Del Monte to be acquired for $4 billion

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November 29, 2010 News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry   Company Watch    Danone to acquire frozen-yogurt maker YoCream Danone is expanding its frozen-yogurt business with the acquisition of YoCream International, based in Oregon. The $103 million deal will give the largest yogurt company in the world more access to restaurants and convenience stores. The sale is expected to close by the end of the year. Bloomberg Businessweek (11/24) Del Monte approves a $4 billion private-equity sale A group of investors plans to buy Del Monte Foods for $4 billion. The deal involving the owner of pet-food brands Kibbles 'n Bits, Meow Mix and Milk-Bone, as well as canned vegetables, could be the biggest private-equity agreement this year. The Seattle Times/The Associated Press (11/26) , The Wall Street Journal (11/26) Starbucks says Kraft breached distribution agreement Starbucks is claiming that Kraft has not followed through with an agreement that says the packaged-food company would use its distribution network to put Starbucks coffee on supermarket shelves. The Wall Street Journal (11/29) Reshaping Enterprise Workforce Management Software Download this white paper to discover how Kronos has defined an entirely new generation of workforce management tools for today's tech-savvy "business consumer". Learn more about three breakthrough technologies: Instant Engagement, Guided Decisions, and Mobile Management — and how they will change the way you manage the workforce.   Trends    New equipment, varieties to boost cranberry production New technology in harvesting cranberry crops might be a glimmer of hope for growers despite the expected decreased production this year. Marketing has been attributed to a steady demand for products such as Ocean Spray cranberry juice and Craisins. The Seattle Times (11/28) Artisan dairies appeal to "locavores" Boutique dairies in New York are offering artisan cheeses, yogurt and milk produced by heritage animal breeds. "More people are becoming interested in the breeds to help provide the value-added piece to their products. It's like having an organic or humane label," said a spokeswoman for American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. The Wall Street Journal (11/29) Gain insight into the overall health of U.S. businesses and how to leverage new tools to better manage business, while reducing risk exposure. View our on-demand Webinar Gain a clearer picture of small-business risk in an uncertain market.   Advertising & Marketing    Advertisers go digital to help home cooks Food advertisers are adjusting the tone and placement of their holiday ads to appeal to consumers who are staying home and cooking more often. Even longtime print advertisers such as Campbell Soup are moving into the digital space. "We're trying to be where consumers are," said a spokeswoman at Campbell Soup. The New York Times (free registration) (11/25) Work where the work is, not where the phone is. SynJ™ from AT&T is The Small Business Phone System. See how cordless handsets, extended-range and intuitive navigation make SynJ the productivity booster your business needs. View the SynJ demo now.   Retail Spotlight    Complex marketplace leads to "fierce" competition Grocery shoppers in Marion County, Fla., can choose Wal-Mart, Publix, ALDI and several other chains, and the competition there is "focused on trying to distinguish themselves ... by [fine-tuning] their private-label strategies and price differentiation in order to retain their current customers and attract new ones," said an industry executive. Ocala Star-Banner Business Journal (Fla.) (11/24) Compare 11 Leading ERP Solutions 119 Ways This extensive Comparison Guide prepares Finance, Manufacturing and Operations professionals by giving you the line-up of 11 leading ERP solutions evaluated across 119 features. Jumpstart your business with a successful ERP implementation! >Download your FREE ERP Comparison Guide   Hot Topics  Top five news stories selected by GMA SmartBrief readers in the past week. How Diamond Foods' CEO finds success (American City Business Journals) General Mills buys Mountain High Yoghurt from Dean Foods (Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.)) Reeling in the 1980s with 21 TV spots (AdFreak.com) Coca-Cola puts focus on water scarcity (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) Safeway, Foursquare and PepsiCo team on shopper rewards (Mashable) Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.   Featured Content    3 Ways To Use Twitter for Excellent Customer Service Alyson Shontell 10 Ways to Make the Most of Small Business Saturday Katie Morell Doing the Numbers on Local Business Susan Kuchinskas Top 5 Things for Facebook Page Success Adele Cooper The Inside View from Entrepreneur Bootcamp Tracy Grover and Paul Rosenfeld Most Popular Headlines from Last Week Why Chemistry is More Important Than Talent Dashiell Bennett The Way We're Working Isn't Working Paul Nolan Cannibalize Yourself Before Someone Else Does John Mariotti Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.   Science & Technology  U.K. panel: Food products from cloned cattle pose no safety risk The U.K. Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes has concluded that meat and milk produced from cloned cattle are as safe as those from cows that were bred in a conventional manner. The panel, however, warned that consumers may require products derived from cloned animals to have labels. Reuters (11/26)   Health & Wellness  Study plays down concerns about mercury in fish Pregnant women often avoid eating seafood because of concerns about mercury content, but a Swedish study suggests that "the protective nutrients in fish override any harmful effect of mercury." Reuters (11/26)   GMA News  Retailers and manufacturers share one supply chain. Shouldn't they share one supply chain conference? FMI and GMA are pleased to announce the second annual Supply Chain Conference: People, Products, Process and Potential. The Jan. 30 event will bring retailers and manufacturers together in one forum to showcase the latest insights and tools that are enabling unprecedented trading partner collaboration and innovation that is improving efficiency and reducing costs up and down the value chain. Conference Benefits Build stronger relationships throughout the supply chain to foster more efficient and collaborative execution Learn model practices that are saving companies time and money Get ahead of the curve on emerging issues Discuss new ideas and challenges with your peers in informal discussion groups Register today! Learn more about GMA -> Home  |  Join GMA  |  Public Policy  |  Industry Affairs  |  Publications  |  Events   Government & Food Safety  Food safety bill draws support from food companies Cargill, Campbell Soup and other food manufacturers that pulled their products from the market due to food contamination are supporting a $1.4 billion bill aimed at improving food safety despite stricter rules in the legislation. The Senate is expected to hold a vote today on the measure, which would provide more authority to the FDA in mandating recalls. USA TODAY (11/29) Other News Moonshot '69 is targeted by FDA The New York Times (free registration) (11/28) Sr. Food Scientist ConAgra Foods Omaha, NE Field Manager Category Ldrshp ConAgra Foods Bloomington, MN Manager Key Accounts ConAgra Foods Memphis, TN MANAGER, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE & CONSUMER AFFAIRS The Dannon Company US - NY - WHITE PLAINS   SmartQuote  Life is like a game of poker: If you don't put any in the pot, there won't be any to take out." --Jackie "Moms" Mabley, American comedian     This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.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:  Lee Vanderwerff (202) 737-5500 ext. 248   Read more at SmartBrief.com A powerful Web site for SmartBrief readers including: Breaking News Industry Home Readers' Choice Press Releases Search Archive Who's Hiring? 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