Campbell Soup and Swire form joint venture

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January 13, 2011 News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry   Company Watch    New Sierra Mist makes soda a natural choice Sierra Mist rebranded its lemon-lime soda and removed preservatives and high-fructose corn syrup. The Sierra Mist Natural brand is aimed at people who shop for natural and organic foods. Beverage World Publications Group (1/10) Campbell Soup and Swire form joint venture Campbell Soup entered a joint venture with Swire Pacific to expand its business in China. Campbell, which has sold its soups in China since 2007, will own 60% of the partnership. The Wall Street Journal (1/12) , Financial Post (Canada)/Reuters (1/12) Reckitt Benckiser lowers carbon footprint Reckitt Benckiser, manufacturer of Clearasil, Lysol and Woolite, lowered its carbon footprint 11% in 2010. The company hopes to to lower its footprint 20% by 2020. Drug Store News (1/12) Other News Rovit named Kraft's VP of strategy CNBC (1/12) Drive company revenue by simplifying IT strategies. Investments in IT are often seen as key to supporting core business operations. Microsoft Online Services offers technology solutions outfitted for small to mid-size companies that will free up resources and help employees focus on what matters most. Download this free whitepaper to find out more!   Trends    Analysis: Manufacturers see pressure from commodity costs Earnings in the first quarter will help companies see how an increasing cost of raw materials is affecting their bottom line, according to Reuters. One industry expert said companies are guarding market share rather than trying to raise margins. Reuters (1/12) Vending machines with organic options are spreading Vending companies specializing in organic food are growing, and more schools are replacing old machines with new ones that sell foods like granola and yogurt. San Diego's Fresh Healthy Vending sold franchises worth $3.8 million in four months. MSNBC (1/13) Other News More new beverages have gut-health focus Beverage World Publications Group (1/10) Create a winning social-media strategy Relying on luck and good intentions when developing your social-media approach can leave you with disparate, ineffective initiatives. Get the data you need to formulate a savvy social-media strategy that produces measurable results. Check out SmartBrief's State of Social Media for Business.   Advertising & Marketing  P&G reaches out to men with advice website A new Procter & Gamble website offers men lifestyle advice on such topics as sex and cooking. ManoftheHouse.com aims to involve the male consumer while promoting its brands, such as Gillette razors and Head & Shoulders shampoo. Industry experts say the site, and others similar to it, will work as long as the companies do not push their products too much. The New York Times (free registration) (1/12)   Retail Spotlight    Walgreen adds fruit and meat at "food desert" locations Walgreen is adding more fresh foods to about 400 stores in areas where it is more challenging for shoppers to find items such as fruit and meat. During the next several years, Walgreen will add more fresh-food choices and a larger variety of vaccines. Reuters (1/12) Global trends create supply chain opportunities In response to global economic and demographic trends, retailers' are mounting new methods to attract customers — creating downstream challenges for Fast Moving Consumer Goods manufacturers. Download a new whitepaper about supply chain strategies manufacturers can adopt that meet retailers' needs and enable business growth.   Featured Content    How Much Should You Pay New Hires? Elaine Pofeldt 7 Innovative Small Businesses You May Have Overlooked in 2010 Janet Meiners Thaeler The Politically Incorrect Guide to Venture Capital Kate Lister How to Raise Capital for Your Business Scott Gerber 4 Steps to Better Hiring Ramon Ray   Science & Technology  Cargill lab makes new functional additives Cargill is developing healthful food additives. "If we were to look at the top three or four food trends in the world, health and wellness would be one of them," said Kerr Dow, vice president of global technology for Cargill's ingredients division. Star Tribune (Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.) (1/12)   Health & Wellness  Smoothies offer big benefits, nutrition experts say Blended meals can be part of a balanced diet and offer portability and an easy way to get more fruits and vegetables, nutrition experts say. A liquid meal once a day is OK as long as it is healthful and provides enough calories and nutrients, they say. Chattanooga Times Free Press (Tenn.) (1/12)   GMA News  Learn how new food safety legislation will impact your supply chain operations Congress has just enacted the most sweeping changes to food safety law in more than 70 years, the Food Safety Modernization Act. Find out what the new law means for your supply chain operations and those of your trading partners, at the 2011 Trading Partner Alliance Supply Chain Conference, Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 in Orlando, Fla. Food Safety Legislation and the Implications for Supply Chain Management With the recent passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act, manufacturers and retailers alike will implement new processes to improve food safety. Join Hogan Lovells expert counsel for a briefing on the Food Safety Modernization Act with a focus on supply chain management provisions. Ryan Shadrick Wilson, Associate, Hogan Lovells US LLP Organized by the GMA and FMI, this conference is the only event built exclusively by supply chain executives for supply chain executives. To learn about all of the performance-optimizing insights being shared at the Supply Chain Conference, click here for the complete program. It's not too late -- Register TODAY! Learn more about GMA -> Home  |  Join GMA  |  Public Policy  |  Industry Affairs  |  Publications  |  Events   Government & Food Safety  USDA proposes new school nutrition standards A proposed rule from the Department of Agriculture would raise nutritional standards for school meals. The standards would lower sodium, establish maximum calorie levels, lower trans-fat, require only fat-free or low-fat milks, boost whole grains, and add more fruits and vegetables. If approved, they would be the first new standards in the past 15 years. USA TODAY (1/12) , Google/The Associated Press (1/12) R&D Manager AmeriQual Group, LLC Evansville, IN Director, Human Resources Pinnacle Foods Group Fayetteville, AR   International  Nigerian consumer-goods growth attracts companies Companies such as Coca-Cola Hellenic, Heineken and PZ Cussons have announced plans to enter and invest in the Nigerian market. Nestle and Guinness plan to boost their capacity in the country. Reuters (1/12)   SmartQuote  The greatest achievements were at first and for a time dreams." --James Allen, British author     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:  Celia Rothschild (202) 470-1159   Read more at SmartBrief.com A powerful website for SmartBrief readers including: Breaking News Industry Home Readers' Choice Press Releases Search Archive Who's Hiring? 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