Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

News in brief

Muller deal for Robert Wiseman ‘unconditional’

10-Feb-2012 - Müller's £280m takeover of UK dairy processor Robert Wiseman Dairies was declared “unconditional” on Wednesday, as the German dairy operator secured 93.9% of the Scottish firm's shares.

News in brief

Valio hit by Swedish milk imports but brands show strength

08-Feb-2012 - Finnish dairy processor Valio has revealed that Swedish milk imports hit the profitability of its 'basic milks unit' in 2011, but the firm has hailed the success of recent additions to its branded product portfolio, which include 'digestion yogurt', soft quark and fermented milks.

FrieslandCampina seizes Balkan takeover opportunity under route 2020 'spearhead'

03-Feb-2012 - Dutch dairy cooperative FrieslandCampina has signed a memorandum of understanding with a UK-based venture capital firm to acquire Serbian dairy producers Imlek and Mlekara Subotica, and sees great potential to grow sales in the region.

Tight supermarket milk margins set Dairy Crest stock ‘in doldrums’, analysts

03-Feb-2012 - Dairy Crest has issued a mixed trading update for the first nine months of its fiscal year, with persistent tight margins in its dairies business sector offset by strong performance across its branded portfolio.

News in brief

PepsiCo cites dairy as ‘key component’ in global growth strategy

25-Jan-2012 - Pepsico says that the dairy sector is a ‘key component’ in its global growth strategy, and has the potential to post growth more than double that of bakery and chilled processed foods combined.

Dairy Crest could be next, analysts hint, as fat of Wiseman deal chewed over

20-Jan-2012 - Dairy Crest could be the next UK processor to find itself the subject of a takeover approach, while Müller will have to leverage its stronger market position to secure stronger growth in the country, analysts have suggested.

Robert Wiseman agrees multi-million Müller takeover deal: analysts react

13-Jan-2012 - Robert Wiseman Dairies says it has agreed the terms of a £279.5m takeover deal by Müller UK (a wholly owned subsidiary of the German dairy giant) and is recommending the offer unanimously to shareholders.

Irish food and drink exports up 12% in 2011

12-Jan-2012 - The value of Irish food and drink exports has increased by €1 billion, representing a 12% surge in 2011 and driving the country’s overall export revenue, according to Irish food board.

Groupe Lactalis lift-off looms for Swedish dairy co-op Skånemejerier

11-Jan-2012 - Groupe Lactalis’ bid to take over Sweden’s second largest dairy player fits with the French firm’s strategy of reducing its reliance on cheese, and would give it further brands with which to pursue milk product growth in emerging markets, according to Euromonitor International.

Chr. Hansen results beat expectations, colours providing improved ROI

11-Jan-2012 - Chr. Hansen’s first quarter results for financial year 2011/12 are a notch stronger than analysts had expected.

DMK suggests ice-cream spin-off but misses German target

09-Dec-2011 - Germany’s largest dairy processor DMK has said that it plans to spin-off its ice cream business during 2012, but has missed out on acquisition target Durigon Gelato to R&R Ice Cream.

News in brief

Kraft inks ‘transformational’ JV with R&R Ice Cream

05-Dec-2011 - R&R Ice Cream CEO and executive chairman James Lambert says his firm has signed a deal with Kraft to develop, produce and distribute an “indulgent” ice cream range using the US food giant's brand portfolio.

R&R Ice Cream pursues German private label mission

05-Dec-2011 - R&R Ice Cream (R&R) has expanded its European manufacturing base with the acquisition of German firm Durigon Gelato, as the company seeks to develop its private label business in the country.

News in brief

Müller Dairy UK jobs threat

02-Dec-2011 - Up to 55 jobs could be lost at Müller Dairy UK, which produces yogurts in the country at its dairy in Market Drayton, North Shropshire.

News in brief

Chancellor's speech welcomed by manufacturers

29-Nov-2011 - New proposals for credit easing in Chancellor George Osborne’s Autumn Statement will enable food and drink firms to expand and create jobs, according to the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

Despite ‘headwinds’ Glanbia could hit acquisition trail again in 2012, analyst

16-Nov-2011 - Irish dairy ingredients and cheese manufacturer Glanbia could be on the look-out for acquisitions again in 2012, according to an analyst based in the country.

Cheese and property boost profits at Dairy Crest

10-Nov-2011 - Higher cheese prices and profits from property sales helped Dairy Crest to a strong financial performance for the period ending September 30, according to city analysts.

Arla Foods eyes German dominance with Allgäuland acquisition

09-Nov-2011 - Arla Foods has announced the acquisition of German based dairy producer Allgäuland-Käsereien as it aims to become a major player in the domestic dairy market.

‘Urgent necessity’ prompts wholesale business shake-up for DMK

02-Nov-2011 - Germany’s largest dairy processor Deutches Milchkontor (DMK) has unveiled radical plans to restructure production across its 20 sites in the country as part of an urgent strategy to ensure long-term ‘cost leadership’.

Cornish ice cream firm Callestick expands

28-Oct-2011 - Cornish ice cream manufacturer Callestick has achieved strong growth throughout the recession, driven particularly by positive performance in foodservice channels and an unseasonably warm autumn.

Swedish authorities approve Arla's merger with struggling Milko

26-Oct-2011 - The Swedish Competition Authority (Konkurrensverket) has approved Arla’s merger with struggling Swedish dairy processor Milko, which had faced bankruptcy in the event of the deal not going through.

Danone feels the heat with ‘flat’ Russian sales

18-Oct-2011 - Last year's severe summer drought in Russia has hit Danone’s third quarter (Q3) 2011 dairy sales in the country, with the French company forced to raise prices to end consumers due to higher ingredients costs.

Synergy expands US flavors empire with Sethness Greenleaf acquisition

12-Oct-2011 - Synergy has expanded its US flavors empire with the acquisition of beverage flavors expert Sethness-Greenleaf less than three weeks after snapping up natural extracts specialist Sensus, almost doubling the size of its US business overnight.

News in brief

New Parmalat fraud trial hearings set to start

04-Oct-2011 - Italian prosecutors are set to launch proceedings against former Parmalat executives accused of fraudulent activities that led to debts of €14bn and the company's collapse in 2003.