Market

The world dairy industry, one of the hardest hit sectors during the current health emergency, is taking the necessary steps to be able to continue its activities while complying with the protocols issued in the various countries.

In response to panic buying sparked by the coronavirus, British food manufacturers are boosting production.

"Gel del buon auspicio": this is the name that the cosmetics manufacturer Davines gave to the 110,000 pieces of sanitizing hand cleaner donated for the Covid-19 emergency.

The general manager of MG2 is chairman-designate of the technical committee responsible for drafting European standards on packaging machinery safety.

Barilla is preparing to make a €130 million investment in Russia for the construction of a new production site and the first durum wheat mill in Eastern Europe.

JBS USA, the American subsidiary of Brazilian meat giant JBS SA, has acquired Empire Packing for US $238 million.

Japanese group Suntory Beverage & Food has invested €15.6 million (£13 million) to install a new line at the Lucozade Ribena Suntory site in Coleford, UK, which produces beverages tailored to the UK market, including the Lucozade Energy, Lucozade Sport and Ribena brands.

The Fonte Regina Staro mineral water plant in Valli del Pasubio has reopened after a five-year period of closure.

Following the takeover of Forno d’Asolo in 2018, Bc Partners has acquired another leading Italian confectionery group, Bindi.

Ferrero International, the parent company of the Ferrero confectionery group, approved the consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 August 2019 with a turnover of €11.4 billion (+6.2% compared to the previous year).

Meta Abo Brewery, the Ethiopian subsidiary of Diageo (UK), has invested US $14 million in the expansion of its Malta Guinness non-alcoholic malt drink production and bottling plant in the town of Sebeta.

Ilpra, an SME operating in the packaging sector with a wide range of machines and technological solutions for the packaging of food, cosmetics and medical products, has acquired the business unit of Unimec S.r.l., a company 100% controlled by Ilpra Group S.r.l., which in turn is owned by the current majority shareholders of Ilpra Spa.

In 2019, Mondelēz International posted a turnover of $25.8 billion (+4.1% on the previous year) and a net profit of $3.87 billion.

Coca-Cola is preparing for yet another investment. This time it has set its sights on France, where the multinational (The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola European Partners) will invest 1.1 billion euros over the next 5 years.

With sales of 100 million bottles, 10% turnover growth and an export share up 25%, Sorgente Valcimoliana (the Cimolais, Pordenone-based water bottling company that owns the Acqua Dolomia brand) met all its targets in the 2019 financial year.

British packaging company DS Smith has opened a new state-of-the-art corrugated packaging manufacturing plant in Lebanon, Indiana (USA).

Nestlé has announced plans to invest $700 million in the modernisation of its 17 factories in Mexico.

A tripartite agreement was signed recently between the governor of the Samarkand region, the US company GMFR Global Group and the Chinese holding company Beijing Huiyuan for the development of industrial projects in Uzbekistan.

 

The VéGé Group, one of the largest Italian players in the modern distribution sector, is promoting an interesting initiative to fight food waste through a partnership with Last Minute Sotto Casa (Lmsc). 

Following the acquisition by CVC Capital Partners, announced in July 2019 and completed on 2 January this year, Bosch Packaging Technology has changed its name to Syntegon while maintaining its headquarters at Waiblingen, Germany and its status as an independent company.