Latest Food Industry News
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A few weeks ago we got hold of a few sachets of Starbucks new Via Instant Coffee. We’d run out of the freshly roasted beans, and hadn’t bought some of the previously “best” instant, so we chanced it and made up some cups of Via. We honestly couldn’t believe it … the quality was amazing. The rest of the sachets were swiped in no time, and we pleaded for some more.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/03/starbucks-launches-instant-coffee-that-really-tastes-like-real-really/ - 9th March 2010
Anchor Butter, the third biggest brand in the BSM category from Arla Foods, is repositioning itself as the “Original Butter Co.” as part of a massive £10m marketing campaign for 2010. The new positioning will be based on the heritage of Anchor, the oldest butter brand in the UK and will include new packaging which will be on shelf from the end of March.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/03/anchor-butter-is-re-positioning-the-brand/ - 8th March 2010
The company says “Mother’s Day, which falls this year on March 14th, is when all mothers everywhere should sit back, relax and let the rest of the household take the strain. And you can’t give your mum a better treat than by offering to cook the Sunday lunch.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/03/english-provender-company-promotes-products-for-mothers-day/ - 8th March 2010
Heinz is continuing to invest in its babyfood portfolio this year with the launch of Heinz First Steps Toddler Cookies and Heinz Organic Stock Cubes. The launches demonstrate Heinz’s ongoing commitment to push innovation forward through the infant feeding category.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/03/heinz-treats-the-infant-feeding-category/ - 5th March 2010
It seems that people can’t get enough of childhood favourites such as Battenburg, Arctic Roll & Angel Delight. As the market for small indulgences continues to grow, food ingredients manufacturer, Macphie, has developed a new Viennese Mix to capitalise on the trend for nostalgic, feel good foods of the past.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/03/macphie-viennese-mix-taps-into-nostalgia/ - 4th March 2010
The Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber (RFG) has been working with its members to improve their ‘Scores on the Doors’ rating. Scores on the Doors is a scheme devised by the Food Standards Agency, to promote food safety, give consumers information to help them choose food outlets with the highest standards, and help businesses to improve hygiene standards.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/03/regional-food-group-promotes-restaurant-hygiene/ - 1st March 2010
Hotelympia has announced the following products as finalists of the inaugural Hotelympia Innovation Awards. They will be showcased on plasma screens throughout the Innovation Lounges to an audience of over 40,000 – An ideal starting point for any visitor wanting a ‘snap shot’ of what’s hot at Hotelympia!
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/hotelympia-announces-innovation-award-finalists/ - 26th February 2010
Lucky taster-judges for the chocolate and sweet snack category of the 2010 FreeFrom Food Awards got to taste over 50 deliciously freefrom chocolate and sweet goodies a week ago for the 2010 awards.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/gourmet-delicacies-now-available-in-freefrom-format/ - 26th February 2010
Alara Wholefoods, one of the UK’s largest muesli producers and the first organic cereal company in the world, was again rewarded for their sterling work as a pioneering sustainable business when on the 18th February their director Katrina Smith collected two highly commended awards in the categories of Responsible Waste Management and Environmental Management in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises at The Sustainable City Awards 2010
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/alara-wholefoods-commended-in-sustainable-city-awards/ - 24th February 2010
There is light at the end of the tunnel for confused consumers as a new labelling code of practice is introduced for the country of origin for pork and pork products.
Major supermarkets have endorsed the voluntary code which aims to give clear and unambiguous information about country of origin on packs of pork, bacon and ham.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/new-pork-labelling-code-of-practice-unveiled-by-defra/ - 23rd February 2010
UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Mr Hilary Benn MP, yesterday visited Premier Foods in High Wycombe as part of his regional visit to the South East. Mr Benn was given a tour of the bakery development plant at the Premier Foods office to learn more about the change Hovis has made to its wheat sourcing.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/hovis-switches-to-100-uk-wheat/ - 22nd February 2010
The UK dairy industry has weathered the recession better than its European counterparts and is in a strong position to take advantage of economic recovery, Jim Begg, Dairy UK Director General said this week in a key industry speech.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/uk-dairy-industry-withstood-recession-better-than-europe/ - 19th February 2010
Tea took another industry-changing leap towards sustainability today as the Rainforest Alliance announced that Tetley, the world’s second largest tea company, has committed to sourcing all of its tea for its Tetley brand worldwide from Rainforest Alliance CertifiedTM farms.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/7745/ - 18th February 2010
KETTLE Chips, one of the UK’s fastest-growing bagged snacks*, is refreshing its core range of flavours with three exciting new seasonings going onto shelves from March.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/kettle-chips-refreshes-core-range/ - 15th February 2010
The Kellogg Company today announced a major reduction in the amount of salt in its most popular breakfast cereals and snacks. The food giant is reducing the amount of salt in Kellogg’s Rice Krispies and Kellogg’s Corn Flakes by 30 percent.
This move will decrease Britain’s annual salt intake by approximately 300 tonnes, as Kellogg’s Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies are also the basis for Kellogg’s’ other big-selling brands such as Crunchy Nut, Frosties, Coco Pops and Rice Krispies Squares.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/kelloggs-takes-salt-out-of-products/ - 13th February 2010
This March, Birds Eye is set to spice up its number one selling branded burger range with the launch of a delicious new variant. Available from March, Reggae Reggae Beef Quarter Pounders are infused with red peppers and Reggae Reggae jerk seasoning for an exotic twist on traditional family meal times.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/birdseye-launches-reggae-burgers/ - 12th February 2010
The FreeFrom Food Awards are the UK’s only award for the massively expanding freefrom food industry. This year they will be presented by Antony Worrall Thompson on 21st April.
The Freefrom food market has expanded from £106 million in 2006 to an estimated to £360 million by 2012. The FreeFrom Food Awards, the only industry awards to recognise excellence in this sector, are now in their third hugely successful year.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/freefrom-food-awards-2010/– 10th February 2010
Creating more moments of pleasure, Cadbury is launching an exciting marketing campaign for Cadbury Flake, including an eye-catching on pack promotion in association with Benefit, the aspirational, premium cosmetics brand, as well as dynamic in-store POS, press ads and digital activity.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/cadbury-launches-innovative-on-pack-promotion-for-female-audience/ - 9th February 2010
Premier Foods has launched its latest OXO innovation — Reduced Salt Stock Granules in a PET container from Graham Packaging’s Chalgrove Plant in the United Kingdom.
Premier Foods required a lightweight, square container in line with OXO’s iconic “cube” branding look. “We were tasked with producing a translucent amber jar which matched OXO’s Concentrate Liquid Stock bottles, and solid amber would have been too dark,” explained Adrian Bird, production and development manager at the Chalgrove Plant.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/premier-foods-launches-reduced-salt-oxo-in-pet-container/ - 5th February 2010
With independent reviews of restaurants, pubs and cafés across the UK, food lovers have relied on The Good Food Guide for advice on the best places to eat for almost 60 years*. The Guide has just launched a new iPhone application (app) to allow people to find the best places to eat on the move, and give feedback on their dining experiences.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/02/good-food-guide-launches-iphone-app/– 1st February 2010
Dr. Oetker is launching two brand new Onken Fat Free products to extend its number one big pot yogurt range – Pink Grapefruit and Vanilla. Whether it’s getting the right start to the day or making that evening treat guilt-free, the new Onken Fat Free flavours contain almost zero per cent fat. Launched on 1st January 2010, the new yogurts aim to offer consumers a solution to staying on the healthy track, without having to compromise on the taste.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/01/dr-oetker-launches-three-new-flavours/ - 28th January 2010
Premier Foods’ traditional cake brand Lyons is launching a new range of Teashop Classic Cakes to capitalise on the growing teatime occasion. The simple, tasty and attractive cakes, available in St Clements, Classic Choc Chip and Sultana & Cherry variants, have been created to give consumers a treat worthy of a teashop
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/01/lyons-launches-teashop-classics-to-drive-teatime-cake-sales/ – 21st January 2010
One of the UK’s leading manufacturers of marinades, seasonings, coatings, glazes and sauces, MRC – The Flava People has announced the re-launch of its Flava-it™ sachet range with improved ingredient formulation, new look packaging and new flavour – Piri Piri
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/01/manchester-rusk-company-re-launches-flava-it-range/ - 19th January 2010
Tesco delivers record Christmas sales. Terry Leahy, Chief Executive, commented: “We’ve delivered a very strong performance over the Christmas and New Year period. It was a great Christmas for Tesco customers with an excellent seasonal range in store and online. The Tesco team delivered a great shopping trip for customers and I’d like to thank all our staff and also our suppliers for their tremendous efforts, particularly during the freezing weather.”
http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news7162.asp – 11th January 2010
This week Hilary Benn launched Food 2030 which is the Goverment’s plan for the future of the UK food & drink industry. The report is a result of stakeholder consultations which ran in August 2090.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/01/goverment-launches-major-food-future-report/ – 9th January 2010
Bang on trend with a series of pop up restaurants and takeaways, Heinz is opening a pop up beanz on toast cafe in London’s Shoreditch High Street Next week
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/01/heinz-opens-a-beanz-on-toast-cafe-in-londons-shoreditch/ - 8th January 2010
Iron compounds from vegetable origin that mimic iron from animal sources may enhance the bioavailability of the mineral and boost fortification programmes, says a new study from Unilever.
Sodium iron chlorophyllin obtained from mulberries was found to be as bioavailable as heme iron, scientists from Unilever R&D Vlaardingen in the Netherlands report in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
http://www.foodnavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Unilever-explores-vegetarian-iron-for-fortification - 4th January 2010
Snowbird foods is celebrating the bicentenary of Britain’s favouring cooking apple by re-launching its re-vamped and improved Gourmet Pork & Bramley Apple Sausage.
With a meat content of 75% the sausages, which meet all government low fat and low salt requirements, have been made slightly sweeter to precisely match the latest requirements of the market for top quality sausages. This helps derive maximum benefit from the use of Bramleys, an apple grown only in Britain.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/01/uks-bramley-apples-are-200-years-old/ - 4th January 2010
Two recent cases involving UK food companies once again highlight the wider problems and difficulties of labelling facing food manufacturers, according to experts at law firm Pinsent Masons.
