Breaking News on the Food and Drink Manufacturing Sector

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Turkey firm Cranberry Foods acquired by Faccenda

01-May-2012 - The UK’s second biggest turkey producer Cranberry Foods has been acquired by leading poultry producer Faccenda, for an undisclosed sum, to form one of the country’s largest food manufacturers.

Scots meat firm blames rising costs for administration

01-May-2012 - Rising costs and sharp competition have been blamed for forcing Scottish meat processor Caithness Beef and Lamb into administration.

Tamdhu Scotch whisky distillery gets brand new lease of life

01-May-2012 - Scotland's Tamdhu whisky distillery, which was mothballed in 2010 by its then owner the Edrington Group, is to be relaunched in 2013.

S&A to expand on the Continent

01-May-2012 - Ethnic ready meals producer S&A Foods is considering expanding its business overseas with potential manufacturing facilities In Europe on the agenda.

Bakkavör opens plant and starts restructuring talks

30-Apr-2012 - Own-label food manufacturer Bakkavör has opened a new facility at its Caledonian Produce site in Bo’ness, West Lothian and started financial restructuring talks with its lenders.

News in brief

EU food and drink firms ‘recession proof’

30-Apr-2012 - European food and drink manufacturers represent not only the EU’s largest manufacturing sector but also one of its most stable, according to industry representatives FoodDrinkEurope.

Food manufacturers’ growth driven by acquisitions

30-Apr-2012 - Growth in the food and drink industry will be driven by further mergers and acquisitions, reveals a survey of private equity and corporate firms in the UK and Ireland conducted by financial advisor Grant Thornton.

Magnum Infinity helps Unilever to 8.4% sales rise

30-Apr-2012 - The launch of the Magnum Infinity range in Europe helped Unilever to sales growth of 8.4% with turnover up by nearly 12% to €12.1bn in the first quarter of this year.

Bidding frenzy for Iglo Foods touted at £2.4bn

27-Apr-2012 - Food manufacturers are battling private equity players to acquire Iglo Foods Group, which owns Birds Eye, with a touted price of up to £2.4bn, according to experts.

Small Midlands food firms report growth

27-Apr-2012 - More than half (58%) of small food and drink firms reported growth and 20% reported high growth, revealed a recent business survey in the West Midlands.

Food and drink combos to beat min alcohol pricing

27-Apr-2012 - Manufacturers and retailers may use cross-category promotions between drinks and food to stem lost sales arising from government plans to introduce a minimum price for alcohol.

Food industry should rethink ‘cheap food’ urges Tory MP

25-Apr-2012 - Tory MP Laura Sandys will today call for a radical shake-up of the UK’s food supply chain to help consumers deal with rising food prices and reduce waste.

Premier Foods’ power brands lift sales but margins?

25-Apr-2012 - The UK’s largest food producer Premier Foods posted sales up 1.3% to £427M in the first three months of this year but left city analysts questioning its margin performance.

Retailers 'undermine' kids' healthy eating, says CFC

25-Apr-2012 - Retailers Asda, Morrisons and Iceland have been slammed by the Children’s Food Campaign (CFC) as the worst offenders for allegedly targeting children with junk food and undermining healthy eating.

News in brief

Unilever honours Queen’s Jubilee with royal Marmite

24-Apr-2012 - Marmite manufacturer Unilever has given the opinion-dividing spread a royal makeover to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Nestlé beats Danone to Pfizer baby-food takeover

24-Apr-2012 - KitKat maker Nestlé has beaten rival manufacturer Danone in the takeover battle for baby-food business Pfizer Nutrition after agreeing an offer of £7.35bn ($11.85bn) for the firm.

News in brief

ABF results sweetened by sugar prices

24-Apr-2012 - Soaring sugar prices have boosted results at Associated British Foods, according to city analysts, after the firm announced its half year results for the period ending March 3.

Cadbury in Daily Mail Milk Tray web row

23-Apr-2012 - Milk Tray maker Cadbury has rejected claims reported in the Daily Mail that it has secretly reformulated its Milk Tray chocolates.

Scots salmon firm to boost exports after acquisition

20-Apr-2012 - The Edinburgh Salmon Company (ESC) predicts export growth will lift its turnover to £50M within the next five years, after its acquisition by French equity firm Merinvest earlier this month for an undisclosed sum.

Enterprise Foods bakery supplier ‘one to watch’

19-Apr-2012 - East-Kilbride bakery products supplier Enterprise Foods has been named as a firm to watch, linked to a hot 100 list of British private companies with the fastest growing profits.

FDF calls for 'broader not deeper' public health deal

18-Apr-2012 - The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) wants the government to encourage more firms to join the Public Health Responsibility Deal (PHRD) rather than extend the commitment of its existing members.

Gressingham wants duck to challenge beef and lamb

18-Apr-2012 - Duck producer Gressingham wants to persuade 10% of British households to eat duck regularly within two years in a bid for the meat to rival beef and lamb.

2 Sisters’ Solway Foods loses disability tribunal

18-Apr-2012 - Sandwich manufacturer Solway Foods, part of 2 Sisters Food Group, has been found guilty of constructive dismissal and disability discrimination when a worker was forced to resign after falling at the firm’s Northamptonshire factory.

Greencore faces US challenge with Marketfare deal

18-Apr-2012 - Anglo-Irish chilled foods manufacturer Greencore faces a tough challenge in the US convenience foods market, according to city analysts, after the firm announced the purchase of Arizona-based food-to-go firm Marketfare yesterday (April 17).

News in brief

Tesco £1bn investment underway as UK sales fall

18-Apr-2012 - Record profits from its overseas supermarkets have propped up tumbling British sales at retail giant Tesco as the firm revealed it will invest £1bn in improving UK stores and cutting prices.

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