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Globall
Starbucks
ready for expansion into Russia
 International
coffee shop chain Starbucks has targeted expansion into Russia. By bringing
its operations to Russia, the company hopes to capitalise on the growing
market for coffee in the country, despite facing tough competition from
local and international rivals in the increasingly congested sector,
who are already well-established amongst consumers. The plans which
are part of its 2007 international growth strategy would also see Starbucks
open in Brazil, India and Egypt, intend to open their first Russian
enterprise opening in the fourth quarter of its 2007 financial year.
Along with competing with rivals for the coffee market, the group will
also have to face strict planning regulations, fixed pricing legislation
and increasing costs for raw materials as part of its expansion. While
it is likely to face setbacks, the market still remains very much open
to investment. If the strategy goes ahead as planned, Starbucks could
see its operations expanded throughout 40 countries by the end of next
year.
State loans encourage
dairy farmers to go organic
Vermont dairy farmers, contemplating a switch to organic milk
production, are getting some help from a new state loan programme. Called
the Organic Transition Program, it offers farmers loans of up to $20,000
to defray the costs of switching to organic dairy production. The programme
is sponsored by the Vermont Agricultural Credit Corp, a subsidiary of
the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VEDA), and by the Vermont
Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. To receive organic certification,
a dairy farm must use feed grown-on land that has been free of herbicides,
pesticides and chemical fertilizers for three years. Cows on the farm
must be managed organically for at least 12 months. VEDA Chief Executive
Officer Jo Bradley said that the loan programme was established to help
farmers defray costs during the 12 months preceding organic certification.
She said the Legislature earmarked $100,000 to the Agency of Agriculture
to pay interest on the loans for 14 months while the Vermont Agricultural
Credit Corp committed $1 million in financing. According to the new
rule by the Northeast Organic Farming.Association, it is required that
farmers use100 per cent organic feed during the final year of the three-year
transition from conventional to organic dairying. Prior to the change,
she said, a farmer could use 80 per cent organic feed and 20 per cent
conventional grain in the final year.
UK food industry begins trans-fat
removal programme
Over £1.5 billion worth of food products in the UK are
being reformulated in order to eliminate harmful trans-fats, according
to a food industry body. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has claimed
that hundreds of well-known UK brand names, including Hula Hoops, Mars
Bars, Nestle Cheerios and Weetabix, have been re-designed to take into
account growing health concerns. The UK Food Standards Agency, for example,
is now pressing for revision of the European directive that governs
the content and format of nutrition labels on foods marketed in the
United Kingdom and other European countries, so that these fats are
labelled. Kelloggs claimed that their breakfast cereals do not contain
any hydrogenated vegetable oil and can be considered virtually free
of trans-fats. Masterfoods said it has reduced the trans-fatty acid
(TFA) levels in its snackfoods to a minimum by controlling the oils
and fats used. Nestle UK has an ongoing reformulation programme across
its portfolio of 66 retail product groups to reduce and, where feasible,
remove TFAs from its recipes. Similarly, Unilever said it would eliminate
15,000 tons of trans-fats from its portfolio by 2006..
Roquette targets sugar-free 'premium'
chocolate range
 French
ingredients firm Roquette has formed an alliance with Meert to develop
a range of sugar-free premium chocolate. The partnership underlines
not only Roquette's confidence in its maltitol product, Maltisorb, but
also its belief that there is a market for sugar-free chocolate at the
premium end of the market."Maltitol is currently the best sugar
substitute in the market - in many aspects it is very similar to sucrose,"
Emily.
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