In the last two weeks, there have been calls for lemonade brand Fentimans to be banned in the US for containing trace amounts of alcohol, while sandwich chain Pret a Manger has come under fire for not reporting the origins of the chicken and fish used in certain products.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2010/01/food-labelling-cases-highlight-difficulties-facing-manufacturers/ – 1st January 2010
Making tea is one of the little rituals we go through every day – ask around and you’ll find that almost everyone that drinks tea has their own special way of making it. Whether it be milk in first, shaking the tea bag or boiling the water twice (yes, really) there’s always a tip or trick to making the perfect cup.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/12/tiny-teas-launches-ethical-range/ – 21st December 2009
Birds Eye, the UK’s leading frozen food brand is set to inject further growth into the naked fish sector in 2010 by developing its award winning Bake to Perfection range. From March, the brand is introducing a new cod variant with a fresh parsley butter sauce to appeal to an even larger group of shoppers that include cod loyalists.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/12/birds-eye-to-introduce-new-baked-to-perfection-varieties-in-spring – 21st December 2009
Nestle has just announced that Kit Kat, its leading confectionery brand and the UK’s favourite chocolate biscuit – will be certified Fairtrade in the UK and Ireland. This move follows the October launch of Nestle’s global Cocoa Plan which represents a 65 million pounds Sterling investment over the next ten years in programmes to address the key economic, social and environmental issues facing cocoa farming communities.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/12/danisco-launches-website-for-climate-friendly-foods/ – 13th December 2009
Nestle has just announced that Kit Kat, its leading confectionery brand and the UK’s favourite chocolate biscuit – will be certified Fairtrade in the UK and Ireland. This move follows the October launch of Nestle’s global Cocoa Plan which represents a 65 million pounds Sterling investment over the next ten years in programmes to address the key economic, social and environmental issues facing cocoa farming communities.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/12/kit-kat-now-fairtrade/– 12th December 2009
Fudges, the speciality biscuits bakers say “Even though Marmite is known to divide offices, families and even lovers, an improved recipe with even MORE of the world famous Marmite taste, makes the NEW Fudges Marmite Biscuits a guaranteed winner in the hearts of Marmite lovers everywhere … they may even tempt a few stalwart haters too!”
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/12/fudges-re-launches-marmite-biscuits/ – 9th December 2009
Sales of luxury food, such as the supermarkets’ premium ranges, steak, smoked salmon and champagne, grew more quickly over the past quarter (17%) than at any other time in the past two years, as shoppers tire of the being thrifty in the credit crunch.*
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/12/foodies-bite-back-spending-on-gourmet-food-surges-as-brits-tire-of-being-thrifty/ – 9th December 2009
Microemulsions containing mint oil may protect the flavour compounds from degradation and extend the use of mint oil in foods, suggests a joint Sino-American study.
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Publications/Food-Beverage-Nutrition/FoodNavigator.com/Science-Nutrition/Mint-microemulsions-may-extend-flavouring-in-foods/?c=hsTuz4tGAC7K7Wf9idxmMA%3D%3D&utm_source=Newsletter_Subject&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BSubject – By Stephen Daniells, 04-Dec-2009
The Smirnoff Co. announced details of the second year of its Creative Grants initiative, which aims to discover, support & celebrate up-and-coming nightlife promoters of one-of-a-kind events and experiences – the type you’ll want to look back on and say “I was there”.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/smirnoff-backs-unique-parties/ – 27th November 2009
The UK’s leading savoury pastry brand, Ginsters, is delighted to announce that it has linked with the Green Palm initiative to support the production of sustainable palm oil in Indonesia. The brand is the first savoury pastry brand in the UK to have joined the scheme. The scheme rewards plantations who operate in a sustainable way as endorsed by the Round table on Sustainable Palm, (RSPO). Ginsters have entered into a direct understanding with one of the regions principal producers ‘SIPEF’ to ensure that for every tonne of palm used in its margarines, financial support goes to the people and environment within Papua New Guinea.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/ginsters-sustainability-initiative/ – 25th November 2009
Scotland’s premier food trade show is taking place from 24-26 January 2010 at the SECC in Glasgow and the organisers say it will be bigger and better than ever before.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/scotlands-2010-food-show-24-26th-jan/ – 23rd November 2009
The family owned and operated company, Verner Wheelock Associates (VWA), has a reputation as a centre of training excellence in food safety, HACCP and nutrition as well as a range of speciality courses, including the very popular and highly successful ‘Creating Savoury Flavours.’
http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news7100.asp – 19th November 2009
Marks and Spencer has announced the appointment of Marc Bolland as its new Chief Executive. He will take up his position in the New Year at a time and on terms to be confirmed. Marc, 50, joins from Morrisons where he is currently Chief Executive.
http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news7097.asp – 19th November 2009
Morrisons, which is now Britain’s fourth-biggest food retailer reported yesterday that the Group’s performance, in the third quarter, has been good and continued the progress reported in the first half.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/morrisons-delivers-good-q3-profit-and-marc-bolland-announces-resignation/ – 19th November 2009
KETTLE Chips, the UK’s number one hand cooked crisp, is currently worth £80m and has grown almost 17% during the last year, more than double the growth of the total snacks market*. It says the success is set to continue as the brand launches a consumer campaign this autumn to associate KETTLE Chips with the perfect simple night in.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/kettle-chips-launches-perfect-night-in-campaign/ – 19th November 2009
The makers say “It’s the flavour-filled hot noodle snack that’s put the ‘great’ back in to Great Britain, and now The Nation’s Noodle has a tasty new stable-mate, ‘The Nation’s New Noodle on the Block!’.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/golden-wonder-launches-block-format-noodles/ – 19th November 2009
Morrisons has launched a range of three winter drinks. The company says “These individual sachets are easy to pick up when shopping. Three varieties; Ginger, Winter Spice and Chilli, just add hot milk.
Winter Spice – with cinnamon and cloves to brighten the coldest of days
Chilli – with a hint of chilli to warm you through the coldest of nights
Ginger – warming and soothing to tantalise your taste buds
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/morrisons-launches-winter-drinks/ – 12th November 2009
‘Lovers’ and ‘Haters’ to be thrown in to turmoil over the introduction of the Marmite cereal bar – the world’s first savoury cereal bar A truly heavenly creation or total madness? The makers of Marmite have embarked on another polarizing yeast infused venture with the creation of the Marmite cereal bar – the world’s first savoury cereal bar, hitting the shelves of Morrisons on 2 November.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/marmite-introduces-cereal-bar/ – 11th November 2009
Ginsters is launching a range of new limited edition sandwiches next month to help retailers offer a festive snack choice to their shoppers in the run up to Christmas.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/ginsters-helps-shoppers-celebrate-on-the-move-with-festive-sandwich-range/ – 11th November 2009
Norfolk’s Bernard Matthews has announced that Bernard Matthews has informed the Board of his intention to retire as a Director from the Holdings Board upon his 80th birthday in January. He will remain Chairman of the recently established Supervisory Board.
http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news7073.asp – 9th November 2009
ABF’s recent annual report provides details of its operations for sugar, agriculture and bio-fuel. The full report is available here but highlights are presented below.
http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news7072.asp – 9th November 2009
Speculation surrounding the maker of Kettle Chips has increased amid claims that the business is looking to spin off its US business ahead of a sale by its private equity owner. Lion Capital, which owns Norwich-based Kettle Foods, is believed to be talking to potential buyers, with snackfood producer United Biscuits said to among the interested parties.
http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news7067.asp – 9th November 2009
Scan Foods, one of Sweden’s most famous food brands is with the relaunching one of its new product packaging as well as the launch of the new mini and deli meatball ranges.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/scan-foods-relaunches-traditional-meatballs-and-adds-variants – 5th November 2009
3663 has launched a dedicated Christmas website to help caterers maximise profit opportunities during the festive period.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/3663-launches-xmas-website – 4th November 2009
Young’s Seafood has launched the UK’s very first breaded scampi to be made with MSC-certified sustainable langoustine – Young’s Premium Whole Isle of Lewis Scampi.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/11/youngs-launches-first-certified-sustainable-scampi/ – 3rd November 2009
Nairns is launching a new oatcake, cracker and biscuit Selection. Six separately wrapped varieties which are positioned as naturally nutritious and also full of healthy wholegrain goodness too.
Included are cheese oatcakes, fine milled oatcakes, wholegrain pumpkin & sunflower seed crackers, stem ginger oat biscuits, rough oatcakes or wholemeal crackers with bran.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/nairns-launches-variety-pack-for-christmas – 26th October 2009
We are told that hot chocolate drinkers can now enjoy pure indulgence while at work following today’s launch of GALAXY® hot chocolate. Available exclusively to Mars Drinks customers, this premium addition to the FLAVIA® hot drinks range is made with real GALAXY chocolate.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/mars-foodservice-drinks-launches-galaxy-hot-chocolate – 22nd October 2009
Global NPD is a tough business. It’s hard to know what’s going on in the various markets around the world and how to respond with new or improved products. Mintel has come up with a new service to help.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/mintel-launches-npd-research-tool – 21st October 2009
Walkers, is continuing to drive growth in the Crisps and Snacks category by bringing further news and excitement to support its Walkers Max brand which is growing at +60% in impulse.
Walkers is re-vamping its range of crisps and adding a new cheese-burger flavour. It is also introducing new packaging for a better stand-out on-shelf, and removing the MSG from the product. The crisps are also free from artificial colours and preservatives.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/walkers-adds-new-cheese-burger-flavour - 12th October 2009
Weight Watchers from Heinz is unveiling a new range of frozen ready meals, Weight Watchers from Heinz Home Comforts. The range is inspired by great British, home cooked classics, which will capitalise on dieting needs and category trends.
There are four new products: WWfH Chicken & Dumpling Casserole and WWfH Beef & Red Wine Casserole will offer delicious meals made with tender cuts of meat and tasty vegetables in savoury gravy. New WWfH Steak & Mushroom and WWfH Chicken & Mushroom Pies expertly combine favourite indulgent fillings with delicious golden pastry and quality lean cuts of meat that consumers can enjoy even when watching their weight.
http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/weight-watchers-from-heinz-launches-new-frozen-ready-meals - 9th October 2009
More sustainable food packaging which delivers longer shelf life are the benefits claimed for the new multilayer films from resins supplier Cardia Bioplastics.
Its range of Cardia Biohybrid based films comply with the European Commission standard 2002/72 EC for food contact and offer longer shelf life than conventional bioplastics together with greater sustainability, claims the company. .
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/Packaging/New-multilayer-food-contact-approved-films-claimed-to-be-a-breakthrough - 8th October 2009
Following on from the success of Onken’s first Limited Edition product – Orange and Lemon, Limited Edition Coconut IS launching on the 4th October. Made with coconut blended with wholemilk and live bio-cultures to deliver Onken’s rich and creamy taste. Onken Limited Edition Coconut is positioned as “the perfect afternoon pick-me-up treat or can be served as a luxurious fruity dessert and with less than 5 per cent fat, it makes this healthy dessert alternative even more irresistible”.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/onken-launches-coconut-yoghurt - 6th October 2009
Aunt Bessies has launched five new desserts and a dairy custard to match.
The makers say … Aunt Bessie’s NEW desserts range is quick and easy to prepare in minutes, making them ideal for any day of the week. Choose from Syrup Sponge Pudding, Jam Sponge Pudding, Chocolate Roly Poly, Jam Roly Poly and Spotted Dick, all served with Aunt Bessie’s Dairy Custard of course!
