News in brief

Milk Link’s drink business must go as Commission approves Arla merger

Arla Foods has been granted approval by the European Commission to merge with Milk Link, but must sell a UK milk drinks business acquired through the deal to facilitate the...

Kiwi authorities crack down on unlawful infant formula exports

New Zealand authorities have begun action to stop unlawful exports of infant formula to China, after trade bodies blamed these for severely undermining the southern nation’s reputation for food safety....

News in brief

Murray Goulburn reports revenue boost citing exports growth

Australian dairy co-operative Murray Goulburn has reported revenue and profit increases for the 2011-12 season, citing the impact of increased exports.

Arla to expand Danish facility to meet Chinese demand

Arla Foods is looking to expand the capacity of its Arinco milk powder manufacturing plant to meet the increased demand created by its supply agreement with Chinese paediatric nutrition firm...

FSANZ approves Fonterra hydrogen peroxide processing aid application

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has approved an application from dairy giant Fonterra to use hydrogen peroxide as a processing aid to control lactic acid-producing micro-organisms during the manufacture...

UK dairy industry years ahead of government ‘green’ targets – Carbon Trust

The UK dairy industry’s “pro-active” attitude to carbon emissions has put it years ahead of government carbon footprint targets, according to the Carbon Trust.

Tetra Pak boosts Turkish output with lamination investment

Tetra Pak has invested €25m in lamination facilities at its Turkish packaging material plant, to lift beverage carton production capacity by 20%.

Breaking news

Dean Foods seeks buyer for Morningstar

Dallas-based dairy giant Dean Foods is inviting potential buyers to cast a slide rule over its Morningstar warehouse delivery business - the smallest of its three divisions - as it...

Fonterra posts profits drop, cites global dairy price fall

Fonterra has reported a drop in net profit for the 2012 season and cut its final payout to farmers - citing the negative effect of record breaking milk production on...

Danone settles Canadian Activia health claims lawsuit

Danone has settled a class action lawsuit in Canada relating to claims made on labels, packaging and advertisements for its Activia yogurt and DanActive probiotic drinks products.

Sodium reduction: Scientists produce cheddar with ‘large reductions in sodium’

Potassium chloride can successfully reduce the use of sodium chloride in cheddar cheese, with taste profiles similar to full-sodium versions, says a new study from the University of Minnesota.

School milk programmes driving developing dairy industry growth – Tetra Pak

The introduction of school milk programmes in developing nations is driving dairy industry growth, processing and packaging giant Tetra Pak has claimed.

FrieslandCampina introduces organic milk price to reflect growing demand

FrieslandCampina has proposed the introduction of an independent milk price for organic dairy farmers – in line with growing European demand for organic dairy products.

Dairy Crest profits fall, but full year expectations ‘remain unchanged’

Dairy Crest’s full year financial expectations remain “unchanged”, despite what the firm has described as a challenging first half to the year.

Dairy Crest propose Crudgington plant closure in efficiency drive

Dairy Crest intends to close its butter and spreads manufacturing facility in Crudgington, Shropshire site under its continued drive to improve efficiency throughout its business.

Guest article

The challenges of ‘natural’ and ‘bumpy road’ tests: Efficient troubleshooting in action

Dealing with problems that may arise in the formulation of food and beverage products is vital for manufacturers. In the second part of his look at troubleshooting, Leatherhead Food Research’s...

News in brief

First Milk announces October milk price increase

UK dairy processor First Milk has announced an increase in the standard price it pays to its milk suppliers.

Nestlé invests $8m to meet Caribbean dairy-based supplement demand

Nestlé has invested around $8m in a new production line at its factory in Jamaica to meet increasing demand for its milk-based energy supplement, Supligen.

FrieslandCampina signs up to EU children marketing pledge

Dutch dairy giant FrieslandCampina has signed up to the EU Pledge – an initiative to change food and beverage advertising to children under the age of 12 in the European Union (EU).

Nature’s One arsenic levels ‘undetectable’ – US consumer watchdog

A US consumer watchdog has confirmed the safety of Nature’s One infant formula products, months after an independent study raised questions about high levels of inorganic arsenic in products manufactured...

Guest article

Expert outlines top 10 tips for efficient formulation troubleshooting

As foods become ever more complex, the need to be able to efficiently troubleshoot problems becomes even more critical. In this guest article, Wayne Morley, PhD, head of food innovation...

‘Best alternative to breast milk’ complaints upheld against Pfizer ads

Complaints that an advertising campaign for SMA Follow-on Milk made misleading claims that it is the best alternative to breast milk have been upheld by the UK Advertising Standards Authority...

Supply chain sustainability is a priority for our customers – Glanbia

Dairy supply chain sustainability, at farm and processor level, is a priority for blue chip firms, Irish dairy giant Glanbia has claimed.

Indian retail investment approval could open doors to Western dairy brands – analyst

The Indian government has approved a policy amendment allowing foreign investment in its retail sector – a move that could open up the world’s largest dairy market to Western brands,...

Synutra signs Sodiaal deal in Chinese consumer confidence effort

Leading Chinese infant formula manufacturer Synutra l has entered into a commercial partnership agreement with French dairy giant Sodiaal and its subsidiary, Euroserum – a deal the Chinese firm hopes...

Dannon slams ‘poorly informed and frivolous’ Activia yogurt identity lawsuit

Dannon has dismissed a class action lawsuit alleging that its Activia yogurts do not meet FDA-approved standards of identity as “poorly informed and frivolous”.

NZ infant formula exporters join forces to protect brands overseas

A number of New Zealand-based infant formula manufacturers and exporters have joined forces to protect the reputation of their brands overseas.

