Latest dried foods news and analysis articles 
A staple diet of news from rice to pasta
In the spotlight - General Mills' two-pronged approach to austerity
25 May 2012
US food giant General Mills, which has suffered amid increasing input costs and a stagnant domestic market, this week announced it was cutting 850 jobs to improve efficiency and allow it to re-invest in other parts of its business. Just two days later, it announced a deal to buy Brazilian food manufacturer Yoki. Michelle Russell reports.
Focus: Australian suppliers still under scrutiny on children's ads
25 May 2012
The Australian food industry has recently claimed substantial progress for its self-regulatory measures aimed at restricting children's exposure to advertising of foods high in salt, sugar and fat. Health campaigners are less impressed. Ben Cooper assesses a polarised debate Down Under.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week
25 May 2012
The UK dairy sector was in the spotlight this week, with the proposed merger between Arla Foods and local co-op Milk Link and the annual loss reported by Dairy Crest. just-food interviewed senior executives from Arla and Milk Link to discuss the combination and reported on Dairy Crest's plans to increase returns from its troubled dairies business. Elsewhere, we reported on two sustainability events held in London, including the annual conference on the Round Table for Responsible Soy. And, further afield, Heinz revealed it was looking for more acquisitions in emerging markets while US rival General Mills secured a deal to buy Brazilian firm Yoki Alimentos.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
25 May 2012
A raft of earnings results kept the just-food news desk busy this week. M&S chief executive Marc Bolland insisted its product development sets it apart from rival grocers, while Campbell Soup CEO Denise Morrison expressed her disappointment at the firm's US soup performance this year. Elsewhere, just-food spoke with Peter Lauritzen, CEO of Arla UK, and Neil Kennedy, chief executive of Milk Link, on the merits of their merger.
BRAZIL/US: General Mills strikes deal to buy Brazilian firm Yoki
24 May 2012
General Mills has agreed to buy Brazilian food manufacturer Yoki Alimentos, three months after speculation emerged that a deal had been signed.
UK: Supermarkets slammed for "dodgy" pricing tactics
24 May 2012
UK shoppers are being "misled" by supermarkets over "dodgy pricing tactics" used for multi-buy offers, according to consumer group Which?
US: General Mills to cut 850 jobs worldwide
22 May 2012
US food manufacturer General Mills has said it will cut around 850 jobs globally as part of a productivity and cost savings plan announced today (22 May).
Quote, unquote: Food and Drink Federation's Rio +20 event
21 May 2012
Representatives from the food industry, NGOs, academia and government met in London today (21 May) to discuss one of the most complex issues - how to alleviate the sector's impact on the environment. Held in the run-up to the UN's Rio +20 event next month, delegates and speakers debated how all stakeholders could make the sector more sustainable.
EU: Brussels publishes legal health claims
17 May 2012
The European Commission, after six years of work, has published a list of 222 health claims that can be made on food labels and advertising when products are sold in the EU.
UK: Industry rejects fresh "fat tax" call
16 May 2012
The UK food industry has rejected fresh calls for the imposition of a tax on unhealthy foods.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
14 May 2012
Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King this week welcomed moves from its UK retail rivals to invest in product quality and service after the retailer reported an increase in annual underlying profits.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week
14 May 2012
Dubbed 'The Outperformer' by one set of City analysts, Sainsbury's announced annual profits that beat forecasts last week and the UK retailer remains confident in the face of increased competition. The UK grocery industry was in the spotlight last week, with the country's Government formally announcing its introduce a watchdog to monitor the sector. Elsewhere, CSM, a supplier of bakery products to retailers in North America and Europe, said it would exit the sector and focus on bioplastics.
UK: Marks and Spencer launches 'Simply M&S' food range
11 May 2012
UK retailer Marks and Spencer has launched a value grocery range under the banner Simply M&S.
ITALY: Barilla reports mixed 2011 results
10 May 2012
Italian food manufacturer Barilla has reported mixed financial results for 2011, with higher raw material costs putting pressure on EBITDA but lower one-off costs meaning its bottom line improved.
UK: Food sales volumes remain under pressure
9 May 2012
Food sales volumes in the UK have remained under pressure in the first months of 2012 following a year in which the number of items in shopping baskets fell.
