| February 21, 2012 | News for the food, beverage and consumer packaged goods industry |  |  |
- Heinz focuses on value in the U.S.
H.J. Heinz plans to introduce products at a lower price point in the U.S., where sales remain slow amid high unemployment, officials said. "Value means different things to different people," said Chief Financial Officer Arthur Winkleblack. "At all levels of the socioeconomic ladder, we're going to be innovating to meet those needs." FoodNavigator (2/20)       - Kotex ads lighten the mood
Kimberly-Clark's ads for its new Kotex Natural Balance line of feminine hygiene products feature comediennes mocking other ad campaigns in the category. The ads engage women "in a way that's fun totally makes sense, making the feminine-care category more approachable and letting [consumers] have a voice and talk about it without being embarrassed," said Claire Miller, marketing director for Kotex North America. Advertising Age (tiered subscription model) (2/20)  | Trends |  |  | | - Research is key to landing a major partnership
Entrepreneurs seeking to partner with major companies must do their research, offer something new, be ready for rapid growth and show persistence, said Brant Slade, co-author of "Think BIG!: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Partnering With Large Companies." Corporations "can accelerate your cycle much more quickly than any other company can," said Tom Szaky, who partnered with Wal-Mart Stores in Canada after founding TerraCycle. Entrepreneur.com (2/20) - Consumers are confused by meat-cut names, study finds
Research from the National Pork Board and Merck Animal Health shows that customers are influenced by names given to cuts of meat. Most, for example, think top loin pork chops are better than pork loin chops or pork rib chops. "Consumers thought the top loin chops were the best because they say 'top.' Top's the best, right?" said Jarrod Sutton of the National Pork Board. "This is what consumers are telling us, and it's across the board." Supermarket News (2/20)  | The Business Platinum Card® from American Express OPEN
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  | Corporate Social Responsibility | |  | | |  | - Unilever vows to halve environmental impact by 2020
Unilever Vice President Eelco Camminga said the company will be twice the size in 2020, with half the environmental impact. "We intend to source more responsibly, from more responsible manufacturers," he said. "We are working with responsible tea growers and are monitoring the supply chain. We are looking at the packaging our products come in and seeing how we can reduce waste." HotelierMiddleEast.com (United Arab Emirates) (2/19)  | Principles of Checkweighing - Building an Effective Program
This essential guide is an invaluable resource of checkweighing information and a definitive reference providing an insight into all aspects of checkweighing from basic principles to implementation of a comprehensive program. Request your free copy now! |
 - Biggest CPG marketers increase their ad budgets
Coca-Cola, Reckitt Benckiser, Kraft Foods and Procter & Gamble are among the major brands that expect to be spending more this year on marketing. Encouraged by reception of the Magnum ice cream bars, Unilever is investing in social media and mobile marketing and is expected to top its overall $6.6 billion media spend from last year. PepsiCo says it will spend $500 million to $600 million more on brands such as Pepsi, Tropicana and Gatorade. The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (2/20)  | Leveraging Cloud Security to Weather Threatening Storms
Web attacks and retribution campaigns are on the rise, and they have become more frequent, more random and more extreme. This paper assesses the current cyber threat environment and discusses the use of distributed cloud services as an effective means to protect against evolving, modern-day IT threats. |
 - Riggin's Market in Md. stands tall against competition
Matt Riggin, owner of Riggin's Market in Crisfield, Md., is using traditional and social media to tell shoppers he can't stay in business unless they spend money there. "I don't just view this as a business; this is a landmark in our town," said resident Jenna Howard. Riggin's Market, which opened in 1948, competes against two chain stores in the community of 2,723. The Daily Times (Salisbury, Md.) (2/19)  | 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. |
| Health & Wellness | | | | - Fructose intake does not lead to weight gain, study finds
The use of fructose as a substitute for other forms of carbohydrates in diets providing similar calorie content did not appear to cause weight gain, according to an analysis of 31 studies in the Annals of Internal Medicine. However, participants assigned to a high-fructose diet who ate extra sugar did gain weight, suggesting that calories in general, not fructose itself, is the main culprit in weight gain. Reuters (2/20), U.S. News & World Report/HealthDay News (2/20) - Home cooks embrace unprocessed food
Many families are working to eliminate processed food from their diet, either on their own or as part of a movement such as The Real Food Challenge or 100 Days of Real Food. "I am learning to shop only the perimeters of the grocery store, where you find the freshest stuff like produce, eggs, meats and dairy," said Miriam Wrye of East Memphis, Tenn. "I also do my best to eat local and in season." The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tenn.) (free registration) (2/21) | GMA News | | | | - The Leadership Edge for CPG Scientists
This year's GMA Science Forum, April 3 to 6, in Washington, D.C., features the Science Leadersip Session Track, designed to offer leadership development tailored for CPG professionals. By combining scientific backgrounds with leadership skills, CPG companies can develop compelling strategies to align teams and solve business challenges.
One of these featured sessions include:
Gaining Your Leadership Edge: Strategic Business Thinking for Food Industry Scientists
It is critical for directors who live in the world of science, especially those working in safety, quality and R&D roles, to play an integral role in business leadership teams and directly contribute to business strategy and solve complex business issues.
In this session, join GlobalEDQ as they share their unique process, STAR (Strategic Thinking, Action, Results) that brings strategy and execution together. STAR is a proven program that brings consistency, rigor and discipline to your organization's strategic thinking and executional implementation. See more featured sessions and register.
| Government & Food Safety | | | |
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