US food group Sara Lee is understood to have rejected a takeover offer for its US business from Brazilian meat giant JBS, who also own Swift Australia, due to a disagreement over price. Sara Lee’s management has been in talks to sell the business to JBS for a few months, Bloomberg reported today (20 December). However, the bakery giant has turned down an offer from JBS, deeming it “too low”. It is understood the bid was less than Sara Lee’s intraday high of $17.62 on 17 December,... ...Read more »

With the cold temperatures of winter lingering in the Northern Hemisphere, Sara Lee North American Retail announced yesterday a new  partnership for the SENSEO coffee brand with Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc., one of the country’s leading distributors of small household appliances. Just in time to warm consumers up for the holiday season, the partnership introduces two new single-serve machines to the small appliance marketplace, providing consumers with top-quality coffee at an attractive price... ...Read more »

Meat pie manufacturer Patties Foods Ltd has denied any intention of purchasing Sara Lee’s Australian food brands, contradicting speculation in the Sydney Morning Herald that the Bairnsdale-based company was in talks with a view to buy. Sara Lee produces some of Australia’s most popular food brands, including Moccona coffee, Sara Lee desserts and baked goods, Piazza d’Oro and Pickwick Tea. Many of Sara Lee’s brands have been sold off recently, as the company focuses on its coffee... ...Read more »

Sara Lee announced last week that it has signed an agreement to acquire Café Damasco, a coffee business based in the southern region of Brazil. The acquisition price represents a multiple of around one time annual sales. With its premium positioned Damasco brand and several smaller brands, Café Damasco has a leading regional position in the southern state of Parana. Total net sales of the Café Damasco company in 2009 were close to BRL 100 million (appr. US$ 60 million). “The acquisition... ...Read more »

US food group Sara Lee has agreed to sell its North American fresh bakery operations to Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo in a deal worth US$959 million, following months of speculation over Sara Lee’s domestic bread arm. Sara Lee said the sale meant it could focus on its protein and coffee operations, with interim CEO Marcel Smits saying the company would “aggressively invest” in both businesses. “In both categories, we are a leading player, with healthy margins and a strong track... ...Read more »

Food manufacturer Sara Lee is reformulating the recipes on two of its bread products in the US to remove high fructose corn syrup. It is reformulating its Sara Lee Soft and Smooth white and whole wheat breads varieties to remove the high fructose corn syrup and use sugar instead. In addition, its Sara Lee Soft & Smooth 100% Whole Wheat bread now includes vitamin D. “Sara Lee Soft & Smooth breads are among the best selling breads in the United States and our core audience, parents with... ...Read more »

Jobs are under threat at the Spanish arm of US food giant Sara Lee as the company reviews its bakery operations in the country.Sara Lee has been looking at different ways to distribute its bread throughout Spain and reports in the country have claimed the company could outsource distribution to local logistics firms. The company said on Friday (9 July) that it has been “testing different alternatives” to deliver products through local distributors. Sara Lee told just-food it had yet to... ...Read more »

Nestlé has announced plans to sue Sara Lee over alleged patent infringements of the Nespresso design by the new L’OR Espresso product. The Nespresso individual-pod coffee system, where a single pod of coffee makes an individual cup of espresso in a touch-button appliance, requires consumers to purchase both the machine, and a supply of the proprietary pods to continue using it. “We welcome fair competition, we even thrive under it. But we will always take appropriate steps to defend our... ...Read more »

Sara Lee said today (14 June) that chairman and CEO Brenda Barnes, who has been on a temporary medical leave of absence, is recovering from a stroke.”I know there has been a lot of speculation on my condition, so I want to take the opportunity to provide some details,” said Barnes. “I suffered a stroke a few weeks ago, and I am now in the process of recuperating.” The company intends to provide an update on Barnes’ condition and her future plans by its end-of-year earnings... ...Read more »

US food group Sara Lee yesterday (6 May) reported a loss for its fiscal third quarter but lifted its forecast for underlying earnings for the full year.The company posted a net loss of US$336m for the three months to 27 March thanks to one-off items, including a tax charge. Last year, Sara Lee reported third-quarter net income of $165m. However, Sara Lee said “improved operational performance” meant it could lift its guidance for full-year adjusted earnings per share to $1.06-1.10 a share.... ...Read more »