United Biscuits’ (UB) is aiming to increase the number of its suppliers signed up to the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex) system to 80 per cent by the end of 2011, the firm said in its recent sustainability report.
Belgian supplier Puratos says its undisclosed acquisition this week of 17-year-old Latvian fruit fillings firm, Pure Food, is about expansion into the central and eastern European and Nordic regions – and the supermarket channel - but its artisanal customer...
Associated British Foods (ABF) is investing “tens of millions of pounds” in upgrades at its UK baking business, chief executive George Weston told FoodManufacture.co.uk.
The administrator of Woodhead Bakery has confirmed that it is in “detailed discussions” with a number of potential buyers for the firm, which counts Morrisons as a customer.
Kellogg's UK md Greg Paterson has stepped down, with the food manufacturer appointing a temporary successor until it finds a suitable long-term replacement.
Burton’s Foods bosses have promised to give “detailed consideration” to Unite plans aimed at preventing the closure of their Moreton site, after the union presented an “alternative, costed plan” for sustaining production to them last Friday.
Strong performance in emerging markets and a strategic focus on customer segmentation rather than individual products have driven Barry Callebaut to record half year profits.
Royal Cosun has struck a deal to sell Unifine to US bakery products and equipment supplier Dawn Foods, as it repositions to focus on processing of arable crops.
Real Good Food Company (RGFC) chairman Pieter Totté said he hoped the “difficult years” for sugar were over after the firm saw a slight increase in 2010 pre-tax profits, but warned that it would look abroad for stocks after sharp UK price rises.
The German cartel office’s fine of €38m imposed on Kraft Foods, Unilever and Dr Oetker for illegal disclosure of ‘competition relevant information’ may act as a deterrent to other brand owners and help end such practices, claims an antitrust expert.
Swiss company Aryzta said its hike in revenue growth in the first six months of the financial year 2011 has been underpinned by its strategic acquisitions including Fresh Start and Maidstone Bakeries but it notes ongoing input cost pressures.
Kettle Chips will shortly begin work on a £6.8m investment in extra production facilities at its Norwich base, in a move that could create up to 35 new jobs.
Associated British Foods (ABF) has issued what stockbroker Shore Capital describes as a “rather subdued” trading update, following a disastrous UK beet sugar harvest
The fresh bread section of Irish business, Gallagher's Bakery, has been bought out by its former owner from Swiss company Aryzta, who announced last month that 124 jobs would be lost at the facility in Donegal following the closure of its frozen...
CSM will be forced to increase prices and reformulate products in 2011 due to the “dramatic increase” in commodity costs said the Dutch firm as it posted its full year results.
Brazil, Russia, India and China will feature in the top five biggest grocery markets by 2015, with China set to snatch the top spot from the US in 2012, predicts IGD.
United Biscuits (UB) has announced plans to shed around 85 jobs at its McVitie's biscuit factory in Glasgow, and has begun a consultation with staff and unions in a bid to ensure voluntary rather than compulsory redundancies.
Premier foods will need to focus on revitalizing the likes of Hovis to drive growth, leveraging prominent trends such as health and nostalgia said Datamonitor, as the company posted pre-tax loss from continuing businesses of £98m, versus a profit of £42m...
Sugar Puffs and Poppets maker Big Bear Group has been snapped up by Raisio in a £80m deal less than a year after it acquired snacks and confectionery maker Glisten.
US-based doughnut giant Krispy Kreme is opening its first UK manufacturing unit, as it bids to double its number of stores in the country within the next five years.
Burtons Foods boss Ben Clarke says he remains "bullish" about the prospects for the UK biscuit market despite announcing proposals to close one of his firm's four UK biscuit factories with the loss of 342 jobs and make a further 70 staff...
US firm Tasty Baking’s recent fiscal difficulties reflect the fact that nostalgia and brand recognition are not sufficient enough during continued economic uncertainty and rising commodity costs, says a Datamonitor consumer analyst.
Gluten-free bakery ingredients had a strong quarter for US supplier Penford, which had a decline in overall profit for its first quarter 2011 but a rise in consolidated sales to over $72m.
Cereal and snack manufacturer General Mills posted lower than expected Q2 results yesterday as commodity prices increase and product prices become more competitive.
Nut and snack maker Diamond Foods has increased its outlook for fiscal year 2011 after volumes rose 40 per cent in Q1 following the acquisition of Kettle Foods.
Premier Foods will need to turn things around pretty quickly over the coming months or patience in its chief executive could run out, City analysts and corporate finance sources have warned.
Britain's biggest biscuit producer, United Biscuits, is aiming to drive growth across the biscuit and cake categories in 2011 through reformulation of products for a stronger health positioning as well as updating packaging, amid ongoing divesture...
When PepsiCo put up $5.4bn last week to acquire Wimm-Bill-Dann, it was seduced by the promise of high revenue growth but like any high-yield investment the Russian deal does not come without risks.
Rice bran ingredient and nutraceutical supplier NutraCea has emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy after just over a year – a move that allowed it to restructure and reduce overheads, the company has said.
Indulgence Patisserie is pumping £0.75m into converting a former metal fabrication facility adjacent to its current site into a second desserts manufacturing facility that will more than double its production capacity.
The owners of Unifine Food & Bake Ingredients are seeking a buyer for the pastry ingredients supplier, with Royal Cosun saying it has retained an investment house to conduct a “comprehensive review of all strategic options.”
Kerry Group has strengthened its presence in Asia-Pacific region after acquiring General Mills’ Australian bakery businesses for a sum believed to be around €20m.
Canadian baked goods and meat producer Maple Leaf Foods, has attributed its 2 per cent rise in adjusted operating earnings in the third quarter of this year to the higher costs of grains and meat proteins.
New research from Euromonitor suggests a moderate but sustained increase in wheat and corn commodity prices from now until 2015 but the analysts predict that manufacturers focusing on premium and private label lines will offset rising input costs.
FMC Biopolymer has said it intends to raise prices of its microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and carrageenan-based products by up to 15 percent due to continued supply/demand imbalance for raw materials.
Potato processor Lamb Weston/Meijer (LWM) said it has completed a deal to buy a controlling stake in Austrian outfit Frisch & Frost (F&F) after being given the go-ahead by Brussels.
A new natural sourdough production unit in Belgium costing €21m will boost volume and help meet the hike in demand from bakers for the bread ingredient, claims Puratos.
A private equity group plans to expand the international reach of French salted snack company Snack International following the acquisition of a majority stake in the firm.
The snack and sweet goods category delivered double digit gains for flavour and fragrance house, Givaudan, which recorded overall sales of CHF 3,283m in the first nine months of 2010.
Warburtons has acknowledged receipt of a letter from Welsh rival Brace’s Bakery expressing an interest in its Newport bakery, but does not appear keen to engage in talks, according to Brace’s.
Lotus Bakeries is boosting capacity and installing new lines in its biscuit and cake facilities in Belgium, a €27m scale up in production that it said is to meet the hike in demand for its caramelized biscuit brand following successful entry into Swedish...
In a move that has caught market analysts by surprise, UK based snack and biscuit maker, United Biscuits, is reportedly close to a deal with leading Chinese food group Bright Food in terms of a buy out.
