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TOPEKA, KS (MARKET WIRE) PT's Coffee Roasting Co. has been named Roast magazine's "Roaster of the Year" for 2009 in the publication's november / December 2008 issue released today.

SAN CLEMENTE, CA (MARKET WIRE) Halloween is a holiday usually associated with candy. According to a San Francisco Chronicle article entitled "Halloween Adds Up to $5 Billion,"(1) Americans spent about $1.4 billion dollars in Halloween candy just last year alone, leaving trick-or-treaters with plenty of sweets to eat. In fact, children are not just getting one small bag of candy nowadays; they're receiving pillow-cases worth of sweets laden with fat, sugar and calories. An average-size Jack-O-Lantern bucket, for example, fits about 250 pieces of small chocolate bars and candy that could easily add up to nine thousand

United Spirits Limited, the spirits arm of India's UB Group, has said that net profit rose by nearly 26% in its first half.

Exports of French wines dropped by almost 10% in volume in the first eight months of the year, according to industry body, the Fédération des Exportateurs de Vins et Spiritueux (FEVS).

MONTREAL, QUEBEC (MARKET WIRE) Saputo Inc. announced today the closure of its cheese manufacturing plant in Hinesburg, Vermont, United States (US). This facility was damaged by a fire on September 29, 2008. Since that incident, production has been transferred to other Saputo facilities in the US.

Thousands of winemakers have flooded the European Commission with requests to grub up vines, in return for compensation.

SUGAR LAND, TX (MARKET WIRE) Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) -- Widespread fear of an economic downturn, fueled by tight financial markets worldwide and the sharpest decline in consumer confidence recorded since the 1950s, has cast a different light on Food & Beverage Industry expenditures for 2009. Companies have not scaled back plans for capital outlays yet, but they have indicated that large expansion projects will be closely scrutinized. Indications are that if the financial markets continue to deteriorate and consumer confidence falls further, then investments in equipment and new

LAS VEGAS, NV (MARKET WIRE) Bionic Products, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: BNPD) is pleased to announce Bionic-Tonic(R) will be sold by Best Value Vending.

Higher drinks prices lifted net earnings and sales for PepsiAmericas in its third quarter, the soft drinks bottler has said.

The Glenmorangie Company has completed the first phase of its proposed expansion project at its flagship distillery in Scotland.