UK milk price increases not milestones, just PR – analyst

The recent UK milk price increases announced by processors should not be considered a recovery milestone, but a well-timed PR opportunity, a European dairy analyst has claimed.

Robert Wiseman promises ‘substantial’ milk price increase

Müller Dairy UK and Müller-owned Robert Wiseman Dairies have promised a “substantial increase” in the price they pay to their dairy farmer suppliers for milk.

Listeria outbreak in tainted cheese linked to at least one death

Imported Ricotta Salata cheese has been identified as the source of an outbreak of listeria across 11 US states and has been linked to at least one death.

Swiss consider Emmental production quotas in price boost effort

The Swiss government is considering implementing production quotas across the Emmentaler supply chain, in an effort to keep manufacturers of the iconic cheese and their milk suppliers afloat.

Dairy Crest confident of delivering higher milk prices

Dairy Crest has expressed confidence in delivering higher milk prices for its farmers in coming months – the latest move by British dairy processors to regain dairy farmer trust following...

Bord Bia sustainability scheme underlines Ireland’s ‘green and natural’ image

Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, has introduced a new programme intended to cement the reputation of the Irish food industry as a world leader in sustainability.

Arla targets high protein yoghurt trend

European interest in high protein foods has moved into the mainstream, according to Arla Foods Ingredients, which has introduced two new ingredients for boosting the protein content of yoghurt.

Verghese Kurien: death of an Indian milk revolutionary

Few individuals have had as much impact on a produce industry as Dr Verghese Kurien, who passed away in Gujarat last weekend. In a career spanning almost 60 years, Kurien...

Al Ain Dairy claims first UAE juice launch with stevia

The United Arab Emirates’ largest dairy and juice producer Al Ain Dairy tells BeverageDaily.com it is the first company in the region to introduce stevia into juices produced in the...

Will capacity surge put pressure on prices as big guns invest in the Greek yogurt boom?

The rush to build new capacity in the US yogurt sector - largely driven by the Greek yogurt boom - could put pressure on prices in the short term, although...

Bel eyes UK lunchbox demand with Laughing Cow Blue Cheese launch

French cheese giant Groupe Bel is targeting the UK lunchbox market with the launch of its new The Laughing Cow Light with Blue Cheese product.

Live worms in milk ‘impossible’ - Mengniu

Chinese dairy giant Mengniu Dairy Co. has denied a claim that live worms were found in a carton of its milk, stating that it would be “impossible” for the creatures to...

Fonterra cleared to acquire NZDL processing assets

Dairy exporter Fonterra has been cleared to acquire the processing assets of New Zealand Dairies Limited’s (NZDL) by the New Zealand Commerce Commission.

Ben & Jerry’s suing adult film maker over Ben & Cherry’s parallels

US ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s has filed a lawsuit against the makers of the ‘Ben & Cherry’s’ X-rated DVD series, claiming that the films are smearing its reputation....

Ice cream prices rise, volumes decline, says Mintel

Ice cream prices have risen by more than a quarter over the past five years and sales volumes have declined, but most Europeans still consider ice cream an affordable treat,...

Greek identity crisis? Cabot Greek-style yogurt is not a yogurt at all, claims plaintiff

The second class action lawsuit in six months to question whether a Greek yogurt brand meets the legal standard of identity for yogurt in the US has been filed in...

US COMMODITIES CORNER

August milk prices show significant increases - Part two

In part two of his August US dairy commodities breakdown, MilkPrice  blogger John Geuss gives DairyReporter.com the latest on cheese demand and a look ahead to September and beyond....

UK dairy contract code of best practice agreed

UK processor and farmer representatives have settled on a code of best practice relating to milk supply contracts – the latest effort by the British dairy industry to rebuild relations...

Elopak to exit South Africa after Nampak deal

Elopak will exit South Africa after agreeing to sell its 50% stake in Elopak South Africa (Pty) to Nampak for R115m (US$13.8m).

Chobani sets its sights on UK Greek yogurt market domination

US yogurt giant Chobani has set its sights on UK Greek yogurt category domination and is aiming to mirror its impressive US yogurt market achievements.

US COMMODITIES CORNER

August milk prices show significant increases

As a result of increased and unexpected US demand for cheese and butter in recent weeks, milk prices in the country have jumped by more than a dollar per hundredweight....

News in brief

Arla UK ‘well on track’ to deliver 500m litre milk supply increase

Arla Foods UK has announced that it is “well on track” to deliver its 2015 500m litre milk supply increase target.

Arla increasing UK milk prices in confidence rebuild effort

Arla Foods UK has increased the standard price it pays to dairy farmers for milk and adopted a new, more transparent milk pricing and sourcing model in an effort to “build...

Growing Australian a2 Milk preference provides expansion platform – A2C

A2 Corporation (A2C) - the manufacturer of a2 Milk - has reported “very encouraging” financial results for the last 12 months, citing the brand’s growing credibility with Australian consumers....

NZ slams Chinese infant formula manufacturers for ‘Made in NZ’ marketing

New Zealand is pushing Chinese officials to take action following revelations that some infant formula manufacturers in the country have been trying to pass off their products as New Zealand-made.

USDA urged to update nutritional guidelines on Greek yogurt

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been urged to update its nutritional guidelines to differentiate Greek from other traditional types of yogurt and reclassify it as a high protein...

Arla posts H1 profits drop as milk crisis cancels out revenue growth

Dairy giant Arla Foods has reported a net profits decrease for the first six months of the year, as the continuing impact of the European dairy price war cancelled out...