H.J. Heinz strategy to raise prices and cut costs has paid off in
profit margins increasing to 15.5 per cent in the second quarter of
2006, two percentage points higher than the comparable period last
year.
The demand for produce packaging is expected to surpass $4.3bn by
2010 fuelled by shifting consumer trends and hikes in material
costs, says a new report.
European ingredients group Cognis has developed a baking agent
which claims to lower costs and improve performance in the baking
of all yeast-based products such as croissants and buns.
EU broiler production in 2006 is forecast to be four per cent lower
than last year due to the outbreaks of avian influenza (AI), but
looks set to rebound in 2007, according to a new report.
Global logistics company Schenker is testing the use of radio
frequency identification (RFID) technology to track containers used
for overseas shipments.
As part of a bid to shed low margin operations, Unilever today
reached a deal to sell most of its European frozen foods business
to a private equity firm for €1.73bn.
A Switzerland-based company has developed radio frequency
identification (RFID) tags designed to withstand the high heat used
in food manufacturing processes.
Quest has developed what it calls its '3-D approach' to snack
flavour development in order to offer customers greater flexibility
and identify key trends earlier.
The iconic UK cereal brand Weetabix has added a new oat variety to
its portfolio in a bid to attract health-conscious consumers
seeking to benefit from its cholesterol-lowering properties.
An ingredients firm has developed honeycomb that is more resistant
to the baking process - making it stable enough for inclusion in
products such as muffins and cakes.
Europe's large crustacean prices remained fairly stable with a
large drop in the demand and supply of crawfish being offset by
increased lobster consumption, says a new Food and Agriculture
Organisation(FAO) report.
The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
has recently published the results of their fact-finding mission,
which found 'inappropriate practices' in the exporting of paper
packaging waste.
Most nanotechnology in the food industry is at zero commercial
activity and will be limited to high-value products over the next
few years, says the first detailed report on the technology's
future.
A new enzyme-based system will allow meat and fish-processing
companies to turn their food-grade bone-material into stocks -
reducing waste by up to 80 per cent, its designers claim.
In a bid to limit potentially hazardous chemical contamination the
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated their
recommendations on safeguarding recycled plastic packaging.
US dairy and beverage manufacturers are continuing to invest in
membranes because their value to the food industry is just being
realized, says a new report.
DSM Food Specialties claims that its Maxarome Select product - a
natural high 5' nucleotide yeast extract - can effectively replace
monosodium glutamate (MSG) in crisps without any loss of flavour or
taste.
Eastern Europe is spearheading growth in the packaging machinery
industry as new EU states attempt to muscle in on the Western
market, says a new report.
The world squid market shows landmark demand for cephalopods, but
increased catch-rates have driven the overall cost of squid down,
says a report published last month.
The European market for seabass and seabream is growing at a steady
pace, but is its full potential is being stifled because producers
can't offer value added seabass and seabream products at a
competitive price, says a new report.
Premier Foods' strategy of acquisitions and price increases helped
boost first half operating profits by 12.7 per cent and margins by
almost one percentage point.
A new radio frequency identification (RFID) network launched for
the food industry aims to help retailers and manufacturers exchange
product data so as to speed up recalls and cut costs.
Atria Group, a Finland-based meat processor, is integrating the
logistical and processing operations of two subsidiaries in a bid
to cut costs and enter new markets.
Europe's third party logistic (3PL) providers are moving to
integrate more of their operations with those of their clients as a
means of providing a more efficient service, according to a survey.
Europe's herring prices look to remain at their current low levels
as a high supply and lower demand continue to affect the industry,
according to a Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) report.
Unilever is testing a newly developed software standard designed to
help retailers and manufacturers share data throughout the supply
chain using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.
Spain-based Ebro Puleva has reached agreement with Kraft Foods to
buy its Minute Rice brands in the US and Canada, extending the
company's reach into North America.
The avian influenza scare is causing fluctuations in the demand and
price for poultry in the EU, according to the latest agricultural
forecast by the European Commission.
Snider Schenker has expanded its Benelux distribution centre in
Willebroek, Belgium in a bid to capture a bigger chunk of the
temperature-controlled foods market.
A proposed law published for consultation yesterday would bring the
UK's regulatory system into line with EU regulations -- but could
also mean additional costs for processors.
Japan has reopened its doors to US beef, providing processors
access to what was once their largest export market before bovine
spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was first found in North America.
Two scientific studies say carbon monoxide is safe to use in
modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) techniques, countering claims
by opponents that use of the gas could harm food safety.