Nestlé boosts infant, medical, dairy R&D at Swiss base

The world’s biggest food company has extended its Product Technology Centre (PTC) in Konolfingen, Switzerland as it seeks to speed new product development in infant nutrition, medical nutrition and dairy....

Symrise adds probiotics to portfolio with Probi stake

The CEO of Swedish probiotics specialist Probi says the 11.8% stake taken by German flavours, fragrances and nutrients house Symrise will give it, “more marketing and R&D muscle”.

News in brief

Bongrain posts H1 profits increase

French dairy giant Bongrain has reported a profits increase for the first six months of 2012.

New Zealand dairy industry growth slowdown due - Rabobank

The Fonterra-dominated New Zealand dairy industry will experience a growth slowdown over the next decade as growth-driving factors evolve, agribusiness Rabobank has forecast.

FrieslandCampina posts H1 profit increase, cites infant nutrition growth

FrieslandCampina has posted a profits increase for the first six months of 2012, citing growth in infant and toddler nutritional product markets.

Dean Foods dairy plant closure ‘likely’ following further lay-offs

US dairy Dean Foods has announced a fresh round of lay-offs at its Evart, Michigan-based Liberty Dairy plant – the latest signal of its intentions to call time on production...

Glanbia signs Dairy Ingredients Ireland JV agreement

Irish dairy giant Glanbia has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Glanbia Co-operative Society Limited to enter into a joint venture in respect of its Dairy Ingredients Ireland (DII) business.

Mixed progress for Unilever since 2007 - analyst

Unilever has shown mixed progress over the past five years, according to Andrew Wood, senior research analyst for food and home & personal care products at Sanford C Bernstein, based on its predictions...

News in brief

Fonterra revises milk price forecast for 2012/13 season

Fonterra has announced a revised payout forecast range for the 2012/13 season, including a lower farm gate milk price (FGMP) of $5.25 per kilogram of milk solids – down from $5.50.

Initiative will boost milk pricing transparency – Robert Wiseman Dairies

Robert Wiseman Dairies has launched an initiative with dairy farmers to increase the transparency of how it determines its farm gate milk prices (FGMP).

Mengniu reports H1 profits decrease citing dairy slowdown

China Mengniu Dairy Co has posted an 18% net profit decrease for the first half of 2012 - citing a slowdown in Chinese dairy industry growth and the impact of...

Pro Mach acquisition drives move into liquid filler market

Pro Mach has acquired Federal Manufacturing for an undisclosed amount to enter the liquid filler market.

Probiotics in India to grow 11% yearly: Report

India’s nascent probiotic market is expected to grow at 11% till 2016, but only if manufacturers are able to increase the awareness about these products locally.

JV processing plant given go-ahead despite continuing talks - Glanbia

Irish dairy giant Glanbia has been granted permission to build a new processing plant – a development planned in anticipation of its potential joint venture with Glanbia Co-operative Society Limited.

First Milk ordered to pay £60,000 after cheese plant explosion

UK-based First Milk has been ordered to pay nearly £60,000 in fines and charges following a court case relating to an explosion at a cheese factory in Cumbria.

Safety-aware Chinese consumers turning to dairy imports - survey

Chinese consumers are turning to imported dairy products as their confidence in the safety of domestically-manufactured food brands continues to decline, a survey has found.

News in brief

Arla in milk price crisis talks with Swedish farmers

Danish dairy co-operative Arla Foods has been involved in crisis talks with Swedish farmers following a number of milk price cuts in the country.

Listeria-killing phage product gets FSANZ approval

Listeria-killing Listex P100 has been approved for use in Australia and New Zealand, making it the first bacteriophage product for food safety to be permitted for use in Australasia.

Mengniu manager arrested over production date fraud

A Mengniu Dairy Co. sales manager has been arrested in China under suspicion of altering the production dates on thousands of cases of milk products manufactured by the Chinese dairy...

Arla Foods to close US plant in efficiency drive

Arla Foods has announced plans to close one of its two US dairy plants, as part of a drive to streamline its US business and refocus on speciality cheese.

‘The worst is behind us’: Milk prices in recovery - European Dairy Association

Recent months have seen images of protesting farmers, tractors blockading dairy plants and retailer boycotts – all as a result of UK processor plans to reduce the price they pay...

Fonterra reports record export figures

Fonterra, the world’s biggest exporter of dairy products, achieved a record export in the final three months of the 2011/12 season.

China: Are imports to blame for latest infant formula problems?

More problems with infant formula milk powder have been found in China, but this time it's not domestic dairies but imports that are being blamed.

Proposals will boost New York yogurt production – NY Governor

New York State governor Andrew Cuomo has vowed to increase yogurt production in the state – signalling his intentions to make New York the US capital of yogurt production.

Nestlé research suggests goji berry's immune promise

A combination of milk protein and wolfberry (goji berry) fruit could help boost the immune function of elderly people by strengthening their ability to fight certain infections, according to new...

Asia driving aseptic packaging demand - report

Increasing disposable consumer income especially in Asia will drive the growth of aseptic packaging in the next five years, according to a market analysis.

2012 DAIRY HIGHLIGHTS TO DATE

Chobani continued to dominate the US yogurt market, Danone issued a profit warning, Arla strengthened its position in the UK, Fonterra dropped down the world dairy rankings....

Chobani continued to dominate the US yogurt market, Danone issued a profit warning, Arla furthered its position in the UK and Fonterra dropped down the world dairy rankings....

