Kirin-owned dairy and drinks giant, Lion Nathan National Foods, today announced its intention to rebrand its three divisions – Lion Nathan Australia, Lion Nathan New Zealand and National Foods – to a single new brand, Lion. All three will use the Lion brand, but the company said that to distinguish informally as required, National Foods will be known as Dairy and Drinks, while the Lion Nathan businesses will become Beer, Spirits and Wines, Australia, and Beer, Spirits and Wines, New Zealand. Lion... ...Read more »

Lion Nathan National Foods announced its results for the quarter ended 31 December 2010, with tough results across the board. Revenues for National Foods and Lion Nathan Australia were both down 11%, to $729.8 and $430.2 respectively. White milk volumes declined 11% for National Foods, and Lion Nathan’s 4% higher per-litre price was also knocked out by lower volumes. Only Lion Nathan New Zealand delivered increased revenue, up 9% at NZ$204.7 million. “Rising interest rates and power costs,... ...Read more »

National Foods has announced the results of its six-month review of cheesemaking operations across Australia, revealing plans to consolidate Tasmanian operations at its Burnie site, close its Victorian locations and sell its South Australian sites. In Tasmania, the Kirin-Lion-Nathan owned dairy giant will invest $120 in its Burnie facility to produce all its specialty cheeses, transferring operations from its Heidi Farm site, and closing Kings Meadow over three years at a loss of 40 jobs. Only King... ...Read more »

* Food and soft drink profits up 56.4% * Full-year group profits up 76.8% * Upped full-year profit forecast Kirin Holdings’ food and soft drinks division has booked an increase in full-year operating profits, driven by cost reductions made by the firm during 2010.Operating profit from the division climbed 56.4% to JPY11.10bn (US$133m) in 2010, the firm reported yesterday (10 February). Sales, however, dropped 13.2% to JPY638.10bn as a result of a change in the firm’s accounting period. The... ...Read more »

National Foods’ juice line Berri will be required to change two of its flagship brands, Australian Fresh and The Daily Juice Company, after an ACCC investigation found the brand names might be misleading customers into believing the juice was 100% freshly-squeezed. Some Australian Fresh juices contain a blend of fresh and cold stored juice, depending on seasonal availability, with only the Australian Fresh apple juice being 100% freshly squeezed. Daily Juice Company juices contain a blend of... ...Read more »

Japanese food and beverage group Kirin Holdings has slashed its profit forecast for 2010 due to JPY38.8bn (US$463.5m) of write-downs at National Foods, its dairy and juice unit in Australia. Kirin was targeting net income of JPY35bn for 2010 but on Monday (20 December) set a new forecast of JPY10bn. The company said an “appraisal” of National Foods’ assets and operations had shown that increasing input costs and “changes in the Australian market” would hit the brand... ...Read more »

Kirin Holdings Company Limited has knocked almost $500 million off the value of dairy heavyweight National Foods, with changes to the carrying value of brands and goodwill on its balance sheet for the business. Kirin has written-down the value of brands and goodwill by ¥38.8 billion (A$485 million) following a strategic review of core brands, which National Foods said reflected difficult trading conditions, especially in the white milk and juice sectors. “As previously communicated, conditions... ...Read more »

Kirin Holdings, owner of Australian dairy giant National Foods, has reported a 42% drop in net profits for the first nine months of 2010, due to lower sales and one-off charges for restructuring and pensions. Profits slipped to JPY 24.2 billion (A$295 million) for the nine months to the end of September, Kirin said. The Japanese food and drinks group was dragged down by foreign exchange losses, restructuring costs, higher taxes and a one-off charge related to its pension scheme. Net sales for the... ...Read more »

Kirin Holdings has cut its sales and profits forecast for the first half of 2010. Kirin expects net sales to be JPY43bn (US$492m) for the six months to the end of June, 14% lower than previously predicted, the Japanese drinks giant said today (26 July). It added that net profits are expected to be JPY26bn, 7% lower than its earlier forecast, with operating profits set to be 14% lower at JPY29bn. “The revision is due to smaller dividend income from affiliates than initially forecast,”... ...Read more »

After a solid start to the financial year, Lion Nathan looks strong against drinks giant and leading rival Foster’s after posting an almost 7 per cent rise on the prior corresponding period. Kirin, which now owns Lion Nathan, National Foods and Dairy Farmers declared Lion’s Australian and New Zealand business delivered revenue of $687 million for the three months to the end of December, a growth of 6.6 per cent compared to the same period one year ago. According to The Australian, this... ...Read more »