Food neophobia: Toddlers reject new food smells
Male toddlers are put off by foods with unfamiliar smells, says a French study looking at the play between taste and odour.
Archives for August 10, 2015
Chia extract can slash cake fat by 25%, finds study
Chia mucilage gel can be used to directly replace vegetable fat in pound cakes without impacting texture or color, researchers have found.
Qatar food inflation just 0.2%, says QNB
Qatar will see food price inflation of 0.2% for the rest of this year, driven by falling global food prices, with prices rising again in the next two years, according to a new report.
Jordan produce exports up, but farmers slam poor prices
Jordan’s fruit and vegetable exports rose 25% year-on-year in July, but regional instability and a major heatwave have caused prices to plummet, leading to protests by farmers.
In-store promotions help retailers, brands retain sales when desired products are out-of-stock
Proactive marketing strategies, such as cross-promotions and strategic shelving, by food manufacturers and retailers can reduce the risk of lost sales when consumers are faced with an out-of-stock product on their grocery list.
Alternative proteins, delivery tech dominate M&A activity; supplements trail off
The Nutrition Capital Network reports that mergers and acquisitions activity in branded natural and organic food & beverage companies is on a record-setting pace for 2015. In addition, NCN reports rapid growth in financings in the emerging world of what...
South Asia radius
Regulatory confusion will pave the way for the ‘inspector raj’
Regulations confusion will serve to allow the ‘inspector raj’ into the food industry
Ackman investment in Mondelēz: ‘Maybe this is the shake up it needs,’ says innovation expert
Activist-investor William Ackman’s 7.5% stake in Mondelēz International should inject life into a sweet and snack major that has been struggling for the past two years, says the innovation head at Mintel.
Scottish exports to ME up 20%, doubled since 2007
Scottish food and drink exports to the Middle East grew 20% year-on-year in 2014 to US$350m, and have nearly doubled since 2007, with fish and seafood leading the growth.
Burnt toast? Packaged bread needs investors, not innovation
UK bakers must seriously consider outside investment because product innovation won’t be enough to reverse plummeting sales, says Euromonitor.
Produce contamination reduction method effectiveness questioned
Attempting to improve food safety by clearing wild vegetation surrounding crops could make things worse, according to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley.
Understanding Listeria growth methods on salmon to help controls
Listeria monocytogenes uses different ‘metabolic pathways’ when growing on refrigerated smoked compared to laboratory media, according to research.
Australian cattle export facility could launch before next year
Plans for a new live cattle export facility in central Queensland could be up running by the end of the year, it has been reported.
Italian firm invests in Hungarian meat plant
Italian-owned pork and poultry meat processor Kometa 99 ZRt. has completed an investment estimated to be worth some 700m Hungarian Forint (HUF) (€2.3m) at its facility in Kaposvár, in Hungary’s south-western part.
How to position ‘mildly sustainable’ products: Price and retail display are key
The key to successful placement of mildly sustainable products is to use cues that communicate product positioning consistently, both in price level and in-store location, say researchers.
Syria’s food industry devastated as prices spiral
Syria’s food industry is still deteriorating, with bread prices up 87% since 2014, and 9.8 million people now classed as food-insecure, according to the FAO and WFP.
Snacks now comprise 50% of all eating occasions
Eating alone, continuous snacking and the slow death of the primary shopper: 10 things you need to know about the changing American consumer
American households - and eating habits - are changing, and food marketers need to catch up, says the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) in its 2015 US Grocery Shopper Trends report. Here are 10 things that caught our eye...
IRI research gives insight into how to market to Millennials, characterized as world's first 'digital natives'
Millennials are the first generation that has been switched on since birth. So while that means they are more sophisticated digitally, they are also more opinionated, too, something that marketers must keep in mind, according to research firm IRI.
Mixed Maggi news for Nestlé as FDA gives all clear
Nestlé India’s Maggi noodles have been cleared by one Indian lab but failed tests in another as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given them the green light.
Saudi beats Egypt for top F&B market spot
Saudi Arabia remains the most attractive food and beverage market ahead of Egypt, with food consumption growth of 7.6% this year, says a new BMI report.
Feature
Two new barley plant genes discovered
A group of international researchers have discovered two new genes in the barley plant that will shed light on the history of agriculture and also bring new capabilities to barley breeding programs.
Savola profits down 15%, more falls to come
The Savola Group saw profits fall 15% in its second quarter, and warns full-year profits could be down 10%, because of oversupply of commodities and a larger retail sector.
New Zealand: red meat pitfalls and potential
New Zealand red meat farmers are among the highest earners in all farming sectors, but the industry must overcome significant barriers to fuel economic growth, according to the latest research.
Even low sugar intakes carry risk of caries, finds review
Even low intakes of free sugars can lead to an increased risk of tooth decay and dental caries - a finding that re-emphasises the importance cutting dietary sugar intakes, say researchers.
Retailers shouldn’t carry the blame for food waste, says BRC
Food waste reduction by manufacturers and households needs to be the focus of attention since they are the biggest culprits, rather than supermarkets, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) director of food policy Andrew Opie has argued.
New CEO looks to generate 'aggressive, run-rate cost savings of $1.5bn by the end of 2017'
Heinz has slashed almost a quarter of its workforce since April 2013, SEC filings reveal
Heinz has slashed just under one quarter (23.8%*) of its workforce since April 2013 as part of a ‘restructuring and productivity’ drive at the ketchup giant, which was acquired by private equity firms 3G and Berkshire Hathaway in June 2013, and tied the...
US dairy Dean Foods stays quiet on chairman's sudden departure
US dairy giant Dean Foods has refused to be drawn on the reasons for the sudden departure of its chairman, Tom C Davis.