News on Research from the United States

Procter &Gamble Co. might spin off, instead of sell, its Folgers coffee business.   Media reports, cited unidentified sources, said the Cincinnati-based company, which has said it is exploring sales of slower-growing brands, was interested in a sp...

ConAgra Foods Inc. won't close three production plants that had been slated for shutdown in a multiyear reorganization effort, signaling a shift in emphasis from cutting costs to growing sales. "We've had good success with sales of new products, a...

Boise-based J.R. Simplot Co. has purchased H &R Ag Inc., a Pasco-based agriculture supplier and retail business. No financial details of Monday's deal were disclosed. But Bill Whitacre, president of the Simplot AgriBusiness Group, said the acquisi...

'Kosher' was the most frequently used claim on new products launched in the US during 2007, while 'All Natural' and 'No Additives or Preservatives' were amongst the other most popular claims used on new products, reveals data from Mintel's Global New P...

The Idaho Potato Commission's advertising programs garnered a number of new awards in recent weeks, including three for a special potato-peeling demonstration by actress Dawn Wells.Wells, best known for portraying Mary Ann on the popular comedy Gilliga...

Tesco has become a food manufacturer for the first time as part of its efforts to win over US shoppers. The UK food chain, which has more than a 30 per cent share of supermarket shopping in its home market, has built an 80,000 sq ft food preparation...

States from Connecticut to California have looked this year to mimic the success of large cities like New York in banning artery-clogging trans fats from restaurants. But in the 14 states that have so far proposed a ban or restriction, not a single b...

Washington potato farmers harvested more than 5.1 million tons of potatoes in 2007, the state's second-largest spud harvest in history. Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission, said the state's potato farmers dug up ...

Researchers from the US Agricultural Research Service (ARS) claim to have stabilised a process of using extrusion technology to make healthy and tasty snacks out of legumes.

PepsiCo Inc said on Wednesday it is on track to meet its full-year earnings forecast, less than 10 days after it announced it would reorganize itself into three business units.

When you think of childhood obesity, McDonald's and Pepsi want you to think of them -- but probably not in the way you think. Representatives from the fast-food and soft-drink conglomerates attended a international conference aimed at fighting childho...

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) today reported strong first quarter earnings, boosted by higher selling prices for its products, including sweeteners and starches.The agricultural and ingredients firm has posted net earnings for the quarter ended Septembe...

Acting Agriculture Secretary Chuck Conner today announced that USDA provided more than $234 million to help market American farm products overseas in the 2007 fiscal year that ended Sept 30.   The allocations were provided under the Market Access Progr...

PepsiCo announced today a strategic realignment of its organizational structure to position the company for continued strong growth and more fully leverage the talents of its senior leaders. "Given PepsiCo's robust growth in recent years, we are ...

The top claims for new Food products in the period July- August 2007 compared to the same period last year:     Claim July-August 2006 July - August 2007 Change Upscale 11.0% 13.5% + 2.5% Natural 8.2% 9.3% + 1.1% Organic 5.5% 7.0% ...

The company said profit was $3.08 billion, or 92 cents a share, in the first quarter compared with $2.70 billion, or 79 cents a share, a year earlier. P&G plans to push further into health and beauty products, which generate higher margins than th...

Obesity rates did not rise last year for the first time in 25 years, a study has said, but are still too high and will continue to dominate public health agenda. The findings for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that while 34 p...

Following the approval of its acquisition of rival Wild Oats, Whole Foods Market has become the single most important natural food retailer in North America. The growing power of this 'supernatural' retailer is expected to consolidate supply chains of...