Just a stone's throw from the Cotswolds, the Forest of Dean and the Wye and Severn Valleys, Hartpury village is a great base for hikers who are looking to explore the region. At least, that's what the tourist blurb says.

Moments of choice: driving profitable growth with shelf-centered collaboration uncovers how retailers and manufacturers can partner at the shelf level for the benefit of both - and the consumers they serve.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is to publish new editions of its quality standards for food and packaging manufacturers. The revised and updated Global standard for food safety and Global standard for packaging and packaging materials will be released in early January.

Smithers Rapra, a subsidiary of the US-based independent testing, consulting and contract research organisation, The Smithers Group, has just published a new review report entitled Coatings and inks for food contact materials.

It is widely accepted that the creation or improvement of novel foods largely depends on a strong understanding and awareness of the intricate interrelationship between nanoscopic, microscopic and macroscopic features of foods and their bulk physiochemical properties, sensory attributes and healthfulness.

The speed and accuracy of the Ishida Fresh Food Weigher has enabled German noodle manufacturer Geflügelhof Martin Zapf to double its production of fresh pasta and reduce giveaway.

Premier Foods has commissioned process drying specialist Secomak to install three ready meal dryers at its new factory in Methwold, Suffolk. The factory produces the Quorn and Cauldron range of chilled meat-free and organic ready meals.

Food manufacturers worried about contamination from seals and gaskets can now opt for the new Detectaseal range of metal-detectable elastomers developed by Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE).

Ginsters has transformed the packing of its top-selling Cornish pasties and other savoury products with a high-speed automated robotic packaging machine from Schubert.

High summer temperatures of 34°C to 37°C at Buxton Spa Bakery have been reduced by up to 10°C following the installation of a Breezair Evaporative Cooling System from Seeley International.

BASF Construction Chemicals' Performance Flooring division has supplied 3,000m² of its resin flooring systems to Hygrade Foods in Wiltshire. Part of the Tulip International Group, Hygrade Foods supplies meat products to supermarket chain Waitrose.

Almost two years after adding two ABB robotic cells to its production line, Ilchester Cheese continues to maintain improved labour and material savings.

Ellesmere Port-based food manufacturer Gibsons Foods is working with Storm Recycling to recycle and compost an additional 250t of waste a year. The chilled snack food specialist already recycles over 190t of cardboard each year and has made a pledge to reduce the use of landfill by over 65% and ultimately to eliminate the use of landfill. Storm Recycling provides a dedicated recycling service to clients such as Paramount Foods and Nestlé.

Liquids handling specialist Pump Engineering is offering a range of pumps for transferring liquids in dairy, food, pharmaceutical and other similar applications. The CSF-CS, CSA and CSM pumps are ideal for clean-in-place and are easy-to-maintain. The pumps can handle capacities from 1m³/h to 550m³/h with heads up to 155m.

The installation of a Widethroat Mono pump at Grampian Country Food Group's chicken processing plant in Flintshire has increased productivity at the site. Mono's installation is now pumping the plant's waste chicken offal faster and further.

Energy and environmental factors have triggered a move towards the use of central vacuum systems for food packaging, according to vacuum specialist Busch (UK).

The new Brewseal high temperature seat from Tyco Flow Control will extend the operational life of its Keystone Optiseal range of butterfly valves in many applications, especially in the handling of hot wort in the brewing industry.

The idea of disposable pumps may sound barmy at first. After all, doesn't the throwaway society lie behind some of our biggest ecological problems, placing unsustainable demands on resources and spawning a rash of festering landfills? But there are times when disposability is a virtue, not only because it's convenient, but also because it can benefit the environment.

New from Union Food Machinery & Equipment is the Mauting UKM Junior-02 smoking chamber, suitable for small to medium-sized meat processing firms. It is ideal for smoking cheeses, fish and meat, and it can also be used for cooking, reddening, baking and drying.

Vitiva of Slovenia has launched SyneROX 4, a natural solution to provide triple protection for fresh meat against rancidity and undesirable organoleptic changes. It helps extend shelf-life and maintains freshness, original taste and microbiological stability.