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/five-new-desserts-from-aunt-bessies - 5th October 2009
Birds Eye, is launching into the £56m takeaway sector with four tasty variants; Hot and Spicy Burgers, Classic Crumb Goujons, Southern Fried Chicken Wings and the Southern Fried Combo Box.
Takeaway is currently the fastest growing sector and has experienced consistent value and volume growth over the last two years. In Convenience, Takeaway is now the third largest sector as consumers continue to buy affordable and tasty meals to dine at home in place of eating out .
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/birdseye-launches-new-products - 4th October 2009
Pepsico launches Planet Lunch, positioned as a healthy lunchbox range made from 100% natural ingredients and delivering positive nutrition from fruit, wholegrain and fibre.
The Planet Lunch range – including a Juice Drink, Squeezable Fruit, Fruit and Oat Bites, Bread Bites, and a Stick and Dip is designed to provide parents with a variety of healthy choices for their child’s lunchbox.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/10/pepsico-launches-planet-lunchbox - 1st October 2009
Tesco believes there is significant growth potential in the potato category – a potential highlighted by the success of new varieties such as Vales Sovereign. Now Greenvale AP, the UK's leading supplier of fresh potatoes, has responded to the retailer's challenge to grow the category by creating a new in-house post, that of Tesco Business Unit Manager. And who better to fill the position than a former buying manager at Tesco? Darren Huxtable, 36, will split his time between the Greenvale sites that supply Tesco, at Floods Ferry in Cambridgeshire and Duns on the Scottish Borders. He will be responsible for all the company's sales to the retailer and will help to develop Greenvale’s relationship with Tesco’s team in Scotland, bringing additional support to their initiatives in sales and marketing. He brings considerable experience to the new job: until his move to Greenvale he was Tesco buying manager for mushrooms, herbs and chilled salads and previously has been with G's Marketing, responsible for procurement for the company's salad factory. "There are big opportunities to improve the customer offering," says Darren Huxtable. "For example, Greenvale's new varieties, like Vales Sovereign and Sofia, deliver real benefits over traditional potato varieties in terms of flavour and versatility. They will play an important role in improving customer participation and perception to the potato category." He adds: "Greenvale and Tesco already enjoy an excellent working partnership – in 2008 Vales Sovereign won 'Variety of the Year' in the Tesco Fresh Produce Category Awards. My ultimate aim is to make Greenvale Tesco's first choice for fresh potatoes." Darren Huxtable is married and is a keen amateur chef – other interests include running, cycling and 'food in general'.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6982.asp- 28th September 2009
A Cambridgeshire-based team from UK potato producer Greenvale AP was the top fundraiser for a leading national medical charity, Action Medical Research, in one of Britain's most gruelling outdoor races – The Three Peaks Challenge. The Greenvale team raised over £4,000 and came 7th out of 22 teams in the national event.
The 'Greenvale Monarchs', five staff from the company's Tern Hill potato plant near Market Drayton, took part in the Three Peaks Challenge on July 11th. They managed to climb the three highest peaks in England, Scotland and Wales, in 22 hours 45 minutes, including time to travel by road between each mountain- all rest, sleep and meal breaks had to be fitted in during travel time.
"We've collected £4,082 in sponsorship money," said organiser Alister Thomson of Shrewsbury. "And we are over the moon that we were the top fundraisers for the event, collecting twice as much as the target set by the charity
"We supported Action for Medical Research because they are a header charity for smaller charities which means the money gets through to individuals who need specialist help. Plus their focus on babies and young people was especially important to us."
Also in the team were Richard Griffith, Jon Rooke and Peter Coburn, all from Shrewsbury, and their colleague Richard Cliff from Stoke on Trent. They were joined by Paddington Bear, who had to be carried up each mountain as one of the rules of the event.
"We worked hard to get in peak physical fitness, mainly by training alongside Paddington and sharing his marmalade sandwiches," says Alister Thomson. "They must have helped us as we finished well within the 24 hour deadline!"
Thomson says that many people who have completed Three Peaks in the past have described it as an experience of a lifetime, and that was certainly true in their case. "Not only have we supported one of the most deserving charities we know, but we are now more of a team at work as well."
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6982.asp- 25th September 2009
The Board of Northern Foods plc has announced that Andrew Booker will be standing down by mutual agreement as Group Finance Director of the Company. Andrew has agreed to continue in his post for the next three months until 31 December 2009. The Board is pleased to announce that Simon Herrick will join the Board, at a date to be agreed, as Group Finance Director. Simon is currently Finance Director of Kesa Electricals plc. Anthony Hobson, Chairman of Northern Foods, commented: "I would like to thank Andrew for his contribution to Northern Foods and wish him well in his future endeavours. I am delighted to welcome Simon as his successor.Simon is an experienced finance professional and brings a wealth of experience of operating at the top level in a public company.” Stefan Barden, Chief Executive of Northern Foods, said: "I am greatly looking forward to working with Simon. He brings valued expertise and experience to help deliver our ambitious plans. Northern Foods continues to trade in line with market expectations and is positioning itself for growth.”
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6977.asp- 24th September 2009
Asda has announced it is recruiting an additional 10,000 colleagues in time for Christmas and New Year to complement its existing 10,000 strong seasonal squad. With the nation already thinking about Christmas shopping in order to spread the cost, Asda is bringing in the extra colleagues to meet customer demand. The seasonal squad are colleagues who are contracted to work at the busiest periods of the year, such as Easter, summer and Christmas and New Year. These seasonal roles not only give colleagues flexibility, but the security of a Christmas job year in, year out plus a number of Asda colleague benefits including discounted shopping. The announcement comes on top of a commitment to create 7,000 new jobs by the end of the year. This was in addition to working with Local Employment Partnerships to get another 2,500 Britons back to work. Andy Clarke, Asda’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “Our seasonal jobs are ideal for students and those looking for part-time work over the festive period. It’s the busiest time of the year for Asda, and we’re expecting this to be our biggest Christmas ever as we are offering more low prices than any other supermarket. “In a survey we found that nearly half of our shoppers were already thinking about Christmas shopping and we’re looking for more seasonal colleagues than ever before.” Over the past 18 months Asda has introduced a number of initiatives targeting young people across Britain in a bid to get them back to work. 70% of the existing seasonal squad are colleagues aged between 16 and 25 and Asda is hoping that the flexible seasonal working hours will attract more young colleagues. Anyone wishing to apply for a role should contact their local store for an application form.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6969.asp- 21st September 2009
The latest TNS Worldpanel grocery market share figures have been published for the 12 weeks ending 6th September 2009. Ed Garner, Director, TNS Worldpanel, comments show the impression that “recession panic” is ebbing away as far as the grocery market is concerned. “This is not to imply that all sectors of the High Street will instantly return to pre-recession growth. Rather that food remains a manageable proportion of most household budgets by historical standards and, it could be argued, the grocery sector suffered from an over-reaction at the end of 2008 when Aldi posted year-on-year sales growth of 26% and Waitrose saw a sales decline. “Fast-forward to today and Waitrose is the top performer with a growth rate of 11.2% - the highest since August 2006. Admittedly this will be boosted by the stores acquired from the Co-operative / Somerfield combination but it is hardly a sign of a rush downmarket. “Growth for Aldi and Lidl continues to fall back from 2008 levels with Aldi growing ahead of the market at 8.0% and Lidl just keeping pace with the market growth of 5.2%. “Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons all continue to grow share and have added 1.1 share points between them. It is too early yet to assess the impact of Tesco’s Clubcard 2 within this 12 week period and the Tesco share continues under pressure. “It is worth noting that there is challenge to the sector coming from the falling grocery inflation rate (see below) – this will restrict value growth for the industry going forward.”
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6960.asp- 17th September 2009
Ocado is set to announce the appointment of a new finance director as speculation mounts that the online retailer is gearing up to float on the stock exchange. Investment banker Andrew Bracey is in line to take up the position held by Ocado co-founder Jason Gissing (pictured) for the last decade, according to the Financial Times. Gissing, who once said he would rather shoot himself than be finance director of a listed company, is expected to concentrate on other aspects of the business. “I have done this for 10 years and raised £350m – it’s time for someone else to have a go,” he told the FT. The move has been interpreted as a prelude to a possible IPO for the online retailer next year that could value Ocado at between £500m and £600m. Bracey, who will make a substantial investment to buy a stake in Ocado, joins from Jefferies International. He was managing director of principal investments at Barclays Capital when the firm invested in the £1.8bn acquisition of Somerfield four years ago. He also sat on the Somerfield board.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=203406- 16th September 2009
Food companies are relying on innovation to bounce back from the recession, according to new data suggesting NPD in the sector is starting to recover. Figures from market research group Innova suggest food NPD is back on the up after slumping over the past two years. Product launches were up by 7.3% in the year to June over the previous 12-month period. “In general, companies and markets are bouncing back in 2009 after reaching product launch number lows in the last quarter of 2008,” said Innova analyst Natalie Tremellen. “Adapting marketing strategies to changing consumer habits such as increased at-home eating could prove beneficial for companies to negate any further downturn for the remainder of 2009.”
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=203397- 15th September 2009
Waitrose is to license the Duchy Originals brand as a 500-strong super-premium range that will see the retailer adopt a three-tier product strategy for the first time. Under the terms of the deal, the Prince of Wales’ food brand - which has seen profits plummet over the past two years - will close its office in Richmond and halt supply of Duchy products to all other supermarkets. The move will help Duchy slash its operational costs, which for the year to March 2008 rose to £4m, while the Prince’s charities will receive a royalty payment for each product sold. Duchy Originals chief executive Andrew Baker will be given an office in the Prince of Wales’ official residence, Clarence House, while all other Duchy staff will be transferred to the Waitrose head office in Bracknell. Waitrose chief executive Mark Price described the deal as “the last piece of the puzzle” in Waitrose’s product strategy, following the introduction of the budget range Essential Waitrose earlier this year.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=203261- 10th September 2009
Marks and Spencer Group plc has announced the appointment of John Dixon to its Board as Executive Director, Food with immediate effect. John has been the Company’s Director of Food since July 2008, during which time he has been instrumental in driving and improving the food business. John joined Marks & Spencer in 1986 as a store management trainee. Since then he has worked across M&S in a variety of senior roles. Prior to becoming Director of Food, John was Director of Home and M&S Direct. Sir Stuart Rose, Executive Chairman of Marks & Spencer, said, “We are delighted to welcome John to the Board. Since becoming Director of Food, John and his team have greatly improved our food business, changed perceptions of our value, and introduced a host of hugely popular innovations.”
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6945.asp- 10th September 2009
In a surprise statement on Monday morning, Kraft said that it had approached the board of Cadbury's with an offer to pay 300p in cash and 0.2589 of Kraft's shares for each of Cadbury's. Kraft, which is the world's second-largest food company and counts Kenco Coffee and DairyLea among its brands, said that Cadbury had rejected the offer. Kraft said it was going public with Cadbury's rebuffal to "help maintain a constructive dialogue with Cadbury," and wants to work toward a successful deal.
