When Disney wanted to bring the lead characters of Ratatouille, its latest Oscar winning DVD release, to life it approached The Cheese Company’s Taw Valley Creamery, part of the UK based Milk Link Group. Taw Valley supplied 300lbs of quality Cheddar for some very special sculptures of the film’s main characters, Remy and Linguini, as a different and exciting way of engaging its audience and launching the DVD into the UK. The Cheddar was carved by American cheese carving artist Troy Landwehr. Troy requested high quality, low acidity Cheddar that had been matured for at least six months – Taw Valley’s Cheddar fitted the bill making it the perfect ‘canvas’ to start from. The launch campaign reached large audiences seeing Troy demonstrate his carving techniques at ASDA supermarkets, sculpting on TV shows Loose Women and Richard and Judy and conducting a special training session for Rick Peters and Rachel Dixon from the Guardian Newspaper. The Cheese Company Senior Brand Manager Rebecca Miah commented: “This was such an unusual and exciting project for us to get involved in, it really brought the characters to life and coupled the versatility of our cheese with the creativity of Disney – perhaps this will encourage people to try cheese with their Ratatouille!”

Company vice president Damon Hill has long been associated with the motor and power sports industries. A few years ago, while working on various projects with US-based teams and athletes, it came to his attention that the unique performance requirements of these athletes had been overlooked by other sports drink manufacturers. “We researched what was on the market and quickly determined that most products had been formulated for action sports or sports in general, and didn't offer anything more than basic hydration to the athlete. Nothing had been developed for the niche requirements of the motor sport and power sport athletes,” said Hill. Professional athletes constantly function in extreme and dangerous conditions compared to most other sports. In developing this product, the goal was to create a formulation that would enhance the athletes’ mental acuity, sensory control, system management and hydration – crucial to ensure the highest level of athletic performance. “When you're competing in demanding conditions, sometimes at speeds of more than 200 miles an hour, it’s important that your system is balanced and your reactions are sharp. We believe that Sportsdrink+ delivers such an advantage,” added Hill. Packaging performance “When we first looked at bottles, everything we saw had panels and ribs which wouldn't integrate well with a full-body sleeve label," said Hill. "The bottles didn’t look aerodynamic, sleek and fast – all of the attributes you associate with performance. We were developing a product that would help these professionals achieve their highest output, yet the bottles just didn’t project the image we wanted. That is, until we came across the Amcor bottle.” Amcor’s PowerFlex bottle features a revolutionary patented panel-less design that takes hot-fill (185° degrees F) bottle options to a new level. Amcor’s structural design not only eliminates the panels, but unlike competitive containers, PowerFlex has a large, completely smooth label panel – free of any kind of ribbing. Hill selected one of two stock PowerFlex™ bottles: a16.9oz dome-shouldered design with a 38mm finish. (The other stock option is a 16oz long-neck bottle.) This enabled the company to launch quickly without incurring any additional tooling costs. “Where our graphics were concerned, we wanted something technical yet stylish," said Hill. "Because a lot of highly technical sporting equipment is made from materials such as carbon fibre and titanium, we decided to incorporate that look onto our label. The look needed to mirror the technology that's in the bottle."

