Industry Developments

On November 18 Belgian brewing giant InBev sealed the takeover of US-based Anheuser-Busch for US$52bn to create the world's largest brewer. The enlarged company will now be known... 2008-11-19

Brazil's second largest dairy producer LAEP Investments has reported an 11% rise in revenues in the third quarter to reach BRL339mn (US$146mn). However, the firm posted a net loss... 2008-11-18

US consumer goods giant Sara Lee is facing a credibility crisis after lowering its earnings outlook and performing a series of U-turns on its share buyback programme. On top of this,... 2008-11-17

Jamaican brewer Desnoes & Geddes (D&G), the producer of Red Stripe beer, has reported a massive drop in domestic volume sales for the first quarter of its financial year,... 2008-11-14

AmBev, the Latin American arm of brewing giant InBev, has reported organic sales growth of 10.1% in the three months to the end of September. Over the period volume sales increased... 2008-11-13

Brazil's largest grocery retailer, Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição (CBD), has reported a big increase in profits and sales for the third quarter of 2008. In the three months... 2008-11-12

Canada-based organic food producer SunOpta has reported a 37% increase in sales for the first 9 months of 2008, to reach CAD810mn (US$690mn). This increase was driven by the acquisition... 2008-11-10

Private equity firm Green Equity Investors has agreed to buy a 17% stake in US natural and organic food retailer Whole Foods Market for US$425mn. The investment is a much-need vote... 2008-11-06

Senator Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential election looks like it could have a significant impact on the food industry in both the US and the rest of the world. The President... 2008-11-05

Chilean beverage firm Compañía Cervecerías Unidas (CCU) has reported that its total volume sales in the third quarter of 2008 were up by 11.4% compared to the same period a year... 2008-11-04