TheMeatSite Newsletter - 28 November 2012

Welcome to this week's newsletter

Editorial: More Changes at VION Foods

Following the news that VION in the UK is to sell off all its meat processing and agricultural interests, VION Food Netherlands is to lose 105 staff in a shake-up of its personnel structure to improve efficiency and to reduce costs.

The company said that the move is necessary to reinforce the company's competitive position on the strongly contested food market.

The modifications are the result of the VION Food Group's new course, which was announced last week.

The intended organisational modifications relate to staff in general administrative positions.

UK supplier of pork products, Cranswick, has reported a six per cent rise in revenues for the six months ended 30 September 2012.

Revenues rose to £418.6 million from £393.9 million for the same period in 2011.

Underlying revenues increased by five per cent and pre-tax profit rose by 21 per cent to £22.5 million compared to £18.5 million in 2011.

In the US, meat and food procesing giant, ConAgra Foods, has acquired Ralcorp Holdings, the largest manufacturer of private label food in the US for $6.8 billion.

This transaction creates one of the largest packaged food companies in North America, with sales of approximately $18 billion annually and more than 36,000 employees.

It will also position ConAgra Foods as the largest private label packaged food business in North America, with combined private label sales of approximately $4.5 billion.

In Denmark, Danish Crown is to help pig producer suppliers with investment to build and alter old sow stalls.

The move will help to ensure the company's supply of pigs and will also secure jobs in Denmark.

Danish Crown said that it is harder to be pig producer in Denmark than in countries around us, because the political requirements for production are tighter than in many other countries.

This means that the production of finishers in recent years has been falling and there has been a lack of interest to invest in new housing - or renovate the old.

In Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has suspended the licence of Capital Packers in Edmonton, Alberta because of concerns over Listeria contamination.

The CFIA said that adequate controls for food safety are not being reliably implemented in the plant on a consistent basis.

The company that manufactures hams and sausages has also failed to correct deficiencies previously identified through CFIA inspections.

Chris Harris

This Week's Feature Articles

We have 5 new features this week:

Wastewater Treatment System Saves Turkey Processor Money and Protects Environment
A first-of-its-kind wastewater treatment system designed by an Ohio State University has been installed at turkey processing company, Whitewater Processing. This environmentally friendly system is saving the company millions of dollars.

Calm Cattle Have a Dark Side
The findings of a recent study conducted by Murdoch University researchers has challenged the long held belief of the beef industry that flighty cattle are at a higher risk of producing dark, firm and dry meat.

AVEC Annual Report 2012: Marketing Standards - Labelling of Poultrymeat
UN-ECE Standards, food information to consumers (including country-of-origin labelling) and the proposal for eco-labels on foods are among the topics on labelling addressed in the 2012 annual report from AVEC, the Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU Countries.

Food Production 29 Per Cent of GHG Emissions
Feeding the world releases up to 17,000 megatonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, according to analysis by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).

FAO Meat and Meat Products Market Summary
Global meat markets are challenged by high feed prices, stagnating consumption, and falling profitability, with growth in total output slowing down to two per cent, according to the FAO Outlook Report. With international prices close to record highs, growth in world trade is also decelerating.

Market Reports

» BPEX / AHDB Country Report - China
» UK Slaughter Statistics - November 2012
» USDA GAIN: Japan Dairy and Products Annual 2012
» USDA Livestock Slaughter - November 2012
» National Dairy Products Sales Report - 23 November 2012
» USDA International Meat Review - 23rd November 2012
» USDA Poultry Slaughter - 26 November 2012
» BPEX / AHDB Country Report - France
» USDA International Egg and Poultry: Colombia

Company News

New Layout for IFFA 2013
GERMANY – Major meat industry – IFFA - will have a new layout at the Frankfurt Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre from 4 to 9 May 2013.

Global Meat Industry News