Britain's Premier Foods today reported weaker than expected quarterly sales and lowered its full-year sales outlook.
The company said that a warm start to autumn had reduced consumers' appetite for its gravies and some desserts.
Premier spurned a 65 pence per share takeover offer in April from US food maker McCormick.
Its actions were criticised at the time by some shareholders and the company has since been trying to improve its business, with increased marketing and cost-savings.
The maker of Bisto gravy and Ambrosia creamy rice and custards said group sales fell 5.4% to £172.5m in the three months to the start of October, leading to a 1.8% decline for the first half of its financial year.
Sales of its gravies and stocks fell 13% and sales of desserts dropped 9%.
Premier said that last month was the second-warmest September in Britain since records began and had a big impact on its grocery business, which accounts for 72% of sales and 84% of profits, according to analyst estimates.
The remaining business, which includes "sweet treats" like Cadbury cakes, performed well, however.
Premier said its profit expectations for the year were unchanged, due to careful management of costs, but that its sales would now rise by only 1-2% compared to an earlier forecast for an increase of 2-4%.
It kept the 2-4% forecast for the medium term.