*Recent research confirms that boosting intakes of amino acids can help people to avoid the problems of muscle wasting, known as sarcopenia, as they get older. * Sarcopenia is the age-related, degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and function. This loss of mass reduces the performance of the muscle. With the growing number of elderly people, sarcopenia is becoming a pressing health issue in the developed world. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and perform a variety of crucial functions in the body. Our improved understanding of the role played by amino acids in nutrition has led to their increased use in the food industry. Much of the focus has been on the benefits of amino acids in sports nutrition, where they have been found to enhance performance and reduce the time taken to recover from vigorous exercise. Today, however, nutritionists are recognising the considerable potential of amino acids for other groups and in other foods. Muscle loss occurs in people of all fitness levels, even master athletes. People who have less muscle mass to begin with, however, will pay a higher price as they grow older. Women in particular face increased risks from lost muscle mass. As muscle mass decreases, muscle strength decreases and loss of physical function follows. As a consequence, the ability to do everyday activities, such as grocery shopping and taking walks, declines. According to a national survey in the UK, 12% of those older than 65 couldn't manage to walk outside on their own, and 9% couldn't climb the stairs unaided. The consequences If no action is taken to reduce sarcopenia, people experience about a 10% decline in muscle mass between the ages of 25 and 50, and a further 45% shrinkage by their eighth decade. For example, the biceps muscle of a newborn baby has around 500,000 fibres, while that of an 80-year-old will have just 300,000 fibres. The UK's National Statistics Office recently projected that the population will increase by 4.4 million by 2016, and will continue to grow, reaching 71 million by 2031. Like most other countries, the UK has an ageing population. The population of people aged 50 and over is projected to increase to 27 million by 2031, a rise of 37%. While sarcopenia cannot be halted completely, there are steps that can be taken to slow its onset, making it possible for people to remain active well into their 80s. Specifically, maintenance of muscle protein can be stimulated by increased amino acid availability.

A new beer pack – a registered model by PET Engineering – combines technical performance and design, bringing to fruition the experience built up by the Italian company. The bottle is characterized by an original design presenting a concave bottom and asymmetric shape, a highly evolved technical solution considering the technical requirements demanded by the type of product, first of all the internal pressure. Special attention was devoted to the bottom’s shape, designed to deliver a stable container but also good resistance to the high internal pressure. Together with the high technical performance, the container special feature is a novel design, combining the concave bottom, already launched by PET Engineering in the Baltika3 project, with the ergonomic grip, a large label area, the possibility to personalise the bottle with a raised pattern and the exclusive asymmetric shape.

Pom-Bear achieved an impressive growth in terms of value (13.5% vs 5.3% total category), for its single packs and multipacks. Of particular significance, Pom-Bear grew by 36% in the impulse channel, also well ahead of the category (6.4%). In terms of flavours in the total category, the well-established variants such as Original and Cheese are still growing, and Prawn Cocktail, which is among the 10 fastest growing flavours and the latest to be added to the Pom-Bear range, is also a strong performer (accounting for 2.9% of the total category value sales). Marketing support 2007 saw considerable marketing investment behind Pom-Bear, with a substantial TV and on-pack promotion, and this will increase in 2008 with a record marketing spend on the brand. This will include a burst of national TV advertising planned throughout February and March, on kids’ satellite channels and a heavyweight on-pack promotion to get the year off to a great start.

US dairy exports for 2007 was worth over $3 billion (£1.5 billion), equal to more than 2 billion pounds in dairy products shipped out of the country. Char Heer of the Midwest Dairy Association stated:"Because of some climate changes throughout the world and decrease in agriculture production in developing countries there is an increased demand for US dairy products." Heer said the large increase in exports was driven by strong demand and that other countries are importing from the US because they want high quality dairy products. She continued to explain that the market depends on dairy products. Mexico for instance is one of the major exports for cheese. Japan is one of the major markets for whey protein. Nonfat milk or dry milk powder is one of the major markets or products that is exported to Asia. So it really depends on the type of product and the country because everyone has a specific item that really want to have. According to statistics, Mexico is the number one export market for the United States.

