Last week saw the latest in our series of just-food interviews, with Greencore CEO Patrick Coveney talking horsemeat, the ups and downs of M&A attempts and expansion in the US. The last five days also saw Burton’s Biscuit Co. sold and more underwhelming results in the US with Campbell Soup Co.’s profit warning.

“The underlying consumer trends are still very supportive of a ready meal proposition, and the sense would be that consumers have moved on from being concerned about the specifics of contamination like horsemeat and are more looking for just great products, but we’ll have to see” – Patrick Coveney, CEO of ready-meal supplier Greencore, is optimistic UK consumers will turn back to the products as concerns after the horsemeat contamination scandal this year.

“A bride standing on the altar with no-one to get married to” – how Coveney saw Greencore after 2 Sisters Food Group beat the company to the acquisition of Northern Foods in 2011.

(Click here to read the full interview with Greencore CEO, the latest in our just-food interviews, which in 2013 have featured the CEOs of companies including Nestle, Unilever and Orkla).

“There are… many strategic acquisitions to consider in [international] territories that can enhance these ambitious growth plans” – Jo Taylor, the head of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan’s London office, has already outlined the fund plan’s to grow new asset Burton’s Biscuit Co. through M&A.

“I’m disappointed in Campbell’s first-quarter performance” – Denise Morrison, Campbell Soup Co.’s president and CEO, reflects on a quarter that led to the US food group cutting its forecast for annual profits.

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“This area has a lot of potential and we put a lot of manpower and good talent around it” – Tyson Foods COO Jim Lochner emphasises the US meat giant’s belief it can thrive with more prepared food products.

“I want to make Iglo Group an innovation machine that creates great new products that cater to a wider audience and meals that we don’t currently serve” – Elio Leoni Sceti, the CEO of the frozen food group, sets out his plans to grow the company.

“Whilst there have been welcome indications of consumer confidence and trust returning to Nutricia, along with signs of recovery in the domestic market of NZ, overseas demand remains slow to respond” – Danone infant formula division Nutricia warns the Fonterra botulism scare this year could lead to job losses.

“Yes we are late, but we are not too late. We have used that time wisely to learn from others. We have challenged ourselves to leverage this knowledge to create something that is different. A proposition that is worth the wait” – Morrisons CEO Dalton Philips stands by the UK grocer’s online strategy ahead of the launch of a home delivery service in two months’ time.

“We know people all over the world want to adopt more sustainable behaviours, but need these to be easy and to fit with the way they live their lives” – Unilever chief marketing and communications officer Keith Weed explains why the consumer goods giant has developed a marketing campaign to encourage consumers to act sustainably.