Brussels will fight to appeal against a new decision by the World
Trade Organisation that rules the EU illegally subsidises exports
of sugar, ruling in favour of a legal challenge by Australia,
Thailand and Brazil, the world's...
Czech shoppers are refusing to pay inflated prices for organic food
- something which may burst the bubble of the country's booming
organic farming industry, unless a sharp increase in government
subsidies can turn the situation...
For decades, Moldova has been the biggest exporter of wine to the
Russian market, dominating the market with a share as high as 70
per cent. But the arrival of more sophisticated wines from
countries such as Australia, Argentina or...
Slovenia's wine makers, buoyed by the news of EU funding for their
vineyards, face a long struggle if they are to conquer foreign
markets and compete effectively against the titans of the world
wine business - but one man is...
Vodka is more than just another drink to most Russians - it is a
way of life, an embodiment of the national sprit. But such a
fanatical following also has a downside, with per capita
consumption at the very limit of acceptable norms...
Bread has been highlighted as the biggest single source of excess
salt intake in Ireland, according to the country's Food Safety
Authority, which is now stepping up the pressure on Irish bakers to
act, reports Chris Mercer.
UK bakery ingredients firm Bakemark UK continues the drive into
value-added products, launching a new addition to its Diamond range
of bread improvers that it claims will slice away costs for bakers
making the 9 million loaves a day...
Food makers encouraged to position self-indulgent products as
rewards rather than functional as premium foods in UK top billon
euro mark showing hectic pace of life continues to drive growth in
the self-indulgent food sector.
UK food watchdog warns this week it will bump up prevention actions
for food pathogens as salmonella cases are on the rise, but
contamination focus on Spanish eggs seems likely.
Wine players are getting bigger and exposing their businesses to
greater risk as consolidation in the industry continues and to
ensure quality remains constant, Danish ingredients firm Chr Hansen
claims to offer the solution through...
Soy products firm Solbar Industries is to set up a new company
specialized in sugar analysis, which will market its technology for
use by manufacturers of dairy products, protein-rich foods and
probiotic products.
Risk assessment and market predictions translate into new pectin
opportunities for Danisco that will break ground on a new pectin
plant in Brazil, to be up and running by 2007, reports Lindsey
Partos.
The battle for market share in the growing zero trans fats oil
marketplace has gathered pace after a small US co-operative joined
the large commercial players by rolling out its first batch of
trans fat-free soybean oil.
Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) has acquired yet
another Polish alcohol distribution company, taking the number of
companies owned by the Florida-based holding to 13. But the company
is now keen to launch its own...
Six of the new EU member states are set to receive more than €20
million in EU funding so that they can improve and expand their
vineyards, helping them to make better quality wine and compete
more effectively in both their home markets...
Breakthroughs in the lab provide food makers with a competitively
priced technology designed by Danish enzyme leader Novozymes to cut
the artery-clogging trans fats out of food products, writes
Lindsey Partos.
The UK's competition watchdog has moved to calm a potential storm
between the government and the food and drink industry after
warning an industry association that new goals for healthier
products could lead to a breach of competition...
Ending months of speculation, the flavours and texturants units at
Degussa, Germany's third largest chemicals group, are up for sale
as the firm looks at selling the food ingredients arm or finding a
partner for its business.
Russia's 2004 wheat harvest will be more than sufficient to meet
both domestic and export demand, but efforts by the government to
invest in improving the quality of the harvest, to boost exports
further, have met with a lukewarm...
It is over a month since the Russian authorities clamped down on
beer adverts, and the impact is already being felt. But there is
worse still to come for Russia's brewers, with the legislators
preparing more rules which will...
This year's Czech harvest has been hailed as the best since 1993,
producing almost nine million tonnes of crops, showing that the
farming industry has recovered well from a poor 2003 and the
disastrous floods of 2002 - just in...
RosSpirtProm, Russia's state-owned alcohol producer, is to be
privatised next year in a two-phase operation expected to garner
interest from a wide range of drinks companies. But with many of
the distilleries within the group...
A rise in global stocks of wheat after a 30-year low will offer
continued relief to the tighter prices experienced by the food
industry in previous years, but the food chain still needs to stay
on the alert.
Identifying the gene responsible for natural defense mechanism in
tomatoes could save costs for tomato producers and ultimately food
processors using this common food ingredient.
