The merger of Ireland-based Jefferson Smurfit and Dutch firm Kappa
Packaging, two of Europe's largest paper packaging companies, is
nearing its conclusion, the Irish Times reported.
Heinz is the latest company reporting continuing sales weakness in
western Europe, with the US multinational's first quarter results
in the region damaged by falling demand for its frozen and seafood
products.
Another shuffling of the deck in the competitive UK supermarket
sector was announced today, as Morrisons plans to sells nine more
former Safeway stores to rival Sainsbury's.
Unilever's second quarter results continue to indicate that future
growth in its home market, at least in the medium term, lies in the
east, as sales in western Europe continue to sit in the doldrums,
reportsAhmed ElAmin.
While cereal production in the EU will be 10 per cent below last
year's record harvests, food processors will not have to look to
imports to make up their requirements.
Food makers and ingredients firms will benefit from a new European
platform that will prioritise research and development initiatives
to keep the €800 billion food and drink industry
competitive,reports Lindsey Partos.
Australia, the world's second largest wheat exporter, may be facing
up to a 30 per cent fall in its grain production this year, says a
report released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural
and Resource Economies...
Shares in packaging group Amcor have fallen to a ten-month low
following rising raw material costs, though the Australia-based
company expects an improvement in the second half of 2005.
The publicity craze surrounding nutritional content and labelling
has helped these two issues replace BSE as the biggest food
concerns among an increasingly sceptical British public - warning
the food industry to stay on its toes,...
Despite a slower final quarter, Austria-based packaging provider
Mayr-Melnhof has reported strong financial results for 2004, on the
back of a number of acquisitions the company has made in the past
year, writes Simon Pitman.
Strong growth and opportunities for sweetener use in food
formulations is assured with fresh figures from the UK finding
health concerns are driving nearly one in four consumers to use
sugar replacers, reports Lindsey Partos.
Norwegian group Orkla has expressed interest in takeovers beyond
its $1.76 billion bid for aluminium packaging manufacturer Elkem
after it reported a stronger than expected 25 per cent rise in
fourth quarter-core earnings.
Poland's EU membership will present new opportunities for packaging
companies as food producers look to increase the amount of packaged
food on the market, in order to meet higher standards and take
advantage of a richer population...
Convenience, which dominated growth in global product categories
form 2003 to 2004, will drive new product development in the next
12 months. Drinkable yoghurts, sugar substitutes and pre-prepared
foods all enjoyed year on year double-digit...
A new report from Forrester claims that companies are planning to
increase IT spending by 3.9 per cent in 2005, a conclusion that
supports ABI Research's recent assertion that firms are set to
scale up and integrate RFID into...
EU25 fish production fell by 17 per cent between 1995 and 2002
while world production rose by 17 per cent over the same period,
according to recent EC figures.
The British Coatings Federation (BCF) has urged the government to
help the packaging sector face up to the rising cost of plastics
and printing inks. Anthony Fletcher reports.
Consumers and producers are united in their desire for lighter,
functional packaging on the Russian food market, driving the
development of plastics and paper in the dairy, bakery and
confectionery sectors and sending traditional...
Russian brewers, facing the impact of a recent ban on advertising
their products, are hoping to keep consumer awareness high through
new product launches, including premium beers, reports Angela
Drujinina.
Sun Interbrew, Russia's second largest brewer, has announced strong
six month and second quarter financial results, reflecting a
continuing rise in beer sales backed up by a strong control over
costs.
One of Spain's most traditional Christmas delicacies,
turron, could be in short supply this year after a
disastrous harvest for the key ingredient, almonds.
Cirio, the Italian food group which went bankrupt in 2002, has
reached an agreement to sell its industrial bakery unit to a
family-owned group, a further step on the road to recovery.
Cost-cutting measures are paying off for the world's largest
fragrance and flavour company with Givaudan pulling in a
double-digit growth in profit for the first half of 2004.
