Grupo Bimbo makes green strides with Mexican wind energy

Grupo Bimbo will power most of its Mexican operations with renewable wind energy generated from a new farm in the south of Mexico.

Dispatches from Pack Expo

Clear clamshell wins consumer packaging vote

Clear plastic clamshell packaging won the consumer vote in a recent eye tracking survey conducted for materials manufacturer Klockner Pentaplast, results of which  it revealed at Pack Expo 2012 in...

Wheat price spikes will protect manufacturers in the long-run: Analyst

Sky-high wheat prices will deter use of the grain for feed and thus secure supplies for bakery and snack manufacturers in the long-run, according to an analyst.

DISPATCHES FROM PACK EXPO 2012, CHICAGO

Bosch launches flow wrapper at Pack Expo

Bosch Packaging Technology is slashing waste and boosting shelf life with the introduction of a new flow wrapper at Pack Expo 2012 in Chicago.

Greenpeace urges food companies to check palm oil suppliers' sustainability score

Greenpeace has published a scorecard rating palm oil producers’ sustainability efforts, in order to provide food and other consumer goods companies with better information about how their palm oil is...

News in brief

USDA issues Hurricane Sandy food safety warning

The US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has urged people to take immediate steps to ensure their food is kept safe as Hurricane Sandy approaches....

Nutrition runs up front in the US snack bar race: Rabobank

Nutrition and energy bars head up the soaring $6bn US snack bar market, according to a new report.

Energy-saving mist technology available on industrial scale

A novel baking process using a climate chamber that produces mist can now be used on an industrial scale to half energy savings in the fermentation process compared to conventional...

DISPATCHES FROM PACK EXPO 2012

PTI showcases packaging solutions at Pack Expo

PTI Inspection Systems is displaying a range of packaging solutions, including packaging machinery and testing systems, at trade show Pack Expo in Chicago.

Beige apocalypse: Why have bread volumes nosedived in the past five years in the FDMx channel?

Pound volumes of bread & rolls, ready-to eat breakfast cereals and wheat-based cereal bars have plummeted in the past five years in the US food, drug and mass channel as...

Flowers Foods expands its bakery empire in the West Coast with Sara Lee/Earthgrains licensing deal

Flowers Foods has expanded its bakery empire with the acquisition of certain Sara Lee and Earthgrains assets and trademarks in California and Oklahoma City from Grupo Bimbo subsidiary BBU, Inc,...

News in brief

PepsiCo revamps Quaker snack

PepsiCo has revamped its Quaker Quakes snacks with a new name and new look.

IOI Loders Croklaan opens new oils and fats refinery

IOI Loders Croklaan has opened a new oils and fats refinery in Wormerveer in the Netherlands, with a particular focus on sustainably sourced oils.

‘Relocalization’ of the US wheat industry: Opportunities and challenges

US bakers are keen to source wheat locally but consistent high quality and supply would need to be guaranteed, a study finds.

Grupo Bimbo net profit slumps 83% for Q3

High raw material prices and costly integration of Sara Lee operations led to a sharp net profit slump for Mexican bread titan Grupo Bimbo in the third quarter (Q3).

CFBAI kids’ cereals: Out with the bad, in with the good

Cereal firms with products targeted at children have invested in sodium and sugar reductions and nutrient fortification in balance, according to the vice president of the Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising...

CSM’s soon-to-be axed bakery business shines in Q3

CSM’s soon-to-be axed bakery supplies business shined in the third quarter alongside a ‘satisfactory’ performance of the future bio-based business, its CEO said.

Hostess: Our chances of exiting Chapter 11 will ‘evaporate’ if union members strike

Twinkies-maker Hostess Brands says it hopes it will be able to exit Chapter 11 in a few months, but has warned employees in the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain...

News in brief

Placon expands food container range

Placon has expanded its range of food packaging available with up to 100% post-consumer recycled content.

