In numbers

$125m

US food group J.M. Smucker has revealed a recall of its Jif brand peanut butter because of a salmonella scare will likely cost it US$125m in fiscal 2023.

$610m

General Mills is selling its Helper and Suddenly salad businesses to local peer Eagle Family Foods Group for around US$610m.

$10.5m

Clif Bar has settled – for $10.5m – with plaintiffs of a class action lawsuit who accused the US energy bar business of making false health claims about its products.

44%

Russia’s state-owned Sberbank strikes deal to sell its 44% stake shareholder in Fortenova Group, the Croatian food, agriculture and retail business previously trading as Agrokor.

CAD850m

France-based vegetables supplier Bonduelle has entered into exclusive talks with two Canadian institutional investors for the partial sale of its Bonduelle Americas Long Life (BALL) business for CAD850m.

EUR6.1m

France-based Compagnie Léa Nature has acquired a 40% stake in local firm Alpes Biscuits, an SME that generated turnover of EUR16.1m in 2021.

In brief

Tyson Foods takes stakes in two Saudi Arabia firms in Tanmiah Food deal

Tyson Foods has inked a deal in Saudi Arabia that will see the US meat giant take stakes in subsidiaries of Tanmiah Food Company.

Canada to put warning labels on unhealthy food products

Front-of-package nutrition symbols for food products high in saturated fat, sugars or sodium are to become mandatory in Canada.

Nestlé buys NZ supplements-to-honey supplier The Better Health Company

Nestlé has added to its portfolio of health-focused assets with the acquisition of New Zealand business The Better Health Company.

Europe, UK uphold CBD-related food-safety concerns as approvals stall

Europe’s food-safety regulator has put so-called novel food applications on hold for CBD-related products after identifying potential “hazards” in tests on animals.

The food industry briefing