Ambient foods

Ambient food producers may not have the short shelf-life issues of their colleagues in the chilled sector to contend with. But those manufacturing canned and dried products often have image and technical constraints to overcome, which new processes and marketing initiatives are helping to overcome. Keep in touch with the latest news from the sector.

M&S Gateway logistics centre to handle ambient food

12-Jun-2013 - Marks & Spencer’s (M&S’s) new £200M distribution centre at the London Gateway Logistics Park – which will create up to 700 jobs – will handle ambient foods, a spokesman has told FoodManufacture.co.uk.

News in brief

Fruit firm Mariani expands service with first European base

07-Jun-2013 - US dried fruit ingredient firm Mariani has strengthened its focus on UK and European markets with the opening of its first European warehouse – enabling small and medium-sized UK manufacturers to order smaller quantities of products.

News in brief

Jam manufacturer wins Scottish government award

31-May-2013 - A jam manufacturer has won the Scottish government’s first ever food and drink outstanding achievement award.

£100M: the ‘high price’ of Tyrrells crisps

22-May-2013 - A Far Eastern food firm could snap up UK crisp brand Tyrrells, which is reportedly up for sale for £100M.

Globalisation spices up the market for hot foods

13-May-2013 - Globalisation is leading to more adventurous consumers who are increasingly prepared to try spicy foods, including hot pepper sauces, according to the McIlhenny Company, maker of Tabasco pepper sauce.

Maggi is the world’s top food brand: Kantar

07-May-2013 - The number one global food brand is Nestlé’s Maggi range of instant soups, stocks, sauces, taste enhancers and noodles, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Unilever’s Knorr brand came second while PepsiCo’s Lay’s brand was third.

News in brief

Premier Foods new non-exec director to boost Power Brands

07-May-2013 - Britain’s biggest food manufacturer Premier Foods has appointed Pam Powell as a non-executive director to boost the growth of its Power Brands range.

Siemens’ food manufacturing to remain core focus

07-May-2013 - The food and beverage manufacturing sector will continue to be a core focus for German engineering giant Siemens, as news emerged that it planned to exit its water treatment solutions business.

News in brief

US group Hain Celestial snaps up Ella’s Kitchen

03-May-2013 - Organic baby food company Ella’s Kitchen has been acquired by US firm Hain Celestial for an undisclosed sum.

Sneaky way to combat childhood obesity

02-May-2013 - Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) claim to have found a way of fighting obesity by “sneaking” nutrients into children's snacks.

Feature

Quality treats

30-Apr-2013 - Building a business on quality has won awards for Border Biscuits, reports Gary Scattergood

Tyrells Crisps wins Queen’s Award for Enterprise

26-Apr-2013 - Tyrrells Potato Crisps has been recognised with a prestigious award for outstanding success in exports – not least for its entry into Russia, where it has been able to command a staggering £5 a pack in Moscow’s premium food outlets.

Premier Foods has too many suppliers: ceo Gavin Darby

24-Apr-2013 - The boss of Britain’s biggest food manufacturer Premier Foods Gavin Darby says the firm has too many suppliers.

Heinz licensing deal launches pastry line and creates 20 jobs

16-Apr-2013 - Heinz has entered a licensing deal with a Welsh chilled food manufacturer to launch a new range of savoury pastry products, which will create 20 jobs.

News in brief

New Essex £25M jam factory plans get go ahead

15-Apr-2013 - Colchester Borough Council’s planning committee has unanimously approved Wilkin & Sons’ application to build a new £25M jam factory in Tiptree, Essex.

Dragons’ Den sisters open gluten-free food factory

15-Apr-2013 - Dragons’ Den winners Lisa and Helen Tse opened their first food factory last week to meet increasing demand for their gluten-free Chinese sauces.

Ready meal sales fall after horsegate scandal

08-Apr-2013 - Demand for ready meals in Britain is suffering the fallout from the horsemeat scandal, which has put consumers off buying processed meat products.

New £25M jam factory is step closer to creating 200 jobs

08-Apr-2013 - A jam manufacturer is planning to build a new £25M factory and create 200 jobs to meet increased demand for its miniature jars.

Herb from down Mexico way has more kick

02-Apr-2013 - In response to customer demand for authentic Mexican oregano, EHL Ingredients has launched a premium herb that features the dried leaves of the perennial herb Lippia graveolens in the UK.

Fungus to wipe £7M from Tate & Lyle’s profit

02-Apr-2013 - Tate & Lyle has posted “reassuringly dull” third-quarter figures, despite having to implement measures to tackle aflatoxin, a fungus in maize caused by the unusually hot and dry conditions in the US last summer.

Premier Foods ‘probably a zombie company’: City

28-Mar-2013 - Debt-laden food manufacturer Premier Foods is probably “a zombie company”, according to City analyst Panmure Gordon.

Walkers crisps supplier to move 150 jobs to Hungary

27-Mar-2013 - A Merseyside factory that manufactures flavours for Walkers crisps is moving 150 British jobs to Hungary.

Beanz means mergers and acquisitions

11-Mar-2013 - The food industry’s biggest ever takeover was announced over the past month with the sale of Heinz to a consortium led by the sage of Omaha, Warren Buffett, and Brazilian private equity specialist Jorge Lemann’s 3G Capital group for an eye-watering $28bn (£18bn)

Olive oil prices to rocket as Spanish drought cuts harvest by 62%

11-Mar-2013 - Spanish olive production is in “crisis” after suffering a drought that has cut yields by 62% and is set to push up the global price of olive oil.