Breaking News on Food Marketing and Retailing

Weekly comment

Temporary workers and corporate responsibility

As ever more food companies find themselves in the position of having employed migrants who were mistreated by illegal labour providers, it may be time for firms to start taking more responsibility for the temporary workers many of them rely on.

Barry Callebaut takes majority stake in Malaysian cocoa firm

Swiss chocolate company Barry Callebaut is to purchase a 60 per cent share of Malaysia's KL Kepong Cocoa Products in a move designed to increase its sourcing capacity in Asia.

Absolut buy to aid Pernod Ricard's spirit domination

Pernod Ricard claims it has further consolidated its grip on the global wine and spirits market after winning the battle to purchase Sweden-based Vin & Sprit (V&S), manufacturer of Absolut vodka.

Nestle eyes Russia for European growth

Global food firm Nestle sees Russia as one of the most important areas for future European growth, the company said today.

Drink makers divided over Diageo pregnancy labels

The Alcohol industry remains divided over calls by the UK arm of Diageo for the country's government to introduce mandatory health warnings for pregnant women on drinks packaging.

Coca-Cola outlines coffee diversification plan

Coca-Cola has today finalised details of its ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee joint venture with Italy-based Illycaffè in a bid to further diversify its non-carbonated portfolio of brands.

Non-dairy products boost Bel profits

France-based dairy group Bel this week posted strong results for the year 2007, although the firm said profits were dampened by weaker growth in cheese sales.

Wimm-Bill-Dann looks to functional future in Siberia

Wimm-Bill-Dann yesterday kicked off production at a new site its hopes will allow it to tap into growing demand in Siberia and other far-east regions of Russia for functional and infant nutrition products.

Soft drink and beer giants head east in Euro focus

While they may produce very different types of beverages, multinational manufacturers Heineken and PepsiCo have both committed to further expansion within the high growth markets of Central and Eastern Europe.

Nestle chief warns biofuels threaten food supplies

Nestle SA chief executive Peter Braback condemns proposals for increasing biofuel production as morally unacceptable, warning they will have devastating effects on food supplies.

Deal could make traffic lights mandatory, claims report

Supermarkets in the UK could be 'forced' to adopt the Food Standards Agency's traffic light labelling scheme, claims newspaper.

Weekly comment

Calm crucial for energy products

Energy drinks are a runaway success but extreme marketing and product formulation has the potential to cast a shadow over the multi-billion dollar global industry.

Dairy industry rubbishes 'junk food' ban

Dairy industry players have called for a reassessment of how their products are perceived under the UK's nutrient profiling system, ahead of a government debate next month on extending advertising restrictions based on the scheme.

Datamonitor highlights confectionery novelties

Recent innovations in novel confectionery products include an energy-giving lollipop in a can, chocolate flavoured sea salt, and edible whole flowers, according to new data released by Datamonitor.

Wine industry seeking low-weight solutions for glass

Major players in the wine industry are set to team up with packagers and other stakeholders to improve cooperation in supplying lightweight glass bottles to tackle environmental concerns over the product.

Campina to step up focus on low fat dairy

Dairy company Campina said it will increase investments into products geared towards the growing health and wellbeing trend on the back of significant success of its low fat products in 2007.

Initiative to reduce seasonal confectionery packaging

The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) is coordinating a confectionery working group in order to reduce the packaging of seasonal products such as Easter eggs.

Consumers seek new tastes from origin chocs, survey

More than a third of regular chocolate-eaters would relish more choice in the kinds of products available, indicates a new survey by Barry Callebaut that also shows growing interest in chocolate from beans of different provenance.

Tetra Pak's dairy cooperation to tackle euro industry challenges

Tetra Pak is teaming up with one of the leading dairy processors in Luxemburg as part of a €100m scheme to construct a state of the art, environmentally efficient production site, the company has said.

Pepsi venture moves for Siberian soft drinks maker

PepsiCo says that its hopes to jump-start its manufacturing presence in the high growth soft drink markets of Eastern Europe and Siberia with the acquisition of local group Sobol.

Danone cautioned over UK Actimel adverts

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has told French dairy giant Danone to remove or alter a "misleading" probiotic yoghurt drink TV advert.

Danisco invests in pilot ice cream making technology

Danisco has invested in pilot low temperature extrusion technology to produce high-quality, low-fat ice-cream, to enable testing of ingredients using the same systems as its customers use.

Weekly comment

Allergen-free: time for clarity

Claiming 'free from' is not a light statement to make. Lives depend on it. As scientific progress questions the validity of such claims, it is time to establish exact guidelines and communicate these to people for whom ingredients are a matter of life and death.

