Markets

16-Sep-2004 - Russian veterinary authorities will take a further three weeks to decide the fate of Polish dairies wanting to export to Russia - a move that is seen as part of a general trend to limit imports of all dairy products into the country.

Accession 'not the reason' for increased Czech dairy exports

16-Sep-2004 - Revenues from Czech dairy exports might have increased by 30 per cent in the first six months of the year, but the Czech Dairy Association says it is increasing dairy prices, not higher volumes due to accession, that is boosting the value of the market. Indeed, the Association says it is the domestic market that is currently driving volume growth.

Anger over Swiss Emmenthal move

15-Sep-2004 - The Swiss Federal Agriculture Office (FAO) has courted controversy by announcing it is to enforce the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status for Emmenthal, the Swiss cheese renowned for its gaping holes, despite the widespread use of the name by producers in other countries.

Calcium experts raise alarm on osteoporosis risk

15-Sep-2004 - One in five teenage girls may be risking osteoporosis in later life because they may not be achieving their targets for calcium and physical activity, a conference in Scotland heard yesterday.

Russia to seal fate of dairy exporters

13-Sep-2004 - Russia has become a lucrative market for dairy product exporters in recent years, in particular those based in eastern Europe. But the threat of punitive import duties from the Russians, concerned about the future of their own dairy industry, could nip a burgeoning growth opportunity in the bud, suggests Tom Armitage.

New Zealand Milk installs CRM software globally

10-Sep-2004 - New Zealand Milk is installing customer relationship management (CRM) software in 22 operating companies across 18 countries.

Drought-hit Australian dairy farmers see improving fortunes

10-Sep-2004 - Last year's drought conditions had most Australian dairy producers fearing the worst for 2004, but a new report suggests that the situation for all four main dairy product categories - yoghurt, cheese, drinking milk and dairy spreads - is likely to be much better than had previously been expected.

Polish dairy sector struggles against Russian ban

08-Sep-2004 - Poland's dairy producers are struggling to come to terms with the retraction of all export licences to Russia, a key market for yoghurt and other refined dairy products.

Report suggests bad deal for UK dairy suppliers

08-Sep-2004 - Retailer margins on liquid milk and dairy products in the UK have increased significantly over the past 10 years - with the gross margin on mature cheddar rising to as much as 60 per cent - while farmgate prices and farm margins have continued to fall, writes Anthony Fletcher.

Public rejection of GM food mounts

07-Sep-2004 - Despite tough new rules on GM food labels, food makers will stick to non-GM alternatives as new evidence from the UK shows British consumers will continue to refuse to buy foods containing biotech ingredients.

High calcium foods don't impact weight gain

06-Sep-2004 - A calcium-rich diet, made up of dairy foods and other fortified products, does not lead to weight gain in young girls, concludes a US trial, designed to help remove some of the barriers to higher intake of the nutrient.

Arla acts to counter milk powder price cuts

06-Sep-2004 - Reform of the European Union's milk policy will mean a drop in prices for skimmed milk powder, prompting Danish dairy group Arla to take action to counter the expected decrease.

Spanish ice cream sees good year of growth

06-Sep-2004 - Spain's ice cream manufacturers are predicting another good year of growth in 2004, but without searing temperatures which lifted sales in 2003, the increase is likely to be rather more modest.

Diet fad sees Laughing Cow sales surge

06-Sep-2004 - The dieting trend in the US has already taken numerous casualties, with huge swathes of products being deemed inappropriate for consumers seeking to lose weight. But one product, processed cheese brand The Laughing Cow, has benefited from the fad, with US sales rising by more than 250 per cent after its nutritional content was extolled by the South Beach diet program, reports Tom Armitage.

Novel peptides herald next generation foods

27-Aug-2004 - Dutch ingredients company DSM revealed yesterday that its muscle recovery ingredient PeptoPro will be marketed in a new range of products worldwide by Europe's biggest sports nutrition company Haleko.

Tesco, Sainsbury rejig milk supply arrangements

27-Aug-2004 - Tesco, Britain's number one food retailer, and J Sainsbury, the third largest supermarket operator, have streamlined their milk supply operations, reducing the number of suppliers from three to two. The moves echo a similar streamlining by Asda earlier in the year, and leave Dairy Crest as the biggest overall loser.

US pursues CMC dumping inquiry

26-Aug-2004 - The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) has decided to pursue its investigation into alleged dumping of the hydrocolloid ingredient purified carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) after an initial complaint by Aqualan, a division of the Hercules group.

Polish dairy companies thrive in EU, but will it last?

25-Aug-2004 - Nearly four months on from Poland's accession to the European Union, the country's dairy sector is reporting such heavy demand for its products that it is struggling to keep up with demands.

Britons turn to goat's cheese

24-Aug-2004 - Britain boasts more than 400 different varieties of cheese, but the UK has never been particularly known for its goat's cheese - until now. Goat's cheese is now so popular, claims supermarket group Tesco, that goat farmers are having to rapidly expand their herds to keep up with demand.

Soy prices to impact Brazil's producers

19-Aug-2004 - Brazil, a leading exporter of soybeans and key competitor with the US, is worried that rising production costs for soybeans could eat into local farm profits next season, while global stocks rise, according to fresh figures from the US government.

Retailing is good for business - and society

19-Aug-2004 - Food retailers often find themselves accused of preying on other players the food chain - exerting undue pressure on suppliers, destroying local community jobs by opening new stores and impacting the environment by opening them in out-of-town locations accessible only by car. But a recent study suggests that the benefits offered to both society and the economy by the food retail trade are massively underestimated.

Spreads market boosted by 'healthy' launches

13-Aug-2004 - The market for fats and spreads in Asia Pacific is evolving rapidly, with increasing numbers of launches concentrating on the low fat and fortified products. The latest look at the Mintel database also reveals that dairy and vegetable fat combinations are growing in popularity and are contributing significantly to the overall growth of the market.