Cheap, versatile palm oil has long been used as an ingredient in everything from ice cream and chips to lotions and soaps. But its production causes severe environmental damage, which is why Unilever, the world's biggest buyer of palm oil, has decided to try an alternative: oil from algae.
Kraft Foods reported a 13% jump in second-quarter profit on improved sales in Europe and emerging markets. Kraft gained greater exposure to these markets following its $19 billion Cadbury deal.
"We continue to operate under the assumption of slow economic growth, particularly in developed markets where consumer confidence remains fragile," said CEO Paul Polman. Investors pushed the stock lower in reaction.
Microsoft's Bill Gates, Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett and Apple's Steve Jobs are all household names in addition to being among the wealthiest people in the country. But do you know Fred DeLuca, Peter Buck or Donald Hall? Probably not. Yet their products are likely an integral part of your daily life.
Unilever's $1.3 billion proposal to acquire Sara Lee's household and body products operation ran into a snag Monday when European antitrust regulators announced they are opening a deeper investigation into the proposed transaction.
The push to show "real" women in advertising seemed like a victory for womankind. But new research from Arizona State University suggests that all of those ads and magazines featuring everyday women can sometimes backfire -- and, in some cases, even make women feel worse.











