Russia: Auchan plans to open small convenience stores in Moscow
According to RBC Daily, supermarket chain Auchan is looking to open a number of convenience stores in Moscow as it aims to expand its presence in the Russian capital. It is likely that the 100 square metre stores will be developed with franchise partners and as such will be the smallest franchises operated by Auchan […]
UK: Unilever H1 sales hampered by slowdown in food and emerging markets
Unilever has unveiled its H1 financial results, revealing that its overall sales have been impacted by slow growth in its food businesses and in emerging economies, as well as declining prices in developed economies. The multinational posted total sales for the first half of 2014 of €24.1bn ($32.5bn), with underlying sales growth beneath analyst estimates […]
France: Old Spice brand set for debut
P&G is planning to debut its Old Spice brand in France, Cosmetics Design Europe and Cosmetics Business report. Focusing primarily on deodorants, the company is intending to retain the tongue-in-cheek marketing for which the Old Spice brand is renowned in the USA. Marketing will feature the “Smell like a man, man” slogan and POS materials […]
Switzerland: Sidel launches “innovative” PET beer bottle
Sidel, a Swiss company specialising in PET packing, is looking to shake up alcoholic drinks packaging with the world’s first-ever PET beer bottle that utilizes a ‘champagne’ base more traditionally found on glass beer bottles The bottle, which supports a crown cap, gives the appearance of glass, but with the advantages of PET. It weighs […]
France: Charal enters frozen meals market
Charal, France’s leading producer of processed and unprocessed meat products, has entered the frozen ready meals market with the launch of four beef products based on classic dishes. According to LSA, in response to consumer concerns about traceability, emphasis will be placed on the origin of the beef used. The frozen meals market in France […]
UK: Aldi to invest £600 million in new stores and operations
Discount retailer Aldi is planning to invest £600 million ($1.02 billion) in its UK operations, European Supermarket Magazine reports, as the company seeks to expand its presence in the country. According to a report from The Daily Mail, Aldi will open 60 new stores next year. In addition, it will refit a number of existing […]
Germany: Dr. Oetker rumoured to be in talks to acquire Coppenrath & Wiese
Dr. Oetker is the frontrunner in the race to acquire the bakery manufacturer Coppenrath & Wiese, according to a source quoted by Lebensmittel Praxis. The German Food, Beverages and Catering Union (NGG) is reported as saying that Dr. Oetker has begun talks, with no other potential buyers currently involved, although the deal is not yet […]
France: Remy Cointreau sales suffer from decline in cognac
Remy Cointreau, the French maker of luxury cognacs and other alcoholic drinks, has revealed a drop in organic growth of 5.7% for the first quarter of 2014, impacted by falling sales of its core cognac products. The group noted that it was continuing its destocking process in China, where it has been hurt by falling […]
France: Danone acquires a 40% interest in Brookside
Danone has announced an agreement with Brookside Dairy Ltd., the leading East African dairy products company, to acquire a 40% interest in Brookside’s holding company. Brookside was established in Kenya in 1993 and runs a distribution platform providing daily access to over 200,000 outlets. The company manages the largest milk collection network in East Africa, […]
Innovation Insight: Ametller Mediterranean Yoghurt with Olive Oil
The growing influence of Mediterranean diets in the world of product innovation is brought into focus with the launch of Ametller Mediterranean Yoghurt with Olive Oil, a line which is new on the market in Spain. This week, Gama once again turns the spotlight on the yoghurt category and, in particular, the influence of the […]