‘Business builder’ Boparan aims for sharper focus

18-Jul-2011 - Ranjit Boparan says that running Northern Foods and 2 Sisters Food Group across five rather than four business divisions this year will give the group a “sharper business focus”.

'Strong' retailer concerns beset Kerry Foods acquisition

13-Jul-2011 - Kerry Foods' acquisition of Headland Foods has been referred to the Competition Commission (CC) by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for further investigation after retail customers expressed concerns.

Greencore 'highly confident' of sealing Uniq deal

12-Jul-2011 - Greencore ceo Patrick Coveney has told FoodManufacture.co.uk that he is “highly confident” that his company’s £113M cash offer for Uniq will be successful.

Greencore announces £113m cash offer for Uniq

12-Jul-2011 - Greencore has announced the terms of a recommended cash offer for Uniq worth £113m, which values the chilled and convenience food firm at 96p per share.

Brakes demands suppliers pay for ‘amazing’ system

08-Jul-2011 - Food service giant Brakes Group is demanding that suppliers pay to use its online purchasing and supply management system, or lose contact with company buyers.

Transporters switch to Mercedes

06-Jul-2011 - Chilled and frozen food transporter, BW Refrigerated Couriers has started to switch its panel van fleet to Mercedes Sprinter vans, each with 100% Somers ATP-certified refrigerated panel van conversions.

Feature

Breaking the ice

01-Jul-2011 - With frozen food enjoying a renaissance, it looks like Britain is entering a new ice age, reports John Dunn

News in brief

Sales up for frozen

01-Jul-2011 - Frozen food sales growth is rising after a turnaround earlier this year, according to Kantar Worldpanel.

Gorse flower ice cream to tempt royal garden parties

01-Jul-2011 - The market potential of a gorse flower ice cream flavour is being evaluated by Northern Ireland's Glastry Farm Ice Cream.

Self-regulation to blame for food firms targeting children, report

30-Jun-2011 - Tough new regulations are needed to tackle the promotion of junk food to children by large food firms, according to the author of a prominent new report on responsible standards for food marketing.

Major ice cream players could threaten innovation, Key Note

29-Jun-2011 - The dominance of R&R Ice Cream and Unilever in the ice cream market looks set to continue and could threaten innovation, especially amongst new enterprises, according to a new report from research firm Key Note.

FIR compromise cuts pressure on UK food firms

16-Jun-2011 - A food law expert says he is surprised by a new compromise on the EU Food Information Regulation that removes the need for food firms to provide front-of-pack nutrient data, but warns that enhanced Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) could still raise costs.

Stobart warns of BOGOF supply chain strain

15-Jun-2011 - Transport giant Eddie Stobart has warned that the supermarket demand for two-for-one offers is placing a strain on logistics firms, and increasing the number of miles the company’s fleet runs empty.

‘Extraordinary’ letter sees Aramark demand suppliers cut prices

10-Jun-2011 - Aramark UK says that suppliers should view a letter it sent on June 1, demanding price reductions of 12% or more, as an “opportunity not a threat”, but a leading foodservice consultant has described the move as an ''extraordinary step".

Smaller food brands face increased own-label threat

09-Jun-2011 - Manufacturers of lower-profile food brands could fall victim to the retailer-driven trend towards more own-label products over the next 15 years, according to a new report from financial services provider Rabobank.

Greencore faces capital quest to fund Uniq deal

07-Jun-2011 - Greencore will have to raise more capital via equity finance to complete any rumoured £100m takeover of Uniq, one analyst has warned.

Microwave snack that keeps the bread crispy

01-Jun-2011 - 
A Sussex butcher is on a mission to get his “revolutionary” new microwavable Welsh Rarebit stocked on supermarket shelves.

Frozen gluten-free for one

01-Jun-2011 - DS-gluten free has launched three new frozen ready meals: Cannelloni, Tortellini and Lasagna.

Offer us your ‘best price’, Boparan tells suppliers, as around half face chop

01-Jun-2011 - Northern Foods/2 Sisters Food Group began meeting suppliers yesterday, with the professed aim of shedding around half ‘‘over time’’ in a bid to boost supply chain efficiency and increase turnover to £3bn by 2015.

Findus averts Crispy Pancake shortage, Longbenton administrator fights for sale

31-May-2011 - The Findus Group says it is working hard to ensure a ''consistent and reliable'' supply of Crispy Pancakes following the decline of major contract supplier Longbenton Foods, as the latter's administrator fights to achieve a sale.

Heinz Aunt Bessie's factory back in action

26-May-2011 - Heinz has restarted one of the three production lines at its Aunt Bessies frozen potato factory in Westwick, Norfolk after a major fire three weeks ago, while the brand itself has appointed a new md.

Greencore cfo insists business is not for sale

24-May-2011 - Greencore cfo Alan Williams has told FoodManufacture.co.uk that he can "categorically confirm the business is not for sale", following a news report that said the €850m turnover convenience foods group had held talks with private equity firms over a potential sale.

Northern Foods proposes Leeds head office closure

19-May-2011 - Northern Foods is proposing to close it Leeds office and move the majority of staff to its ‘shared service centre’ in Wakefield, FoodManufacture.co.uk has learnt, as owner Ranjit Boparan starts restructuring his new acquisition.

Severe Heinz fire halts Aunt Bessie’s production

10-May-2011 - Heinz’s frozen and chilled foods facility near Norwich remains closed, after a devastating fire last Friday ravaged the portion of the site that produces Aunt Bessie’s potato products.