Pack supplier Rexam says that declining demand for its beverage can products across European markets and planned restructuring of its plastic operations has not dented its debt reduction ambitions.
Two UK food processing and packaging equipment manufacturers, Wright Machinery and Double D Food Engineering, are to join forces with US companies to extend their global reach.
Rising costs cause Cloetta Fazer profits to drop, Haagen-Dazs puts
salt in ice-cream, and the UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF) holds
a conference on the changing confectionery market.
The global commodity market continues to worry confectionery and
sugar firms, as AB Foods profit is dented by sugar reforms, Nestle
combats costs with price hikes, and Cadbury may be ripe for
takeover.
Vivartia, Greece's largest food production company, yesterday
announced it is breaking into the US bakery market with its
acquisition of biscuit and cookie firm Nonni.
An increase in commodity and marketing costs led Heinz to yesterday
report slightly lower margins for the third quarter 2008, despite
sales and operating profit growth.
In financial news, Canada Bread keeps profits steady through frozen
bread sales, Campbell suffers from high input and commodity costs,
and Barilla may be looking to sell its German bakery division.
Cereal manufacturer Kellogg today revealed plans to invest $40m in
expanding its institute for food and nutrition research, claiming
that sales from innovation have doubled since it first opened in
1997.
US-based snack company Lance last week announced it has bought a
stake in Late July Snacks, as part of a bid to move into the
organic and healthy market.
PepsiCo today announced it will split its
operations into three separate units in a move to better
harness the growth of its snack and beverage businesses.
Chr Hansen has sold its paprika business activities and production
facilities in Spain and India to allow it to focus on value-added
activities, the company announced on Thursday.
Dutch ingredients producer CSM is poised to sell its lucrative
sugar business to Royal Cosun in an effort to streamline their
bakery portfolio and strengthen growth in pivotal areas.
Canada Bread has swept up the remaining assets and business of
troubled British baker Harvestime in a move that broadens the
firm's operations in the UK.
New smart label technology holds the promise of reducing the chance
of spoilt or contaminated meat reaching retail shelves and of
increasing consumer confidence in food safety.
US bakery and international consumer goods manufacturer Sara Lee
has announced the sale of its European branded apparel business as
part of the company's bid to redefine its over-stretched product
portfolio and turn around its...
Leading US bakery and international consumer goods manufacturer
Sara Lee has announced that it has entered negotiations regarding
the sale of its European branded apparel business. The move forms
part of the company's bid to...
Under an agreement with Aviso Packaging, Outlook Group will market
a new technology designed for the wrapping of cheese with a
thinner, tougher material, the company claims.
Six months after its acquisition of Owens-Illinois' plastics unit,
Graham Packaging has reported a net loss of $11.5 million (€ 9.1
million) for the first quarter of this year, even though net sales
increased by 138 per cent...
Alcan has appointed a new executive vice president, while Finnish
packaging manufacturer Huhtamaki has reinforced its group head
office with a couple of executive appointments.
Leading UK ready meals manufacturer, Kwoks, has opened a vastly
extended and modernised facility in Grimsby, Yorkshire, which it
says will help meet increasing demand from supermarket chain Asda.
A US farm co-operative is set to open a $25 million
state-of-the-art pork processing plant that will be wholly owned by
hog producers. Is this the best way that small pork processors can
compete against the likes of Smithfield and...
Phosphate technology company Astaris, hit by a weaker economy and
rising competition, yesterday unveiled a restructuring plan
designed to cut costs and boost revenue for North American
operations. The move sees facilities closing...
US company Avery Dennison has signed an agreement to sell its
package label converting business in Europe to CCL Industries, a
label and packaging solutions company based in Toronto, Ontario.
Alcan has said that it has completed the acquisition of VAW
Flexible Packaging from Norsk Hydro for approximately €345 million
euro, following approval of the deal from the EU Commission.
Ecolab, the global cleaning and pest elimination provider, has
announced record first quarter sales reflected largely by the
growth of its global foodservice markets.
Moore Corporation and Wallace Computer Services have announced a
merger agreement to form one of the largest providers of print and
labelling solutions in the world.
Stora Enso, one of the world's leading forest industry companies,
will move its Asia-Pacific headquarters from Singapore to China's
economic centre, Shanghai, the company's chief executive officer
announced today.
FMC Technologies, the global provider of energy processing and
production systems for a number of industries including the food
industry, has reported solid third quarter 2002 sales of $525.4
million (€538.6m) for the group as a whole,...
Ball Corporation has agreed to acquire Schmalbach-Lubeca, the
second largest beverage can manufacturer in Europe. Combined, the
two companies produce more than 45 billion beverage cans annually
in North America and Europe.
Australian company Plantic has solved the problem of packaging
waste by developing a 'plastic' packaging that is dissolvable. The
material could even provide a feasible alternative to
non-degradable plastic bags, a market...
Alcan, the Canada-based aluminium packaging provider, has said that
it is disappointed with the S&P decision to downgrade its
rating on the S&P 500 Index.
Fresh Del Monte Produce, the US fresh fruit and vegetables group,
is taking its first step to becoming a global leader in the sector
by buying three Fisher Foods businesses from the receivers of
Albert Fisher.
Pactiv Corporation has announced an agreement to purchase Winkler
Forming, a leading thermoformer of amorphous polyethylene
terephthalate (APET) used in food packaging, for $72.5 million,
(€78.5mn) or approximately 7 times EBITDA.
A poor performance from one of its US subsidiaries dragged down
first-quarter profits at Jefferson Smurfit, the Irish paper and
packaging business at the centre of a bid from a US private equity
house.
