US food and beverage group Sara Lee has reported a quarterly loss on the back of costs linked to the spin off of its coffee and tea business, which is scheduled for next month.

The company yesterday (3 May) booked a US$2m net loss for its third quarter, which ran until 31 March.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Operating income fell 65.9% to $66m thanks to restructuring costs and lower profits from the company’s four divisions.

Net sales climbed 2% to $1.9bn as sales in each of the four units increased. However, price increases boosted sales and Sara Lee reported falling volumes from its coffee and tea and speciality meats units. Volumes from the company’s North American retail meat business were flat year-on-year.

Excluding one-off items, which were largely due to the planned spin-off, adjusted net income was down 33.4% at $123m. Adjusted operating income fell 4.7% to $195m. Net sales excluding the items increased 3% to $1.86bn.

Executive chairman Jan Bennink said Sara Lee was “on track” to spin off the company’s coffee and tea business – to be called D.E. Master Blenders 1753 – on 30 June.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Click here for the full release.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact