Interbrew is set to become the third largest brewer in China with
the acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in Malaysia's Lion group.
The Belgian group will now brew 21 million hl of beer in China each
year.
Every segment of the Brazilian soft drinks sector showed excellent
growth in 2002, with the young population, good weather and growing
health awareness helping to maintain the annual double digit
increase.
Danone and Suntory are to combine their US home and office delivery
bottled water businesses, a move which will make them the leading
global players and which lays down a challenge to European rival
Nestlé.
Diageo has come a long way, he strength of the group's brand
portfolio allows it to register overall growth despite some
substantial setbacks for brands such as Captain Morgan, Smirnoff
and J&B.
Allied Domecq has targeted Peter Lehmann Wines as a potential
acquisition in Australia. A pity, then, that the company has just
accepted a takeover offer from Swiss group Hess.
Ambitious Israeli soy ingredients company Solbar Industries keeps
the new products rolling out with the launch this week of Solpro
900, a soy protein isolate for infant formula, nutritional foods
and beverages, as its investment programme...
Despite a slight drop in sales packaging giant Rexam has announced
that H1 pretax profits have risen significantly. Profits jumped to
£71 million compared with a loss of £169 million for the same
period last year.
The global reach of Nestlé means that it is particularly
susceptible to currency effects, and first half sales at the
confectionery-to-mineral water group were down 6.3 per cent as a
result.
The two Champagne businesses owned by Martin, the French group
which has been run by the administrators since the spring, have
been sold to Vranken and Moët & Chandon for a combined €50m.
Grundfos has reported that for the first six months of 2003 it
achieved a pre-tax profit of DK374 million (€50.3m) - an increase
of DK162 million compared with the same period last year.
Strong volume growth helped by bottled water acquisitions and
double-digit increases in EBITDA and net profits helped by tough
cost control marked the first half at Coca-Cola HBC.
Russian dairy products group Wimm-Bill-Dann continues to go from
strength to strength, with first half volume sales boosted
considerably by its fruit juice and bottled water operations.
Carlsberg's first half sales were down 7 per cent compared to the
previous year, mainly as a result of the impact of exchange rates
at its fast-growing subsidiary Baltic Beverages Holding.
Continuing uncertainty and senior management turmoil at cranberry
supplier Ocean Spray has led Moody's to downgrade the firm's
short-term and preferred stock ratings.
Danone's move into the high profit home and office delivery sector
of the bottled water market made little impact on first half
results which were instead reduced by negative exchange rates and
disposals.
Cadbury's rapid expansion over the last few years has boosted sales
in the first half of the year, but the increasing cost of
restructuring its business took a hefty toll on profits.
Agribusiness giant ADM will dissolve a joint venture with US corn
sweetener company after the two companies stuck an agreement under
the auspices of a federal judge, reports the Washington
Post.
French acacia gum supplier Colloïdes Naturels International (CNI)
continues to drive its quality management spirit with the news this
week that it is now certified ISO 9001 (Version 2000).
CCHBC, the Greek-based Coca-Cola bottler, has continued its rapid
expansion into the bottled water sector with the purchase of
Austria's Romerquelle group for an undisclosed sum.
Feldschlösschen, the Swiss unit of Denmark's Carlsberg group, is to
sell its soft drink unit to compatriot juice and cider maker
Thurella in order to focus on its core beer and mineral operations.
Soufflet has bought the Ukrainian maltings Slavuta from brewing
group Baltic Beverages Holding, strengthening its position as the
leading supplier of the European brewing industry.
Cargill Citro Pure has formed a supplier agreement with the Florida
Grapefruit Marketing Association (FGMA) and Indian River Grapefruit
Marketers (IRGM).
Pechiney has announced that Pechiney Capsules, its subsidiary
specialising in closures and overcapping for wine, champagne,
liquors and spirits, has acquired the Chilean company Enocap.
Tough trading conditions and the impact of several significant
acquisitions continue to take their toll on results at UK-based
confectionery and beverage group Cadbury Schweppes.
The Beverage Group has been appointed by Bottle Green Drinks
Company to distribute the company's line of Bottle Green Fruit
Sodas and Presse fruit drinks.
Danish ingredients company Danisco will expand its flavour creation
centres in the Netherlands and Belgium as part of the restructuring
of its flavour research and development facilities.
Nestlé is investing $120 million (€120.8m) in the Russian coffee
industry. The firm is planning to build a full-cycle factory in the
Krasnodar region to produce its Nescafe brand coffee.
A small US water bottling company, Kolob, claims to have tripled
productivity and significantly reduced costs following investments
it has made in automation equipment sourced at last year's Pack
Expo in Las Vegas.
Sabaté Diosos, the France-based wine barrel and closures
manufacturer, has said that it is to rename the company to reflect
greater unanimity for its brands.
Improved volumes and a policy of cost management helped Coca-Cola
HBC improve its profits in the first quarter despite the impact of
currency devaluations, poor weather and a later Easter period.
Alcan has confirmed further details of the acquisition of shares in
the Flexible Packaging Division of Hydro Aluminium Deutschland.
This will allow the company to expand its European operations and
penetrate the Asian market.
Australian bottled water company Neverfail Springwater is reported
to be looking for buyers in Europe, the US and Asia in an effort to
ward off a hostile bid from Coca-Cola Amatil.
American Purpac Technologies, a new US-based company dedicated to
the blending, processing and filling of beverages is to open its
first plant on 1 July 2003.
A year of acquisitions and growth has helped Nestlé Waters extend
its leadership of the bottled water market in 2002 - a performance
which the company has already continued into the first quarter of
the current year.
The Sabaté Diosos Group, a leading provider of products and
services for the wine market, has said that it will reinforce its
activities in Australasia through the acquisition of the Australian
cooperage Schahinger.
