Jobs to Go at German Chocolate Giant Ritter
Alfred Ritter, the privately owned German chocolate maker behind Ritter Sport, announced it will cut roughly 70 positions at its Waldenbuch headquarters, representing about 3.7% of its head‑office workforce. The layoffs stem from volatile raw‑material prices, rising energy and packaging costs, and a slowdown in consumer spending. Despite a 15% revenue increase to €712 million ($832 million) in 2025, the company posted a loss, reversing a modest profit in 2024. Earlier, Ritter acquired the U.S. Chocolove brand to strengthen its foothold in the American market.
Lactalis Targets UK Demand for “Clean Protein” With Siggi’s Skyr Launch
Lactalis is introducing Siggi’s skyr to the UK with four SKUs – two 450 g pots (0% and 5% fat) and two 140 g two‑packs – priced at £3.25 (≈$4.40) for the larger pots and £2.50 for the multipacks. The brand touts...
Amy’s Kitchen Moves President to CEO Role
Amy’s Kitchen has promoted president Paul Schiefer to CEO, while co‑founder Andy Berliner shifts to executive chairman. Schiefer, a 20‑year veteran, led the company to its strongest gross‑margin performance in a decade and boosted profitability by 60% as president. The...
Jobs to Go as Simply Good Foods Tackles Costs
Simply Good Foods announced it will eliminate roughly 15% of its workforce to curb expenses and accelerate decision‑making. The Colorado‑based owner of Quest, Atkins and OWYN posted a Q2 loss of about $160 million, driven by impairment charges and a 9%...
Laird Superfood Buys US Peer Terrasoul
Laird Superfood used fresh private‑equity capital to acquire Texas‑based Terrasoul Superfoods, expanding its portfolio of nuts, seeds, and baking ingredients. The deal, funded by Nexus Capital Management, lifted the firm’s ownership to roughly 71.7% after an additional $60 million equity infusion,...
Mars Plans to Close Pet-Food Factory in Germany
Mars Pet Nutrition announced plans to shut its Minden, Germany dry‑pet‑food plant, affecting roughly 110 workers. Production would cease by late 2026, with output redirected to other European facilities. The closure comes as Mars rolls out a €1 bn ($1.18 bn) investment program...
Granarolo Chairman to Step Down From Italian Food Group
Granarolo’s long‑time chairman Gianpiero Calzolari is stepping down after 17 years, citing a generational handover at age 70. The board appointed Stanislao Giuseppe Fabbrino—former Fruttagel CEO and current Deco Industries executive—as the new chairman. In its 2025 results, the cooperative...
“This Is Quite a Big Day for Us” – Key Takeaways as ABF Splits Food From Primark
Associated British Foods announced a definitive split of its food businesses and Primark into two FTSE‑100 listed companies, targeting completion by the end of 2027. The new food entity, ABF FoodCo, will encompass grocery, sugar, ingredients and agriculture assets generating...
Danone to Invest in Skyr Production in France
Danone is investing roughly €20 million ($23.5 million) to expand skyr production at two Normandy facilities—Ferrières‑en‑Bray and Le Molay‑Littry. The Ferrières‑en‑Bray plant will add two new lines, boosting its daily output of 3.5 million pots, while Le Molay‑Littry will begin skyr production, including organic SKUs...
ABF to Split Food Assets From Retail Arm Primark
Associated British Foods (ABF) announced it will de‑merge its food operations from its fast‑fashion retailer Primark, creating two separately listed companies by the end of 2027. The food arm, FoodCo, generates about $13.2 billion in revenue and employs over 55,000 people,...
Spanish Confectioner Lacasa Buys Stake in Cocoa Processor KKO International
Spanish family‑owned confectioner Lacasa is buying a 22.3% stake in Côte d’Ivoire cocoa processor KKO International, investing just under €4.7 million ($5.5 million). The deal includes €2.2 million ($2.4 million) in cash and an offset of existing receivables, and creates a joint venture to...
Vion Sells Two More German Meat Plants
Vion Food Group announced the sale of its Waldkraiburg beef plant and Crailsheim pork‑and‑beef facility to Boeser Frischfleisch and OSI Europe Foodworks, respectively. The share‑deal transactions, still awaiting antitrust clearance, replace a previously blocked sale to Premium Food Group. The two sites together...