Three meat processors in Ireland have invested in the latest food processing and cooking equipment from Interfood Technology. McCaughey Foods, Brady Family Ham and Rib World have purchased a range of equipment, from Maurer-Atmos cookers to Poly-clip clipping machines and Weber Slicers - all designed to enhance their product offerings and meet their growing customer demands.

Automation and radio frequency identification (RFID) equipment from Omron in the UK has been the key to tracking and transporting beef at Rancher's Beef, one of Canada's largest producers of beef products.

Emotions are running high in the meat and poultry processing sectors following the introduction of tighter legislation and controls on the handling of waste. For the red meat sector in particular - fearing its very survival against a flood of cheap imports - it is seen as yet another raft of regulatory burden and unnecessary cost.

There are damned lies and there are statistics. But there is no denying that a certain chilled desserts factory on the Welsh border has played a starring role in turning its parent company's profit and loss (P&L) account a nasty shade of red in recent years.

What is your main role?

Many products contain added omega-3, but you can't always trust the claims on food labels, says Which?

Bakers can take advantage of the heart health trend with the launch of the new I-Bread Functional range from Cotswold Food Partnership (CFP).

The abysmal weather that Britain was subjected to this summer, has proved extremely beneficial to British blackcurrant growers, who experienced one of the most outstanding seasons in recent years.

Glucagel, manufactured by New Zealand food ingredient company, Gracelinc, is a high purity barley beta-glucan ingredient, which offers both heart and digestive health benefits.

The market for mood foods, which can aid relaxation and increase energy levels, is worth £818M and is expected to have grown by 8.7% by 2011, according to Food Manufacture's new Wellness Foods report, compiled in association with market research analysis firm RTS resource.

The future of heart health products is a moot point among those in the know. Some experts predict that the sector will continue to grow, while others believe that it may be nearing its limit. However, both camps agree that the new nutrition and health claims legislation is likely to affect the market in the future - and probably for the better.

In the retail world, the big four are vying for their share of the Polish pound - or zloty - having spied the irresistible opportunity created by the 1.1M Poles living and working in the UK.

As government authorities take radical steps to ensure the future of cod and haddock, processors are being forced to rethink their sourcing and consider new species.

The drive to make snacks healthier is inspiring new product development (NPD) in some areas, while in others, true innovation has slowed to a halt, as firms work on cleaning up product labels.

Failing to live up to expectations is a disaster for any food, but when you give a product premium positioning, then the risk of disappointing the consumer is massively increased. Nevertheless, a controlled approach can ensure that processors strike the ideal balance between, taste, cost and expectation.

The glittering awards ceremony was held at The Marriott, Grosvenor Square in London last month.

If England is to remain a green and pleasant land, then niche production and marketing of beef and lamb is not the answer, warns Richard Ali, chief executive of the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX). Rather, it's got to be all about "product differentiation" he argues.

Peter dee, bakery general manager, manor bakeries

Is your business a victim of internal self-inflicted supply chain crime?

Unilever is making use of spare space within its warehouses to prototype new developments before they are fully integrated into manufacturing operations.

Food wholesaler Booker is seeking greater supplier involvement as it forges ahead with plans to expand its "delivered wholesale" services, following the reverse acquisition by Blueheath, a specialist in this field, earlier this year.

Manufacturers and packaging suppliers previously baffled by the thinking behind the Starpack Awards can take heart: the categories have been thoroughly rethought in time for the end-of-February deadline for entries.

The highly competitive pre-Christmas gift confectionery market has inspired Thorntons to rework the cartons for its Continental range of chocolates.

Competition in the chilled pizza market is hotting up, with prepacked products battling it out with the fresh made-to-order alternative from the deli counter. And increasingly, manufacturers are able to combine a 'craft' image with shelf-life of up to a month.

Companies processing and packing fresh produce are asking equipment suppliers for better-integrated systems, including pack materials, greater sophistication and customisation.