Fonterra firm against removing permeate

New Zealand’s largest dairy cooperative is refusing to join milk producers and marquee retailers that are removing permeate from their milk brands.

China Modern Dairy denies Mengniu takeover talks

China Modern Dairy Holdings - China’s largest milk producer - has denied any knowledge of talks designed to discuss its takeover by Mengniu.

NTC claims breakthrough with natural acid-masking ingredient

Geneva-based Natural Taste Consulting (NTC) has developed a ‘breakthrough’ ingredient for low-pH formulations like dairy and dressings that offers a new natural, cost-effective acid-masking solution.

Scottish dairy industry missing export market opportunities - report

Scotland’s dairy industry is missing out on a clear opportunity to tap into lucrative export markets, a Scottish government-backed report has claimed.

Australia confirms safety of re-formulated Nestlé NAN infant formula

The New South Wales (NSW) Food Authority has confirmed the safety of a re-formulated Nestlé infant formula product following consumer complaints that the new recipe was making children ill.

Babybel manufacturer threatened with French boycott over ‘mentally ill' promotion

Mini Babybel manufacturer, Groupe BEL, has narrowly avoided a full blown boycott of its products in France after a summer-themed promotion was labelled offensive by mental disability groups in the...

Hong Kong pulls Japanese infant formula from shelves over iodine levels

Authorities in Hong Kong have ordered the recall of two Japanese-manufactured powdered infant formula products after tests found iodine levels in the products were too low.

Probiotics ban leads to marketing revolution

Probiotic yogurt brands and supermarket own-label equivalents are leading a revolution in marketing of these products in advance of a ban, which comes into effect in December.

A$200m manufacturing investment will help us meet export demand – Murray Goulburn

Australian dairy co-operative Murray Goulburn plans to invest approximately A$200m ($211m, €172m) over the next three years on expanding and updating its manufacturing capabilities.

Re-formulated Nestlé infant formula tested after consumer complaints

Nestlé Australia has ordered tests on its recently re-formulated Nestlé NAN H.A. 1 Gold infant formula after it received a number of complaints from parents that the 'new, improved' product...

EFSA beats off more Lactobacillus probiotic claims

The most researched group of probiotic strains – Lactobacillus – has been delivered yet another blow by the EU’s central science agency, which rejected digestive and vaginal health claims for...

Dean Foods reports ‘solid growth’ across segments in Q2

US dairy giant Dean Foods has reported a second quarter operating income increase of 37%, citing “solid growth” across all operating segments.

US COMMODITIES CORNER

Commodities expert John Geuss on July: All Milk Producer Prices are Up!

The Federal Milk Marketing Order July  announcement of Class and Component Prices showed expected increases. What was unusual was that every parameter was up.  

Weak Asian demand hits Q2 JBT FoodTech results, but CEO bullish on regional prospects

Weaker Asian order activity in the quarter has not dented the long-term view of prospects in the region, according to JBT Corporation’s CEO.

Wild creates ice cream ingredients

Wild has launched completely natural ingredients that can be used as coatings and fillings for ice cream manufacturers.

Muller Quaker Dairy breaks ground on first US yogurt plant

Muller Quaker Dairy, the joint venture between PepsiCo and the Germany-based Theo Müller Group, has broken ground on its first US yogurt manufacturing plant – less than a month after...

Sealed Air takeover birthed dairy ‘farm to fork’ hygiene concept - Diversey

Sealed Air’s 2011 acquisition of cleaning, sanitation and hygiene solutions provider Diversey has birthed a unique concept in the dairy industry – hygiene solutions from ‘farm to fork’.

Phantom bidder calls for investigation into proposed Fonterra acquisition

The New Zealand Commerce Commission has been urged to investigate the proposed sale of New Zealand Dairies Limited’s (NZDL) processing assets to Fonterra, after an unsuccessful bidder claimed to have...

Consumers need education on lactose-free dairy - report

Consumer education on lactose intolerance is needed if manufacturers want to tap into the significant growth potential of lactose-free dairy, industry research has claimed.

Court dismisses Danone challenge to Chobani Canadian import permit

Chobani Greek-style yogurt manufacturer Agro-Farma Inc. is celebrating a major legal victory in Canada, after the country’s Federal Court dismissed a bid by rival firms to keep it off shelves....

Innovation reduces infant formula arsenic to ‘undetectable levels’ - Nature’s One

Organic infant formula manufacturer Nature’s One has developed a filtration technology that reduces arsenic found in organic brown rice syrup (OBRS) to undetectable levels.

Yakult Light probiotic drink makes US debut

Japanese probiotics pioneer Yakult has launched a light version of its fermented dairy drink in the US.

Spanish research aims to overcome milk, egg allergies

The University of Navarre Hospital in Spain is launching treatment enabling the elimination of allergic reactions to milk and eggs.

Super-transparent ‘no label’ look causes industry stir: Verstraete

Belgian printing company Verstraete claims there is a lot of interest from potential customers as it prepares to roll out its novel super-transparent label across Europe and North America.

Emerging market sales drive Parmalat H1 profit increase

Italian dairy giant Parmalat has reported a 7.8% increase in net profit for the first half of 2012, with improved emerging market sales and profit boosts from its core markets...

Lentils promise growth in probiotic yoghurts

Green lentils have been shown to enhance the growth beneficial bacteria in probiotic yoghurt products, and may even offer added shelf life protection, according to new research.