Latest news with #JustFood
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Mondelez sues Aldi over packaging design claims
Mondelez International is suing the Germany-headquartered discount food retailer Aldi over its packaging designs on snacks that it alleges mimic its own. The US-based snacks and confectionery giant filed the lawsuit at a court in Illinois on Tuesday (27 May), seeking damages and a permanent injunction to block Aldi from using the packaging. Mondelez said in its complaint that Aldi's private-label product packaging "blatantly copies and trades upon the valuable reputation and goodwill Mondelez has developed in its longstanding, highly distinctive, and well-known trade dress for numerous of its cookie and cracker snack products". Aldi declined to comment on the proceedings and claims when contacted by Just Food. Mondelez maintains that the designs are "likely to deceive and confuseconsumers and dilute the distinctive quality of Mondelez's unique product packaging, and if not stopped, threaten to irreparably harm Mondelēz and its valuable brands". It said it had previously contacted Aldi "on numerous occasions" about "confusingly similar packaging" and that Aldi had discontinued the "infringing products in response to Mondelez's objections". Mondelez added: "Defendant discontinued and/or changed certain of these infringing products in response to Mondelez's objections. However, defendant has continued its pattern and practice of selling products in packaging which infringes the trade dress of numerous Mondelez products." In the filing, Mondelez provides images of its allegedly infringed products alongside another column headed "Infringing Aldi Trade Dress" with images of the Aldi brands in similar packaging. The Mondelez brands are Oreo Cookies, Wheat Thins Original, Nutter Butter, Chips Ahoy!, Nilla Wafers and Ritz Crackers and Original Premium Saltine Crackers. They sit opposite Aldi's Original Chocolate Sandwich Cookies With Vanilla Filling, Thin Wheat Original Crackers, Peanut Butter Crème Filled Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Vanilla Wafers, Golden Round Crackers and Original Saltine Crackers. Price increases made for a difficult first quarter for Mondelez, which saw prices in Europe go up 13.4%. Volumes suffered in the three months to 31 March across all of Mondelez's markets, even though price increases were still being implemented in Europe, Brazil and India in April, May and June, the company said in April. Pricing put in place in the first quarter was 6.6%, with a negative 3.5% impact on volume/mix. "Mondelez sues Aldi over packaging design claims" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Effettua l'accesso per consultare il tuo portafoglio
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
US federal court blocks global tariffs in blow to Trump's authority
The US Court of International Trade has ruled the Trump administration's attempts to impose global tariffs are illegal. In a ruling filed yesterday (28 May), the federal court concluded that tariffs imposed by President Trump using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) "exceed any authority granted to the President". In a follow-up statement, the court added that the tariffs are therefore "invalid and cannot be implemented". New York State attorney general Laetitia James was part of the coalition of 11 other attorneys who sued the Trump administration over imposing the worldwide tariffs. James said in the statement: "The law is clear: no president has the power to single-handedly raise taxes whenever they like. These tariffs are a massive tax hike on working families and American businesses that would have led to more inflation, economic damage to businesses of all sizes, and job losses across the country if allowed to continue. "This decision is a major victory for our efforts to uphold the law and protect New Yorkers from illegal policies that threaten American jobs and economy.' Judges ruled that the law does not authorise any of the tariffs imposed through the IEEPA, and the administration's attempt to do so was "invalid as contrary to law". These include the tariffs on China, Canada, Mexico and Europe, which range from 10%-30%. Tariffs implemented on cars, steel and aluminum, however, were not included in the ruling, as these fall under a separate law, according to the BBC, which said the Trump administration has appealed the ruling. The Trump administration has 10 days to reverse the tariffs, the BBC said, although the majority have been paused until July. Navigate the shifting tariff landscape with real-time data and market-leading analysis. . "US federal court blocks global tariffs in blow to Trump's authority" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Chobani acquires US frozen-foods maker Daily Harvest
US-based yoghurt and creamers maker Chobani has bought local frozen-foods business Daily Harvest. In a joint statement sent to Just Food, the companies said the deal, struck for an undisclosed sum, marked Chobani's 'entry into wholesome, ready-to-make meals'. Founded in 2015, Daily Harvest sells frozen, single-serve products, including smoothies, breakfast bowls and savoury meals. Set up as a direct-to-consumer business, Daily Harvest still sells products through its website but also through retailers including Target, Kroger and Wegmans. In 2017, it secured an investment from movie star Gwyneth Paltrow and tennis champion Serena Williams. In their statement, Chobani and Daily Harvest said they 'are united by a shared vision: to make high-quality, delicious food with real ingredients more accessible'. They added: "With Chobani's world-class manufacturing, distribution and retail expertise, our goal is for Daily Harvest to reach every home in America." Just Food asked Chobani for more details on the deal, including how much the company paid, how many staff are joining the business and where it sees the best growth opportunities for its new asset. In a post on LinkedIn, Rachel Drori, Daily Harvest's founder and executive chair, said: 'Chobani is the