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

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Scratch cooking vs convenience food: is the easy option making a comeback?

Greencore Group has announced that it is posting "strong" growth, driven by its convenience foods business. This performance suggests that there is still money to be made from offering convenience meal solutions, at a time when consumers have been switching to the relatively economic "scratch cooking" approach as a recession-beating maneuver. Time may well turn out to be more valuable than money.

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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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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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New food review: novel packaging proves divisive

The use of compartmentalized packaging to divide separate components is gaining popularity in the food industry, as a means of both capturing the attention of consumers and providing convenience benefits. Two such examples appear in this month's rundown of the latest innovations, one a divided jar containing meat and cheese preserved in oil, and another a "snacker" pack of hummus and crackers.

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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: eggs continue to break the mold

Taking the hassle out of buying and using eggs is a continuing theme for food producers, as demonstrated by this month's roundup of novel product launches in the food industry. Liquid egg white in a resealable carton and a bright yellow "unbreakable" egg box are the latest innovations, with both products highlighting the importance of customer convenience, and providing differentiation on shelf.

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New food review: eggs and milk step up their ethical positioning

This month's look at product innovation in the food industry notes that ethical claims are becoming more influential in the dairy market, as consumers pay more attention to the welfare issues associated with the production of eggs and milk. In other news, unusual savory flavor blends are being favored for snack products, while chilled soup is looking to boost its value as a freshly cooked meal.

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