AG Barr pre-tax profit in the year to January 26 fell 23% to £10.7m. Sales rose 4% from £112m to £116m in the same period. Nestlé and Fonterra Co-operative Group have launched Dairy Partners Americas, the alliance agreed in August last year. The group plans to explore combined cost savings and joint dairy ventures in the Americas. A total of 28 Scottish food companies met speciality buyers from the food and catering industry at Murrayfield stadium in Edinburgh in an event organised by Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Tate & Lyle has predicted its results for the year to March 31 2002 will be "towards the higher end of market expectations". Customs officers at the port of Belfast have seized 15 million smuggled cigarettes bound for Northern Ireland and the Republic as part of a major crackdown on tobacco smuggling. Trade and industry secretary Patricia Hewitt has appointed former Asda boss Allan Leighton chairman of Consignia Holdings. He has been interim chairman of the company since January. The British Turkey Information Service is inviting retailers, caterers, producers and manufacturers to enter its fifth annual British Turkey Product of the Year Awards. Sir Michael Wilkes has replaced John Burley as chairman of Channel Islands grocery retailer and wholesaler Le Riche Group. Convenience foods manufacturer Uniq confirmed second-half profit would fall below last year's figure but said trading had imporved from the first half. Australian retail giant Coles Myer has announced plans to sell its Red Rooster fast food chain, axe its share owners' discount card program and simplify its management structure as part of a five year strategic plan. Cadbury Schweppes has called for Brazil's competition watchdog to block rival Nestlé's acquisition of confectionery manufacturer Garoto, which it claims would give Nestlé more than 50% of Brazil's confectionery market. Co-operative Union chief executive Pauline Green said over half of the recommendations of last year's Co-operative Commission report have been implemented. Kent brewer Shepherd Neame increased turnover in its interim results for the six months to the end of December by 10% to £40m. Pre-tax profits were down 2% to £4.4m due to a lower contribution from property profits. Irish food and ingredients company Greencore said first half earnings per share before exceptionals and goodwill will be a little below the same period last year. Heart of England Co-operative Society has become one of the first societies to adopt the new .coop internet suffix to differentiate co-ops from dotcoms, at www.21stcentury.coop {{NEWS }}

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