Acquisitions for UK food, ingredients and retail firm Associated
British Foods are key to reducing dependency of group profits on
ABF's leading revenue source British Sugar. This week the company
signs a deal with Unilever to...
Expecting a higher uptake of vegetable fats by European chocolate
manufacturers following the new '5 per cent' chocolate rule, Danish
oils and fats supplier Aarhus United sees a drop in income for
2003, compounded by currency...
Wheat, corn and soybean prices will remain high for much of 2004,
warns the US agency Fitch Ratings, with the industry likely to see
a continual shifting of higher ingredients costs onto the food
manufacturer. But tough negotiations...
Almost one in four (23 per cent) German adults admits to often
skipping meals to keep their weight down - a massive 17.5 million
people. But according to a new survey of European dieting habits,
Germans are also the least likely to...
The dominance of the multiple retailers in the UK has had a
devastating effect on the specialist retail sector there, with the
massive buying power of the major chains allowing them to undercut
independent operators at the same time...
Organisers of the international food fair Salima 2004 claim that
exhibitor numbers are up on for the bi-annual event, to be held in
Brno, southern Moravia, from 2-5 March
The pressing problem of obesity in children has to be tackled
rapidly and efficiently to avert the heavy price society might pay
as incidences of obesity linked diabetes and heart disease surge.
New research from Australia confirms...
Exalted of late for their antioxidant health benefits, fruit
berries continue to show growth in a range of food applications.
Fruit ingredients stalwart J.O. Sims has launched a new Canadian
produced berry onto the market marking...
A low-fat diet may help men with aggressive prostate cancer better
fight their disease and live longer, according to researchers who
showed that a diet low in polyunsaturated fats slowed cancer growth
and increased survival times...
War and disease have marked volatile prices for cocoa in the past
three years, peaking at 17 year highs in 2002 when the Ivory Coast
- source of two fifths of the world cocoa crop - endured civil war.
Research into genomes could contribute...
In a move to protect home markets Chinese corn processor Global
Bio-chem will link up with Japan's Mitsui & Co to develop,
manufacture and sell the bulk reduced calorie sweetener sorbitol in
China under a new joint venture...
One in five Americans are currently following the low carbohydrate
diet as the fad Atkins-style dietary regime continues to take hold
of the weight-conscious consumer. But how long will it last?
Although growth has been rapid for Nestlé in the Russian
confectionery sector, there are a number of challenges to be
tackled in order to ensure future expansion - low per capita
consumption and ingredients supplies being the primary...
Confusing information on the nutrition content of food, along with
misleading health claims, have once again been brought under
scrutiny. Growing pressure in Europe for clearer labelling and
greater honesty about ingredients in products...
German confectionery company Alfred Ritter has confirmed that it is
to build a €25 million factory in the Moscow region which will be
used to make the company's well known brand of Ritter Sport
chocolate bars.
Europe and the US will hammer out the contentious issue of obesity
and the role food policy can play in getting to grips with this
major health problem at a Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD) meeting in Brussels
today.
Although hit by the uncertainty of big contract renewal, the
UK-based Tate & Lyle Group has said that it expects profit
before tax in the third quarter of the year to 31 March 2004 to be
in line with expectations.
A WHO report on obesity prevention, which would urge governments to
promote healthy foods, is under threat from food makers supported
by the US administration, said consumer groups last week.
Until recently, consumers with a sweet tooth have had little in the
way of choice when it came to reconciling their desire for sweets
and chocolate with the need to remain healthy.
Forthcoming European legislation on health claims could pose a
roadblock to rapid market expansion of polyphenols, the plant-based
antioxidants gaining increasing attention for their
disease-fighting actions, warns a new report.
Food giant Cargill has acquired OCG Cacao, a major supplier of
industrial chocolate to the European food industry. The deal, which
was initially announced in September, has been completed following
the necessary regulatory approvals.
Spain might well have a culinary heritage to rival that of France,
but like it trans-Pyrenean neighbour, consumption patterns have
been changing over the last few years, with more hectic lifestyles
(even in the land of the siesta)...
The Confectionery Manufacturing Expo has said that ZDS Solingen,
The Central College of the German Confectionery Trade, will be
organising the seminar programme at the event in Germany, 27th to
29th April.