Source: - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/6148611/Cadbury-rejects-10.2bn-takeover-from-Toblerone-maker-Kraft-Foods.html- 7th September 2009
Celebrity chef James Martin is launching a range of dessert mixes designed to take the strain out of baking. The Saturday Kitchen star has created a Home Baking Dessert range comprising Sticky Toffee Pudding, Belgian Chocolate Fondant Pudding and Apple, Raisin & Cinnamon Pudding with Vanilla Custard (rsp: £2.29). "In spite of being a nation of dessert lovers, many consumers forego real puddings at home due to a lack of confidence," said Martin. "I wanted to change this, the range of dessert mixes is easy to use and takes all the stresses and strains out of home baking." The pudding mixes are listed in Sainsbury¹s now.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=203118- 4th September 2009
Aug, 28 - Bakkavör has released the Q2 results: net Profit of £26.4 million compared with a loss of £23.5 million in Q2 2008, a significant turnaround of £50 million.......Ágúst Gudmundsson, Chief Executive Officer: As anticipated when we reported our first quarter results in May, Bakkavor has now returned to EBITDA growth following the successful implementation of our restructuring plan at the start of the year. Furthermore, our cash position has improved considerably reflecting greater operational efficiencies, a marked improvement in profitability and greater control of working capital. As the benefits of these actions become more pronounced, we expect our cash generation to continue to grow throughout the second half of the year. Group sales in our UK fresh prepared foods business are accelerating, with strong sales growth of 10% in ready meals, one of our core drive markets. This demonstrates the inherent strength of our market positions, our operational flexibility and ability to adapt to a fast-changing marketplace. We now have a stable platform from which to grow the business going forward and our revised EBITDA guidance for the full year reflects our renewed confidence.
Source: - http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/25661/UK/bakkavor-groups-results-q2-h1-2009.html - 31st August 2009
The Co-operative Group has added sweetcorn to its ‘Grown by Us’ range as the retailer continues to ramp up its fresh produce offering. Corn grown by The Co-operative Farms at Coldham is now on sale in The Co-op’s stores. It marks the latest addition to a range that already includes potatoes, strawberries, honey, flour and cider. “The continued growth and success of the ‘Grown by us’ range is something we’re very proud of,” said Russell Armstrong, who oversees the Coldham farm. “I’m pleased shoppers will be able to buy even more fresh produce we’ve grown ourselves.”
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=202920 - 26th August 2009
Tesco will create more than 800 jobs in Scotland in its latest move towards offering a full banking service. The recruits will be based at Tesco’s new customer service centre in central Glasgow, which will manage customer sales and services for Tesco Personal Finance. TPF has received a £5m grant from the Scottish Government to assist in creating the service centre.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=202734 - 20th August 2009
Snack foods like popcorn and many popular breakfast cereals contain the same amount of healthy antioxidants as fruit and vegetables, claim researchers. Fruit and vegetables — and foods such as chocolate, wine, coffee, and tea — have become renowned for their role in reducing the risk of heart disease and cancer because they contain the health-giving substances known as polyphenols. Until now, however, no one knew that commercial snack foods and hot and cold whole grain cereals were also a great source for the compounds. Polyphenols are a group of chemicals found in many fruits, vegetables, and other plants, such as berries, walnuts, olives, tea leaves and grapes. Known as antioxidants, they remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are chemicals that have the potential to cause damage to cells and tissues in the body. Polyphenols have up to 10 times the antioxidant effect as vitamins C and E. It is known that whole grain foods are good for you but it was always thought that it was the fibre in them that had the health benefits. Now scientists are reassessing their effectiveness and think it might be the polyphenols that are active health-giving ingredient. The US chemist Dr Joe Vinson, who made the discovery, said: "We really were surprised by the levels of polyphenols we found in popcorn. I guess its because it's not processed. You get all the wonderful ingredients of the corn undiluted and protected by the skin. "In my opinion it's a good health food." He said that a cup of popcorn contained around as many polyphenols as an apple..........
Source: - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/6049696/Popcorn-and-cereals-as-rich-in-antioxidants-as-fruit-and-vegetables.html- 19th August 2009
Tesco lost market share to rivals over the 12 weeks to 9 August, new TNS figures show. In the week Tesco started doubling Clubcard points in an attempt to lure new shoppers and keep the loyalty of existing customers, the figures showed its market share fell 0.2 percentage points to 31% year-on-year. Sales rose 5% at Tesco during the same period – below the overall supermarket sales growth of 5.6%. Waitrose performed best of the multiples over the period, with 10.2% sales growth. “Two factors have contributed to this – the successful introduction of the Essentials range and the completed conversion of stores acquired from the Co-operative takeover of Somerfield,” said TNS. Waitrose also increased market share from 3.7% to 3.9%. The data also suggests that the discounter boom has come to an end. Year-on-year growth rates of 8.1% for Aldi and 6.3% for Lidl were still ahead of the market as a whole – but far lower than Aldi’s growth of 26% seen at the end of 2008. “Our data shows that the new shoppers attracted to these outlets and their low prices have largely failed to convert to regular loyal customers,” said TNS. Growth at Morrisons was 9.2%; Asda 8.3%; and Sainsbury’s 7.6%. Market share at these retailers also increased.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=202725- 19th August 2009
Paul Foley has stepped down from the top job at Aldi in the UK and Ireland with immediate effect. The decision for Foley to step down as MD was by mutual consent, Aldi said. Foley will be replaced at the helm by Armin Burger – a name not widely known in the UK grocery industry. “I have enjoyed my 20 years with Aldi and worked with a fantastic team of directors, managers, staff and business partners,” Foley said in a statement, which claimed he would pursue new business interests. Aldi said Foley was widely credited as challenging and changing traditional market perceptions to establish the discounter as a leading brand offering high-quality and best-value products. Its plans for future development remain unchanged, the retailer added.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=202569- 12th August 2009
More UK producers should apply for protected status for the food they produce and join iconic British foods like Stilton cheese, Cornish clotted cream and Arbroath Smokies, Food and Farming Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has said. At an event showcasing foods with Protected Food Name status, Mr Fitzpatrick urged producers and consumers to stand up for local produce. Speaking at the event, held on 7 August at Downing Street, he said: “Local produce that is traditionally made, unique and authentic attracts people from all over the world for its taste and its quality – it’s good for local businesses and local communities. And that’s something that deserves protection.” Foods with Protected Name status, such as Melton Mowbray pork pies and Whitstable Oysters, are given legal protection against imitation throughout the EU. The scheme helps farmers, producers and consumers to guarantee the authenticity of regional and traditional foods.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6895.asp- 10th August 2009
The UK will need to change the way food is produced and processed so that we continue to enjoy healthy affordable food in the decades ahead, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Secretary Hilary Benn said today as he published the country’s first food security assessment. The assessment shows that the UK is doing well in many areas which make up a secure and sustainable food system, such as a diverse food supply, which includes UK production, and a strong distribution system.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6897.asp- 10th August 2009
Production of the Heinz branded sandwich range was halted just six months after its October launch and the company is still “reviewing its options” about the range’s future following a breakdown with the manufacturer, thegrocer.co.uk can reveal. The 19-strong range of sandwiches, rolls and wraps, which had a key selling point of having the iconic Heinz sauces among the ingredients, was launched in October last year but ceased production in March when the manufacturer, Freshway Foods – now Freshway Chilled Foods – went into administration. Although Freshway was bought by own-label supplier Parkam Food Group the day it collapsed, production has not yet restarted.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=202117- 31st July 2009
New research has confirmed that frozen food could save the foodservice industry millions of pounds a year. Commissioned by The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) and conducted by the Manchester Food Research Centre (MFRC), a new ‘Cost Comparison’ study concluded it was more cost effective for foodservice establishments to buy in prepared frozen alternatives, rather than manufacturing identical dishes on site. In nearly all cases during the research, dishes made to a duplicate recipe from scratch cost more than 24% more than their frozen counterparts. This rose to 66% with more labour intensive dishes which involved a high skill level. Colin Rodgers, Technical Project Manager at the Manchester Food Research Unit said: “On the whole the study considered it was more cost effective to buy readymade frozen alternatives than manufacturing the food fresh from ‘scratch’, particularly the more labour intensive dishes which involve a high skill level at a considerable cost.” Brian Young, director general of the BFFF commented: “We have long known that frozen offers a better value option for the caterer. We now have independent research to statistically support this belief.” The Cost Comparison study investigated the overall cost of making frozen versus ‘fresh’ dishes commonly served within pubs, restaurants and hotels. It compared six dishes; two starters - canapés and breaded camembert, two main courses - lamb shank and salmon en croute, and two desserts - strawberry cheesecake and profiteroles. Each frozen and ‘fresh’ dish was made to exactly the same recipe and specification. Cost implications were then calculated taking into consideration: - The cost of raw materials (i.e. food ingredients) - The cost of the energy used to prepare the dishes - Any wastage costs associated with the preparation of the dishes - The costs associated with washing and cleaning - The cost of the manpower used to create dishes out of individual ingredients Research results for each specific dish highlighted that: - Mixed canapés cost 66% more to make from scratch than their frozen counterpart - Profiteroles cost 65% more to make from scratch than frozen - Lamb shank cost 27% more to make from scratch than frozen - Strawberry cheesecake cost 24% more to make from scratch than frozen - Salmon en croute frozen versus ‘fresh’ dish costs were negligible [the researchers noted that the price of salmon can be market dependent and that fresh prices can vary] - Breaded camembert frozen versus ‘fresh’ dish costs were negligible [the researchers noted that the frozen dish cheese had been specifically manufactured to a unique size which could have prompted increased ingredient costs] Young added: “In this tough economic climate there is a compelling business case for using frozen food. Buying frozen will save money because of competitive and stable food prices, the ability to control portion sizes and wastage, plus the opportunity to cut kitchen labour costs. This will help businesses reduce their overheads, produce more accurate pricing models and protect their profits.”
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6861.asp- 27th July 2009
Bakery and desserts processor Elisabeth the Chef has begun a multi-million pound expansion of its desserts manufacturing capability. Plans include creating a new facility next to its head office in Leamington Spa. The new factory will become the sole desserts unit of the business, eventually leading to the transfer of desserts operations from nearby sites in Southam and St Mary’s Road. The business, which boasts an annual turnover of £90M, was bought by French dairy concern The Senoble Group last year. Its owner aims to incorporate its technology into the firm’s more traditional, hand-finished operations. The developments will inevitably lead to increased automation and potential redundancies and Elisabeth the Chef is consulting with employees over anticipated changes. “We are looking to become a sophisticated manufacturer of a wide range of top quality desserts – including all our present range, but adding new lines with that little touch of continental excitement,” said chief executive Bill Haywood. “We plan to begin detailed discussions with our trade colleagues within the next month or so about what attractions the new investment might bring.” Operations at the company’s Broadheath bakery site in Worcester will be largely unaffected.
