Chinese regulators are developing standards for bovine colostrum,
the first milk from cows that has a growing following as a health
product among Chinese consumers.
If the Chinese government gives in to mounting international
pressure to revalue its currency, it could spell the end of cheap
exports, a move that many anticipate would have a knock-on effect
on raw materials costs for the food industry....
The third EU-China Business Summit in Helsinki was designed to
strengthen economic cooperation between the two blocs, a move that
will have a significant impact on Europe's food industry.
Cargill has taken full control of its xanthan gum joint venture in
China, opening the way for it to take a bigger share of the
competitive gums market.
The Chinese ingredients industry, which is bursting with potential,
remains a confusing place. An IFT seminar provided the opportunity
for businesses to navigate this key market.
The recent regulatory approval for a fruit-derived natural
sweetener could open new doors to food and beverage manufacturers
looking to clean up their product labels.
Leading flavours house Givaudan says a new facility in Shanghai,
claimed to be the world's largest flavours plant, will allow it to
capture rising demand for quality and innovative flavours in the
Chinese food and beverage market.
Some of the vegetables sold in Hong Kong's leading supermarket
chains are dangerously high in pesticide residues, revealed
Greenpeace last week, confirming that much still needs to be done
to improve the way pesticides are used...
DSM's development of a patented new flavour technology in China
illustrates how increasingly important this region is becoming to
European flavour firms.
Ajinomoto's joint venture agreement with Knorr Foods and three
Chinese firms is the company's latest forage into one of the
fastest growing markets in the world.
Attracted by the promise of record sales and growing household
consumption, Western retailers are flocking to China's provincial
cities - but what success will they have?
South Korea officials are planning to step up inspections of
imported Chinese freshwater fish after finding cancer-causing
chemicals in some fish sent from the country.
As Chinese producers move in on western markets, the first response
by many established players is to protect and defend their previous
market positions. It's a doomed strategy.
Officials continue to remain tight-lipped over reports of a foot
and mouth (FMD) outbreak outside Beijing - as the country takes
precautions to avoid another bird flu pandemic, Tom Armitage
reports.
Melville, New York headquartered Comax Flavors, has opened a new
factory in Shanghai to serve the rapidly growing Chinese market,
the company reported yesterday.
Pressure on soy prices likely to continue with a new report
revealing China is expected to reduce its principal soybean
planting area, while increasing corn and rice planting in 2005.
Increasing affluence and changes in diet in China to open up new
opportunites for European yeast extract suppliers, but the threat
from Chinese suppliers has kicked off, writes Lindsey
Partos.
Honey producers in China began exporting to the EU for the first
time in nearly three years last week after the authorities in
Brussels lifted a ban imposed amid safety concerns.
Number one natural colours firm Chr Hansen makes inroads into the
lucrative Chinese market, this week unveiling a new food colour
factory to meet a rise in local demand, and marking the first step
in a raft of investments in the region.
Growing consumer spending levels in China have helped boost sales
at two of the world's leading drinks groups. South Africa's
SABMiller and France's Rémy Cointreau both benefited from the
increasing interest in premium...
Number six global flavours player Takasago International has
established a new division in Shanghai aimed at expanding its
manufacturing and retail presence in China as well cutting costs.
As food ingredients suppliers take a stake in the burgeoning
Chinese market new figures released by the United Nations confirm
foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Asia and the Pacific
rose by a massive 55 per cent in 2004 on...
Global drawdown in cereal stocks, the essence of a raft of
ingredients, may turn the corner this year as a new report from the
UN food agency predicts world cereal production will hit a record
2.04 billion tonnes in 2004, an increase...
China has been the dominant supplier of many herbs, spices and
ingredients to the Russian market for the last 10 years, but a
reduction in Chinese crop areas to make way for more profitable
products has given local growers from the...
A slump in international sales means that Coca-Cola is set to
switch its focus to the China market in an effort to sustain
growth. The company said that with current economic growth
continuing apace, China should be its third biggest...
Chr Hansen breaks into the lucrative Chinese market constructing
its first production facilities to provide more flexibility to
serve the burgeoning local food industry, reports Lindsey
Partos.
China's massive drive to reduce the damage done by vitamin and
mineral deficiency, particularly to children, is paying rich
dividends for its economy, say children's charity UNICEF and the
Chinese Ministry of Health.
Flavour firms operating on the global scene will turn their sights
to Asia to up returns as evidence suggests new flavours are
emerging in China in the brand war between foreign and domestic
food makers.
Competition for European suppliers of honey has ramped up with
Brussels clearing the way to end a two year ban on food imports
from China which should pave the way for cheaper raw materials for
honey formulations.
Joining the growing ranks of ingredients companies taking root in
China to defend their market position, US starch and sweeteners
firm Corn Products International has linked up with Shandong Juneng
Electric Power Group Golden Corn...
US food giant General Mills is to increase wholesale prices on
several categories of foods in response to rising raw materials
costs. The increase is thought to be between two to nine per cent
on selected lines.
As grain stocks are depleted across the world, China's food
producers have found sourcing the commodity an increasingly
expensive and time consuming issue, writes Simon Pitman.
However, a report from independent intelligence...
The recent escalation of raw material, manufacturing, energy and
packaging costs will result in an increase in price for soy protein
ingredients, says the Solae company, as soybean prices hit 15 year
highs and the firm passes rises...
A British Pig Executive (BPEX) delegation is visiting Beijing at
the end of the month to encourage British exports to China, the
world's biggest market for pork.
As one door closes another one opens with the Food Ingredients Asia
show that ended in Shanghai last week now replaced by the finished
foods exhibition SIAL China. At the opening event this week EU
agriculture commissioner Franz Fischler...
Food ingredients companies head off to China with agriculture chief
Fischler next week on a mission to boost trade relations and create
new business opportunities for the food industry.
European food ingredients companies working in the rapidly emerging
Chinese food market can look forward to getting a slice of the €135
billion trade exchange between the two blocs.
Bush administration trade officials were not the only ones to
welcome China's decision to allow a raft of GM products from
biotech giant Monsanto. This week the American Soybean Association
hails the move as 'good news'.
Carrefour, the French company which is the world's second largest
food retailer, has this week opened its first hypermarket in China
for nearly two years after finally ensuring that its operations
there comply with Chinese regulations.
Top line growth for suppliers to the food industry will have to be
delivered through innovation and focused branding strategies, finds
a new report, at the same time stressing that emerging markets
could threaten the ingredients industry.
Metro, the German wholesale and retail group, is to roll out a
further 40 cash & carry outlets in China over the next five
years, the company's CEO Hans-Joachim Körber is quoted as saying
today. And profitability is not far...
China is considering a law to regulate the use of biotechnology in
agricultural production to protect people's health and the
environment, state media said on Monday, Reuters reports.
China is to tighten use of a potent antibiotic in food after
Germany joined other nations in complaining about the safety of
Chinese products, the Ministry of Agriculture said.
Top U.S. Agriculture Department officials and industry experts on
Monday reviewed details of China's long-awaited rules for biotech
soybeans and other genetically modified crops, which will take
effect on March 20.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture expects China's imports of
wheat, soybeans, vegetable oils, and cotton to rise in the years
after accession to the WTO as new pressures from external
competition and internal shifts in consumer...
