Breaking News on Beverage Technology & Markets

Wine Evolution 2007

Wine firms given a passage through India

A crash course on the potholes and pitfalls that await wine firms looking to sell their bottles in India was dished out to industry professionals at the Wine Evolution conference in Paris this week.

Optimistic Britvic hails further gains

The rehabilitation of one of Britain's top soft drinks firms, Britvic, has continued over the last 12 weeks with a 4.8 per cent rise in branded sales, the group announced.

Label can cover is biodegradable

A supplier of label can covers has added a biodegradable product to its offerings.

EC moves to withdraw quota sugar from market

The European Commission took the first steps towards a substantial withdrawal of quota sugar from the market this week.

Australia welcomes wine label reforms

New labelling requirements for exporting wines could save Australian producers as much as €14m, according to a government agency.

Weekly comment

Deja Moo: Are we ready for cloned cattle?

Here we go again. Yet another technology in its infancy is likely to be introduced into the food supply, while industry remains cautious and consumers divided.

EU agency sets maximum limit for bisphenol A

The EU's food agency today set a maximum limit for human daily intakes of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical implicated as a potential carcinogen and widely used in plastic food packaging and cans.

Pure juices can reduce disease risk, says review

Pure fruit and vegetable juices are generally regarded as healthy, despite containing less fibre than the whole fruit. A review of studies into their potential to reduce risk of chronic disease may serve to validate the popular perception and give more leverage in the functional drinks category.

MEPs put the brakes on EU wine reform

Current proposals to reform Europe's troubled wine sector are too radical, an EU Parliament committee has said, tabling amendments that promise a heated debate over the next few months.

Deadline for ICO coffee talks in doubt

Slow progress of talks to establish a new International Coffee Agreement means member countries could miss the deadline for a deal, BeverageDaily.com has learnt.

Spirited performance lifts Pernod Ricard

Drinks giant Pernod Ricard lifted its full year sales forecast Thursday thanks better-than-expected performances from its spirits brands and a resurgent market in France.

EU to vote on widespread obesity action plan

The European Parliament is next month set to vote on a report that calls obesity a "European epidemic" and proposes that all countries implement certain measures to combat the growing condition.

Campari agrees Polish distribution deal

Poland's largest vodka producer, Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) has become the exclusive distributor of the Gruppo Campari portfolio in the country, further consolidating its share of the growing domestic whisky and spirits market.

Packager sells US operations to focus on Europe, Asia

Sweden-based Svenska Cellulosa AB (SCA) has sold its North American packing operations so as to focus on expanding its European and Asian operations.

Organic will lead the food revolution, says Melchett

The days of industrial farming and food production are coming to an end as we turn to fresh, healthy and environmentally sustainable products, the head of the UK Soil Association told food and drink industry leaders last night.

Tate & Lyle forecasts 'lower than expected' Splenda sales

Tate & Lyle has predicted sales and profits of its Splenda sucralose product to 'only modestly' increase due to a slower than anticipated acceleration of uptake from major customers.

Supplier accusations lack evidence, says UK grocery probe

Complaints by food and drink suppliers about mistreatment at the hands of large retailers have still not been backed up, says a report on the UK grocery supply chain probe.

Diageo targets Asia-Pacific challenges with new regional hub

Drinks giant Diageo has announced the creation of a combined regional hub for its Asian Pacific operations as it looks to increase its focus on distributing its brands in the region.

Weekly Comment

Death to the industry conspiracy theories!

Here we go again. Industry-sponsored studies into the nutritional benefits of food and drink products are biased. Don't believe anything that has an industry sponsor.

Health drive spikes UK juice sales

Fruit juice drinks are flying off the shelves in the UK as more time-starved consumers attempt to get their recommended daily dose of fruit and vegetables, a national survey shows.

Glossy polyethylene offers alternative to PET

Moulded packaging made from a combination of new high density polyethylene (HDPE) and a colour masterbatch boosts glossiness by 200 per cent compared to competing products, the manufacturer claims.

France to launch national wine brand

France is to launch a national wine brand later this year in its latest attempt to drain bulging cellars and take on rivals in foreign markets.

Illegal plantations linked to major coffee firms

Some of the world's largest coffee firms have been unwittingly sourcing beans from illegal plantations inside one of the world's most important wildlife sanctuaries, a new report says.

Traffic light risk rating for food suppliers

Suppliers of private label food and drink to multiple retailers may be given 'traffic light' ratings to show their attention to food safety and risk management, under a new project, BeverageDaily.com can reveal.

Scientists find the genes for perfect coffee beans

Scientists from Brazil and France have moved a step closer to creating the perfect cup of coffee after identifying key genes that can affect flavour in the beans.

Commission takes tough line on greenhouse gas emissions

In a bid to hold down greenhouse gas emissions under the bloc's carbon dioxide trading scheme the European Commission yesterday ordered Belgium and Holland to cap allowances below what their governments had allocated to industry.

Liquid dispenser pumps thick and thin

Rieke Packaging Systems has launched a new pump, which can dispense a variety of liquid products from free-flowing sauces to highly viscous creams as well as those containing small particulates.

China powers SAB beer growth

China, South America and Europe combined to offset disappointing performances in North America and South Africa during brewer SABMiller's third quarter.

Wild labs cleared for independent testing

Labs owned by German flavours firm Wild have been certified to perform independent testing, offering its customers in the food and drink industry an easier way to analyse new product concepts.

Project to test lightweight glass containers in food sector

A new project launched in UK could help processors cut down on the amount of glass they use, with the promise of costs savings and ultimately cutting down on packaging waste.

