Fortitech, a US supplier of nutrient systems, announced yesterday
that the chemical group BASF has completed the transfer of its
human nutrition premix business and customers in the Asia Pacific
region to Fortitech.
Is it because we travel more ? Is it because of the influence that
the US eating patterns wield over the UK ? Or because gastronomic
traditions are far less marked in the UK than in some of our
continental European neighbours ? Whatever...
Belgian retail group Colruyt has continued its expansion into the
wholesale food distribution business with the acquisition of two
Paris-based companies, Jean Didier and Harrydis.
Health concerns continue to drive bottled water sales in the UK as
the findings of a new report reveal that sales rose another 11 per
cent last year to 1770 million litres, contributing £1,000 million
(€1.472m) in retail value, writes...
Conditional agreement was reached between Goodman Fielder and DGF
Stoess for the acquisition Leiner Davis's global edible gelatin
business for US$170...
The diet foods market across Europe continues to grow, but
increasing consumer disillusionment about the effectiveness of
dieting could curb growth in the future unless manufacturers and
retailers get the right nutrition message across,...
Reform of the Common Agricultural Policy is just one of a host of
pressures for change on British farmers, the president of the UK
National Farmers Union (NFU) Ben Gill told the union's annual
conference earlier this week.
Auchan's Sabeco subsidiary posted a 6.8 per cent increase in sales
in 2002, but fell just short of its target of €900 million
turnover. Expansion is still the order of the day, with 20 new
outlets planned for 2003, eight more...
Campbell Soup is introducing a number of new products and formats
for its flagship soup brands in the US in a bid to tap into growing
demand for convenience foods. A host of new ready-to-eat soups,
easy open packaging and innovative...
The lines are blurring between sweet biscuits and confectionery and
between sweet biscuits and snacks, according to a recent review of
last year’s various product launches by Mintel’s Global New
Products Database (GNPD).
Store refits, expansions and openings at a cost of £360 million
were revealed yesterday by UK food retailer Asda. Included in the
revamp are the introduction of three new mezzanine floors in
exisiting Asda stores.
Anglo-Dutch food giant Unilever reports this week that it will
further strengthen its foods operations across the Asian market
with an agreement to acquire the outstanding shares in CPC/Aji
Asia, a 50-50 joint venture, from Japanese...
Ireland's Glanbia and Uruguay's Conaprole have joined forces to
help develop the market for dairy ingredients in Latin America. A
new joint venture company, Conabia, based in Mexico, will develop
sales throughout Central...
The Office of Fair Trading has begun an annual review of the Code
of Practice governing supermarket chains and their suppliers. But
with the balance of the UK retail market set to shift once again
following the Safeway deal, some...
Despite numerous high profile cases of concerning BSE,
foot-and-mouth and other food-related diseases, consumers in the UK
are now worrying less about these problems than in previous years,
according to the latest UK Consumer Attitudes...
Dutch nutrition company Numico is struggling to stay afloat at the
moment, but rumours in the Dutch press suggest French dairy giant
Danone could be interested in a bid. An odd choice for the French
company which has been streamlining...
Swiss chocolate group Barry Callebaut has extended its already
substantial presence in the gourmet and speciality product market
with the acquisition of Luijckx, which makes ready-to-use products
for the catering sector.
Nutritional lipids company Loders Croklaan USA is set to hit the
courts with the news this week that it has filed a patent
infringement lawsuit against US company Natural.
French ingredients company Rhodia Food is to reorganise activities
"in line with the requirements and trends of the food industry",
the company said this week.
Dutch life science company DSM saw net profit for the fourth
quarter of 2001 rise to €1,031 million from €119 million in the
fourth quarter of 2000, largely due to the sale of the depositary
receipts. Profit on 4Q ordinary activities...
The Fruja liqueur brand is to be rolled out across the US after
successful trials in selected markets there. Produced by Allied
Domecq unit Hiram Walker, the brand is designed to meet demand for
fruity new flavours in the fast-growing...
The first stores to be sold under the restructuring plan of Spanish
food retailer El Arbol have been acquired by Extremadura-based
Lider Aliment. The company has bought seven wholly-owned stores and
a network of 70 Spar franchises...
The latest visit to Mintel's Global New Products Database shows
that there is no risk of any slowdown in the number of innovative
and unusual food products being launched across the world, with
cheesy ice cream just one of the...
