How Dole integrates CSR with selling bananas

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June 21, 2011 News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry   Company Watch    PepsiCo plans price increases Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo, said the beverage company is planning to increase prices "right now as we speak" to offset the higher cost of commodities. "The economy is better now than it was last year," she said. "Ultimately the test is going to be when unemployment rates come down. Everybody is focused on it." Bloomberg (6/17) Clorox launches mobile app to share eco-data Clorox customers can find out what's inside the company's products by scanning the bar code with their smartphones. The user is immediately pointed to an "Ingredients Inside" listing for the product in question. The step in transparency is welcome, writes Matthew Wheeland. However, customers still need to determine the effects of those ingredients on their health and the environment, Wheeland added. GreenBiz.com (6/17) Foster's rejects acquisition bid from SABMiller SABMiller continues to pursue Australia's Foster's Group beer company after it rejected the $9.98 billion acquisition offer. Foster's produces seven of Australia's 10 beer brands and is the second-largest brewer by volume. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (6/21) At MetLife, Protecting Your Family Is Our Business With rates like these, there may never be a better time to open a quality life insurance policy for your family. Get a life insurance policy from MetLife. Rates are as low as $13 per month for $250,000 of coverage, or $20 per month for $500,000 of coverage. Get a free, no-obligation quote today.   Trends  G-20 convenes to combat food demand needs Agricultural leaders from the G-20 will meet in Paris this week to create a food database and lessen trade barriers as a result of expected food shortages and price fluctuations. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization said Friday that average food costs would rise by 30% this decade over the previous one. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (6/20) Social network Consmr provides consumer-goods info and interaction Social network Consmr was launched in beta in partnership with brands and media publishers, allowing users to review consumer packaged goods and tell via Facebook and Twitter which products they use. "We provide a forum to share opinions, assist with the trial-and-error shopping process and promote product discovery through friends and community," said co-founder and CEO Ryan Charles. Progressive Grocer (6/20) Other News Flavored malt beverages pour on growth Convenience Store News (6/20) Report: Digital technologies provide opportunities for CPG industry Supermarket News (6/21) The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN Spending power for your business. Premium benefits for you. Access a portfolio of 30+ premium benefits, including: • Membership Rewards® points that pay for flights, hotels, and more • 24/7, 1-on-1 Concierge for help with your life and your Business • Complimentary Airport Club Access Business Platinum Card APPLY NOW   Corporate Social Responsibility    How Dole integrates CSR with selling bananas   Source: TriplePundit.com Dole sells its bananas in the U.S. for just a few cents each -- but it has still baked sustainable-business principles into its supply chain. The company uses special low-water techniques to clean bananas in preparation for packaging and maintains an integrated supply chain to allow easier carbon-footprinting. It also pays its Costa Rican workers above the minimum wage by almost 50%. TriplePundit.com (6/20) Despite being a backbone enterprise application, Enterprise Resource Planning is often misunderstood. In this guide from Focus, top experts provide their suggestions and recommendations to guide you through your evaluation of the best choices. Unravel the complexities of ERP once and for all to make an informed buying decision by downloading this free white paper.   Advertising & Marketing    "Macsurance" aims to promote Kraft campaign Kraft is offering Macsurance -- a phony insurance certificate with real coupons -- as a way to help kids stay protected from parents who sneak bites of the side dish off their plates. The "You Know You Love It" campaign includes ads shown at kid-friendly blockbusters this summer, where audience members can pick up a brochure to get the coupons as well. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily (6/20) Planters returns peanut butter to the brand mix Planters for the first time in over 30 years will be selling peanut butter in creamy and chunky versions. The relaunch by Planters parent Kraft will be promoted via a campaign launched in November that features actor Robert Downey Jr. as the voice of Mr. Peanut. He will be joined by a new mascot, Peanut Butter Doug, who will serve as a kind of "stunt double" for Mr. Peanut and will be voiced by actor Kevin Dillon. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Media Decoder blog (6/20) Help protect your employees by managing business travel risks with Zurich's white paper 'Managing the Risks of Business Travel: What every business needs to know'. Click here for the FREE download!   Retail Spotlight  Fresh & Easy wine takes home 39 medals California wine exclusive to Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market won 39 awards at this year's Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. "Having strong partnerships with local wineries helps us create high-quality, award-winning wines that can be offered at incredible prices," said an executive for the supermarket. Drug Store News (6/20)   Sponsored Content    Never Sell Anything Again-And Watch Your Business Soar Barry Moltz Use It Or Lose It: 3 Must-Have Business Agreements Barbara Weltman Why We're Changing Our Startup's Name-And Risking Everything Daniel Leahy (VillageVines/Savored) Should You Open A Food Truck? What To Consider First Erin Zimmer How To Make Your Business More Credit Worthy Rohit Arora (Mashable)   Health & Wellness  Eating a late dinner is not bad for health, expert says Eating dinner later in the evening is not bad, nor does it necessarily cause people to gain weight, writes registered dietitian Manuel Villacorta, a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. He writes that if a late meal is the only one during the day, however, it can lead to overeating, and he recommends that people get 70% of their daily calories before a nightly dinner. FoxNews.com (6/18)   GMA News  Digital transformation creating major opportunities to drive growth for CPG industry, says new GMA-PwC report Digital transformation is connecting billions of people worldwide, empowering consumers and enabling CPG companies to manage their enterprise more effectively and efficiently to drive growth, according to Thriving in a Connected World, the GMA and PwC US 2011 Food, Beverage, and Consumer Products financial performance report released today. Thriving in a Connected World will be presented via complimentary webcast by PwC and GMA on Wednesday, June 29 at 1:30 p.m. EDT. REGISTER FOR THE WEBCAST GMA hosts forum on retailer-manufacturer collaboration at NACDS Marketplace Conference GMA and National Association of Chain Drug Stores are partnering to host a seminar to enhance collaboration between food and consumer product manufacturers and retailers in the drug channel. The seminar, which will be held on June 26 in conjunction with the NACDS Marketplace Conference in Boston, will be open to all NACDS Marketplace Conference attendees. Learn more about GMA -> About GMA  |  Issues and Policy  |  Newsroom  |  Events  |  Research and Tools   Government & Food Safety  Audit finds lapses in FDA oversight of recalls of food imports Government investigators examined 17 recalls of contaminated imported foods and found that the FDA failed to inspect or gather enough data about the products in 14 of the cases. The audit also found that the agency failed to confirm the disposal of the products in 13 of the recalls. David Dorsey, an acting deputy commissioner at the FDA, said the newly passed food safety law would address some of the concerns cited in the audit and that the agency is considering hiring contractors to help with recalls. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (6/21) Quality Assurance Manager B & G Foods, Inc. Hurlock, MD Brand Manager Inventure Foods Phoenix, AZ Sr. Food Scientist ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE Sr. Quality Specialist ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE Manager Sensory ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE   SmartQuote  When a gifted team dedicates itself to unselfish trust and combines instinct with boldness and effort, it is ready to climb." --Pat Riley, American professional basketball coach     This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers@gmail.com   Subscriber Tools       Update account information | Change e-mail address | Unsubscribe | Print friendly format | Web version | Search past news | Archive | Privacy policy Advertise Associate Publisher, Food Service:  Chris Warne (212) 450-7970 Download Media Kit Job Board:  Celia Rothschild (202) 470-1159   Read more at SmartBrief.com A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including: Industry Home Readers' Choice Search Archive Who's Hiring? 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