NESTLE

Private equity fund PAI Partners and French dairy co-operative Sodiaal confirmed they had entered exclusive talks with General Mills toward a sale of 50 percent of yogurt brand Yoplait.

Nestle , the world's biggest food maker, prefers investments over payouts, its CFO told a German paper, adding that recent share buybacks had not limited the group's ability to make acquisitions.

General Mills Inc and Nestle SA are among leading candidates to buy a 50 percent stake in French yogurt maker Yoplait, Bloomberg said on Monday, citing people familiar with the process.

Swiss food giant Nestle said on Thursday that strong demand in emerging markets would help it offset rising raw materials prices.

Nestle, the world's biggest food maker, said strong demand in emerging markets would help it offset a steep rise in input costs in 2011 after it beat sales forecasts for 2010.

Swiss food giant Nestle said on Thursday that strong demand in emerging markets would help it offset rising raw materials prices.

Elliott Associates, the $17 billion U.S. hedge fund, added its voice to demands that chemicals giant DuPont raise its $5.8 billion bid for Danisco, the Danish maker of food ingredients and enzymes.

The program secures pre-admission for university students in the IESE Business School's MBA class and also places them in a prominent firm for two years at least so that they fulfill the experiential requirements of the prestigious full time program.

Nestle, the world's biggest food group, said on Thursday it would invest 1 billion Swiss francs expanding capacity in Africa over the next two years.

European institutions received 85,262 score reports from people who took the GMAT® exam in testing year 2010 (July 2009-June 2010); we look at the top 5 countries in Europe that are attracting MBA aspirants from around the world.

Nigeria's fast-moving consumer goods sector is attracting foreign investors as parent companies pump cash into local units to offset slowing growth at home.

Novartis AG wrapped up its long-awaited buyout of the remainder of U.S.-listed eyecare group Alcon Inc for $12.9 billion, after sweetening its original offer with cash.

Swiss drug maker Novartis will pay $12.9 billion to buy the remaining shares of Alcon it doesn't already own to broaden its presence in the booming eye-care market, which is expected to outgrow the pharmaceuticals market in coming years.

British packaging company DS Smith Plc said first half pretax profit rose 17.5 percent, helped by strong volume and revenue growth in the recycled packaging business.

PepsiCo Inc. announced an agreement to acquire 66 percent of Russia's dairy and fruit juice company Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods for $3.8 billion to boost its base in key markets in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Upon completion of the deal, PepsiCo will be around twice the size of its nearest food and beverage competitor in Russia.