Having recently announced a large-scale withdrawal from the
Hungarian market, Kraft Foods has reaffirmed its commitment to the
Romanian market, by confirming a series of future investments in
its division there.
Although demand for EU-backed SAPARD funds in Poland is now said to
be exceeding total budget, the European Commission says it will
continue to support all food and beverage companies that qualify
for EU food safety and hygiene standards....
Almost one in four (23 per cent) German adults admits to often
skipping meals to keep their weight down - a massive 17.5 million
people. But according to a new survey of European dieting habits,
Germans are also the least likely to...
The UK food industry has promised to continue reducing levels of
salt in manufactured food products. In a joint report from
manufacturers, farmers and the hospitality sector, salt in sliced
bread is to be further reduced and targeted...
Canada is set to publish its first voluntary standards for
labelling food free of genetically modified ingredients. But a
number of food processors say that the rules are so badly flawed
that they will be of no use to the majority...
A new guide from UK-based research group CCFRA has been published
that will help chilled food manufacturers and retailers determine
the shelf-life of their products. The guide aims to improve both
the safety and quality of chilled...
Despite the recent EU ruling against its GM Maize crops, Monsanto
has said that it is expecting the continued development of its
seeds and traits business will drive its mid-term growth.
The dominance of the multiple retailers in the UK has had a
devastating effect on the specialist retail sector there, with the
massive buying power of the major chains allowing them to undercut
independent operators at the same time...
Croatia is about to get its own food agency, which will work
alongside the EFSA to bring the former Yugoslavian state in line
with EU food safety regulations ahead of its likely application to
join the Union.
Organisers of the international food fair Salima 2004 claim that
exhibitor numbers are up on for the bi-annual event, to be held in
Brno, southern Moravia, from 2-5 March
Brand building is vital for the success of any product, and in
today's increasingly cutthroat grocery business it can mean the
difference between long-term growth and short-term failure.
Products displayed in green point-of-sale (POS) positions have a
much better chance of catching the eye and ending up in consumers'
shopping trolleys, according to new research due to be presented
next week.
The US-based natural food group Hain Celestial is snapping up
German manufacturer of soy, oat and rice-based drinks Natumi,
expanding its operations in Europe and giving it access to a
non-dairy production facility in the region.
Trolley Scan has developed and put into production what it claims
is the most sensitive passive single chip UHF radio frequency
identification (RFID) system ever developed. The system allows
manufacturers to read the credit card sized...
Traceability has become a key concern in the meat processing
industry since the BSE outbreak in the UK in the 1990s, and more
recently the discovery of the disease in the US last year. A number
of diagnostic products have been developed...
Retailers' distribution costs in the UK have risen slightly over
the last year, but stock levels have been reduced and supply chains
are becoming more efficient, according to the latest survey of
retail logistics published by...
The National Food Processors Association (NFPA) in the US has urged
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide a greater degree
of flexibility in making qualified health claims or dietary
guidance statements on food labels.
Danish R&D company BSP Pharma will launch its shea butter
ingredient for use in joint health supplements in the US next week,
as the company seeks its first marketing partner for the
scientifically backed ingredient.
The price of soy ingredients could ease in the next twelve months
for manufacturers and processors as the US government predicts
farmers, on the back of rising soybean prices, will plant more
soybeans for the 2004-05 marketing year.
Food retailers in the UK this week committed to a programme aimed
at reducing salt levels in their own label processed foods such as
soups, pizzas and ready meals.
Both alpha-linolenic acid and omega-3 fatty acids may reduce onset
of depression in cancer patients, suggest Japanese reasearchers.
But investigations into the different omega-3 fats,
eicosapentaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid,...
End-of-line equipment specialist Wrapid Packaging Systems is
launching the Compacta Trend, an updated budget automatic packaging
machine that the company claims offers substantial cost savings
over traditional chamber and semi-automatic...
