The EU's wine-producing countries, including Hungary and Slovenia,
this week torpedoed discussions to raise the minimum excise duty on
all alcoholic drinks, fearing a domestic backlash from vintners,
reports Chris Mercer.
Russian dairy firm Wimm-Bill-Dann believes consumers are ready to
pay higher prices for quality and 'healthy' products. The firm
explains to Angela Drujinina why it has chosen to source
ingredients from abroad to satisfy...
British retailer Tesco, which this week became the first UK
supermarket to break the £2 billion profit barrier, plans to build
on a strong performance across Eastern Europe by adding more than
30 stores in the region this year, increasing...
Oil ingredient supplier Archer Daniels Midland said on Wednesday it
will close operations at a Brazilian soybean crushing, refining and
bottling plant.
Indulgence, and convenience mark a recent round up of new product
designs for the frozen food aisles facing tough price competition,
reports Lindsey Partos.
In a €197.5 million deal food and pharma group DSM sheds low growth
bakery ingredients operations to private equity firm Gilde, freeing
up the Dutch firm to increase its focus, and opportunities, on high
margin, health promoting ingredients,...
Reflecting ongoing pressure on food makers to slice the salt out of
their food formulations, breakfast cereals leader Kellogg has
launched a new version of its flagship corn flake product with 25
per cent less salt.
Tesco has become the first British supermarket to break the £2
billion profit barrier, leaving its rivals for dust and forcing it
to look outside the UK for extra growth opportunities - yet rising
costs may make the coming year more...
Dutch bakery ingredients leader CSM continues to shed activities in
non-core countries, selling off its Swedish subsidiary BakeMark
Sweden to private equity group Accent, Lindsey Partos
reports.
Givaudan, the world's number one fragrance and flavour player, saw
its flavour sales slip by 6.5 per cent for the first quarter, yet
the group reported strong growth across Eastern Europe and Russia,
reinforcing the growing importance...
Danish ingredients giant Chr Hansen, currently on its 'magical
sensory tour' across Eastern Europe, has unveiled new products in
Russia to inspire local manufacturers, Angela Drujinina
reports.
In a new brand partnership tie-up, UK ingredients firm Tate &
Lyle hunts for growth in the competitive breakfast market raising
brand awareness for a new product that contains the company's
flagship golden syrup, reports...
A fresh round of price cuts from the two biggest UK food retailers
increases the pressure on suppliers' margins and intensifies
competition between own-label and branded producers, forcing them
to find new ways to adapt, writes...
Danish brewer Bryggerigruppen has signed a deal to give it two new
breweries with strong local brands, while Russian food scientists
have designed a bread recipe that can be stored for three years and
Dutch retailer Ahold has sold...
Convenience and indulgence in the breakfast market set to bring
gains to ingredients suppliers and their customers: our round up of
new product designs shows how industry is reacting to this
potential market, writes Lindsey Partos.
Givaudan, the world's number one fragrance and flavour player, saw
sales in its flavour division slipping by 6.5 per cent for the
first quarter, impacted by a loss of products and a fall in prices,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Prices for cereals still vulnerable to upside risk in 2005/06 as
world crop predictions suggest supplies could fail to meet demand,
resulting in a drawdown of already vulnerable global stocks,
reports Lindsey Partos.
Japanese amino acid leader Ajinomoto ramps up production of flavour
seasonings for the double-digit Thai market, opening up a new
€200,000 facility with a production capacity of 34,000 tons per
year, writes Lindsey Partos.
The Wissotzky Tea company is to return to a lucrative Russian
market after an 80-year absence, yet import duties may prevent the
firm making headway without a domestic factory, reports Angela
Drujinina.
An ambitious transport project set to provide a high-speed goods
link across Eastern Europe later this year will form the backbone
of the EU's transport integration plan, making the region a more
attractive base for food producers...
Grain overproduction across Eastern Europe has brought down prices
and still threatens to disrupt European markets after the first
round of EU intervention bargaining brings little relief for the
Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland,...
ICI subsidiary National Starch is the latest ingredients firm to
drive into the soaring Chinese food market, unveiling a new
technical centre adjacent to its recently opened production plant,
writes Lindsey Partos.
