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New flexible pouch cuts packaging and carbon footprint

21-May-2012 - As UK food and drink manufacturers search for ways to reduce packaging and carbon footprints, a new drinks launch in Thailand could point the way ahead.

Food firms: we don’t abuse migrant workers

16-May-2012 - Food manufacturers have rejected claims that migrant workers suffer abuse in the food manufacturing sector.

After Weetabix, Eastern firms size up Birds Eye

15-May-2012 - Far Eastern firms’ appetite for UK food brands seems to be sharpening, with Birds Eye, which is owned by Iglo Foods, apparently the latest acquisition target.

System helps to eliminate fruit factory waste

09-May-2012 - The "first-ever" automated system capable of loading bagged produce into receptacles for transportation aims to help eliminate unnecessary wastage of fruit in factories.

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UK soft drink sales grow 5% to £14.5bn

09-May-2012 - Sales of soft drinks rose by 5.1% last year to reach more than £14.5bn, according to the 2012 UK Soft Drinks Report.

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Soup maker canned from The Apprentice launches baby foods

08-May-2012 - Food manufacturer Jane McEvoy – fired by Lord Alan Sugar from his TV show The Apprentice last month – has bounced back by launching a range of organic, allergen-free, fresh baby and toddler soups.

Premier Foods tight-lipped on spreads business sale

08-May-2012 - Premier Foods is remaining tight-lipped about press reports that private equity firms are competing to buy the firm’s spreads business, which includes Sun-Pat and Hartley’s Jam.

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New electronic nose detects fruit ripeness

02-May-2012 - A new electronic nose designed to detect ripeness could save millions of pounds each year in preventing the wastage of fruit and vegetables, according to researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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.

Top 10 US functional food trends favour natural

25-Apr-2012 - More US consumers want to source their vitamins and minerals from foods and drinks rather than supplements, according to the Chicago-based Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

Food safety allergen thresholds by 2014: Unilever

24-Apr-2012 - Allergen thresholds that food manufacturers can use to ensure safe production within factories and for improved product labelling could become a reality within two years, a Uniliever expert has claimed.

Birds Eye to meet zero waste target in 2012

19-Mar-2012 - Frozen food firm Birds Eye will meet its zero waste to landfill target two years ahead of schedule this year, thanks partly to composting, according to its waste reduction partner Biffa.

Banks 'stifle food manufacturers’ innovation'

16-Mar-2012 - British banks’ failure to understand the food manufacturing sector is choking industry innovation, warned speakers at a conference in London this week.

Food plant gas poisoning puts 15 workers in hospital

13-Mar-2012 - Suspected carbon monoxide poisoning resulted in 15 workers at Riviera Produce in Connor Downs, Cornwall being taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro yesterday (March 12).

Culina Logistics targets big boost to food services

12-Mar-2012 - Culina Group is pressing ahead with ambitious plans to enhance services for food manufacturers and retailers – slashing store delivery lead times and pursuing rapid growth in fresh food and other categories.

Cider's popularity matches lager for first time

29-Feb-2012 - Soaring cider sales, thanks to innovative product design, meant the beverage now rivals the popularity of lager, according to a new report from market research group Mintel.

Red tape puts jam maker in sticky spot

27-Feb-2012 - A Cheshire jam manufacturer could lose thousands of pounds of new business because EU regulations have left it without a legal name for its product.

Sleaford Quality Foods battles global supply chain

27-Feb-2012 - Sleaford Quality Foods is overcoming tough challenges in the global supply chain as it seeks to source and process dried and dehydrated foods for foodservice customers and other manufacturers.

News in brief

Ingredients firm unveils £30,000 investment

20-Feb-2012 - Stockport-based food firm EHL Ingredients plans to invest £30,000 to upgrade production processes and distribution in a bid to grow turnover to £5M this year.

Union blames Morrisons for Del Monte’s job cut plan

17-Feb-2012 - A cancelled contract from Morrisons was responsible for vegetable and fruit producer Del Monte’s plan to close its York factory with the loss of 140 jobs, a union official has told FoodManfacture.co.uk.

Nettle beer brewer stung in tax battle

13-Feb-2012 - A Cornish microbrewery is battling tax inspectors for survival as they try to recoup £10,000 of backdated revenue from it for allegedly wrongly selling one of its creations as a beer.

News in brief

Natures Way opens new £15M West Sussex factory

08-Feb-2012 - Salad and lettuce manufacturer Natures Way Foods (NWF) has announced the opening of a new £15M factory at Chichester Food Park in West Sussex.

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Salmonella outbreak caused one death

02-Feb-2012 - A Salmonella Newport outbreak has affected 30 people in the UK, causing one confirmed death, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

News in brief

Morrisons to create 400 jobs at Bridgwater site

02-Feb-2012 - Supermarket chain Morrisons is set to create 400 jobs at its Bridgwater manufacturing site as the firm seeks to combine its packaging and distribution operations.

Firms fined after veg packing accident

31-Jan-2012 - Two Norfolk firms have been fined a total of £8,000 after a worker’s hand was crushed in a vegetable packing plant.

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