IBM, Procter & Gamble and General Mills have topped the 2009 list of Global Top Companies for Leaders, one of the most comprehensive studies of organizational leadership in the world. The Global Top Companies for Leaders study is conducted by Hewitt Associates, a global consulting and outsourcing company, in partnership with The RBL Group, a leadership systems advisory firm, and Fortune Magazine. The winners were selected and ranked by a panel of independent judges based on criteria including... ...Read more »

Cadbury has emphasised that value remains the key factor in any takeover bid for the UK confectioner after a weekend of growing speculation over the future of the business.Over the weekend, reports claimed that Hershey, the US chocolate maker, was mulling a solo bid for Cadbury, as well as still giving a joint approach with Ferrero consideration. Reuters, meanwhile, suggested that Kraft Foods, which has placed the only firm offer on the table for Cadbury, could raise its bid for the company if any... ...Read more »

The Campbell Soup Company has reported profit growth of 17 per cent in the first quarter of Fiscal 2010 despite a two per cent drop in sales. Douglas Conant, Campbell’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said the company was enthused by the results, which were driven by improved efficiency in the supply chain. “We feel good about our performance in the first quarter as we delivered solid earnings growth across all of our key businesses,” he advised. “We’re especially... ...Read more »

Speculation is mounting that Nestlé will enter the race for Cadbury as Hershey looks to make an initial offer and Kraft considers raising theirs – which has been lambasted by Cadbury as “derisory”. Swiss-based Nestlé will be able to fund a bid, but whether they wish to take on a confectioner at a time when they are pushing their health and wellness credentials remains the big issue. They are also likely to come under greater scrutiny from competition authorities given their position... ...Read more »

Red meat meals make up half the nation’s top 10 dishes, according to a report launched by Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) – and cooking from scratch is becoming a more regular occurrence. The report, titled Last night’s Dinner, provides an in-depth understanding of Australians’ food preferences and main meal practices. On top of showing the leading dishes it also shows that Australians are taking the time to cook healthy and nutritious meals from scratch with fresh ingredients,... ...Read more »

The food processing sector in Australia has received another blow with the second major plant closure in a fortnight. McCain Foods announced that their vegetable processing plant in Smithton, Tasmania will close in November 2010, advising that the cost to make necessary upgrades to the plant was unable to be justified. The news will see 115 workers made redundant and follows the recent National Foods announcement of the closure of their Berri juice plant in Riverland. McCain will keep the potato... ...Read more »

Restaurants around the world are expected to follow up a trying year led by promotions with a return to focussing on quality. The price focus that has driven sales this year will remain to an extent but it is produce quality and new ingredients that will likely lure in diners, according to market research firm Mintel. “Restaurants are redefining ‘value’ on the menu, moving away from the cost-savings that were so important earlier this year to incorporate high quality ingredients,... ...Read more »

The boss of the owner of Coles is not fearful of an expansion of Aldi to the west despite the discount grocer managing to gain a foothold in the eastern states. Wesfarmers Managing Director Richard Goyder told The Sunday Times that the competition would be welcomed by Coles, where their turnaround plan is gathering momentum. “I’ve always advocated that competition is good because if you’ve got competition you get better outcomes for consumers and from a business point of view you... ...Read more »

A survey of food manufacturers has indicated that almost all food firms believe that successful companies are driven by innovation, with a similar high majority arguing that now is a suitable time to do so. SIAL’s inaugural ‘Barometer Innovation’ study showed that over half of the 355 global food and beverage firms saw cash as the major barrier to innovation. Cost cutting has been the order of the day for many executives in response to the worst financial climate for decades and... ...Read more »

Federal Trade Minister Simon Crean and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke have welcomed the decision by the European Union (EU) to end dairy export subsidies. The EU introduced diary export subsidies in January this year and this was followed by the United States in May. The US Dairy Export Incentive Program remains in place. The ministers said the decision was good news for Australian diary producers and another sign that protectionist measures were being wound back. Mr... ...Read more »