Iconic soft drinks firm Coca-Cola, hit by slowing sales of its
trademark fizzy cola, is set to buy up a leading fruit juice
producer in Russia, handing the firm key access to an important
emerging market, reports Chris Mercer.
High taxes on raw materials and soaring energy costs are severely
hampering progress in Russia's ice cream industry, according to one
industry body which is campaigning for government intervention. Yet
consolidation and tighter...
French hydrocolloid supplier Colloides Naturels International (CNI)
extends acacia gum line launching second generation of its
stabiliser for flavour and beverage emulsions, reports Lindsey
Partos.
NutraSweet has decided to restart a factory line in Georgia that
has been inactive since 2003 to increase production of the
sweetener aspartame, reports Philippa Nuttall.
DSM, the largest fermentation company in the world, sheds its HVP
business to industry conglomerate Oterap Holding in a bid to focus
on core activities, writes Lindsey Partos.
A strong network consolidated over 100 years will continue to
secure supplies to the food and beverage industry for the popular
ingredient gum arabic, says German supplier Alfred L. Wolff,
reports Lindsey Partos.
Russian dairy group Wimm-Bill-Dann has used price increases and
more premium products to reverse an early drop in profits last
year, but an array of rising costs look likely to continue
pressuring the firm in 2005 making higher margin...
Russian sauce specialist Baltimor has used its modernised
production lines to create a range of added value products based on
well-known flavours, as more domestic firms improve quality to
tackle foreign competition, reports Angela...
National Starch celebrated official recognition of its Truetrace,
non-GMO program this week, but warned it will become more costly to
ensure non-contamination in the future, Philippa Nuttall
reports.
The sale of Danish cocoa butter replacer Aarhus United is 'taking
longer than anticipated' with news today that the majority
stakeholder is still waiting to confirm a buyer, Lindsey Partos
reports.
Spearing opportunities in the emerging Russian oil market, US
edible oils giant Bunge has signed off €54 million to build its
first sunflower seed crushing and refining plant in Russia,
writes Lindsey Partos.
A perceived lack of standards and an unrealistic understanding of
cost implications are still hindering the adoption of RFID
technology amongst many UK organisations, according to a panel of
experts speaking at this month's Softworld...
A harbinger of potential costs for the food industry, UK members of
parliament have called for a 'speedy' investigation into events
that led to the contamination of the food chain by the carcinogenic
dye sudan 1, writes...
A new method that uses powerful enzymes to convert fructose and
sucrose into the low calorie sugar alcohol mannitol receives patent
protection, opening up cheaper sources for this chewing gum
ingredient, reports Lindsey Partos.
Food makers sourcing organic ingredients from the West are
gradually turning to China as the ambitious country makes strides
in organic production, reports Lindsey Partos.
Romanian luxury products and beer producers say their survival is
threatened by the increase of the production and utilities excises
in the build up to the country's new Fiscal Code, yet analysts
believe consumer price rises...
Russia draws the wrath of the dairy exporting community, after
imposing a duty hike of more than 100 per cent on hard cheese
imports, Tom Armitage reports.
A shortage of fresh retail space and growing environmental concern
in Russia present opportunities for innovative food storage and
display unit suppliers, as Italian firm Arneg has shown, reports
Angela Drujinina and Chris Mercer.
Tate and Lyle said today that overall trading had continued to be
strong during the last three months boosted by demand for its high
intensity sweetener Splenda.
Ocean Spray said yesterday that it had chosen a Brit to help give
the company a healthier profile, appointing Geoffrey Woolford as
vice president of research and development.
With largeness comes a greater exposure to risk and wineries are no
exception: aiming to help producers achieve greater consistency,
Danish ingredients firm Chr Hansen has created blended yeasts,
writes Philippa Nuttall.
Bravo Premium, the Russian drinks group, is celebrating the success
of its Milano brand, which it claims is the first pre-mixed
alcoholic drink on the Russian market to be created specifically
for women, reports Angela Drujinina.
A bumper harvest across Eastern Europe has forced the European
Commission to intervene, buying up and moving large amounts of
surplus stocks to prevent Europe-wide market disturbance,
reports Chris Mercer.
The Russian company Soyuzsnab recently presented a new stabiliser
to buyers at the Ice Cream and Frozen Food exhibition in Moscow
following a licensing agreement wth the product's creator,
Swissgum. But another Russian firm,...