One of Europe's leading suppliers of plastic packaging, Superfos,
has redesigned its hot and cold filled food container in an effort
to harmonise shelf displays and increase warehouse utilisation.
The European Commission has announced the permanent withdrawal of
the confectionery additive konjac (E425). The move comes after
fears that the additive can potentially cause fatal choking.
Spanish confectionery group Chupa Chups has announced a 17 per cent
drop in sales for 2002 - a decline which has forced it to close
most of its foreign production units.
Despite strong sales in confectionery speciality fats, Danish
Aarhus Oliefabrik on Wednesday reported a drop in post-tax profits
to DKK 19.4 million (€2.61m) for the first quarter of 2003.
Vietnam's burgeoning cocoa industry received a significant boost
last week after the US government confirmed it would provide $4
million (€3.4m) in development aid.
In the US, the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) is up
in arms this week claiming that new definitions for dietary fibre
compiled by Food Nutrition Board (FNB) are totally inadequate.
The goal of genuine global free trade in sugar is only possible
through the World Trade Organisation (WTO), said a US sugar
industry expert before a Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee
yesterday.
Exceptionally hot weather in the last week before Easter meant that
like-for-like sales at UK confectionery maker and retailer
Thorntons dropped by 7 per cent.
Dutch-based international food ingredients company CSM has reached
an agreement with Unilever on the acquisition of its bakery
ingredients business in Hungary.
Following a proposal from the European Commission to allow the use
of two new intense sweeteners the European Competitiveness Council
gave the all clear on Monday.
Vietnam is halfway through its target of planting 500 hectares of
cocoa this year. The country, famed for its quality coffee
production, wants to become less reliant on one single cash crop.
Developed for Pati Prestige, French Group Mecaplastic has launched
a new packaging concept for ultra fresh traditional pastry under
modified atmosphere.
Cadbury Schweppes has hit out at critics of its Get Active
programme. But, market analysts Datamonitor ask, is this agressive
tactic the right way to head off criticism of the scheme?
The US arm of confectioner Perfetti Van Melle has launched new
packaging for its Mentos mints product. The company believes that
its new Mentos Box will offer the consumer better value and will be
easier to use.
Ingredients developer zuChem this week announced that it has raised
a considerable chunk of capital in order to develop new methods to
manufacture alternative sweeteners.
Kellogg's Real Fruit Winders are to be put to the test in a new web
poll of young consumers. This is the latest in a series of online
initiatives to promote new confectionery.
Cadbury Schweppes is to introduce a scheme offering schools the
chance to acquire sports equipment in exchange for chocolate bar
wrappers. But the government-endorsed scheme has been widely
criticised, not least by the UK Food Commission,...
Tetra Pak has just launched the latest in its line of gable top
carton packaging systems, which has been specifically designed with
both hygiene and safety in mind.
Despite an increasingly competitive environment and the impact of a
global economic downturn the biscuits market in Europe is alive and
well, according to a news report from Esmerk.
Swedish ingredients company Karlshamns reports that growing
competition and decreasing margins characterised the market for
chocolate fats designed to replace cocoa butter.
Swiss food group Nestlé has reported solid organic growth for the
first quarter of 2003, stressing the importance of product
innovation during the period, but chocolate sales were affected by
the late Easter.
Arca Systems, which develops products and systems for materials
handling, has developed a new packaging system for soft drink
products together with The Coca-Cola Company.
Wm Wrigley, the US-based gum maker, is staring defeat in the face
in its bid to register its Doublemint trademark in the EU. A senior
legal advisor at the European Court of Justice yesterday said that
an earlier decision by a lower...
Barry Callebaut, the Swiss chocolate producer, has continued to go
from strength to strength despite depressed consumer spending and
the strength of the Swiss franc. As in Q1, first half figures were
boosted by the Stollwerck acquisition...
Protient, the US-based protein producer, has begun production at
its new ultra-filtered soy protein isolate facility. The product
has numerous beverage applications.
Although nearly two thirds of the world's beer continues to be
distributed in refillable glass bottles, the real dynamism in the
drinks packaging market as a whole is coming from PET, claims a new
report from beverage analysts...
Topps, the US-based company behind the Bazooka bubblegum has
reported a decline in sales for 2002, caused mainly by the collapse
in sales of its Pokemon branded confectionery items.
Biscuit, confectionery and snacks producers in the UK have to
invest and innovate in order to survive, and the government should
do more to help them, according to a speaker at this week's BCCCA
Technology Conference.
British manufacturer of carbohydrate ingredients Tate & Lyle is
to expand the capacity of its krystar crystalline fructose plant in
Lafayette, Indiana by 20 per cent. Due to be completed by August
2003, the company said that no...
Nestle Rowntree is entering the bite-sized sector with the launch
of Kit Kat Kubes in the UK, the latest company to jump onto the
bandwagon of bite-sized innovations.
Nestlé is the most popular chocolate producer in Russia, but other
international companies still play second fiddle to the numerous
local (or even regional) producers there. But the market is set to
grow over the next five years,...
Danish scientists announce a breakthrough in the battle against the harmful Listeria bacterium, with the discovery of a common lactic acid bacterium that fights Listeria efficiently in foods.
Twist-Lyte and Hicor, part of the Exxon Mobil Group, has launched a
specially redesigned film, which is claimed to make production
faster and more efficient.
A Brazilian brewery has contracted Krones to provide a Taxomatic
labeller which is now operating with extended technology to apply
foil to can lids as hygienic protection.
