News on Speciality Food 200804

2008-04-24 Agriculture - still our most vital challenge (ScienceAlert)

The world has become dependent upon fossil fuels and modern agriculture depends heavily on oil to drive machinery and to produce the fertilisers and other inputs required for plant and animal production. As oil prices go from usd. 100 to usd. 200 a barrel, the input costs to agriculture will escalate. Developed countries can afford that for a while, but not those in the developing world. The UN Food Program officials have been confronted with a 30 per cent (for corn) and 130 per cent (for wheat) rise in food costs in the past year. This is doubling the number of people (to 25+ per cent of 6b) who can no longer afford to feed themselves adequately. The energy inputs for food production often exceed the energy harvested in grain or other foods. Biofuels redress that balance but may only be a stopgap as they don and rsquo;t always result in a

www.sciencealert.com.au

As resources become more scarce and the population continues to disassociate food with its production method, an exciting challenge is arising for young Australians to join together and develop solutions to the coming agricultural crisis, writes David Kemp - Opinions Life Science Agriculture - still our most vital challenge

2008-04-27 Moneyweb - Moneyweb Video - Chris Meyer: Head, RMB Morgan Stanley

We like Massmart and NewClicks. Massmart because we think its a stock for all seasons. They are pretty defensive in a downturn, they have a strong sort of alcohol component if you like, which I think people drink more than they eat food when things get tough. So thats pretty defensive, but they also have enough discretionary stuff through Massbuild, you know, Builders Warehouse, that is cyclical if the economy does indeed recover and we start cutting interest rates. So we like that, its pretty cheap and pretty well run. NewClicks, similar story, but very defensive and I think underappreciated from its defensive qualities. It trades at a big discount to the food retailers, but we think has as much growth as those companies, but is sort of underappreciated; its got a big healthcare component which is very defensive in whats

www.moneyweb.co.za

Taking a look at a variety of stocks and how global and local markets are faring in the current economic environment. - Chris Meyer RMB Morgan Stanley Taking a look at a variety of stocks and how global and local markets are faring in the current economic environment.

2008-04-14 The Choices Women Make

It was motherhood, of course, that forced me to learn. Starting from simple "koozhu" and boiled vegetables, I graduated to complex delicacies. I had a child who loved good food. At the age of 10 she could tell one subtle flavour from another. As my skills grew, so did my desire to entertain. All of a sudden, visits by family members became opportunities for me to experiment with food. I discovered and was totally trapped in the atavistic pleasures of feeding an appreciative audience. In the process, I came to understand that those glamorous working women of my childhood - the ones with the crisp sarees - woke up at unearthly hours too. They too cajoled their children, they too pandered to demanding husbands and in-laws. But their kitchens were not always hateful prisons to them. While their worklife provided them with

desicritics.org

Culture: The Choices Women Make - Ten years ago, I would have laughed at the very thought of cooking. - The Choices Women Make Culture Culture: Food And Drink Culture: Social Issues Culture: Society Culture: Women Culture: Family Culture: Desi

2008-04-17 La socit demballages Amcor Flexibles vend deux units - Toute linformation sur lEmballage

The plants are primarily involved in the production of extruded materials which are predominately used in the fresh food, processed food and speciality market segments. The sale will better secure the future of AF Lund and AF Baricol under new ownership and will give both sites the opportunity to operate as an independent entity with similar market focus and a closer working relationship. Significant restructuring has been undertaken at the Lund plant prior to the sale to ensure the business is well placed to take full advantage of its strong position in its key markets. It is anticipated that the business will be managed by the current team in place. The decision is driven by the strategy to reposition Amcor Flexibles by optimising the European production capacity to enable us to create a more focussed business portfolio. The core

www.emballagedigest.fr

Emballage Digest, la revue packaging and machines. - Emballage Digest packaging machines

2008-04-24 Skyrocketing land prices make restaurants go abroad- Hotels / Restaurants-Services-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

Restaurateurs also point out that the concept for speciality restaurants is not quite popular in India and so their returns get restricted. Besides, Indian consumers are price sensitive and would rather opt out than spend a little extra on food.

