ABF's offer to acquire 51 per cent of Illovo, Africa's largest
sugar producer, underlines how the new EU sugar regime has forced
European sugar producers to think truly globally.
A federal court has dismissed a lawsuit brought by McNeil
Nutritionals, the marketer of Splenda, against the Sugar
Association, accusing it of false advertising.
Food and beverage firms making premium products will cope best with
the current surge in price of both Chinese and imported sugar, with
higher margins to cover the rise in costs.
Greencore, the ingredients and food service group, said EU sugar
reform would force it to pull out of the sugar sector this year,
effectively spelling the end of sugar processing in Ireland.
Danisco says that the finalisation of the new EU sugar regime and
the recently announced transitional measures will not affect the
firm's planned efficiency drive.
Thousands of confectionery industry jobs have been lost as a result
of manufacturers relocating due to high sugar prices, according to
the US Department of Commerce.
Soaring sugar prices are set to continue with supplies remaining
tight, despite increased production, according to the US Department
of Agriculture (USDA).
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will allow
extra sugar imports into the country in an effort to prevent market
shortages after hurricane damage to sugarcane crops, delayed sugar
beet harvests, disruptions...
The EU is confident that the sugar reforms announced last week give
producers a long-term competitive future, though firms such as Tate
& Lyle remain cautious.
Four key factors will determine whether this week's EU discussions
regarding the sugar regime have been a success or a failure, says a
key industry body.
The UK department for environment, food and rural affairs (Defra)
claims that there is strong support for EU sugar reform, though
opinion across Europe remains divided.
Ferro introduced its new high-purity, low-endotoxin sucrose,
maltose and trehalose sugars at the recent CPhI in Madrid, designed
to improve product quality and broaden the market for injectable
protein-based APIs.
A low-calorie sweetener that tastes exactly like sugar and could
help control diseases like diabetes and obesity could be just round
the corner, according to a new study.
The USDA has increased the levels of sugar that producers are
allocated to supply in a bid to avert total disaster following
hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Sugar reform may yet hijack December's WTO talks as Australia,
Brazil and Thailand again accuse the EU of shirking its obligations
by planning to increase sugar exports by two million tonnes.
A new centre-right government in Poland is unlikely to curb the
country's strong opposition to EU sugar reforms as Commission
representatives look for common ground to break the 'no' camp.
Tate & Lyle's ice cream sweetening system has been named as one
of the finalists at a forthcoming trade show competition, though
the company may soon face a struggle to protect its valuable
sucralose patent.
CSM's sugar beet processing plant in Hoogkerk, the Netherlands is
now fully online following the closure of the firm's Breda factory
earlier this year.
EU farm ministers met with African and Caribbean counterparts on
Monday to discuss the sweeping EU sugar reform that will bring
cheaper sugar ingredients into the bloc.
Oversupply of sugar in the EU and higher energy costs combine to
knock profits for the year at British Sugar, its owner Associated
British Foods warned today.
Refined sugar giant Imperial Sugar has announced a return to
operations at its Gramercy, Louisiana plant following the
devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina.
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.
The Sugar Association wants the FDA to introduce more aggressive
labeling regulations that would split out the different sugars and
sweeteners on the nutritional facts panel, just as the labeling of
trans fats will be mandatory from...
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.
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.
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.
The first wrangling over EU sugar reform proposals by agriculture
ministers saw protests and a passionate debate in Brussels
yesterday, but the opposition looks increasingly isolated,
reports Chris Mercer.
Food and drink makers could soon expect cheaper sugar ingredients
with Brussels expected to publish its proposals on EU sugar reform
today, writes Lindsey Partos.
The Central America Free Trade Agreement narrowly passed its first
Congressional test yesterday, but only after concessions were made
to the sugar industry writes Anthony Fletcher.
American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman agues that
the sugar industry is wrong to oppose the ratification of the
Central American Free Trade Agreement, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
The EU's Sugar Management Committee has backed a new regulation
demanding that five of the new member states destroy their surplus
sugar stocks or face fines, reports Chris Mercer.
Functional flavours and ingredients manufacturer Danisco, one of
Europe's largest sugar suppliers, is to cease the processing of
sugar beet at one of its sites in Lithuania, Tom Armitage
reports.
Organic and low/no sugar are the tags food manufacturers should be
looking at adding to their packaging if they want their products to
enjoy strong and sustained growth, said AC Nielsen.
Moves to reform the European sugar regime will accelerate after the
EU loses its appeal against a World Trade Organisation decision
that its handouts to sugar farmers are illegal, reports Lindsey
Partos.
A new method that uses powerful enzymes to convert fructose and
sucrose into the low calorie sugar alcohol mannitol receives patent
protection, opening up cheaper sources for this chewing gum
ingredient, reports Lindsey Partos.
Leading merchant of cocoa, sugar and coffee ED&F Man has
launched Corigins, a US-based supplier offering traceable, quality
sugar and cocoa ingredients, Philippa Nuttall reports.
EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel has dealt a blow
to sugar reform lobbyists across Europe and developing countries by
voicing her opposition to special arrangements for different states
when proposals are adopted later...
Romanian sugar producers face a hard time in the run-up to the
country's predicted accession to the EU in 2007, with few firms
capable of the high level of investment that will be necessary to
compete with other companies from...
The Competition Commission (CC) today announced it has
provisionally cleared the completed acquisition by Napier Brown
Foods (NBF) of James Budgett Sugars (JBS), but voiced concerns
about the lack of competition in the UK sugar...
Imperial Sugar yesterday (Thursday) announced a higher
first-quarter profit, but predicted that operating income would
fall significantly in 2005 as the sugar industry remains
challenging, reports Philippa Nuttall.