Corporate: Page 2

Dive Awards

Deal of the Year: Conagra acquires Pinnacle

The $10.9 billion purchase of Pinnacle Foods by the Chicago CPG giant brings Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Birds Eye and Duncan Hines under one roof.

By Christopher Doering • Dec. 03, 2018

Dive Awards

Disruptor of the Year: Constellation Brands

The alcohol giant's $3.9 billion investment in cannabis producer Canopy Growth has sparked a wave of marijuana innovation by U.S. beer brands, and could give it a first-mover advantage in the budding category. 

By Emma Liem • Dec. 03, 2018

Has Sanderson Farms changed course by phasing out some antibiotics?

The Mississippi-based company, the third-largest poultry producer in the U.S., will discontinue the use of two medically important pharmaceuticals by March 1.

By Cathy Siegner • Dec. 03, 2018

Produce problems: Do fresh divisions drag on CPG companies?

According to the New York Post, Campbell Soup is having a hard time selling Bolthouse Farms — a report the New Jersey company strongly denies.

By Cathy Siegner • Dec. 03, 2018

Maxwell House's labor-focused campaign drives purchase intent, ad awareness, analysis finds

Since the campaign launched around Labor Day, ad awareness for the coffee brand increased from 12% to 18%, and purchase consideration increased from 17% to 22%.

By Erica Sweeney • Nov. 30, 2018

As Big Food sheds brands, smaller firms look for opportunities

Even though the average multiple for food-and-drink deals is the highest since 2007, M&A can be found if the purchaser is willing to invest the time and money to rebuild.

By Cathy Siegner • Nov. 30, 2018

Kraft Heinz buys paleo brand Primal Kitchen for $200M

Although the brand will be under the CPG giant's incubator for "disruptive" foods, the company will retain its California headquarters and continue to operate autonomously.

By Jessi Devenyns • Nov. 30, 2018

Could a new competitor hurt Nutella's sales?

Italy’s Barilla, best known for its pasta and sauces, is launching a chocolate spread next year in a direct attempt to compete with the international favorite.

By Nina Sparling

Column

Leftovers: Sour, sweet, cereal?

Sour Patch Kids is becoming a cereal, one lucky fan may be grateful for Cherry Garcia ice cream sales and Oreo launches a powdered drink mix for that just-dipped-cookies-in-it taste.

By Food Dive staff

Land O'Lakes and Tate & Lyle collaborate on sustainably sourced corn

The project assists farmers with the latest technology to better target and measure how well their environmental stewardship efforts are doing on the ground.

By Cathy Siegner • Nov. 29, 2018

Brazi Bites gets new big cheese: Former Justin's president

As growth of the the Brazilian snack bread brand skyrockets, will former nut butter company president Mike Guanella be priming the company for a sale?

By Jessi Devenyns • Nov. 29, 2018

Gimmie disruption: Chobani brings fun and creativity to new kids' yogurt line

The company hopes clever names and cartoon characters will help the yogurt powerhouse energize the category for children, an area its chief marketing officer called underserved and underpenetrated.

By Christopher Doering • Nov. 29, 2018

4 benefits of food and grocery consolidation

The food and grocery industries have been active with mergers and acquisitions in the last several years. What are some of the benefits to these deals? Food Dive and Grocery Dive have taken a close look and determined four major benefits of industry consolidation.

By Food Dive and Grocery Dive staff

Smucker's earnings miss expectations despite pet food sales boost

The acquisition of Ainsworth Pet Nutrition buoyed a 5% sales increase for the manufacturer of spreads and coffee, but the company lacked the revenue that would have come from its recently sold baking brands.

By Lillianna Byington • Nov. 28, 2018

Campbell Soup reaches deal with Third Point, ending proxy fight

The soup and snacks maker will add two of the hedge fund's nominees to its board and give the activist the opportunity to provide input as the CPG giant searches for a new CEO.

By Christopher Doering • Nov. 27, 2018

Oreo unwraps playable turntable that spins cookies, not vinyl

Available on Amazon, the holiday gift lets users record messages and skip a song each time a bite is taken out of the snackable disc.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 26, 2018

Beyond Meat's future has ties to a successful tea maker

Seth Goldman founded organic tea maker Honest two decades ago. Today, he has an executive role at the maker of plant-based products and notes the many similarities between the two companies.

By Christopher Doering • Nov. 26, 2018

Hormel beats income expectations boosted by increases in refrigerated foods

The company reported net income of $261.4 million — or 48 cents per share — in the fourth quarter, up from $218.2 million last year.

By Lillianna Byington • Nov. 20, 2018

Tofurky moves to the center of the Thanksgiving feast

Many saw the product as a joke when it was first introduced in 1995, but it's sold 5 million roasts — and is on track to continue its success as more consumers embrace plant-based diets.

By Cathy Siegner • Nov. 20, 2018

Campbell Soup Q1 profit slides as key shareholder vote looms

The company, which is engaged in a bitter proxy fight with hedge fund Third Point, said soup sales fell 6% during the quarter but are showing signs of improving.

By Christopher Doering • Nov. 20, 2018

Report: TreeHouse looks to sell its trail mix business

Sources told The New York Post the private label manufacturer could get significantly less than the $860 million it paid to buy Flagstone Foods in 2014.

By Lillianna Byington • Nov. 19, 2018

Schwan's sells 80% of company to South Korean firm for $1.8B

After 66 years, one of the largest privately held companies in America sold a majority share to an international buyer, hoping for expansion. 

By Jessi Devenyns • Nov. 19, 2018

Just in time for Thanksgiving: Ground turkey recall linked to salmonella outbreak

Jennie-O has recalled about 147,276 pounds of ground turkey linked to a salmonella outbreak that has so far resulted in 164 illnesses, 63 hospitalizations and one death.

By Cathy Siegner • Nov. 19, 2018