All news articles for February 2005

Whey-based film promises cost and environmental savings

Scientists in the US have discovered a new way of use dairy byproducts to preserve fresh foods, a discovery that could save money and lead to less packaging waste. Anthony Fletcher reports.

Arla Foods puts packaging division up for sale

Arla Foods' proposed sale of its packaging company, Danapak, reflects a growing trend within the European dairy sector of companies focussing exclusively on their core operations.

Milko repackages yoghurt products in curved cartons

Swedish dairy Milko is set to re-launch its low-fat fruit yoghurt drinks using new standard Diamond Pure-Pak Curve cartons from Elopak.

Profits up for Nestlé but European ice cream flags

Nestlé, the world's number one food company, hopes to appease investors by offering a sizeable dividend payout, despite announcing a disappointing overall drop in 2004 sales, Tom Armitage reports.

Nestlé expands ice cream lines in China

Suppliers of ingredients to the developing ice cream market in China will welcome news that Nestlé, the world's number one food maker, will deepen penetration and sharpen competitiveness in this burgeoning market through new launches.

Foreign investment frenzy over Vietnamese dairy share sale

Foreign investors last week snapped up a 15 per cent stake in leading Vietnamese dairy company Vinamilk, enabling it to extend its competitive edge over nearest rival Dutch Lady Vietnam and also channel investment into expanding its product portfolio, Tom Armitage reports.

Valio extends Evolus brand to Spain and Portugal

Dairy products designed to lower blood pressure are being introduced in Spain and Portugal this month under new licensing deals with Finnish functional dairy firm Valio.

Innovation: pivotal role for growth at DMV, affirms MD

Over the next year Dutch dairy ingredients firm DMV International will pour in excess of €60 million into innovation through new R&D facilities and ingredients processing plants - and all this against the backdrop of an intended merger with Denmark's Arla Foods.

Chinese cattle science investment to up dairy productivity

China has reportedly poured nearly US$50 million into research and development (R&D) for its domestic dairy sector over the past three years in an attempt to tackle some of the obstacles holding back one of the world's most rapidly expanding dairy industries, Tom Armitage reports.

Fonterra woos Australian dairy farmers with talks of unity

Fonterra's CEO, Andrew Ferrier, arrived in Victoria, Australia yesterday as part of a last-ditch attempt to convince Australian dairy farmers to back the dairy co-operative's bid for the country's leading dairy company, National Foods - one week before the expiration of its latest share offer, Tom Armitage reports.

DMV invests €57 million in whey-based ingredients

A clear demonstration of its faith in the growing whey-based ingredients market, DMV International will pour nearly €60 million into upgraded processing and food ingredients operations in The Netherlands, reports Lindsey Partos.

Fonterra CEO alerts dairy industry to rising soy threat

Andrew Ferrier, Fonterra's CEO, today reiterated calls for a united dairy industry amid the mounting threat of cheaper soy, nut and rice-based dairy alternatives, Tom Armitage reports.

Study warns food makers not to 'overlook' kids market

A new study reminds food manufacturers that the distinct €14 billion children's food and drink market must not be "overlooked", with opportunities still ripe in a host of product sectors, reports Lindsey Partos.

Antibacterial sealers developed from innovative new compound

Two European firms have come up with a range of sealing rings for the dairy industry designed to minimise the presence and effects of bacteria and microbes.

South Africa retaliates following Irish cheese fall-out

South Africa has slapped an import tariff on Irish cheese, alleging that dumping has priced domestic cheese producers out of the market and also led to a 15 per cent fall in milk prices, Tom Armitage reports.

Russian ingredient prices rise

Prices for a number of key food ingredients in Russia have risen in January and February, according to a recent survey, and supply difficulties are expected to keep costs high for the foreseeable future, reports Angela Drujinina.

Feta labelling row reaches European high court

A legal action brought by a northern English cheese producer against the European Commission over the right to use the label feta on its products has finally reached the European Court of Justice - the UK, however, has declined to send an official legal representative, possibly pre-empting an unfavourable outcome, Tom Armitage reports.

DSM: low margin food ingredients climb in tough climate

DSM, the largest food fermentation company in the world (in value terms) sees its combined food units beating industry growth for the year, but bakery still under pressure, reports Lindsey Partos.

Fonterra develops waste-reducing recyclable labels

Fonterra has developed a label that can be recycled along with the plastic wrap that goes around pallets of goods in order to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfill.

Campina adds value to butter oil division

Campina, the ambitious owner of dairy ingredients supplier DMV International, will buy Belgian milk fat specialist Aveve Zuivel, in a deal that brings the Dutch firm a new platform for innovations in butter oil specialities, and improved access to industrial clients, writes Lindsey Partos.

Foodborne diseases, UTIs and cows, new link

Food safety comes to the fore again as new study builds on growing evidence that foods of animal origin, contaminated with Escherichia coli, can lead to urinary tract infections in women.

