American-owned Asda has again held the number two spot in Britain's
top retailer chart by a whisker, but looks certain to pass the
mantle to Sainsbury's over the next quarter.
Europe's largest infant nutrition firm Royal Numico has announced a
record 43.5 per cent profit rise, boosted by acquisitions in Asian
and Southern European markets.
Metro Group's domestic first-quarter sales have fallen 3.8 per cent
in the difficult retail sector, while increased international
earnings continue to prop up overall performance.
BASF's fine chemicals division is bolstered by higher sales volume
of aroma chemicals and vitamins A and E for animal nutrition, but
the pressure over vitamin C and lysine has not abated, dragging
down the division's profitability.
A plan to increase biofuel production could lead to an increase in
prices for agricultural ingredients, in particular rapeseed, the
bloc's food industry association warns in a position paper.
A new European Court of Justice ruling should provide Bank of
America with a degree of comfort over its recent travails with
Italian dairy giant Parmalat.
The Slovak government has launched criminal proceedings against
Tesco over allegations the retailer sold out-of-date meat products
in Central and Eastern European (CEE) stores.
Mergers and acquisitions in Europe's food sector bounced back last
year, boosted by increased activity at the top end of the market
and the growing influence of ethical sourcing, according to
PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Icelandic manufacturer Bakkavor has purchased two British food
producers in as many days, securing its position as the UK's
largest chilled foods supplier.
Flavours and plant extracts firm Frutarom is investing in clinical
trials in South Korea to tap into the strong growth of functional
food and beverages in this market.
Cargill's finalised acquisition of a major Thai tapioca flour
business in Thailand underlines its commitment to establishing a
globalised ingredient-sourcing network.
Europe's largest retailer Carrefour has chosen a buyer for its
South Korean operations, whilst in Slovakia fresh controversy
surrounding a Tesco store-swap may jeopardise its expansion plans.
British consumer watchdog Which? has branded the new junk food
advertising ban a "sham", saying broadcasting regulator Ofcom
wasted its opportunity to veto food industry commercials that
target young children.
French supermarket Casino has announced a 17 per cent rise in
first-quarter sales, as domestic performance improves and
international sales smash records.
It is unrealistic to expect the European Union to make more big
concessions at the upcoming World Trade Organisation talks, argues
the European Dairy Association against critics of Europe's stance.
Firmenich is unveiling the first innovation to come out of its
newly formed nutrition and health unit - Duralife Omega 3, which
uses microencapsulation technology to overcome stability issues of
working with the healthful ingredient.
The UK food and drink industry has welcomed the publication of
Defra's Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS), which sets
out proposals on how the food industry can tackle some serious
challenges ahead.
Groupe Danone's growing interest in the Algerian dairy market
underlines the importance of the North African / Middle East region
to European milk processors.
The distribution of rice, the main staple of more than half the
world's population, will be the focus of debate at the upcoming
International Rice Commission meeting in Peru.
Sustainable development will steadily advance over the next 10
years according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers report - an issue
that the food industry must positively address.
Dutch supermarket Laurus has reported a 3.6 per cent drop in
like-for-like sales for the first quarter, but insists the company
is set for recovery this year.
Britain's largest retailer has once again beaten analyst
expectations, hitting a new sales record of £41.8bn. But as it
unveils plans for greener technologies, environmental campaigners
fail to back the strategy.
Swiss food giant Nestlé has announced a first-quarter sales rise of
14.1 per cent to CHF22.8bn (€14.5bn), beating analyst expectations
and reconfirming its full-year target of a five to six per cent
growth rate.
Sugar giant Sudzucker must work hard to guard against falling
revenue this year despite internal restructuring programmes and
expansion into other food sectors, warn analysts.
Iconic chocolate and snacks brand Hershey has announced
disappointing sales figures, but posted a seven per cent rise in
quarterly profit as the company works on product innovation and
cost minimisation.
Tyson Foods revealed Wednesday that plummeting demand for beef and
chicken has impacted sales, as international BSE, arsenic and avian
flu scares dent consumer confidence.
Number one dairy producer Danone has recorded strong results for
the first quarter of 2006, bolstered by a focused leadership and
continuing record sales in Asia.
Malaysian palm oil prices are expected to edge up by 2-5 per cent
in the near future on the back of growing demand in Europe for
alternative fuels, suggests a report.
Swiss biotech giant Syngenta has attributed a fall in reported
first quarter sales of 5 per cent, or 1 per cent in constant
exhange rates (CER), to a strengthening of the dollar.
Kraft Foods has recorded stable first quarter results, masking
falling operating income with a favourable tax settlement and
raising prices to combat spiralling production costs.
Leading manufacturer Heinz, which put its frozen foods business up
for sale last autumn, may have found a buyer for the vegetarian
frozen food range McCartney's.
Associated British Foods (ABF), owner of British Sugar, has
reported a first-half profit fall of 13 per cent and warned that
earnings would likely be affected by continued difficulties in the
sugar sector.
Bharti Enterprises is in talks with several international
supermarkets interested in arranging Indian partnerships to get
around restrictive branded retail laws.
On the other side of the debate, environmental activists remain
committed to ensuring that Europe's food supply remains GM free
even if that means breaking the law.
Following talks between Britain's GMB workers' union and Asda
bosses yesterday, a union ballot to decide on strike action over
working conditions has been called off.
Weak and stagnating prices for food, agricultural raw materials and
manufactured goods in 2005 could mean further bad news for
exporters this year, according to a World Trade Organisation
report.
Importing new foods and beverages into China could be speeded up by
this month's changes to the registration system but importers say
the new procedure raises fresh concerns of its own.
Scottish and Newcastle has taken over the Foster's lager brand in
Europe, Turkey and the Russian Federation, after years of producing
the amber nectar in these regions under licence for the Australian
Foster's Group.
Various quality assurance schemes used in the food industry should
remain voluntary, the bloc's food industry association says in
attempting to forestall planned EU legislation on the subject.
US food giant Heinz has announced plans to shed more brands over
the next 12 months, as the firm continues to concentrate on key
lines and boost falling profits.
UK department store and grocer Marks & Spencer has posted a
sales rise of 3.4 per cent for the year to April 1, supported by a
seven per cent growth in food sales as a yearlong supermarket
makeover pays off.