Birds Eye Ltd

UK: Cadbury loses, Warburtons gains in brand poll

22 Oct 2007

The salmonella scandal that hit Cadbury Schweppes last year cost its flagship chocolate brand some GBP83m (US$169m) in lost sales, according to a survey listing the top 100 brands in the UK.

UK: Birds Eye hires ex-Heinz exec to marketing role

11 Oct 2007

Birds Eye has hired former Heinz UK executive Ben Pearman as marketing director.

UK: Birds Eye pledges to cut Baltic cod catch

5 Oct 2007

UK frozen foods group Birds Eye has increased its focus on sustainability with a commitment to reduce its eastern Baltic cod catch by 80%.

UK: Kellogg's tops poll of leading grocery brands

21 Aug 2007

Kellogg’s has been named as the leading grocery brand in the UK, according to a survey.

UK: Birds Eye in "sustainable" fish finger launch

3 Aug 2007

Birds Eye has unveiled a move it dubs the “most significant fish marketing initiative since the launch of the first fish finger”.

NORWAY: Watchdog probes Findus ambitions

17 Apr 2007

Norway’s competition authorities have asked frozen food giant Findus why it wants to buy local firm Gro Industrier.

UK: Nestlé salt reduction follows wider trend

30 Jan 2007

Swiss manufacturer Nestlé's move to cut the salt content of its Shreddies cereal brands by 15% is the latest example of a wider trend in the UK cereal sector, which has seen an array of manufacturers reduce the salt content of their cereals.

UK: Job losses as Birds Eye announces plant closure

11 Jan 2007

Birds Eye today (11 January) announced the closure of its factory in Hull, which manufactures frozen fish, due to unsustainable capacity in its supply chain. The closure will result in the loss of 490 jobs, venture capitalists Permira said.

UK: FSA triggers alert over ready meal glass contaminations

15 Dec 2006

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced a food alert for a host of own brand frozen ready-to-eat meals with rice, due to the possible presence of small fragments of glass.

NORWAY/SWEDEN: Findus acquires GRO Industrier

14 Dec 2006

FoodVest, through its Sweden-based foods subsidiary Findus, has signed a letter of agreement to acquire all shares in GRO Industrier, Norway’s leading frozen vegetables producer. Shares in GRO Industrier were bought from Norway-based BAMA Gruppen and A.L. Gartnerhallen.

NORWAY/SWEDEN: Findus eyes takeover of Gro Industrier

14 Dec 2006

Findus, the Sweden-based frozen food manufacturer, is interested in opening talks to acquire all the shares in Gro Industrier, Norway's leading frozen vegetable producer.

European frozen food – out in the cold

30 Nov 2006

While chilled processed food sales are booming, the European frozen food market barely grew in 2006. Maria Lindahl, analyst at Euromonitor International, believes brands must revamp the image of frozen food and shake off negative consumer perceptions if they are to wrest some of the initiative back from the chilled aisle.

US: Allen Canning acquires Birds Eye non-branded businesses

28 Nov 2006

Birds Eye has reached an agreement with the family owned Arkansas-based Allan Canning Company, that will see Allen Canning acquire substantially all of Bird’s Eye’s non-branded frozen vegetable business.

US: Birds Eye recalls squash due to ammonia contamination

20 Nov 2006

Birds Eye Foods is voluntarily recalling frozen Cooked Winter Squash, which has been sold nationally under various store brands and the Birds Eye brand, because some of the products have been tainted with ammonia.

PORTUGAL: JMR in talks to buy-out Ahold

13 Nov 2006

Jerónimo Martins Retail (JMR), the biggest food retailer in Portugal with brand names including Pingo Doce and Feira Nova, is currently in talks with Ahold to buy its 49% share in JMR.

UK: Birds Eye prepared for FSA salt and fat targets

1 Nov 2006

Unilever subsidiary Birds Eye said today (1 November) that its range of ready meals has already met the Food Standards Agency’s salt content targets for 2010.

EU: Unilever frozen brands sale approved

24 Oct 2006

Consumer goods giant Unilever has received approval from the EU to sell the majority of its European frozen food businesses to Permira Funds for EUR1.73bn (US$2.18bn).

UK: Unilever sells Birds Eye to Permira

29 Aug 2006

Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever has agreed to sell its Birds Eye frozen food business to private equity group Permira for EUR1.73bn (US$2.22bn).

UK: Two bids for Birds Eye tabled but interest muted – report

24 Aug 2006

Private equity groups Capvest and Permira are reported to have tabled bids for the Birds Eye frozen foods business.

IRELAND: Kerry emerges the favourite to buy Birds Eye

22 Aug 2006

Ireland’s Kerry Group looks likely to emerge the victor in the EUR1.46bn (US$1.87bn) battle to buy the Birds Eye frozen food brand from Unilever.

UK: Health and indulgence drive branded growth

16 Aug 2006

According to the latest TNS Worldpanel ‘biggest brands’ survey, which follows take-home grocery sales in the UK, brands that have capitalised on healthy eating and indulgence food trends have experienced the most growth over the past year.

IRELAND: Kerry silent on Birds Eye rumours

1 Aug 2006

Irish food giant the Kerry Group told just-food that it is unwilling to comment on rumours that it is preparing a EUR1.75bn (US$2.23bn) bid for Unilever’s Bird’s Eye frozen food business.

US: Birds Eye cuts down non-branded frozen business

26 Jul 2006

Birds Eye Foods has announced that it will be exiting the vast majority of its non-branded frozen business over the next 12 to 18 months, and plans to sell five related production facilities.

US: JPMorgan and Blackstone in bid for Unilever frozen business

10 Jul 2006

US private equity firms Blackstone and JPMorgan Partners have reportedly joined forces to launch a rival bid for Unilever’s European frozen food businesses, valued at approximately GBP1bn (US$1.84bn).

UK: Consortium forerunners for Unilever's frozen foods arm

26 Jun 2006

Unilever’s European Frozen Food Business is considered a likely target for a consortium of private equity firms ready to table a GBP1bn (US$1.82m) bid for the division.

US: Capvest in the running for Unilever division

25 May 2006

Investment vehicle American International Group’s equity division, Capvest Equity Partners, is reportedly in talks Blackstone about a GBP1bn bid for Unilever's up-for-sale European Frozen Foods business, reported the Daily Telegraph.

UK: Unilever quiet on auction rumours

24 Apr 2006

Rumours that consumer goods giant Unilever is close to beginning the auction of its Birds Eye and Iglo have begun to circulate but this should be viewed as no surprise, a Unilever spokesperson told just-food.

EU: Unilever sells European frozen foods but retains Italian operations

9 Feb 2006

Anglo-Dutch consumer goods giant Unilever announced today its intention to sell the majority of its European frozen foods business, although it will retain its Italian frozen food business.

UK: FoodVest acquires Findus

8 Feb 2006

FoodVest holding company, controlled by private equity firm Capvest Equity Partners, has bought Findus from the Scandinavian food manufacturer EQT II for an undisclosed sum.

UK: Unilever may sell frozen foods business

6 Feb 2006

Speculation is mounting that Unilever will announce the sale of its frozen foods division later this week.