General Mills: healthy outlook

General Mills [GIS] has enjoyed an upbeat final quarter. Despite struggling to come to terms with its belated entry into the low-carb segment, the company will be looking to continue growth in the new fiscal year. If it focuses on the overall health benefits of its products, without getting too sidetracked by low-carb products, it may be able to do just that.

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Let's get small: food & beverage makers shrink pack sizes to fight obesity

Packaged food and beverage makers are saying "let's get small" to steal a phrase from a long ago stand-up comedy routine from Steve Martin. According to Productscan Online, they are fighting the war on obesity by shrinking package and serving sizes. In addition, fast-growth in single-person households and the rise of on-the-go consumption is helping stoke demand for portioned packaging.

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PepsiCo/Danone: a storm in a yogurt pot

Rumors of a bid by PepsiCo for Danone sent the French dairy firm's shares soaring, but led to an outcry among French politicians worried about the loss of a 'national champion'. PepsiCo's insistence that no offer was planned suggests these fears were exaggerated this time round. However, the row will likely deter foreign suitors from bidding for Danone in future.

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Yum Brands: silencing the fast food critics?

Yum Brands has recorded its largest quarterly profit rise in a year on the back of strong growth in China. Although it plans to strengthen its presence in emerging markets, the increasingly tarnished image of fast food means Yum will have to adopt a careful strategy if it is to continue growing at such a strong pace.

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New food review: Asian products gallop ahead

Some unusual foods have emerged from Asia recently, with Productscan Online reporting on the launch of a baby food made with horsemeat in Japan, and a savory snack consisting of a fish presented on a stick in China. Both products perhaps reveal a more open-minded approach to eating unusual foodstuffs in the Far East than in the English-speaking world...

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US and Europe mealtime occasions: consumers start the day on an empty stomach

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Culture of eating out signs death of the home meal

Some 5.2 billion more breakfasts, lunches, evening meals and snacks in Britain will be consumed outside the home in 2010 compared with 2005, according to a new report by market analyst Datamonitor. Matthew Adams, Consumer Markets analyst and author of the report, explains how consumers now expect more than just convenience when eating out-of-home...

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New food review: manufacturers get more dairy-ing

Manufacturers appear to be experimenting with cheese to increase its appeal among modern consumers, with Productscan noting a number of new cheese based products that differ from regular varieties. These include a cottage cheese containing prebiotic fiber, a pizza with a cheese, not flour, base, and an unusual pizza flavored cheese spread. Saying yes to cheese has therefore just got easier

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New food review: foods gain cooling appeal

This month's rundown of food innovations finds that manufacturers are responding to consumers' needs with greener packaging that has ease of use benefits. This includes the launch of a snack product with easy to recycle packaging, and an easy open salad bag. Meanwhile, cooling products appear to be the new thing in confectionery, with ice cream candy and cool sensation cookies coming to market.

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New food review: sweet and savory flavors head in new directions

This month's rundown of global new food launches sees sweet and savory flavors appearing in an increasing number of unexpected and unprecedented product categories. Products from savory sprinkles to double cheese ice cream and charcoal cheesecake show how manufacturers are turning to unconventional, even counterintuitive, combinations to add an extra sensory edge to their product offerings.

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