Germany: Trends of snack market development

Sales volume of snacks in Germany grew by 3% and reached 396.6 m, according to the data of the company ACNielsen for the first quarter of 2007.

Potato crisps sales increased by 2.7% and reached 84 m. Euro, sales of nuts went up by 4.8% and made up 58 m. Euro. Bread crisps sales increased by 12.5% and made up 39 m. Euro.

(Lebensmittel Zeitung, 06.07.07)

Sweden: Price growth by 2.1%

The food and soft drinks prices in the Swedish market by 2.1% grew within the period from January, 2006 to January, 2007.

In particular, prices for the following food products grew: vegetables +9.9%, fresh and canned fish +6.2%, coffee, tea +2.0%, meat +2.0%, ice-cream and confectionery +1.5%, butter and fat products +1.4%, flour and grains +1.3%.

At the same time, the fruits prices decreased by 0.5%

(Fri Kupenskap, No 7, 2007)

France: Consumer behavior of population under the age of 20

According to a research carried out by TNS Media Intelligence, 67% of French population aged from 8 to 19 pay attention to composition of used products to ensure that foods are «healthy».

Thus, French young people began to use more of naturally organic food, the use of snacks decreases gradually.

Sweden: Growth of prices for food products

Prices for food products and soft drinks in Sweden grew by 1.7% within the period from December, 2005 to December, 2006.

In particular, grew prices for the following food products: fish + 6.6%, vegetables + 5.3%, meat + 1.8%, coffee, tea and cocoa + 1.4%, fruits + 1.2%, oils and fats + 1%, grain and bread +0.9%, ice-cream and confectionery +0.9%, milk, cheese and eggs +0.3%.

Denmark: Dry breakfasts are estimated

The system of food estimation will be introduced in shops of Denmark within the coming three months.

At the same time, it is expected that quite a small number of marketed dry breakfasts will pass such a test. Thus, 13 of 16 marketed Kellogg dry breakfasts will be given the characteristic «eat less» in connection with high sugar content. The same situation arises with respect to Nestle Fitness and Coop’s Special dry breakfasts, whereas products of the both companies were positioned as «healthy» food with low calories content.

Sweden: Growth of the foods’ prices by 2%

In the period from November of the year 2005 up to the year 2006 the prices of the foods and of the soft drinks in Sweden grown in average by 2%.

So, the prices of the vegetables grown by 7,3%, of the fresh and preserved fish — by 3,9%, of the coffee, tea and cacao — by 1,8%, of the meat — by 1,8%, of the ice-cream and confectionary — by 0,5%, of the milk, cheese and eggs — by 0,4%, of the mineral water and juices — by 0,4%.

World prices for wheat and corn broke the record for the decade

Prices for cereals, n particular, for wheat and corn, broke in 2006 the record for the decade. Such data is contained in the research carried out by FAO.

As a result of that, agricultural products import in monetary terms may break in 2006 once more the absolute record of 374 billion dollars, which is larger by 2 per cent than the same in the previous year.

it was pointed out in FAO release that this will take place to the larger extent owing to increase of prices for goods, and not production growth. High prices may result in future in decrease of volume of the world trade in agricultural products.

The wheat crop decreased in 2006 by 33 million metric tons or 5.3 per cent as compared with the previous year.

It was communicated earlier that dry and hot weather resulted in failure of wheat crops in Russia, Ukraine, the USA and especially in Australia where some farmers lost up to 0 per cent of crops.

Great Britain: Eat Natural manufactures a new product

Eat Natural, a British manufacturer of snack products, launches on the market a new product jointly with Virgin, a British airline.

The new product named Mile High will be marketed in December, 2006 and until appearance in shops will be available at Virgin airplanes only. The idea consists in presentation of the product to a wide circle of consumers. The product contains healthy components, among which are walnuts, seeds, cranberries.

Germany: Changes in food products consumption

According to a research carried out by ZMP figures, meat consumption per one family within the period from 1995 to 2005 decreased by 23.7 % or 8.7 kg.

At the same time, vegetables consumption increased from 72.7 kg up to 86.6 kg, and the same for fruits increased from 92.2 kg up to 113.2 kg. Macaroni consumption increased from 5 kg up to 6.8 kg.

Great Britain: The company Ryvita is bringing on the market the sweet bread chips

The company Ryvita is bringing on the market Muesli Crunch — the bread chips in whose composition there enter the seeds of sunflower, pumpkin and currants. The brown sugar and the honey make this product sweet.

Germany: Company Bahisen will produce the snacks Crispini

Once more the company Bahisen is trying to attract new groups of consumers.

This time the company wants to produce in February of the next year the snack product Crispini, after the unsuccessful attempt of five years ago, when on the market there was being brought the biscuit Cielo. It is supposed that within five years the Crispini will enter in the number of 15 the most popular sweet snacks.

Sweden: The growing popularity of the muesli which does not contain sugar

The muesli, which does not contain sugar, is becoming more and more popular in Sweden.

Since the year 2003 the consumption of this product has grown by 50 %, while the consumption of the muesli, which contains sugar, has grown only by 20 %

Finland: Company Myllyn Paras produces dark Raketti Spagetti

Finnish company Myllyn Paras has put new dark Raketti Spagetti pasta on the market in Finland. The spaghetti is colored with Indian saffron and contain a lot of fibers.

Europe: Macaroni production

Europe is the leader in production of different kinds of macaroni, producing 53% of all macaroni of the world. 21% is made in Northern America, 19% — in Central and Southern America, 5% — in Africa and 2% — in Asia.

Only Italy produces more than 3 million tons of macaroni per year.

France: Liebig expands its territory

The French company Liebig will be represented in all the segments of soups. Till recently the brand was represented only in the segment of liquid soups, but now it is penetrating also into the segment of deprived-of-water soups. The company is also preparing itself to bring in the market an assortment of cooled soups.

