Raids and Arrests

Welcome back Food Junglers. Apologies for the late issue, a flurry of postgrad exams and late working hours stopped me from getting the last issue out on time. But as fog clears, however, we should be back to the usual rhythm. This week, Coca Cola bottlers get raided, Mexico restricts junk food, and bird flu spreads in the UK. Let’s dig in.

THE BREAKDOWN…

Homegrown Oats: Danone UK and Ireland’s plant-based brand, Alpro, has announced a multi-million-pound investment in bringing 100% British oats to its oat beverages.

UK Bird Flu: Bird flu has been detected in a sheep in northern England, the first known case of its kind in the world.

US Food Banks: Food banks across the US, already strained by rising demand, say they will have less food to distribute because of at least $1 billion in federal funding cuts and pauses by the Trump administration.

JBS Earnings: JBS, the world's largest meat packer, posted a sharp rise in net profit in the final quarter of 2024, even as the company's U.S. beef division grapples with high cattle prices.

Unilever Sell-Off: Unilever has agreed to sell The Vegetarian Butcher to fellow plant-based meat business Vivera, with the deal expected to be completed by mid-2025.

Farmer Arrest: Russian farming billionaire Vadim Moshkovich was remanded in custody for two months by a Moscow court after his detention on suspicion of large-scale fraud.

Coca Cola Raid: Coca Cola bottlers were raided by EU antitrust regulators earlier this month, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said.

Water Purchase: PAI Partners and Bain Capital are among buyout firms considering bids for Nestle’s water business, which could be valued at about €5 billion or more in a deal.

Utah Drinking Water: Utah has become the first U.S. state to outlaw the addition of fluoride to public drinking water.

Agri-Food Funding: The global agri-food-tech sector has seen a steep decline in investment, with funding plummeting by 73% from its 2021 peak.

Mexican Junk Food: A government-sponsored junk food ban in schools across Mexico has taken effect, as the country tries to tackle one of the world’s worst obesity and diabetes epidemics.

CHART OF THE WEEK: