Headlines > Markets
Private equity stalking Cadbury Schweppes drinks
26-Aug-2005 - Cadbury Schweppes still looks likely to ditch its European soft drinks arm for the right price, yet it is difficult to find a buyer for a stumbling business with little growth prospects.
Almond prices boost US exports
26-Aug-2005 - Agricultural exports are forecast at $63.5 billion for 2006, up $1.5 billion from the revised 2005 estimate, says new report from US department of agriculture.
Wrigley expands US capacity after acquisitions from Kraft
25-Aug-2005 - Wrigley will be expanding its Chattanooga factory to accommodate the production of Altoid mints, which will be transferred to the US from Wales, the leading confectionery company announced on Monday.
Ingredients boost 4Q for Cargill
24-Aug-2005 - Core business segments, including food ingredients, contribute to an 18 per cent leap in quarterly profit for expanding, and ambitious, US firm Cargill.
Lindt reports record premium chocolate sales
24-Aug-2005 - Leading premium chocolate manufacturer Lindt & Sprüngli has reported record first half results on the back of increased demand for premium products in an otherwise slow-moving European chocolate market.
Chocolate maker Thorntons to be bought by chairman?
23-Aug-2005 - British chocolate maker and retailer Thorntons has announced that its chairman Christopher Burnett is considering making a buyout offer to the company.
Mopro Nord joins the whey ingredients wagon
19-Aug-2005 - Germany's two biggest dairy companies will pour funds into high margin whey ingredients, signing off €42 million for a plant extension.
Imperial Sugar sells subsidiary to manage losses
19-Aug-2005 - US sugar processor Imperial Sugar will sell subsidiary Holly Sugar Corp. as low margins coupled with high energy costs have put pressure on the company.
Nestlé results dragged down by confectionery
18-Aug-2005 - Food giant Nestlé is being squeezed by tough international confectionery markets, its modest overall half-year sales dragged down by disappointing performances from its chocolate, confectionery and biscuit categories.
Leading chocolate supplier Barry Callebaut doubles production in Ghana
16-Aug-2005 - Barry Callebaut, the world's largest supplier of bulk chocolate, is set to double its cocoa grinding capacity in the African country of Ghana.
Hershey high on chocolate acquisitions
16-Aug-2005 - US confectionery company Hershey is marching along the acquisition trail, announcing this week that it has bought another premium chocolate firm, Californian-based Joseph Schmidt Confections.
Cadbury Schweppes to focus on confectionery?
09-Aug-2005 - British confectionery and soft drinks giant Cadbury Schweppes may be turning its focus to the confectionery market, if recent speculation on a decision to sell its European soft drinks business is fulfilled.
Biscuit maker McVitie's cuts jobs after floods
04-Aug-2005 - UK biscuit maker McVitie's is to cut 33 jobs at its Carlisle factory, after damage caused by floods in January permanently disabled four production lines, reducing the plant's total output by 20 per cent.
Hershey set to acquire dark-chocolate maker Scharffen Berger
02-Aug-2005 - Leading US confectionery firm Hershey announced last week its plans to acquire Californian-based chocolate maker Scharffen Berger in a deal which the company hopes will allow it to break into the niche premium quality dark chocolate market.
Tate & Lyle defiant in face of sugar regime change
29-Jul-2005 - Tate & Lyle has vowed to continue to pursue its ambitious expansion plans despite warnings that proposed changes to the sugar regime could begin to affect business as soon as 2007, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Food scientist sought as journalist
29-Jul-2005 - Novis seeks a bright, driven food scientist for a reporter's post in southern France. The main mission is to deepen coverage of scientific breakthroughs in food techniques and nutritional understanding on flagship websites, FoodNavigator.com and NutraIngredients.com.
Real Good Food buys sugar supplier
28-Jul-2005 - In a move to secure its supplier base for its bakery operations and expand its business, the UK's Real Good Food Company (RGFC) said yesterday it would buy Napier Brown Foods, a sugar group, for £67.7min stock.
EU sugar reform to impact local operations for enzyme leader Novozymes
27-Jul-2005 - Number one food enzyme supplier Novozymes likely to move production to the US and China as a result of the new EU sugar reform, the daily Berlingske Tidende reports.
Good sales for Cadbury Schweppes after forward buy-up
27-Jul-2005 - British confectionery and soft drinks company Cadbury Schweppes yesterday revelled in its best performance for a decade, with half-year results flattered by a trade buy-up of extra stocks of chocolate in the UK, reports Lorraine Heller.
Cargill cuts jobs at sweetener operations on market pressures
22-Jul-2005 - Job losses at the sweetener operations of ambitious ingredients firm Cargill are imminent as the largest private firm in the US appears to feel the squeeze of "market conditions".
Jigawa state to boost gum arabic supplies
22-Jul-2005 - Global supplies for the hydrocolloid gum arabic could creep up as Lagos announces plans to sow 500 million seeds to produce the popular confectionery ingredient, writes Lindsey Partos.
Cadbury Schweppes ponders European drinks sale
20-Jul-2005 - Cadbury-Schweppes looks set to try and sell its European soft drinks arm, again, but whoever buys it may have a tough time improving the division's rather average performances, reports Chris Mercer.
Chocolate consumer unit cuts into Barry Callebaut profit
08-Jul-2005 - Barry Callebaut, the world's largest supplier of bulk chocolate, plans to cut costs in Europe as the Swiss firm posts a fall in revenue for nine month figures.
Chr Hansen, profits rise despite slowdown in US market
05-Jul-2005 - Danish ingredients group Chr Hansen, shortly to be sold to private equity firm PAI, posts a small rise in revenue and a decent boost in pre-tax profit for the nine months to May, reports Lindsey Partos.
Stronger EU fats and oils industry on Aarhus merger?
22-Jun-2005 - Consolidation in the European fats business likely as Aarhus United shareholders yesterday clear the way for the merger with number one Scandinavian fats and oils firms Karlshamns, reports Lindsey Partos.
Spotlight
  Eight most innovative Sweets & Snacks: award winnersConfectioneryNews.com presents a picture roundup of the eight new confectionery and snacks products that bagged innovation awards at... |
  Chewing gum impairs short-term memory, says studyChewing gum harms short-term memory contrary to previous studies that suggested gum could improve recall, according to... |
 Hershey maps cocoa farms in Ghana with GPS as labour group doubts commitmentsChocolate giant Hershey has announced plans to use GPS mapping for cocoa farms in Ghana to help... |
 Breaking NewsCommission gives green light for major sugar industry takeoverThe European Commission has cleared the acquisition of the world’s largest sugar trader ED&F MAN by Europe’s... |
 Market for UTZ certified cocoa doubles with Germany leading the wayTwice as much UTZ certified cocoa was sold to producers in 2011 compared to the previous year... |
 US chewing gum packs going pocket-sized, says analystChewing gum packaging in the US is set to go micro as consumers look for lower priced... |