Coles is being bold about allergens

14-May-2012 - Australian supermarket giant, Coles, has taken the lead in ensuring that its food products are labelled appropriately enough for customers with allergies.

General Mills eyes home-cooked meals with Parampara buy

14-May-2012 - US-based food giant General Mills has agreed to acquire the food brands of Pune-based ready-to-cook spices and sauces maker Parampara Food Products, the company announced at the end of last week.

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Thai firm implicated in Birds Eye bid

14-May-2012 - Thai food processor Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods) has been reported as a bidder for Europe’s Iglo Foods, which owns the Birds Eye brand.

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Fonterra refreshes management to drive Asian business

09-May-2012 - New Zealand dairy giant, Fonterra, has appointed eleven new senior managers as part of its ‘refresh’ strategy to align business with the company’s key priorities; dairy nutrition and emerging markets.

US algae firm will upscale and enter Southeast Asia with Indonesian investment

07-May-2012 - A US$15m strategic investment from Indonesian agribusiness group, Salim, will increase research and production capabilities and open new market doors for US algae technology firm Heliae.

Abbott inks deal for first nutrition R&D centre in India

03-May-2012 - US drug maker Abbott Laboratories has announced plans to establish its first nutrition research and development center in India at Bengaluru.

Bright wins knowledge but Weetabix won’t work in China: Analysts

03-May-2012 - China’s Bright Food has snapped up 60% of Weetabix for £1.2bn (US$1.95bn) but industry analysts say the breakfast cereal concept will flop in China and have coined the move as a mere knowledge buyout.

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Aker earns krill patent in Australia

02-May-2012 - Norwegian firm Aker BioMarine has been granted a krill oil composition and process patent in Australia.

Chinese agricultural firm carves new FMCG product line

30-Apr-2012 - Shanxi-based Deyu Agriculture has developed a new line of MSG-free, easy-cook noodles that will enable it to delve into an unknown yet lucrative fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector in China.

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Naturex grows revenues 13% in Q1 2012

30-Apr-2012 - French herbal extracts supplier Naturex reports increased Q1 sales of 12.8% with sales rising from €64021 to €73473 compared to Q1 2011, in adjusted currencies.   

CER infant formula report removed and company silenced after Abbott legal action

26-Apr-2012 - A court order has silenced Hong Kong research company, CER, and ensured the removal of its report damning Abbott’s infant formula product; action the US giant is ‘pleased’ with.

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Bright Foods denies Weetabix buyout rumours

24-Apr-2012 - Rumours have been circulating in the media that China’s state-owned Bright Food will snap up British cereal maker Weetabix in an alleged 1bn deal; rumours the Chinese giant has denied.

Nestlé ousts infant formula competitors in China with ‘significant’ Pfizer takeover

24-Apr-2012 - Nestlé has solidified its hold in China’s growing and lucrative infant formula market in its takeover of Pfizer Nutrition that has secured competitor brands SMA and Promil, according to analysts.

BioGaia secures distribution in Taiwan’s developed probiotic market

24-Apr-2012 - Probiotic supplier BioGaia has secured an exclusive distribution agreement for its ProTectis infant tablet and drop line in Taiwan as it ‘fills the gaps’ in its market presence across Asia.

Nestlé’s €9bn Pfizer buy may face anti-trust trouble

23-Apr-2012 - Nestlé’s $11.85bn (€9.02bn) acquisition of Pfizer Nutrition may run into anti-trust hurdles after it beat Danone to the drug giant’s global infant nutrition business, according to an analyst.

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Sunwin name change to fit stevia market

23-Apr-2012 - Global stevia extract supplier, Sunwin International Neutraceuticals, has changed its name to accurately reflect its core business and thus capitalize on market opportunities, the company said.

Natural colours suit Asia’s dietary heritage: CEO of Chr Hansen

19-Apr-2012 - Chr Hansen recorded an 11% surge in sales across Asia Pacific in its H1 results, with natural colours proving strong for business; underpinned by a cultural dietary heritage favouring healthy food choice, according to CEO of the company.

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Singapore has ‘more potential’: New Zealand’s PM

19-Apr-2012 - Singaporeans are increasingly wealthy, demanding high-quality foods, consuming more wines and looking to buy protein, offering New Zealand a host of possibilities, the Prime Minister said.

Fonterra goes 'local' in Indonesia for swift market response

18-Apr-2012 - Fonterra will invest in a blending and packing facility in Indonesia to bolster its local presence and ensure swift response to market demands across the country’s dairy nutrition sector.

E-commerce should curb Korean food inflation, say policymakers

18-Apr-2012 - E-commerce could be a vital weapon in curbing burgeoning food and grocery price spikes across South Korea, policy makers have said.

Japan’s beverage and ice cream firms invest to avoid summer meltdown

17-Apr-2012 - Beverage and ice cream manufacturers are investing in power alternatives at Japanese facilities, as the tentative electricity network will not see a major uptick this summer.

McCain wants to stay local, grow local in India

16-Apr-2012 - Aiming to garner a higher share of the Indian ready-to-eat (RTE), frozen foods markets, McCain Foods is further strengthening its product range to cater to Indian tastes and sensibilities.

Fenchem’s fish collagen targets Southeast Asia’s health market

16-Apr-2012 - Fenchem has launched its hydrolyzed fish collagen in the Southeast Asian market, to target the growing demand for health drinks and supplements in the region.

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Tsunami warning across Southeast Asia cleared

12-Apr-2012 - The Tsunami alert placed in the wake of Indonesia’s earthquake has been cleared, easing panic in surrounding countries including Thailand and India.