A change in attitudes to dairy products is helping to turn around
sales in Australia, according to a survey by the country's dairy
industry association.
Ending months of delays the upper house in Brazil has cleared the
biosafety bill, paving the way for new rules to regulate the
planting and sale of genetically modified (GM) crops in the
country.
Citigroup, the world's largest financial services group, hits back
at the €14 billion debt-ridden Italian dairy group Parmalat,
igniting a legal challenge against the administrators on Friday.
Evidence that the consumer backlash against GMOs is far from dying
down comes as consumer groups consolidate to launch a global effort
to push for a moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
in seeds, crops and foodstuffs.
A drop in the order book for low carb ingredients will impact sales
in the first quarter of 2005 for wheat protein and starch supplier
MGP Ingredients that has up to now enjoyed soaring revenues on the
back of the fad US diet, that...
Number one flavour group Givaudan sees beverage and dairy sales
pulled down in Europe but despite slow-down in flavour operations
sales for the division offset a dip in fragrance for nine months to
September.
Latest research from market analysts Mintel highlights a day in the
life of the global consumer. In the future, British shoppers could
be using curry flavoured toothpaste, feasting on collagen soup,
banana mayonnaise or green tea...
The need of ingredients and equipment suppliers to reach Russian
food manufacturers is becoming increasingly urgent, but in the
absence of established B2B advertising channels, few avenues have
been open. Now a new alliance between...
Romania's entry to the European Union took a tentative step closer
yesterday after the European Commission confirmed that the country,
and neighbours Bulgaria, were on track to join by 2007 -
encouraging news for food producers...
Steep declines in the number of milk cattle in Russia is having
knock-on effect on the country's dairy industry, which is being
forced to import increasing amounts of milk from other, more
expensive sources. But calls for greater...
French dairy giant Lactalis has grabbed immediate supremacy in two
former Soviet countries and paved the way for an expansion of its
own brand products after signing a deal to take over dairy company
FoodMaster International.
Perfetti Van Melle (PVM), the Dutch-Italian confectionery producer,
is to open a new production facility in the Moscow region as it
seeks to exploit market growth and narrow the gap with rival
producers already established there,...
Finnish dairy products company Valio is to acquire Norwegian firm
Synnöve Finden's 42 per cent holding in Estonian cheese producer
Võru Juust, leaving Valio with a 99 per cent stake in Võru Juust.
Dutch brewing giant Heineken has increased its stake in Russia's
rapidly growing beer market for the second time in three months,
underlining the competition among big brewers to exploit the
potential of this newly crowned nation...
Cargill, the largest private firm in the US, will link up with
biotech giant Monsanto to bring food makers an alternative source
of soybean oil, used to reduce the artery-clogging trans fats in
food products.
Prices remain steady for cocoa, despite news that the start of the
new cocoa harvesting season from the world's biggest producer,
Ivory Coast, has been delayed due to a dispute.
Number two pectin player Danisco rolls out a line extension for new
gains from its Grinsted pectin range that targets food and beverage
makers looking to spear the growing sports nutrition and functional
food markets, reports Lindsey...
Finnish chemical firm Kemira that supplies the all-rounder food
additive calcium chloride to the food industry will sell this slice
of the business to leading US player Tetra Technologies.
The last 18 months or so have been tough for Cerealia, with
profitability well down on previous years as a result of a number
of disposals designed to refocus the group on a smaller number of
business units. But replacing disposed...
A US consumer group has come down heavily on fast-food giant
McDonalds claiming the firm has failed to fulfill promises to
eliminate artery clogging trans fats from foods.
Spearing the growing convenience sector starch specialities firm
Cerestar improves the functionality of its C*PulpTex brand, aiming
to slice away costs for food makers working in the pre-prepared
foods sector.
UK wheat quality has been pushed even further below the national
three-year average, according to the first survey of wheat
harvested during the worst period of the UK's summer rain,
confirming fears that bad weather will place...
Regional news includes Russian veterinary inspectors beginning
checks on Polish dairies, the sale of one of the largest yeast
manufacturers in Poland and plans by Vietnamese tea producers to
increase exports to Russia.
Three major European brewing companies are competing to purchase a
small brewery in the previously unexplored region of Russia's far
east, as the scrap to profit from one of the world's
fastest-growing beer markets hots...