Scientists warn this week that our traditional christmas snack of
brazil nuts might not be for much longer if intensive harvesting
practices continue in 'persistently exploited' areas.
The British are the biggest consumers of chocolate in Europe,
munching their way through more than 10 kg each every year. A
reflection of Britain's ongoing love affair with snacking - and
consumers' reluctance to choose...
The European Commission has approved the proposed functional
confectionery joint venture between Swiss consumer goods company
Nestlé and the US-based personal care company Colgate-Palmolive,
but approval is just the first of several...
Leading Japanese emulsifier supplier Riken Vitamin is set to boost
production at its subsidiary in Malaysia with the opening of a new
plant this week. High hopes to increase market share.
Eating two portions of chocolate a day may help prevent
cardiovascular heart disease claims Masterfoods USA. The company's
new functional chocolate, CocoaVia, contains plant flavonols and
phytosterols believed to reduce cholesterol...
Finland's leading confectionery company, Leaf, has said that it is
to build a factory in St. Petersburg, Russia, for the production of
functional pastilles and lollipops.
Early depletion of African gum stocks have driven up global prices
of gum acacia. US company TIC gums this week passed the price rise
of gum arabic on to the market.
German confectionery manufacturer Alfred Ritter is readying to open
up two new production lines in a 50/50 joint-financed project with
Russian company Odintsovo Confectionery. The $20 million investment
will see Ritter Sport brand...
One of Romania's leading and longest established chocolate makers,
Excelent, has relaunched its Kandia branded chocolate under a
multi-million dollar investment. The money has also included an
extensive revamp of its production...
Regular consumption of the sugar replacer Isomalt appears to have a
prebiotic effect on gut bacteria, according to preliminary findings
of a study being carried out in Germany.
More than three years after Danish ingredients company Danisco
filed an application to the EU for approval of its fat replacer
salatrim, the Commission finally rubber stamped the product on
Tuesday. The move clears the way for Danisco...
Hard negotiations followed by new European rules put to bed
long-standing disputes over labelling issues that hung over
chocolate manufacturers. As more European manufacturers turn to
vegetable fats, the challenge is on for ingredients...
After several years of gains, growth in the Russian confectionery
market looks set to slow over the next six years or so, with only
premium chocolate products likely to bring big returns.
Controversial changes over two years ago to Europe's chocolate
rules - that had cocoa puritans and producers up in arms - came
into force in the summer, providing ingredients companies with a
raft of new opportunities.
Jacob's has appointed Jeremy Hughes as the new commercial
development manager in a bid to strengthen Jacob's offerings to its
trade customers. As more European manufacturers turn to vegetable
fats, the challenge is on for...
According to YouGov, the on-line research company, a recent survey
has revealed that 81 per cent of UK parents would like to see
Vending machines removed from schools, and replaced with healthier
alternatives as a means of helping...
Spurred on by criticism concerning the marketing of food to
children, several of Britain's leading food trade bodies have
joined forces to discuss potential solutions to the problem of
childhood obesity.
Britain could see obesity levels soar up to 40 per cent or higher
within a single generation unless urgent action is taken,
think-tank the International Obesity TaskForce, warned this week.
Spinning off the US soft drinks business could bring substantial
gains to Cadbury Schweppes, but any demerger is unlikely to take
place until at least 2006, claim analysts Goldman Sachs.
Major British sugar and sweetener group Tate and Lyle has reported
a sixper cent decrease in half year profits today and the success
of agreementsfor future prices for it starches and sweeteners will
have a major impact onthe profits...
Cadbury's India has announced that it is to change the packaging
for its Dary Milk chocolate bar following last month's revelation
that a batch had been infested with insects.
Research carried out by the US-based Howard Hughes Medical
Institute has moved closer to understanding why some people cannot
resist the impulse brought on by sweets.
Two years after the Russian authorities imposed massive import
duties on confectionery products in a bid to keep out cheap imports
from Ukraine, that country's biggest sweet maker Roshen is about to
take Russia by storm with...
The organisers of Confectionery Manufacturing Expo have reported
that they have already taken bookings from a series of global
companies representing all parts of the chocolate, sugar and gum
industry.
