Corporate Operations: Page 86
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Danone board ousts CEO, chairman amid pressure from activists
The immediate departure of Emmanuel Faber comes as critics question the yogurt and bottled water company's strategy and languishing share price.
By Christopher Doering • Updated March 15, 2021 -
Pepsi deploys customized voice-overs to balance personalization, reach in Zero Sugar push
The soda maker is targeting middle-aged men as beverages that eschew the popular sweetener play a bigger role in its growth strategy.
By Peter Adams • March 1, 2021 -
Trendline
Mergers and acquisitions
Declining sales and slowing consumption have more companies divesting brands, opening the door for smaller players and private equity firms to expand their portfolios.
By Food Dive staff -
Smucker to cut 80 jobs closing Virginia coffee plant in 2022
The closure was announced along with a liquid coffee business partnership with JDE Peet's.
By Megan Poinski • Updated March 25, 2021 -
Deep Dive
Let's make a deal: How Nestlé is using M&A and multibillion-dollar divestitures to shape its portfolio
With more than $30 billion in transactions since 2018, the world's largest food company is refocusing its offerings on faster-growing categories popular with consumers.
By Christopher Doering • March 1, 2021 -
Kraft Heinz pilots recycled plastic packaging as roofing material
If the post-consumer plastic boards being tested on two factories work well, the CPG company may someday be repairing its facilities with packaging from the products it makes.
By Megan Poinski • Feb. 26, 2021 -
Column
Leftovers: What would you do for a Klondike Cone? Cheez-It explodes into a new snack
The Unilever-owned ice cream treat adds two new portable formats, and dairy proteins are used to create a kid-targeted hydration drink.
By Food Dive staff • Feb. 26, 2021 -
Beyond Meat signs global partnerships with McDonald's and Yum Brands
The plant-based meat producer will be the "preferred supplier" for the patty in the planned McPlant sandwich, and is creating menu items for KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.
By Alicia Kelso • Feb. 26, 2021 -
PepsiCo launches line of cocktail mixers as drinking at home surges
The nonalcoholic Neon Zebra brand can be used in margaritas, mojitos and other beverages. The offering is the latest drink from the beverage giant targeting new consumption occasions.
By Christopher Doering • Feb. 26, 2021 -
Clif Bar plans to double its sales and positive environmental impact
The health bar brand is adding 50 new roles in analytics and innovation, while cutting approximately 125 others as it leans further into sustainability to stay relevant.
By Barbara Smith • Feb. 25, 2021 -
ChickP strikes partnership with Socius Ingredients as part of US product rollout
The 90% chickpea isolate, which is being targeted for use in dairy alternatives, baked products and gluten-free foods, has a dense nutritional profile and neutral flavor.
By Christopher Doering • Feb. 25, 2021 -
Smithfield Foods, Bumble Bee among companies joining Consumer Brands Association
Two years after rebranding and overhauling its priorities, the trade group has seen a 35% increase in its membership ranks.
By Megan Poinski • Updated March 16, 2022 -
CBA, beverage group among largest donors to campaigns and lobbyists, study finds
Nonprofit organization Feed the Truth said the top 20 food industry trade associations have contributed at least $33.7 million in political donations since 2007 and spent $303.2 million in lobbying since 2008.
By Christopher Doering • Updated Feb. 26, 2021 -
Agrifood companies drew at least $26.1B in investments in 2020, report finds
AgFunder, a venture capital fund, found that all of last year's investments in the space may be more than a third above those received in 2019.
By Megan Poinski • Feb. 24, 2021 -
How Unilever is turning sustainability into opportunity
The CPG giant is using upcycling, a big plant-based commitment and initiatives to curtail food waste to save money and the environment, says Hanneke Faber, the company's president of foods & refreshment.
By Megan Poinski • Feb. 24, 2021 -
Moët Hennessy buys 50% stake in Jay-Z's premium Champagne brand
The entertainer and businessman has been an owner of Armand de Brignac since 2006, which makes his ownership stake an "essential element of this alliance," the luxury brands powerhouse said. Financial details were not disclosed.
By Megan Poinski • Feb. 23, 2021 -
Mosa Meat raises $10M to scale cell-based meat
The investment closes the Dutch company's $85 million Series B round, which it says will help it scale up in order to bring slaughter-free hamburgers to European consumers in 2022.
By Megan Poinski • Feb. 23, 2021 -
Oatly files for IPO
The Swedish plant-based company's filing is confidential, so no information is available yet on its proposed valuation or share price.
By Megan Poinski • Feb. 23, 2021 -
Q&A
General Mills CMO shares outlook on purpose, e-commerce and data as pandemic boosts sales
Ivan Pollard dished on how the company is connecting the physical and digital worlds, while stepping up initiatives into social justice.
By Peter Adams • Feb. 22, 2021 -
Report: Frozen foods heat up as pandemic drives sales growth
Category sales hit $65.1 billion in the U.S. last year, according to figures from the American Frozen Food Institute and the Food Industry Association.
By Rosie Bradbury • Feb. 22, 2021 -
Coca-Cola nears deal to buy majority stake in BodyArmor that values brand at $8B, Bloomberg reports
The soda giant first invested in the premium performance and hydration beverage, which generates more than $1 billion in retail sales, in 2018.
By Christopher Doering • Updated Oct. 29, 2021 -
Danone acquires plant-based pioneer Follow Your Heart
The maker of market-leading dairy-free cheeses, Vegenaise and a powdered vegan egg substitute will help the French company reach its goal of $5.7 billion in segment sales by 2025. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
By Megan Poinski • Feb. 19, 2021 -
Column
Leftovers: The Laughing Cow debuts hybrid Blends; One Bar Fruity Cereal adds protein to a Saturday morning favorite
The new line is Bel Group's latest effort in products that include dairy and plants, and Jeni's takes its biggest savory step yet with a variety more suited to a deli than an ice cream parlor.
By Food Dive staff • Feb. 19, 2021 -
IFF reaches $1.3B agreement to sell microbial control business
The sale to Lanxess is the second major planned divestment since the ingredients giant merged with the former DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences division in February.
By Megan Poinski • Updated Aug. 26, 2021 -
Kalsec takes an all-natural approach to food trends
The family-owned producer of colors and ingredients has tapped into growing demand for plant-based and sustainable offerings.
By Christopher Doering • Feb. 18, 2021 -
Mondelez to invest in ventures tackling ESG issues
The company's CEO said the Sustainable Futures platform is its first foray into "impact investing" and gives the Oreo maker an opportunity to support environmental and social projects.
By Christopher Doering • Feb. 18, 2021