Nestlé has announced plans to extend its PowerBar range in the US with a new co-branded Iron Girl energy bar to be targeted at women.The manufacturer announced today (7 April) that the Iron Girl Energy Bar will be available in two flavours – Strawberry and Cranberry and Cocoa Crunch. The bars contain calcium, iron and B vitamins, which Nestlé said offer an “excellent source of energy in each bite”. The launch will be supported by sampling events at the 2011 Athleta Iron Girl National... ...Read more »

Salt in Australian-manufactured simmer sauces, and salt and saturated fat in processed meats, is the next target for reduction by the industry, retailer and government partnership, the Food and Health Dialogue. Under the Dialogue – chaired by Parliamentary Secretary for Health Catherine King – salt and saturated fat reduction targets have now been set for 85% of leading brand simmer sauces well as 95% of processed meats. General Mills, AB World Foods, Goodman Fielder Home Ingredients, Mars Food... ...Read more »

German food group Dr Oetker has admitted it has had a “sluggish” start to 2011 with all its business lines – apart from chilled products – “falling below target”. The company, which makes products from baking ingredients to pizza, reflected on the first months of 2011 after reporting its sales figures for 2010. Dr Oetker booked an almost 9% rise in turnover for 2010, as sales grew at home and abroad. The Ristorante and Chicago Town pizza maker said it would not... ...Read more »

Australia is on track for a bumper year for olive oil, with a record production of 17 million litres of extra virgin oil expected for 2011. Favourable climatic conditions have boosted the industry after lower-than-anticipated yields last year. Olive harvesting is underway now in most states across the country and will continue through to July, according to the Australian Olive Association, the umbrella organisation for Australia olive growers and olive oil producers. Most of Australia’s olives... ...Read more »

Fonterra has confirmed that its Chilean subsidiary Soprole has withdrawn a proposal to merge its business with Nestlé’s liquid and dairy business in the country. Fonterra CEO Andrew Ferrier said today (6 April) that Soprole and Nestlé have agreed to withdraw the application as the companies believed “the conditions to continue with the application were not appropriate”. The New Zealand co-operative and the Swiss dairy giant have no plans to present a new application to the Chilean... ...Read more »

Entries are now open for the 2012 Product of the Year Awards, recognising Australia’s most innovative products to hit supermarket shelves this year. The winning products are selected by over 5,000 shoppers in the biggest independent consumer survey in the country. To be eligible for entry, products must launch between January 2010 and August 2011 and be either a completely new type of product or a useful innovation to an existing product or brand, such as a new ingredient, redesigned shape or size,... ...Read more »

Nearly three months after a metre-and-a-half of water swept through its doors, Rosalie Cold Rock Ice Creamery is rising from Brisbane’s devastating floods. The store in the city’s inner-west will reopen this Saturday in time for Rosalie Rising – a community street party to celebrate the recovery of businesses within the Rosalie Village precinct. January’s devastating floods destroyed everything within the Nash Street ice creamery, forcing owners Donna and John Weatherhead to start their 13-year-old... ...Read more »

Some of Australia’s best chefs, major retailers and more than a thousand butchers across the country have launched April’s International Festival of Pork to a hungry audience. Consumers around the country are encouraged to have a month-long exotic love affair with pork by cooking up an international storm using different cuts and different cuisine styles.  Schnitzel, Bolognese, lasagne, Aussie BBQ cutlets and ribs, Asian pork belly, hock, won tons or char sui, to Latin pulled pork, tonkatsu,... ...Read more »

The Wrigley Company has released a new addition to its successful Extra Professional sugarfree chewing gum – Wrigley’s Extra Professional Calcium, a calcium-fortified gum designed to deliver 10% of the recommended daily intake of calcium. “New EXTRA Professional Calcium is a significant innovation for us – the first fortified sugar free gum to be approved for release in this market,” said Wrigley Pacific Marketing Director, Andrew Leakey. “Extra Professional Calcium is an ideal... ...Read more »

Diamond Foods has struck a deal to buy the Pringles snack brand from consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble for US$2.35 billion. The transaction will see Pringles join a Diamond stable including the Kettle Chips brand, which the company acquired last year. A deal had been speculated about in the autumn when P&G reportedly turned down a deal with Diamond over concerns about how the deal was structured. Diamond said yesterday that the acquisition of Pringles would more than triple its snacks... ...Read more »