News for the baking industry
Tel Aviv / IL. (jp) According to «Jerusalem Post», the Israeli Knesset Economic Affairs Committee ordered bakeries to temporarily begin producing price controlled bread and called upon the government to form a special committee to investigate and settle the matter of government controlled bread prices.
Austin / TX. (ssc) Sandwich chain Schlotzsky´s Ltd. – subsidiary of Atlanta based franchisor Focus Brands Inc. – wants to open ten locations in the Nashville area within the next five years. The Nashville expansion is part of a national growth strategy that calls for opening 50 restaurants per year, according to a release.
Harare / ZW. (wib) It´s reported that over 1.300 shop owners and business managers have been arrested in a bizarre attempt by Robert Mugabe´s regime to enforce price controls in the country. State media reports say most of those arrested have been fined, while 33 company executives picked up Friday appeared in court Monday.
New York City / NY. (wib) Subway is the first large restaurant chain to list calories on its New York restaurant menu boards as required by a new law, announces a press release. In addition to Subway – 27.836 restaurants in 86 countries – the pretzel chain Auntie Anne´s Inc. is complying with the regulation and Johnny Rockets Group Inc. and Arby’s LLC have submitted sample menu boards to the city, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) says.
London / UK. (pf) Premier Foods PLC reported that it was selling off its frozen foods business as it revealed that comparative sales during the first six months of the year are expected to dip, hit by competition for bread and rising wheat prices. The company is understood to already in talks with parties about buying its frozen foods group, acquired with the 1,2 billion GBP purchase of RHM PLC in December 2006 («Hovis», «Mr. Kipling», «Bisto» …), which generates annual sales of 50 million GBP.
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.
Harare / ZW. (wib) Police arrested 16 more business leaders in a crackdown on those suspected of violating the government´s order to slash prices by 50 percent, the official media reported this days. The mandated price cuts are a desperate attempt to confront inflation that has spun out of control during Zimbabwe´s economic crisis.
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.
Dublin / OH. (wii) Wendy´s International Inc. announced preliminary same-store sales for the second quarter, which ended on July 01. Average same-store sales at U.S. company restaurants increased 0,7 percent for the period, while average same-store sales at U.S. franchise restaurants increased 0,4 percent.
London / UK. (wib) Sandwich chain Pret a Manger Limited plans to appoint bankers this autumn for a 500 to 700 million GBP initial public offering (IPO), The British Sunday Express reports citing an unnamed source. The paper added that Pret advisor NM Rothschild has told private equity firms that the chain could also be sold.
