All news articles for January 2014

The PDX Reactor steam cooker can mix, heat and pump simultaneously

Novel cooking cuts production time

By Rick Pendrous

Siemens Industry and Olympus Automation have joined forces in a partnership to deliver a novel cooking process that is claimed to dramatically reduce production time and enhance the quality of soups, sauces and ready meals.

Sports drinks market topped by vanilla flavour

Vanilla flavour for high-protein products

Synergy’s recently launched powdered vanilla flavours for high-protein products were designed to deliver high-impact flavour in the challenging sports nutrition segment, where vanilla tops the popularity stakes.

Bakery firm makes commitment to grain growers

CSM secures ancient seeds

CSM Bakery Supplies has made a commitment to its grain growers ahead of harvest to ensure a secure supply of ancient cereals.

Soya crisps offer food firms flexibility

Soya protein crisps you can customise

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) says its new line of soya protein crisps are a cost-effective way to enhance nutrient content, texture and flavour in a range of applications, including nutrition bars, cereals and healthy snacks.

Cereal manufacturers offered new way to cut acrylamide

New product categories for asparaginase

In recent years, acrylamide has triggered health concerns among food manufacturers and health authorities. To address these, Novozymes introduced the asparaginase Acrylaway in 2007: a product that is used industrially in more than 30 countries in products...

Free-from popularity continues

No sign of gluten-free growth stalling

By Nicholas Robinson

Many more gluten-free foods are set to hit retail shelves this year, with one company alone planning to launch 15 new products.

The European Commission's guidance has been welcomed by food manufacturers

EC guidance published on food colourants

By Nicholas Robinson

Food manufacturers have welcomed new European Commission (EC) guidance on the classification of food extracts with colouring traits and additives that colour food.

Consumers eat more food if it is labelled as lower in fat and energy

Low-fat labels drive overeating

By Nicholas Robinson

Nutrition labels indicating low levels of fat and energy could paradoxically lead consumers to eat more, a new study has revealed.

Clare Cheney, director general, Provision Trade Federation

The power of three in Elliott’s interim report

By Clare Cheney

Among the recommendations in the Elliott interim report on the horsemeat fiasco three stood out, not because they were necessarily the most important, but because they addressed issues that have long been matters of great concern to the industry. But...

Sources and analysts say Premier wants £100M for its Hovis business

Three buyers in the running for Premier’s Hovis bakery

By Rick Pendrous

Premier Foods’ plans to sell its troubled Hovis plant bakery business should become clearer over the coming months, as news emerged towards the end of last year that a shortlist of three candidates were interested in buying or investing in the business.

Coveney has faith in the future of Greencore's food-to-go products

Greencore sees growth in ‘food-to-go’

By Rick Pendrous

Greencore is expected to improve its financial performance over the coming year as its new focus on ‘food-to-go’ products both in the UK and US gathers momentum. Most City analysts have predicted a positive outlook for the Irish own-label convenience...

Don't miss details of Food Manufacture's 2014 editorial calendar

Food Manufacture: 2014 editorial calendar

By Rick Pendrous

This year is predicted by most leading UK food industry commentators to be one of the most significant ever in terms of political and regulatory scrutiny of the sector. It is also set to be one of economic and environmental uncertainty.

Reserve your free place at our one-hour webinar at 11am on Thursday February 20 by emailing michael.stones@wrbm.com

New FIR rules ‘to change the goalposts’: DWF law firm

By Michael Stones

Food and drink manufacturers should check their preparations now for the new food labelling rules – due to be introduced on December 14 2014 – which will “change the goalposts”, according to law firm DWF.

Suntory's purchase of Lucozade and Ribena was the biggest food industry deal in 2013

Top 10 food industry deals in 2013

By Rod Addy

Interest in food and drink mergers and acquisitions (M&A) should rise in 2014, according to a report shortly to be published by London-based Oghma Partners.

Burgers such as those served at the Shake Shack in New York could be a big 2014 UK trend

Barbecue season in UK faces US burger revolution

By Rod Addy

New York-style burger trends look set to influence new product development for the UK 2014 barbecue season, according to Carlos Diaz, food director at Food Innovation Solutions.

Warburtons is seeing strong growth in sandwich alternatives

Bakery plant to create 60 jobs for Warburtons

By Rod Addy

Warburtons is planning to create 60 jobs by building a £20M bakery dedicated to its Sandwich Alternatives lines next to existing facilities at Billington Road, Burnley, Lancashire.

Political parties will strive to outdo each other to appear the ‘consumers’ champion’ in advance of the 2015 general election, predicted leading industry figures

Politicians to focus on food industry in 2014

By Rick Pendrous

Consumers will continue to feel squeezed during 2014, despite signs the UK economy is at last starting to improve, and this will lead political parties to try to outdo each other in their attempts to appear the ‘consumers’ champion’ in advance of the...

Key food manufacturers have not backed a system incorporating traffic light labelling

Food firms parry criticism as healthy promotions launch

By Rod Addy

Nestlé, Kellogg and Asda are among those criticised by consumer group Children’s Food Campaign (CFC) for not doing enough to promote healthy eating as a government-backed scheme designed to do that launches.

Further legislation to curb sales of food and drink to children was predicted by Tam Fry

Tougher regulation of food industry could be on way

By Rick Pendrous

Britain’s food industry is likely to face increasing political scrutiny and further calls for greater regulation over the coming year, according to leading food industry figures canvassed by this website.

Weighty problem: more than half of Britons tried to lose weight last year

29M Brits tried to lose weight last year

By Michael Stones

More than half of Britain – 29M people or 55% of the population – tried to lose weight in the 12 months to September 2013, while diet food sales showed only modest growth, reveals research from Mintel.

About 10M burgers were withdrawn from sale –  including Tesco Everyday Value burgers – after the discovery of horsemeat

Irish food safety boss thought horsemeat in burgers impossible

By Michael Stones

Alan Reilly, chief executive of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), first thought the contamination of supermarket burgers with horsemeat was impossible but quickly realised the discovery would generate a “tsunami of horse manure”.

Sweet Mandarin sisters Helen (left) and Lisa Tse said receiving their MBEs was 'a massive surprise'

Dragon’s Den sisters win New Year’s honours

By Michael Stones

Chinese sauce manufacturers Helen and Lisa Tse – who started their food business with a £50,000 investment from the Dragons’ Den TV programme – have each been awarded a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in the New Year’s honours list.

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