*At a joint Nestlé-UN Global Compact event in New York, Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé, presented the company's first Creating Shared Value report, including new figures on the impact of its business activities on the environment and society across the world. * In 2007, Nestlé reduced its direct greenhouse gas emissions by 16% compared to 10 years ago, and its overall water withdrawal by 28%, while at the same time increasing the total volume of goods produced by 76%. That same year, Nestlé invested over CHF 100 million in environment-related industrial improvements, as well as around CHF 170 million in new production facilities in Brazil, Pakistan and China. The company also continued to provide free technical assistance to over 600,000 farmers in the developing world, including CHF 30 million in micro-credits. Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé, said: "Creating Shared Value means thinking long-term, while at the same time delivering strong annual results. One of the fundamental Nestlé Corporate Business Principles is that we will not sacrifice long-term development for short-term gain. "This enables us to deliver the Nestlé model – 5-6% organic growth together with an EBIT margin improvement in constant currencies – year after year, while at the same time improving our environmental and social performance, thereby having a positive impact on millions of people across the world." Detailed figures The report, which was reviewed for accuracy by Bureau Veritas, is an integral part of Nestlé's business reporting. It contains a number of detailed figures which have become available as a result of the continued development of GLOBE, Nestlé's worldwide management information system, and are now made public for the first time. Indeed, GLOBE will supply increasing amounts of information about Nestlé over the coming years, allowing the company to provide progressively more quantitative information about its activities in local communities everywhere. The full text of the report in English, French, German and Spanish, as well as supporting video material, is available at <<1>.">www.nestle.com/csv]<1>. <1>: http://www.nestle.com/csv

*As SoBe Lizards dance their way onto billboards across country, straight from their much buzzed about Super Bowl debut, the SoBe Lizards are bringing their Thrillicious message to the world's largest outdoor stage – New York's Times Square. * The SoBe Lizards – whose moves to the groove of 'Thriller' helped make SoBe Life Water's Super Bowl ad a fan favorite and sparked an online frenzy – will make their presence felt in a larger-than-life way on video walls starting 19 March and on a huge billboard at the highly trafficked intersection of New York City's 7th Avenue and 47th Street later in the month. Over the next few weeks, the rhythmic reptiles will slither their way across Manhattan and the nation, spreading the SoBe Life Water Thrillicious movement from coast to coast through billboard displays. "With Thrillicious, SoBe Life Water brings glamour to the water business. The SoBe Lizards have become true ambassadors to the hipness of water and are creating a pop culture event around the category for the first time," said Arnell Group CEO Peter Arnell who masterminded bringing to life the SoBe Lizards as dancing and rebellious, yet irresistible creatures. A basic element of the SoBe logo, the Lizards quickly have become pop culture personalities – and the true face and image of the brand. Created and designed by Arnell, the billboards further the in-your-face coolness of both the characters and the beverages. One of the SoBe Lizards features a bejeweled mouth grill with the word 'SoBe' embedded in the billboard image. A lifestyle unto itself PepsiCo Americas Beverages CEO Massimo d'Amore commented, "SoBe Life Water is not only an enhanced water; it is a lifestyle unto itself. We are providing consumers the healthiest, most fun and refreshing products, delivering the incredibly positive benefits of hydration and unmatched brand experiences. This billboard blitz will enable consumers to experience on a street level the uniqueness of SoBe, the SoBe Lizards and the overall Thrillicious movement from New York to Los Angeles – no matter where they work or live." The billboards will continue the momentum and appeal of SoBe Life Water, the SoBe Lizards and Thrillicious. The Super Bowl spot featuring the song `Thriller' and starring supermodel Naomi Campbell along with the dancing SoBe Lizards was viewed online an astounding five million times in just two weeks. The YouTube community made Thrillicious its most viewed Super Bowl spot, with more than one million views alone. The overall Thrillicious movement comes as SoBe Life Water has reformulated five delicious, low-calorie flavours – blackberry grape, pomegranate cherry, orange tangerine, strawberry kiwi and passionfruit citrus – each infused with a unique mix of antioxidant vitamins C and E, essential B vitamins and healthy herbal ingredients.

