Wal-Mart’s healthy-eating drive grabbed the headlines this week and prompted speculation about what impact its plans could have on rival retailers and suppliers. M&A speculation swirled around Cargill and Tate & Lyle, as well as Green & Black’s, the organic chocolate business once owned by Cadbury but now owned by Kraft Foods. Elsewhere, Glanbia did seal one deal, buying US sports-nutrition business BSN.

Talking shop: Eyes on Wal-Mart as major health initiative begins
The news that Wal-Mart Stores is to reformulate thousands of its packaged food products through the lowering of sodium and sugars has garnered a mix of reactions from industry watchers, many of whom believe the initiative may now cause a ripple effect throughout the sector. 

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UPDATE: US: Cargill “potential bidder” for Danisco or Tate & Lyle – analyst
Cargill has been named as a potential bidder for Tate & Lyle and Danisco, the Danish food ingredients maker that last week agreed a sale to DuPont, the US chemicals group.

UK: No current plans to sell Green & Black’s, says Kraft
Kraft Foods has insisted it has “no current plans” to sell Green & Black’s amid rumours that bosses at the former Cadbury-owned organic chocolate maker are mulling a management buy-out.

IRELAND/US: Glanbia buys US nutrition business BSN
Irish cheese maker Glanbia has added to its burgeoning nutrition business with the acquisition of US performance nutrition firm Bio-Engineered Supplements and Nutrition.

EU: MEPs demand reforms to food commodity trading
The EU’s laws on financial instruments should be reformed to ensure food commodity derivatives are only bought and sold by traders committed to avoiding speculation and generating sharp price swings, a European Parliament motion has said.

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UPDATE: SWITZ: Lindt hailed “class act” as analysts welcome sales results 
Lindt & Sprungli’s 2010 sales results were today (18 January) welcomed by analysts, with one calling the Swiss chocolate maker a “class act” that has room to “grow strongly” in 2011.

UK: Contract losses could hit jobs at Findus Group
The end of some manufacturing contracts next month looks set to hit jobs at Findus Group’s UK operations, the frozen food group has said.

FRANCE: Sodiaal creates new company for Entremont upmarket cheeses
Sodiaal has placed Entremont Alliance’s speciality and AOC cheese operations into a separate company, the main change in a new organisational structure in the wake of the French dairy group’s acquisition of the cheese maker. 

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