The current thinking that oxygen free radicals are responsible for
the development of numerous diseases, including cancer and
arthritis, may be a red herring, says a team of UK scientists.
Technology group 3M has combined its packaging expertise with
Microsoft products to develop and deliver what it believes is the
first available integrated packaging management solution. The
Integrated Packaging Tool from 3M is designed...
US poultry exports to European Union countries were banned for one
month yesterday because of concerns over the emergence of bird
influenza in Texas. The ban, which covers all bird and egg imports
from the country, was enacted after...
US alginate producer International Specialty Products (ISP) will
take on a new range of cellulose ingredients after shaking hands on
a deal with Tawainese manufacturer Mingtai Chemical.
The biggest potential consumer market in the world has flung open
the doors to GM foodstuffs. Approving a handful of biotech soybeans
and corn from US biotech giant Monsanto, China's permanent approval
- the first ever issued...
Diminished hearing may be a further side effect of
hormone-replacement therapy (HRT), according to a small pilot study
funded by the US National Institutes of Health.
Israeli firm Advanced Vision Technology (AVT) has introduced a
number of innovative features for its PrintVision range of
inspection solutions. The firm believes that this will further
consolidate its position as a leader in quality...
Eating just 10 grammes of dietary fibre from fruits and cereals
each day appears to significantly lower the risk of coronary heart
disease, according to a new study out this week. But vegetable
fibre did not offer any protection,...
Driving hard into value added ingredients has paid off for Irish
food group Kerry as the company faces off tougher currency exposure
in 2003 to see a steady rise in sales and operating profit.
European bottom line benefits from greater...
If one day in the near future Europe does decide to clear the way
for the planting of GM crops in the soil of the EU25, there is one
point on which the Commission and national governments must be in
full possession of the facts,...
The European Commission obtained official observer status within
the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health) this week at the
first-ever global conference on animal welfare. The event brought
together the 166 member countries of...
Countdown to the integration of 10 new member states in Europe this
April begins under the aegis of the Irish presidency. For
manufacturers, a clear understanding of the marketplace in these
countries will be vital to pitching the...
Britain's third largest food retail group Sainsbury looks set to
increase its presence in the convenience store sector even further
in the next few weeks with a bid for the TM Group.
Eastern Europe's thirst for bottled water shows no signs of being
quenched, with all of the 15 biggest countries in the region
showing volume growth over the five years, according to a new
report from beverage industry analysts...
Hypermarkets and discount stores are likely to increase their share
of the grocery retail market in central and eastern Europe in the
years following European Union accession, according to a recent
study of shopping habits in the...
The pressing problem of obesity in children has to be tackled
rapidly and efficiently to avert the heavy price society might pay
as incidences of obesity linked diabetes and heart disease surge.
New research from Australia confirms...
The dominance of the multiple retailers in the UK has had a
devastating effect on the specialist retail sector there, with the
massive buying power of the major chains allowing them to undercut
independent operators at the same time...
Axfood, the Swedish retail group, has completed the remodelling of
35 Matex discount stores, rebranding them under its own Willys
banner. The move is part of a wider strategy of focusing on a
handful of brands for different store...
Sugar, biotechnology, farm reform and failed WTO talks were on the
agenda this week as the EU's farm minister Franz Fischler staked
out Europe's position to the US.
A new study from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) suggests
that genetically engineered DNA is contaminating traditional seeds
of three major crops in North America. The organisation warns that
if left unchecked, seed contamination...
Movement in the global hydrocolloids industry continues this week
with ISP Food Specialities, the UK arm of US private company
International Specialty Products (ISP), announcing it will buy the
UK stabiliser firm Red Carnation Gums...
The majority of Polish shoppers still prefer to stock up on
groceries at their local store rather than at western-style
supermarkets or hypermarkets - although urban shoppers are
increasingly turning to the larger store formats.
A trial by UK convenience store operator Spar of a new digital
network allowing targeted information about promotions to be
disseminated throughout its stores has been highly successful, the
company announced last week.
