Nestle has insisted that it will “vigorously” resist claims from Weight Watchers International that the Swiss food giant has infringed trademark rights.Weight Watchers filed a lawsuit in the US yesterday (17 September), alleging that Nestle illegally used its name and ‘points’ system to promote its Skinny Cow low-fat ice cream and Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine frozen meals. The US-based weight management company said that it is seeking a restitution of “improper”... ...Read more »

A Senate inquiry report released yesterday has advised that the Container Deposit Legislation not proceed at this stage, a conclusion that was welcomed by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC). The private members Bill, Environment Protection – Beverage Container Deposit and Recovery Scheme – for Container Deposit Legislation (CDL) in Australia, has the support of the Greens and Family First and would see the introduction of a 10 cent levy on each beverage container sold in the... ...Read more »

The Chief Executive of Sara Lee, Brenda Barnes, has sought to reassure investors that the company is making progress in their turnaround process as their share price fails to ignite excitement. Ms Branes has been leading the food manufacturer through a four-year turnaround program and told investors and analysts this week that the company’s long-term growth will be driven by a number of key strategies, namely: focus resources in core categories and geographies, expand in high growth developing... ...Read more »

The UK Food Standards Agency has launched a study into the consumer perceptions of Genetically Modified (GM) food amid assertions that it may not be possible to maintain a GM-free supply chain in coming years. The Agency has been asked by the Government to lead a dialogue project to explore the subject of GM with consumers. The project will provide an opportunity to discuss with consumers their understanding of GM and what they think it might bring in terms of risks and benefits. It will also explore... ...Read more »

A war of words is erupting between consumer group Choice and the leading representative of the major supermarket chains during a Senate inquiry into the failure of the GROCERYChoice website. GROCERYChoice, an election commitment of the Rudd Government, was aborted in June just days before Choice was set to launch a revamped version of the site. An inquiry was launched to determine how much taxpayer money was wasted on the scheme and whether or not the major supermarkets exerted an influence on the... ...Read more »

Once touted as a unique combination of high growth markets, the “BRIC” nations of Brazil, Russia, India and China have enjoyed varying fortunes during the great economic downturn of 2009. Many global food and beverage manufacturers have placed their faith in these markets in the hope they will compensate for the limited growth in developed markets and have every reason to remain confident in their potential, according to a new report. Projections after the first half of the year from... ...Read more »

A compromise has been reached between food manufacturer Campbell’s Soup and workers at their factory in Shepparton. Work at the factory in Victoria came to a halt last Friday when employees launched industrial action due to a breakdown in negotiations over new workplace agreements. Employees had since been locked out and not paid since Friday night, but an agreement has now reportedly been reached. Campbell’s said the agreement regarding a draft flexibility clause to be included in the... ...Read more »

Satisfaction with the major supermarket chains in Australia rose almost uniformly last month, with Coles the only chain to see a decline in satisfaction, according to the latest data from Roy Morgan. Coles lost the momentum they built over the last 6 months, dropping by almost 1 percentage point and falling from second place on the list to the bottom (fourth). Aldi retained the top spot for overall customer satisfaction, while IGA regained second highest ranking amongst grocery shoppers who are... ...Read more »

Kirin Holdings has received approval from Lion Nathan shareholders for a multi-billion dollar takeover that will create the largest food and beverage group in Australia. Australia’s second-largest brewer will join National Foods and Dairy Farmers as recent acquisitions by Kirin in Australia as the Japanese firm looks to boost profits while their home market remains in a rut. A meeting with shareholders was held today with 98.75 per cent of votes cast in favour of the scheme. Pending final court... ...Read more »

Cadbury chief executive Todd Stitzer overnight (16 September) defended the UK confectioner’s record, insisting the company had “delivered on its promises” and laid out its plans for further expansion. Nine days after Kraft Foods had gone public with a proposed GBP10.2bn (A$19.6bn) takeover of Cadbury, and following a week in which the US company had repeatedly outlined why the Dairy Milk maker faced a challenging future as an independent company, Stitzer insisted the UK firm could... ...Read more »