The ice cream market in west Europe is on the up, with volumes rising at a growing rate. Germany, Italy and the UK are the biggest markets. Combined, they account for over half of the total west European volume. Consumption per person is rising due to a wider variety of products on offer, and producers are attempting to make ice cream an everyday treat. Annual growth in west Europe is forecast to be around 2%, meaning total consumption is expected to top three billion litres by 2012. This is mainly lead by innovation in packaging, indulgence, consumption occasion, and innovative flavours and ingredients. The ice cream market is also buoyant in east Europe, with Russia, Ukraine and Poland being the largest markets in the region. Value is increasing rapidly, particularly in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The ice cream market size is forecast to grow by about 6% year on year to 2012, reaching 1.5 billion litres. North America bucks the trend somewhat with a recent overall decline in consumption of ice cream. Both the weather and concern over obesity have influenced consumption patterns. Zenith International forecasts suggest that the ice cream market will show some recovery in the next few years, with volumes rising year on year by around 0.3%, reaching 5.6 billion litres in 2012. The Middle East The ice cream market in the Middle East is small but expanding, with double-digit growth seen between 2005-2006 and 2006-2007. Turkey accounts for over half of the total volume. The ice cream market value is low in comparison to other dairy products in the Middle East, but it's rising along with volumes. Growth is expected in all countries of the Middle East, but is particularly strong in the UAE and Lebanon. The ice cream market is forecast to reach 328 million litres by 2012. Per person consumption follows a similar trend to overall volumes rising from 2.3 litres in 2008 to 2.8 litres in 2012. Ice cream products experienced strong growth in Asia and Australasia, with overall volumes for the region jumping 46% from four billion litres in 2003 to 5.9 billion litres in 2008. China accounts for the majority of volume, with South Korea and Japan showing strong growth. The market value of ice cream in 2007 was €34.5m, up by 9% since 2003, driven by China’s rising volumes (but reducing value per kilo). The growth of the ice cream market in Asia and Australasia is forecast to continue, but with annual growth reducing slowly. Total volumes are expected to reach over seven billion litres by 2012, mainly due to continued growth in China. Per person consumption is forecast to rise to 2.1 litres in 2012, and this increase is present in all countries apart from Australia, which sees a very small decline.

Oasys Water, a Yale University spin-off, is commercialising a technology it calls ‘engineered osmosis’ that uses waste heat from power plant smoke stacks to filter water. "The only real way to significantly reduce the cost is to eliminate the need for lots of electricity," said CEO, Aaron Mandell. Mandell estimates that it currently costs between 90¢ and $1 to turn one cubic metre (or 264 gallons) of sea water into potable drinking water. He says Oasys' technology can lower the cost to 35¢ to 50¢ for the same quantity. The current funding comes amid an active period for venture investment in the water purification sector. Companies that received money in the past six months include WaterHealth International , a producer of contaminated water treatment technology that raised $10m in January; NanoH20 , a developer of membrane materials for water purification, which raised $15m in September; and Quench , a distributor of water purification coolers that secured $26m funding in August. According to consulting firm Lux Research , spending on water treatment products and infrastructure is predicted to rise sharply, jumping from $522bn in 2007 to nearly $1tn by 2020. Researchers forecast that by 2030, the world will use 40% more water than today, and nearly half of the world's population will face severe water stress.

