News for the baking industry
Bagsvaerd / DK. (nz) Novozymes acquires Biocon´s enzyme business for an agreed purchase price equivalent to 551 million DKK. Novozymes thereby strengthens its position in India. Biocon is one of India´s leading biotechnology companies, specialising in biopharmaceuticals, contract research, clinical research and enzymes.
Oak Brook / IL. (mdc) McDonald´s Corporation announced that global comparable sales rose 8,4 percent in June and 7,4 percent in the second quarter. Systemwide sales for McDonald´s restaurants worldwide increased 12,5 percent for the month (9,7 percent in constant currencies) and 11,4 percent for the quarter (8,6 percent in constant currencies).
Zurich / CH. (bc) Barry Callebaut, the world´s leading manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate products, will enter the fast-growing Indian chocolate market by opening a sales office in Mumbai in September. The company will also inaugurate a new Chocolate Academy in India´s largest city in December, where Indian confectioners can enhance their chocolate skills through courses and practical workshops.
Madrid / ES. (ep) Ebro Puleva has reached an agreement to buy the German company Birkel Teigwaren GmbH, leader of the pasta sector in the country. The transaction is subject to approval by the German antitrust authorities.
Vienna / AT. (lli) In the financial year 2006/2007 ending on September 30, Austrian Leipnik-Lundenburger Invest Beteiligungs AG (LLI) will register new record sales totalling 775 million Euro. About one sixth of the sales are generated in Austria and five sixths abroad.
Kecskemet / HU. (wib) Fornetti Frozen Bakers Products and Trading Ltd. opened its first exhibition bakery in Bulgaria last week and added four additional stores since then. The company also plans to complete the construction of a new plant in Ukraine in 18 months. According to «Portfolio.hu» (citing «Napi Gazdaság») the plant will have a monthly capacity of 600 tons. Works on Fornetti’s second Ukrainian production base already started, founder and owner Jozsef Palasti told the newspaper(s).
Paris / FR. (wib) What will Danone do with all the money the french group would earn by selling its cake and cookie business to Kraft Foods Inc. – we asked us last week. This week we know:
Amsterdam / NL. (csm) CSM announces to further concentrate its production in the US. The production of the Lancaster (NY) based facility of subsidiary H.C. Brill Company will be transferred to other CSM Bakery Supplies North America facilities in a phased schedule in order to ensure uninterrupted supply and service to all customers.
Copenhagen / DK. (das) Danisco A/S has signed an agreement for the acquisition of the shares in Innovative Ingredients in Cape Town, South Africa. Innovative Ingredients is a bakery enzymes formulator, currently providing services to the South African bakery industry at an advanced technological level.
Miami / FL. (bkc / wib) Burger King Corporation announced that the company has begun the rollout of a trans fat free cooking oil to its restaurants in the United States. Two trans fat free oil blends have passed the company´s rigorous operational, supply and consumer criteria, allowing the company to begin the national rollout.
