Archives for April 12, 2004

← 2004

Another convenience setback for Sainsbury?

Sainsbury's interest in UK convenience store operator TM Retail appears to be waning after the multiple grocer's offer for the business was rejected by its owners. But this could be no bad thing for Britain's number three food retailer, suggests Chris...

Masterfoods eyes Romanian growth

Masterfoods Romania, part of the US manufacturer Mars, has announced that it is expecting its sales turnover to exceed €20 million in 2004, encouraging the company to invest further in the country.

Manufacturers sceptical over mandated RFID projects

According to Wal-Mart - which has mandated its top 100 suppliers to RFID-tag their cases and pallets - radio frequency identification (RFID) is the next logical step to enhance supply chain visibility. Market analyst Forrester carried out a study to...

Corn Products continues to add value for growth

Burgeoning ingredients firm Corn Products International will drive harder into the nutritional ingredients market signing on a deal to acquire a 75 per cent stake in prebiotic supplier GTC Nutrition.

Soy link up for sales growth

Global manufacturer and marketer of soy protein products signs agreement with a leading distributor to represent its line of soy protein products throughout the US.

Nestlé to start coffee processing in Russia

Nestle Russia has started construction of a €100 million coffee processing plant in the Krasnodar Territory. The full-cycle facility is Nestle's first processing for coffee in the region and is an attempt to muscle in on fast growing demand for the...

The path to sugar rich beet

Scientists in the US are well on the way to developing sugar beets with improved seedling vigour, higher sugar content, and enhanced disease resistance.

Innovations in pasteurisation

New equipment designed to pasteurise food safely and efficiently is being developed to meet EU food safety regulations. We look at two products hoping to capitalise on a growing market.

Folate fights the blues

Evidence continues to mount suggesting a link between various stages of depression and low blood levels of the B vitamin folate, according to research funded by the Agricultural Research Service in the US.

Swiss exports take the biscuit

Switzerland's sweet and savoury biscuit sector saw a return to growth in 2003 due entirely to a strong upswing in export sales - but domestic sales fell for the second year in succession as a result of cheaper imports from the EU.

Boom time for Nestlé Bulgaria

Nestle Sofia, the Bulgarian division of Swiss food giant Nestle, has made a clear break into profitability, having announced a 70 per cent increase in its net profit for the 2003 period.

Casino to keep tabs on consumer fears

Assessing consumer tastes and demands is all part and parcel of the modern food retail business, but keeping track of their hopes and fears can also help supermarkets ensure that they have the right products on their shelves at the right time - and,...

Carrefour still struggling in French market

Carrefour might be Europe's biggest food retailer, but even it is not immune to the continued weakness of the economy in its home market. The ongoing drop in French consumer purchasing power has forced the company to invest heavily in prices in the...