Source: - http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/9050/Elisabeth_the_Chef_in_multi-million_pound_expansion.html- 24th July 2009
Branston Ltd has officially opened its £3.5 million high-tech, high-care, environmentally-friendly Prepared Factory. Over 100 guests were joined by TV chef James Martin at the celebration, which saw the company formally embark on its latest venture: building its prepared potato and vegetables business alongside its established and successful fresh potato operation. Branston Chairman Chris Howard, Managing Director Graeme Beattie and James marked the occasion by adding the final sections to an innovative wooden art installation, which will be displayed in the new factory’s reception area. Branston is already the category leader for Tesco prepared potato products and has a number of other customers in the convenience sector, both in the UK and overseas. The new Prepared Factory will enable the business to increase production of its existing ranges and also give the flexibility to provide bespoke solutions for retailers and food service customers alike. The new 2,500m2 factory is one of the most advanced food production facilities in the country. Over 300,000 packs per week are currently produced on four production lines, though Branston could double this output immediately if required. Thirty people have joined Branston as a result of building the new factory and the number of new recruits is expected to rise as production increases. The building itself could also grow in size, as it has been designed to allow an extension to be added with minimal disruption.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6851.asp- 23rd July 2009
Anaerobic digestion is a well proven renewable energy and waste management technology. It produces renewable energy in the form of biogas from organic materials such as manures and slurries, food waste and sewage sludge. In order to make the most of the potential of anaerobic digestion to contribute to climate change, waste management and wider environmental objectives, Defra has recently released a report (Developing an Implementation Plan for Anaerobic Digestion) which contains recommendations covering the themes of Economics and infrastructure. Responding to the Defra publication, Andrew Kuyk, the Food and Drink Federation's (FDF) Director of Sustainability and Competitiveness, said: “Anaerobic digestion will make a key contribution to the goal set out in the Food and Drink Federation's Five-fold Environmental Ambition of seeking to send zero food and packaging waste to landfill from factories from 2015. Government must support the practical recommendations made in this report if we are to give a much-needed boost to anaerobic digestion capacity in England, and ensure the food industry can deliver on its ambition. FDF was one of a number of expert bodies involved in the broad Government-appointed task group that produced this report, so we look forward to a positive response from Ministers later this year. “Some of the key priorities highlighted in the report include the importance of developing a proportionate, risk-based regulatory framework for anaerobic digestion; establishing cost effective systems for the separate collection of food waste from both commercial and municipal sources; and promoting greater awareness of the opportunities afforded by this technology among communities, particularly to increase participation in separate food waste collection schemes.”
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6838.asp- 17th July 2009
New research has confirmed that frozen food could save the foodservice industry millions of pounds a year. Commissioned by The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) and conducted by the Manchester Food Research Centre (MFRC), a new ‘Cost Comparison’ study concluded it was more cost effective for foodservice establishments to buy in prepared frozen alternatives, rather than manufacturing identical dishes on site. In nearly all cases during the research, dishes made to a duplicate recipe from scratch cost more than 24% more than their frozen counterparts. This rose to 66% with more labour intensive dishes which involved a high skill level. Colin Rodgers, Technical Project Manager at the Manchester Food Research Unit said: “On the whole the study considered it was more cost effective to buy readymade frozen alternatives than manufacturing the food fresh from ‘scratch’, particularly the more labour intensive dishes which involve a high skill level at a considerable cost.”
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6829.asp- 13th July 2009
Robert Wiseman Dairies has reported improved sales for the quarter on the back of a number of new contracts starting. The milk giant today announced sales volumes for the first three months of the new financial year were up 8.5% on the equivalent period last year. The financial performance was in line with expectations and underlying debt was slightly below forecast, chairman Alan Wiseman said. Following Dairy Farmers of Britain’s collapse, Robert Wiseman was asked to begin its contract to supply The Co-operative Group ahead of the agreed August start date. It also began supplying Spar wholesales Cappers and Blakemore during June. The increased workload has so far been handled by the company’s Manchester and Droitwich Spa dairies, which will continue until capacity at the Bridgwater super-dairy is increased to 375 million litres early next year. Robert Wiseman also revealed that it had picked up 70 former DFB farmers, and that farmgate milk prices were benefiting from a recovery in bulk cream returns. Sales of 1% fat milk brand ‘the One’ and extended shelf life milk was “making good progress in a very competitive marketplace”. “We have managed our way through some major changes in the industry in the last few months,” said Alan Wiseman. “We are confident that with a robust balance sheet, the most modern and efficient network of dairies and distribution centres in the UK and the support of our customers, we are in good shape to meet the many challenges that lie ahead as we seek to rebuild margins and profitability.”
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=201381- 9th July 2009
Associated British Foods plc issues its third quarter management statement, in accordance with the requirements of the UK Listing Authority’s Disclosure and Transparency rules, for the 40 weeks ended 20 June 2009. Third quarter highlights Group revenue from continuing operations year to date up 19% Trading remains in line with expectations Continued strong trading from Primark, sales year to date ahead 20% Completion of Azucarera Ebro acquisition Plan for Illovo rights issue announced Trading performance Group revenue for the 40 weeks to 20 June 2009 was 19% ahead of the same period last year after allowing for the exit from US commodity oils and the establishment of the Stratas joint venture. The weakness of sterling continued to benefit the translation of group revenues which were ahead 8% at constant currency. The food businesses also benefited from the flow-through of price increases, most of which were achieved in the first half of last year, and some volume growth. There was continued strong trading from Primark. Group revenue unadjusted for the impact of disposals was up 14% year to date.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6820.asp- 9th July 2009
As many as 900 jobs are to be axed from Diageo’s packaging operations in Scotland. The drinks giant, behind big name brands including Johnnie Walker, Guinness and Baileys, said 900 jobs would be lost over the next two years following a restructuring programme that would involve the closure of its sites in Kilmarnock and at Port Dundas in Glasgow. However, Diageo said some of the losses would be offset by the creation of 400 new jobs through the £86m expansion of its packaging plant in Fife. “We believe the plans announced today will help secure the sustainability of our business in Scotland,” said Diageo Scotland managing director Bryan Donaghey. “As Scotland’s largest manufacturing exporter, 85% of our output from Scotland is exported to over 180 markets worldwide. We therefore need to be competitive in a global context and the restructuring announced today is a key part of this.”
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=201173- 2nd July 2009
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has announced the appointment of Sandra Ziles as the new Director of the Potato Council. Sandra is passionate about food and farming and has a strong track record in developing and promoting British foods. Her role will be to lead the sector and champion the British potato industry by driving consumption and sales. Ziles will join from Somerfield where she is currently Product Innovation Director responsible for the complete overhaul and re-launch of the high street retailer's own brand ranges and driving a foodie culture across the business. Prior to this Ziles was Product Development Director for RHM-RF Brookes, a Senior Food Selector at Marks and Spencer, and Head of Food Intelligence for Campden and Chorleywood Food and Drink Research Association.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6806.asp- 2nd July 2009
Many people enjoy conserves and marmalades from the historic Tiptree farm, and now, thanks to a little help from Chalcroft Construction, the running of the production facilities has got a little easier. The Essex farm has been run by the Wilkin family for around 300 years, first producing conserves under the now world-famous Wilkin & Sons’ Tiptree name in the mid-1880s. As part of a planned consolidation of the business, Wilkin & Sons asked food industry specialists Chalcroft to construct a new cold storage facility at the site to store produce from the nearby farm ensuring that the fruit is kept as fresh as possible.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6796.asp- 26th June 2009
Cadbury plc issues regular trading updates ahead of its half year and full year results. The update follows the publication of the first quarter IMS on 30 April 2009 and reflects Cadbury’s performance through to the end of May 2009. Cadbury plc confirms that it has built on its good first quarter with improved trading in April and May. Growth in Chocolate remained robust, reflecting a good seasonal performance and the benefit of new product innovations. Gum and Candy both grew, helped by improved performances in a number of developed markets.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6787.asp- 22nd June 2009
Fresh evidence emerged recntly of a modest upturn in fortunes for the East Anglia economy as new figures showed the first drop in the number people claiming unemployment benefit since the beginning of the year. While the jobless total across the UK reached a 12-year high of more than 2.2 million people, the number of people claiming jobseekers' allowance in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire fell by 936 between April and May.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6788.asp- 22nd June 2009
After intense and challenging negotiations, the Agricultural Wages Board has reached a settlement for minimum wage rates to apply from October 2009. The agreement will see an increase in the Grade 1 rate from £5.74 to £5.81 per hour and for all other grades an increase of 2.2 per cent will apply. The Board also agreed to an increase of £10 in the birth & adoption grant from £50 to £60. Speaking after the negotiations, NFU employment spokesman Bob Fiddaman said: "This year's negotiations have been extremely tough and have taken place with the backdrop of a severe economic downturn, falling inflation levels, rising unemployment and uncertainty as to farm incomes.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6784.asp- 19th June 2009
The sell-by and best-before dates on almost all fresh produce and thousands of other food items are to be scrapped to prevent waste. Thousands of tons of perfectly good food is binned annually because critics claim the labelling system is misleading. Ministers say products should only have a 'use-before' date because it is the only way of giving consumers a safety cut-off point.
