Food and beverage manufacturers are driving sustainability in the supply chain, says an Oxfam specialist, but they face more risks in catering to demand for ethically-produced products than retailers.
Symrise has acquired fragrance and flavours maker Futura Labs to tap into opportunities in the fast growing regions of North Africa and the Middle East.
Innovation can differentiate, generate new markets and create value in a competitive marketplace but to clinch the sale the consumer must clearly understand the benefits of a new product design
Climate change dominates the CSR agenda but new USDA figures on food insecurity are a sharp reminder that alleviating poverty and hunger should always be the top priority.
France's food safety agency Afssa has concluded that no scientific 'hypothesis' put forward could explain the phenomenon of the metallic taste signalled by consumers in France after eating pine nuts.
Food and drink makers in Europe can expect little change from last year's fallen Christmas figures but food spending could suffer less than other consumer goods, predicts a report from Deloitte.
Organic products sold at France's big retailers can cost up to 72 per cent more than their non-organic equivalent, finds fresh research that brings the price-organic debate into sharp focus.
Opportunities for low-sugar formulations could potentially reside in France with a new study showing eight out of ten French people consume a reduced sugar product at least once a week.
Fortitech Europe said it has teamed up with distributor, KUK, to develop fortification opportunities with food and beverage manufacturers in Russia and Eastern Europe.
Consumer watchdog Which? is campaigning for strict rules on the sugar, salt and fat content in foods that appear to be healthy, following a study of foods commonly put in kids’ lunchboxes.
The new ADIs for three of the colours included in the Southampton study may mean restrictions on levels or the range of foods they are used in, says the UK’s FSA. Campaigners, meanwhile, are still calling for an outright ban.
Chocolate maker Barry Callebaut has reported increased profits and sales volumes for the full 2008/09 fiscal year, despite shrinking global chocolate consumption.
The European Commission has set a one-month deadline to rule on the possible hostile takeover of Cadbury by US food giant Kraft, the EU competition regulator said on Wednesday.
A new study of pasta sauces has drawn attention to huge differences in salt levels per portion between products, and big gaps in information given on the labels.
An initiative to improve the agricultural, environmental and social aspects of sourcing cocoa from West Africa achieved has achieved a milestone, as the first beans have arrived in Europe for processing.
Even if Kraft intends to increase its bid for Cadbury, its latest offer has probably managed to upset both the board and shareholders, says Andrew Wood, senior research analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein.
BASF is building the use of its nature identical lycopene by introducing a new cold-water dispersible version for use in beverages and food applications.
Rousselot has reorganised its gelatine offering to better illustrate the functionality of different forms of the ingredient and how they can be used to reformulate products along healthier lines.
Hydrosol has developed two new series of stabiliser solution for use in fermented dairy products, as starch is falling out of favour and clean labels are the order of the day.
Tate & Lyle has seen a new surge in sucralose sales in the last 6 months thanks to customers restocking after running down amassed supplies; and stocks at the mothballed US site are expected to run down by the year’s end.
Taura Natural Ingredients is introducing a new line of tiny fruit pieces, opening up new possibilities for moulded chocolates and biscuits to boast real fruit content.
Danisco has developed a new range of xanthan gum for use in specific applications, tipped to increase efficiency and allow for lower levels to be used.
Chr Hansen’s refocus on bioscience over the last four years, and a pipeline of new products, has yielded yet another year of growth in both sales and profits that defies the economic downturn.
A resource map outlining where and how much meat and fish – as well as it associated packaging – is wasted in the supply chain is to be developed in a bid to cut all three and save cash for industry players.
Specialist food colouring company DD Williamson has developed a natural acid-stable burnt sugar flavour, which it says responds to demand for clean-label flavours in beverages and sauces.
Barry Callebaut has signed an agreement to acquire Spain’s Chocovic, in a deal that will give the chocolate giant its first manufacturing plant in Spain.
ABF Ingredients is taking advantage of high demand in enzymes and yeast, with new capacity coming on board this year or next. But for the last year, growth was driven largely by currency benefits.
Arla Foods Ingredients has announced a new three-step hands-on programme for working with food manufacturers on product development, from conception to large-scale trials and commercialisation.
Plans to help the smoothing the European food supply chain function more efficiently do not go far enough in addressing unfair practices, says the CIAA, and initiatives should be fully integrated with other efforts to boost competitiveness.
Arla Food Ingredients has opened a new application centre in Aarhus, Denmark, consolidating its R&D facilities as part of its plan to double milk protein sales by 2013.
The management of NIZO Food Research has reached an agreement with the NIZO foundation to buy out 100 per cent of the shares in the research company, bringing to an end over 60 years of connection to the dairy industry.
The price of staple foods in the UK could soar to four and a half times above inflation by 2030 unless developed countries slash their greenhouse gas emissions, warns a new report from Friends of the Earth.
Formulating açai products with extracts from rooibus tea may enhance the colour and improve the stability of açai’s healthy components, suggests a new study from Texas.
Many manufacturers and retailers are not using sustainable palm oil as much as they should to stimulate supply and lead to long-term environmental benefits, says a damning report from the WWF.
Novozymes has reported a better than forecast profit in the third quarter of 2009, on the back of higher sales volumes and better productivity – although sales of food enzymes have fallen.
Many Australian consumers are aware of the risk of high blood pressure due to excess salt intake, but a new study indicates that many have trouble interpreting labelling info that lists sodium, rather than salt.
New food packaging can double or, in some cases, even triple the shelf life of certain foods for up to 24 months compared with conventional packaging, claims its manufacturer Superfos.
Nestle and Marks & Spencer have this week made new pledges about their use of sustainable palm oil, with both ramping up to using only certified oil in products by 2015.
Tate & Lyle has reached an agreement to sell its minority stake in sugar refineries in Saudi Arabia and Egypt to Saudi-based sugar refiner Savola, the companies have said.
Meat and dairy substitutes could play a major role in cutting global emissions and present opportunities to food companies – but they need marketing investment to attract consumers, says a World Watch report.
UK consumers are likely to become more interested in purchasing ethically produced foods as the country emerges from recession, according to research from IGD.