Global Specialty Food Ingredients Industry Growing Through Expansion and Mergers and Acquisitions

PALM BEACH, Florida, September 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --

According to Future Market Insights , the global specialty food ingredients market is being driven by factors such as an uproar for convenience foods, increasing urban population, along with rising purchasing power and changing lifestyles. The competitive nature of the food ingredient industry has led to expansion opportunities as well as an array of significant mergers and acquisitions. A new report by Future Market Insights (FMI) states that the global market for specialty food ingredients is expected to register a steady growth during the forecast period 2017 to 2022. Revenues from the global specialty food ingredients market are expected to reach nearly US$ 85,000 million by 2022-end. Active companies in industry this week include: SugarMade Inc. (OTC: SGMD), RiceBran Technologies (NASDAQ: RIBT), Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE: ADM), Mondelez International Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ), The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN).

SugarMade, Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) today announces an important product expansion within the $13 billion global seasoning and spice industry via the signing of an Letter of Intent to significantly expand its product line and to acquire some of the seasoning industry's most important patents. SugarMade today announces the signing of a Letter of Intent with Seasoning Stix International, LLC to acquire the marketing rights to all Seasoning Stix products. The LOI also includes an option to purchase the entire company, its assets and rights to the three issued U.S. patents behind the Seasoning Stix products. Read this and more news for SGMD at: http://www.marketnewsupdates.com/news/sgmd.html .

"Even though, according to industry analysts, the $13 billion market for seasonings continues to grow at nearly 5% per year, there have very few new product introductions in decades. We think SugarMade's initiative with Seasoning Stix can changes this dynamic. We are already successful marketing the Sriracha Seasoning Stix version of this product, with real Huy Fong Foods Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, but through this pending arrangement we will be able to significantly expand our product offerings to potentially hundreds of additional blends," commented Jimmy Chan, CEO of SugarMade.

Under the terms of the proposed agreement, SugarMade will immediately begin marketing all of the additional Seasoning Stix blends, which will significantly expand the number of products offered by SugarMade and its revenue base. Additionally, SugarMade will be placing a number of large orders to build the inventory needed to meet expected demand.

Mr. Chan continued, "This intellectually property is very flexible and we feel represents the first revolution on the seasoning market in decades. With the Seasoning Stix technology the combination of blends is limited only by our imaginations. We will even be able to encapsulate other leading seasoning and spice blends into Seasoning Stix representing an entirely additional potential revenue stream for SugarMade.

In other industry news and developments:

RiceBran Technologies (NASDAQ: RIBT and RIBTW), a global leader in the production and marketing of value added products derived from rice bran, announced today that Continental Grain Company, one of the oldest food and agribusiness companies in the world, has entered into an agreement to purchase 2.7 million shares of RiceBran Technologies common stock from the Company for $2.9 million. The total number of shares issued to Continental Grain Company represents 16% of RBT's issued and outstanding common stock on a post transaction basis.

"We are pleased that Continental Grain Company is making a significant investment in our company's future," said Dr. Robert Smith, President and CEO of RBT. "Continental Grain Company is one of the oldest food and agribusiness companies in the world with a long history of pursuing strategic investment opportunities in food and agribusiness." Established in 1813 as a grain trading firm based in what is now known as Arlon, Belgium, Continental Grain Company grew to become one of the largest privately held companies in the world.

Ari Gendason, Senior Vice President - Corporate Investments at Continental Grain Company and a member of RBT's Board of Directors, added "The RBT team has made substantial progress in the past year towards its strategic objectives, from focusing on its rice bran business to significantly strengthening its financial condition and lowering operating costs. RBT's stabilized rice bran and proprietary ingredient products provide better-for-you ingredients that consumers are increasingly demanding from food companies and Continental Grain Company has a long history of seeking out expansion opportunities in this space making this a good strategic fit for both companies. We look forward to RBT's continued progress."

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) closed up slightly on Wednesday with over 2.2 million shares traded by the market close. Archer Daniels Midland last month announced the appointment of Rachel D. Hudson to the position of vice president and treasurer. In this role, she will oversee all treasury activities globally, including funding and capital markets, currency risk-management and worldwide banking activities. For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company have transformed crops into products that serve the vital needs of a growing world. Today, we're one of the world's largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with approximately 32,000 employees serving customers in more than 160 countries. With a global value chain that includes approximately 500 crop procurement locations, 250 ingredient manufacturing facilities, 38 innovation centers and the world's premier crop transportation network, we connect the harvest to the home, making products for food, animal feed, industrial and energy uses

Mondelez International Inc. (NASDAQ: MDLZ) has once again been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for both the North America and World indices. The DJSI is a globally recognized independent benchmark that conducts comprehensive assessments of a company's economic, environmental and social performance with a strong focus on long-term value creation for shareholders. Mondelēz International's overall score was in the 92nd percentile of its industry. The company also achieved perfect scores of 100 in environmental reporting and health and nutrition. "We're proud of our continued strong performance in the DJSI World Index," said Christine McGrath, Chief Sustainability, Well-being and Public & Government Affairs Officer. "Our company's future success is rooted in helping people snack in balance and enjoy life. People want snacks that are made with less energy, water, and waste; in safe working environments for employees and suppliers; and with ingredients they know and feel good about."

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAIN), a leading organic and natural products company with operations in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East providing consumers with A Healthier Way of Life™, in late August reported results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended June 30, 2017. "We are pleased to have achieved sales growth in all of our business segments on a constant currency basis in the fourth quarter, despite an ever changing operating environment for food manufacturers and retailers," said Irwin D. Simon, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hain Celestial. "Building upon our core platforms and cost savings initiatives, our global team has made significant progress during the year executing on our strategic plan. The business momentum and operational improvements we experienced in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 reinforces our confidence in the tremendous opportunities ahead to generate the growth we know we are capable of achieving over the next several years." Read the full report at: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hain-celestial-announces-fourth-quarter-113700261.html .

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