Warburtons and Openfield to strengthen supply chain relationship

Warburtons and UK grain cooperative Openfield have created two new roles to drive standards and connections throughout their joint supply chain in a volatile and challenging wheat market.

Dispatch from IPA 2012

Manufacturers' 'bold gamble' on R&D

European food and drink manufacturers are making a "bold gamble" on research and development (R&D) investment in the tough economic climate, according to results from the latest IPA 2012 survey....

Trendwatch: Traditional foods get 'snackified'

'Snackified' traditional foods are among the latest snack trends on show at SIAL in Paris this week, where better-for-you snacks have made a strong appearance.

Premier needs to address ‘sensitive’ distribution issue: Analyst

Premier Foods has split its bread business and upped sales in Hovis over the last quarter, but it has a lot more work to do and distribution is the sensitive...

Whole Grains conference day three: Meeting the school lunch guidelines… “It feels like we jumped off a cliff’

While “there is no doubt” that revamping school lunches will benefit children’s health, the speed with which schools are having to implement the new rules has made compliance extremely difficult...

NatureFlex already challenges conventional films, says Innovia

Innovia Films’ NatureFlex film offers the highest moisture, gas and aroma barrier of any compostable, renewable packaging on the market, its product manager says.

ADM gears up for $2.8bn takeover of GrainCorp

Archer Daniels Midland is in talks with Australian commodity giant GrainCorp after putting forward an offer just shy of US$2.8bn (A$2.7bn) for a cash takeover.

Indulgent and personalized packaging is key to food gifting success, says analyst

There are clear opportunities for bakery and snack firms amid a soaring US food gifting trend but investments must focus on indulgence and personalization in these products, an analyst says.

Indian advocacy group opposes guar futures relisting until market better regulated

Guar should not be relisted on India’s futures market until regulation of trading is improved, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) says.

Dispatches from the Whole Grains on Every Plate conference

Gluten-free myth busting: There is no biomarker for gluten sensitivity, says researcher

One of the liveliest sessions at last week’s Whole Grains on Every Plate conference in San Antonio was a myth-busting presentation from Pamela Cureton, clinical research dietitian at the Center...

Dispatches from the Whole Grains on Every Plate conference

Whole grains and health: Where’s the evidence?

Epidemiological studies reveal a clear association between increased wholegrain consumption and a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, cardiovascular disease, elevated blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and weight gain.

Nutritional value is the key, ‘sustainability not a game-changer’: Bakery survey identifies 10 mega-trends for future success

Modern consumers want the best of all worlds when it comes to bakery and chocolate products, with quality & price, local & global, tradition & innovation, and pleasures & health...

ADM buys stake in Australian commodity giant GrainCorp

Archer Daniels Midland has snapped up a share of Australian bulk grains firm GrainCorp and has requested further discussions for a ‘potential transaction’.

Innovia’s BOPP packaging film trumps biodegradable option for shelf-life of granola, finds study

Innovia Films’ regular biaxially orientated polypropylene (BOPP) film promoted better shelf-life in granola cereal than its renewable and compostable film, a study finds.

PepsiCo maintains polarized snacks strategy

Pepsico will continue to drive penetration in premium and value snacks as the business arm stood stable amid a 5% overall profit slip for Q3, its CEO said.

ADM and Wilmar form European vegetable oils joint venture Olenex

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and Wilmar International Limited have launched Olenex, a joint venture for the sale and marketing of refined vegetable oils and fats in Europe.

The power of organic: Turning snacks into health foods?

Organic snack purchases are on the rise across the US but consumers do not associate this branding with health, new research finds.

Emerging markets continue to drive Nestlé sales

Food and nutrition giant Nestlé has reported improved sales in its 9-month results driven by growth in emerging markets, but Q3 was a little slower than last year.

Flowers Foods and Hershey extend cake collaboration

Flowers Foods and The Hershey Company have launched a new cake range under their licensed-product collaboration.

DuPont raises global hydrocolloids prices 10 to 15%

DuPont Nutrition & Health has said it would increase prices globally across its DuPont Danisco hydrocolloids range by an average of 10 to 15%, citing increases in raw material, energy...

Blended protein crisps broadens market options, says Batory Foods

New protein blend crisps fulfil a marketplace demand for wider variety and better priced options, Batory Foods says.

‘Snacks and health seem mutually exclusive’: Analyst

When it comes to snacking, consumers will always put indulgence over health and this puts pressure on healthy snack manufacturers, says an analyst.

Quaker thrives in China with traditional medicine cereal fortification

PepsiCo’s investment to localize its Quaker brand in China with traditional herbal medicine fortification and texture adaptations has enabled it to thrive, an analyst says.

Teen snack purchases influenced by pricing and peers

Adolescents are influenced by taxes, subsidies and the presence of peers when buying snacks, a study has found.

Nestlé breakfast cereal reformulation needs tact, warns specialist

Cereal Partners Worldwide’s reformulation plan for 20 of its Nestlé breakfast cereal brands must happen gradually and unobtrusively to succeed, warns a nutrition policy specialist.

News in brief

Baker Perkins appoints biscuit equipment manager

Baker Perkins has appointed Daniel Jordá as sales manager for biscuit machinery for South America and Southern Europe.

Morinaga’s Japanese Pringles take-over must push US flavours

Japanese food major Morinaga who secured the sales rights for Pringles in Japan should tap into the imports trend and push original US flavours on the market, not Japanese imitations,...

Kellogg’s $30m cereal recall: Consumer pains but no financial pinch

Kellogg’s recent recall of two cereal products following a metal mesh contamination scare will cost the firm between $20-30m and will hit consumer trust in the short-term, an analyst says....

Guar gum could be relisted on Indian futures market

Guar gum could be relisted on India’s futures market if a positive committee decision is reached next week, according to the country’s commodity markets regulator.

Icing on Vietnamese cake for Belgian confectionery joint-venture

Two Belgian confectionary majors have announced a significant joint-venture that sets out to expand their combined presence and supply-chain in Vietnam and transform them into a regional 'powerhouse'.

News in brief

Puratos inks Vietnam JV with chocolatier

Puratos Group has inked a joint venture in Vietnam with Belgian chocolatier Grand-Place to seize on surging demand in the bakery, patisserie and chocolate sectors in the country.

Eurozone crisis and commodity price stalemate will force industry consolidation: Analyst

Smaller bakery and snack manufacturers will be forced to consolidate with stronger entities within the next six months as the eurozone crisis looks set to worsen and commodity prices remain...

CHOICE Australia says kids’ cereals are nutritionally disappointing

The nutritional value of breakfast cereals marketed to children in Australia is disappointing, with high sugar and salt content and low fiber levels, the country’s consumer watchdog CHOICE says.

News in brief

Conference to focus on food industry cleanliness - EHEDG

A conference aimed at highlighting and preventing deficiencies in food processing safety is being held next month.

Diamond Foods to make SEC filings ‘as promptly as practicable’

Diamond Foods has said it will file all of its late SEC filings ‘as promptly as practicable’ following a second NASDAQ determination letter threatening delisting.

Dispatches from IBA 2012

Nu-Tek Food Science takes ‘unique’ salt replacer to Europe

Nu-Tek Food Science has struck a partnership to bring its patented potassium-based salt replacer to Europe.

Dispatches from IBA 2012

Gluten-free bakery insights from Campden BRI

UK research institute Campden BRI says that getting the baking temperature right is almost as important as selecting the right ingredients in achieving high quality gluten-free products.

Zetar sold to German firm Zertus for $69m

UK confectionery firm Zetar has accepted a £43m ($69m) offer to sell the firm to German food group Zertus.

Premier Foods' bread split is logical: Analyst

Debt-ridden Premier Foods has made a 'logical' decision to split its struggling bread arm from grocery in a bid to drive business forward, an analyst says.