Frustration grows over EU wine reform

Slow progress of plans to radically reform Europe's wine sector threatens to undermine many of the benefits they may bring, a French wine industry leader told BeverageDaily.com

Trends 2007

UK wine boom turns sour

Not everyone jostling for space on the UK wine market is going to survive over the next five years, but those who do are set to become some of the industry's biggest earners.

Weekly Comment

There aren't plenty more fish in the sea

As a youngster I was brought up on a healthy diet of tuna fish sandwiches and Disney - making my new year's resolution for 2007 the toughest yet. That's right, I'm giving up tuna and who knows, even cod.

Cloudy apple juice four times healthier than clear

The polyphenol content of cloudy apple juice is four times greater than clear juice, says new research that could see a shift in consumer preference from clear to cloudy.

Pre-wash system improves bottle cleaning

A pre-wash system significantly improves the cleaning performance of bottle washers, its manufacturer claims.

Cadbury scraps 'natural' label on 7UP

Drinks giant Cadbury Schweppes is to change the labelling on its flagship 7UP product, following a fierce debate on the validity of new 'all natural' claims it placed on its labels just nine months ago.

Nutrition labelling evaluation aims to break deadlock

An independent evaluation of front of pack nutritional labelling in the UK could help break the deadlock over which labelling system is most effective.

Book review

Wine Diet fuels heart health trend

Just as an alcohol-fuelled Christmas period has many people reaching for the vegetable juice this month, a new diet book is here to explain exactly why the corks should keep popping.

Givaudan launches 'mega-trend' flavour programme

Givaudan has launched FlavourVision, an initiative designed to consolidate information from a number of internal research programmes.

Closure fits short neck bottles

A new closure targeting the single serve market is one of the first designed to meet new international standards set for short neck bottles.

Chinese beverage makers drop the sugar

Sugar-free, or low-sugar beverages, are expected to be the fastest growingproducts in China's drinks sector this year.

Who's lovin' it? McDonald's splits opinion with fair trade coffee

McDonald's has become the latest multinational to muscle in on the UK's fair trade coffee scene, prompting more soul-searching for campaign groups.

Cargill seeks EU novel foods approval for sweetener

Cargill is seeking EU approval for its sweetener Xtend Sucromalt, which it claims can bring slow energy release and low glycaemic response to a wider range of applications.

Go east with sugar and fizz, drinks makers told

Easterly emerging markets have continued to stop the rot for regular carbonated soft drinks as western consumers increasingly turn to diet versions and water, a new report says.

Milk in tea may hamper heart health benefits

The British way of drinking tea with milk may block the cardiovascular benefits of the catechins, according to a small study that highlights the need for nutrition studies to consider confounding factors from the surrounding food matrix.

Cott signs deal for use of production facilities in China

Cott Beverage, the world's number three beverage producer, has signed a contract with China's Jianlibao Group giving it access to the Chinese firm's production facilities and new business opportunities in the fast-growing market.

Integrity of industry-sponsored nutrition research questioned

Nutrition studies of beverages funded solely by industry are four to eight times more likely to report favourable conclusions for the sponsors than studies with no industry funding, say researchers from the US.

Diageo fortifies sales with Guinness bread

Drinks firm Diageo has teamed up with an Irish baker to put its iconic Guinness drink into bread, part of a move to expand the brand into a wider range of foods.

Weekly comment

FSA rules ok? The labelling rebellion

The battle of wills between the UK food watchdog and industry heavyweights over nutrition labelling threatens to destabilise the balance of power between industry and government.

'Serious compromise' needed over EU nutrition labelling, report

Food industry and consumer groups are poles apart over the question of mandatory nutrition labelling, according to the results of a public consultation conducted last year, with government opinion somewhere between the two.

SABMiller expands reach in China

SABMiller's China joint venture, China Resources Snow Breweries, has agreed to buy the remaining shares in a business based in China's south-western Sichuan province, strengthening its foothold in an undeveloped region of the country.

EU food and drink industry trends review

The CIAA end of year review of the European food and drink industry's performance underlines again how significant the industry is to the EU economy.

Vacuum helps coding machine clean-up process times

A portable coding system can process up to 160 cartons per minute using a vacuum transport system, removing the need for a belt drive, its manufacturer claims.

UK wine battle hits Constellation earnings

Lower prices on the UK wine market have forced the world's largest wine firm, Constellation Brands, to cut its earnings estimates for the year.

Trends 2007

Smoothie operators lead UK health binge

Smoothies are set to be the high street success story for the UK soft drinks industry over the next few years, figures suggest, harnessing a growing trend for healthy fast food.

Bacteriophage approved for hide washing

A natural cleaning fluid made of live bacteria could help meat processors get rid of pathogensfrom animal hides, a key source of cross-contamination in the plant.

Book review

Pasteurisation guide provides practical advice on standards

An updated guide on pasteurisation aims to help processors set manufacturing standards that allow for the consistent production of safe foods.

Campaigners launch fresh attack on bottled water

Campaign group Sustain has reignited debate on the environmental harm caused by soaring bottled water sales, criticising government departments for adding to the problem and urging consumers to re-embrace tap water.

Food labelling debate on a collision course

Some of the UK's biggest food manufacturers are launching a £4m campaign next Monday to promote GDA labels - a move that will reignite the debate over food labelling.

Takeover battle for SIG reaches new high

A billion dollar takeover battle to gain control of beverage packaging giant SIG Holding is beingwaged between a New Zealand investor and two European companies.

Anheuser-Busch launches sorghum beer

Anheuser-Busch has developed what it claims is the first nationally available sorghum beer.