Source: - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1191725/Misleading-food-labelling-sell-dates-scrapped-stop-food-waste.html- 9th June 2009
Jane Kennedy, the previous Minister responsible for the Environment in DEFRA resigned on Monday 8th June. A new Minister has been appointed to replace her. Jim Fitzpatrick, who was born in 1952 in Glasgow and moved to London in 1974 to join the London Fire Brigade. He was elected Labour MP for Poplar and Canning Town in 1997. As a new Minister, Mr Fitzpatrick attended the Cereal event in Cambridgeshire on Wednesday on his third day in the job. The full list of Government ministerial appointments published by Number 10 on 9 June 2009 is: Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs – the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP Minister of State - Jim Fitzpatrick MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State - Huw Irranca-Davies MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State - Dan Norris MP
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6771.asp- 12th June 2009
Bernard Matthews Farms has appointed a new UK Managing Director, Jeff Halliwell. With a career spanning more than 30 years in the food and fmcg industries, Halliwell joins Bernard Matthews Farms following a three-year period with the dairy co-operative, First Milk, where he was Managing Director of First Milk Cheese Company, the UK’s largest cheese manufacturing business. In his new role with Bernard Matthews Farms, Halliwell will be responsible for the leadership of the UK business. He reports to Noel Bartram, who has temporarily held the post of UK Managing Director, alongside his role of Group Chief Executive, for the past 18 months. “Jeff’s appointment aligns the group structure with Managing Directors in each country and gives us clarity of leadership here in the UK”, says Bartram. ”He has significant understanding of the food industry, with extensive experience both of brands and private-label, and of agricultural business. He is commercially driven, with a clear understanding of marketing and communications. He is strong at managing change and we are confident he will help take our business forward.” Halliwell began his career with Colgate-Palmolive, gaining classic marketing grounding on brands including Colgate toothpaste and Ajax household cleaners. From there he moved to Mars, working his way up over 13 years from Marketing Manager to External Relations Director. Other senior positions include Global Marketing Director for infant nutrition brands Cow & Gate and Milupa. He was then with Northern Foods for four years, initially as Managing Director of Fox’s Biscuits and moving up to Divisional Director for Bakery, before joining First Milk in 2006.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6766.asp- 11th June 2009
The Government has announced plans to scrap sell-by and ‘best before’ dates on most food labels in a bid to tackle Britain’s food waste mountain. The Government has announced plans to scrap sell-by and ‘best before’ dates on most food labels in a bid to tackle Britain’s food waste mountain. The Department for the Environment Farming & Rural Affairs claimed the labelling revamp would help reduce the 364,000 tons of edible food misguidedly binned by Britons each year because it has passed its ‘best before’ date
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=200535- 9th June 2009
Former Asda and HBOS executive Andy Hornby has been confirmed as the new boss of Alliance Boots. Former Asda and HBOS executive Andy Hornby has been confirmed as the new boss of Alliance Boots. Hornby, who spent three years at Asda including a stint as managing director of clothing label George, was named as the high street chemist’s new chief executive last night. Hornby, who turned down a chance to join Boots in 2003, told The Times: “Boots is a magnificent brand, retail business and international wholesale business, which was not the case when I looked at it years ago. “It is now fundamentally different – a much bigger business. I'll work alongside [executive chairman and major shareholder] Stefano Pessina on the growth plans for most parts of the business. He and his team have done an outstanding job in a very difficult economy.” Hornby was thrust into the media spotlight earlier this year, when the turmoil in the UK banking sector forced HBOS into a hasty merger with Lloyds TSB. Hornby was subsequently grilled by MPs over his handling of the lender.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=200531- 9th June 2009
Munch Bunch® is launching three new and unique products to bring innovation to the children’s dessert market. All Munch Bunch® yogurts and fromage frais are made with real fruit purée and contain as much as calcium as a glass of milk in every portion.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/06/munch-bunch-launches-new-products/- 1st June 2009
Responding to the announcement of an increase to the National Minimum Wage, Angela Coleshill, the Food and Drink Federation's (FDF) HR Director, said: “FDF is encouraged by the moderate increase in the National Minimum Wage to £5.80 per hour from £5.73 per hour - or 1.2% as it's an issue we have lobbied the Low Pay Commission directly on this year. This cautious rise will be welcomed by our members who are concerned to ensure that the sector remains competitive for its future sustainability. In the past we have seen the minimum wage rise faster than average earnings and inflation, so the move to a more prudent approach makes a lot of sense at this time.”
Source: - http://www.fdf.org.uk/news.aspx?article=4480&newsindexpage=1- 13th May 2009
People who work around open food while suffering from certain infections (mainly from bacteria and viruses) can contaminate the food or surfaces the food may come into contact with. The Food Agency has published revised 'Food Handlers: Fitness to Work' guidance to help prevent the spread of infection to other people through food. The guidance aims to help managers and staff to prevent the spread of infection by advising which illnesses and symptoms staff should report and what managers should do in response.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6715.asp- 18th May 2009
Tate & Lyle has appointed Javed Ahmed as its new chief executive. He will take over from current incumbent Iain Ferguson on 15 November. Iain Ferguson will continue in the CEO role until then to ensure an orderly handover, Tate added. Ahmed is currently Executive Vice President, Europe for Reckitt Benckiser (LSE: RB.L - news) and a member of the detergent maker's Executive Committee. He has held a number of senior leadership roles within the group over the last 17 years in both Europe and North America. "Following our earlier announcement that Sir Peter Gershon will succeed me as Chairman by the end of the year, Peter and I are delighted that we are able to announce the succession arrangements for Iain Ferguson," Tate chairman Sir David Lees, said.
Source: - http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/090519/214/ilekk.html- 19th May 2009
Following success globally consumers in this country can now get their hands on the latest ice tea - Lipton Green Ice Tea - as it launches in the UK for the first time this Summer. Lipton Green Ice Tea, has 50% less sugar than most regular soft drinks and absolutely no artificial colours, preservatives or sweeteners. Lipton’s says that Lipton Green Ice Tea is good for you, because it contains Green tea, a natural source of anti-oxidants. It is a deliciously refreshing soft drink made from a green tea extract which is brewed using real tea leaves, it is then blended with other ingredients such as water and fruit flavours.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/05/lipton-launches-green-tea/- 12th May 2009
Associated British Foods plc ("ABF"),owner of Peterborough based British Sugar, has announced the completion of its acquisition of Azucarera Ebro, the leading sugar producer in Iberia. The acquisition, which will strengthen the existing EU operations of British Sugar, was announced on 15 December 2008. The business comprises four well-invested beet sugar factories, a state-of-the-art packaging centre and a new refinery which is currently under construction.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6693.asp- 8th May 2009
The Hain Celestial, Group, Inc., a natural and organic food and personal care products company, and owner of the Linda McCartney® range, is to create 35 new jobs at its Fakenham factory after winning two new business contracts for meat-free and dessert products. The 35 new positions will be focused within production at the factory which already produces meat-free products under the Linda McCartney label as well as own label brands for retailers. Hain Celestial has created innovative and improved products, new lines and more sophisticated packaging since it acquired the site in 2006. David Matwij, Head of Operations for Hain Frozen Foods UK comments, “The fact that we have been able win these contracts and create new positions is great news for the local economy, and demonstrates our commitment to growing our business in the UK.”
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6697.asp- 8th May 2009
A decade ago three friends mashed £500 worth of oranges, bananas and pineapples together on their kitchen table to make a giant smoothie. Yesterday they made what could be described as a giant killing – they sold a small stake in their company to Coca-Cola for £30 million. Innocent Drinks, now Britain’s leading smoothie maker, was valued at up to £300 million in the deal, in which the American soft drinks giant bought a 10 to 20 per cent stake. The co-founders, Richard Reed, Adam Balon and Jon Wright, will not be taking any money out of the business as a result of the deal, but will use all funds raised by Coke to finance Innocent’s expansion into Europe, on which the American giant will also provide expert advice. Though the company is known for its idealistic stance, Mr Reed insisted that the business would not be compromised by getting into bed with Coke, which is seen by many as a symbol of US cultural hegemony.
Source: - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article6047695.ece- 7th April 2009
TESCO is buying British as the weaker pound makes homegrown suppliers better value. The UK’s biggest supermarket group wants to increase sales of UK-sourced food by £375?million to £1?billion over the next two years. Tesco, led by Sir Terry Leahy, has stripped £11?million in business from foreign food producers this month, awarding contracts to domestic suppliers instead. The company said it planned to reallocate more contracts in the weeks and months ahead. It sold £624?million in domestically?sourced goods last year. Most customers want more British-made goods but the switch to British has become as much a financial necessity since sterling’s slump. Among recent beneficiaries is Britannia Superfine Confectionery, of Polegate, East Sussex. It now makes Tesco’s own-label 100g value plain chocolate, previously from France. Tesco also moved production of own-label chicken nuggets and dippers from South America to poultry supplier Moy Park, in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. A Tesco spokesman said: “We are already a major customer of the British food industry. “Currency movements have provided the opportunity for us to place even more business with British companies, boosting their order books and safeguarding jobs. We expect this trend to continue in the months ahead.”
Source: - http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/97217/Tesco-decides-to-stay-at-home- 26th April 2009
Tesco announced yesterday that it would create 26,000 jobs this year, including 11,000 in Britain, after its annual profits passed £3 billion for the first time. The supermarket giant is now the world’s second-biggest retailer, in profit terms, after the US giant Wal-Mart, having overtaken Carrefour, its French rival. Outstripping the City’s predictions, it reported a 10 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £3.128 billion. This sent Tesco shares up by almost 5 per cent.
Source: - http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article6143972.ece/- 22nd April 2009
Northern Ireland based Ready Egg Products is a new joint venture between three long established and successful egg producers. Erne Eggs, Irish Eggs and Greenfield Foods which is now looking for major distribution gains. The new company, based at Lisnaskea on Ireland’s Lakeland specialises in the manufacture of high quality pasteurised egg products packaged either in bulk pallecons or bag in box formats. It started operations last year and sources shell eggs from its own flock which produces two million eggs per week. The plant can make 200 tonnes per week and currently produced peeled, hard-boiled and liquid eggs. It uses high-tech pasteurisation with the facility to customise mixes and is introducing new tempering technology. It deliver daily to food processing and food servic customers throughout Britain and Ireland. Charles Crawford, MD of Ready Eggs says “Our business is based on the experience, expertise and market knowledge of three established and successful companies in egg production and creates a critical mass for accelerated growth”. At the heart of the company is experience of the egg business stretching over 30 years. It creates an operation focused on the supply of quality egg products with a strong commitment to R & D. For instance, as well as peeled and liquid eggs, the plant will be able to separate and supply egg whites to the bakery sector.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/04/northern-irish-ready-egg-aims-to-crack-new-markets/- 21st April 2009
Frozen food is increasingly a good choice for Britons as they seek better value in the current economic downturn, according to the Food and Drink Federation's (FDF) Frozen Food Group. Research carried out for the Frozen Food Group by Insight Track Ltd shows that half of consumers (49%) believe that frozen food will help them through the credit crunch. The good news for frozen food in the current climate is that 70% of consumers understand the main tangible benefits of frozen food, which are that it minimises waste, and that they need to shop less often. Over 80% of consumers also value the key attributes of frozen food – storage, convenience and quality – while 75% agree that quality is better than it used to be. A total of 73% of consumers think frozen food offers a good range of premium products.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6646.asp- 15th April 2009
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is pleased to announce the launch of the 2009 Community Partnership Awards. This year for the first time, the Awards will feature an Environment category, which will showcase the environmental projects being undertaken by companies across the food and drink sector. The Community Partnership Awards, now in their sixth year, recognise the contribution and dedication shown by the food chain to initiatives that have a positive impact on the communities and environment in which they operate. These include their contributions to local schools and hospitals; sponsorship of community sports activities; cultural and civic projects, and other community involvement.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/04/fdf-launches-2009-community-patnership-awards/- 14th April 2009
Cranswick, the Yorkshire-based food manufacturer, is to acquire the pork processing business of Bowes of Norfolk Limited for cash funded from existing bank facilities, subject to clearance from the UK Competition Authorities. The Norfolk-based family owned business has been involved for many years in arable farming, pig rearing and pig-meat processing. Certain members of the Bowles family will retain the arable farming business together with a portfolio of properties. The pig rearing business will be sold to a management buy-out team and a pig supply agreement will be entered into on completion covering the supply of pigs by the MBO to the Cranswick-owned Bowes. Cranswick Chairman, Martin Davey, said: “Bowes is a significant operator in pig-meat processing and the acquisition reinforces our position in that sector. The business will continue as a separate operation with its own management team reporting directly to Adam Couch, Cranswick main board director responsible for the Group’s fresh pork operations. “We look forward to the 620 employees who work for the pork-processing operation of Bowes joining us and to working with the MBO team in respect of the supply of pigs”.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/04/fdf-launches-2009-community-patnership-awards/ - 14th April 2009
The latest TNS Worldpanel grocery market share figures have been published, for the 12 weeks ending 22nd March 2009. Ed Garner, Director of Research, TNS Worldpanel comments: “ These figures confirm a strong growth rate of 5.8%. “Whilst slightly lower than February’s this is against strong comparatives from 2008 when the March figures included Easter seasonal spending, which will occur more normally in April this year. “This growth in consumer spending remains below the Grocery price inflation of 9.3% as shoppers continue to seek to manage the impact of higher prices which are still feeding through year-on-year in the Grocery Sector. Shoppers trading down to lower-priced products, especially within the retailers’ Own Label ranges, is the main way they are seeking to contain this. “Asda has once again shown its strength as an everyday low price champion with another record share of 17.5% (17.1% this time last year) & year-on-year growth rate of 8.5%. Morrisons continued its consistent improvement with a share of 11.8% & growth of 7.2% “Sainsbury’s growth of 5.7% was in line with Grocery sector average, giving them a constant share of 16.1% “Tesco’s growth rate was marginally behind the sector at 4.3%, resulting in a share figure of 30.4% (compared to 30.8% last year), influenced by stronger consumer purchasing of the economically-priced Value range. “Discounters (Aldi, Lidl, Netto) continue to enjoy strong growth with Shopper Spending up 13% giving them a combined share of 5.9% compared to 5.5% last year. However there are some signs of a slowdown in this rate of growth, suggesting that the Major Multiples are becoming more successful in containing this long-term challenge.”