We are starting our fresh food restaurants in Canada and the US in about a month. Though I cannot reveal the exact amount pumped in the ventures, I can tell you that it is only around 70 pct. of the sum that we have ended up spending in Mumbai or New Delhi for a similar project, says KP Sareen, adviser business development, Bikanervala Foods Pvt Ltd, which owns Angan Restaurants in the Karol Bagh area of the capital and is expanding overseas.

economictimes.indiatimes.com

2008-05-01 In Celebration of its 300th Anniversary, Fortnum and Mason Brings its Tradition of Quality Provisions and Superior Celebratory Offerings to the U. S.

Whilst food remains the soul of Fortnum and Mason, its history and reputation is also deeply rooted in providing the finest array of gifts from the most refined to the most unusual. At Fortnums you will be able to find something that even the-person-who-has-it-all doesnt have . from kitchen linens to toiletries and toys. Fortnum and Mason offers the highest quality hampers, gifts of genuine distinction, for all seasons.

For three centuries Fortnums has been committed to bringing the worlds best ingredients and foods to Piccadilly, from every continent . from spices, oils, vinegars, pickles and chutneys to rare teas, exotic coffees and the finest biscuits. The expert buyers at Fortnum and Mason trawl the world to find the best suppliers of everything the store sells, from tea to china, from chocolate to perfume.

www.earthtimes.org

LOS ANGELES /PRNewswire/ -- In a highly anticipated move, Fortnum and Mason is now delivering the legendary English stores experience to the brands many American devotees and for all . - Fortnum mason fortnum s food web site products presence finest centuries all our store celebration usa quality best three london tea world american their brand s find

2008-04-15 Southover to launch high street own-brand range - Meat News and Industry Knowledge

Southover Food Company is currently the only distributor in the south of England that manufactures own-brand meats. Although the company distributes a range of speciality foods to delis, cafs, restaurants and caterers through van sales, Southover is looking for a distributor to move its meats into the retail market.

Sussex-based speciality food distributor and meat manufacturer Southover Food Company is planning to launch its own-brand meat range onto the high street.

The company is also hoping to capitalise on its success at a number of award shows recently. The Southover Free-Range Dry Gammon Ham won the meat category at Food and Drink Expos Ideas to Dine For 2008 Awards and the Southover Roast Beef Topside won a gold award at this years Great Taste Awards.

www.meatinfo.co.uk

The Online Meat Trades Journal

2008-05-01 HeraldNet: Chemical fertilizers = poor gardening

In the past two decades, Damrosch, now 65, evolved from a landscaper to a vegetable farmer, and her speciality is growing vegetables year-round. She and her husband tend 40 acres in Maine. On just an acre and a half they grow usd. 120,000 worth of produce annually, all in raised 30-inch beds. They incorporate tons of organic matter and grow veggies in 20 below zero Maine winters using a combination of unheated greenhouses and floating row covers.

www.heraldnet.com

2008-04-08 How to improve your wine sales

On food and wine matching another selling technique: pair each dish with a glass of wine from the menu. "Nearly every table will take a glass, but theyll all buy bottles as well," he says. You just need to work through the dishes, tasting as you go to find the best match. "Everyone has a different glass with a different dish," he says. "The days of ordering one bottle to suit all have gone. "

www.caterersearch.com

How do you push wine sales without being pushy Fiona Sims gets the lowdown from some high-flyers - Chef recipes food industry drink industry Caterersearch food suppliers

2008-04-15 Aesop: Fabled beauty - Features, Fashion - The Independent

Aesops obsessions extend beyond the literary. Some months ago, they held a dog-feeding session in the St Kilda store. An Aesop customer had published a book on preparing your own dog food rather than purchasing it, and he was invited to demonstrate his culinary skill for a shopful of Aesop-buying dog-lovers. Its a quirky, whimsical approach to marketing that often seems to come out of left field. The company has steadfastly refused to sell out to big business; unlike, say, Kiehls or Aveda, cosmetic firms to whose products Aesop bears certain similarities and ndash; notably an apothecary-like feel and ndash; Aesop has so far resolutely rebutted the advances of global multinationals such as LOr and eacute;al and Est and eacute;e Lauder.

www.independent.co.uk