How to feed the planet? EC asks in survey
The European Commission has launched an online survey for views on how science and innovation can best ensure there is enough food for people globally.
Archives for April 15, 2015
Unilever share price soars as sales rise 12%
Unilever share prices surged more than 4% within a few hours of the company announcing that its first quarter sales had risen 12.3% to €12.8bn, exceeding expectations.
IFOAM: Organic must innovate to break out of niche status
Organic sales are growing but the sector remains niche with market share in single figures, says one industry group – but innovative practice and partnerships could change this.
Cargill’s Hazleton meat plant achieves landfill-free status
Cargill has achieved zero-waste to landfill at its Hazleton plant in Pennsylvania, US.
Hershey’s fresh breath chews may dissolve gum sales further
Hershey has at last launched its anticipated Ice Breakers Cool Blasts Chews across the US, which could spell “doom” for already declining gum sales, according to one analyst.
Aussie dairy Murray Goulburn proposes AU$500m initial public offering
Australian dairy cooperative Murray Goulburn has revealed plans for an initial public offering (IPO) of a unit trust it hopes will raise AU$500m.
Southern hemisphere
Cola is king in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia
Soft drinks may not be to the taste of the world’s government authorities, but they remain extremely popular among ordinary citizens in the lower Asia-Pacific.
Iraq Customs tax retracted on Turkish poultry, but full chicken imports halted
Iraq’s government has been undertaking a series of policy twists to restrict the exports of poultry products from Turkey, according to the Turkish Poultry Promotion Group.
First shipment of Australian SADA Fresh milk arrives in China
SADA Fresh, the milk brand created by the South Australian Dairy Farmers Association (SADA), is set to debut in China.
$86m factory now operational as distribution broadens
Beijing and beyond: Capri-Sun expands operations in China
Capri-Sun is expanding its presence in China, announcing a partnership with Reignwood Group that will give it the necessary sales and distribution muscle.
French consumers seek healthier on-the-go foods
France may be notorious for its leisurely lunch breaks but less structured ways of eating are taking root, with a third of consumers saying they often eat on the run, according to an Ipsos poll.
Regulation squeezes digestive health NPD out of EU
The percentage of food and drink launches carrying digestive health claims has fallen from 2.4% in 2009 to 2.2% in 2014 in the EU, says Innova Market Insights.
3 firms expand into new territory with protein-packed snack launches
Several well-established manufacturers are stepping out of their comfort zones and expanding into new categories or updating iconic brands to meet consumers’ ostensibly insatiable desire for protein-packed snacks.
Steve Hughes: 'You'd be surprised how fast brands can scale now.'
Boulder Brands CEO: In 3-5 years there will be a bunch of $300-500m brands that you've never heard of today
As the rapid growth of brands such as Suja Juice and Just Mayo demonstrates, new, on-trend brands originating in the natural, gourmet or organic space can now ‘cross over’ into the mass market at record speed, such that companies we have never heard of...
US reports show decreasing antimicrobial resistance in meat
The National Chicken Council (NCC) has said it was pleased with the findings of two US Food and Drug Administration reports, which showed mostly decreasing antimicrobial resistance.
Nestlé chairman: ‘Kraft and Heinz products were extremely attractive in the past but are not sufficiently adapted for the future.’
Americans are falling out of love with many big legacy ‘processed food’ brands and the “financial markets have closely observed what is happening in our industry and acted quickly and decisively”, according to the chairman of the world’s biggest food...
Sensor developed to improve BPA detection
A fluorescence sensor has been developed to improve detection of bisphenol A (BPA).
E.coli linked to leafy greens sickens 12 in Canada
An outbreak of E.coli O157 which has sickened 12 people has a possible link to leafy greens, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
New Zealand sees higher returns for beef exports
A strong US dollar has contributed to higher returns for New Zealand beef, as strong demand continued in the first half of the 2014-15 season.
Guest essay
The outstanding India-IRRI partnership
At the time of establishing the International Rice Research Institute (Irri) in 1960, Dr Sterling Wortman of the Rockefeller Foundation seriously considered India as a potential location for the institute. However, Los Baños in Laguna, Philippines, was...
FDA: KIND bars do not meet the requirements for use of the nutrient content claim ‘healthy'
KIND LLC working with FDA over string of labeling errors; consumer litigation could follow, predict attorneys
KIND LLC says it is working closely with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to address a long list of concerns raised by the agency in a warning letter over label claims on its bars and its website.