Headlined by enhanced beverages in bold, new packaging, the leading sports drink is continuing to deliver the scientifically proven hydration and performance benefits that built the brand. “Just like any good athlete, Gatorade is taking it to the next level,” said Sarah Robb O’Hagan, chief marketing officer for Gatorade. “Whether you’re in it for the win, for the thrill or for better health, if your body is moving, Gatorade sees you as an athlete, and we’re inviting you into the brand.” This new Gatorade attitude will be most visible through a total packaging redesign. For example, Gatorade Thirst Quencher will put the letter G front and centre along with the brand’s iconic bolt. For Gatorade, G represents the heart, hustle and soul of athleticism and will become a badge of pride for anyone who sweats, no matter where they’re active. To help differentiate the full range of Gatorade offerings from traditional Gatorade Thirst Quencher, each beverage will convey the attitude of a tough-love coach or personal trainer, through in-your-face names on the label and nutrition benefits inside. The updated beverages will begin rolling out to US stores later this year. Grocery stores will offer the updated beverages in a 32oz single bottle, 20oz eight-pack, and 12oz six-pack. Convenience stores will sell them in a 32oz and 20oz single bottle. Gatorade Tiger Focus will be available at grocery stores in a 32oz single bottle and 16.9oz eight-packs, and at convenience stores in a 32oz and 16.9oz single bottle.

Quality inspectors in Dongguan in the southern province of Guangdong found the latest contaminated biscuits after examining 13 batches of 4,800 boxes for export after neighboring Hong Kong, a "special administrative region" of China, and Singapore reported tainted samples, the China News Service said. Investigations showed the melamine in the biscuits came from milk powder, it added. Tian Wenhua, 66-year-old former general manager of the now bankrupt Sanlu Group, goes on trial on Wednesday along with three other senior executives of the company that was at the heart of the melamine scandal. "(Tian) may face a maximum penalty of death for producing and selling contaminated baby milk food, along with three of her senior managers at the Shijiazhuang Intermediate People's Court," the China Daily said on Wednesday. Source: Reuters

The footballer has stated that he has "nothing but good memories" of his association with Pepsi, enjoying a campaign that saw him star with many of the world's best footballers. "I've played a gladiator, a cowboy, a surfer, and worked alongside Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez as well as some of the biggest names in world football," he said. "I hope everyone who has seen the work enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed making it." A PepsiCo spokesman said: "Pepsi is proud to have worked with David Beckham for 10 years, during which time he has been among the most successful and inspiring international footballers of all time. Our partnership has been one of the most enduring in global brand history and David will always be part of our Pepsi family. "David's football legacy will live on and everyone at Pepsi will continue to be as passionate about his success as we have been over the last 10 years."

The application is called iFood Assistant and is available on the Apple App Store for 99 cents. It's billed as the first of its kind for a food or consumer packaged goods company. “People’s lives are becoming increasingly complex and they’re looking for relevant content and solutions to make their lives easier,” Ed Kaczmarek, director of innovation, new services at Kraft, said in a statement. More than 7,000 recipes can be found on the app. Once the recipe is chosen, iFoodAssistant creates an itemised shopping list, the ingredients can be viewed by which grocery isle they're located in, and can be deleted as they go in the shopping cart. The recipes and shopping lists can be shared with others. Another click locates the most convenient store and promotional offers if available. Video cooking demonstrations can be viewed or shortcuts located like the 'Dinner Tonight' and 'Recipe of the Day' sections. Kraft designed the application to include partners that provide relevant content or tools. The tools are “all different ways for people to save time or money or both", said Basil Maglaris, a spokesperson for Kraft Foods. “People are leading more wireless lives, so that’s the opportunity for us to provide food ideas, and more interactive experiences.” Source: World Dairy Diary

The deal is pending regulatory approval and subject to a right of negotiation granted to The Coca-Cola Company in 1999. Under this provision, TCCC has the right until March 2009 to negotiate with Cadbury regarding a potential acquisition of the Schweppes Australia business. TCCC was granted the provision after a takeover bid for Schweppes almost a decade ago failed to receive regulatory approval. “If TCCC makes an offer during this period, Cadbury will carefully consider such an offer, including the price and likelihood of receiving necessary regulatory and other consents,” they advised in a statement. “If Cadbury and TCCC do not enter into an agreement with respect to Schweppes Australia, then Cadbury will enter into a binding sale and purchase agreement with Asahi.” Asahi’s successful bid was announced on Christmas Eve and follows the completion of a strategic review announced in July 2008. “The successful sale of Schweppes Australia will complete Cadbury’s divestment of its beverage operations,” said Todd Stitzer, CEO of Cadbury. ”As a result, Cadbury will focus solely on growing its chocolate, gum and candy portfolio in line with the Vision Into Action strategy, announced in June 2007.” Schweppes Australia is the second-largest non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages business in Australia and its portfolio consists of owned and franchised brands, including Schweppes and Pepsi. It has about 1,500 employees. Source: AFN