Supreme Shares Rally on Upbeat Trading Update
Supreme, the UK‑based FMCG group behind Sci‑Mx and Battle Bites, announced a trading update projecting a 15% revenue rise to £265 m ($358 m) and adjusted EBITDA of £40.6 m, both well above consensus. The outlook is bolstered by the recent £27 m ($36 m)...
Borealis Foods Gets Default Notice From Lender
Borealis Foods, the Canadian ramen‑noodle supplier listed on Nasdaq, received a default notice from its lender Frontwell Capital Partners after missing a March forbearance milestone. The company owes at least $16.1 million in principal, interest, fees and expenses under an amended...
Lactalis Warns of Dairy Price Increases Linked to Middle East Conflict
Lactalis reported 2025 revenue of €31.2 bn ($36.8 bn) and net income of €528 m ($623 m), lifting its profit margin to 1.7%. The French dairy giant warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict could force price increases as transport, energy and packaging costs...
Conagra Brands Invests in Mexico Plant
Conagra Brands is committing roughly $31.9 million (550 million pesos) to expand its Irapuato, Guanajuato plant in Mexico. The upgrade will add new production lines, emphasize advanced packaging technology, and streamline processes to lift output. The facility, which accounts for 94% of...
PepsiCo Builds “Positive” Momentum with FIFA World Cup Stimulus Envisaged
PepsiCo reported first‑quarter results that lifted its stock 2.3%, with the Foods North America unit posting 2% volume growth while the beverage segment slipped 2.5% after moving case‑packed water to a third‑party manufacturer. CEO Ramon Laguarta highlighted accelerating momentum from...
Scottish Retail Body Criticises SNP Proposal for Food-Price Caps
The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) has slammed the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) election‑time proposal to impose statutory price caps on 20‑50 essential food items at large supermarkets, calling it a gimmick. The SNP, led by John Swinney, argues caps will shield...
French Regulator Fines Organic Food Retail Groups for Price Collusion
France’s competition authority fined four organic retail groups a total of €12.7 m ($14.7 m) for orchestrating a price‑collusion scheme that kept organic brands separate between specialist stores and supermarkets. The regulator said the arrangement, lasting over seven years, forced members to...
Danish Crown Plans Meatball Factory Closure
Denmark’s leading meat cooperative Danish Crown announced plans to move its ready‑to‑eat meatball production from the Aalborg plant, located in a dense residential area of Copenhagen, to its Vejle facility in southern Jutland. The 140‑employee Aalborg site is slated for...
Nestlé Sells Majority Ankerkraut Stake to Family Owners
Nestlé is selling its majority stake in German spice and tea brand Ankerkraut back to founders Anne and Stefan Lemcke. The move is part of a broader portfolio simplification driven by CEO Philipp Navratil, who has been offloading non‑core assets such...
Iceland, Lidl Fall Foul of New UK ‘Junk Food’ Rules
UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld complaints that Iceland Foods and Lidl breached the country’s new junk‑food advertising rules. Both retailers ran promotions for high‑fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) products—Iceland via banner ads on the Daily Mail site and...
EU Commission Raids “Chocolate Confectionery” Company in Suspected Anti-Trust Breach
The European Commission carried out unannounced inspections at an unidentified chocolate confectionery firm in two EU member states, suspecting breaches of Articles 101 and 102 of the EU competition treaty. Investigators are probing possible cartels, market segmentation and abuse of a dominant...
Conagra Brands Incoming CEO on Knife Edge
Conagra Brands named former JM Smucker COO John Brase as its president and CEO, effective June 1, after Sean Connolly’s departure. The announcement triggered a 4.4% drop in the stock, adding to an 18% decline year‑to‑date and a 62% slide over five...
Spanish Bakery Major Monbake Buys Foodservice Supplier
Monbake Group, the Spanish frozen‑bakery leader, announced the acquisition of Triticum, a foodservice supplier that generated over €10 million ($11.8 million) in revenue last year. Triticum, which serves the hospitality sector from its Cabrera de Mar base, will continue operating independently under...
