In 2008, food and beverage claims classified as “Natural” – including all natural, no preservatives, organic and wholegrain – were the most frequently featured on new products globally, according to Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD). Claims of ‘fortified products’, on the other hand, took a hit, while declarations of “low” (e.g. low-fat) stagnated. Almost one in every four (23%) launches last year had “Natural”, a nine per... ...Read more »

The European Parliament has called for “immediate and continuous action” to ensure global food security. It believes the aid of €1 billion that the EU has decided to give to developing countries should be accompanied by fresh investment in agriculture and it calls for mechanisms to be set up to ensure that sufficient global food stocks are available. In the space of two years, world food prices have increased by over 80% on average while cereal stocks have fallen in 2008 to a worrying... ...Read more »

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has advised that, after very slow November Christmas sales, the stimulus package and lower interest rates helped Christmas sales skyrocket in the last weeks of December to meet early projections of $37 billion nationally in retail sales. Food retail was not surprisingly at the top of the tree as consumers got into the festive spirit. In fact, food sales accounted for more than one third of retail sales over the period. According... ...Read more »

Sweetener manufacturer Merisant has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US as they seek to restructure their balance sheet in order to free up funds for supporting a sweetener derived from the stevia plant. The company, best known for their Equal sweetener, has come under heightened pressure in the industry as other sweeteners – particularly Tate & Lyle’s Splenda – begin to eat away at their market share. They have struggled to meet debt obligations as the financial turmoil... ...Read more »

A Chinese restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Cremorne has been fined over $12,000 for filthy premises.North Sydney Council successfully prosecuted the Canton BBQ House on Military Road for five serious breaches of food laws in May last year. “This is yet another example of councils acting appropriately to safeguard consumers,” NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said. “I congratulate councils for taking on their new responsibilities as food safety regulators, obliging... ...Read more »

A new report has suggested discount supermarkets will continue to make inroads in the retail sector, while Australia’s Woolworths and Coles both made it comfortably onto the list of the world’s largest 250 retailers. As the global economy shifted in 2007 from relatively strong growth, to deceleration and on to modest recession in early 2008, consumers cut back on their spending and turned to discount retailers in ever increasing numbers, according to the report, 2009 Global Powers of... ...Read more »

New Zealand scientists have reported that heavily processed foods with a high glycaemic index (GI) could be addictive in a similar way to drugs. Simon Thornley, from the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, noted that foods with a high GI caused blood-sugar levels to escalate suddenly, with the resultant sugar rush stimulating the same areas of the brain associated with addiction to drugs such as nicotine. Low-GI foods, on the other hand, provide a more steady release of sugar. He believes that... ...Read more »

Constellation Brands, the world’s largest wine company and a leading international producer and marketer of beverage alcohol, has entered into an agreement to sell its spirits business to New Orleans-based Sazerac Company for US$334 million (A$492m). The transaction is expected to close by the end of February 2009. Constellation, which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and owns the Houghton and Hardys brands among others, is retaining the SVEDKA Vodka, Black Velvet Canadian Whisky... ...Read more »

Woolworths has today launched a corporate rebranding including a new logo, representing the biggest change to the communication of their brand since the introduction of “The Fresh Food People” just over two decades ago. The new logo, which resembles a peeling apple, is set to be added to over 100,000 staff shirts, 800 trucks, their trolleys and plastic bags and in their 780 supermarkets. It already appears at 30 stores, all of which have been recently opened or refurbished. The logo will... ...Read more »

UK upmarket specialist online grocer Ocado last week posted record sales figures in a sign that the online grocery sector is steadily making inroads in Britain. They saw sales rise 25 per cent above results of the year before in the four weeks to January 3 despite recessionary headwinds, including a staggering 97% rise in Christmas week sales. Tesco, the UK’s largest retailer, also noted that their online grocery business had grown, delivering “very strong sales”. Ocado, which sells products... ...Read more »