French cheese-make Bongrain has acquired the German spreads brand Brunch from UNILEVER. Bongrain, which owns the German soft cheese business Edelweiss, was manufacturing Brunch for Unilever as a co-packer .

A spokesman for Unilever Deutschland said the decision to sell Brunch was not a bad sign for the brand."It's a win-win situation, it's nothing against the brand," he said.

Both sides declined to comment on the financial details of the transaction.

Source: Just-food.com

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French food group Danone waits a European ruling on the health benefit claims it makes on two of its best-selling yoghurts Activia and Actimel. The decision expected from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is important for Danone mainly because its strategy focuses on differentiating dairy brands with a "good for you" proposition. If a negative decision appears, this could ultimately force Danone to redesign its  growth model in dairy business, which made up almost 60 percent of the gr...
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Warren Buffett has moved into the alcohol business with the acquisition of the wholesale distributor Empire Distributors.

Mr Buffett bought Kahn Ventures, the Atlanta-based parent of Empire through McLane, a subsidiary of his holding company Berkshire Hathaway. The purchase price was not disclosed.

“We expect that the Empire acquisition will provide us with a solid platform for potentially acquiring other similar high-quality distributors,” Mr Buffett said.

Management and staff will...

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Coca-Cola’s strong performance in the recession has been demonstrated with figures showing £1 bn in retail sales for ‘Coca-Cola’, ‘diet Coke' and ‘Coke Zero’ over the last year in Great Britain. It is the first ever time that the combined sales of the three Coke brands have broken through the £1 bn barrier.

The record-breaking performance comes despite the tough economic climate and fall in consumer confidence over the last year. And confirms that cash-strapped consumers are stil...
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According to a new research from Information Resources Inc. (IRI), snack food volume declined about 1 percent in 2009 in US, driven by decreases among some of the segment's top performers, including chocolate candy (-6 percent), cookies (-5 percent) and crackers (-3 percent). But thanks to a 4 percent average price increase across categories, total snack food dollar sales edged up about 3 percent from 2008 to 2009, salvaging what could have been a poor year for the segment. Categories that re...
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Former Cadbury plc executive Jim Chambers has been named president of confectionery and general manager for Kraft Foods, Inc.’s Immediate Consumption Channel, North America.

He will oversee such Cadbury brands as Trident gum and Halls. According to the company, Chambers will be focused on growing the newly acquired gum business in the U.S., especially in the convenience channel.

Chambers, 52, was previously president for Cadbury North America and now reports to Kraft’s president of Nort...

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Generic drugmaker Perrigo Co said it would buy privately held PBM Holdings Inc, a store-brand baby food manufacturer, for about $808 million in cash to expand its store-brand market into infant formula and baby food.

Gordonsville, Virginia-based PBM manufactures and distributes over-the-counter store-brand infant formula and baby foods sold by retailers in the mass, club, grocery and drug channels in the United States, Canada, Mexico and China.

PBM's products include infant and toddler form...

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PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi detailed her vision for growth at the start of a two-day investor meeting in New York.

Nooyi said a key priority moving forward is to restore its North American beverage business to sustainable, profitable growth, starting this year.

Regarding higher-growth emerging markets, such as China, India, Russia and Brazil, Nooyi said Pepsi plans to invest aggressively to reach leadership or competitive parity.

On a worldwide level, Nooyi said PepsiCo is targeting mid-single...

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In USA, Nestle USA, Inc. and Mars, Inc. have joined top beverage companies, health groups and the National Parent Teacher Association to support legislation that would update nutrition standards for all foods sold in the nation’s schools.

Jointly signing a letter from the American Beverage Association (ABA), along with Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo. Inc., the confectionery companies are in favor of expanding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) updating of standards for school meals a...

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Coca-Cola Co. has applied for Russian regulator approval to acquire  juicemaker Nidan Soki,

In January, it was said that Coca-Cola was considering buying a controlling stake in Nidan from private equity group Lion Capital.If approved, this acquisition will make Coca-Cola the number one player in the Russian juice market,

Coca-Cola already has a significant share in the Russian juice market through Multon, which has a nearly 22 percent market share, according to research group Business Ana...

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PepsiCo announced today it is voluntarily adopting a new global policy to stop sales of full-sugar soft drinks to primary and secondary schools by 2012. The industry-leading policy establishes for the first time a consistent global approach to the sale of beverages to schools by a major beverage company.

The policy applies in all countries outside the United States, and is generally consistent with the company's existing U.S. policy, which remains unchanged.   

PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ind...

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Krupskaya, a Russian confectionery company part of Orkla of Norway since 2006, has announced that it will acquire 100% of OOO Peterhof, a producer of chocolate spreads and cookies based in St. Petersburg. Peterhof employs 450 people. The parties have agreed not to reveal the financial details of the transaction.The deal is subject to approval by the Federal Antimonopoly Service. Orkla enjoys market leadership in chocolate paste spreads in Norway under our 'Nugatti' brand. Krupskaya General Di...
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Lindt & Sprüngli revealed that its 2009 fiscal year  profits dropped by 35.4% as the economic downturn hit demand for its premium chocolate products. Lindt says that the global economic crisis caused the chocolate market have decline in sales for the first time in ten years. Price conscious consumers also increasingly looked to private label products, Lindt also mentions that the currency fluctuations and higher cocoa prices reduced their profitability.

Looking to the coming year, Lindt fore...
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The gum, mints and breath fresheners market has seen sales increase over 10% since 2007 in the US, despite the recession, according to a research from Mintel. Mintel expects this growth rate to continue through 2014. According to this reaseach, the main reason behind this recession proof  characteriscis of gum and mint is their low price point and consumers' wish to have  a reward for himself or herself without spending so much.

Mintel also concludes that  innovative packaging and unique flavo...

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Nowadays, many analysts are trying to define the consumer attitude during  post-recovery period after the economic downturn. Most of these studies suggest that the consumers have changed  their shopping behaviour like preferring private label products during the crisis period and now even after the economy hints an upward trend, they will keep these attitutes.

In this blog apart from sharing with you the most important or interesting (according to me) daily news in the food industry, I am  al...
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After decades of behaving differently, Japanese consumers suddenly look a lot like their counterparts in Europe and the United States. Celebrated for their willingness to pay for quality and convenience and usually uninterested in cheaper products, Japanese consumers are now flocking to discount and online retailers. Sales of relatively affordable private-label foods have increased dramatically, and many consumers, despite small living spaces, are buying in bulk. Instead of eating out, people...

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Turkish group Yildiz Holding, owner of food company Ulker and chocolatier Godiva, may hold IPOs for some of its units, the head of the company's investment and business development department said on Thursday. Each unit of Yildiz Holding has an IPO strategy and it would not be a surprise if some of them start an IPO process in coming days, Zeki Ziya Sozen told a news conference.

A statement released before the company's annual performance assessment meeting said food activities created 8.8 b...

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Western companies have succesful trials for product localizations for entering to markets like Japan. Pepsi with cucumber flavored soft drink or McDonalds with Filet-O-Shrimp burgers are good examples.

Another good example for product localization is being executed for KitKat by Nestle again in Japan. Being a well known brand as a chocolate, Kitkat now has  19 local flavors  originating from different parts of Japan, from miso to soybean these tastes serve to the regional palate.

Read the detai...
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Mars Inc has signed a four-year sponsorship deal with the Scottish Football Association in a bid to encourage more adults to play football in Scotland.

The move follows a deal with Mars and the English FA last year and will include media partnerships with The Sun in Scotland and its existing relationship with Talksport. As part of the deal, Mars will become an ‘official partner’ to Scotland until July 2014. The focus of the relationship will be to work with the Scottish FA to encourage foo...
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US chocolatier Hershey has launched new chocolate gifts for the Easter period.

The Hershey range includes three varieties of chocolate bunnies; a 5oz Hershey’s Solid Milk Chocolate Princess Bunny, Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Crème Bunnies and Hershey’s Bliss Milk Chocolate Bunnies with a Meltaway Centre.

A Cadbury range, for which Hershey holds the US licence, includes; Cadbury Clucking Bunny Plush Toy with a Cadbury Crème Egg, Cadbury Mini Eggs Candy and Cadbury Caramel Eggs.

In addition,...

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Belgian holding company NPM/CNP Compagnie Nationale à Portefeuille is reportedly planning to sell its wholly-owned company Belgian Icecream Group (BIG). BIG is Belgium's biggest ice cream producer and reported a turnover of 88 million euro in 2008. BIG employs about 500 people. Banca Leonardo, has been appointed to handle the transaction, according to the Belgian press.  The company has 3 production sites in Belgium (Tielen, Chênée and Kuurne) and 7 depots all over the country

Belgian da...

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If rumors are correct yes!

