Innovation must be a priority for microencapsulation and food
ingredients companies to meet the challenges in today's competitive
market, says a new study.
The Forum of Private Businesses (FPB) has condemned government
plans to introduce the "Tesco law", which would allow UK
supermarkets to offer legal services.
A next-generation enzyme solution that increases mozzarella yields
for dairy firms is the first major launch to emerge from
ground-breaking collaboration between top ingredients firms Chr
Hansen and Novozymes.
A lift in consumer demand persuades food makers to cut the salt in
their formulations, but ongoing research is essential to keep up
the pace of change, says Irish food authority.
Natural flavours firm Wild taps into growing demand for processed
foods in Middle East and India, breaking ground on its first Middle
Eastern manufacturing plant to improve one-stop supply service to
the region.
Morrisons, Britain's fourth largest retailer, today posted a £73.7
million pre-tax loss for the first half of the year after failing
to take control of its massive Safeway acquisition.
Recent media hype surrounding avian flu - and news that the deadly
virus has spread to Romania and Greece - is sure to have a knock-on
effect for British retailers who are struggling to keep a brave
face.
In a bid that could help food processors pick the best marketable
package for their products, European associations have launched a
consumer study to find out their concerns.
The market for salt-reduced food formulations set to rise in
Ireland as government and scientists launch campaign to slice the
salt from consumer diets.
A 40 per cent increase in marketing funds should help French wine
makers tackle falling sales in the UK and combat the very real
threat from New World wines.
Leading pectin and xanthan gum supplier CP Kelco becomes the latest
hydrocolloid firm to pass costs onto the market, announcing price
rises across its biogum, carrageenan and cellulose gum range.
A tutti-frutti-flavoured cheese culture will be launched by leading
ingredients firm Danisco as flavour becomes increasingly important
for dairy firms looking to add value to their products.
Rising disposable incomes fuel strong double digit growth for
processed food sales in India, creating new opportunities for
international flavour houses ready to make the shift to Asia.
Dairy players must beware of misleading nutrition claims as the
UK's advertising watchdog upholds a complaint against Nestle
propelled by the country's vegan society.
Ingredients firm Wild has devised a new solution for fizzy soft
drinks with up to 40 per cent less sugar and no artificial
sweeteners, offering more opportunities in low-calorie soft drinks.
Independent High Street shops could be eradicated by 2015 unless
leading supermarkets limit their expansion into the convenience
sector, according to the Forum for Private Businesses (FPB).
Asda Wal-Mart's treatment of workers has been condemned by unions
and charities, who claim that the international retailer has drawn
up a "chip away strategy" aimed at reducing costs and increasing
productivity.
PricewaterhouseCoopers' (PWC) asserts that retailers cannot afford
to ignore emerging Eastern European markets - but warns that only
the most exploratory and adaptable food retailers will succeed.
Metro Group's innovative radio chip technology has the potential to
changethe face of food retail - but only if major retailers and
suppliers caneffectively work together to homogenise current
labelling standards.
The Californian attorney who sued both Kraft and McDonald's over
trans-fats tells FoodNavigator-USA.com how he forced the
issue onto the front pages, and what his next plan of action is.
The EU's CAP reforms continue to force changes on Europe's dairy
firms as Arla Foods announced it will close a Danish milk powder
plant that is no longer vital for production.
Harrods is set to open a late-night gourmet food and drink outlet
opposite their flagship Knightsbridge store to tap into the booming
convenience food sector.
Rewe, Europe's fourth biggest retailer, plans to invest around €220
million into Bulgaria over the next three to five years as entry
into the Eastern European market eases.
The aesthetic demands of food retailers is leading to the mass
standardisation of fruit and vegetable produce sold in supermarkets
and causing obscene amounts of food waste, according to a UK
pressure group.
Private equity sets its sights on the food industry once again,
with France's Activa Capital injecting equity between €5 and €10
million in organic food firm Pro Natura.
UK sweetener supplier Tate & Lyle announces it will host a
series of presentations to American investors over the coming days,
news that sees the firm's shares jump.
The crusade to end world hunger has been a bitter failure. But with
the world set to sweep away a crooked food trading system, there is
a chance to get it right - if only we could revive the FAO from
dormancy.
Freshly created AarhusKarlshamn, a merger between former vegetable
fats competitors Aarhus and Karlshmans, completes the building
blocks of its new structure.
Cargill intends to ramp up production of Vistive, a low-linolenic
soybean-based oil, following growing interest in the food industry
over trans-fat reduced products.
Energy costs and European supply issues herald price increases for
the popular beverage ingredient citric acid, with major
manufacturer Jungbunzlauer announcing a price hike for citric acid
and trisodium citrate.
International coffee roaster Douwe Egberts is set to follow
Nestlé's lead by launching an ethical coffee brand in the UK in
order to tap into the country's lucrative ethical consumer trend.
Soy ingredients supplier Solae is the latest firm to be hit by
soaring costs for natural gas as the company announces price
increases for its line of soy lecithin products.
Nestlé, the world's largest direct coffee buyer, will launch its
first certified fair trade brand across the UK this month as
consumers place ever more importance on ethical shopping.
Raw material costs start to bite as alginate supplier International
Specialty announces price rises on all its alginates-based products
from 1 November this year.
Major food grade carrageenan supplier FMC BioPolymer passes
spiralling energy prices onto the market, announcing a price hike
for its pharmaceutical and food brand products by 5 to 10 per cent.
The EU fines for member states exceeding their milk production
quotas highlight a problem in the system, but there are more
pressing issues for now, says the director general of Dairy UK to
DairyReporter.com
The UK branch of dairy processor and ingredients supplier Arla
Foods told investors yesterday that it is still on track to reach
revised profit targets for the year, boosted by its brands
performing well.
Fiber sells if intake is linked to benefits such as energy
management, weight management and digestive health in popular foods
such as bread, cereal and pasta, claims a new report.
