UK: Kingsmill launch targets small households
4 September 2009
Associated British Foods' flagship bread brand Kingsmill is attempting to appeal to smaller households with its launch of Little Big Loaf, a half-sized loaf with full-sized slices.
UK: Wrigley adds variant to Locket range
28 August 2009
Mars gum business Wrigley has expanded its Lockets range with an additional variant and given the brand’s packaging a re-design.
UK: Dairy Crest relaunches Clover spread
27 August 2009
Dairy Crest has announced a GBP5m (US$8.1m) investment for the relaunch of its dairy spread brand Clover.
UK: Ad watchdog backs Unilever on spreads claims
26 August 2009
The UK's advertising regulator has backed Unilever after the food giant attracted complaints over a TV ad for spread brands including Flora and Bertolli.
UK: Tesco circular on new store banned
26 August 2009
A Tesco advert for a new supermarket in the UK town of Manningtree has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) following complaints.
Marketing milk: one year on from melamine in China
21 August 2009
China's fledgling and buoyant dairy industry was brought to its knees after last year's melamine scandal but, slowly, there are signs growth is returning to the sector. Beijing has ordered China's dairies to tighten up their supply chains and the country's top processors are highlighting those moves to convince consumers their milk is safe. Mark Godfrey reports from Beijing.
UK: Baxters to revamp entire soup range
18 August 2009
Baxters Food Group, the UK family-owned soup maker, has today (18 August) announced plans to re-launch its entire soup range.
UK: Iceland axes Katona on drug allegations
18 August 2009
UK frozen food retailer Iceland has ended its sponsorship deal with celebrity mum Kerry Katona after the former Atomic Kitten was allegedly caught taking Class A drugs.
UK: Alfesca launches Lyons Seafoods smoked prawns
18 August 2009
European convenience foods group Alfesca has launched naturally smoked chilled jumbo king prawns in the UK under the Lyons Seafoods brand.
UK: PepsiCo launches Quaker children's cereal
17 August 2009
PepsiCo's Quaker business has launched Paw Ridge, a new hot breakfast cereal aimed at children, to the UK market.
UK: Mars rationalises Christmas offering
17 August 2009
Confectionery giant Mars has announced plans to rationalise its Christmas offering, reducing the number of products on offer to focus on 13 SKUs.
US: Wal-Mart to remain a “house of brands”
14 August 2009
Wal-Mart has insisted it will remain a “house of brands”, despite increasing private-label sales as US consumers look to economise.
IRELAND: Grocers accused of "hello money" payments
11 August 2009
Irish political party Fine Gael (FG) has launched a stinging attack on the supermarket sector, which it has accused of jeopardising Irish jobs.
COMMENT: He who dares, wins
10 August 2009
Recession. A time to focus on costs, right? A time to steer clear of the risky idea of innovation and zero in on the parts of the business you can trust? Try telling Premier Foods and Unilever, writes Dean Best.
Top stories on just-food this week
7 August 2009
The prospect of the UK's largest food retailers having to deal with an ombudsman in disputes with suppliers moved a step nearer this week when the country's competition watchdog urged the Government to create an independent arbiter. Elsewhere, a series of food manufacturing giants - Dean Foods, Unilever and Premier Foods among them - shed light on their recent performance. For Unilever and Premier, investing in brands seems vital to withstanding the downturn.
INSIGHT: Innovation drove volume rebound - Unilever
6 August 2009
Unilever's leading executives today (6 August) pointed to the food giant's innovation programme - and increased advertising spending - for the recovery in its sales volumes.
INSIGHT: Premier ad spend to rise to boost share
5 August 2009
Premier Foods plc said today (5 August) it plans to increase its advertising spending by 12% to boost its share across a number of categories.
UK: Morrisons price comparison ads slammed
5 August 2009
Morrisons become the latest UK supermarket forced to pull an advert comparing its prices to those of rivals today (5 August), after the UK ad watchdog upheld a complaint that the marketing material was misleading.
Top stories on just-food this week
31 July 2009
Food took centre stage on UK news pages and bulletins this week as the country's food watchdog reignited the debate on the nutritional merits of organic food.
UK: Tesco rapped over comparison ad
29 July 2009
Tesco has been criticised by the UK’s advertising watchdog for its “misleading” use of price comparison adverts.
UK: Ocado close to raising GBP40m in financing
27 July 2009
UK online food retailer Ocado said it is in the final stages of raising around GBP40m (US$65.6m) as it targets a float on the stock exchange next year.
Top stories on just-food this week
24 July 2009
It's results season. This week, Danone, among others kicked off the slew of half-year results due in the weeks ahead - and the French food giant saw signs of revival at its dairy division. However, those results were soured by the news that Russia's competition watchdog is investigating Danone over prices.
INSIGHT: Hershey prepares for consumer recovery
23 July 2009
Hershey CEO Dave West today (23 July) acknowledged the US confectioner's past mistakes in the premium chocolate category but insisted the business was ready for when demand for upmarket lines returns.
US: Hershey ups forecast as Q2 sales jump
23 July 2009
US confectioner Hershey today (23 July) upped its full-year sales and earnings forecasts after seeing second-quarter revenues climb almost 6%.
UK: ASA slams Kerry 'sexual sausage' ad
22 July 2009
Four radio ads promoting Kerry Foods’ Mattesons sausages in the UK must no longer air when children are likely to be listening, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has said.
UK: Nestle expands Kit Kat with caramel launch
20 July 2009
Nestlé Confectionery has announced plans to expand its Kit Kat brand with the launch of Kit Kat Chunky Caramel.
RUSSIA: X5 unveils management shuffle
17 July 2009
Russian retailer X5 Retail Group has announced a number of senior management appointments, in a bid to “streamline” its management structure and improve efficiency.
UK: Dairy Crest reports 8% rise in branded sales
16 July 2009
Clover-to-Cathedral City maker Dairy Crest said today (16 July) that revenue from its key brands was up 8% in the three months to 30 June.
US: Winn-Dixie completes rebranding move
15 July 2009
Winn-Dixie Stores has completed remodels and upgrades on 51 of its namesake stores in the Jacksonville area, comprising locations in north Florida and south Georgia.
UK: Spar relaunches own-label range
10 July 2009
Spar UK has announced plans to relaunch its entire own-label range in a bid to create a “point of difference” between the convenience operator and its competitors.
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