*The recent groundswell of US state activity surrounding the issue of rbST (recombinant bovine growth hormone) and labelling claims continues, as legislators in Kansas, Vermont and now Missouri are considering bills that would severely restrict the types of labels dairy processors can use. * In addition, the governors of Ohio and Utah have proposed new labeling regulations. The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) opposes these efforts and has urged the Governors of Ohio and Utah and members of the Kansas Senate to protect the consumer's right to make purchasing decisions based on truthful and not-misleading product labels. Processors and, until recently, most states, have followed the uniform labelling guidance regarding rbST that was issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1994. The new regulations proposed by these states and a growing number of others would deny consumers the right to receive – and dairy processors the right to provide – information about whether the products contain milk from cows not treated with rbST. And because the details of the proposals vary from state to state, they could result in a patchwork of regulations that would place a heavy burden on interstate suppliers. "Most dairy processors market across state lines," said IDFA President and CEO Connie Tipton in her letter to Ohio Governor Ted Strickland. "Requiring those companies to change labels for dairy products on a state by state basis will unnecessarily add costs to dairy products." Tipton made a similar appeal to Utah Governor Jon Huntsman, adding that the state's proposal could lead to less milk being consumed, fewer dairy farmers and a decline in economic activity in the state. In both letters, Tipton urges the governors to reject new regulations in favour of the existing FDA guidance on rbST absence claims.

The partnership between Next Proteins and Rite Aid means that the Designer Whey product range will be on the shelves of more than 1,500 Rite Aid stores. Next Protein CEO David Jenkins commented: "With Rite Aid as our partner, Designer Whey protein products will reach people across the country, enabling them to embrace a more health conscious lifestyle." The protein company's website are offering free samples and provides more information on the products as well as ideas for diet plans, meals and recipes. Current flavours on offer are: orange mango, pomegranate, chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.

The Financial Times reported earlier today that Premier Foods, the UK baker of Hovis bread, plans to cut its dividend in half as it tries to repair some of the damage from losses, which analysts estimate as close to £20m. Premier paid total dividends of 12p per share in 2006, and last year paid an interim dividend of 4.3p. When Premier Foods bought RHM for £1.2bn more than a year ago, chief executive Robert Schofield said the deal was about "big brands". He added: "The prospects of what we can do with that brand are enormous." Yet, last year, sales of the brown bread fell 11% as it lost market share to Warburtons (Britain's biggest bread brand) and Kingsmill. The decline was blamed on having to increase bread prices more quickly than rivals because of rising UK wheat prices. Wheat accounts for nearly a third of Hovis's raw material costs, which analysts at Credit Suisse estimate at nearly £1bn. Rising price of wheat Premier, like other food producers, has been hit hard by dramatic jumps in wheat prices, creating concerns that margins will be squeezed, making it more difficult for the company to service its debts. The price was fairly stable until last summer, but then it doubled from £100 a tonne to £200 within a few months. This has meant that the retail price of a loaf of bread has increased by about 15p.

*Net sales by US beverage maker Hansen Natural Corp jumped 63% to $246.6 million in the last quarter of 2007, driven by continued strong growth of the company’s Monster Energy line. * Hansen’s earnings for the quarter more than doubled to $45.1 million, or $0.45 per share. Net sales for the full year rose 49.3% to $904.5 million, with earnings up 52.5% to $149.4 million, or $1.51 per share. However, Hansen’s results were impacted by higher raw material costs. The company’s gross profit margin in Q4 declined to 51%, from 53.1% in the last quarter of 2006, while its margin over the full 12 months of 2007 was 51.7%, down from 52.3% in 2006. Hansen also incurred contract termination costs of $15.3 million as it switched distribution to the Anheuser-Busch system last year, while a further $9.8 million was paid out to independent assessors who investigated Hansen’s granting of stock options to executives. Rodney Sacks, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hansen, said in a formal statement that the company’s record revenues reflected continued strong sales of Monster Energy drinks, as well as the Java Monster line of non-carbonated, dairy-based coffee drinks (introduced in April 2007) and Monster M-80 energy juice (introduced in March 2007). Sacks said: “We're excited by the launch in December 2007 of the five new Java Monster line extensions, as well as the launch of our new Monster Heavy Metal (introduced in November 2007) and Monster MIXXD (introduced in December 2007). We are extremely pleased by the reception, both from the trade and consumers to our new line extensions. “The energy category continues to show strong growth, and the Monster Energy brand continues to grow in excess of the overall category growth.”