Breaking News on Dairy Processing & Markets

News briefs: Fonterra, Saputo and ice cream voting

03-Oct-2008 - This week, Fonterra spies an end to rising commodity prices; Saputo reviews its operations following a fire in its US operations and ice cream gets political.

News briefs: Fonterra, First Milk and Emmi

26-Sep-2008 - This week, Fonterra commits to its troubled Chinese operations, and Europe-based groups First Milk and Emmi reveal their latest financial performances.

FAO calls for tighter scrutiny of infant formula markets

26-Sep-2008 - Infant formula manufacturers need to invest further in safety controls in order to regain public confidence after the Chinese melamine scandal, FAO has said.

New EU proposal aims to make mergers, divisions simpler

26-Sep-2008 - The European Commission has published a new proposal to simplify company mergers and divisions, thereby reducing the administrative burden, especially for SMEs.

Chr Hansen thinking local in global cultures approach

19-Sep-2008 - While many Danish multinationals such as Carlsberg and Lego have opted to shift production abroad to drive their global success, Chr Hansen believes a domestic approach holds the building blocks for world dairy culture domination.

Special comment: China dairy crisis

Choose your joint venture partner with care

18-Sep-2008 - The melamine milk crisis throws up some serious questions that foreign food firms must ask before they hop aboard a joint venture to take them into China. What food safety features is it fitted with? And are they robust enough to be life-savers if disaster strikes?

News briefs: Milk Link, Danone and sustainable dairy

17-Sep-2008 - This week, Milk Link mulls selling its Fresh dairy operations, Danone is fined over its deal for Numico, and Dairy UK highlights its focus on sustainability.

News briefs: Nestle, NFU action and Murray Goulburn

12-Sep-2008 - This week, Australian cooperative Murray Goulburn braces itself for strike action, Nestle expects easing commodity pressures and Dairy UK loses the support of the country’s farming union.

UK group plays up cow feed milk-cost improvements

11-Sep-2008 - As the dairy industry continues to offset the impact of higher milk pricing on its operations, one UK farmers association has launched a new campaign it claims can help cut production costs by up to two pence per litre (ppl).

Weekly comment

Hurricane wake-up call for business and boy scouts

08-Sep-2008 - Louisiana was holding its breath when Hurricane Gustav made landfall last week. It promised to be the mother of all storms as it roared towards the Gulf Coast but fortunately the region, along with the food industry it supports, was spared.

News briefs: Wimm-Bill-Dann and Australian dairy

05-Sep-2008 - This week, Wimm-Bill-Dann posts strong half-year growth on the back of across-the-board sales improvements, Fonterra is reportedly considering increasing yoghurt production and Dairy Farmers records a profitable 2008.

Glanbia profits up as international ingredients business surges

28-Aug-2008 - Irish food giant Glanbia has turned in promising half year results with net earnings rising 26 per cent and the US food ingredients and nutritional products divisions performing strongly.

News briefs: Kirin, Indofoods dairy and a cheese heist

27-Aug-2008 - This week, Kirin looks set to acquire Australia-based Dairy Farmers, Indofoods could be set to enter dairy production and UK robbers make away with a fortune in cheese.

Growth hormone buyer eyes milk supply potential

21-Aug-2008 - Monsanto has found a buyer for its bovine somatotropin growth hormone, despite growing concern in the US over the use of such products in dairy cattle, as manufacturers continue to face commodity price uncertainty.

Plant and worker safety driving cleaning chemical sales - report

14-Aug-2008 - Rising public awareness of the risk of foodborne illnesses due to highly publicized cases concerning ground beef and other products will spur growth in cleaning chemicals, according to a new report from Freedonia.

News briefs: Danisco and Dean Foods

13-Aug-2008 - This week, organic producer Stoneyfield Farms prepares to step up its functional focus and Dean Foods looks beyond a challenging fiscal half.

Weekly comment

Why food is the new oil

11-Aug-2008 - “Food is a weapon – don’t waste it.” This message, which featured on a Second World War poster issued by the US Office of War Information in 1943, is a lesson from history we would do well to heed.

Retailer responds to organic slowdown with price slash

08-Aug-2008 - UK supermarket Tesco has announced that it is drastically reducing the price of organic produce by up to 25 per cent, in response to feedback from consumers who are feeling the effects of the credit crunch.

News briefs: Nestle, Saputo and Parmalat

08-Aug-2008 - This week, Nestle and Saputo publish their latest financial results, with dairy playing a crucial role for both companies, while Parmalat faces a setback over its proposed plans to expand in Australia.

Monsanto plots growth hormone exit

07-Aug-2008 - Monsanto has announced plans to sell of its Posilac brand of bovine somatotropin growth hormone as negative consumer reaction grows around the sue of such additives in milk.

Global dairy payouts to fall to stable levels - report

05-Aug-2008 - The ‘exceptional prices’ being paid for dairy products on the global market are expected to continue declining from recent peak levels, though robust demand will help stabilise costs, says New Zealand’s agricultural ministry.

News briefs: Parmalat and Quebec’s cheese stand

01-Aug-2008 - This week, sales improvements fail to offset higher costs pressures on dairy group Parmalat, Quebec authorities allow for the production of some raw milk cheeses and two UK dairy associations join forces.

European cheese makers free of UK supply fears

28-Jul-2008 - European cheese makers will escape increased pricing for their goods faced their UK counterparts as a result of more secure milk supplies, says a leading industry expert.

Weekly comment

Can we believe the Danisco – Apax rumours?

28-Jul-2008 - Rumour, according to the Romans, is a feathered beast with a myriad eyes and tongues. Last week she went bristling through the Danish business pages, spreading the news that Danisco could be bought by a private equity firm.