Flowers Foods - food industry company news 
Best bits: Food makers look ahead to another tough year
6 February 2012
2011 was a year of low consumer confidence, pressure from raw material costs and ever-increasing demands from retailers. This year is set to see more of the same.
Focus: Why US baker Hostess went stale
25 January 2012
US brands Twinkies and Wonder are so iconic they are known the world over, even in markets where the products are not sold. Yet despite having these cultural touchstones in its portfolio, US baker Hostess Brands has struggled over the last decade, entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection twice, most recently this month. Sam Webb looks at why this baking monolith has started to crumble.
2011 in review - M&A activity fails to meet expectations
22 December 2011
A year ago, there was consensus that M&A activity would pick up in 2011. As we look back on the last 12 months, there were some major deals but concern over the economy meant the numbers of deals fell short of expectations. Dean Best reports.
US: Flat profits in Flowers Foods' Q3
10 November 2011
Higher ingredient costs hit US baker Flower Foods's third-quarter profits, it was announced today (10 November).
US: Flowers Foods recalls Mrs Freshley's cereal bars
5 October 2011
US baker Flowers Foods has issued a recall of its Mrs Freshley's multipack cereal bars because the products may contain undeclared non-fat dry milk.
US: Flowers Foods lowers FY profit target
17 August 2011
US baker Flowers Foods today (17 August) cut its guidance for full-year earnings after a slide in second-quarter profits.
US: Flowers Foods profits edge up
19 May 2011
US bread group Flowers Foods has booked a slight increase in first-quarter earnings, which were hit by one-time charges and declining sales volumes.
Best bits: Tesco's Clarke prepares for scrutiny
18 April 2011
Tomorrow (19 April), Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke will sit down with analysts and - later - the media to discuss the retailer's financial performance over the last 12 months.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week
15 April 2011
Flowers Foods, Supervalu Inc and Kraft Foods gave the top just-food headlines a distinctly American flavour this week. Flowers struck a deal to buy Tasty Baking, Supervalu, one of the largest grocers in the US, announced its annual results and Kraft said it was giving some of its smaller brands a marketing push. On this side of the pond, issues of reformulation and functional foods remained high on the industry's agenda. Click on on the headlines to find out more.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
15 April 2011
Innovation and reformulation seemed to be a common theme this week, with PepsiCo outlining concerns that it might meet their targets, while Baxters said people are getting increasingly confused about the information they are given. Meanwhile, Carrefour and Supervalu's latest batch of results recieved a mixed response. Here's the best of what was said this week:
UPDATE: US: Flowers' Tasty buy builds on expansion strategy
11 April 2011
Flowers Foods' move to acquire Tasty Baking Co. builds on its strategy to drive branded sales and expand its geographic reach, a spokesperson for the US baker told just-food today (11 April).
US: Flowers Foods acquires Tasty Baking
11 April 2011
US bakers Flowers Foods and Tasty Baking Co. have reached a definitive merger agreement that will see Flowers take 100% control of the struggling Tastykake maker for approximately US$165m.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
11 February 2011
The focus returned to rising commodity costs again this week, as Flowers Foods, Kraft Foods and PepsiCo admitting that input pressure had impacted their results - and their financial forecasts for 2011. Meanwhile, Raisio's CEO told just-food about the company focus on developing its 'ecological snacking' business and the UK government revealed a report on the difficulties around green labelling. Here's the best of what was said this week:
On the money: Flowers Foods CEO plays down 2010 sales fall
8 February 2011
The CEO of Flowers Foods has insisted that the US baker's falling sales in the fourth quarter of 2010 - and across the year as a whole - was a "short-term situation" that will still allow the company to continue to invest in long-term growth.
US: Flowers Foods cuts 2011 EPS outlook
8 February 2011
US baker Flowers Foods has reduced its profit target for 2011 on the back of declining sales in the fourth quarter of 2010 and the year as a whole.
Best bits: Bimbo bolstered, Dean Foods down, Emmi expanding
15 November 2010
A message to our US readers: as you eat your lunch today, consider that, according to some estimates, one in three sandwiches made in the US will now be made with bread made by Grupo Bimbo.
In the spotlight: the impact of Bimbo's Sara Lee deal
12 November 2010
Mexico's Grupo Bimbo has snapped up Sara Lee's fresh bakery operations in North America for a cool US$959m. Dean Best discusses the repercussions of the deal on both businesses and for the wider US bakery industry.
US: Flowers Foods trims guidance, profits slide
11 November 2010
US bakery Flowers Foods has trimmed its full-year guidance on the back of a drop in third-quarter sales and profits.
UPDATE: CANADA: Maple Leaf CEO McCain defends efficiency review
6 October 2010
Maple Leaf Foods president Michael McCain today (6 October) stood by the Canadian food group's plan to drive down costs and improve efficiency, insisting the business was facing increased competition from the US.
