Content about Europe

NORTHFIELD, Ill. — Although its Oreo cookie brand turned 100 years old this year, Kraft Foods said the brand's global presence is greater than ever.

Oreo grew double digits in North America during first quarter 2012 and nearly 40% in Europe and developing markets, the company said. Sales of Oreo also grew nearly 25% in 2011, Kraft Foods said.

AIRPORT CITY, Israel — SodaStream has launched a new line of flavors sweetened with an all-natural plant-based sweetener.

SodaStream said its stevia-laden flavors initially will launch in Europe, with U.S. sales expected to begin this summer. The initial flavors, with less than five calories per serving, include pink grapefruit, peach-pear, orange, lemon-lime, cranberry-apple and others.

CINCINNATI — As part of a move to integrate its beauty care products business, Kao has named John Nosek president of Kao USA, the newly restructured beauty care company that merges Kao's prestige, mass and salon businesses in the United States.

Beginning this month, Kao's beauty care subsidiaries in North America and Europe will run as unified organizations in the major countries in which they operate. In his capacity as president of Kao USA, Nosek will oversee the consumer products business, professional salon business and Molton Brown USA.

MCHENRY, Ill. — A product exclusively designed for breast-fed babies has made its U.S. debut.

SAN FRANCISCO — A large European study released Tuesday found that daily aspirin use is linked to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration, a disease that can damage the central vision that is essential for reading and driving. The study was published in the January issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

SILVER SPRING, Md. — The Food and Drug Administration has appointed a new chief of staff for commissioner Margaret Hamburg, according to a letter sent to agency employees Monday.

In the letter, Hamburg announced the appointment of Lisa Barclay. Barclay, currently a partner at the Washington law firm Zuckerman Spaeder, will replace Molly Muldoon, who was previously chief of staff and more recently the agency's acting COO.

BOSTON — This year’s jump in measles in the United States and Canada was costly and occurred among unvaccinated children and adults, suggested several studies being presented at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America here Thursday.

At the beginning of the year, a major global controversy was settled when it turned out that a study published in The Lancet in 1998 linking the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine to autism in children turned out to be a whopper of a fraud.


But despite the exposure of the study’s author — and outbreaks of preventable diseases among children in the United States and Europe, thanks to parents who opted to have their kids vaccinated — it appears that sowing fear of childhood vaccines still appears to have some currency.


BENTONVILLE, Ark. — In her new role as president and CEO of Walmart Canada, Shelley Broader will be tasked with addressing new competition from Target and other retailers expanding into Canada. Broader, who joined Walmart Canada in 2010 as chief merchandising officer, will assume her new role, effective immediately.

Prior to Walmart, Broader held a range of key positions with Michael's and Hannaford Bros., as well as Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

SUPPLIER NEWS — Coty has announced that in September it will launch the new Celine Dion Signature, which marks the latest addition to the Celine Dion portfolio of fragrances. Celine Dion Signature will be available in September at mass merchandisers and drug outlets in the United States and Europe.


PHILADELPHIA — GlaxoSmithKline expects to close the deal on the divestiture of several over-the-counter brands that were identified in April, the company stated Tuesday as part of its second-quarter earnings results.

"The divestment of noncore OTC assets in the [United States] and Europe will further aid our strategy to accelerate growth and increase the focus of our Consumer Healthcare business," GSK stated. "We are making progress to divest these products by late 2011, subject to realizing appropriate value for shareholders."

Drug Store News editor-in-chief Rob Eder interviewed Lansinoh Labs VP sales Michelle McLaughlin in Boston at NACDS Marketplace about the company’s leading position in the natural feeding category, and an exciting new line of products from Europe, which Lansinoh acquired this year and currently is launching to U.S. retailers.