Industry News

The UK Takeover Panel ruled that Kraft Foods must make a formal bid for Cadbury by Nov. 9. In the event that Kraft Foods announces that it does not intend to make an offer for Cadbury, Kraft Foods and any person(s) acting in concert with it will, except with the consent of the Panel Executive, be barred from making another takeover proposal for Cadbury for six months. Full Story

Coca-Cola Co. could begin pilot production next year of its Freestyle beverage dispenser and expand availability of the machine to 40 or 50 markets. Coca-Cola, which is testing the machine in 25 outlets in metro Atlanta and 26 outlets in Southern California, is banking on the self-serve machine to help it and its restaurant partners sell more drinks by providing more variety. Firehouse Subs, which has Freestyles in four metro Atlanta locations, has seen a significant increase in beverage sales because of the machines. About 70% of Firehouse customers typically purchase a beverage with a sub, stated Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs founder and CEO. In less than a month in the stores, Freestyle pushed that number to 80%, stated Mr. Sorensen, reported The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Full Story (Free Registration Required)

NEED HELP COMPLYING WITH THE BIOTERRORISM ACT? A convenient reference source and guide to the Bioterrorism Act, as well as federal regulations and policies implementing the Bioterrorism Act, is available from The Food Institute. Authored by Olsson, Frank & Weeda, P.C., this guide can assist U.S. and foreign food industry users in understanding not only the strict legal requirements, but also FDA’s findings, conclusions, and views as set forth in rulemaking preambles and other documents. For more information or to order the book, click here.

Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola Company will include energy information per serving on the front of nearly all global product packages. Coca-Cola already introduced front-of-pack energy labeling throughout Europe and Australia, and will introduce front-of-pack energy information on all products by the end of 2011. Full Story

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Organic foods now occupy prominent shelf space in the produce and dairy aisles of most mainstream U.S. food retailers. The marketing boom pushed retail sales of organic foods up to $21.1 billion in 2008 from $3.6 billion in 1997. U.S. organic-industry growth is evident in an expanding number of retailers selling a wider variety of foods, the development of private-label product lines by many supermarkets, and the widespread introduction of new products, noted ERS. ERS Report

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Households will continue to focus on "essential gift giving" such as staple consumables, candy and beverages/alcohol over the holidays, and 85% expect to spend the same or less this year than last, according to Nielsen. Overall, Nielsen is projecting that holiday sales will rise 0.03% this year, accounting for $90 billion in dollar sales. Value retailers such as dollar stores, online, discounters and club stores will attract most holiday spending as consumers minimize trips and search for the best values. Full Story

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Food Institute News

Now Available!!! The Tomato Almanac 2009, The Food Institute's guide on five years of industry data, covers tomato products ranging from canned tomatoes to tomato paste and puree. Covering both domestic and international figures, the Tomato Almanac 2009 features information including per capita data, imports and exports on seven different categories of processed tomato products and processor price trends. With the yield per acre of processing tomatoes for three of the top four producing states down between 12% and 21%, this book will keep you abreast of industry trends and will help with all your important tomato industry decisions. To purchase the book or for more information, click here.

Sunrise Growers ~ Frozsun Foods, Inc. Sunrise Growers ~ Frozsun Foods is the #1 processor and marketer of frozen fruit in the USA. Recognized for superior fresh and frozen strawberry products, the company is vertically integrated and controls the supply chain from "seed to shelf". Their highly experienced management team has developed award-winning private label frozen fruit programs with top retailers and foodservice operators nationwide. From specialty toppings to beverage bases and a wide range of innovative IQF fruit products, Frozsun Foods is the first choice in frozen fruit! To learn more about Sunrise Growers ~ Frozsun Foods visit: www.sunrisegrowers.com. Interested in seeing your company featured here? Email us for more details.

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International News

Danone agreed to sell its 51% interest in the Danone-Wahaha joint-ventures to its Chinese partners. The execution of this agreement will put an end to all legal proceedings related to the disputes between Danone and Wahaha Group. Full Story

Carrefour SA is facing pressure from its biggest investors to sell operations in the fast-growing Chinese and Latin-American markets, according to a report in Le Monde. Shareholders Colony Capital LLC and billionaire Bernard Arnault are pushing CEO Lars Olofsson to sell its Asian and South American stores in order to salvage their investment in the retailer, which has lost almost 30% of its market value since March 2007, reported Bloomberg.com. Full Story

Health News

No U.S. state is meeting national objectives for consumption of fruits and vegetables, according to the CDC report State Indicator Report on Fruits and Vegetables, 2009. CDC surveys indicate that only 33% of adults meet the recommendation for fruit consumption and 27% get the recommended servings of vegetables. Full Story, Full Report

Washington News

Jolt Co Inc., maker of the Jolt Cola energy drink, filed for bankruptcy protection after a dispute with drinks can maker Rexam. In court filings, Jolt stated it agreed to buy 90 million 23.5-oz. resealable cans from Rexam between January 2007 and December 2009. However, because of the recession, the company was able to buy just 27 million cans till date. Jolt claims it has to launch a non-resealable cans to compete in the market as the resealable cans supplied by Rexam cost three times the price of non-resealable cans, reported Reuters. Full Story

Market News

Peanut stocks reported in commercial storage on Aug. 31 totaled 1.84 billion-lbs. of equivalent farmer stock, compared with 719 million-lbs. a year ago. Commercial processors utilized 164 million-lbs. of shelled edible grade peanuts during August. Utilization by type was 103 million-lbs. for all peanut butter products, 32.5 million-lbs. for peanut candy, and 26.9 million-lbs. for snack peanuts. Peanut Stocks and Processing Report New!!! The Food Institute's 2009 Dried Fruits and Nuts Almanac is now available. This comprehensive look into the past five years of production and trends provides valuable insight about the dried fruit and nut industry. Composed of five years worth of USDA reports, Bureau of Census Import and Export data and IRI Supermarket Sales, this almanac will provide your business with a leg up on the competition. To purchase the book, click here.