Headlines > Markets
Chocolate giants push small companies into niche markets
09-Aug-2006 - The domination of the confectionery market by global heavy weights such as Nestlé, Mars and Cadbury Schweppes is forcing small companies to target highly specialised markets, according to a new report.A number of high profile mergers and acquisitions in the industry last year by large companies jostling to acquire more market share could result in smaller companies being sidelined.
Cargill takes control of gum venture in China
08-Aug-2006 - 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.
Danisco performance impacted by 'eventful' year
03-Aug-2006 - Danisco's takeover of Genencor International, the EU sugar reform and rising raw material prices feature prominently in the group's recently published annual report.
Suedzucker predicts growth in sugar revenues
03-Aug-2006 - European sugar giant Suedzucker expects a revenue increase of 5 per cent in 2006 / 07, underlining the group's confidence in the future of the EU sugar sector.
Kids boost Kinnerton sales
02-Aug-2006 - UK-based confectionery company, Kinnerton, has recorded encouraging profits on the back of seasonal sales and lucrative licensing deals.
Cadbury contamination proves costly
02-Aug-2006 - A UK product recall due to Salmonella contamination could cost £20m (€29.3m) and perhaps more, Cadbury Schweppes said yesterday.
Lotte confectionery buys up Chinese chocolate maker
01-Aug-2006 - South Korea's leading confectionery maker Lotte has bought a Shanghai-based chocolate company, as it seeks to expand in the fast-growing Chinese market.
Wrigley reports rising gum sales
31-Jul-2006 - The world's largest chewing gum producer, the Wm Wrigley Jr Company, has announced record sales in the first quarter, boosted by new product launches and an increased worldwide presence.
Cadbury enters Vietnam with new Kinh Do partnership
27-Jul-2006 - Cadbury Schweppes, the world's biggest confectionery maker, signed an agreement yesterday with Vietnam's leading food maker Kinh Do, giving it access to the company's extensive distribution network.
Thorntons' profits show sales slump
25-Jul-2006 - UK confectioner Thorntons has announced poor financial results after struggling with waning sales since the start of the year.
Hershey enjoys profit surge
21-Jul-2006 - Global confectionery giant, Hershey, has announced encouraging sales and rising profits - thanks to a strong focus on product innovation and seasonal marketing in the last year.
Hershey unveils new high profile appointments
18-Jul-2006 - US confectionery giant Hershey has unveiled a number of new high profile appointments this month.
Confirmed: Kraft buys Spanish UB unit
11-Jul-2006 - Leading food manufacturer Kraft has paid £575m (€829.6m) for United Biscuit's southern European snack business. The deal was signed off over the weekend, said British daily The Financial Times.
Chupa Chups family-ownership comes to an end
05-Jul-2006 - The world's largest lollipop manufacturer, Chupa Chups SA has been sold to Italian-Dutch company, Perfetti van Melle after its failure to recover from falling sales.
Barry Callebaut on solid financial ground
04-Jul-2006 - Leading chocolate manufacturer Barry Callebaut has reported an increased operating profit (EBIT) of 14.6 per cent for the first nine months of fiscal year 2005/06.
Kraft CEO attacks trade barriers on sugar prices
23-Jun-2006 - The chairman of Kraft Foods, the world's second biggest food company, Roger Deromedi, has launched an attack on EU and US trade barriers that are driving up the price of commodity ingredients such as sugar and coffee.
French colloids firm recognised for export expertise
22-Jun-2006 - French colloid firm CNI has been recognised by the government as the best export agent of 2005, representing something of a coup for the Iranex group-owned ingredients business.
Chr Hansen sells off US sweetener business
16-Jun-2006 - Chr. Hansen has sold its speciality sweetener division to American Sugar Refining as part of its US refocusing strategy.
DSM sells division to focus on value-added ingredients
15-Jun-2006 - DSM Food Specialties' sale of its Engevita inactive dry yeast business is part of the group's strategy of focusing on added value yeast extracts and other flavour ingredients.
Nestlé confident that food prices will stabilise
12-Jun-2006 - Nestle doesn't expect raw material prices to rise further this year, despite a recent FAO report that forecasts an increase of over 2 per cent in the world food import bill in 2006.
Cadbury to miss targets for 2006
08-Jun-2006 - Cadbury Schweppes says that it is unlikely to be able to deliver margin growth within the company's goal ranges for 2006, though US gum sales have been strong.
Cargill to expand cocoa presence in Ghana
06-Jun-2006 - Cargill is to build a state-of-the-art cocoa processing facility in Ghana, West Africa, to produce cocoa liquor, butter and powder.
Cadbury acquires South African gum business
02-Jun-2006 - Cadbury Schweppes has completed the acquisition of South Africa's leading chewing gum business from Botswana-based Dan Products.
Rhodia raises vanillin prices to fund Chinese ambitions
01-Jun-2006 - Rhodia explains to FoodNavigator why the firm's vanillin price increases, unveiled today, are absolutely necessary for the business to progress - and why so much attention is being focused on China.
Tate & Lyle year profits hit by sugar reform
30-May-2006 - Tate & Lyle's full year profit fell by 79 per cent to £ 42m due largely to reform of the European sugar market.
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