Activist investor William Ackman has built a stake worth about $5.5bn (€5.05bn) in Mondelez International, the maker of Cadbury chocolate and Oreo biscuits, in what is seen as an attempt to push the company to boost earnings or sell itself.

With a merger of Kraft and Heinz expected soon, entrepreneur-led food firms are wide-eyed with optimism for the future, writes Kyran Fitzgerald.

Pfizer turned up the pressure on AstraZeneca today as the US drugs giant prepares to face a grilling from MPs over its £63bn (€77bn) takeover plan.

Simon Coveney, the agriculture minister, has described Bord Bia’s new national Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme as vital for the promotion of Irish dairy produce in export markets.

Shares in Marks & Spencer surged today on speculation that the retailer is an £8bn bid target for Middle Eastern investors.

Hovis and Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods will launch a major television advertising push this week after admitting its marketing efforts had failed to keep pace with competitors.

SUCCESSFUL Irish food companies will share their expertise with a new generation of entrepreneurs in a mentoring initiative unveiled yesterday.

A posh puddings vending machine has been programmed to block children from getting free dessert samples by using face recognition.

New York: Brazil, the world’s biggest coffee grower, is facing the risk of frost after hail this month, raising the prospect of a 40% jump in bean costs after Kraft Foods and JM Smucker already increased prices.

CONCERNS over rising input costs hit the shares of some global food giants yesterday as analysts contemplated future earnings in the 2011 window.

Kraft Foods, the US company that took over Cadbury last year, has reported a 30% rise in its fourth quarter revenue.

Costs stemming from the acquisition of UK chocolate business Cadbury left foods giant Kraft with a 24% drop in fourth quarter profits today.

Organic chocolate maker Green & Black’s is looking to buy itself out of US food giant Kraft following the Cadbury takeover last year, it was reported today.

GRAEME McDOWELL, 31, from Portrush in Co Antrim, is awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours List today after a sensational golfing year.

US food giant Kraft has confirmed plans to restructure chocolate-maker Cadbury by moving part of the business to Switzerland in a move which could reduce its UK tax bill.

New bidders are being sought for Jaffa Cakes and Hobnobs firm United Biscuits after talks with a Chinese food giant hit the buffers, it was reported today.

A raft of changes to UK takeover rules was put forward today as part of a so-called “Cadbury Law” after the chocolate firm’s controversial takeover by US giant Kraft.

Kraft’s acquisition of Cadbury has helped the US firm to post higher-than-expected profits, despite a decline in its own North American sales.

SIPTU and UNITE, the unions which represent workers at the Cadburys plants in Ireland have welcomed assurances from the new owners, Kraft, concerning job security.

American food giant Kraft is to close its UK head office in the wake of its controversial takeover of chocolate-maker Cadbury’s, it was announced today.

Cadbury is to launch a chain of cafés serving afternoon tea and chocolates after new owner Kraft gave the plans the green light, it was reported today.

Kraft Foods said it would cut the salt in its products sold in North America by an average of 10% over the next two years to appeal to health-conscious consumers.

Union leaders in the UK will call today for company takeover laws to be strengthened in the wake of the sale of Cadbury’s to US food giant Kraft.

A complaint against Kraft has been lodged with the London market's takeover panel alleging the US group misled Cadbury employees and investors during its battle for the Dairy Milk maker, it was revealed today.

Kraft is under investigation by UK regulators over whether it misled Cadbury employees and investors in its battle to take over the confectioner, it was reported today.

Swiss food giant Nestle said it had completed its acquisition of Kraft’s frozen pizza business.

KERRY Group will be in a position to complete a €1 billion acquisition by the end of 2010, according to chief executive Stan McCarthy.

Northfield, Illinois: Kraft Foods Inc, whose bid for Cadbury Plc was accepted last month, said fourth-quarter profit increased as sales outside the US grew.

The Tánaiste will meet with KRAFT management over the weekend to put together a business plan for Cadbury

Food giant Kraft today signalled the loss of up to 400 jobs in the UK by announcing the closure of a Cadbury factory – despite earlier promises to keep it open.

Kraft foods says it now has control of more than three quarters of Cadbury shares.

The Tánaiste has said it is going to be a "difficult task" to keep all of the current Cadbury business in Ireland.

WORKERS at the Cadbury plant in Rathmore, Co Kerry, still do not know if the takeover of the company by US food giant Kraft will affect their jobs.

Cadbury chairman Roger Carr today said he would step down after shareholders approved US food giant Kraft’s £11.4bn (€13bn) takeove

US firm Kraft sealed its takeover of Dairy Milk maker Cadbury today after shareholders voted in favour of the deal.

The deadline is approaching for Cadbury shareholders to approve the €13.7bn takeover by a US food giant.

US giant Kraft’s five-month battle for control of iconic confectioner Cadbury is set to be sealed today when it unveils the level of support for its takeover offer.

US giant Kraft's five-month battle for control of iconic confectioner Cadbury should be sealed tomorrow when it unveils the level of support for its takeover offer.

Italian confectioner Ferrero ruled itself out of the Cadbury takeover race today after last week’s recommended £11.9bn (€13.5bn) bid from US food giant Kraft.

US chocolate firm Hershey cleared the way for Kraft’s £11.9bn (€13.6bn) takeover of Dairy Milk firm Cadbury today after it said it would not make a counter-bid.

The FTSE 100 Index was in the red today as possible Chinese lending curbs weighed on sentiment ahead of the latest round of US banking results.

The FTSE 100 Index slipped more than 1% by noon today as weakness in banking stocks offset one of the London market's biggest takeover deals of recent times.