Although sales channels for organic foods continue to broaden, the
European market is still dominated by fruit and vegetables. But it
is increased shelf space for organic exotic and tropical fruits
that is expected to provide the...
Swiss-based global fragrance and flavours giant Givaudan says that
a down-turn in its performance for the first six months of the year
was buouyed by a stronger showing from it international fragrance
operations.
The latest survey of the global private label market reveals a €100
billion industry that is increasingly seen as a sign of good
quality, good value food products. But it is Europe, and in
particular the UK, where acceptance and the...
A survey of European consumers about peanuts sourced from across
the globe reveals a distinct preference for the quality and flavour
of US-produced nuts.
Parmalat has sued banks JPMorgan Chase and Unicredito Italiano for
€4.4 billion for their roles in the sale of Parmalat bonds issued
from 1997 through 2001.
Degussa has blamed raw material cost increases for
lower-than-expected earnings in the second-quarter, despite
claiming that the business has"performed satisfactorily".
British confectionery and soft drinks giant Cadbury Schweppes may
be turning its focus to the confectionery market, if recent
speculation on a decision to sell its European soft drinks business
is fulfilled.
Leatherhead Food International is offering a one-stop shop in
analytical service including genetically modified organisms, thanks
to a strategic collaboration with Genetic ID.
Vietnamese rice exports could soon increase as higher than expected
yields allow the government to lift its export restriction,
according to an Asia Pulse report.
Nutritional oils maker Martek Biosciences has held off another
challenge to the intellectual property on its key product, the
omega-3 fatty acid DHA, although it is still locked up in further
court cases to protect patent rights.
PAI's acquisition of Chr Hansen's ingredients business was finally
closed last week, establishing Chr Hansen Holding - and thus the
Chr. Hansen Group - as a purely pharmaceutical company.
Soy protein giant Solae is building a manufacturing facility in
China in order to tap into the country's huge potential as a major
consumer of soy protein.
Australia's food regulator, one of the toughest on fortification,
looks set to open up the market for calcium and vitamin-enriched
cereal beverages, and is also looking at sterols in juices,
writes Dominique Patton.
The UK's consumer watchdog has found that the country's major
supermarkets are observing an industry code of practice but that
suppliers are not making use of it.
The WTO has declined to endorse the EU's tariff level of 230
EUR/tonne for banana imports, forcing the Commission to initiate a
new consultation process, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Raisio's Benecol products are emerging as the major driver of
profits at the firm, following many years as a loss-making
activity, reports Dominique Patton.
Kraft Foods Global has extended its collaborative research
programme with Senomyx on novel flavour modifiers for a further two
years, underlining the flavour technology firm's success in working
with the biggest food manufacturers.
Whether it is a pork pie from Melton Mowbray or olive oil from
Nimes, every Tom, Denis and Haemon seems to believe their local
food deserves the EU's protection from big, bad corporations.
AB Enzymes will launch a new product to replace potassium bromate
in time to cash in on an increased Asian demand for substitutes,
after the substance was banned in China early this month.
In a bid to meet the skill shortage in the food and drink industry
the UK has set up a system to provide employers with an accredited
system for checking the qualifications of potential employees.
Although Russia's food retail market is set to become the largest
on the continent, it will be a tough market for western European
food processors to crack.
Europeans in 39 countries spent a combined total of €1,363bn on
food and groceries in 2004, with Germany as the largest market, to
be overtaken by Russia in 2020, according to IGD Services.
Tate & Lyle has vowed to continue to pursue its ambitious
expansion plans despite warnings that proposed changes to the sugar
regime could begin to affect business as soon as 2007, writes
Anthony Fletcher.
Half the world's consumers understand the nutritional labels on
food packaging only 'in part', although two in 10 'always' check
grocery labels, according to a new study from ACNielsen.
The €3.77 billion European proteins industry must overcome consumer
health concerns if it is to capitalise on opportunities presented
by new functional products, claims a new report.
Novis seeks a bright, driven food scientist for a reporter's post
in southern France. The main mission is to deepen coverage of
scientific breakthroughs in food techniques and nutritional
understanding on flagship websites, FoodNavigator.com...
Five months after the illegal red colour Sudan 1 sparked the
biggest food product recall in the UK's history, the country's food
agency detects the colour in a batch of curry powders, reports
Lindsey Partos.
With the rise in organic processed food comes a leap in demand for
organic ingredients, but is it still early days for local
ingredients sourcing, asks Lindsey Partos.
Growth areas for the polyol sweetener xylitol highlighted, as
leading ingredients firm Danisco claims new health guidelines
recommend xylitol to prevent dental caries, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Number one food enzyme supplier Novozymes likely to move production
to the US and China as a result of the new EU sugar reform, the
daily Berlingske Tidende reports.
It looks likely that Somerfield might be forced by the UK's
competition regulator to sell 14 of the 100 former Safeway stores
it purchased from Wm Morrison, a move that might provide a modicum
of relief to food processors under...
Suppliers to Carrefour will continue to be limited on what they can
charge for their products as the world's second largest retailer
fights to boost flagging sales across most of Europe.
High quality ingredients are the single most important factor in
making a product premium, concludes a new report from UK market
analysts IGD, writes Lindsey Partos.
French food and drink giant, Groupe Danone, has acknowledged US
PepsiCo's denial of takeover plans, as the French government
threatens to do everything in its power to stop such a bid from
ever taking place, writes Claire Johnston.
British food group RHM last week announced it will launch a
crustless bread under its Hovis brand, targeted at young children
who only like the soft part of a loaf.
One cannot envy the chief executive faced with a scientific study
that casts doubt over the efficacy or safety of his core product.
But avoiding a sales slump, media vilification and even charges of
fraud means squaring up to such...
Job losses at the sweetener operations of ambitious ingredients
firm Cargill are imminent as the largest private firm in the US
appears to feel the squeeze of "market conditions".
If food manufacturers can achieve a better understanding of how
consumers interact with brands, then product development could be
less of a hit-and-miss affair, writes Anthony Fletcher in New
Orleans.
Global supplies for the hydrocolloid gum arabic could creep up as
Lagos announces plans to sow 500 million seeds to produce the
popular confectionery ingredient, writes Lindsey Partos.
Bottled water sales are booming in Britain thanks to a new
generation of consumers who see the sector as more than glorified
tap water and better for their health and well-being than fizzy
drinks, reports Chris Mercer.
