Unilever has beat analysts' expectations with a 5.1% rise in underlying sales in the fourth quarter, but said operating margins were dented by commodity price hikes.
Unilever has denied that it is actively developing ambient ice cream, following newspaper reports that such a product is part of a programme to reduce the environmental impact of its consumer goods.
Unilever has teamed up with Finnish dairy and ingredients supplier, Valio, to launch a probiotic spread in Germany and Sweden with “strengthening natural defences” as the central selling point.
Low-fat ice cream made with GM yeast to ensure a creamy consistency may soon be possible in Europe following the European Food Standards Authority’s (EFSA) opinion on Unilever’s novel technology.
Efforts to reduce salt in packaged foods involve more than just
salt replacers and flavour enhancers, as suppliers contribute to
overall efforts by tweaking processes to make lower sodium
ingredients.
Unilever has joined the growing number of manufacturers exploring
new ways of delivering probiotics by launching an iced lolly aimed
at children in the UK.
Unilever posted a 5 per cent improvement in sales during the full
fiscal year, on the back of its increased focus on products with
vitality benefits, emerging markets and personal care.
Unilever is to extend its presence within ice cream manufacture
after announcing this week that it has agreed to acquire Russian
ice cream company Inmarko.
Unilever today announced it will cut
20,000 jobs, accounting for 11 per cent of its total
workforce, as part
of a new "aggressive" growth strategy
for its operations.
The identity of the mystery multinational with which Provexis has
been exploring new formats of its Fruitflow technology is unveiled
as Unilever; and the two companies also plan to collaborate over
new IP on related products and processes.
Food manufacturer Unilever has reported a 20 per cent decrease in
third quarter pre-tax profit of 1.12bn, despite bucking the trend
in the European market.
Unilever has developed a new genetically modified protein that it
says will serve up low-fat ice cream without compromising on taste,
as ice cream firms step up the race to please health conscious
consumers.
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,...
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.
Unilever's cholesterol-lowering Becel Pro.activ milk drink has
become the fifth product to earn a product-specific health claim
under Sweden's health claims system.
Unilever has appealed against last October's European Court's
decision that ordered the company to allow competitors to display
their ice cream in its freezers cabinets.
The European Commission on Friday approved plans by US company
Archer Daniels Midland to purchase food giant Unilever's edible oil
refining subsidiary VDBO.
Unilever is to target the chilled dairy market in a number of
European countries from September as it pushes aggressively into
sectors with significant growth potential.
Dutch-based international food ingredients company CSM has reached
an agreement with Unilever on the acquisition of its bakery
ingredients business in Hungary.
The joint venture between Japan's Ajinomoto and US-based Bestfoods
- part of Unilever since 2000 - is to be wound up, with the
European group buying out its partner's 50 per cent stake. Unilever
will strengthen its position...
Anglo-Dutch consumer products group Unilever said on Thursday it
plans to open 75 Ben & Jerry's stores in Spain as a first step
to expand the ice cream maker's presence in Europe.
Anglo-Dutch food company Unilever this week reported faster growth
in the leading brands, strong expansion of operating margin and
strong progress for the fourth quarter of 2001.