perfect home for Daily Harvest – our missions align so deeply, and we couldn't be more excited to continue growing together.' In a blog post, Daily Harvest reassured customers "all the things you love will stay the same' including its products, website and 'care team'. The acquisition follows Chobani's recent investments in production. Last month, the company announced a $1.2bn investment in a new 1.4 million square foot production facility in Rome, a city in Oneida County, New York. The plant, Chobani's third in the US, will house up to 28 production lines and process around 12 million pounds of milk daily. In March, Chobani announced a $500m expansion project at its facility in Twin Falls, Idaho. The company plans to add over 500,000ft2 to the site, which produces Chobani yoghurt, oat milk and coffee creamers. The investment is set to increase production capacity by 50%. The deal for Daily Harvest is Chobani's latest move to broaden its product portfolio via M&A. In December, the company acquired US coffee business La Colombe for $900m. "Chobani acquires US frozen-foods maker Daily Harvest" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rising feed costs and falling poultry prices hit Astral Foods' first-half earnings
Astral Foods has posted a decline in first-half profits as lower poultry prices and higher feed costs weighed on earnings. Despite reporting growth in revenue and volumes, the South African group said it had to subsidise poultry prices during the period to remain competitive. For the six months ended 31 March 2025, revenue rose 3.5% to R10.7bn ($593.5m), driven by increased volumes and higher selling prices in the group's feed division. However, operating profit fell by 50.7% to R271m, primarily due to margin pressure in the poultry business. Revenue from Astral Foods' poultry division inched up 1.5% to R8.8bn but the unit swung to a R26m operating loss, compared with a R284m profit a year earlier. The group attributed the downturn to a 3.1% year-on-year decline in poultry selling prices, alongside rising feed input costs and higher operating expenses. According to Gary Arnold, Astral Foods' CEO, the company 'subsidised the cost of producing chicken, as higher feed and other inflationary costs could not be passed on in selling prices due to a very competitive poultry market landscape'. In March, the company also suffered a cybersecurity breach, resulting in unauthorised access to parts of its network. Although Astral Foods said it responded 'swiftly,' the poultry division experienced around two days of downtime, disrupting processing and deliveries and leading to financial losses of around R20m. Broiler margins were described as 'extremely thin,' declining to -1.1% from 2.4% in the first half of fiscal 2024. However, broiler sales volumes rose by 4.4% to approximately 5.6 million birds per week. Looking ahead, Astral Foods warned of several challenges, including the ongoing threat of avian influenza and limited progress in approving vaccinations for breeding stock. The broader economic environment also presents headwinds, Astral Foods said. Weakening growth, reduced infrastructure investment and sluggish job creation in South Africa are expected to dampen consumer demand. Rising unemployment is further straining household spending, particularly on poultry products, the group added. On the global front, Astral Foods added uncertainties surrounding South Africa's trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) could disrupt export opportunities. "Rising feed costs and falling poultry prices hit Astral Foods' first-half earnings " was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arla factory in Germany hit by cyber incident
An Arla Foods plant in Germany has been affected by a cybersecurity incident, the dairy giant has confirmed. The Lurpak and Castello owner said 'suspicious activity' had hit the co-op's IT network as its plant in the German town of Upahl. 'Due to the security measures implemented as a result of the incident, production has been affected,' Arla said in a statement. 'Our production and IT experts are working diligently to resume normal operations at the site and we have now begun the process of systematically restarting the systems to ensure a return to full functionality.' The Denmark-based group declined to comment further when contacted by Just Food. Arla generated sales of €1.27bn ($1.42bn) in Germany in 2024, up 1.5% on a year earlier. Germany is Arla's third-largest market by annual sales behind the UK and Sweden. In 2024, Arla's group revenues reached €13.8bn ($14.39bn), a rise on the €13.7bn generated a year earlier. According to Arla's 2024 annual report, the cooperative employed 1,635 staff in Germany last year. Its total headcount was 23,632. Last month, Arla announced plans to merge with DMK, the largest dairy co-op in Germany. The pair said in a joint statement the deal would create 'the largest dairy cooperative in Europe', with members in Denmark, Sweden, the UK, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The transaction could bring a combined, pro-forma revenue of €19bn ($20.75bn) to the new entity, which would carry the Arla name and be headquartered in Denmark. In 2024, DMK generated revenue of €5.1bn, down from €5.5bn a year earlier. Its brands include Milram, Oldenburger, Uniekaas, Alete Bewusst and Humana. According to a Rabobank report published last August, Arla was the seventh-largest dairy group worldwide, based on 2023 financials. DMK ranked 18th. This embedded content is not available in your region. This embedded content is not available in your region. Last week, Oettinger Getränke, the German beer and soft-drinks group, said it was investigating a cyberattack on the business. In a brief statement, the privately owned company confirmed the breach and said it was looking into the 'potential' for data leaks. According to specialist publication Cybernews, ransomware group Ransom House claimed it held data from the brewer. "Arla factory in Germany hit by cyber incident" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
