Business in brief: Nestlé | Anesco | SgurrEnergy

Nestlé expects pressure from the rising price of ingredients for its products such as chocolate bars, coffee and soup to ease, helping it meet its target for increasing sales despite tough markets.

The world’s biggest food group yesterday beat forecasts with a 6.6 per cent rise in underlying first-half sales as volume growth ticked up, unlike many of its rivals. Analysts had on average forecast 6.3 per cent sales growth.

Global food prices are near record highs, in part because of soaring grain futures. But many of Nestlé’s most important ingredients, such as coffee, sugar and dairy products, are less affected than cereals.

Dundas & Wilson teams with Anesco

Energy efficiency advice company Anesco has hired Scotland’s largest law firm as its external legal team.

Dundas & Wilson will work with Anesco on day-to-day business matters as well as offering specialist advice to the firm, which helps businesses, local authorities and other bodies to reduce energy usage and cut carbon emissions.

Douglas Land, partner at Dundas & Wilson, said: “The renewable energy sector is a key focus for us and our breadth of experience is essential to providing legal advice with the correct commercial focus in what is a fast evolving sector”.

SgurrEnergy going for three–year plan

Renewable energy consultancy SgurrEnergy has announced plans to double its workforce as part of a three-year expansion plan.

The Glasgow-based company, which has worked on projects across 40 countries, will increase its headquarters staff to around 180 under the plans which will see engineers and business support staff recruited.

SgurrEnergy, part of Aberdeen-based Wood Group, also plans to open a further two international offices to add to its network in Canada, China, France, India, Ireland and the US.