February’s top stories: DMPL buys Del Monte unit; Arla Foods announces investment plan

Del Monte Pacific completes $1.67bn takeover of Del Monte’s US unit

Del Monte Pacific (DMPL) completed its $1.67bn takeover of the consumer food business of American food production firm Del Monte.

DMPL chairman Rolando Gapud said, "We are very excited about this historic transaction which quadruples DMPL’s sales from US$500 million to more than US$2 billion, and fortifies DMPL’s vision of becoming a global branded food and beverage company."

The acquired entity, which will be renamed Del Monte Foods, Inc. (DMFI), will gain access to DMPL’s expertise in the Philippines, and the Asian markets.

Arla Foods to invest DKK2.2bn to boost production capabilities

Arla Foods, a Swedish-Danish dairy co-operative, outlined plans to invest DKK2.2bn in ten of its dairy sites worldwide to boost its production capabilities.

The investment is in line with the company’s efforts to double its exports of European dairy products to growth markets outside the EU by 2017.

It will be used for new and ongoing dairy expansions and projects that will help make Arla’s production even more climate-friendly.

US to revamp Nutrition Fact labels for packaged foods

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlined a proposal to revamp Nutrition Fact labels on packaged food products, in line with efforts to combat chronic diseases such as obesity and heart disease.

The proposed format, designed to reflect the latest scientific information on the link between diet and chronic diseases, would replace outdated serving sizes and its new design would highlight key information such as calories and serving sizes.

The Nutrition Facts label has been required on food packages for the past two decades to allow consumers to better understand the nutritional value of foods to make healthy choices.

Heinz plans European plants closure

American food company HJ Heinz outlined plans to close two manufacturing facilities in Europe, putting nearly 350 jobs at risk.

The closures are part of the company’s comprehensive and ongoing process to review its European supply chain footprint.

The new owners of Heinz, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway and private equity firm 3G Capital, are restructuring the company’s operations and have recently announced job cuts in the UK and Ireland and North America.

Trace One unveils cloud-based supply chain visibility solution

Trace One unveiled T.Transparency, a new cloud-based solution that connects supply chain communities to provide improved supply chain visibility, better collaboration and increased productivity.

The food supply chain is expanding across the world and tracking product information from farm to fork can be complicated and unmanageable for private label retailers, manufacturers and suppliers.

Providing visibility into the entire supply chain, T.Transparency helps to ensure that products are compliant and minimises the time taken to trace defective products, according to the company.

TOP and foodlife unveil new machine to pick grapes

Netherlands-based food technology company TOP, along with technology supplier foodlife, unveiled a new grape picking machine, named the Pluckr, at Fruit Logistica in Berlin.

With this patented technology, fruit processors can now pick grapes from the stem on a large scale without damaging the product, while ensuring longer shelf life and quality.

The Pluckr, which is operated by a maximum of two operators, shakes the grapes off rapidly and easily, without damaging them; this makes it economically feasible to sell loosely packed grapes.

PerfoTec system helps extend shelf life of raspberries and strawberries: UK study

A recent study carried out in the UK showed that PerfoTec’s Respiration Control System increased the shelf life of raspberries and strawberries from five to ten days and from four to eight days, respectively.

Developed in cooperation with Netherlands-based food technology company TOP, the Respiration Control System helped reduce in-store waste by 50% and achieve a double-digit growth in sales, while making the distribution and ordering process between suppliers and retailers simple, flexible and sustainable.

The system measures the exact level of oxygen required by fruit and vegetables to stay fresh and adjusts the packaging accordingly with micro-perforations.

US beef industry requires structural changes to remain competitive: Rabobank report

The US cattle industry requires structural changes to keep the country’s beef industry in a competitive position, according to a Rabobank report titled ‘Ground Beef Nation’.

The report states that shifting consumer preferences and a model designed for the production of top-shelf steaks has led to a position where the US cattle industry is losing market share to competitive proteins.