Recent news indicates that China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO) is planning to enter the liquor market by acquiring a liquor brand.

On December 26, 2009, Yves Rocher, founder of the global chain of beauty products which bears his name, passed away. The French President paid tribute to the successful French businessman and environmentalist. Bernard Angot, President of Bretagne International (the organization in charge of the development of Brittany’s economy), acknowledged him as a pioneering advocate of plants in cosmetics. Meanwhile, the inhabitants of La Gacilly, hometown of Mr. Rocher, will always remember him as a hero who boosted the local economy.

Recently Shanghai Jahwa, the largest local cosmetics enterprise has officially launched a cosmeceuticals brand “Yu Ze”, marking its entry into the medical cosmetics market. The chairman of Jahwa, Ge Wenyao, stated that brands like Avene, La Roche-Posay and Vichy occupy nearly 60% of the current cosmeceuticals market in China, making it a strategic area for Jahwa.

To promote their brand with both domestic and foreign audiences, China Eastern Airlines became the only airline partner of the Shanghai Expo in 2010. The painted “World Expo” aircraft – China Eastern’s (CES) fourth airplane for the World Expo 2010, decorated with bright colors – was recently revealed at a ceremony in Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. The plane took its maiden flight heading for Beijing on January 22nd.

After a four-month fight, the US food company Kraft finally acquired the British chocolate producer Cadbury. This $19.5 billion take-over has been approved by Cadbury's board, thus creating the world’s biggest chocolate maker according to Cadbury’s website.
Prior to the acquisition, Kraft was the largest candy, food, and beverage company headquartered in the United States and the second-largest in the world (after Nestlé SA) which markets nine brands each with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion. More than 50 additional brands belonging to Kraft have revenues greater than $100 million in more than 155 countries. Cadbury was a British confectionery and beverage company and the world's second largest confectionery manufacturer after Mars/Wrigley, with operations in over 60 countries under famous brands like Cadbury, Trident and Halls.