Great Britain: New products drive rice and noodle sales

The popularity of the rice and noodle steadfastly growing between the British consumers, which taste with pleasure various ethnic dishes, containing these products. In particular, the sales of the rice, which is to be cooked in microwave oven, have grown during the last year by 25% and have reached GBP 61 million (US$ 115.21 million, EUR 89.91 million) — such is their part of GBP 182.3 million of the whole rice market. At the same time, accordingly to the questionings, only 7% of consumers bought the branded rice during the last half-year.

Sri-Lanka: There will grow the tea export in Iran, Russia, CIS

According to the forecasts of some sources in Sri-Lanka, the export of the top tea leaves in Iran will grow considerably after a comparative stabilization of the situation in this country. Russia and the CIS countries also will be able to increase the tea import from Sri-Lanka by 13% — from 75 million kg up to 85 million kg. There is expected a great demand for packed tea with added value.

Russia: Production of tea, coffee grew in the first quarter

According to the data presented by Federal Statistics Agency (Rosstat), in January-March of 2006 in Russia were produced 29.4 thousand tons of pre-packed natural tea, what is by 11.9% more than for the analog period of 2005. In the first quarter of 2006 in the country there were produced 7.666 thousand tons of natural coffee. In comparison with the January-March of the last year the coffee manufacturing grew by 28.3%.

Russia: Harvest of rice will be not less than in 2005

The experts think that the introduction of a constant duty on rice import, equal to 70 Euro for a ton, instead of the previous one (10% of the declared customs cost) produces a favorable effect on the development of this branch. The rice harvest in this year is expected to be not less than in 2005. The sowing areas under this crop, in accordance with the forecast of IKAR, will increase by 8–10%.

The increase of the duty did not provoke any sharp raise of the rice consumption process: during nine months of the current agricultural year (September 2005 — May 2006) the rice, if compared with the analog period of the past season, became dearer by 4%, what is considerably lower than the rate of inflation. The grow of the producers' prices during the indicated period was equal to 8%, what contributed to increase the financial stability of the rice processing enterprises.

Latvia: Changes in Latfood

Latfood — the most important producer of potato chips in Latvia — finished the year 2005 with the profit equal to Ls 2.629 million (US$4.83 million, EURO 3.78 million) thanks to the sales in the amount of Ls 7.197 million. After the fire in 2005 there was built the new fabric in the beginning of 2006; its output capacity is by 20% greater than that of the precedent one, and the investment in this new fabric were EURO 7.2 million.

Italy: Andros put on the market the fruit snacks

These packaged fruit snacks contain only 85 calories. On the market are presented 4 tastes: apples, apples and apricot, apples and honey, apples and strawberries.

Great Britain: Quaker presented cold cereals assortment

Quaker, well known for its porridges, presented an assortment of 4 versions of cold porridge.

This product is intended for people who are not fond of porridge, but wish to obtain all useful substances of oatmeal, which helps to reduce the cholesterol level.

Denmark: Women are the main stimulants of selling “light” products

According to the forecasts of Danish Institute, the market of light products and products with low fat content will be doubled within the next 5 years.

It will be possible to see that clearly in the potato chips market where the Kims chips with fat content below 35% is the Danish market leader. The company displayed steady growth in at the level of 44% in money terms. Now the company intends to market a new brand of chips with low fat content. According to the Nutrition Institute data, women will be the main consumers of products with low fat content and light products.

Great Britain: The market of dry breakfasts grew by 2.8%

According to the research data, the market of dry breakfasts in Great Britain grew by 2.8% — up to US$2.11 billion.

The porridge market was the leader of growth in the market showing 35% owing to the fact that consumers appreciated usefulness of that product, as wall as selling dry breakfasts in a more convenient format.

Tyrrells Marketed a new product — de luxe snacks

Tyrrells, a chips producer, will present potato chips with the flavor of strawberries, sweet chilly with white wine on the occasion of the Saint Valentine day.

Those chips will be positioned in the market as de luxe snacks. The company has also presented in the market chips of red beets, parsnip and apples.

Germany: Consumer replace potatoes with pasta and rice

Popularity of potatoes in Germany declines: during the year consumption per capita decreased from 66.5 kg to 0.3 kg.

Consumption of potatoes decreases for several years at a run, consumer prefer pasta and rice to an increasing extent.

Italy: Sales saltu snacks grow

Italy is among five European countries with the highest snacks consumption level. The snacks consumption grew by 11.4% in 2005.

Germany: Birkel stakes on a new product

Birkel, a German producer, intends to enlarge the range of special and bio products within the next year.

This product is manufactured of flat noodles and vegetable sauce; among ingredients of noodles are natural dietetic fibers, such products will be integrated in the Be Balanced nutrition program. Since the spring of 2005 Birkel offers also noodles in aluminum packaging preserving taste and aroma. In the end of 2006 bio macaroni will appear also.

Germany: Vaasan & Vaasan will sell frozen bread products

Director of Vaasan & Vaasan stated that the company looks for a partner for marketing frozen bread products in Germany.

Ready for use bread products (semi-finished products) will not be sold under the Vaasan brand.

According to the research data of ACNielsen, Vaasan & Vaasan occupies 68% of the crisps market in Germany and 6.5% of the entire the crisps market. In the autumn of 2005 the company changed design of Finn Crisp packaging to attract young consumers.

Great Britain: Batchelors marketed new glass jar for the Cup a Soup brand

Costs of advertising of the new packaging will amount to $8.81 million. It will be used for such tastes as chicken, golden vegetables and tomatoes. Batchelors added also such version as Mild Mexican chilly and smoked bacon 98% fat-free for SuperNoodles products.