Bakery texture analysis has taken a step forward with the introduction of an improved version of Stable Micro Systems' Dobraszczyk Roberts (D/R) dough inflation system. The new instrument quantifies the rheological properties of dough and is designed to replicate more accurately the conditions of the baking process.

The achievements of English Farming & Food Partnerships (EFFP), the not-for-profit industry and government funded body set up to promote farmer controlled businesses (FCBs) as a means of encouraging a sustainable food chain in a fast changing world, have been warmly applauded by food and farming minister Lord Rooker.

I wonder if renaming additives as food improvement agents will reduce the pressure for 'clean' labels we continue to see in the UK prepared foods market. There is undoubtedly a lack of understanding about the safety of food additives and it would be a positive step for consumers to obtain reassurance.

As the nation battles with obesity, the popularity of low calorie soft drinks is increasing and the need to maximise manufacturing efficiencies is self-evident.

Lycopene is frequently hailed as a wonder ingredient, associated with preventing cancer and heart disease. But researchers are now beginning to question its effects.

Honey Monster Foods, a subsidiary of Big Bear, plans to revive the hot cereals category with the launch of Honey Meltz - a new porridge with tasty nuggets of honeycomb, which melt as the porridge is warmed.

Eat Natural nuts and fruit bars are now on sale in Selfridges Food Halls, with the launch of new Eat Natural Just for you - a bespoke recipe developed especially for the retailer.

Bakery manufacturer Butt Foods has designed a package to satisfy hungry punters at a time when pubs, clubs and bars are looking to counter the effects of the smoking ban on trade.

This year, branded alcohol supplier Thomas Lowndes has seen healthy growth across all the sectors in which it operates, with sales up 15% year-on-year.

Straight from Kate's Cakes' ovens comes the Berry Christmas Brownie.

As the weather starts to get colder, the latest offerings from speciality food distributor Southover Food Company should help to warm consumers up.

As I got my fix of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares one evening last month, I found myself scribbling down some notes as I planned a menu for a young lady.

Specialist pasta meals supplier, and Food Manufacture Excellence Award winner, Pasta King is launching Pk2go - a new product line to cater for the food-on-the-go market.

Many new products are unsuccessful because manufacturers are failing to keep tabs on them after they have launched, according to a market analyst.

Food Manufacture is to support next year's Food Environmental Efficiency Day (FEED), organised by government-funded sustainability programme Envirowise.

Beef and lamb farmers must cut costs and improve product consistency and quality to win support from commercial customers, English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX) chief executive, Richard Ali, has acknowledged.

The events following the publication of the much-publicised World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) report linking lifestyle and cancer could not have generated better publicity for bacon if you'd paid for it.

The global market for foods and dietary supplements offering 'beauty from within' will expand rapidly in the coming years, according to a new report from Leatherhead Food International (LFI).

Northern Foods has snapped up ready meals and snacks supplier Ethnic Cuisine in a bid to expand its customer base in chilled food.

Genetically modified (GM) plant crops will replace fish oil as a more sustainable source of long-chain omega-3 in the next decade, scientists working on the EU-funded Lipgene project have predicted.

Arla's lactose-free cows milk Lactofree is still a loss maker almost two years after launch, the company has admitted.

Yorkshire Forward, the Regional Development Agency for the Yorkshire and Humber economy, has agreed to continue to support the region's food and drink industry with cash funding for another five years.

Food companies will miss out on opportunities to innovate if they are unwilling to collaborate with other companies, General Mills has warned.

A new service to help companies understand the benefits of radio frequency identification (RFID) tagging and how it can cut costs, improve accuracy and increase efficiency, has been set up by GS1 UK, the supply chain solutions organisation. Called EPCglobal RFID Test Centre, it will let companies play with the latest technology in a real-world setting.

Britain's older shoppers, those aged 65-74, will increase their retail spend by over 75% over the next 10 years, forecasts Verdict Consulting, making them the fastest growing segment by some distance. Retailers need to adapt to the more mature shopper.

