Industry Developments

Argentine brewer and soft drink producer Quilmes Industrial (Quinsa) has reported strong results for the first half of 2008. For the six months ending June 30 2008, Quinsa, which... 2008-08-20

Bavaria, the Colombian subsidiary of international brewing giant SABMiller, has announced that it is to sell its Agua Brisa bottled water business for US$92mn. The unit will be jointly... 2008-08-19

International retail giant Wal-Mart has announced that in 2009 it will make its biggest ever annual investment in Brazil. During a meeting with the President of Brazil, the CEO of... 2008-08-15

The CEO of consumer foods company Heinz has issued an upbeat trading forecast at the firm's Annual General Meeting. CEO William Johnson said that the firm was targeting a 6% increase... 2008-08-14

The threat of appropriation has risen for Venezuela's food producers after the country's President Hugo Chávez enacted a range of presidential decrees that consolidate state control... 2008-08-12

Canadian retailers Metro and Loblaw have reported weak sales but rising profits in their most recent financial periods. Montreal-based Metro reported a 3.7% increase in profits in... 2008-08-11

Mexico's FEMSA, the second largest Coca-Cola bottler in the world, has announced that it is to acquire SABMiller's Colombian bottled water business, Agua

North American brewer Molson Coors has announced that net profit for the first half of 2008 fell to US$118mn, from US$189.4mn for the same period in 2007. This decline came despite... 2008-08-06

Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo has announced a drop in profits for the second quarter despite a slight increase in sales. Net majority income fell by 18% y-o-y due to rises in the cost... 2008-08-05

Canada-based Maple Leaf Foods continues to be hit by rising commodity costs. The firm posted a net loss of CAD9.35mn (US$9.23mn) for the second quarter of 2008, compared with a loss... 2008-07-25