By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) is replacing the president of its U.S. business a week after it reported disappointing global restaurant sales amid a loss of customers to rival fast-food chains like Burger King and Taco Bell.

The company said on Thursday that Jan Fields, 57, who has been with the company for more than 35 years and drove the expansion of its McCafe drink menu, will be succeeded by Jeff Stratton, currently global chief restaurant officer. The change is effective December 1, McDonald’s said.

By Lisa Baertlein and Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Wednesday announced plans to buy Teavana Holdings Inc (TEA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) for $620 million in cash, with the goal of replicating the success it has had with its namesake coffee shops.

Teavana has about 300 shopping mall stores that sell loose-leaf, exotic teas. In addition to opening stand-alone Teavana stores in the United States and abroad, Starbucks will add tea bars that serve prepared drinks in existing Teavana stores, Starbucks Chief Executive Howard Schultz told Reuters.

Nov 14 (Reuters) – Diamond Foods Inc on Wednesday
restated financial results for fiscal years 2010 and 2011
erasing $56.5 million in profit, and it posted a net loss for
the first three quarters of 2012, after an accounting scandal
hurt its ability to do business.

Shares of the maker of Emerald snack nuts, Kettle Chips and
Pop Secret popcorn fell more than 17 percent in after-hours
trading following the long-awaited report.

By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) plans to acquire tea store operator Teavana Holdings Inc (TEA.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) for $620 million in cash, furthering its push beyond its flagship coffee business.

Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee shop operator, said it will pay $15.50 per share in cash for Teavana, a 54 percent premium to the company’s closing price on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday.

MIAMI, Nov 14 (Reuters) – SABMiller Plc is brewing
strong growth in pockets of Latin America with non-alcoholic
malt drinks that expand the beer maker’s target audience beyond
adults and mark baby steps into a soft drink market dominated by
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.

Malt drinks, which look like cola but have a strong bready
character, have been popular in Colombia and Venezuela for ages,
but are catching on quickly in other Latin American markets,
even as consumer spending is crimped in some markets by economic
weakness.

By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – Home Depot Inc (HD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday and raised its full-year outlook as the world’s largest home improvement chain benefited from a recent uptick in the U.S. housing market.

The nascent recovery in housing has encouraged professional contractors to buy more in recent months. Home Depot has also gained from its own efforts to improve distribution, cut costs and localize marketing and merchandising.

By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – Dean Foods Co (DF.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Thursday reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit and raised its full-year outlook as strong sales of soy milk and other products offset declines in its fresh dairy business, sending its shares up nearly 3 percent.

Dean, which spun off part of its business last month into WhiteWave Foods Co (WWAV.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and is weighing a sale of its Morningstar unit, said that Chief Financial Officer Shaun Mara and General Counsel Steve Kemps will leave the company after the end of the year to pursue other opportunities.

By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc (GMCR.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) announced the launch of Keurig Rivo, its long-awaited, single-cup espresso machine, on Thursday, sending its shares up more than 2 percent.

The Rivo, developed in partnership with Italy’s Luigi Lavazza SpA, will be able to make cappuccinos and lattes at home and go head-to-head with the Verismo system, which Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) launched last month.

By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – Kraft Foods Group Inc (KRFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) both stood by their full-year 2013 forecasts on Wednesday in their first earnings reports as standalone companies following last month’s breakup.

Kraft, home to brands like Oscar Mayer lunch meat and Maxwell House coffee, said it was working to better tailor its product portfolio to a weak economy in North America, the only region in which it now operates.

By Martinne Geller

(Reuters) – Molson Coors Brewing Co (TAP.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) warned on Wednesday that the current quarter would be the most challenging of the year, with higher costs, increased spending and weak economic conditions, and the beer maker’s shares fell 3.7 percent.

The share decline outpaced that of the wider market, which was down more than 2 percent a day after the re-election of President Barack Obama. Comments by the European Central Bank president weighed on market sentiment.