This week, Danone says it is managing to offset cost pressures across its global operations and National Foods' ambitions for Australia-based Dairy Farmers are approved by the country's financial watchdog.
Food makers have faced a doubling of raw material and packaging
costs in five years, but a recent report reveals the manufacturers
are facing the challenge head on, with underlying business
remaining resilient.
After a busy period of expansion for Fonterra, the New
Zealand-based dairy cooperative says it remains far from finished
with its global consolidation plans as it looks to key markets such
as Asia to target growth.
Unilever's new global Centre of Excellence Ice Foods is aimed at
increasing ice cream innovation by developing healthier products
that are more exciting and provide varied sensory experiences.
This week, Campina invests in its German liquid milk operations,
Emmi sells off its stake in cheese group Baer and Fonterra
increases its predicted member payout for the current season.
Arla has announced a reorganisation of its consumer operations in
eight markets including simplifying its business model in the
Middle East, where a second boycott of its products is in place.
European cooperative Arla Foods says it will form a new joint
venture with its UK arm to step up investment in its processing
operations within the country.
This week, Glanbia says it expects to offset dairy cost pressures
by meeting full year growth, and Fonterra is expected to target
expansion in Australia.
Understanding the associations between body composition, metabolic
status, diet and lifestyle habits could be key to the struggle
against obesity, and gaining an advantage in formulation.
Members of Friesland Foods and Campina have voted in favour of the
proposed merger, marking a major step forward in bringing the two
dairy cooperatives and companies together.
Modifying the population of bacteria in the gut may improve the regulation of glycemic control and reverse the insulin resistance that occurs with obesity, suggests a new study from the Nestlé Research Center.
This week, Danone continues to divest operations required to seal
its Numico purchase, while an organic dairy cooperative heads for
the playground with a new campaign about its operations.
Fonterra is launching a new online sales channel for its dairy
commodities which will allow it to respond more quickly to price
changes - and may spur the development of an international dairy
futures or derivatives market.
This week, Nestle lifts its 2008 profit expectations on an expected
fall in commodities costs, Danone denies it has an interest in
purchasing Dean Foods, and Kerry Foods makes an Irish dairy
acquisition.
Danone remains tight-lipped over reports that it hopes to merge a
number of rival companies run by the founder of its Chinese joint
venture partner Wahaha into its own operations in the country.
This week, Campina enjoys dominance of Dutch retail on the back of
yoghurt sales, Danone may look to further expansion in the Americas
and Parmalat makes another out of court settlement.
Repositioning on a healthy food platform and investing in research
of value-added ingredients has lifted Nestle out of the reach of
raw material prices and other economic encumbrances.
Dairy group Lactalis McLelland will face a reduced financial
penalty from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) after accepting
responsibility for its role in the alleged price fixing of
cheeses in the UK.
This week, Dean Foods fails to profit form full year sales
improvements, Arla moves to expand cheese production in the US, and
Willi Foods finalises an agreement to produce kosher dairy in
Denmark.
Group Danone posted a 7.2 per cent increase in sales during the
full 2007 fiscal year amounting to €14.5bn, on the back of a strong
performance in its dairy and bottled water businesses.
Nestle says it has received no official notice from the Venezuelan
Government that its dairy plants in the country may be seized over
accusations that both itself and rival European producers are
muscling out local players from the...
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.
This week, Fonterra reveals its milk supply concerns, Saputo posts
profit growth from its North American focus, and Parmalat says it
is meeting its financial expectations for the year.
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.
This week, Arla Foods increases payouts to its UK dairy farmers,
Athens is picked to host the second Global Dairy Conference in
March and Danone may have further expanded its presence in Asia.
Danone yesterday remained tight lipped over the possibility of
making an imminent acquisition into India's high growth dairy
market, as part of the company's longstanding expansion aims for
the country.
A simple structured emulsion system could correct for flavour imbalances in reduced and low-fat products, scientists at Nestlé Research Center (NRC) have reported.
This week, Starbucks drops organic milk form its US stores, a
Unilever manager is held at his own plant by angry workers and
Danone teams up with its suppliers to improve operational
efficiency.
Strains of probiotic bacteria can affect metabolism, says a new
study from Nestle and Imperial College London that could help the
development of new probiotic products tailored for individuals.
This week, Arla Foods re-brands its cheeses in a profitability
drive, Fonterra begins to experience the benefits of higher milk
costs and Parmalat responds to an ongoing Italian antitrust
enquiry.
Danone's right to the trademarks of joint venture
partner Wahaha have been terminated after
it lost an arbitration battle in a Chinese court, the group
said today.
The chairman of New Zealand dairy cooperative Fonterra says its
farmer shareholders are not in danger of losing their controlling
stake of the company should a proposed restructuring and
public offering go ahead.
European dairy giants Nestle and Vivartia are among a number of
companies facing fines imposed by the Greek competition authority
for allegedly fixing dairy prices in the country, press reports
have said.
Fonterra, one of the world's largest dairy companies, has become
the latest processor to announce it would measure carbon emissions
across its entire supply chain.
France-based Danone has successfully frozen the assets of a number
of enterprises allegedly linked to Chinese joint venture partner
Wahaha, on the back of increasing legal pressure over property
rights in the country.
Dairy co-operative Arla Foods continues to expand beyond its native
European market by stepping up investment in Argentina for
the production of whey powders.
Unilever has sold the soft cheese brand Boursin to Le Groupe Bel
for €400m as part of its plan to shed peripheral brands and
re-ignite its top line growth.
The UK division of dairy cooperative Arla Foods is expected to
exceed last year's record earnings, the company said this week,
in announcing the group was doubling its profit forecast
for next year to DKK600m (€80m).
Danone and Numico will be forced to offload some of their European
operations to go ahead with their planned merger into one of the
world's leading nutrition companies.
Danone is a step nearer to going it alone in the Chinese dairy
market after selling its entire 20.01 per cent stake in
Shanghai-based Bright Dairy and Food and terminating a distribution
agreement for its products.
Arla Foods will further reduce its stake in the cheese
market with the announcement today of the sale of its Delimo
import arm to France-based Lactalis.
In this weeks round-up, some of France's leading dairy group's
continue to rack up their prices amidst increasing dairy costs, the
EU stands up for Staffordshire and cheese may be the new rock and
roll.