Campina, the Dutch dairy co-operative, has blamed the strong Euro
and Europe-wide milk price instability in forcing it to lower its
milk prices, Tom Armitage reports.
Emmi, the leading Swiss dairy company, has announced it is to make
an initial public offering (IPO) in a bid to bolster export sales
and consolidate investment across its nutritional dairy-based
drinks division, Tom Armitage reports.
Number one cultures supplier Chr. Hansen is up for sale as its
major stakeholder decides to pull away from the ingredients slice
of the company to focus on the pharmaceutical unit. The move will
make the company's still growing...
Parmalat, the bankrupt Italian dairy group, is bracing itself for
the verdict of an Italian judge, which could force Enrico Bondi,
the group's government-appointed administrator, to reconsider
claims from former creditors worth...
The ingredients division of Danish cultures and colours firm Chr.
Hansen pulled in a DKK 369 million (€49m) profit for the year on
sales of DKK 3.4 billion (€460m), a slight dip on the previous year
on rising costs.
Dutch dairy producer Friesland Coberco says it is transferring its
China manufacturing operations to its joint venture partner,
Tianjin Sino-Finnish Dairy Research due to the 'rapidly
deteriorating conditions' in the dairy...
Nestlé Ireland has angered local politicians and businessmen with
the decision to close its chocolate crumb manufacturing facility in
Mallow, a move which could have a devastating knock-on effect for
local partner, Dairygold. But...
Germany's two largest dairies have terminated an agreement to
merge. Nordmilch, Germany's leading dairy co-operative, and Humana
Milchunion were set to merge in January 2005, but since have cited
"timing" and "restructuring...
Dairy Crest, the British milk supplier which lost out to rivals
Arla and Wiseman in the recent rejig of supermarket supply
contracts, remains confident of a "satisfactory" full-year
performance after a first half of solid...
First Milk, the biggest farmer-owned milk supplier in the UK, is to
take a 15 per cent stake in Robert Wiseman Dairies, one of the
country's top milk processors, in a deal seen as bringing the two
sides of the dairy supply chain...
Arla Foods, the Danish-Swedish dairy co-operative, has announced
that its Canadian subsidiary has acquired the National Cheese
Company, a Canadian manufacturer of speciality cheeses, in a bid to
cash in on the continuing popularity...
The European Commission has proposed forcing companies to disclose
all financing done off the books as part of a four-point initiative
to prevent accounting scandals such as the recent bankruptcy of
Parmalat.
Hungary's competition watchdog has fined French dairy giant Danone
HUF10 million for manipulating and misleading consumers with its
advert for Danone Activia yoghurt, writes Chris Mercer.
Fonterra intends to make an off market takeover offer for all of
the shares of National Foods Limited [NFD] in a bid to open up the
lucrative Asian food and beverage market, writes Anthony
Fletcher.
In yet another twist arising from one of the largest scandals in
Italian corporate history, Parmalat, the bankrupt Italian dairy
company, has agreed to pay former creditor Deutsche Bank an
additional €26 million, a gesture which could...
Number two cultures player Danisco will ramp up production of
frozen pelletised cultures clearing a €7 million investment to
expand facilities in Niebull, Germany.
Bolt-on acquisitions move ambitious Israeli flavours firm Frutarom
a step closer to its ambitions to reach the top ten flavour club
with the firm closing down on the purchase of IFF's fruit
preparations business in Europe.
Campina, the Dutch dairy company, says that innovation and the
sustained demand for healthy dairy products helped it regain its
footing in the Dutch liquid milk sector. Tom Armitage
reports.
Chilled dairy products will remain one of the most important
product segments for the world's biggest food company Nestlé as it
tries to strengthen its position in the market for healthy and
nutritional foods, and move away from...
Novis, now with almost half a million readers, yesterday earned
broad industry recognition with two further publishing awards,
following on from its best publication prize earlier this year.
The Novosibirsk dairy, part of Russia's Nidan group, is hoping to
corner the market for high quality, healthy dairy products with the
launch of a new range called Milk Time.
Japanese functional food company Yakult will next month launch a
new fermented drink designed to lower blood pressure on its home
market, according to a report.
Chr Hansen breaks into the lucrative Chinese market constructing
its first production facilities to provide more flexibility to
serve the burgeoning local food industry, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Fonterra has built a new processing plant in New Zealand as part of
its strategy to move its dairy business away from commodification
and towards producing more value-added products.