Healthy confectionery to drive billion dollar market growth

A new report predicts that healthier eating patterns and strong economic growth, in both developing and developed markets, will boost global confectionery sales to $159.6bn by 2010.

Study shows Europe to be largest global market for dairy

Europe is the largest market for dairy products worldwide with an estimated 42 per cent of the worldwide market in 2007, though it will become increasingly reliant on innovation in the industry to meet further growth, according to a new report.

Finsbury Food revenue soars by giving customers what they want

In these uncertain times for the bakery business the Finsbury Food Group's profits have soared by giving people what they want, says Chief Executive Dave Brooks.

Arla's emissions pledge reflects dairy eco concerns

Arla Foods say it will aim to cut 25 per cent of its current green house gas (GHG) emissions from its entire production and distribution cycle by 2020, in line with revised global targets on industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) output.

European health group calls for 'rational' alcohol taxing

All EU governments should consider following the UK in increasing tax on alcoholic beverages, though on the basis of charging alcohol content rather than product definition, according to a senior member of a European alcohol policy forum.

French supermarket withdraws confectionery from checkouts

French supermarket Leclerc has announced that it plans to withdraw thirteen makes of confectionery from counters near the checkouts, in a move aimed at tackling the growing problem of child obesity.

Acquisitions sweeten Glisten profit

Confectionery and snack manufacturer Glisten yesterday posted record profit for the first half of the year, attributed by the company to successful acquisitions in the UK market.

Greggs year of change withstands price hikes

UK bakery chain Greggs climbed back after a disappointing performance in 2006 with its three-year plan helping it offset the impact of rising raw material and energy costs.

Heineken and Diageo extend Africa team-up plans

Diageo and Heineken are to expand their cooperation within the South African market to tap into growing demand for premium beers, ciders and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages.

Nestle Waters braces for environmental battle

Nestle Waters has this week announced a £3m (€3.9m) investment for marketing for its local UK-based bottled brands during 2008, as it moves to win hearts and minds against increasing environmental criticism of the product.

Carlsberg not expecting delay in Heineken competition review

Carlsberg says it does not expect any delays in obtaining full regulatory support for its planned joint purchase of brewer Scottish & Newcastle (S&N), despite an on-going review of its purchase partner Heineken by the EU competition body.

Cadbury sets date for drinks demerger

Cadbury today set a timetable for the planned demerger of its beverage arm, with the process expected to be completed by 7 May this year.

Weekly comment

Warning signs: reconsidering shock tactics

Here's a possible new marketing angle for food and beverage manufacturers: "Food can kill".

Ingredients and nutritionals drive Glanbia growth

Glanbia profited from higher dairy prices in 2007 to report a year of impressive growth, with the impact particularly shining through in its value-added ingredients and nutritional premix activities.

Soft drink group calls for smoothie/juice tax cut

The British soft drink industry has today called on the country's government to cut Value Added Tax (VAT) on fruit juices in order to entice more consumers to their potential health benefits.

Switzerland chosen as new EU Cadbury base

Global confectionery firm Cadbury has created a new European headquarters in Switzerland, as part of the company's attempts to consolidate its operations within the bloc, local news reports have stated.

Eastern European dairy outgrowing Western rivals

The Eastern European dairy industry is expected to grow at a faster rate than rival markets in the US and Western Europe over the next few years, on the back of increasing consumer spending and product innovation, according to a new report.

Unilever invests in emulsions R&D

Unilever has invested around €3m in its R&D capabilities for structured emulsions to allow it to tap the healthy foods trend and reduce reliance on commodity ingredients.

Danisco to split or sell sugar division this year

Danisco is bringing forward plans to spin-off or sell-off its sugar operations to the end of this year due to a better outlook for the European sugar industry.

Heineken bites into Transylvanian beer market

Heineken says it hopes to consolidate its position within the high growth Romanian beer and mineral water market by acquiring Transylvania-based brewer Bere Mures for an as yet undisclosed fee.

Cloetta Fazer changes controversial packaging

Nordic confectioner Cloetta Fazer has changed the wrapping on its liquorice, following criticism that the caricature of a black person perpetuates a negative racial stereotype.

UK shoppers turn to higher welfare chicken, report

UK consumers appear to be increasingly buying chicken meat from producers employing higher animal welfare standards, according to a new survey.

Premier combats commodity costs with dividend cut

UK-based Premier Foods today confirmed it will cut its annual shareholder payout in half, as the rising price of wheat and other commodities continue to dog the bakery firm.

Weekly comment

The great food price smash-and-grab

While the world's media is bemoaning rising food prices, the French government is sniffing around the food industry for signs of gleeful profiteering. If it is right, the long-term losses of the nouveau cher will be far greater than the handful of centimes gained.