NFU sets outs goals for food labels

Calls for food makers to place the country of origin on more food labels hail from the UK's leading farming lobbying group.

Alto launches bottle capping system Down Under

Alto Plastics has been working with Kapiti Fine Foods (KFF) to launch a new premium double-seal capping system to keep bottled milk even fresher and leak free.

Arla voices concern over Campina merger

Committee members of Danish-Swedish dairy co-operative Arla Foods have voiced concerns over a financial technicality which could throw its approaching merger with Campina into disarray, Tom Armitage reports.

Danone weathers water cooler write down as net profits slide

Danone, the French dairy conglomerate, announced today that net profits had plummeted 62 per cent, following the costly €600 million write down of its water-cooler business last month, Tom Armitage reports.

DMV International to open innovation centre

Dutch dairy ingredients firm DMV International is moving several of its R&D and marketing staff to a new innovation centre to speed up interactivity and product development time.

Unilever rejigs management as core brand sales flag

Anglo-Dutch consumer giant Unilever is set to overhaul its management structure - a move which it claims will help restore top-line sales growth and allow it to draw a line under what it called an "unsatisfactory" 2004 performance, Tom Armitage reports.

Taste innovation to bring growth to UK cheese market

Cheese manufacturers operating in the UK's £2.6 billion cheese market could benefit from increased product diversity on the supermarket shelves, finds a recent industry - consumer event organised by dairy ingredients firm DSM, reports Lindsey Partos.

San Miguel seals dairy deal amid acquisition flurry

Asian drinks conglomerate San Miguel has acquired a majority stake in King's Creameries, a Singapore-registered ice cream producer - but with new debt already financing its current expansion strategy and a €1.07 billion bid to buy Australia's National Foods on the horizon, just how long will it be able to sustain its spending spree, asks Tom Armitage.

Norwegian co-op dismisses unfair competition accusations

Leading Norwegian dairy co-operative Tine is being investigated for allegedly abusing its market position after it was said to have paid a grocery chain to force a competitor's products off its shelves, Tom Armitage reports.

New meat alternative on market has roots in low-fat milk

New applications for milk derivatives open up as Dutch dairy giant Campina designs meat alternative prepared from low-fat milk and seaweed extract.

Fonterra extends National Foods share offer deadline

Fonterra, the New Zealand dairy co-operative, has extended its share offer to buy Australian food group National Foods to 8 March - despite National Foods' board urging its shareholders to back a rival offer from Philippines-based dairy foods and drinks conglomerate San Miguel, Tom Armitage reports.

Milk, fruit and veg may help reduce disability risk

High consumption of dairy products and fruits and vegetables may lower the risk of disability, especially among black women, report US researchers.

EU trade commissoner Mandelson to overhaul food regulations

Peter Mandelson, the newly-appointed EU trade commissioner, is considering launching a review of the EU's stringent food hygiene regulations in an attempt to tackle growing accusations that its policies are protectionist and denying developing nations a fair opportunity to compete, Tom Armitage reports.

WBD set to tap Uzbek potential

The government of Uzbekistan has granted a production licence to Russian dairy giant Wimm-Bill-Dann eight months after the firm bought Uzbekistan's largest dairy group, but the country's good investment potential is still blighted by state controls, writes Chris Mercer.

Scottish farmers to receive organic certification support

The Soil Association, a UK organic certification organisation, has announced that it is to offer a fast-track application service to Scottish dairy farmers wanting to change from conventional to organic farming practices - before the expiration of lucrative EU conversion grants, Tom Armitage reports.

Cow genes decide cheese type and quality

A Canadian scientist is claiming that he has identified which cows genes help to determine the quality and type of cheese.

US court gets tough on organic ingredients

Conversion to organic farming to supply a growing demand from the food industry could prove more difficult after a US court ruling issued this week.

Yakult to set up research centre in Belgium

Japanese probiotic drink maker Yakult Honsha will open its first research centre outside of its home market in Belgium this year, demonstrating a commitment to the European market.

UK dairy counts cost of farm labour

The Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers claims that the majority of UK dairy farmers are subsidising the cost of a pint of supermarket milk by nearly 4p per litre by failing to include family labour costs in their accounts, Tom Armitage reports.

Dairygold, Glanbia to enter into Irish dairy deal

Irish food group Glanbia has picked up a €10.5 million contract to operate Dairygold's CMP branded liquid milk and cream business, allowing Dairygold to focus on consolidating sales across its branded product line-up, Tom Armitage reports.

Arla increases Danish cheese processing capacity

Arla Foods has installed five 12,000 litre-capacity Damrow Double 'O' cheese vats at its production facility in Bov, Denmark.

DFOB ponders future UK dairy strategy

The UK's third largest dairy processor claims that up to 60 per cent of British dairy farmers are failing to make a profit, despite announcing in its interim results yesterday that it had notched up an increase in pre-tax profits of 47 per cent, Tom Armitage reports.

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