The transaction is structured as a worldwide, perpetual licence of the Bertolli brand for olive oil, premium vinegar and olives. It includes related assets, such as a factory in Inveruno, Italy, as well as the sale of the Dante, Maya and San Giorgio olive oil and seed oil businesses. Unilever will retain the Bertolli brand for all other categories, including margarine, pasta sauces and frozen meals. The Bertolli brand remains a priority for Unilever, with strong growth plans for the future in Mediterranean food products.

The I-Foiler system offers state of the art touch-screen control, providing access to not only basic operator controls but also information screens, detailed fault warnings and diagnosis. The I-Foiler has been designed for wet and humid applications. Pillar Technologies’ Universal coil technology means that a single unit will seal diameters from 10 to 120mm. Coil change (where necessary) is a simple, tool-free operation thanks to a unique slot-in coil design (patent pending). The digitally controlled I-Foiler series enables easier integration into a filling line and offers operators immediate feedback and fault diagnosis in a choice of languages on the touch screen display or via a remote control panel.

Among its awards, Crown Speciality Packaging received the Gold award in the 'Sustainability' category for a decorative container developed for Nestlé Quality Street chocolates. Other awards include Silver for Marks & Spencer’s All Butter Shortbread package, Gold for the Cadbury Collection Egg, Silver for Tsarine Champagne’s 'Cuvée Blanc de Blanc Millesimé', and a 'Judges' Highly Commended' award for Crown’s embossed steel tin developed for Sainsbury’s shortbread. "Taking home this many awards in a single competition is truly an honour," said Chris Homfray, president of Crown Europe. "Helping our customers bring more sustainable and innovative packaging to the market has long been a key priority for Crown and will remain so in the coming years."

Substantial slumps in world dairy prices over recent months have been the main contributor to the WCB’s pessimistic outlook. Cheddar prices have fallen as much as 35-40%, with skimmed milk powder and butter at 40-45% and 35-40%. These changing commodity prices reflect a stark contrast to the record high commodity prices experienced throughout the 2008 financial year. WCB’s successful 2008 year was capped off with the announcement of a joint venture with National Foods in August, which will see the company taking a share in the Dairy Farmer acquisition. Neil Kearney, WCB CEO, believes that the diversifying of their business in 2009 will lead to increased stability in the volatile market: “Changes in world dairy prices will continue to impact our existing commodity business from year to year. However, the joint venture with National Foods and WCB’s other initiatives, such as Great Ocean Ingredients and WCB Japan, will increase the scale and diversity of our business. Together, these are likely to lead to a sustainable increase in WCB’s financial performance and decrease the historic volatility associated with our business.” WCB is also predicting a reduction in the milk prices paid to dairy farmers in the beginning of next year, as a response to falling commodity prices. Source: Australia Food News

Combining these resources with its own, Crystal Springs will expand its home and office bottled water delivery service further into the greater Atlanta area and additional Georgia communities, including a new branch in Calhoun, GA. "Crystal Springs is committed to providing outstanding customer service and the delivery of safe, quality, bottled drinking water, filtration systems and coffee services to additional Georgia communities," said Mike Williams, mid-south vice president and general manager. "With the acquisition of Blue Ridge Mountain Water, we'll be able to expand the reach of our bottled water delivery service and filtration service options, and ensure that we continue our rich history of superior water delivery service. We welcome these new members of our Crystal Springs family and look forward to earning their business." Crystal Springs offers its water delivery, filtration and coffee services to local homes and businesses, and also provides distribution of smaller bottles to local grocery stores and retail outlets. Source: Food Ingredients First