CANADA: George Weston profits slide on Loblaw costs
9 May 2012
Canadian food manufacturer and grocer George Weston has booked a drop in first-quarter adjusted earnings on the back of higher costs at Loblaw.
UK: Supermarket adjudicator expected in Queen's Speech
8 May 2012
A proposal to introduce an adjudicator for the UK grocery sector is expected to be announced tomorrow (9 May) in a move that would pave the way for the creation of a body to monitor behaviour in the supply chain.
US: Price increases boost TreeHouse Foods Q1
8 May 2012
US own-label firm TreeHouse Foods has booked an increase in first-quarter profits, boosted by price increases on products it sells to retailers in North America.
On the move: Orkla pledges to step up FMCG focus as CEO exits
4 May 2012
Seven months ago, Orkla CEO Bjørn Wiggen announced the Norwegian conglomerate would focus on the FMCG sector, earning praise from analysts in the process. This week, Orkla stunned the market with news that Wiggen had decided to resign. Eyebrows were raised further yesterday when it emerged the boss of Orkla's FMCG unit would also leave the business. Industry watchers believe the departures will not mean a change in direction but could suggest Orkla's owners were frustrated with the slow progress of the company's new strategy. Michelle Russell reports.
US: Sanfilippo Q3 boosted by price hikes
2 May 2012
US nut group Sanfilippo & Son has booked an increase in profits for its third quarter as higher selling prices boosted margins.
UK: Morrisons unveils NuMe range
1 May 2012
UK retailer Morrisons has launched a healthy eating range under the NuMe banner as part of its own-label revamp.
NORWAY: Orkla CEO resigns, Q1 profits slide
30 April 2012
The CEO of Norwegian conglomerate Orkla has stepped down as the company today (30 April) reported a 56% drop in first-quarter earnings.
just-food Confidence Survey - emerging markets and sustainability
30 April 2012
just-food's Confidence Survey also included questions on the emerging markets and sustainability. Of the BRIC markets, China gave respondents most cause for optimism. Outside those four countries, markets from Colombia to Vietnam filled others with confidence. And, on the issue of sustainability, alleviating their company's impact on the environment remained a priority for many despite the gloomy economic landscape.
just-food Confidence Survey - challenge of finding growth in static markets
30 April 2012
Rod Street, executive vice president for the international consulting group at SymphonyIRI, was the expert analyst on the webinar to discuss the results of just-food's Confidence Survey. He outlines how tough it will be to find growth this year but offers some ways businesses could succeed in 2012.
just-food Confidence Survey - surprise industry optimism
30 April 2012
just-food's first industry Confidence Survey came amid the toughest trading conditions for a generation. However, the results showed a level of optimism in the sector about the outlook for 2012. Nevertheless, consumers in many Western markets remain less confident about their own prospects and recent economic data is mixed at best.
just-food Confidence Survey - cost volatility and industry consolidation
30 April 2012
2011 was a year of commodity cost inflation and the food industry had hoped raw materials prices would fall back this year. However, in some cases, prices remain stubbornly high. The just-food Confidence Survey showed manufacturers remain determined to push through costs but competition between retailers remains intense, which could lead to a wave of consolidation in the sector.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week
30 April 2012
Allegations of bribery at Wal-Mart Stores' Mexican arm grabbed the headlines at the start of the week, rocking the world's largest retailer. Nestle, the world's largest food manufacturer, made waves of its own with its US$11.9bn deal to buy Pfizer's baby food business. The week also saw a raft of first-quarter results and the announcement of the latest results from Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan, a programme to reduce its impact on the environment. We met Unilever CEO Paul Polman to discuss the company's progress.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
30 April 2012
Unilever CEO Paul Polman is one of the most prominent advocates of companies pursuing an agenda of sustainability and this week he outlined the company's progress. Meanwhile, Wal-Mart Stores was forced to react to claims of bribery in its Mexican operations and Nestle's acquisition of Pfizer's baby food business was scrutinised by analysts. The investment community also had a raft of first-quarter results to get their teeth into, with Kellogg, PepsiCo, Premier Foods plc and Hershey among the companies reporting.
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.
NETHERLANDS: Wessanen upbeat despite fall in profits
27 April 2012
Dutch food group Wessanen has insisted it is becoming a "stronger" company after reporting lower first-quarter profits amid higher IT and marketing costs.
