Pure, a non-dairy spread which has taken the UK yellow fats marekt
by storm over the last three years, is to be relaunched with a new
pack design to give it greater on-shelf stand-out.
Agribusiness giant Cargill said on Tuesday that strong results from
its food ingredient and grain and oilseed businesses worldwide had
helped the company boost earnings from continuing operations by 25
per cent in the first quarter.
Dutch fruit and vegetable group The Greenery has merged its
operations with two compatriot groups, giving it a greater share of
the European organic sector and strengthening the market position
of its farmer suppliers.
Hypermarket and supermarket food sales dropped sharply in
September, partly because of unusually high sales in August, but
also because of an underlying downturn in consumer spending, warns
the Paris Chamber of Commerce.
The 1968 limited edition of Bunnahabhain Auld Acquaintance Scotch
whisky is expected to sell out within months of its release - just
like its two predecessors.
Wilbur Chocolate, a unit of agribusiness giant Cargill said on
Monday that it has purchased rival Peter's Chocolate from Nestle
USA, making it the top US supplier of chocolate to confectionery
makers and bakers.
Britain has the highest prices for any EU country when it comes to
a variety of everyday food products, with prices more than double
those in Portugal, the cheapest country in the Union.
Feta cheese is the latest food product to be protected by EU law,
joining the ranks of Champagne, parma ham or Newcastle Brown Ale.
The ruling that only Greece makes real feta cheese is a major blow
for producers in Denmark, where...
Claims by the Russian Trade Ministry that Ochakovo beer contained
an illegal preservative have been quashed by a Moscow court, but
the case serves to highlight the problems facing the country's
burgeoning beer market.
The amount of organic land in the UK has almost doubled in the last
year, and sales of organic food are the second highest in Europe,
according to new figures from the UK organic certification body,
the Soil Association.
Martell, the latest priority brand to join the Pernod Ricard
stable, will see a quarter of its workforce axed in the coming
months, a move Pernod says is necessary to keep the company
competitive.
Swiss company Givaudan, the number two global flavours company
behind International Flavors and Fragrances, could be on track to
achieving its objective of becoming 'the undisputed leader in
terms of growth, profitability and...
The UK's number two food retailer Sainsbury has seen the same
slowdown in sales as its main rival Tesco, but nonetheless posted
satisfactory growth for the second quarter of the year.
Expanding sales to the many countries which border with Russia, as
well as those further afield, is the order of the day at the
country's leading brewery, Baltika.
Exchange rate declines, in particualr from Brazil and Argentina,
led to a 1.5 drop in third quarter sales at Carrefour, but sales at
constant currency rates were up 5.6 per cent, a figure the French
group preferred to highlight.
A Spanish company offering to sell alcohol to consumers in Finland
could prove a rival to the state monopoly. But the fact that
delivery of the drinks could take up to two weeks - to say nothing
of moves to close the legal loophole...
The next few years are expected to see strong growth in the
European water cooler market as major players strengthen their
positions. While Nestle has been active in Europe for some time,
Danone - market leader in Asia and America...
The controversial topic of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in
Europe formed the centrepiece for a reception this week in Brussels
hosted by the Confederation of food and drink industries in the EU.
Overiding sentiment? Although...
Producers in the US passing off their fortified wines as sherry or
other Spanish products are affecting sales of the authentic
products there, prompting two denominations in Andalusia to
petition the EU authorities.
The CIAA, which represents the interests of the European food and
drink industry, has welcomed most of the proposed changes to the
cumbersome Common Agricultural Policy, but remains concerned over
potential supply shortages in certain...
Expanding ingredients company Danisco strengthened its position in
Asia this month when the company announced that it has set up its
flavour headquarters for the Asian region in Singapore.
Allegations of anti-competitive practices in the Scottish milk
market by Robert Wiseman Dairies have been dismissed by the Office
of Fair Trading because of a lack of evidence. The decision has
angered other dairy groups, and an appeal...
US food and household goods company Sara Lee on Tuesday raised its
first-quarter earnings outlook, citing lower costs, improved sales
of higher-margin items and more favourable currency rates.
The sharp rise in sales in advance of the Millennium, and the
subsequent drop in turnover in 2001, have made life hard for
Champagne producers over the last few years, but things appear to
be getting back to normal in 2002, says the...
