Coca-Cola Amatil Limited has advised that following December trading, the largest volume and earnings month for the business, it expects to achieve around 10% growth in net profit and 7% growth in EBIT for the 2010 full year. The company said that the impact of the colder and wetter weather across the Eastern seaboard, in particular the flooding in Queensland, would result in EBIT growth of 5 to 5.5% for the second half, below the 7 to 8% previously advised target. However, CCA said that second half... ...Read more »

Baskin-Robbins, the world’s largest ice cream brand, today announced the appointment of an experienced restaurant industry executive to lead its efforts in Australia. The company said that its new appointee, Ian Martin, General Manager, Australia/New Zealand, would bring a wealth of experience within the restaurant industry and a successful track record representing some of the world’s most prominent retail brands. The company said the move was in keeping with its plan to grow its brand in Australia... ...Read more »

Unilever CEO Paul Polman said yesterday (4 November) that the consumer goods giant made “solid progress” in the third quarter of 2010 thanks to the company’s emerging markets.The Magnum ice cream and Knorr soup maker booked a 21% increase in net profit to EUR1.35bn (US$1.91bn) for the three months to the end of September. Operating profit also rose 21%, reaching EUR1.81bn. Unilever’s turnover was up 13.2% at EUR11.55bn. The company’s underlying sales, which excludes... ...Read more »

Nestle has recorded an increase in sales for the first nine months of the year, driven by double-digit organic growth in emerging markets. For the January to September period, group sales reached CHF82.8bn (US$85bn), representing growth of 6.1% on an organic basis and 4.5% of “real internal growth” – Nestle’s figure to measure the growth achieved without external funding and excluding pricing, currency exchange and acquisitions Nestle’s food and beverage operations... ...Read more »

US food giant Kraft Foods expects the acquisition of UK confectioner Cadbury to raise its revenue by US$1 billion by 2013. Ahead of a meeting with analysts yesterday, Kraft said that the acquisition of Cadbury had made it “the undisputed world leader in snacks”, a category that now accounts for more than half of its revenue. The acquisition of Cadbury is also expected to generate $750 million in cost synergies by 2013, Kraft said. Kraft also spoke of “additional savings” from... ...Read more »

* Company returns net profit of EUR82m * Operating profits up 7.6% on savings * Sales in Asia up 8.9% at constant exchange rates Carrefour SA has returned to profit in its first half with sales growth driven by a strong performance in emerging markets such as China. The company said that for the six months to 30 June 30, it recorded a net profit of EUR82m (US$104m) compared to a loss of EUR58m in the year-earlier period. From continuing operations, Carrefour reported a net profit of EUR67m, compared... ...Read more »

With the new financial year upon us, business information research and analysis group IBISWorld has compiled its annual list of Australian industries set to fly and fall in the next 12 months. According to IBISWorld, organic farming will be the biggest winner in 2010-2011 as Australians consider the health benefits and environmental impacts of their food choices.Whereas most of the world’s developed nations remain bogged down by the fallout from the ongoing global financial crisis, Australia’s... ...Read more »

UK retailer Marks and Spencer has reaffirmed its commitment to double its retail presence in India through its joint venture in the emerging market.The retailer currently operates 17 stores in India in conjunction with Indian-owned Reliance Retail. The firm said it plans to increase that number to more than 50 over the next three years. The affirmation comes on the back of the opening of a larger format store in Chennai last week. A spokesperson for Marks and Spencer told just-food on Friday (25... ...Read more »

Sales of organic products increased by 5.3% during 2009 despite a cautious consumer environment and the economic downturn, new figures from an industry body claimed yesterday (22 April).The Organic Trade Association (OTA), a trade body representing US organic manufacturers, said that the total category saw sales rise to US$26.6bn, of which $24.8bn was accounted for by food products. “While total US food sales grew by only 1.6% in 2009, organic food sales grew by 5.1%,” OTA executive director... ...Read more »

* Asda aspires to be market leader in non-food, and clear #2 in food within five years * Chain of 100 Asda supermarkets (smaller food stores) and 150 Asda Living (non-food stores) planned * UK-wide rollout of its ‘Order Online, Collect in Store’ service completed * Asda to use global merchandising centers to further leverage Walmart’s global scale * Location of second Asda dedicated home shopping picking center unveiled in North London Wal-Mart outlined a number of ambitious plans... ...Read more »