January’s top news stories

PHE campaign aims to reduce children’s sugar intake in UK

Public Health England (PHE) launched a Change4Life campaign in the UK to help families cut down sugar consumption and tackle growing rates of childhood obesity.

According to PHE, children aged ten have been consuming 18 years worth of sugar.

PHE chief nutritionist Dr Alison Tedstone said: “Children are consuming too much sugar, but parents can take action now to prevent this building up over the years.

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Japan to lift two-decade ban on UK beef

The Government of Japan announced plans to end the ban on UK beef and lamb products, which has been in place since 1996 following the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also know as mad cow disease.

Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced the decision ahead of the meeting between Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and British Prime Minister Theresa May.

The move to end the ban could be worth  £127m to British farmers over a period of five years.

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NTU and F&N open lab in Singapore to develop new products

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Fraser & Neave (F&N) opened a laboratory in Singapore for the development of food and beverage products.

Under the four-year partnership, about 30 researchers and students from NTU and F&N will work together at the F&N-NTU F&B Innovation Lab to transform food technology innovations into industry applications for the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) category.

Researchers will work on enhancing food products and processes, as well as developing biodegradable packaging solutions for the food and beverage (F&B) industry.

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Arla Foods divests German cheese factory to Vache Bleue

Global dairy company Arla Foods reportedly divested its German cheese factory to Vache Bleue, a Belgium-based cheese processor.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed by both companies.

Based in Bad Wörishofen, Bavaria, the cheese factory was reported to be ‘no longer in line with the strategic orientation of Arla’s stores in Germany and Europe’.

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Kraft Heinz closes Primal Kitchen acquisition deal

US-based food company Kraft Heinz completed the acquisition of Primal Nutrition, which falls under the Primal Kitchen brand.

In November 2018,  Kraft Heinz signed a definitive agreement to acquire condiments and sauce producer Primal Nutrition for approximately $200m.

Kraft Heinz US Zone president Paulo Basilio said: “Primal Kitchen is an authentic, premium and growing brand that complements our core Condiments and Sauces categories.

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Fonterra to sell Farm Source livestock division to Carrfields

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ADM to acquire citrus flavour producer FCC in US

Global food processing company Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) reached an agreement to acquire Florida Chemical Company (FCC), a part of Flotek Industries that specialises in citrus-based flavours and fragrances.

Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed by both companies.

ADM Nutrition business unit president Vince Macciocchi said: “ADM is already a leader in natural flavours for food and beverages, offering a wide variety of high-value products and solutions in areas such as vanilla and mint, and this acquisition will place us in a leadership position for citrus flavours as well.

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BRF sells pork-based food manufacturer Campo Austral in Argentina

Brazilian food conglomerate BRF announced the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary food manufacturer Campo Austral in Argentina.

The Argentinian pork-based manufacturer operates three plants that are located in Florencio Varela, San Andrés de Giles and Pilar. The plants have the capacity to slaughter 2,300 hogs per day.

They also have a processing capacity of approximately 2,144 metric tons per month, including processed and fresh products.

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Cargill plans to invest $200m in Pakistan

US-based food and agriculture group Cargill announced plans to invest over $200m in Pakistan over the next three to five years.

The company will make investments in sectors ranging from dairy, edible oils, meat and animal feed.

Led by Cargill Asia Pacific region chairman and global strategy head Marcel Smits, as well as Cargill Agricultural Supply Chain president Gert-Jan van den Akker, Cargill’s global executive team met Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and other senior government officials to discuss the company’s investment plans.

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Danish Crown plans to cut 400 jobs

Global meat processing company Danish Crown made plans to cut nearly 400 jobs across the group to make savings of €47m.

Most of the job cuts will occur at its UK business, Tulip,  as well as some other business units that are underperforming. There will be significantly less impact on employees in Denmark.

In November 2018, Danish Crown cited Tulip as one of the reasons for the dip in its earnings, which declined by DKK151m compared with its profits in 2016-17.  In the financial year for 2018-19, Danish Crown plans to cut 150 jobs in addition to a DKK200m savings programme for Tulip.