Flavors company Sensient Technologies has reported a third
consecutive quarter of strong sales growth on the back of good
demand and price increases for its products.
MGP Ingredients (MGPI) is set for a major overhaul in its
ingredients operations, after disappointing results in the segment
for the company's fiscal year prompted it to announce that it will
review its entire ingredients business.
Biotech giant Monsanto has reported strong results for its third
quarter, with its sales continuing to benefit from a good
performance by its seeds and traits business.
Kraft Foods has recorded stable first quarter results, masking
falling operating income with a favourable tax settlement and
raising prices to combat spiralling production costs.
New products and seasonal success may have given Hershey increased
2005 sales, but income for the confectionery colossus remains
blighted by the cost of reorganisation.
Campbell's net earnings for the first quarter ended 30 October have
been helped by strong soup prices and a favorable tax settlement,
canceling out a decline in soup sales.
Confectionery companies could always count on consumers to boost
sales at Christmas and other holiday seasons, but a report
published by Mintel adds more support to the notion that consumer
trends are changing.
Flavors company Sensient Technologies said last week that
fourth-quarter earnings rose 2.5 percent, lifted by foreign
exchange rates and higher profit from sales of traditional flavors
in Europe and North America.
Rising raw material costs lead to decline of $0.58m in Galaxy's
gross margin for 3Q 2005, leading to price hikes and expense cuts
throughout the remainder of the fiscal year.
Biotech giant Monsanto announced a smaller net loss for the first
quarter of 2005 than the same period last year thanks mainly to
increasing seed sales, but legal problems are still proving
expensive for the company.
Martek Biosciences last week announced its year-end results, noting
increased revenues and "robust growth" due primarily to higher
sales of nutritional products to the company's infant formula
licensees.
After a slightly slow start to the year, the confectionery group
Hershey Foods, saw sales rise and the gross margin expand in the
third quarter, despite rising commodity costs.
Natural foods group Hain Celestial Group has reported a mixed bag
of results for fiscal 2004, announcing a healthy 17 percent
increase in sales over the year, though net income was down on
2003.
After a recent acquisition, new product launches and nomination as
one of the fastest growing small companies in the US, Lifeway Foods
has ended its second quarter on a high, reporting record revenues
for its functional kefirs.
Building on a stronger start to the year, Germany's third largest
chemicals group reports continued growth into the second quarter
with an increase in demand pushing up sales and earnings for the
period, reports Lindsey Partos.
Building on a stronger start to the year, Germany's third largest
chemicals group reports continued growth into the second quarter
with an increase in demand pushing up sales and earnings for the
period but the firm warned that...
Flavours and fragrance company Quest continues the battle to
restore lost business as UK parent company Imperial Chemical
Industries (ICI) reports a continuing drop in earnings for the
flavours house.
Lifeway Foods, the Illinois-based producer of kefir and other
probiotic foods, has continued to lift sales and profits in the
third quarter of the year, helped by the launch of a new product
and effective marketing.
US firm Technology Flavors & Fragrances continues to falter in
2003 with a 70 per cent decrease in net income for the second
quarter, a decrease in net sales of 5.7 per cent and rising
operating costs.
US spice maker McCormick & Company saw profits in the
second-quarter climb 19 per cent, helped by solid sales growth and
interest income from a purchase-price adjustment.