Winland Foods Invests in US Pasta Plant
Winland Foods is injecting $38.5 million to expand its St. Louis pasta plant, adding a new production line and rail‑car access. The upgrade will boost capacity and flexibility, allowing greater output of jumbo shells and other egg‑pasta products. The facility is slated...
Herdez Gives Control of Nestlé Mexico Ice-Cream Business to Froneri
Grupo Herdez will hand operational control of its Nestlé‑licensed ice‑cream portfolio in Mexico to Froneri, creating a 50‑50 joint venture. Froneri will inject capital and assume full operational authority, while Herdez receives no cash inflow and will reclassify its stake...
B&G Foods Strike Averted as New Contracts Agreed at US Plant
B&G Foods averted a strike at its Stoughton, Wisconsin plant after Teamsters Local 120 ratified a new three‑year contract. The agreement delivers a 19% wage increase, maintains robust health‑care benefits, and adds better vacation and workplace protections for the 59...
MBRF Expands Salic Meat Contract with Inclusion of Beef
Brazilian meat conglomerate MBRF, formed by the merger of Marfrig and BRF, has expanded its agreement with Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company (Salic) to include beef. The contract now doubles the maximum poultry volume to 600,000 metric tonnes annually...
Conagra Brands Appoints Former JM Smucker Exec John Brase as CEO
Conagra Brands announced that John Brase, former president and COO of JM Smucker, will assume the role of president and CEO on June 1, succeeding Sean Connolly. Brase brings more than 35 years of consumer‑goods experience, including senior positions at Procter & Gamble. The company...
Aksia’s Fornaio Del Casale Strikes Trio of Food Deals
Fornaio del Casale, now owned by private‑equity firm Aksìa, has completed three add‑on acquisitions—Castelfood, Figulì and Dolciaria Ponte Vecchio—creating the new Equipe Del Casale Group. The combined entity will generate roughly €85 million ($99 million) in revenue and is targeting 10% growth...
JBS Workers Reach Wage Agreement at US Beef Plant
JBS USA and UFCW Local 7 have signed a new collective bargaining agreement, ending the four‑week strike at the Greeley, Colorado beef‑packing plant. The contract runs through April 2028 and provides a $0.70 hourly base‑wage increase at ratification, followed by $0.40 hikes...
Simply Good Foods CEO Sets Out Stall to Fix “Executional Challenges”
Simply Good Foods CEO Joe Scalzo, back on the helm since January, outlined a turnaround plan aimed at fixing the executional challenges that drove a Q2 loss and a full‑year outlook cut. He pledged renewed investment across the portfolio, pricing...
Singapore’s Olam Group Reshuffles Executive Team
Singapore‑listed Olam Group announced a sweeping executive reshuffle at its April 27 AGM. Long‑time chairman Lim Ah Doo will step down after nine years, with deputy chairman Yap Chee Keong taking the chair, while co‑founder Sunny Verghese hands over the...
Fruit Group Capespan Names New CEO Amid Changes to Management
South Africa‑based fresh‑produce marketer Capespan has named long‑time commercial director André de Klerk as its new chief executive, effective immediately. He succeeds Charl du Bois, who stepped down after a tenure marked by strong growth. The reshuffle also sees CFO Jolanda van Heerden...
Questions Cloud Latest Danone Link to Mead Johnson
Danone has engaged Centerview Partners to assess a possible acquisition of Mead Johnson, the infant‑formula business Reckitt Benckiser labeled non‑core after buying it for roughly $17.9 bn in 2017. The move revives interest first reported in 2009 and follows a series...
CH Guenther & Son Buys Tortilla Maker Les Aliments Mejicano
CH Guenther & Son has acquired Canadian flour‑tortilla maker Les Aliments Mejicano, adding two Montreal production sites and about 80 employees, bringing its total workforce to roughly 5,500. The deal expands CHG’s manufacturing footprint and product range, including multigrain and...
Simply Good Foods Slashes Outlook, Slips to Second-Quarter Loss
Simply Good Foods announced a sharp downgrade of its fiscal 2026 outlook, projecting adjusted EBITDA 19%‑22% lower at $217‑$225 million and net sales down 7%‑10% to $1.31‑$1.35 billion. Gross margins are expected to shrink by 300‑350 basis points, and the company posted...
