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US: Unilever to "phase out" Smart Choices labels - (27th October 2009)
Food giant Unilever is to "phase out" its use of the Smart Choices Program, the food labelling scheme under fire in the US.
In the spotlight - Wal-Mart - (23rd October 2009)
The size and scope of Wal-Mart means that its annual meetings with analysts take place across two days. This week, the investment community heard the latest thoughts from the world's largest retailer and what they heard, particularly with regard to the US, would not have made happy reading for Wal-Mart's rivals. Dean Best reports.
It's natural for Tesco to boss climate change debate - (21st October 2009)
A speech by Sir Terry Leahy last week to the Sustainable Consumption Institute conference underlines Tesco’s determination to be a prominent actor in the climate change debate. Ben Cooper suggests it is natural for a company built on such an aggressive business model to seek to lead from the front and set the agenda, thereby taking the initiative away from its detractors.
High-risk Russian retail remains promising prize - (19th October 2009)
The surprise announcement that French retail giant Carrefour will exit Russia throws into sharp relief the number of challenges facing retailers in the market. While growing disposable local income had fostered the development of modern retailing, the dramatic impact of the economic downturn has put the spending power of Russian consumers under pressure. Retailers operating in the market have come in for a bumpy landing. Nevertheless, Russia still offers the greatest long-term growth prospects in Europe. Katy Humphries reports.
A bad few weeks for good bacteria - (14th October 2009)
The news today that a TV ad for Danone's Actimel yoghurt has been banned by the UK’s advertising watchdog provides a further example of the controversy that has dogged the probiotics sector. Ben Cooper reports on a market that has somehow managed to attract growth and scepticism in equal measure.
UK: Cadbury has "incredible momentum" - Stitzer - (14th October 2009)
Cadbury CEO Todd Stitzer again claimed the UK confectioner would thrive as an independent company yesterday (13 October), hailing the company's "incredible momentum".
In the spotlight - the race for Super de Boer - (9th October 2009)
It is a story that is changing by the day but one thing seems certain - Dutch retailer Super de Boer is set to have a new owner. After struggling for much of the 2000s, the business is ending the decade as one of the European food sector's big M&A stories of the year. And, as Dean Best reports, champagne corks are likely to be popping at its majority owner, France's Groupe Casino.
INSIGHT: Premium own label, organics on the rise - Tesco - (6th October 2009)
Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy today (6 October) revealed that the company's sales of organic food and its upmarket own-label Finest range were outpacing the rest of the business in the UK.
Sustainability Watch - Richard Doyle, IDF - (2nd October 2009)
In the first of a new series of interviews focusing on sustainability issues, Richard Doyle, president of the International Dairy Federation (IDF), spoke with Ben Cooper about the Global Dairy Agenda for Action and his hopes that the industry’s recently-launched sustainability platform will foster best practice in climate change mitigation - and facilitate engagement with policymakers and other stakeholders.
The just-food interview - Mike Davies, Thorntons - (30th September 2009)
Thorntons has undergone something of a transformation since Mike Davies took the helm three years ago. Thanks to a strategy re-think and a new emphasis on customer-led innovation, Thorntons has steadily seen sales and profits grow. Although recent results have been dented by the economic downturn and the loss of key retail customers, Davies insists that the future is sweet for the UK chocolate maker. Dean Best reports.
