UK milk processor Dairy Crest has dismissed escalating reports that
it is about to lose out on another contract to supply liquid milk
to one of the country's leading multiple retailers, Tom Armitage
reports.
Nestlé, the world's biggest food and drink manufacturer, has
announced a modest increase in Q1 profits after successfully
offsetting rising raw material costs with price increases across
the UK and Continental Europe, Tom Armitage...
Arla Foods and Campina, two of Europe's largest dairy
co-operatives, have abandoned their much-hyped plans to merge,
after failing to secure the confidence of their respective boards,
Tom Armitage reports.
Irish food group Glanbia and dairy co-operative Connaught Gold will
soon be able to reap synergy benefits, after agreeing to share some
elements of their dairy processing operations, Tom Armitage
reports.
Ingredients firm Danisco on the way to the number two global enzyme
spot after the same German regulatory authorities that delayed the
deal give the green light, reports Lindsey Partos.
New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra announced today that it has
pulled out of the three month bidding war to buy National Foods,
crowning San Miguel the new owner of Australia's largest publicly
traded dairy company, Tom...
Givaudan, the world's number one fragrance and flavour player, saw
sales in its flavour division slipping by 6.5 per cent for the
first quarter, impacted by a loss of products and a fall in prices,
writes Lindsey Partos.
French dairy giant Danone has received approval from the Chinese
authorities to more than double its existing stake in China's
biggest dairy company, Tom Armitage reports.
First Milk, one of the UK's largest farmer-owned dairy
co-operatives, has been given permission from the Office of Fair
Trading to buy a stake in Robert Wiseman Dairies - another positive
step for UK farmers, giving them more...
San Miguel, the Philippines food and beverage group, has trumped a
rival bid from Fonterra, the world's biggest dairy exporter, to buy
Australia's National Foods, Tom Armitage reports.
A 30 to 35 percent increase in milk prices caused Lifeway Foods'
operating profit to dip more than $0.5 million for full year 2004
on the previous year, despite a 9.7 percent increase in sales of
its probiotic dairy drinks, known...
New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra, currently involved in a
bidding war for Australia's National Foods, has been told by the
Australian Takeovers Panel to issue a supplementary bidder's
statement about its possible...
Parmalat, the bankrupt Italian dairy group, has had its proposal to
relist on the Italian stock exchange rebuffed, after Italian stock
market regulator Consob raised questions yesterday over its future
restructuring plans, Tom Armitage...
UK milk processor Robert Wiseman Dairies has confirmed that its
full year results will be in line with analysts' expectations and
has pledged to up its average farmgate milk price for the first
time in over a year, Tom Armitage...
Dairy Crest, the UK's second largest milk supplier, has pledged
that its end of year results will be in line with expectations,
despite turbulent times for its liquid milk division, Tom
Armitage reports.
Campina, the Dutch dairy co-operative, yesterday informed its
member-farmers that the date of a crucial vote determining whether
it will merge with Arla Foods has been pushed back, to allow both
groups more time to reconsider "unresolved...
Asian drinks conglomerate San Miguel (SMC), currently embroiled in
a bidding war with New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra for
Australia's National Foods, is being lined-up as a potential buyer
for New Zealand Dairy Foods,...
Finnish plant sterol maker Raisio has acquired a 25 per cent stake
in Polish dairy Obory that will allow it to launch new Benecol
products in the emerging market.
Managers at Estonia's Estmilk dairy group have warned that the
company is on the verge of collapse after its Russian shareholder,
Nutritec, failed to inject funds into the ailing firm.
Dutch dairy co-operative Campina claims that its annual results are
"in line with expectations", despite slashing its milk price
payout to member-farmers and registering a decrease in turnover for
the fourth year running,...
Vinamilk, the state-owned Vietnamese dairy group, is to form a
joint venture with Dutch counterpart Campina which will see the
latter group step up its investments in an Asia region turning
increasingly to dairy products, writes Chris...
US-based Graham Packaging is to acquire four Tetra Pak plants that
make HDPE (high-density polyethylene) plastic bottles for
nutritional beverages and value-added dairy beverages supplying
markets in Belgium, Brazil, Turkey, and the...
Dutch dairy producer Friesland Foods claims that increased sales
volumes of its key brands to Southeast Asia and West Africa have
helped it deliver "satisfactory" 2004 results, but a
continuing sales decline across Europe...
UK sugar and dairy powder firm Napier Brown Foods confirmed rumours
this week that it is in discussions that could lead to a possible
takeover, writes Lindsey Partos.
Danone, France's leading food manufacturer, is to double its stake
in China's Bright Dairy and Food to just under 10 per cent, a move
expected to herald a ramping up of Danone's investments in one of
the world's...
Contributing the biggest revenue stream to Givaudan, the flavours
unit posted sales of CHF 1.6 billion (€1 billion) sales in 2004,
representing stagnant growth on a like-for-like basis in Swiss
francs.
The sale of Chr Hansen's ingredients arm gains pace with reports
suggesting the unit could fetch nearly €1 billion ($1.31 billion),
writes Lindsey Partos.
New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra has upped its share price
offer for Australia's leading dairy company National Foods,
trumping a rival bid from San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and gaining
the unanimous backing of National...
Ambitious Irish ingredients and flavours firm Kerry sees costs
rising for the year and sales inching up by just over 1 per cent
for 2004, the company reports today.
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.
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.
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...
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.
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...
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, 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.
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Bank of America, a leading figure in the Parmalat fraud trial, has
had its claims for criminal compensation rebuffed by an Italian
judge, Tom Armitage reports.
Emmi Logistique, the distribution division of leading Swiss dairy
company Emmi, has entered into a long-term agreement to distribute
Unilever's ice cream products across Switzerland and the
Netherlands, Tom Armitage reports.
Growth in Asian and South American markets boost sales for colours
firm Chr Hansen, counterbalancing a fall in revenue in North
America for the first quarter of the year.
Number one natural colours firm Chr Hansen makes inroads into the
lucrative Chinese market, this week unveiling a new food colour
factory to meet a rise in local demand, and marking the first step
in a raft of investments in the region.
Danish-Swedish dairy co-operative Arla Foods has announced it is to
cease operations at one of its Danish cheese warehouses as a result
of flagging sales of its hard and semi-hard yellow cheeses,
reports Tom Armitage.
Uniq, the European chilled food group, announced yesterday that
disappointing UK sales of its healthy desserts range had undermined
improved sales growth across continental Europe, Tom Armitage
reports.
Dairy Crest, the UK's biggest dairy company, has announced the
closure of its Yeovil factory - a move which the company claims
will allow it to pursue its ongoing strategy of building the
profile of its branded products, Tom...