The Leading Source for Food Manufacturing News
ConAgra Acquires American Pie
June 30, 2010 5:32 am | News | CommentsOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — ConAgra Foods Inc. said Tuesday it completed its acquisition of American Pie LLC, a maker of desserts and frozen dinners under the Marie Callender's and Claim Jumper brand names. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. American Pie makes pies, fruit cobblers and pie crusts under license from Marie Callender's and Claim Jumper.
Chinese Honey Trade Tainted By Dirty Dealings
June 30, 2010 5:30 am | News | CommentsBEIJING (AP) — Businessman Yan Yongxiang was trying to get around stiff U.S. levies on imports of cheap Chinese honey. So he sent 15 shipping containers of cut-rate honey to the Philippines, where it was relabeled and sent on to the United States. It's called honey-laundering, and the subterfuge let Yan skirt $656,515 in taxes before he was caught in a bust and pleaded guilty.
Coors Light Hits Shelves In Russia
June 30, 2010 5:29 am | News | CommentsDENVER (AP) — Coors Light is now available in Russia, Molson Coors Brewing Co. announced Tuesday as it continues to take its flagship brand into new markets. The brand will be in grocery and convenience stores and some bars across the Moscow region in what is considered the world's fourth largest beer market by volume, the company said.
Report: Research Too Focused On Food Production
June 30, 2010 5:27 am | News | CommentsCHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — American farmers are producing more food than ever, but agricultural research is too focused on increasing production and needs to do better at considering consequences such as water and air pollution, according to a report issued Tuesday by a federal advisory group.
Ensuring Safety Of Gulf Coast Seafood
June 30, 2010 5:25 am | News | CommentsFederal and State Agencies Will Use a Joint Protocol for Reopening Closed Waters NEW ORLEANS (FDA) — Gulf State health and fisheries officials joined with senior leaders from several federal agencies to affirm a shared commitment to ensuring the safety of seafood coming out of the Gulf of Mexico, through closures of affected waters, surveillance, and with an eye toward reopening closed waters as soon as possible, consistent with public health goals.
Keeping Record Of What Counts In Job Training
June 29, 2010 5:20 am | by J. LeRoy Ward, PMP, PgMP, Executive Vice President, Product Strategy and Management, ESI International | Articles | Comments“Sounds good in theory, but my boss won’t let me do this.” “That’s nice, but I already know how to do it my own way.” “Why do I even go to these training sessions when this stuff obviously can’t be applied in my real job?” These sentiments reflect a complaint frequently heard of employees in many industries.
Officials May Change Rules For Cleaning Industrial Pipes
June 29, 2010 5:11 am | News | CommentsMIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) — The widow of a pipefitter who died with five colleagues in a Connecticut power plant blast urged federal officials Monday to tighten safety rules for cleaning industrial pipes. Jodi Thomas' plea to members of a congressional subcommittee came as its members and a separate federal safety board consider asking regulators to ban a procedure that uses explosive gas to clean pipes, a practice that led to deadly blasts in Connecticut and North Carolina.
Allens Plans Expansion
June 29, 2010 5:11 am | News | CommentsSILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas-based Allens Inc. has announced plans to expand its vegetable plants in Arkansas and New York and to buy a plant in Texas. The Siloam Springs company said in a news release it will spend $13.5 million to expand its sweet potato canning plant in Van Buren.
FDA Wants Limits On Antibiotics In Meat
June 29, 2010 5:10 am | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is urging meat producers to limit the amount of antibiotics they give animals in response to public health concerns about the drugs. The FDA said antibiotics in meat pose a "serious public health threat" because the drugs create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect humans who eat it.
Starbucks Expands Instant Coffee Line
June 29, 2010 5:10 am | News | CommentsSEATTLE (AP) — Starbucks Corp. is getting chilly with its Via instant coffee as it tries to capture more of the $23 billion global instant coffee market. The coffee giant announced Tuesday that it is adding iced coffee to the line it launched in the U.S. and Canada last fall. Starbucks said this is the company's first new addition to the line.
New Greeting Cards Have Flavors
June 29, 2010 5:09 am | News | CommentsCLEVELAND (AP) — Move over, greeting cards with sounds or smells. A new entry from an Ohio company plays to the sense of taste. American Greetings Corp. on Monday announced the launch of Tasties, a line of cards that come with dissolvable flavor strips meant to be eaten by the recipients.
Meat-Flavored Vodkas Gain Popularity
June 29, 2010 5:08 am | News | CommentsWASILLA, Alaska (AP) — Prepare your palate for carnivorous cocktails. The Alaska Distillery in Wasilla just recently launched its Smoked Salmon Flavored Vodka, about a year after the Seattle-based Black Rock Spirits introduced a bacon-flavored vodka. Both savory spirits were intended to complement Bloody Marys, but are finding wider uses among mixologists.
Kraft Sells Polish Cadbury Unit
June 28, 2010 5:13 am | News | CommentsNORTHFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Kraft Foods Inc. has agreed to sell a Polish candy business it acquired through its acquisition of Cadbury to Japanese conglomerate Lotte Group. The food maker did not disclose terms of the deal for Cadbury's E. Wedel business in a news release Monday. The company, based in Northfield, Ill.
States Relax Rules On Homemade Food
June 28, 2010 5:13 am | News | CommentsMILWAUKEE (AP) — At Wisconsin farmers markets, vendors no longer need licenses to sell pickles, jams and other canned foods, while small farmers in Maine can sell slaughtered chickens without worrying about inspections. Federal and state laws require that most food sold to the public be made in licensed facilities open to government inspectors.
Kellogg Recalls 4 Cereals
June 28, 2010 5:12 am | News | CommentsBATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) — Kellogg Co. is voluntarily recalling about 28 million boxes of Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops and Honey Smacks cereals because an unusual smell and flavor from the packages' liners could make people ill, the company said Friday. Kellogg said about 20 people complained about the cereals, including five who reported nausea and vomiting.
SABMiller Helps Farmers In Sudan
June 28, 2010 5:11 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Brewer SABMiller PLC has won nearly $1 million to develop a beer brewed with cassava and to source the root plant locally to help small-scale farmers in Sudan. The brewer, known for brands such as Miller Lite and Grolsch, said in a news release Friday the money comes from the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund.
Russia Lifts Ban On U.S. Chicken
June 28, 2010 5:11 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Russia's decision to lift its ban on U.S. chicken imports will help the U.S. industry and could bolster prices and profit margins, analysts say. THE OPINION: Russia was the second largest importer of U.S. chicken in 2009 — just behind China at $752.5 million in imports but that tumbled sharply after the ban was enacted last winter.
Oil Spill May Have Limited Economic Impact
June 28, 2010 5:10 am | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The BP oil spill has hammered the fishing and tourism industries along the Gulf of Mexico. But it appears the economic damage to the rest of the United States will be limited. Analysts say the spill will reduce economic growth by only about one-half of 1 percentage point this quarter, and even less during the second half of the year.
What Makes A Modular Conveyor?
June 28, 2010 4:32 am | Articles | CommentsType into any Internet search engine the term “modular conveyor” and you will see a long list of manufactures that label their conveyors as modular. Using a simple definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary for modular, “constructed with standardized units or dimensions for flexibility and variety in use,” it would appear that all conveyors are modular in design.
