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Food finance

The food industry is in constant financial motion; there’s always some company snapping up the assets of another, or reporting on a radical new strategy aimed at protecting its profits. The latest money moves can have a big impact on ingredient supply, so it pays to keep up to date.

GLG Life Tech downgrades expectations, sees share price fall to year-low

16-Aug-2011 - Stevia supplier GLG Life Tech has slashed its revenue expectations for 2011 and has seen its share price slip to a year low, as it reported its second quarter results.

Chocolate earnings climb 9 per cent for Kraft; gum growth flat

05-Aug-2011 - Kraft, in its second quarter results, reports continuing challenges ahead for its gum and candy division in developed markets, and claims the Cadbury takeover is a fundamental earnings driver, with its global chocolate earnings up 9 per cent.

Kraft Foods to split into two separate companies

04-Aug-2011 - Kraft Foods has said it intends to split into two companies, in a move that would create a global snacks powerhouse separate from its North American grocery business.

FMC tipped to make hydrocolloid acquisition

04-Aug-2011 - FMC Corporation is looking to expand its food ingredients portfolio as it strengthens its already strong position in the hydrocolloids market.

Wheat and cocoa deliver for ADM but overall profit down 15%

03-Aug-2011 - Archer Daniels Midland’s (ADM) unit that processes wheat and cocoa saw a 62 per cent hike in profit but the agri-commodities giant’s overall earnings for its fourth quarter dropped 15 per cent.

Corn Products continues to benefit from National Starch acquisition

01-Aug-2011 - Corn Products International has seen a sharp rise in second quarter profits, largely on the back of its National Starch acquisition, but warned that higher corn costs could impact earnings in the second half.

Food industry execs intend to increase M&A activity, survey finds

01-Aug-2011 - Food and beverage executives intend to significantly increase merger and acquisition activity and have the money to do so, according to a recent survey from KPMG.

Danone close to €180m deal for Indian nutrition firm?

27-Jul-2011 - The Indian press is reporting that Danone is in “advanced talks” to buy the nutrition division of billion-dollar Indian pharma-focused firm, Wockhardt’s, for a price as high as €180m.

Campbell’s restructuring slashes jobs, shuts plants

30-Jun-2011 - New Jersey-based Campbell Soup Company has said it will slash 770 jobs worldwide by 2013, shutter a Michigan plant and pull out of the Russian market, as part of a major restructuring program.

Bell Flavors warehouse acquisition to aid long-term expansion

08-Jun-2011 - Bell Flavors and Fragrances has acquired an 85,000 square foot warehouse adjacent to its corporate headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois, which it says is logistically well-placed for long-term business expansion.

60-second interview: Pat Conroy, Deloitte

Deloitte: Kraft/Cadbury deal will stimulate more M&A

01-Jun-2011 - Food and drink M&A activity is predicted to pick up this year, but who’s selling, who’s buying, and what is top of the shopping list? Elaine Watson caught up with Pat Conroy, vice chairman and US consumer products leader at Deloitte, to find out.

Campbell’s profits rise on snack sales, as soup sales slump

23-May-2011 - Higher sales of snack foods offset declining soup sales at the Campbell Soup Company contributing to an 11 percent boost in third-quarter profits, the company said on Monday.

DuPont keeps existing food business chief as head of expanded unit

20-May-2011 - DuPont has appointed the existing head of its Nutrition & Health unit to lead the business as it takes on the task of joining up with Danisco Food Ingredients.

General Mills signs Yoplait acquisition agreements

18-May-2011 - General Mills has entered into definitive agreements to acquire a 51 percent controlling interest in French yogurt maker Yoplait and a 50 percent stake in a related entity that holds the global Yoplait brands.

DuPont succeeds in Danisco bid

16-May-2011 - US chemical group DuPont has successfully completed its tender offer for Danisco, as 92.2 percent of outstanding shares in the Danish food ingredients firm were tendered by Friday’s deadline, DuPont said on Monday.

