Simon Harvey, Just-Food Journalist Profile

Articles

Lactalis’ revenue rises above €30bn but profits hit

1 week ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

Lactalis exceeded €30bn ($34.1bn) in revenues last year for the first time but the pace of growth slowed in an “unstable geopolitical and economic climate”. That was the view of the world’s largest dairy company, which said net profit dropped 19% in 2024 to €359m due to an unquantified and unspecified tax settlement late in the year with the French authorities.
Japfa shareholders approve privatisation move

1 week ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

Shareholders of Japfa have approved a plan to delist the agri-food company from the Singapore stock exchange in a long-awaited privatisation move. Reportedly in the pipeline since March of last year, a resolution was passed at an annual general meeting in the city-state yesterday (15 April) to take the business private by way of a so-called scheme of arrangement.
Campbell’s creates chief growth officer role amid change in snacks leadership

1 week ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

The Campbell’s Company has created a chief growth officer role alongside a rejig of leadership for the group’s snacks division.
“We're not the enemy of dairy” – PlanetDairy CEO Jakob Skovgaard churns the fat on hybrid cheeses in emissions reduction goal

1 week ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

PlanetDairy in Denmark is embarking on its next development phase with a plan to scale growth in hybrid cheeses by entering the private-label market. Set up by three dairy industry executives in 2022, the company has a range of products on shelf in select European retailers, combining traditional dairy ingredients with plants through a precision fermentation process. PlanetDairy’s Audu brand offers hybrid versions to mozzarella and cheddar, available in block, sliced and grated formats.
MHP-backed poultry group Uvesa invests in production

1 week ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

Spanish poultry group Uvesa, majority owned by Ukraine’s MHP, is expanding with a new site in the north of the country. Uvesa has purchased an egg hatchery in the town of Alfaro, providing the company with a direct presence in the La Rioja region of Spain for the first time. The facility produces eggs for human consumption but Uvesa said in a statement that it will “transform its activity to focus on the production of chicken meat”.
Greenyard subject of takeover offer by Deprez family founders

1 week ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

The Deprez family founders of Belgium fruit and vegetable group Greenyard are launching a takeover bid for the Brussels-listed business. Hein Deprez and his family currently hold 37.7% of the shares in Greenyard and are seeking to acquire an additional 57.73% from the company’s shareholders at €7.40 ($8.43) each – the intended offer – through around 29.74 million shares.
“Pasta sauce has taken off as a rocket ship for our brand” – Botticelli Foods VP Joe Asaro talks everything Italian

2 weeks ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

Botticelli Foods is aiming to be a top five pasta-sauce brand in the US over the next few years to compete with the likes of Rao’s, now owned by The Campbell’s Company following a $2.7bn deal for Sovos Brands in 2023. Family-run Botticelli, based in Hauppauge in New York, started out manufacturing extra virgin olive oil in 2002 and has expanded into pasta and pizza sauces of Italian origin.
Conagra Brands weighing up tariff impact but pricing option flagged

2 weeks ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

Conagra Brands has suggested further pricing could be in store as a counter to any inflationary undertones from Trump’s tariffs on international imports. The frozen foods and snacks maker is one of the first major US CPG companies to comment on the potential post-tariff impact as CEO Sean Connolly discussed third-quarter results with analysts yesterday (3 April) following the president’s announcement the previous afternoon. Connolly faced a barrage of questions on the issue.
Orkla sells stake in functional chewing gum business Eace Gum

2 weeks ago | just-food.com | Simon Harvey

Nordic group Orkla has sold its 49% stake in the functional chewing gum start-up Eace Gum based in Denmark. Orkla first invested in Eace Gum in 2021 with a 30% interest and after raising the holding to 49% is disposing of the asset for an undisclosed sum. The move is part of the company’s “strategy to reduce complexity in its product portfolio”, a spokesperson for the business confirmed with Just Food.
Quote, unquote: food industry reaction to Trump tariff announcement

3 weeks ago | just-food.com | Dean Best |Simon Harvey

President Trump has set out a range of new tariffs on imports into the US, arguing the moves will strengthen the country’s economy. “My fellow Americans, this is Liberation Day,” Trump said in the Rose Garden of the White House yesterday (2 April) as he unveiled a universal “baseline” tariff of 10% on all imports into the US. The levy will come into effect on Saturday.