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6621.asp - 2nd April 2009
Waitrose has teamed up with motorway services operator Welcome Break to develop two 2,500 sq ft food stores at Oxford Services on the M40 and South Mimms on the M25. The new stores are set open next month and will create 50 new jobs. Over 850 on-the-go and convenience lines including sandwiches salads, drinks, bread and milk and ready meals will be available in the stores, which will be run by Waitrose staff and open seven days a week from 7am-10pm. Waitrose commercial director Richard Hodgson said the retailer hoped to broaden its customer base by becoming more accessible to the 9 million motorists using the roads. “It¹s about giving people more opportunities to buy the best quality food and drink,” he said. “There are 24 Welcome Breaks so if they are a success, there is potential to open more.”
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=198783 - 2nd April 2009
Diageo is rolling out Jose Cuervo Authentic Margaritas nationally, following trials within selected ASDA and Tesco stores. Sales of the product, in test, have more than doubled over the last 12 months. Launched in 2007, the pre-mixed ready to drink product was intended to give consumers a more convenient way to serve this highly popular cocktail.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/04/authentic-margueritas-for-national-distribution/- 1st April 2009
Norman Soutar, Managing Director of William Jackson Food Group(1), has been appointed Chairman of the Food and Drink Federation's (FDF) Frozen Food Group, effective immediately. FDF's Frozen Food Group consists of senior representatives of frozen food and ice cream producers across all sectors, and aims to be the authoritative voice of the industry. It represents the specific interests of the frozen food manufacturing industry and acts as an interface with other organisations in the supply chain.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6618.asp - 30th March 2009
Unilever’s Iconic Bovril brand has just launched Chicken Bovril in a new hourglass-shaped pack “designed to help the nation fight-the-fridge” this spring. A drink made with the new product has 16 calories and is billed as Syn free on the Slimming World Plan. Chicken Bovril is asking women to stop..sit..sip and savour a warming mug of chicken loveliness to fight-the-fridge in the difficult cold months. This bold move is the first time the 123year-old brand has altered their jar. A number of jars have been produced and if popular, Chicken Bovril in a new jar could be rolled out across country later on in the year. Cheryl Claverley, Marketing Manager for Bovril, said: “Chicken has previously lived in the shadow of its beefier brother, but has stolen the spotlight this year with its new hourglass figure. Slimming is always harder in the colder months and can be expensive, but at 16calories a mug, Chicken Bovril can warm you up without burning a hole in your pocket!”
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/03/chicken-bovril-now-in-bikini-body-jar/- 27th March 2009
Northern Foods, the maker of Goodfella’s pizza, is on track to meet its profits targets after posting strong fourth-quarter sales at its chilled foods division. Sales for the past 13 weeks were up by more than 12% in the company’s chilled arm, contributing to an underlying rise of almost 9% across the group as a whole, while the bakery division also saw double-digit growth in the fourth quarter, driven both by price and volume growth. However, sales in frozen inched up by just over 2% for the period and volumes dropped, while overall sales for the full year rose by 4.7%. The company said it had made “continued progress in ready meals over the winter period, driven by strong repeat purchase rates,” while new value ranges, including chilled pizza and discount sandwiches, had enjoyed successful launches.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=198602 - 26th March 2009
ASDA's 165,000 colleagues were celebrating after the supermarket was named 'Innovative Employer of the Year' at this year's prestigious Retail Industry Awards staged in London. ASDA won the accolade for its “comprehensive suite of strategies and people innovations”, beating off strong competition from Sainsbury’s, Gap, Carphone Warehouse and Hotel Chocolat. As well as highlighting ASDA's low turnover and high retention rates, the award winning entry impressed judges with its “highly successful colleague based initiatives”, including its commitment to colleague health and its reward and recognition schemes – these include suggestion programmes and regular listening groups.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6600.asp/- 23rd March 2009
The new ‘Into the Garden’ Range of mueslis from Alara (based just behind Kings Cross Station) includes six fantastic flavours: Goji & Yacon, Date with Cacao, Fruit, Seed & Spice, Very Berry, Gluten Free with Goji and Yacon, and Active. Each has been formulated using ingredients that not only taste great but also have powerful health benefits. For example goji and cacao are thought to have the highest anti-oxidant content of any natural ingredient on earth, yacon is renowned for its strong prebiotic benefits, and amaranth grain, used in the Active brand, is higher in protein than the usual grains used in muesli.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/03/alara-launches-new-range-of-mueslis/- 24th March 2009
The Skills Commission has published a report ('Progression Through Apprenticeships') which offers recommendations to help secure the long-term success of the apprenticeship programme. Responding to that report, Angela Coleshill, HR Director at the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), said: “Demand for skilled workers in the food and drink manufacturing sector continues to rise, despite the economic downturn, and FDF believes that recruiting apprentices is a great way to ensure the sector has a skilled workforce for the future. More and more food and drink companies are taking on apprentices, and the industry's sector skills council, Improve, predicts food industry apprentice numbers in England will increase five-fold from just 400 in 2007 to 2,000 in 2012.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6592.asp/- 20th March 2009
Chartered accountant Peter Crick has joined agricultural purchasing group Anglia Farmers Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6587.asp/- 19th March 2009
Will Dehydrated fruits and vegetables ever take the place of crisps? The answer is almost certainly no, but a number of companies are having a good try at developing the market.
One of these is Urban Fresh Fruit showing at IFE09. A tiny company, set up in 2006, their tag line is “It’s sooooo not chocolate”. The packaging is more funky than mainstream and at 35g a bag they are definitely snack sized. They are packing Banana, Kiwi, Strawberry, Pineapple, Black Cherry and Mango.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/03/innovation-doesnt-dry-up-in-small-companies/- 15th March 2009
Del Monte has begun its assault on the own-label dominated frozen fruit sector with the launch of branded frozen lines.
The fruit specialist has developed a premium range under the strapline Only the Freshest Fruit...Frozen, which is being marketed by Dunuo Foods. The products went on sale in Tesco and Sainsbury’s stores last week.
Summer fruit and pineapple punnets have launched with a 25% off promotion in Sainsbury’s, while Tesco launched with a promotion on summer fruits and follows up with forest fruits, pineapple punnets and Fruitini pineapple sticks in April.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=198199- 13th March 2009
It might make a larger omelette but a bigger egg isn't necessarily a better one — and it certainly doesn't make the hen that laid it very happy.
That is the view of the chairman of the British Free Range Producers' Association, who says that if you want to be kind to hens, you should eat medium, not large or very large, eggs.
Source: - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/article5884068.ece- 11th March 2009
The introduction of a new range from Waitrose is set to raise the bar on own label quality standards. Launching in stores nationwide from Monday 9 March, essential Waitrose is a range of over 1,400 lines comprising staple grocery items with the quality and welfare standards you would expect from Waitrose - at prices you wouldn't.
The range spans the majority of Waitrose aisles, from fruit and vegetables to household goods, grocery to meat, fish and poultry. As with all Waitrose own label products, the supermarket hasn't compromised on quality standards or sourcing integrity. All pork used in essential Waitrose is British and outdoor reared, all chicken is British and eggs are free range; bananas are Fairtrade, and UK fruit and vegetables are LEAF* accredited.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6564.asp- 9th March 2009
Cadbury, which is in the midst of a cost-cutting programme that will see production facilities outsourced to Eastern Europe and 15 % of its global workforce lose their jobs, now faces the threat that supplies of its favoured cocoa bean could run out.
Boateng, managing director of Cadbury's operations in Ghana, will launch a £44m investment programme for the country's cocoa industry designed to safeguard it and the UK company's future.
Cadbury, which imports 70 per cent of its cocoa beans from Ghana, is aiming to help an industry faced with falling crop yields and dwindling numbers of farmers.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6540.asp- 27th February 2009
The soft drinks company, Britvic, has appointed Murray Harris as its new Customer Management Director, GB. He will also join the company’s Executive Committee.
Harris brings considerable experience to the position, having been with Britvic for 15 years in a number of roles across Customer Management, most recently as Business Unit Director for Take-Home Grocery.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6536.asp- 26th February 2009
Walkers Baked is supporting the Food Standards Agency’s saturated fat campaign, which launches on February 9th. Walkers Baked will support the campaign with new messaging on packs of Walkers Baked, which contain 50% less saturated fat than ordinary Walkers crisps.
The FSA-approved messaging, which will be seen by a projected 4.5 million people, will highlight the importance of a balanced diet and refer consumers to the FSA’s website for information and tips on how to lower their saturated fat consumption.
Walkers, part of PepsiCo, has invested more than £12 million pounds to transform its portfolio, reformulating existing products to make them as healthy as possible without compromising on taste and launching new healthier snack foods.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/02/walkers-removes-more-saturated-fat/- 23rd February 2009
Kerry Group has announced a rise in like-for-like sales of more than 6% to rake in €4.8bn for the past year.
