NBTY acquires Balance Bar Company
NBTY Inc. has announced the acquisition of Balance Bar Company from Brynwood Partners, its private equity owner. Details of the deal were not announced.
Archives for November 27, 2012
Breaking news
ConAgra to buy Ralcorp for $6.8 billion
After multiple abortive attempts in 2011, ConAgra Foods has announced that it has reached a ‘definitive agreement’ to buy Ralcorp Holdings, the largest manufacturer of private label food in the US.
McDonald's restaurant linked to salmonella outbreak
McDonald's is at the centre of an investigation of an outbreak of salmonella at one of its restaurants in Illinois.
Damaged packaging is massive consumer turn-off
Damaged packaging hugely deters consumers from buying products at full price and often puts them off purchasing them at all, according to fresh UK research from Canadean.
Cherkizovo grows processed meats production
Russian processing giant Cherkizovo Group has extended its ham and deli operations in Russia’s Kaliningrad region.
Organic claims leave a sour taste when it comes to functional health, says study
Organic logos and claims generally have positive effects on consumers, but even the most positive supporter has negative inferences towards organic products when they are judged on functional health benefits, suggest researchers.
CFIA shutters plant linked to listeria risk
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has suspended the licence of a meat processing company after finding listeria monocytogenes on the sleeve of an employee.
Areas of action to prevent foodborne illness identified at BfR conference
A panel of scientists have identified hygiene, diagnostic methods and outbreak investigations as key areas that need action to prevent foodborne infections.
John West rolls out can tracking scheme
John West has rolled out its Can Tracker scheme to include salmon, mackerel and sardine products by 2013, building on the launch of the service for tuna in 2011.
Australian cattle in BJD outbreak
Beef farmers in the Australian state of Queensland have expressed concern after cattle on a farm in the region tested positive for Bovine Johne’s disease (BJD).
Social storm pushes Woolworths to remove infant drink
A social media storm and petition have prompted Australian supermarket Woolworths to withdraw all juice supplies of infant drink brand Bebi from its shelves, although its infant suitable water line will remain.
INDUSTRY VOICES: HEAD OF AKTIEFOKUS CHINA, JACOB DE LICHTENBERG
Tsingtao scales up beer operations in China’s bustling Henan province
In this guest article, Jacob de Lichtenberg, head of Aktiefokus China, gives BeverageDaily.com readers the lowdown on Tsingtao Brewery’s plans to build a brewery in Henan province, where beer production is booming.
Special edition: Free-from foods
Reflecting allergen risk with food labelling: ‘Free from’ and ‘may contain’
Hospital admissions for children with severe allergic reactions have increased seven-fold in the past decade – so how should food makers ensure labels reflect different levels of risk when a food may not be 100% allergen-free?
Stevia has ‘fundamentally changed the sweetener market’: ISC president
Consumers around the world are embracing the zero-calorie, natural credentials of stevia-derived sweeteners – and the European market is about to take off, according to Zanna McFerson, president of the International Stevia Council (ISC).
FDA flexes FSMA muscle and suspends Sunland’s food facility registration
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suspended the food facility registration of Sunland Inc. after peanut butter made by the company has been linked to an outbreak of Salmonella Bredeney.
Agropur to invest $100m in US whey processing
Canadian dairy processor Agropur plans to invest more than $100m in a US whey processing facility to increase the plant’s capacity and upgrade existing technology.
Thermo Scientific unveils x-ray machine with no lead curtains
The touchless x-ray inspection system reduces product damage due to its design and the lack of lead curtains, according to Thermo Scientific.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Exports and overseas growth drive Volac profits
Dairy nutrition firm Volac has reported an operating profit increase of nearly 40% for the year ending February 2012, citing the impact of increased exports and improved profits from overseas operations.
Vodka category risks ‘innovation fatigue’: Euromonitor analyst
After a rash of ‘new launches, gimmicky stunts and outrageous incarnations’, culminating in bubble gum-based vodka, Euromonitor International is warning of potential category ‘boom and bust’.
KFC China supplier denies part in chicken feed scandal
A supplier of poultry to KFC in China has refuted claims in a Chinese website that it gives its chicken feed laced with large amounts of toxic additives.
Science
Sweeter, more blight-resistant watermelon on the cards
Evidence from a significant study now suggests that watermelon is a vital species for genetic research on account of its small genome size, and its diverse genetic mutants and variants. The findings also pave the way for research into genetic improvement...
Greencore reports ‘breakthrough year’
Chilled food manufacturer Greencore has reported “a breakthrough year”, with revenue up 44.5% to £1,161.9M due to acquisitions and “business momentum”, for the full year to September 28 2012.
Pharma seeks bigger dose of booming nutra sector
In just a few years the global health and wellness (H&W) products sector will be worth $1 trillion dollars – that’s a lot of billion dollar blockbuster drugs.
Canadian meat firm’s licence suspended
A Canadian meat packer at the centre of the latest listeria monocytogenes recall has had its licence suspended by food safety officials.