Finnish dairy company Valio has seen the launch of two infant
nutrition products this spring, both in Finland and abroad,
featuring the probiotic lactic acid bacteria Lactobacillus
Gorbach & Goldin (LGG).
Nizo food research claims to have taken the cold gelation method a
step further, opening the way to control stability, gel strength
and flavour conservation of heat induced gels.
Dairy Crest, the UK dairy products group, has reported a 3 per cent
drop in sales for the year to March 2003 but stressed that its
branded business continued to grow strongly.
French powdered milk manufacturer Ingredia is about to implement a
Connoisseur process control system from Invensys in an effort to
improve production quality and efficiency.
Modern consumers are increasingly demanding products which offer
both health benefits and convenience, and food manufacturers have
been quick to respond with a variety of dairy products.
Five Japanese companies have said they will recall a wide range of
food products which were made using banned flavouring agents
acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde and castor oil.
The steep decline in world prices for dairy commodities such as
skimmed milk powder has forced UK group Dairy Crest to close one of
its main production facilities as part of an effort to refocus its
core markets.
Researchers in the US believe that fermented milk may eliminate or
drastically reduce symptoms related to lactose intolerance in
people with the allergy.
Not content with being one of Europe's largest suppliers of branded
cheeses, French group Fromageries Bel is now seeking to gain a
foothold in the fast-growing dairy alternative market via an
agreement with Galaxy Nutritional...
Ice cream has traditionally been a seasonal product, with
consumption highest in the summer months. But manufacturers have
been working hard to make ice cream an all-year-round treat.
The popular 'myth' that milk has a high fat content is just one of
many preconceived ideas about the dairy product which the UK Dairy
Council is hoping to dispel with a new campaign targeting women in
particular.
A new tool for subtyping strains of Listeria monocytogenes
bacteria that cause foodborne illness has been developed in America
by USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists.
Swiss flavours and extracts manufacturer Emil Flachsmann is
introducing EFLA Trees of Life, a line of plant-based extracts
designed especially for the dairy industry to provide a functional
twist.
Graham's Dairies has further expanded its operations. The business
acquired Stevenson Dairy Farm this week in a move that consolidates
its position as Scotland's largest family-owned dairy.
Yoghurt more than any other dairy product meets consumer demand for
healthy, convenient and tasty food - a factor which market analysts
Euromonitor claim will continue to drive sales of the product in
the years to come. Drinking yoghurts...
International Specialty Products (ISP) continues to consolidate its
position on the ingredients market with the news this week that it
has acquired Brazilian ingredient systems company Germinal.
Competition in the biogum sector is set to hot up with the news
today that US company CP Kelco is looking to boost production
capabilities to reinforce its position in the biogums marketplace.
Valio's Belgian subsidiary, Valio-Vache Bleue, has taken over the
operational and commercial activities of International Food &
Business - Brussels Food Distribution (IFB-BFD).
Despite a year of protracted low prices together with high stocks
and poor demand the Irish Dairy Board (IDB) reported satisfactory
financial results for 2002.
The UK competition authorities have asked permission from the
European Commission to rule on the proposed merger of Arla Foods
and Express Dairies in the UK.
Latest research into the beneficial impact of peptides in fermented
milk might have on lowering consumer's blood pressure brings good
news for manufacturers of drinking yoghurts.
Dairy giant Arla Foods is planning to cut 600 jobs over the next
three financial years. The job losses will largely be contained
within the group's administrative departments.
RhodiaFood, part of French speciality chemicals company Rhodia,
recently announced that it would hike up the price of its Rhodigel
food grade xanthan gum by 10 per cent.
EU finance ministers are today trying to agree plans to tax
cross-border income from savings. But officials say they cannot
predict whether they will be able to manoeuvre around the issue of
Italian milk quotas.
Dairy processor Robert Wiseman has posted an 11 per cent increase
in sales volumes for 2002, helped by investment in its dairy
facilities and important new supply contracts with the major
multiples.
The US Dairy Export Council (USDEC) believes that 2002 was a good
year for the industry, with exports exceeding $1 billion (€878m).
The export of some dairy products, however, declined.
Krest'yanskoe, a Soviet-era brand produced by a number of different
companies, remains the most popular brand of butter in Russia, but
its popularity is coming under increasing international pressure.
German enzyme company AB Enzymes, a subsidiary of ABITEC Group, the
food ingredient and specialty chemicals group, announced this week
that it has acquired Gamma Chemie, a German-based enzyme business.
A new Danish milk-based snack has been launched in Saudi Arabia.
The product, called Hayya, is aimed to provide kids with a
healthier alternative to chocolate.
A new technology which produces mozzarella cheese in ribbons rather
than blocks could give Ireland-based Glanbia Cheese a major
competitive advantage in the European pizza cheese market.
Mad Cow, a milk-based energy drink to challenge market leader Red
Bull, has been launched in the USA. The product is manufactured by
New Jersey-based Liquid Billboards.
With cheese sales declining as a result of price competition, the
unique marketing opportunity offered by the EU's Protected
Designation of Origin scheme could prove vital for boosting future
sales.
A substantial improvement in the profitability of its core dairy,
rice and sugar unit has helped Spain's Ebro Puleva group to
maintain profit levels in the first quarter despite a decline in
sales.
Zip-Pak has announced the development of a zipper technology
specifically designed for barrier packaging that is said to
eliminate the need for equipment upgrades or retrofitting.
UK cheese producer Wensleydale has linked up with Ulma, a leading
player in the country's flexible packaging marketplace, for a new
packaging solution to cope with increasing production of speciality
lines.
