Supplier insights news

P&G reported a strong second quarter, reflecting pandemic-driven demand for its brands. Although there is a degree of uncertainty and volatility associated with its expectations for the second half, the business is confident that it will benefit from shifts driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sales guidance raised despite second half uncertainty Second quarter sales increased by 8%, driven by ...

As one of the first major suppliers to report results in 2021, we review Conagra Brands’ second quarter performance and why it’s so confident that demand for its products will remain elevated. Sales and profits ahead of expectations The second quarter performance, with net sales up 8.1% and adjusted operating profit up 21.7%, exceeded the company’s expectations. The pandemic continues to dr...

With the Campbell Soup Company off to a strong start in the first quarter, we look at the factors which provide it with the confidence that it can sustain its performance going forward. 1. Consumers continue to prepare and eat more meals at home With net sales up 7% and EBIT up 45%, the company continues to benefit from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Growth was strong across meals an...

Following a solid second quarter performance, The J.M. Smucker Company has raised its guidance for the full year, anticipating many of the new consumer behaviours which have underpinned the business, will be sustained beyond the pandemic. Improvements in key metrics In raising its sales outlook, the retailer pointed to the elevated demand which drove a 9% increase in its coffee segment and ...

PepsiCo has opened an automated micro-fulfillment centre (MFC) in the Chicago area in partnership with Dematic. First-mover advantage? PepsiCo is one of the first consumer goods suppliers to open a micro-fulfillment centre in the US. The fulfillment model has gained significant traction over recent years, with several strategic partnerships being formed to support the fast-growing grocery e...

Nestlé announced it has agreed to acquire a majority stake in healthy recipe box and prepared frozen meals company, Mindful Chef, in the UK. Sales of over £50m forecasted Mindful Chef launched in 2015 and offers customers the choice of 16 curated healthy recipes each week. Since its launch, the business has delivered more than 9.5 million meals to households throughout the UK. The business ...

We highlight four ways Hershey has aimed to maximise the commercial opportunities as the pandemic drive new consumer behaviours. Solid third quarter Hershey delivered a better than expected third quarter with organic net sales up 3.8% and reported net income up 39.0%. It made major share gains in the US, with the business benefitting from consumers treating themselves during the pandemic an...

With a renewed focus on agility, a recently launched transformation plan and changes in consumer priorities driving demand, the outlook for Kraft Heinz looks strong. We look at how it plans to sustain its performance moving into 2021. Retail sales gains offsetting foodservice declines Kraft Heinz delivered a strong performance in Q3, with retail organic net sales up 6.3% and EBITDA growth o...

Following a strategic investment in the company in 2017, Nestlé USA has acquired Freshly, a subscription-based meal delivery service. Removing the barriers to healthy eating Freshly is a weekly subscription service which delivers fresh, chef-cooked meals that can be heated and served in three minutes, directly to customers’ doors. Central to the company’s ethos is a focus on removing barrie...

We look at how the Kellogg Company continues to benefit from more meals being consumed at home and its focus on retaining new households. Elevated demand moderating The business delivered a strong third quarter performance with organic sales up 4.5% and reported operating profit up 55.9%. While the demand for food-at-home remains at an elevated level, the rate of growth is moderating. Sales...