Univar seals Tate & Lyle Sugars European distribution deal

Chemical distributor Univar has entered into an agreement with Tate & Lyle Sugars to distribute its range of sugar-based sweeteners and texture modifiers across Europe, the company has said.

Big Interview: Dave McLaughlin, World Wildlife Fund

WWF: Industry should buy into GreenPalm today, or it will struggle to source fully traceable sustainable palm oil tomorrow

Food manufacturers are beginning to realize that buying more GreenPalm certificates now might be the only way to stimulate enough production of sustainable palm oil to make fully traceable products...

United Biscuits sale inevitable, but not yet…

United Biscuits has dismissed rumors that former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy is heading a bid to buy its KP Snacks arm but confirmed to BakeryandSnacks.com that an eventual market sale is...

How close is Walmart to meeting its 2015 sustainable palm oil deadline?

Walmart says it is confident it will reach its goal of using sustainably sourced palm oil for all of its private label products by the end of 2015, although it...

Barley baking mix enables blood cholesterol health claim

Bread manufacturers can make health claims on blood cholesterol with a newly developed barley bakery pre-mix from DeutscheBack.

Dispatches from IBA 2012

Improved sanitation with new dry and specialty mixer, says Bühler

Technology firm Bühler claims that its new Sanimix mixer improves sanitation compared to its previous machines.

Dispatches from IBA 2012

White and brown bread fusion with Backaldrin's 2-in-1 concept

Backaldrin has introduced a bread mix that combines both brown and white bread.

Hostess gets green light to impose pay-cutting deal on union; insists 'there are no viable bidders'

Twinkies maker Hostess Brands has got the green light from the bankruptcy court to force members of the union representing a big chunk of its staff to accept a deal...

Grupo Bimbo strengthens Spanish hold with buy-back

Grupo Bimbo has opted to buy-back a bakery plant in Gran Canaria that had previously been sold off by Sara Lee in 2009 in a bid to drive a leadership...

Comment

Breakfast cereal in China: Snap, crackle… and flop

Western breakfast brands don’t often work in China. They need manipulating to appeal to very different tastes, packaging and format preferences and, of course, another language.

Insect larvae contamination prompts kids chew bar recall and production halt

Production of Annabel Karmel snack bars has ceased and a recall has been issued in the UK and Republic of Ireland following three consumer complaints of insect contamination.

Exclusive interview

Bosch: demand grows for sustainability and automation

Pressure is mounting for food manufacturers to move further into sustainable packaging and automation, according to Friedbert Klefenz, president of Bosch Packaging Technology.

Rhodia launches intense vanilla flavors for chocolate and bakery

Rhodia Aroma Performance has introduced a range of intense vanilla flavors that it claims allows manufacturers to differentiate products and mask off-notes.

Dispatches from IBA 2012

Quality is core in convenience, says WP Food

Convenience is a hyper-trend, with quality a top priority for consumers that is shaping industry development, the WP Food sales director says.

Fruit snacks: Up against the impulsive consumer

Fruit snack manufacturers must promote planned snacking and offer multi-pack formats to survive alongside less healthy, indulgent alternatives that are fuelled by impulse buys, an analyst says.

News in brief

McCambdrige ponders offloading own label cake division

UK firm The McCambridge Group is in exclusive talks to sell its Own Label Cake Division. 

Dispatches from IBA 2012

Scratch bakery trend targeted by Mono with European bread plant launch

Mono Equipment hopes to cash in on a shift towards scratch bakery across in-store bakeries as it launches its bread plant into wider Europe.

Dispatches from IBA 2012

Reach Food Systems seeks global distribution partner

UK equipment firm Reach Food Systems is looking for a global distribution partner as it moves to develop affordable ultrasonic machines.

Dispatches from IBA 2012

Increased accuracy with new dough twisting machine: Rondo

Rondo has developed a machine for twisted dough pastries that it says is more accurate and intricate than others already on the market.

European Commission adopts approved flavouring list

The European Commission has approved plans to harmonise the use of food flavours in the European food industry with a list of permitted flavouring substances.