There are signs that rising commodity costs are pinching the length
of the food chain with US cereal product maker General Mills
warning that, despite strong fourth quarter figures, the soaring
costs will have an impact in the near...
As popularity soars for the low carbohydrate, high protein Atkins
diet scientists warn this week that even a 'moderately' high
protein diet could reduce a woman's chances of becoming pregnant.
Mounting criticism of...
Pernod Ricard, the world's third largest wine and spirits group,
has reported a slight dip in sales for the first quarter of 2004.
The group's established brands performed well in the US and Asia
Pacific regions, but its...
The UK government looks set to miss one of its key recyclingtargets
after new government figures published today reveal thatonly 14.5
per cent of household waste in England was recycled in2002/3. Food
and beverage packaging makes...
Swiss baked goods group Hiestand has reported strong increases in
both pre-tax and net profits for 2003 on the back of a double-digit
increase in sales, the first results from a new restructuring
programme designed to make the company...
The Ukraine region of Odessa has reported a 35.7 per cent growth in
food production in 2003. This is partly due to the influx of major
global food manufacturers to the country - Heinz for example has
become a major manufacturer of...
Roasted ground coffee is still by far the biggest category in the
German coffee market, but sales dropped by 2 per cent last year as
consumers switched to more exciting variants such as Cappuccino and
Espresso, writes Chris Jones.
Frito-Lay, the snack food arm of giant US food and drink group
PepsiCo, was one of the main drivers of growth for the company last
year, not least as a result of various new product launches
designed to tap growing demand for low...
The packaging sector is becoming increasingly important in the
accession countries, according to a new report from MINEFI - DREE
elargissement. And leading the way is the agrofood and mass
retailing industry - the mainstay of the...
Hiestand, the Swiss baked goods producer partly owned by Ireland's
IAWS group, has become the biggest producer of deep frozen baked
goods in Germany with the acquisition this week of the Back &
Friends company.
Last year was a tough one for French closures and barrels group
Oeneo, formerly
known as Sabaté Diosos. But the company ended the year with results
in line with expectations as restructuring efforts at both the
closures and...
The European Commission has welcomed the agreement reached by the
European Parliament and Council conciliation committee to increase
the minimum recycling targets for packaging waste from 25 to 55 per
cent by 2008. The agreement overcomes...
In the wake of terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001
Europe's manufacturing industries have taken a knock but figures
released this week reveal that the food industry is managing the
course, registering a 'light...
A move towards higher margin products and an ongoing programme of
debt reduction have helped Italian meat processor Cremonini to a
strong rise in sales and profits in the first three quarters of the
year.
Following a strong third financial quarter, Baltic Beverages
Holding - a 50 per cent joint venture with Scottish & Newcastle
and Denmark's Carlsberg, says it is set for further production
expansion in the coming financial...
Hot weather hit frozen food and ready meals but boosted salads and
sandwiches in the first half for Uniq. Reported sales were slightly
lower than last year due to the residual effects of disposals, but
the company's restructuring...
Chips Group, the Nordic snack maker, continued its steady growth in
the first nine months of the year, helped by acquisitions in Sweden
and Russia. But while the group said it expected further gains in
most markets this year, it also...
Kellogg, the cereal and snacks maker, has raised its full-year
profit forecast after an excellent third quarter performance which
saw both sales and profits rise significantly. The gains came as a
result of new product launches, brand...
The UK has come in for a great deal of criticism from environmental
bodies following the release of figures that show the country is
lagging behind much of the rest of Europe in terms of can
recycling. Pressure group Friends of the...
The addition of two major grocery brands (Mazola and Ovaltine)
helped lift sales and profits at Associated British Foods in the
last 12 months. But the traditional ingredients, agriculture and
retail businesses also improved during...
Another packaging company, another set of disappointing financial
results. This time it's consumer packaging specialist Huhtamaki,
which has reported earnings before interest, tax and amortisation
(EBITA) of €34 million in the...