Total sales for 2008 were up by 6.3%, while operating profit is expected to be up by 8% compared to the previous 12-month period.
The Irish-owned group’s consumer foods business, whose brands include Mattessons, Bowyers sausages and Cheestrings, showed like-for-like growth of 5.4% over the year to contribute around €1.77bn. The increase was despite sales in the ready meals category remaining largely flat for the year.
The group said it had achieved a “robust all-round performance” in the UK, with the addition of the Wall’s Classics range to its portfolio boosting customer listings, while frozen also showed an upturn in sales.
Kerry’s ingredients division, meanwhile, performed better to show sales growth of 7.5% to €3.39bn.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=197718- 24th February 2009
PepsiCo has just opened a new Technical Centre of Excellence in Beaumont Leys, Leicester, which will drive forward the company’s innovation, productivity and sustainability programmes. The 92,000 sq ft facility will house the company’s core technical staff across R&D Engineering and Technical Services.
The flagship technical centre will be at the cutting edge of PepsiCo’s drive to develop new and healthier foods and snacks for the European market including leading brands, Walkers, Lays, Doritos, Cheetos, Wotsits and the Quaker range of cereals and cereal bars.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/02/pepsico-launches-new-r-d-centre-in-leicester/- 19th February 2009
Marketing Week Magazine reported that 70 year old Irish cider company Wm Magner, (Owned by C&C) is launching a new pear variety next month. The company says it has perfected a unique taste which will expand the market.
It is estimated that the Pear & Fruit Cider category has quadruped over the last year to reach 25 million litres.
The cider said to have “a refreshingly light pear taste - crisp with plenty of fruit character” will come in a 330ml (1pt) bottle and will be distributed through grocers and the licensed trade.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/02/magners-launches-new-pear-product/- 18th February 2009
Fast food giant KFC is planning to step up its UK expansion in a push that could create up to 9,000 new jobs over the next three to five years.
The fried chicken chain hopes to open 300 new stores in the UK over the next few years in a £150m programme of investment.
The chain currently has 760 outlets in the UK and employs 22,000 staff. Just over a third of the outlets are owned directly by the chain itself, with the majority run on a franchise basis.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=197407- 16th February 2009
The traditional pickles category is set to grow with the launch of a premium range of Heinz Pickles. The launch is part of a wider move to refresh and contemporise the Heinz Pickles brand in response to growing consumer demand.
With the economy down and food prices on the up, there has been a marked increase in pickles sales as consumers look to spice up cold cuts of meats and last night’s leftovers. By the titles the pickles are obviously striking an up-to-date note.
The are: Silverskins in Dark Balsamic Vinegar; Rosebud Beetroot in Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar; and Silverskins in Raspberry Red Wine Vinegar; have an RSP of £1.99 and come in 300g glass jars.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/02/heinz-picks-the-pick-of-pickles/- 10th February 2009
Kellogg’s has launched a new brand of baked muesli with the aim of delivering a £6 million retail sales opportunity to retailers by growing the muesli category by 3.5 percentage points.
Called Nature’s Pleasure, the launch comes as Kellogg’s claims the muesli category needs a shake-up to turn around the five years of flat penetration it has experienced.
A staggering 37 percent of shoppers still see muesli as dusty and tasteless[1]. Kellogg’s believes this, and the fact the category lacks a sense of enjoyment and pleasure, are the key barriers to growth.
Kellogg’s says its new range of muesli will help the trade get over these category hurdles.
Nature’s Pleasure offers retailers and the shopper a differentiated product - a baked rather than raw muesli - backed by the marketing support one of the UK’s most well known grocery brands.
Kellogg’s plans to spend £3 million promoting Nature’s Pleasure including print advertising, sampling and digital marketing.
Source: - http://www.fdin.org.uk/2009/02/kelloggs-launches-new-baked-meusli-2/- 10th February 2009
The health secretary, Alan Johnson, yesterday called for manufacturers and retailers to produce and stock smaller, snack-sized portions in a bid to combat obesity.
Speaking to the Business4Life coalition of companies, which includes Mars, Britvic and Nestle, Johnson called for the sugar content in existing products to be reduced and urged local shops and c-stores to stock smaller portions alongside traditional sizes.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=197234- 6th February 2009
Around 4 million fresh Seville oranges from the orchards of Spain are heading for Tiptree where they will be made into Wilkin & Sons’ famous marmalades.
Customers’ demand for quality marmalade is increasing and this year an extra 1 million Spanish oranges will be arriving during January and February.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6486.asp- 5th February 2009
The Board of Bakkavör Group hf (‘Bakkavör' or ‘the Group') provides the following preliminary update to the market ahead of the publication of the Group's audited year-end results for the 12-month period ended 31 December 2008, which will be announced on Thursday 26 March 2009:
- Full year Group sales up approx. 10%. Q4 Group sales up approx. 11%.
- Profitability continues to be impacted by a tough trading environment.
- Significant one-off costs including restructuring in 2008 and particularly in Q4.
- Substantial part of cash deposit in Iceland now retrieved - full balance expected by mid April.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6487.asp- 5th February 2009
The UK’s supplier of fresh potatoes will soon have a new state-of-the-art and environmentally-friendly preparation facility, thanks to Chalcroft Construction.
Chalcroft, which has a Food Projects Division, is currently in the process of constructing a new £2.3m temperature controlled production facility at Branston Ltd’s Lincolnshire site that will house offices, intake and raw materials, assembly, storage, high-care packing and despatch facilities.
Branston will move its prepared and convenience potato-based products operation from rented premises into the new facility, with the creation of up to 60 new skilled jobs.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6483.asp- 2nd February 2009
Cathedral City cheddar maker Dairy Crest posted strong retail sales in its third quarter trading update, out today.
Sales of Cathedral City were up 14% year-on-year, Utterly Butterly was up 8% and Clover, Country Life and Vitalite also experienced double-digit growth. Total group sales were up 4%.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=197032- 3rd February 2009
Heinz, McDonalds and Tesco are among the first food and drink companies to sign up to a voluntary ban on six food colours associated with hyperactivity in young children, according to a new list published today by the Food Standards Agency......
The voluntary ban was agreed to by ministers late last year. Asda, Tesco, Iceland and Marks & Spencer have all removed all six colours from their whole own-label range, while Heinz has removed the colourings from its Heinz, Weight Watchers, HP and Lee & Perrins lines.
Vimto, Green Bay and Worldfoods are also among manufacturers participating in the ban. McDonald's is also complying with the ban.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=197035- 3rd February 2009
The US sandwich chain Subway has confirmed plans to open 600 new stores in the UK and the Irish Republic, which could lead to more than 7,000 new jobs.
Source: - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7858472.stm- 29th January 2009
Asda is to create 7,000 new jobs this year, becoming the latest supermarket to add new positions as their sales continue to rise despite the recession.
The firm, part of US giant Wal-Mart, said about 3,700 of the new jobs would be created by opening 14 new stores and the extension of 15 existing outlets.
Source: - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7855482.stm- 28th January 2009
Sainsbury's, which enjoyed a strong Christmas trading period, began the recruitment process some time ago, according to people close to the company who said last night that it had not been triggered by Sir Philip's appointment earlier this month as chairman of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).
Source: - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/4332946/Sainsburys-goes-shopping-for-new-chairman.html- 24th January 2009
Wm Morrison Supermarkets PLC reports a pre close update ahead of its financial year end of 1 February 2009.
Trading
The Group continued to trade well through the Christmas period.
In the 6 weeks to 4 January 2009 total sales excluding fuel were up by 9.4% (7.7% including fuel), of which 1.2% was a contribution from new space.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6463.asp- 26th January 2009
From 5th February Sainsbury’s will be the first major retailer to stop selling eggs from battery hens; ensuring over half a million hens will no longer be kept in battery cages.
Sainsbury’s is the largest retailer to completely remove battery farmed eggs from its shelves and this announcement comes three years before government legislation prohibiting caged hens in their current format comes into force in 2012 and nearly a year earlier than the retailers own target.
Source: - http://www.foodeast.com/news/newsarchive/news6454.asp- 23rd January 2009
Northern Ireland snack group Tayto has snapped up struggling crisp maker Jonathan Crisp for an undisclosed sum.
Tayto announced yesterday it had agreed a deal to acquire the Staffordshire-based premium crisp manufacturer, whose hand-fried and vegetable crisps are produced by local business Glennan's.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=196799- 20th January 2009
Premier Foods has accepted a €50m offer for French patisserie business Martine Spécialités.
Premier confirmed today that Martine had been the subject of an approach by French private equity group Cerea Capital and has begun a consultation with employees over a possible sale.
Martine employs 385 people and posted pre-tax profits of £4.4m for the nine months to 31 December against sales of £34.4m
Premier acquired the business in March 2007 as part of its £1.2bn takeover of RHM.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=196672- 19th January 2009
It may be one of the cheapest supermarkets, but Aldi is offering this year’s biggest starting salary for graduates.
It pays university leavers £40,000 a year, plus a new Audi A4 car – nearly twice the £25,500 offered by upmarket rival Marks & Spencer.
Recruits spend a year learning about all aspects of the business with a view to becoming area managers responsible for three to five stores.
Source: - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1114712/Aldi-offers-graduates-40-000--throws-new-Audi.html- 14th January 2009
Morrisons has unveiled plans to create 5,000 new jobs this year as part of its programme to expand store space.
The UK retailer said the jobs would be created across the business and include positions in its "Market Street" in-store butchers, bakers and fishmongers.
"Morrisons is committed to hiring and training new people to keep retail as the engine room of the economy and support our continuing growth," Norman Pickavance, group HR director for Morrisons, said.
The company also announced that it is enhancing its training programme, with the establishment of the Fresh Food Academy, which aims to train 18,000 employees in its first year.
Source: - http://www.just-food.com/article.aspx?id=104999 - 12th January 2009
Sainsbury's confirmed today (8 January) that it would look to create around 2,000 jobs in the next year after revealing its recent sales growth had continued during the autumn and Christmas.
Source: - http://www.just-food.com/article.aspx?id=104968 - 8th January 2009
A 100% natural sweetener has proved so popular, manufacturers have demanded it come in larger quantities so they can use it as an ingredient in their products.
To accommodate this, Sweet Freedom is now supplying its natural syrup sweetener to outlets in 5 and 20 litre quantities.
Source: - http://www.fdin.co.uk/news/index.php?type=related&generate=yes&news_article_id=18759436#18759436- FDIN - 31st December 2008
Birds Eye has posted a rise in sales and profits for the past year as frozen food continues to undergo a renaissance with belt-tightening consumers.
UK sales for the year rose by 5% in 2008 to £545m, contributing to overall income of €1.2bn for the year. Pre-tax profits, meanwhile, increased by 10% over the same period to £203m.
Source: - http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=196430 - The Grocer - 6th January 2009
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