Market

Dutch food retail group Ahold Delhaize has reported unprecedented levels of demand in all countries where it operates along with double-digit sales revenues.

An essential item for everyday use, face masks now have their own protective holders. SAVEyourMASK® is a pocket solution developed by Faenza Group for safe storage of masks after use.

A growing list of African food & beverage companies are providing aid to the communities most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The number of online consumers in Italy has increased by 2 million since the beginning of 2020 to reach a total of 29 million, 1.3 million of whom, according to Netcomm’s estimates, are attributable to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Brazilian company Natura & Co, the world’s fourth largest beauty group listed on the Sao Paulo and New York Stock Exchanges, closed Q1 2020 with 1.9% growth in net revenue to R$7.5 billion (approximately €1.2 billion).

Special Packaging Solutions Investments, owned by private equity fund Investindustrial, has launched a voluntary partial tender offer at €6 per ordinary share to acquire up to 20% of the voting shares of Guala Closures, a world-leading Piedmontese aluminium beverage closures manufacturer listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.

Mumbai-based company Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has signed an agreement with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals to acquire its intimate hygiene brand VWash together with intellectual property rights including trademarks, design and know-how.

La multinazionale britannica DS Smith ha donato imballaggi in cartone all’azienda tessile Anzú che ha riorganizzato la propria attività per produrre mascherine.

Huhtamaki, a global leader in sustainable food packaging solutions, is expanding the production of its CE marked protective face shields for healthcare professionals and frontline workers in the UK.

Campari has entered into exclusive negotiations with the French holding company Sarl Ficoma, owned by Francis Tribaut, for the initial acquisition of an 80% stake followed in the medium term by ownership of the entire share capital of Sarl Champagne Lallier and other group companies.

According to the marketing agency DSM Group, sales of pharmaceuticals (€4 billion) and parapharmaceuticals (€987.5 million) grew by 25% in Russia in the first quarter of 2020.

Frozen food sales saw sharp growth in Italy during the lockdown.

Henkel has launched a comprehensive global solidarity programme to support employees, consumers and communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purina PetCare, the pet products business of Swiss food and beverage firm Nestlé, has acquired Lily’s Kitchen, one of the leading producers of wet and dry natural foods for dogs and cats in the UK.

Food delivery company Just Eat has announced that from May onwards it will use biodegradable and recyclable bags and boxes in Italy.

After five years of success, the Winelivery home delivery app for wines, beers and drinks, took the first steps towards stock exchange listing in January and has now surpassed all growth expectations.

Despite the difficult circumstances, some companies are seeing growth across all international markets.

Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis posted double-digit growth figures in the first quarter of 2020: net sales +11%, operating income +22% and net profit +13%.

Mars has responded to the global pandemic with a commitment to donate $20 million to support the communities in which it operates, including the most vulnerable people in its supply chains and pets.

Le Fondazioni Carlsberg, New Carlsberg e Tuborg hanno deciso di donare circa 13 milioni di euro per supportare la ricerca contro il Covid-19, oltre a iniziative di carattere sociale.