French Food Giant LDC to Beat Sales, Earnings Targets
French poultry and prepared‑foods group LDC reported full‑year revenue of €7.28 billion, a 15% increase year‑over‑year (about $8.5 billion) and a 7.6% rise on a like‑for‑like basis. The company’s fourth‑quarter sales jumped 12.5% to €1.98 billion ($2.31 billion), driven by strong poultry consumption, price...
Hispanic Foods Firm Teasdale Eases Debt “Burden” With New Owner
Teasdale Latin Foods, a leading Hispanic food supplier, has been acquired by a Knighthead Capital Management‑led group, eliminating roughly $300 million of debt and markedly improving its liquidity. The deal retains CEO Tim O’Connor and the existing management team while adding...
Nomad Foods Makes Exec Changes in Europe
Nomad Foods announced two new European presidents to boost commercial execution. Jon Fernandez de Barrena will lead Southern Europe operations covering France, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain. A yet‑to‑be‑named president will later oversee Central Europe, including the Nordic and DACH...
“We Need to Understand the ‘Why’” – Valio Innovation VP Talks Protein, GLP-1 and AI
Valio’s innovation chief, Dr. Kevin Deegan, says the dairy co‑op is riding a surge in protein demand while eyeing the emerging influence of GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs. The company splits its focus 65:35 between value‑added consumer goods and ingredient sales, leveraging...
Fortenova Marks Agriculture Sector Exit with Vinka Plus Sale
Croatia’s Fortenova Group has completed its exit from the agriculture sector by selling its fruit and vegetable business Vinka Plus to the Osatina Group. Vinka Plus, which operates the Borinci orchard and controls roughly 800 ha of state‑owned farmland, had shut its loss‑making...
South Africa’s RCL Foods Adds Martin and Martin to Pet Portfolio
South Africa’s RCL Foods agreed to acquire pet‑food maker Martin and Martin for roughly $42.3 million, expanding its portfolio beyond dry products into wet food and treats. The Cape Town‑based brand, which includes Husky, Pamper, Beeno and Bob Martin, reported $4.6 million...
Iran War: FAO Food Commodity Price Index Rises in March
The UN’s FAO Food Price Index climbed to 128.5 points in March, a 2.4% month‑on‑month rise marking a second consecutive increase. All five commodity groups – cereals, vegetable oils, meat, dairy and sugar – posted higher prices, led by a...
JBS Staff in US Agree to End Strike as Talks Set to Begin Again
Workers at JBS’s Greeley, Colorado beef plant ended a three‑week strike on April 7 as contract talks resume on April 9‑10. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union, after eight months of stalled negotiations, accused JBS of prioritizing profits, offering only...
Fortenova Accepts Takeover Bid for Croatia Meat Group Pik Vrbovec
Croatia’s Fortenova Group has accepted Bosqar Invest’s binding offer to acquire 100 % of meat producer Pik Vrbovec, completing another step in its post‑Agrokor divestiture programme. The deal follows Fortenova’s debt‑cutting campaign that reduced gross debt to €650 m and its recent...
LatAm Cuisine Firm El Latino Signs Private-Equity Deal
El Latino, a Doral‑based Latin American food producer, has partnered with private‑equity firm Apex Capital to accelerate its U.S. expansion. The deal brings Apex’s food‑industry expertise, derived from Grupo Mariposa, while keeping founder María Elena Ibañez as president. El Latino’s...
United Petfood Enters Canada
United Petfood has entered the Canadian market by acquiring the Jupiter dry‑pet‑food plant in Drummondville, Quebec, from the Legault Group. The facility, which began operations in 2023, features the latest production technology and offers room for further expansion. CEO Dries...
Sushi Suppliers Eat Happy, Hana Discuss Merger
Germany's Eat Happy Group and Hana Group's European sushi operations are negotiating a merger, backed by a strategic investment from One Rock Capital Partners. The combined entity would cover roughly 5,800 points of sale across 14 European countries, linking Hana's...