One of the EU’s most venerated food law experts stated the EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) has become so convoluted as to be unworkable, at a Brussels congress yesterday.
Most consumers know little to nothing about the EU health claim system, the European Food Safety Authority nor why a blanket ban has been imposed on probiotic marketing across the bloc, a functional food marketing expert told a conference this morning.
On a train to Brussels to cover NutraIngredients’ Probiotech and Microbiota two-day probiotic congress, had me wondering of the sector mood now it has had its claims ripped up by the EU’s hardline health claim process.
Danone has dispelled rumours that it is seeking to increase its stake in Yakult – declaring that it has no plans to mount a “hostile bid” for the Japanese company.
After years and even decades of healthy to rampant growth in the European Union, the probiotics sector has entered decline, with a flat economy and health claim ban seen as the likely culprits.
With rumors emerging that Danone is selling its 51% stake in its fruit juice JV with Chuiquita Brands International, one industry source told BeverageDaily.com that the French firm was likely ‘glad to be rid’ of a business blighted by mismanagement.
Finnish dairy and probiotics firm Valio says EU health claim laws are forcing it to add approved vitamins and minerals to products like probiotics that have failed to win EU health claims.
French dairy giant Danone has pinpointed the restoration of Southern European dairy product consumption and demand as one of its main short term strategic priorities.
With the growth of nutritional foods in India outpacing that of China, Danone’s subcontinent head for nutrition has announced plans to double sales in India over the next three years.
Danone must cut the prices of its branded dairy products significantly in parts of Europe to compete with lower-price private label brands, French banking giant Societe Generale has claimed.
Danone has reconfirmed its full year targets after recording “solid growth” in its Baby Nutrition and Waters business segments in the third quarter of 2012.
The experimental business unit that is dedicated to rolling out new Danone products for the masses in India has been deemed a success and will be expanded to other cities across the country.
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.
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”.
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.
French dairy giant Danone has entered into an agreement that, if completed, will see it become the majority shareholder in Morocco’s leading dairy product firm.
French dairy giant Danone has issued a profit warning for 2012 – reducing its operating margin target to account for the collapse of dairy product consumption in Spain and other Southern European markets.
Danone and Chobani have taken a clear lead in what has become a “two horse race” to dominate the US Greek yogurt market, Wall Street analysts have claimed.
Danone has launched a “new category” of yogurt to Spanish consumers – offering the experience of eating ice cream with the nutritional benefits of yogurt.
US yogurt consumers showed their taste for Greek indulgence in an influential 2012 research poll by Harris Interactive, reporting higher satisfaction levels with major brands such as Chobani and surprise below average scores for products including Dannon...
Design agency Dragon Rouge has redesigned the UK packaging for Danone's Actimel yogurt drink in the country, citing a 'pressing need and opportunity' to reposition the brand.
Danone has hinted that Kraft’s withdrawal from the booming Greek yogurt category in the US is proof of how hard it is to penetrate the sector within a refrigerated yogurt market Mintel estimates was worth almost six billion dollars in 2011.
Danone has confirmed that it is taking legal action to strike down a one-year Canadian import permit allowing US Greek yogurt sensation Chobani to pay greatly reduced duty of just five per cent on products imported into the country, citing the need for "fair...
Following its merger with local dairy player Unimilk in 2010, Danone will invest a further US$700m in Russia over the next five to seven years, aimed at driving capacity and growth.
Danone has formed the Global Alliance for Probiotics (GAP) with other sector giants like Yakult, DuPont-Danisco and Chr Hansen as the frustrated industry seeks to win a first European Union health claim.
Danone CEO Franck Riboud admits his company is ‘quite nothing in Asian dairy’, but says the French giant is not prioritising that category within the region, and will take time developing its business there.
French dairy giant Danone says it is refocusing its Chinese dairy operations after suspending operations at a yogurt facility in Shanghai, while Nestlé has closed an ice cream facility in the country.
Last year's severe summer drought in Russia has hit Danone’s third quarter (Q3) 2011 dairy sales in the country, with the French company forced to raise prices to end consumers due to higher ingredients costs.
Following the launch of Danone’s ‘green plastic’ plant-based bottle for its drinking yoghurt brand, the firm said it plans to roll out the packaging in other European countries.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claims panel says there are no grounds for alteration of its rejection last year of probiotic health claim dossiers submitted by Danone and Yakult.
Danone is working with NatureWorks and WWF on a new recycling option for PLA after the French dairy switched to the bioplastic for its Activia yoghurt in Germany.
French dairy Danone has built on its 2010 joint venture with Australian co-op Murray Goulburn by belatedly launching its €4bn global selling probiotic yoghurt Activia on the market there.
Danone is taking a lead in the use of bioplastics for yoghurt packaging as higher volumes promise to make prices more attractive, according to European Bioplastics.
Danone’s decision to select Dairygold as its key supplier in its expanded Infant Formula Facility Global helped boost the ingredients supplier’s annual profits by 60 per cent to €18.9m last year.
Danone has upped its sales revenue guidance for 2011, encouraged by a positive pricing performance in the last quarter. But the French dairy giant warned of a 6-9 per cent hike in raw material costs.
Danone will contest the diarrhoea health claim rejection for its Actimel drinking yoghurt handed to it by the European Food Safety Authority this week.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has repeatedly emphasised that the 2006 EU nutrition and health claims regulation is a learning experience for everyone involved – from its health claims assessment panel to industry stakeholders, to the member...
Emerging markets will be the target for continued growth Danone announced yesterday, as Asian markets contributed significantly to the company’s 15 per cent growth.
Mapping how the gut microbiota respond to probiotic strains may help produce a framework for “evaluating and optimizing probiotic-based functional foods”, say researchers from Danone and Harvard.
Danone has decided not to roll out its high-dose, calcium-fortified bone health yoghurt Densia in France after a disappointing trial in a small French town.
The Indian joint venture between Yakult and Danone established in 2005 to bring Yakult probiotic drinks to the Indian market is expanding with Bangalore targeted as the point of entry for southern markets.