Shares of Dean Foods Co, the largest U.S. milk producer, jumped as much as 8.3 percent, fueled by talk that France's Danone could acquire the company. "There is a rumor circulating that Groupe Danone is interested in acquiring Dean Foods. That possibility has spurred call option buying today in the stock," said Jud Pyle, chief investment strategist at Options News Network, a division of option market making firm PEAK6 Investments.

A spokesman for Danone declined to co...
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Mr.Trevor Bond, Cadbury’s UK managing director, has been handed a new role overseeing Kraft Foods’ European businesses.

Mr.Bond is promoted to president (markets) of Kraft Europe, giving him responsibility for the group’s individual national business units.Kraft’s UK and Ireland MD, Mr.Nick Bunker, takes over the combined UK business of Kraft and Cadbury. They will both report to Kraft European president Mr.Mike Clarke.

Mr.Clarke said retaining Bond reflected the “‘best of both�...

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Investment funds buying of cocoa futures are forcing cocoa prices up and damaging chocolate makers, the association of German confectionery producers BDSI said on Thursday. "The BDSI condemns the speculative investment by banks and funds in agricultural commodities which the food industry needs for its production," the association said in a statement. "While this commodity is currently at its most expensive level in 30 years, the price competition in German retailing makes it difficult to pas...

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With the opening of the third SELGROS cash-and-carry store, transGourmet - a joint venture of REWE Group and Coop Switzerland - continues its expansion in Russia.

The first SELGROS outlet was opened in Kotelniki near Moscow in 2008; the second one opened in the city of Rjasan in March 2009.

SELGROS cash-and-carry outlets are one of the leading international operators working with a "customer card system" and has around 4 million customers throughout Europe The FEGROS/SELGROS Group currently op...

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Nestle consolidates its Russian chocolate operations. The company will transfer production of its Komilfo and Ruzanna brands, which are currently manufactured in the Ruza district of the Moscow region, to the company’s Perm and Samara chocolate factories.  Upon the completion of this project, the Samara’s factory will become one of Nestle's largest chocolate factories. . 

Nestle acquired the Komilfo and Ruzanna brands and Ruza confectionery factory in November 2007.

Source: just-food.com

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Nestle has bought OOO Technocom, Ukraine's biggest producer of convenience foods and condiments, and owner of the Mivina brand.

The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed but, according to Nestle, the acquisition of will strengthen the company's presence in one of the fastest-growing segments of the Ukrainian food market.Technocom will allow Nestle to expand its convenience portfolio at the value end of the market, Nestle also intends to actively promote products under the Mi...

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PepsiCo has agreed to set up a ‘Chinese wall’ to ensure that the acquisition of its two largest bottlers does not jeopardise competition with rival Dr Pepper Snapple.

To close its $7.8bn acquisition of Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas, PepsiCo agreed to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirement that it prevent sensitive information being accessed by any of its employees who are in a position to use that information against Dr Pepper Snapple. Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmer...

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US food safety officials have written warning letters to 16 manufacturers that claim the companies have broken labelling laws.

Two Nestle divisions, snack group Diamond Foods and pie maker Schwan's Consumer Brands are among those to have received the letters in the last ten days, according to the FDA website.

The FDA letters issue a series of warnings to the companies on the health claims made on product labels and on brand websites.

Nestle divisions Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream and Gerber ...

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According to a study published in the US journal Health Affairs, some 16.4% of kids aged 10-17 were obese in 2007, the study claimed - up from 14.8% in 2003 and equating to almost 10.6m obese children. Two of the researchers behind the study claimed US children were "snacking more than ever" on "junk" foods. "Our findings suggest that the obesity epidemic among children may not yet have reached its plateau for some groups of children," the authors claimed. They added that those most likely to...
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The world's No. 2 soft-drink maker, which on Friday closed its $7.8 billion purchase of Pepsi Bottling Group and PepsiAmericas, also said it still expected earnings to grow 11 percent to 13 percent on a constant-currency basis in 2010 from $3.71 per share last year.

Pepsi archrival Coca-Cola Co surprised Wall Street last week with a similar move to buy the North American operations of bottler Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.

Bringing the bottlers in-house will speed up distribution to major reta...

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Italian dairy group Parmalat has revealed plans to expand its baby-food business. CEO Enrico Bondi has identified baby food as a possible way for Parmalat to grow after a year in which milk price hikes boosted profits.

Parmalat has a fledgling baby-food business that sells baby milk in certain markets but the company is looking for growth either through new products or acquisitions, according to a company spokesperson..

Last week, Parmalat issued its 2009 numbers. The company's EBITDA rose ...

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