Escalating economic worries, higher prices and tightening consumer spending will all combine to make 2008 a much tougher year for the food manufacturing industry, according to business analyst Plimsoll Publishing. It suggests that firms should budget for growth of 2.5% in 2008.

Hill Station, the Cwmbran, Wales, ice-cream maker has reported poor sales since raising £3M in a share issue in August to fund its acquisition of So Real Ice Company. It has now agreed price rises with its customers and implemented manufacturing and overhead cost reductions.

The Food & Drink Expo 2008 exhibition, organised by Food Manufacture publisher William Reed, will showcase a range of new speciality products within its Regional Food feature at the Birmingham NEC on April 6-9 next year.

Improve, the sector skills council for the food manufacturing industry, has gained approval from the Scottish Modern Apprenticeship Group for its revamped apprenticeship framework scheme in Scotland.

The UK's food industry is badly prepared for bird flu compared with other countries, a leading insurance broker has claimed.

Foodservice and industrial usage will drive future value growth in sauces and dressings, according to the latest Food Manufacture Market Report, compiled in association with RTS Resource.

Food manufacturers have been warned that they will need to take a much more multi-cultural approach to the training and promotion of their shopfloor workers if they are to develop future line supervisors.

Only a fraction of the health claims food manufacturers hope to see authorised for use in Europe in 2010 are likely to get the green light from regulators, legal experts at Coca-Cola and Unilever have predicted.

Food processors fearful of having to deal with a product recall can get help at Food Manufacture's one-day conference on 'Product recall: avoid, manage and survive' taking place at the Ardencote Manor Hotel, Warwick on March 6 2008.

Britain's independent retail and foodservice groups are storming ahead with global data synchronisation (GDS), threatening to leave the major supermarkets standing, according to data pool provider GXS.

Industry must work harder to overcome local objections to food waste disposal plants, warned Michael Gifford, business development director at energy and waste management consultancy Insource Energy.

New oxygen-scavenging technology can increase the shelf-life of fresh-cut meat products from a few days to almost a month by virtually eliminating oxygen, claims its developer, active packaging specialist Multisorb Technologies.

A research project to double the shelf-life of chilled foods and save the industry millions of pounds in waste is in danger because of fears over budget cuts at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Procter & Gamble (P&G) has become fed up with some retailers in its attempts to collaborate with them to slash supply chain costs. They were not always receptive, said P&G customer logistics director Graeme Carter. "I find it incredibly frustrating," he told delegates at grocery think tank IGD's Supply Chain Summit.

The Society of Food Hygiene and Technology (SOFHT) has celebrated the best in the business in its annual awards.

The Food Standards Agency plans to increase charges to approved meat premises for 2008/9 by 8%.

London-based technology firm Provexis has signed licensing deals for Fruitflow, its patented tomato extract, with Coca-Cola and Unilever. Fruitflow has been shown to reduce the build-up of the blood platelets responsible for blood clots, the trigger for heart attacks and strokes.

The future of Allied Bakeries hangs in the balance according to press reports, which claimed parent group Associated British Foods (ABF) considered its bread business to be "non-core and non-strategic".

The salt content of ready meals is 45% lower than it was four years ago, according to a new study by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH), the organisation campaigning for lower salt levels.

Unilever is embarking on a major expansion of its ice-cream factory in Gloucester with the installation of two new production lines for Twister lollies and Cornetto ice creams.

Research into why some people like chocolate more than others could pave the way for functional foods that target individuals according to their 'metabolic fingerprints', reports Nestlé.

The biggest ethical foods sector is the organic market, which grew by a whopping 70%, from £11.2bn to £19bn from 2002 to 2006, according to a Leatherhead Food International (LFI) report.

Government-funded schemes for the food sector could face the axe as the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reviews its activities to save £300M.

Tesco has threatened to put under-performing suppliers in "intensive care" with action plans and regular reviews, warning them that it expected much more from them if they were to continue doing business with the supermarket chain.

EU politicians and consumers cannot continue to dismiss the role of genetically modified (GM) crops in feeding the world's rapidly growing population, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) president Iain Ferguson has warned.