EU approves DuPont-Danisco offer – but it’s far from a done deal

05-Apr-2011 - The European Commission today approved DuPont’s €4.5bn offer for Danish probiotics, enzymes and ingredients giant Danisco but the deal remains in doubt as to date only 6% of Danisco shareholders have accepted the offer.

GLG reports Q4 net loss, but revenues soar

01-Apr-2011 - GLG Life Tech has reported a net loss of C$3.2m in Q4 on higher costs, but revenues soared 46 percent – and the company said its plans in China are likely to boost future growth.

DuPont extends Danisco offer deadline for a second time

31-Mar-2011 - DuPont has extended its $6.3bn takeover bid for Danish biotech firm Danisco for the second time, after holders of only six percent of Danisco’s shares have accepted the offer.

Asian market boosts Q1 McCormick earnings

30-Mar-2011 - Spice maker McCormick reported a 13 percent rise in its first quarter earnings, boosted by cost savings and strong domestic and Asian sales, the company said on Tuesday.

SunOpta sells Canadian food distribution assets

17-May-2010 - SunOpta has announced the sale of its Canadian food distribution business, which the firm says is part a strategy to focus on its core manufacturing platform.

Senomyx and Coca-Cola negotiate new collaboration deal

27-Apr-2010 - California-based flavor firm Senomyx has said it has signed a preliminary agreement to extend its research collaboration with the Coca-Cola Company.

Cargill profits more than double as economy recovers

15-Apr-2010 - Cargill’s profits more than doubled during its fiscal third quarter as it benefited from the recovering economy across all sectors, particularly in developing countries, the company has said.

Monsanto profits fall on lower Roundup prices

07-Apr-2010 - Monsanto reported a decline in profits for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 on Wednesday and warned that it was unlikely that it would meet its longer-term profit forecasts.

ChromaDex sales climb 28 percent in 2009

02-Apr-2010 - After a host of positive moves over the past year, ChromaDex is optimistic about its future business, as it reported a 28 percent sales increase from $4.5m during fiscal 2008 to $5.7m in 2009.

Stevia success gives GLG Life Tech 323% revenue boost

01-Apr-2010 - GLG Life Tech has reported a 323 percent increase in revenue during 2009 as food and drink manufacturers continue to develop and launch new products containing its stevia-derived sweeteners.

Spotlight

Consumer group complains to FDA about ‘inconsistent’ NuVal nutrition ratings

Consumer group complains to FDA about ‘inconsistent’ NuVal nutrition ratings

The National Consumers League (NCL) has filed a formal complaint with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...

Could it be second time lucky for low-cal bulk sweetener Tagatose?

Could it be second time lucky for low-cal bulk sweetener Tagatose?

Belgian firm Nutrilab NV is preparing to introduce low-calorie, low glycemic bulk sweetener Tagatose to North and...

Sugar becomes new bogeyman as fats take a back seat in new consumer survey

Sugar becomes new bogeyman as fats take a back seat in new consumer survey

While consumer concerns about fats appear to have waned somewhat, the percentage of Americans blaming sugars for...

LycoRed reports rocketing demand for lycopene-based red color as firms seek alternatives to carmine

LycoRed reports rocketing demand for lycopene-based red color as firms seek alternatives to carmine

Israeli lycopene expert LycoRed says it has seen a surge in demand for its tomato-based natural color...

Euromonitor analyst: Monk fruit on the road to mainstream success – but still a long way to go

Euromonitor analyst: Monk fruit on the road to mainstream success – but still a long way to go

Monk fruit extract may be set to become a mainstream natural sweetener alongside stevia, but price remains...

Both sides claim victory as judge rules in FTC v POM false advertising case

Both sides claim victory as judge rules in FTC v POM false advertising case

Both sides have claimed victory in a bitter legal dispute between Californian juice maker POM Wonderful and...

Are healthy foods really more expensive? Not necessarily, say USDA researchers

Are healthy foods really more expensive? Not necessarily, say USDA researchers

Many Americans claim that the reason they choose less healthy foods is because it costs more to...