Three new Chilean raspberry varieties recently introduced in the country have reported good yields and calibre in the first cultivation trials.

Ukrainian frozen raspberry exports fell in the first four months of the 2019/20 season on lower production as a result of farmers exiting a business that is no longer profitable. However, market insiders expect Ukrainian firms to start consolidating into cooperatives.

The Latin American country is expected close the 2019 with 10,000-12,000 tonnes of frozen strawberry exported, meaning that trade in this commodity can surge by up to 23% year-on-year.

There were record numbers for the Egyptian food industry at Anuga 2019 with a delegation of 96 exporting companies covering an area of about 1.26 square km across the country pavilion, frozen, beverage and dairy halls.

The strawberry season has started in Huelva, where the planted area has increased steadily in the last three years to exceed 6,000 hectares in 2019/20.

Blueberry planted area in the Ñuble region has increased by 17% to 4,023 hectares in the past three years, representing 21.9% of the national plantation.

The frozen potato giant Lamb Weston has formed a 50/50 joint venture with Sociedad Comercial del Plata in Argentina to process and sell frozen potatoes in the Latin American market, which is worth nearly USD2.5 billion .

McCain Foods USA has started the USD300 million expansion of its potato processing facility in Othello, Washington.

Potato harvested volumes in Europe are expected to be higher than in 2018, but still below the five years average. The Polish potato crop shrank under the effect of the summer drought, putting pressure on prices for fresh. 

Frozen potato company Cavendish Farms has officially opened its new processing facility in Lethbridge (Alberta).

Russia is gradually transforming from a frozen potato importer to a frozen potato producer.

Asian Citrus Holdings (ACH), an integrated orange producer and tropical fruit juice concentrates supplier in mainland China, announced that its 2018 revenue fell 2.6% to CNY52.8 million (USD7.39 mln), although EBITDA was up by 362.9% in the same year.

Bakery company Aryzta has received an offer to sell most of its interest in French frozen food firm Picard.

Mango, guava pulp and frozen snacks manufacturer Foods & Inns has acquired Kusum Spices for INR139.9 mln (USD1.96 mln). Kusum Spices is in the branded spice business under the Kusum Masala brand.

The French food processor giant’s revenue for the 2018-19 financial year stands at EUR2.7 million (USD2.95 mln), unchanged from the previous year and blamed on sluggish demand and adverse weather conditions for crop development.

Bonduelle’s new vegetable processing factory in the Belgorod region will have a production capacity of 6,000-10,000 tonnes of frozen vegetables, the company said in an exclusive interview to IEG VU.

Dairy, snack, meat and innovative grocery proposals are very dynamic and the Alimentaria exhibition in Barcelona will mirror it, to be held from April 20-23 2020, IEG Vu was told.

Wells Enterprises, owner of Blue Bunny ice cream, is acquiring Halo Top from Eden Creamery for an undisclosed sum.