Aryzta Buys US Bakeries For $1.08Bln

FOOD GROUP Aryzta enjoyed a near 8 per cent climb in its share price yesterday as it announced two new US-based acquisitions that will double its production capacity and expand its global footprint.
The company, which was formed following the IAWS takeover of Swiss baker Hiestand, bought Fresh Start Bakeries for $900 million and the pizza supplier Great Kitchens for $180 million.

Fresh Start operates 29 specialist production facilities across the US, Canada, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Spain, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand and has three joint ventures located in North America, Chile and Guatemala. It makes products not currently supplied by Aryzta, such as burger buns and ciabatta bread.
Great Kitchens is one of the leading pizza manufacturers in North America serving regional and national grocery chains and retail stores with premium quality pizzas and sandwiches.

Both businesses supply to the quick-service restaurant sector, with 70 per cent of sales in North America.
The combined revenue of the two businesses is €1.03 billion, with associated earnings before tax and write-offs of €133 million.
Aryzta, which counts Cuisine de France and La Brea bakery among its brands, raised its outlook for the full year, saying it expects underlying earnings per share to rise due to the new acquisitions.

Source
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/0609/1224272116763.html

Raisio 's To Launch Cholesterol Lowering Benecol Bread In Romania

Dobrogea Grup is a leading company in the milling and bakery industry  Romania. The company's product range includes flours and biscuits. In 09, Dobrogea Grup's net sales was EUR 60 million. 

With the launch of the cholesterol-lowering bread, Dobrogea and Benecol will open a new market for cholesterol-lowering foods in Romania. The Benecol bread launch follows the seminars held in the early winter for health care professionals in Romania. Consumer awareness of the new product will be raised by extensive media campaigns.

Romanian people are increasingly interested in and aware of healthy nutrition. So far, consumers have preferred traditional products and the meaning of nutritional content has been secondary in food choices, but people have shown a clear interest in, for example, additive- and preservative-free products. In the prevention of heart diseases, consumers are gradually starting to favour healthier lifestyle and nutritional ways to maintain good health.

The launch in Romania will increase the awareness and visibility of the Benecol brand in Eastern Europe. Raisio's strength is in the ability to adjust, together with its partners, to local inhabitants' purchasing behaviour and in launching Benecol products suitably applied to the markets in question. The Benecol bread on the Romanian market is a good example. Raisio will continue the preparation work with its local partners to launch new products on new markets.

source

www.flex-news-foods.com