The FAO Food Price Index dropped for the fourth month in a row in August reaching its lowest level since June 2012.
The index, which measures the monthly change in the international prices of a basket of food commodities, averaged 201.8 points in August 2013, nearly 4 points (1.9 percent) below its July value and 11 points (or 5.1 percent) less than in August 2012.
Barry_Callebaut-logoBarry Callebaut, the world’s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, today celebrated the inauguration of its new, joint cocoa processing facility in Makassar. For this, Barry Callebaut created a joint venture with P.T. Comextra Majora, a diversified soft commodities trader and a leading exporter of cocoa from Indonesia as well as a long-standing business partner of Barry Callebaut, as announced in November 2011. Barry Callebaut owns 60%, and P.T. Comextra Majora 40% of the joint venture company P.T. Barry Callebaut Comextra Indonesia.
The company has received the right to use the health claim: “cocoa flavanols help maintain the elasticity of blood vessels, which contributes to normal blood flow” — the first to do so in the cocoa and chocolate industry.
Barry Callebaut was able to provide evidence that the daily intake of 200 mg. of cocoa flavanols (provided by 2.5 g. ACTICOA cocoa powder or 10 g. ACTICOA dark chocolate) supports a healthy blood circulation by helping to maintain the elasticity of the blood vessels.
Grupo Bimbo inaugurated the first Ecologic Sales Center in Mexico City, which is to become the company´s new sustainable distribution model. Chairman and CEO Daniel Servitje reminded the history that links Mexico City with the Company, where it has its origin over 65 years ago and remains, to date, as one of its main operating and commercial distribution sites. Javier González Franco, President of Bimbo S.A., stated, «the new Ecologic Sales Center will meet the Company´s distribution needs in the downtown area of Mexico City with a new fleet moved by wind. The fleet is comprised by 73 electric vehicles with an engine technology developed, for the first time, by technicians from the bakery company». Servitje showed his satisfaction for closing the operations sustainable cycle, and henceforward, distribution.
A selection of Ferrero products have gained the prestigious Vegetarian Society Approved Trademark. Products approved include Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Surprise and Kinder Bueno.
Vanessa Brown, head of business and catering services, said: “We are very pleased to announce this news it’s great that an international group such as Ferrero is taking its vegetarian customers seriously. No other vegetarian trademark can give consumers such reassurance and inspire such trust.”
Nestlé has inaugurated a EUR 50 million extension to its Wagner frozen pizza factory in Germany.
The company’s investment in the factory in Nonnweiler, Otzenhausen, announced in 2011, has increased production of Wagner-branded products including Big Pizza, Piccolinis and Die Backfrische, while creating about 50 new jobs.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said U.S. sugar processors have forfeited about 85,000 tons of sugar held as collateral against about $35 million in government loans that matured Aug. 31.
At the Barclays Capital Back to School Consumer Conference today, executives of Mondelez International (NASDAQ: MDLZ) highlighted initiatives to redesign the company’s supply chain that are expected to deliver over the next three years $3 billion in gross productivity savings, $1.5 billion in net productivity and $1 billion in incremental cash. These savings will be the primary driver of an approximately 60-to-90 basis-point annual improvement in base operating income margin.
