Campbell Soup Co. has appointed former Coca-Cola Co. executive Gareth Edgecombe to the role of president of its operations in Asia-Pacific.Edgecombe will be responsible for the company’s Australian, Asian and Pacific operations, including the Arnott’s biscuits brand and Campbell’s soup. He will be based at Campbell Arnott’s regional headquarters in Sydney and will report to Mark Alexander, president of Campbell International. His appointment is effective from 8 August. Edgecombe... ...Read more »

Campbell Soup Co. has reversed a trend of downward earnings in its third quarter, booking an increase in profits as snack and international sales propelled gains. The US soup maker revealed today (23 May) that net earnings for the three months ended 1 May totalled US$187m, up from $168m in the comparable period of last year. Sales edged up 0.6% to $1.81bn in the period, as the company’s snacks and international units (including increased sales in Australia due to the high dollar and “solid... ...Read more »

Arnott’s, the Australian biscuit business owned by Campbell Soup Co., has pledged to buy Fairtrade cocoa from west Africa.The company said it would use Fairtrade cocoa that “prohibits the worst forms of child labour, ensures a fair and stable price and a Fairtrade Premium which is reinvested back into community projects”. Arnott’s did not respond to an immediate request for further comment but Stephen Knapp, executive director for local Fairtrade organisation Fairtrade Australia... ...Read more »

World Vision Australia today welcomed Arnott’s announcement that it will source ethical cocoa that has not been made with the use of child labour for all of its chocolate-based products, including the iconic Tim Tam biscuit. In response to a public campaign by World Vision earlier this year, Arnott’s said on 30 March that it was “committed to playing its part by sourcing sustainable cocoa that avoids the use of child trafficking and unacceptable forms of child labour” by... ...Read more »

Consumer group CHOICE has conducted a review of supermarket own brand foods, comparing them to various popular branded equivalents in terms of nutrition and taste. “The rise in supermarket-own brands has been phenomenal in Australia, with Coles and Woolworths leading the charge, closely followed by the popular discount chain, Aldi,” wrote CHOICE author Rebecca Gatto. “Private labels now account for almost a quarter of all grocery sales, and there are few supermarket categories that... ...Read more »

World Vision has taken the decision to pause campaigning activities aimed at Arnott’s for a 6 month period in response to the company publicly committing to address potential labour exploitation in its West African supply chain. World Vision’s Don’t Trade Lives campaign activities prompted a meeting between World Vision and Arnott’s executives on 29 March 2010, following which Arnott’s issued the public statement. World Vision is encouraged by Arnott’s acknowledgement... ...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 »

Campbell Soup Company, the owner of Arnott’s, has announced the appointment of Chris Delaney to the role of President, Asia-Pacific. Mr Delaney will assume the role vacated by Mark Alexander who has been appointed to the post of Senior Vice President, Chief Customer Officer and President, North America Baking and Snacking. He will be headquartered in Sydney. “I am delighted that two dynamic executives will be leading these important organizations,” Douglas Conant, Campbell’s... ...Read more »

Campbell Soup Company reported a profit decline of US$20 million in the fourth quarter as currency movements and an impairment charge hit the bottom line. On a comparable basis, however, profit rose 11 per cent. Similarly, adjusted sales fell 11 per cent due to the currency impact, one less trading week and the impact of divestitures, but comparable sales rose two per cent. The world’s largest soup manufacturer and owner of the Arnott’s biscuit brand said the results had met expectations... ...Read more »

UK-based confectioner Cadbury has the most trusted brand in Australia, while Arnott’s claimed the award for Australia’s most iconic brand in a list created by Reader’s Digest. Cadbury, Panadol and Band-Aid claimed the first three spots on the annual Most Trusted list of 158 well-known brands, joined in the top ten by Sony, Colgate, Dairy Farmers, Nokia, Johnson & Johnson, Streets, Peters and Bunnings. With Cadbury, Streets and Peters in the top ten it shows that Australians... ...Read more »