Unilever and Ahold have become among the first companies to acquire certificates for sustainable soy.The purchase – made by a number of Dutch companies under the local Initiative for Sustainable Soy (IDS) – was of the first batch of soy certified by the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS). The RTRS was set up in 2006 to draw up criteria for the sustainable cultivation of soy, which is used in animal feed and in a swathe of food products. The companies, which also include dairy processor... ...Read more »

Unilever has confirmed the French launch of a version of its Magnum ice cream that contains alcohol. The new Magnum Minis, which will be released under its Heart Brand ice cream label, are available in two flavours – one with Italian liqueur limoncello and the other with Irish cream. The product comes to market after “very positive trials”, Unilever said. The product is pitched as offering an after-meal gourmet moment with a tinge of alcohol and targets new ice cream customers,... ...Read more »

Unilever has entered into a global partnership with technical services firm Jacobs Engineering in a a bid to increase the efficiency of its capital investments programme worldwide. The consumer goods giant, which operates more than 250 manufacturing sites worldwide, is investing in its production capabilities – primarily in emerging markets – to support its growth agenda. Unilever said that it expects emerging markets to generate 70-75% of its growth in the long term. The tie-up will... ...Read more »

Unilever has been voted as the outright global leader in sustainability, according to the latest survey findings from GlobeScan and SustainAbility. Sustainability experts from across the globe were canvassed as part of the annual SustainAbility survey, with respondents asked to name the companies they consider sustainability leaders; why they think the firm is a leader in sustainable development; and which industries have done the most to advance sustainability in the past year. In a year when commitment... ...Read more »

Unilever has announced that two more of its Hellmann’s Mayonnaise products will use 100% cage-free eggs in the United States. Hellmann’s Canola Cholesterol Free Mayonnaise and its Reduced Fat Mayonnaise with Olive Oil have now been transitioned to cage-free eggs, a move that the company says is part of a plan to transition all its recipes to higher-welfare ingredients. “Coming off of last year’s successful launch of Hellmann’s Light with 100 percent cage-free eggs, we are excited... ...Read more »

Senior food industry executives from companies including Unilever, GlaxoSmithKline and Asda have headed to the picturesque UK town of Windsor for this year’s Food and Drink Innovation Dialogue to discuss a variety of factors affecting innovation in our sector. Delegates have analysed the impact that issues including the economic downturn, ethical consumerism, the rivalry between brands and private label and the demand for clean-label products have had on NPD. Here are some of the more... ...Read more »

This year’s Food and Drink Innovation Dialogue, held in the UK town of Windsor this week, has heard what factors are affecting NPD in our sector. The likes of Heinz, United Biscuits, Baxters Food Group and Mead Johnson Nutrition have headed to the event to discuss issues including reformulation and the EU health claims legislation. Here are some of the more notable soundbites. Innovation and Reformulation “What work can be done to look at the influence of reformulation? Satisfying... ...Read more »

Ben & Jerry’s scoop shops in Sydney, Melbourne and the Gold Coast are offering free ice cream today, to celebrate Ben & Jerry’s Global Free Cone Day – Tuesday April 12. The company’s four scoop shops in Australia – located in Manly and Broadway in Sydney, Chadstone in Melbourne and at Movie World on the Gold Coast – are offering up “as many scoops as you can shake a digeridoo at” – one at a time, of course. Parent company Unilever said... ...Read more »

Food giant Unilever switched off lights and electrical equipment in all its office sites across Australia and New Zealand in support of Earth Hour on Saturday, in addition to encouraging its employees to do the same at home. “In line with our commitment to creating a more sustainable future, Unilever is once again proud to support Earth Hour in 2011” said Sebastian Lazell, Chairman Unilever Australia and New Zealand. “We believe that small steps can make a big difference and we encourage... ...Read more »

German competition authorities have imposed fines totalling EUR38m (US$53.2m) on three food companies – Kraft Foods, Unilever and Dr. Oetker – for illegally sharing “competition-relevant information”. In a statement released last week, the Bundeskartellamt said that the fines were imposed after information was provided to the competition regulator by Mars Inc, who made an application for leniency. Under the Bundeskartellamt’s leniency programme, Mars avoided being fined. The... ...Read more »