Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Danone backs probiotic juice with ProViva investment

29-Jul-2010 - Global probiotics leader Danone has paid an undisclosed sum to Swedish dairy Skånemejerier for a 51 per cent stake in its probiotic juice brand, ProViva.

Danone sells stake in Coca-Cola courted, Chinese juice firm

29-Jul-2010 - Danone has agreed to sell its stake in China Huiyuan Juice Group for significantly less than what Coca-Cola offered before its acquisition bid was blocked last year by Chinese competition authorities.

Krones reports H1 recovery in sales and profits

29-Jul-2010 - Krones claims to have achieved “turnaround” as orders start to flow in after a tough 2009; described by the company as the most difficult in its 59 year history.

Corn Products sales surge in Q2; to finalize National Starch deal in Q3

28-Jul-2010 - Corn Products International has said it expects to finalize its National Starch takeover by the end of the third quarter, as it reported a ten percent rise in sales compared to the previous year.

Rexam posts continued recovery in can volumes

28-Jul-2010 - Rexam has reported a continued improvement in beverage can volumes in H1 helped along by strong growth in demand for energy drinks.

BASF hikes beta-carotene prices

15-Jul-2010 - Ingredient firm BASF has implemented a double-digit price increase on its entire range of beta-carotene ingredients as a result of higher costs faced by the company.

USDA says soda tax would reduce obesity

06-Jul-2010 - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has added its voice to the debate on soda tax and the prevalence of overweight and obesity, saying that a 20 percent price increase would make a significant difference.

Senomyx and PepsiCo negotiating sweet taste technology deal

24-Jun-2010 - California-based flavor firm Senomyx has signed a letter agreement with PepsiCo to negotiate a deal for the development and commercialization of new sweet taste technology, Senomyx said on Thursday.

Coke settles $715m distribution rights for Dr Pepper as bottling takeover looms

08-Jun-2010 - The Coca-Cola Company has agreed a $715m (€600m) lump sum with Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) to distribute certain brands subject to the acquisition of the North American branch of Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) expected in the fourth quarter of this year.

Margin pressures to drive beverage sector convergence, report

03-Jun-2010 - Beverage companies will need to move beyond their traditional categories in terms of future mergers with increasingly health focused consumers and an unprecedented level of retail pricing pressure creating serious challenges for the sector, says a Rabobank report.

D.C. Council approves soda tax

28-May-2010 - The Washington D.C. Council has voted to include sweetened soft drinks in its six percent sales tax bracket to help bridge the city’s half-billion dollar gap between spending and earnings.

Comment

Realistic prices needed for European food stability and to safeguard society

24-May-2010 - Please: A big round of applause for Jozsef Kapuvári. Who? You might well ask. Kapuvári is the author of an EU report that highlights the importance of realistic food prices – not just to underpin the food supply chain but to maintain the fabric of European society.

Nutter’s soda tax shelved as Philadelphia passes budget

21-May-2010 - Philadelphia City Council has shelved a proposed soda tax in the state, as it passed a $3.9bn budget on Thursday.

Ball reports recovery in drinks can business

11-May-2010 - Ball Corporation has reported higher demand for its drinks cans both in Europe and North America as the company emerges from a tough 2009.

Comment

Biodegradable alternative or a levy - gum makers should chew on that

10-May-2010 - It’s a sticky issue that just won’t go away. There are sugar-free, tooth whitening and nicotine added versions but none from leading makers, as yet, that are dissolvable in rain.

Rexam says beverage cans beat expectations in Q1

06-May-2010 - Rexam has claimed that its results for the first quarter of 2010 beat expectations, helped on by improved beverage can volumes.

News in brief

Danisco ups expectations in advance of FY results

06-May-2010 - Danisco has indicated that its Q4 was better than expected thanks to good volumes and stable pricing for ingredients and industrial enzymes.

Crown upbeat about 2010 as can volumes rise

20-Apr-2010 - Crown Holdings is upbeat about growth prospects for 2010 after global beverage can volumes rose markedly in the first quarter.

Government finances pose a threat to alcoholic drinks sector

15-Apr-2010 - Moody’s has warned that recovery in global beverage volumes could be held back by governments turning to alcohol as a means of raising revenue.

News in brief

Tata Tea and PepsiCo ponder healthy drink venture

13-Apr-2010 - PepsiCo and India-based Tata Tea have announced their intention to set up a joint venture to make healthy, non-carbonated beverages.

Coke investment may force Innocent to grow up

12-Apr-2010 - Coca Cola has upped its stake in healthy smoothie maker, Innocent, to 58 per cent in a non-disclosed move one analyst said followed the gradual erosion of Innocent’s once vibrant and booming business plan.

Exal Group taken over

07-Apr-2010 - Exal Group, the world’s largest specialty maker of aluminium containers, has been acquired by a private equity group led by Canadian investors the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP).

Comment

Making the food industry fair for SMEs

30-Mar-2010 - No race should have rules that favour the strongest competitors. But unless the capabilities and interests of SMEs are taken into consideration before the starting gun is fired for new food regulations, they will struggle to keep up and may have to drop out altogether.

News in brief

Commission clears Wild share sale to KKR

29-Mar-2010 - The European Commission has given clearance for the acquisition of shares in German flavour and ingredients firm Rudolf Wild by asset manager KKR.