Top stories on just-food this week

The future of Glanbia, with its interest in consumer dairy products, dairy ingredients and sports nutrition, grabbed your interest this week as the Irish food group revealed it was in talks to offload parts of the business. Unilever and Nestle were the subject of M&A rumours as reports in Belgium linked to the two food giants to the country's biggest ice-cream maker. Nestle, meanwhile, launched its nutrition brand Jenny Craig in France as, on this side of the channel, the UK's Food Standards Agency put forward plans for a new to label the nutrition content of food.

IRELAND: Glanbia in talks to sell Irish unit
Irish food group Glanbia said today (10 March) that it is in talks to sell its Irish dairy ingredients, consumer products and agribusiness units.

BELGIUM: Unilever, Nestle silent on ice-cream talk
Unilever and Nestle have both declined to comment on reports they may be interested in buying Belgian Icecream Group (BIG), Belgian's largest ice cream maker.

UK: Kraft faces probe as Cadbury delisted
Kraft Foods is reportedly facing a fresh probe over its decision to close Cadbury's Somerdale chocolate factory in the south-west of England.

ROMANIA: Campofrio forms JV with Caroli Foods
Spanish processed meat maker Campofrio Food Group is to set up a joint venture with Romania's second-largest meat firm Caroli Foods Group.

In the spotlight: China tries again on food safety reform
Food safety in China has been placed centre stage this week as the authorities in Beijing once again look to ensure the security of the country's food supply. The challenge has been highlighted by numerous safety scares and there are safety issues with Chinese produced food from farm to fork. But, in such an extensive and segmented market, can regulators hope to overhaul food production practices at every point down the supply chain? Dominique Patton reports.

US: Quaker latest firm to recall over salmonella scare
PepsiCo’s Quaker Foods North America is the latest firm to announce a recall due to possible salmonella contamination from HVP, or hydrolysed vegetable protein.

BELGIUM: Delhaize beats despite soft Q4
Belgian retailer Delhaize said today (11 March) that it had exceeded its forecast for 2009 earnings, despite booking a 22.9% drop in operating profit during the final quarter of the year.

US: Kroger profits plunge on charges
Profits at US grocer Kroger tumbled during 2009 due to impairment charges, soft sales and increased promotional activity.

UK: FSA agrees single front-of-pack label plan
The UK's Food Standard Agency this morning (10 March) agreed to the implementation of a single approach to front-of-pack nutrition labelling.

FRANCE: Nestlé launches Jenny Craig in France
Nestlé has launched its Jenny Craig weight-management brand into France.