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 »

Peter Kean, currently Managing Director of Lion Nathan National Foods’ New Zealand and Global Wine businesses, has been appointed Managing Director of food and beverage company National Foods, from 1 April 2011, replacing Andrew Reeves, who will leave the business to become CEO at ABF’s George Weston Foods. National Foods is one of Australasia’s largest FMCG companies, employing over 4,000 people and producing category-leading brands in milk and dairy beverages, juice, fresh dairy, cheese... ...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 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 »

The High Court of Australia has ordered Lion Nathan National Foods to scrap the word ‘Barefoot’ on its Barefoot Radler beer range, after losing a trademark case against US wine giant E. & J. Gallo Winery. Gallo is the current registered owner of the registered trade mark ‘Barefoot’ and took the brewer to the Federal Court more than two years ago, claiming Lion Nathan’s Barefoot Radler brand infringed Gallo Winery’s ‘barefoot’ trademark, used to... ...Read more »

The wine industry’s national environmental assurance program has signed up more than 100 members in its first 100 days. Launched on December 7 last year, EntWine Australia has received the strongest early support from grape growers, particularly in South Australia. “This is a very heartening response to a new, voluntary program given that it has been the busiest time of the year for the wine sector,” said the Manager of Natural Resources with the Winemakers’ Federation of... ...Read more »

The head of National Foods has admitted the Australian dairy group is still “some distance” off generating “acceptable” returns as the company integrates local firm Dairy Farmers. National Foods managing director Andrew Reeves said the coming together of the two companies during 2009 had created a “leading branded dairy and juice business” – and he insisted the combined group was “well-positioned” to invest in its business. While Reeves said National... ...Read more »