Israeli soy proteins producer Solbar is launching a new soluble soy isoflavone extract that can be added to functional foods including drinks, soy milks and dairy products like milk and yoghurts.
UK whey proteins firm Volac International has opened a major new
plant in the Netherlands, significantly increasing its output of
highly concentrated dairy proteins for the health foods market.
One of the leading UK milk co-operatives, Dairy Farmers of Great
Britain, has announced it is to launch a new line of Cadog branded
Welsh cheddar cheese, supported by a line of bilingual packaging.
But will niche brand status alone...
Risk assessment and market predictions translate into new pectin
opportunities for Danisco that will break ground on a new pectin
plant in Brazil, to be up and running by 2007, reports Lindsey
Partos.
French food group Danone has reported steady if unspectacular
growth for the third quarter of the year, with poor weather in much
of northern Europe impacting sales compared to last year's
heatwave-boosted performance.
The boards of Germany's two largest dairy companies, Bremer
Nordmilch and Humana Milchunione, have announced plans they are to
merge. The proposal is due to come into effect as of January 2005
and will allow them to overtake...
Ending months of speculation, the flavours and texturants units at
Degussa, Germany's third largest chemicals group, are up for sale
as the firm looks at selling the food ingredients arm or finding a
partner for its business.
Dairy Crest announced last week that it is to reorganise its
management structure as part of a drive to increase efficiency at
the UK chilled-food company. Tom Armitage reports.
Number one flavour group Givaudan sees beverage and dairy sales
pulled down in Europe but despite slow-down in flavour operations
sales for the division offset a dip in fragrance for nine months to
September.
French dairy giant Lactalis has grabbed immediate supremacy in two
former Soviet countries and paved the way for an expansion of its
own brand products after signing a deal to take over dairy company
FoodMaster International.
Delayed product launches will see losses at Swedish probiotics
company BioGaia continue into next year, warned the firm yesterday.
It had been counting on two major contracts to help it back into
the black by the end of the year.
Robert Wiseman Dairies, the Scottish milk processor, is considering
selling 15 per cent of its shares to First Milk, the giant producer
co-operative which supplies it with most of its milk, a move which
could ease the often strained...
Arla Foods UK, the milk processor and dairy product manufacturer,
has announced plans to close two production facilities as it
continues to integrate its business following last year's merger
with Express Dairies, reports Chris...
Finnish dairy products company Valio is to acquire Norwegian firm
Synnöve Finden's 42 per cent holding in Estonian cheese producer
Võru Juust, leaving Valio with a 99 per cent stake in Võru Juust.
Robert Wiseman, the Scottish milk processor, is confident of
reaching its growth targets in the first half of 2004, despite
rising costs for fuel, energy and plastics. But while the recent
increase in volumes following new contracts...
Kraft Foods announced today that in the next few days a number of
its products will be branded as "South Beach diet recommended", as
it attempts to cash in on North America's continuing interest in
low-carb diets.
Dairy Crest, the UK's biggest dairy company, reported a solid first
half trading performance this week, but conceded that its second
half results could be adversely affected following the loss of a
fresh milk supply contract...
The increasing popularity of premium, indulgent or healthy ice
cream products - particularly in the winter months - boosted sales
and profits at the UK's Richmond Foods in 2004, helping the group
match last year's heatwave-assisted...
Sparking growth in the emerging South American food market, Danish
ingredients giant Chr Hansen has opened new facilities in Argentina
designed to serve expanding activities from international
customers, reports Lindsey Partos.
Prices knocked by increased competition, combined with a new move
to process less whey, hit first half figures for Dutch ingredients
firm Borculo Domo.
Profits continue to fall for Russian dairy giant Wimm-Bill-Dann,
despite recording a healthy jump in sales for the first six months
of the year. The company said that both gross margins and net
income were hit by rising costs attributed...
Food ingredients sales at Irish dairy firm Glanbia jumped 20 per
cent during the first half and lifted profits 49 per cent higher
than the previous year, reported the company, which is targeting
strong growth for its ingredients business...
Ongoing demand for healthy products helped Irish food and
ingredients firm Kerry to a strong first half performance. And with
recent acquisitions pushing it into other high growth sectors,
there is little to stop the group from making...
Lactalis, the French dairy group, has been given the green light to
acquire two Spanish producers, Grupo Prado Cervera and Central
Lechera Vallisoletana, by the European Commission's competition
authorities.