French sugar company Beghin Say reported yesterday that sales for
2002 had edged back by just 1.8 per cent, amid the constant scope
of consolidation and exchange rates.
As Valentine's Day approaches, a new report from Datamonitor looks
at how sales of chocolate - the favoured gift of lovers everywhere
- differ from market to market, and how manufacturers have cashed
in - or not - on love.
The UK National Farmers Union yesterday voiced its support for a
new initiative - Organic Grain Link- aimed at promoting closer
co-operation between all levels of the organic grain supply chain.
Two of the leading Nordic food retail groups, Finland's Kesko and
Sweden's Axfood, announced good results last week, helped by growth
both at home and abroad.
Dutch speciality chemicals company DSM continues on its steady path
to growth with the announcement today that operating profit for
2002 reached €383 million, a 14 per cent rise on 2001, thanks in
part to 6 per cent autonomous volume...
When trawling around the supermarket aisles it would appear that
the average UK shopper is becoming increasingly patriotic. The
patriotic shopper is more likely to be aged 65 or over and slotting
into the financially better off AB...
The arbitration court in France has ruled that Casino did not act
illegally in buying a stake in one-time purchasing partner Cora,
and that it was in fact the latter chain which acted outside the
law by quitting the Opera buying group.
Claims by Spanish hypermarket groups that new store restrictions
are benefiting only supermarkets and not traditional retailers have
been confirmed by the latest Nielsen data, which shows supermarkets
taking market share from both...
Spanish supermarket chain El Arbol is expecting to complete the
disposal of nearly 200 stores by the end of March, and is confident
that its newly streamlined business will return to the black by
2004.
Food manufacturers in the UK were criticised again this week over
misleading food labels when the findings of a new report suggested
that labels "are more likely to confuse and mislead consumers
than inform them". The report...
Austrian mineral water consumption continued to rise last year,
topping 90 litres per capita. With 2003 designated 'Mineral Water
Year', the aim is to push consumption above 100 litres for the
first time.
The International Sweets and Biscuits Fair (ISM) held last month in
Cologne, Germany, clearly illustrated the key confectionery trends,
write market analysts Euromonitor. Particularly evident, the
dichotomy between fun sugar confectionery...
While new product introductions launched on the back of key
nutritional claims continue to decline significantly in the US,
products with 'added value' could lead the way towards success,
writes market analyst Mintel this...
The terminal decline in sherry sales continued last year with just
one market - the UK - showing an increase compared to 2001. But
with the major players in the drinks market clearly not interested
in sherry, there seems little chance...
Life for people allergic to peanuts might just have got easier with
scientists in the UK announcing this week that they have developed
a test to detect tiny amounts of peanut in processed food.
Following the declaration last week that it is to invest in the
food enzyme side to its business, Danish enzyme company Novozymes
yesterday reported 'the best year ever' for 2002 with sales rising
7 per cent from DKK 5,271...
Nestlé's proposed acquisition of the Dreyer's ice cream business in
the US looks to have hit a snag with the companies announcing this
week that talks with the competition authorities have been extended
and that the sale...
UB has announced plans to close its biscuit production site at
Ashby de la Zouch in the English Midlands at the end of next year
as part of its ongoing plan of restructuring its now profitable UK
biscuit operation.
The phenomenal growth in sales of flavoured alcoholic beverages was
always going to be hard to maintain in the long term, and a new
report from Canadean predicts that sales in leading markets will
slow substantially in the next two...
Colruyt is to buy part of the loss-making Belgian operations of
Dutch retailer Laurus for an undisclosed sum, including the Spar
franchise business. Laurus is still negotiating the sale of its
other Belgian units.
Tesco, one of the leading bidders for Safeway, has claimed that its
proposal will be good for customers, local communities and
suppliers - claims which have been rubbished by environmental group
Friends of the Earth.
The international market for flavoured alcoholic beverages has
witnessed strong growth in recent years and despite a predicted dip
the pace is set to continue in coming years, cites a new study from
UK market analysts Canadean.
SABMiller, the world's second largest brewer, has added another
Polish brewery to its portfolio there. The addition of the Dojlidy
brewery's brands will help extend the company's geographical
presence in the north east...
