SOUTH KOREA: Tesco is preparing to open a chain of franchise c-stores in South Korea. The retailer has been trialling 18 franchise stores in the country, its largest market outside the UK, and will expand the model to other countries. News of the trial came as Carrefour confirmed Tesco was still in the running for its stores in south east Asia. The French giant will examine second-round bids by November.

CHINA: Kraft Foods has announced plans to double the number of Chinese cities where it sells Cadbury chocolate over the next two years. Cadbury confectionery would be distributed to 40 of the country's cities by harnessing Kraft's distribution network, said Kraft China president and chairman Lorna Davis. "China has been doubling every year and the real challenge is to pick the right opportunities," she said.

INDONESIA: Metro Group is considering entering the Indonesian market through its C&C depots. It already operates C&Cs in China, India, Pakistan, Japan and Vietnam and is due to roll out its consumer electronic retailing arm Media Markt in Shanghai before the end of the year.

US: Diageo has appointed Sheila Stanziale as president of Diageo-Guinness USA. Stanziale will be responsible for the growth and development of the company's beer business in the US for brands such as Guinness, Red Stripe and Smithwick's. She takes up her position in October, joining from PepsiCo where she ran its £450m restaurant business as vice president of sales and execution. Prior to this she held senior sales and operations positions at Kraft's cookie and snacks subsidiary Nabisco and General Mills.

FRANCE: Private equity firm PAI Partners believes its 50% stake in Yoplait, the maker of Petits Filous yoghurts, will go to a trade manufacturer rather than another financial buyer. PAI's chief investment officer Michel Paris told a Reuters private equity forum: "There is no chance a fund will make a better offer than an industrial player."

PAI has had its investment in Yoplait, which is valued at £1bn, since 2002.

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