Sara Lee will "take price increases as necessary" in order
to offset increasing raw material costs in its bakery segment, the
company said yesterday in its annual analyst meeting.
Kraft explains its approach to health and wellness in the second of
a series of FoodNavigator-USA.com articles examining the practices
of major US food firms in the face of a growing need to address
human nutrition.
Net sales for Sara Lee increased 7.1 per cent to $12.3bn (€9.1bn)
for the fiscal year 2007 from $11.5bn (€8.5bn) the previous year,
the company has said.
Kraft may be selling the US based cereals business for as much as
$3bn (€2.2bn), because of pressure from new legislation in regards
to advertising to children, according to a report by the Wall
Street Journal.
Consumer watchdog Which? has launched a new campaign to oust
cartoon characters from unhealthy snack advertising, claiming that
superheros are being exploited to encourage kids to clamour for
foods that are high in fat, sugar and...
In a sign that the UK's push to cut down on greenhouse gas
emissions is working, McCain Foods has announced it will install
wind turbines at its potato chip plant in the country.
The global bread, rolls and biscuit markets are set to grow
substantially by 2011, aided by demands for luxury products,
according to two new reports from Datamonitor.
Japanese food group Mitsui is to acquire outstanding shares of
Brazil-based Mltigrain, a move the firm says will help it meet
growing demand for food throughout Asia.
Consumers are bombarded with an overload of nutritional advice and
product marketing - be it from magazines, television shows, and
product advertising - and without a degree in nutritional science,
it's a wonder they can make...
Sales of chocolate biscuits in the UK fell 17 per cent between 2001
and 2006 as consumers made the switch to healthier varieties,
according to new figures.
The European Commission has cleared Nestle's proposed
acquisition of Novartis's Gerber business, saying it would not
lead to an uncompetitive concentration in baby foods and
cereals.
The European Food Safety Authority's review of additive safety
could have a bigger effect on the ingredients industry than the
ejection of certain colours and flavours with a suspect safety
record. It could give the natural ingredients...
Austrian investment firm Leipnik-Lundenburger Invest (LLI) said it
has successfully completed its entry into the southeastern European
milling market with the acquisitions of two bakery firms.
Dutch company CSM will continue to concentrate
its manufacturing in the US by transferring the production of
a subsidiary to other CSM North America plants.
A developing demand for premium products such as those
made with alternative ingredients is keeping the UK crisps
market on a steady 2.5 per cent growth rate, Mintel says
in a new report.
Private label bakery products continue to hold a strong foothold in
the growing UK market, accounting for 58 per cent of sales by
value, according to a study by Nielsen.
The publication of a new animal study on aspartame last month has -
as expected -sparked yet another bout of head butting from the two
opposing sides of the debate. But it also highlights a bigger
issue: one of transparency.
Mergers and acquisition activity is always ongoing in every segment
of industry, but this summer looks to be a particularly hot one for
food and beverage manufacturers.
Nestle is eyeing organic growth in health, wellness and nutrition
of five to six per cent over the next ten years, the chief
financial officer was due to told investors at a seminar today.
CSM has announced that it is selling its French frozen bread
operations to Neuhauser for €7.7m, a move that follows heavy
restructuring to improve efficiency of its European bakery supply
unit.
Chr Hansen has announced plans to divest its coatings and
excipients business in order to focus on core activities in
cultures, enzymes, natural colours and flavours.
Testing times lie ahead for UK bakery manufacturers, according to
industry analyst group Plimsoll, who say one in four companies are
currently at risk of failure.
Japanese firm Yamazaki Baking is the world's largest bakery firm,
heading a list dominated by Europe-based food groups, according to
a new report from industry analysts Leatherhead Food International
(LFI)
Marketing strategies - two words that incorporate everything from
pseudo scientific research to shock value advertising campaigns.
But shouldn't honesty be the best policy?
Barentz Europe is strengthening its position bakery ingredients
with the acquisition of family-run MDB Twello - a move expected to
boost distribution for the latter's ingredients and may thus
introduce more manufacturers to lupin...
Danisco recorded revenue of DKK 15,220 million in the first three
quarters of 2006/07, a period which saw significant structural
change within the company.
The UK's second largest biscuit manufacturer, Burton's Foods, has
been acquired by British buy-out firm Duke Capital from US group HM
Capital Partners for what is believed to be around a £200 million
(€292.3m) sum.
Bakery ingredients manufacturer Royal Cosun has added to its global
businesses with the acquisition of supplier Atlanta Dethmers -
allowing the Dutch company a bigger share of the ingredients
market.
Hot weather, the rising cost of raw materials and a poor potato
harvest have contributed to a downturn in the German snack market –
threatening profits for producers balancing mounting costs with
waning demand.
The leading French private label sweet biscuit maker, Biscuits
Poult, has received a €12.5m boost from buyout fund firm European
capital as the firm invests in the company's standing in the
domestic bakery market.
Ingredients firm CSM is to jettison part of its French subsidiary,
Délices de la Tour, after a disappointing performance from the
speciality bread maker.
In a bid to cut costs, UK-based Premier Foods said it would close
down two of its factories over the next six months, cut about 450
jobs and invest in making three of its plants more efficient.