We believe we can show you some ways to improve your success rate, so subscribe now. It's free for 12 issues.

Anyone who develops new products for a living must be aware of a multitude of influences. Acknowledging this, we cover

scientific discoveries

consumer trends

product design and formulation

engineering technology

process engineering

manufacturing

filling and packaging

logistics and distribution

retail merchandising

end of life disposal

Then there are the legal and regulatory issues, such as safety and labelling, as well as intellectual property rights, brand management, competition and international trade that we have to take into account.

But it all means nothing without the creativity and insights of men and women who can put things together in new ways to create new products that improve our lives.

We celebrate those people.

Ian Grant

Publisher

Eden Springs open for Danone
Peanuts offer heart benefits
Insurer targets speciality food makers
New drug reference standard packaging released
Faster DNA with new preparation scheme
Freshness the key to foodservice growth
Food production and trade under the microscope

M&A

Eden Springs open for Danone

French beverage group Danone is to pay 82 million euros ($88m) for a 20 percent stake in Israel’s largest bottled water company, Eden Springs, as a prelude to a joint venture to crack the European bottled water market. Danone has an option to acquire the rest of the company after 2008.

Nutrition

Peanuts offer heart benefits

Regular consumption of peanuts lowers triglycerides and improves total diet quality by increasing nutrients associated with the prevention of cardiovascular disease, including magnesium, folate, vitamin E, copper, arginine and fibre, according to a new study by researchers at Purdue University.

The study, funded by the US Agency for International Development, is published in the April 2003 issue of Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

Insurance

Insurer targets speciality food makers

The business insurance division of Royal & SunAlliance USA is offering a tailored insurance and services package for manufacturers of specialty food products.

The package covers accident prevention, claim and underwriting services, as well as specific coverages for adulteration, spoilage, change in temperature, product recall, brands and labels, and market/selling price. In addition, enhancement endorsements for property, general liability and automobile coverage will be offered to all insureds.

Standards

New drug reference standard packaging released

The quality non-government organisation United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has unveiled new reference standards packaging featuring an updated look and higher quality materials.

The new packaging covers tabbed caps, better label legibility, product trays for easy storage and viewing and tamper-evident seals on the exterior package.

To date, USP has developed more than 1,400 reference standards for 2,000 companies in 86 countries.

GM

Faster DNA with new preparation scheme

Amersham Biosciences has launched its GenomiPhi DNA amplification kit to simplify and speed up the DNA preparation process and enable high-quality DNA to be prepared from limited biological material.

A simple isothermal method allows microgram quantities of DNA to be produced overnight from nanogram amounts of starting material.  With only one protocol needed for different types of starting material, total hands-on time required by users is just 20 minutes, claim the makers.

Markets

Freshness the key to foodservice growth

The $400 billion US foodservice market is expected to grow by no more than two percent a year from now until 2010, with fast-food chains, such as McDonald’s, and full-service restaurants together accounting for some 60 percent of the market, say the authors of a new report in McKinsey Quarterly.

But they are now suffering because more consumers are demanding what neither can profitably offer: fresh food served quickly in a distinctive, casual environment.

“Our research indicates that growth will come in the middle ground: the "fast-casual" area, in industry parlance,” say the authors. “This market, we believe, will be worth $35 billion annually by the end of the present decade and could account for more than half of all food service growth over the period.”

They recommend that operators concentrate on dinner, already the consumer’s favourite meal outside the home. “Dinner events will surpass breakfast and lunch combined,” they say. “In addition, patrons spend, on average, 40 percent more on dinner than on lunch, the next most popular meal.

Conference

Food production and trade under the microscope

The international food production and trade sector is the focus of a top level conference organised by the Royal Institute of International Affairs.

The event takes place at Chatham House, London on 19 May 2003.

Proponents of free trade, primarily through the auspices of the WTO, are forcing countries to lower tariff barriers for agricultural products to encourage efficiency in food production. But this lowers food prices and leaves less money for development in low-income producer countries.

Also, concerns about the environment and food safety in developed countries have brought many new issues onto the agricultural agenda. Traceability, quality and production methods are now central to consumers.

Headline speakers include UK food minister Lord Whitty, Uganda agriculture minister Dr Wilberforce Kisamba-Mugerwa, and Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy.

For details contact the RIIA.