There is a truly cosmopolitan flavour to this week’s ‘week in words’ with food execs from Mexico City to Moscow keen to voice their thoughts on some of the key issues affecting the industry. Grupo Bimbo, the Mexican bakery giant, has stood firm over claims of “deceitful” labelling, while Wimm-Bill-Dann, Russia’s largest dairy firm, has sounded a warning on the outlook for the country’s economy. Dairy prices are often a hot topic for many in the industry and this week was no exception, with France’s Bongrain and New Zealand’s Fonterra giving their prognosis of the market.
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“We don’t cheat or hide anything from consumers. In different countries we use different labels, depending on what authorities require, and we always follow the law” – Grupo Bimbo corporate relations director Luis Rene Martinez
“We’re coming out of the summer into the dark of the Russian winter and there a lot of people who say that the bottom has not been reached in Russia” – Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods CEO Tony Maher
“Milk prices are a big, big pain in the ass” – a Bongrain spokesperson as the French group posts tumbling half-year profits
“With demand returning, our customers have more confidence in refilling their supply chains. But it remains to be seen whether demand has returned to sustainable growth” – Fonterra Global Trade MD Kelvin Wickham
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By GlobalData“Pilgrim’s Pride would be an attractive target because they are in bankruptcy proceedings right now. Basically, JBS can buy the largest US chicken processor for pennies on the dollar” – Morningstar analyst Ann Gilpin on why JBS’s reported interest in Pilgrim’s Pride makes sense
“Meals at home is a trend we expect will continue and we believe that a branded product with the quality of Del Monte plays very well there” – Del Monte chairman and CEO Rick Wolford
“Teenagers are the hardest group to reach but that doesn’t mean giving up; we must simply work harder to encourage them away from the take-away and into their school canteen” – UK Schools Secretary Ed Balls on the Government’s school food campaign
“The company is losing production and the workers are on paid suspension. The workers currently being suspended are the most skilled workers in the plant. It isn’t a job you can actually learn overnight” – Unite union official Joe Clarke questions 2 Sisters Food Group’s decision to suspend workers in racism row
“We feel that this was fair as the rest of the company has had its pay frozen” – Cadbury defends its pay deal amid threat of strikes
“We must tear down the framework of the old organisation in order to build a functioning agile company for tomorrow” – Fazer Group boss Karsten Slotte
