seeks turnaround with Philippines sale

Nestle Waters said the sale of its Filipino operations to local group Universal Robina Corp (URC) would better serve its interests in the country.

Overseas market proves profitable for Lindt & Sprungli

Swiss premium chocolate maker Lindt & Sprungli has performed well in the competitive North American market - helping to push consolidated full year sales for the company 15.1 per cent to CHF2.586 billion (€1.6bn).

CIAA welcomes CAP proposals

Europe's food and drinks industry has welcomed the recent proposed regulatory simplifications made to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Cadbury to cut 438m out of costs, reveals newspaper

Cadbury Schwepps will attempt to drive down costs in its confectionary arm by £300m (€438m) a year and enter the US sports drink market, according to a newspaper report.

19-Mar-2007

Biscuit giant Burtons poised to expand after takeover

The UK's second largest biscuit manufacturer, Burton's Foods, has been acquired by British buy-out firm Duke Capital from US group HM Capital Partners for what is believed to be around a £200 million (€292.3m) sum.

Consumers seek healthy, quick and indulgent snacking, report

A gap in the market for snack food that is simultaneously convenient, healthy and indulgent is ripe for exploitation by canny retailers, according to a new report from analyst group Datamonitor.

16-Mar-2007

Dairy UK to host cheese summit

A special summit on cheese will be held in the UK early this summer, reflecting the category's growing importance for dairy industry earnings.

15-Mar-2007

Coke-L'Oreal rumours show beauty beverage potential

Beauty foods are hotting up as an area of interest for multinationals, if rumours about a Coca Cola-L'Oréal collaboration for a tea-based skin care drink prove founded.

Cadbury to split drinks and confectionery businesses

Cadbury Schweppes has said it will separate its confectionery and US soft drinks businesses, sending ripples of speculation across the financial sector about the firm's motives.

New bakers set to squeeze out larger competitors

A new group of UK bakery companies is gearing up to take on the giants of the industry, according to market analyst group Plimsoll.

13-Mar-2007

Dairygold defiant as legal action looms

Irish dairy co-operative, Dairygold, has pledged to fight any court action brought against it in Wales over the closure of its cheese packing plant in the country.

Healthy dairy drinks target UK school children

A new range of reduced sugar and probiotic dairy drinks will target UK school children as health trends continue to help the market expand.

Amstel deal leaves SAB with a headache

Heineken has taken back its Amstel beer brand in South Africa, leaving previous licence owner and rival brewer, SABMiller, facing an uphill struggle to maintain sales in the country.

Soft drinks maker seeks natural fizz, for friendship and more

Product development gurus are increasingly attempting to use consumer trends for natural ingredients and more nutritious beverages to drive growth in the carbonated soft drinks category.

Greggs looks to new strategies to compete in tough market

UK bakery chain Greggs is looking forward to a year of management restructuring, increased investment in promotion and greater innovation in the on-the-go snacking sector in order to recoup sales after a disappointing performance last year.

12-Mar-2007

Weekly comment

GM: A healthy debate

The development of genetically modified crops to improve human health could be the golden ticket for advocates to persuade the wary public that GM is not a wholly nefarious idea after all. But will a new, healthy spin be enough to counter deep-rooted fears that genetic modification, by its very nature, poses an equal and opposite threat to human health?

Tate & Lyle confirms UK citric acid closure

Tate & Lyle will cease production of citric acid at is UK plant at the end of the month following the completion of an employee consultation process.

09-Mar-2007

Tesco raises the bar on milk prices

Milk producers in the UK have given a cautious welcome to milk price rises announced by Tesco this week, in the latest development on dairy farmer incomes.

Danisco fears effects of proposed corporate tax

Danisco believes that a bill to change the Danish Corporation Tax Act would significantly affect the company's expansion strategy.

08-Mar-2007

Royal Cosun extends ingredients operations

Bakery ingredients manufacturer Royal Cosun has added to its global businesses with the acquisition of supplier Atlanta Dethmers - allowing the Dutch company a bigger share of the ingredients market.

Growth ambitions see dramatic change for Lion Nathan

Australian brewer Lion Nathan has announced it may look to sell off its Newmarket brewery in New Zealand in a drive for cost efficiency and diversification.

Big brands fortify Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard, the world's second largest alcoholic drinks group, said it expected net profits to grow by a fifth for its full year following more strong performances from spirit brands.

07-Mar-2007

Breakthrough technology

RFID supply chain revolution

Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is revolutionising supply chain management.

Strong trading for Premier as it gears up for RHM takeover

UK food processor Premier Foods remains undaunted by last year's rising raw material costs and unseasonably warm summer weather - posting a 12 per cent rise in pre-tax profits in its preliminary results announced yesterday.

Tstix technology takes on the teabag empire

A new infusion technique that allows one product to do the job of both teabag and teaspoon has grabbed interest from major companies and is looking to usurp the teabag's stranglehold on the hot beverage market.

06-Mar-2007

Carlsberg strengthens Vietnamese hand with Habeco deal

Carlsberg has acquired a 10 per cent stake in Vietnam's second largest brewer as it looks to increase its market share in the country's growing beer market.

Britvic to launch UK soft drinks report

The highest and mightiest of Britain's soft drinks industry will meet Wednesday to discuss innovation and trends in the sector.

Food sector vulnerable to emergencies, says study

Being lean and mean in the food and drink manufacturing sector might pay off in terms of profits, but the practice has left the supply chain vulnerable to a crisis, according to a UK government report.

05-Mar-2007

Drinks giants prepare for Absolut battle

A host of alcoholic drinks firms, including Bacardi, are believed to be eyeing Swedish vodka brand Absolut, seen as a crown jewel in the international spirits world.

United Biscuits brands dominate market

The big hitters in the UK biscuit sector have been busy over the past year with consolidation and major acquisitions re-shaping the industry's landscape, according to a new report by Leatherhead International.

Weekly Comment

No excuses for illegal labour

There is no legitimate defence as to why some companies continue to use illegal labour. This isn't the vice trade, this is the food industry: no excuses.

Arla absorbs boycott loss

Profits were better than predicted for Scandinavian dairy group Arla Foods last year, prompting optimism about the firm's ability to bounce back from a consumer boycott in the Middle East.

01-Mar-2007

France tightens food and drink advert rules

All adverts for food and drink in France must now carry healthy eating messages or companies will face fines, under rules launched by the government (Thursday) to tackle obesity.

Cake-makers consolidate in changing market

The UK baking industry has seen significant changes over the past year, in particular in the cake market as larger food processors jostle to consolidate their position in the lucrative sector, according to a new report.

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