US: Sara Lee invests in bakery division
15 September 2010
Sara Lee revealed plans to invest in its North American Bakery division, quashing rumours that it was looking to sell the struggling division.
US: Flowers Foods declares quarterly dividend
24 August 2010
US bakery Flowers Foods has today (24 August) declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.20 per share.
US: Flowers Foods posts Q2 income growth
19 August 2010
US bakery Flowers Foods today (19 August) posted an 11.3% in net income for the second quarter to reach US$30.3 million despite a drop in sales.
US: Flowers Foods reaffirms guidance, profits up
25 May 2010
US bakery group Flowers Foods has booked an increase in first-quarter profits and reaffirmed its full-year earnings guidance - despite a dip in sales.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
5 February 2010
It was a week when food industry execs took turns to explain their 2009 results to analysts and press. Hershey defended its strategy, Unilever acknowledged its challenges in Europe and Kellogg insisted its marketing was paying off - even as volumes fell. The UK saw the dawn of a code to oversee relations between retailers and suppliers - and the latter took the chance to hit out at their customers. And Kraft Foods boss Irene Rosenfeld revealed what it was really like when she met Peter Mandelson.
INSIGHT: Flowers "hopeful" of less promotions in 2010
4 February 2010
Flowers Foods said today (4 February) that it was "hopeful" that the bakery category would see less promotional activity in 2010 after seeing margins continue to be eroded in the last three months of 2009.
US: Promotions weigh on Flowers Foods profits
4 February 2010
US baker Flowers Foods today (4 February) posted flat quarterly profits as sales were dented by high promotional activity among US retailers.
US: Lance CEO Singer to take Flowers board role
20 November 2009
David Singer, the president and CEO of US snack maker Lance, is to take on a director's role at bakery giant Flowers Foods.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
13 November 2009
This week saw Kraft Foods table its long-awaited formal offer for Cadbury, to mixed reactions. In other M&A news, IFR Capital purchased Uniq's Polish and German businesses as it looks to create a pan-European food group. Retailers Wal-Mart and Sainsbury’s both posted strong results but US baker Flowers Foods revealed sales had come under pressure from increased promotions. Here is just-food's week in words.
Top stories on just-food this week
13 November 2009
The 'Kradbury' takeover saga took a further twist this week when Kraft Foods went hostile in its pursuit of Cadbury - and formally tabled the same bid it first proposed back in September. Unsurprisingly, the Dairy Milk maker immediately rejected the offer and so set in train a series of events that could take both companies into February before a conclusion is reached. Meanwhile, Tesco, which like the rest of the UK's multiples is gearing up for a tough Christmas, was said to have grown its share of the country's grocery market for the first time in two years. Outside the UK, Winn-Dixie, the US retailer, copped some flak from investors, while Mars Inc and Kellogg both revealed challenges in emerging markets.
INSIGHT: Flowers protects volumes through promotions
11 November 2009
Flowers Foods has insisted that it has fended off the challenge to the company's volumes and shelf space through increased promotional activity in the third quarter.
Related research
Flowers Foods, Inc. - SWOT Analysis
Datamonitor's Flowers Foods, Inc. - SWOT Analysis company profile is the essential source for top-level company data and information. Flowers Foods, Inc. - SWOT Analysis examines the company’s key business structure and operations, history and products, and provides summary analysis of its key revenue lines and strategy.Flowers Foods (or ‘the company’) is engaged in the production and marketing of packaged bakery products through its chain of 41 bakeries. The company primarily operates in the US. It is headquartered in Thomasville, Georgia and employs about 8,800 people. The company recorded revenues of $2,573.8 million during the financial year ended December 2010 (FY2010), a decrease of 1% compared to 2009. The revenues were mainly affected by volume decline in branded retail sales. The operating profit of the company was $205.9 million in FY2010, a decrease of 0.2% compared to 2009. The net profit was $137 million in FY2010, an increase of 5.2% over 2009.
Flowers Foods, Inc. - Strategy, SWOT, and Corporate Finance Report
Datamonitors' Flowers Foods, Inc.’s SWOT, Strategy and Corporate Finance Report, is a source of comprehensive company data and information. The report covers the company’s structure, operation, SWOT analysis, product and service offerings, detailed financials, and corporate actions, providing a 360° view of the company.
Flowers Foods, Inc. (FLO) - Financial and Strategic Analysis Review
Flowers Foods, Inc. (Flowers) is one of the largest providers of packaged bakery foods for retail and food service customers. The company operates 40 bakeries, which manufactures a broad range of bakery products such as breads, snack cakes, buns, rolls, and pastries. It markets fresh products to foodservice and retail customers throughout the Southeastern, Southwestern, and Mid-Atlantic states and frozen products to national foodservice and retail customers through an extensive direct-store-delivery (DSD) network and nationwide through other delivery systems. Flowers operate through two reportable segments namely direct store delivery (DSD) segment and warehouse delivery.
