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Interview: R&R chief: We can be "real alternative" to Unilever
10 April 2013
James Lambert, CEO of UK-based R&R Ice Cream, has suggested the company's plan to buy local rival Fredericks Dairies will give retailers a "real alternative" to market leader Unilever.
UK: Kinnerton, Unilever launch branded chocolates
3 April 2013
UK confectioner Kinnerton has entered into a licensing deal with Unilever that will see ice cream brands including Magnum and Cornetto launched into confectionery.
Best bits: Hormel broadens portfolio with Skippy buy
7 January 2013
Last week may have been the first week back at our desks after the new year, but we hit the ground running with news that Unilever sold its Skippy peanut butter business to Hormel Foods.
Focus: Unilever's sale of Skippy
4 January 2013
News that Unilever has sold its Skippy peanut butter brand comes as little surprise. The well-flagged disposal follows a number of divestments in the packaged food space. The consumer goods giant is clearly hoping that its food interests will benefit from greater focus, while the decision to shed a largely US-leaning brand reflects Unilever's disposition towards emerging markets. Katy Askew reports.
The just-food review of 2012: industry makes progress on CSR
18 December 2012
From a sustainability standpoint, 2012 might be characterised as a year when the world went backwards - or at a pinch stayed still - but the food industry moved forward, writes Ben Cooper.
SPAIN: Unilever expands premium Carte d'Or offering
1 October 2012
Unilever has introduced a new line of premium ice cream in Spain under the Carte d'Or brand.
UK: Unilever targets stay-at-home consumers with Magnum Luxury tubs
28 September 2012
Unilever has launched Magnum Luxury in tubs in the UK to capitalise on opportunities in the luxury ice cream sector.
Social media: from NPD to CSR, brand-owners look to harness networks
31 July 2012
At the brand level, many leading social media campaigns fall into one of the following two categories: to support a new product launch and to assist with marketing and promotional activity.
On the money: Unilever admits food "area of focus" in North America
27 April 2012
Unilever has admitted its food division in North America is "an area of focus" as parts of the business struggle amid the challenging trading conditions in the region.
UK: Food volumes grow at Unilever in Q1
26 April 2012
Unilever has seen sales volumes from its food division increase in the first quarter of 2012, a sign of recovery after a year of decline.
UK: Unilever makes Magnum Rainforest Alliance commitment
21 February 2012
Unilever has pledged that Magnum will be the first ice-cream brand to contain only cocoa from farms certified by the Rainforest Alliance.
In the spotlight - Question marks over Unilever's food unit return
3 February 2012
Unilever's food division has been under the microscope in recent months, with a series of disposals and growth in many categories slow, lagging behind its more buoyant non-food businesses As Michelle Russell writes, this week, as Unilever reported its 2011 results, the scrutiny returned.
just-food's research round-up
20 January 2012
Flavours, health and wellness and ice cream are three sectors highlighted in this week's batch of featured reports from the just-food store.
UK/FINLAND: Unilever completes Finnish ice cream deal
22 December 2011
Unilever has completed the acquisition of Finnish firm Ingman Ice Cream.
UK: Unilever likely to sell staple food brands - Fitch
15 November 2011
Ratings agency Fitch has said it expects consumer goods group Unilever to offload individual food brands and focus on its fast-growing personal care business.
UK: Unilever food volumes slide in Q3
3 November 2011
Unilever has reported a fall in third-quarter volumes from both its main food divisions, as price hikes hit its spreads business and poor weather in Europe affected ice cream sales.
UK: Unilever launches Carte D'Or mini-tubs
5 September 2011
Unilever is to sell mini-tubs of Carte D'Or ice cream in the UK.
UK/NETHERLANDS: Shares rise as Unilever soothes margin fears
4 August 2011
Shares in Unilever climbed this morning (4 August) after the consumer goods giant's first-half results calmed the City's fears over its margins.
UK: Analysts speculate over future of Unilever's food operations
3 August 2011
Analysts have suggested that Unilever may look to sell its food division in order to fund acquisitions in the home and personal care sector.
SPAIN: La Caixa, FIAB establish agro-food fund
10 June 2011
Spanish banking major La Caixa and the country's leading food lobby Federación Española de Industrias de la Alimentación y Bebidas (FIAB) have joined forces to lend up to EUR300m (US$431.7m) to help SME agro-food companies obtain working capital and expand internationally.
SWEDEN: Axfood Hemköp banner to grow
9 June 2011
Swedish grocery operator Axfood today (9 June) announced that some 50 Vi Retailers' Association stores in Stockholm will join its Hemköp banner.
FRANCE: Unilever launches alcoholic Magnum
25 May 2011
Unilever has confirmed the French launch of a version of its Magnum hand-held ice cream that contains alcohol.
SWEDEN: Vi Retailers set to join Axfood banner
28 April 2011
Swedish retailer Axfood has welcomed Vi Retailers' Association's recommendation that its members sign individual chain agreements to join its Hemköp banner.
US: Unilever to launch Magnum ice cream in US
18 March 2011
Unilever has said it will begin selling its Magnum ice cream range in the US next month.
UK: Unilever profits up 26% in 2010
3 February 2011
Unilever has posted a 26% jump in annual profits as the consumer goods giant benefited from lower restructuring costs and proceeds from business disposals - but also from accelerating underlying sales in the fourth quarter.
The just-food interview - James Lambert, R&R Ice Cream
23 December 2010
The ice cream sector in Europe is dominated by Unilever, the consumer goods giant behind brands like Wall's, Magnum, Carte d'Or and Ben & Jerry's. However, UK-based R&R Ice Cream is building a business to be the other major player in the market. In this month's just-food interview, Dean Best spoke to R&R chief executive James Lambert about the company's ambitions.
UK: Unilever sets out sustainability goals
15 November 2010
Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever has announced plans to halve the environmental footprint of its products.
UK: Emerging markets drive Unilever in Q3
4 November 2010
Unilever CEO Paul Polman said this morning (4 November) that the consumer goods giant made "solid progress" in the third quarter of 2010 thanks to the company's emerging markets.
DENMARK: Unilever to buy ice-cream maker Diplom-Is
10 August 2010
Unilever is to acquire Danish ice-cream business Diplom-Is from Norwegian dairy group Tine.
Top stories on just-food this week
30 April 2010
Confirmation that Unilever is planning to sell its Italian frozen food business proved popular reading this week. It now seems likely the consumer goods giant will continue to streamline its business in developed markets while looking further afield to drive top-line gains, given the strength of its first-quarter performance in emerging markets. Food prices also came under the microscope this week, as retailers in the US and Australia reported on the impact of food deflation. Here are the top ten stories on just-food.
