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The controversial European Commission organic logo, which was to be compulsorily slapped on all organic food across Europe by 2009, has been scrapped, forcing the launch date back by up to a year.

Mr Michael Mann from the EU Commission stated to Organic-Market.Info that "The European Commission is fully committed to promoting and encouraging the organic food sector in the European Union. Part of this process is an EU-funded promotion programme for organic food and the development of a new EU logo for all organic products. The Commission has decided to launch a promotion programme this summer."

"As part of this programme, we will launch a competition, open to all EU citizens, to design a new logo. This will replace the draft logo which has recently been circulated", it says. To allow sufficient time for a suitable logo to be selected, the Commission will ask the Council to delay by one year (to 2010) the date on which the EU logo becomes compulsory.

The reason for the withdrawal of the proposed logo was a big German discounter. "Aldi did contact the Commission to say it felt there was a similarity between the proposed EU logo and its own private logo", Mr. Mann wrote. The similarity of the two logos was raised by an organic farmers’ association at the Advisory Group on Organic Farming. 

The green logo bearing the word bio was branded as "barmy" by one EC insider, because despite having strong links to the word organic in other European languages, it meant nothing to British consumers. Now the EC is to recommission the logo, with instructions it must not use the word bio.

Source: European Commission / Organic-Market.info
 

Swiss food company Hero has acquired Organix Brands. Investment from the Swiss company is expected to double sales of the UK organic baby food company by 2011. As part of the deal, Organix has secured funding to increase its product range from 55 to more than 100 in the next two-and-a-half years. It will also be focusing on new categories and older children so kids can "grow up with Organix". Founder Lizzie Vann, who set up Organix in 1992, said she had been in talks with three other suitors leading up to the deal.

"We reached a place where we needed long-term stability," she said. "It is scary when you talk to some of these business interested in buying you. "But Hero is family-based and has made a commitment to continue the business as usual. We wanted to be sure the business wasn't going to be flipped or go down the private equity route."

Organix's profits soared 58% to £1.6m in the year to June 2007, with a 38% increase in turnover to £18.8m. Profits are forecast to hit £2m with sales of £25m in 2008. Hero, which is majority owned by the founder of Dr Oetker, has worked with Organix for the past 10 years as a supplier. The company has operations across the world, focusing on fruit, nutrition, cereals and decoration. It also owns Signature Brands, a parent company to Betty Crocker.

Vann will take on a new role of president for the next three years. She will also act as a consultant to Organix but will have no hand in the day-to-day hand running of the business.

Organic Monitor Comment
The acquisition of Organix makes the European organic baby food market more concentrated. The market is dominated by large companies like Heinz, with very few dedicated organic brands having large market share. In the face of growing competition, Organix had been seeking investment to strengthen its product range and expand into children's organic foods. Although the investment has now been secured, it remains to be seen how the company will evolve in the coming years. The price of investment is invariably independence.

Source: The Grocer / Organic Monitor
 

This 5th International Conference Soy & Health 2008 will receive more than 300 participants from industry, health care professionals, government and information services. Leading soya food producers and soy ingredient and supplement manufacturers will show the newest products and applications.

Soy & Health 2008 offers a unique opportunity to meet with all the leading world experts on Soy & Health. The conference will give a full review of recent developments in the field of Soy & Health. Topics include:

• Cardiovascular Disease Risk Reduction: the role of soy protein and isoflavones

• Safety of Isoflavones as phytoestrogens and effect of soy isoflavone intake on testosterone levels

• Soy and the prevention of breast and prostate cancer

• Impact of soy in the diet for diabetic and obese patients

• How to advise patients to consume soy-rich diets?

The simultaneously running 1st International Symposium Soy & Strategic Marketing brings a program for soyfood, soy ingredient, and food industry management, marketing and product developers with topics such as:

• Trends and Innovation in Functional Foods Markets - The Need for Ongoing Product Innovation

• Nutritional and Health Attributes of Soyfoods for Specific Populations

• Health and Nutrition as Major driver for new Food product Introductions

• Key trends in Food, Nutrition and Health in 2008.

Soy & Health 2008 and Soy & Strategic Marketing are organized by Soy Conference of Belgium. It is supported by Solae, Solbar, ENSA and Alpro Soyfoods, Organic Monitor along with additional media sponsorship.

More information is on http://www.soyconference.com.

Source: Press Release