Germany's Eckes group has announced plans to sell its alcoholic
beverage business in order to focus on its fruit juice operations,
citing increasing competition and declining margins as its main
reasons for the sale.
Ahold has clarified the terms under which it would be obliged to
buy out its joint venture partners in Scandinavia and Central
America following a similar move in Argentina which took its toll
on the group's latest results.
Sales at Iceland continued to decline in the 13 weeks to the end of
September, but the Big Food Group's overall results were buoyed by
a solid performance from its Booker wholesale unit. M&S,
meanwhile, saw good food sales...
The InterMopro dairy show in Duesseldorf this week was the ideal
platform for Dutch dairy group to showcase a number of new products
destined for the German market. The company is also planning to
quicken the pace of the introduction...
William Grant & Sons, distiller of the Glenfiddich brand of
Scotch whisky, has added the Gibson's Finest Canadian rye whisky to
its portfolio, buying the brand for an disclosed sum from Diageo.
In February this year Swiss healthcare group Novartis announced its
intention to divest itself of the Health and Functional Food
(H&FF) arm of its Consumer Health sector business in order to
focus on the core pharmaceutical business....
Auchan and its Italian partner, the Agnelli group, have launched a
offer for all the outstanding shares in the La Rinascente group, a
€735m bid which result in the Italian company being delisted.
A six-week on-pack promotion linking Iced Gems with the animated
film The Ice Age is designed to help Jacob's Bakery establish the
brand as a popular lunchbox favourite.
Australian company Bonlac Foods is to enter into a joint venture
with Japanese firm Imanaka to manufacture chocolate and sugar
blended products at Dandenong, reports IndustrySearch.com.
The fluctuations of the sparkling wine market, which have affected
cava as much as Champagne in recent years, have prompted Spain's
Codorniu group to expand into other wine regions - most recently
the Ribera del Duero.
Swiss fine chemicals company Lonza said today that Martin Ebner's
BZ Group Holding plans to sell its 19.8 per cent stake in the
business in the coming weeks in a bid to raise cash for the
investor group.
More action is needed from both government and industry alike if
the steady decline in French wine exports is to be halted, a junior
minister has warned. New World producers could soon take over as
the major exporters to Europe if...
The acqusition of Enaco earlier this year has allowed Spain's
Caprabo group to quicken the pace of expansion. October alone will
see the company open 17 new stores, strengthening its position in
the eastern region of Levante.
Dutch starch producer Avebe has unveiled a new line of functional
starches designed to improve the texture and processing of savoury
snacks. The Snacktex range is for use in extruded snacks, sheeted
and fried or baked snacks and coated...
Dutch group Ahold has completed its takeover of Chilean subsidiary
Santa Isabel, raising its stake in the company from just over 70
per cent to 97 per cent as a result of a tender offer.
Britain's consumers believe that the only ones to benefit from
genetic modification of food will be the companies which have
developed the GM technology - feelings which the Consumers'
Association says the government would...
Despite continued economic pressures in certain Asian markets,
Australia's largest food group Goodman Fielder is performing in
line with expectations, chief executive Tom Park said earlier this
week.
Britain's top two food retailers, Tesco and Sainsbury, are at the
centre of a row over customer loyalty, with Tesco accusing its
rival of trying to lure away customers by offering them money-off
vouchers.
The ban on British beef imports has been lifted by French Prime
Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, but British farmers face an uphill
struggle to get their products back on supermarket shelves there.
And they are also keen to ensure that...
Hyparlo, the Carrefour franchisee with 12 stores in France, has
reported strong sales in the first half, and is counting on further
improvements in the remainder of the year.
After a lengthy period of restructuring, the first half of 2002 was
a good one for the UK's Co-operative Group, driven by an excellent
performance from its food retail arm... just the kind of welcome
new chief executive Martin...
Treatt Florida gets a name change - to Treatt USA - and a new
state-of-the-art production plant as the UK flavours group expands
its business across the Atlantic.
Allied Domecq has announced the latest phase of its Move to Market
business plan with the appointment of a number of key managers to
three new business units within its spirits unit.
Spain's OCU consumer protection organisation has accused the Koipe
company of fixing the price of its Carbonell and Koipe Sol brands,
and has denounced it to the competition authorities.
