All news articles for May 2014

UK food and drink processors have the fourth largest turnover in the EU

UK is EU’s fourth largest food manufacturing country

By Laurence Gibbons

UK food and drink processors have the fourth largest turnover in the EU, despite having almost half the amount of companies as the second largest country France, a new study by FoodDrinkEurope has revealed.

'If you cannot change people, you have to change the food instead', said Professor Jack Winkler

Demonisation of sweeteners must stop

By Sue Scott

The first soft drinks made with sweeteners to enjoy a promotional “healthy discount” could persuade more manufacturers to wean consumers off sugar, according to a nutrition expert.

The minimum wage rise will cost jobs, warns Butt Foods' md David Williams

Minimum wage rise will drive jobs overseas

By Nicholas Robinson

The rise in national minimum wage for adults, announced by business secretary Vince Cable, could drive small- to medium-sized food manufacturers (SMEs) out of the UK, a bakery boss has warned.

Luciana Berger: 'Voluntary agreements only take you so far'

Labour mulls legislation to beat obesity

By Rick Pendrous

The Labour Party is considering legislation covering food and drink formulation as a means of reducing Britain’s obesity crisis, estimated to cost the National Health Service £4.2bn a year.

Gates: 'We had launches across a whole range of categories and customers'

Millions pumped into Bakkavor salad plants

By Rod Addy

Bakkavor has invested millions of pounds in four prepared salad facilities, prompted by high demand from customers, according to chief finance officer Peter Gates.

Bakkavor has sold a 40% in its Italian pizza business for an undisclosed sum

Bakkavor sells 40% of Italian business

By Michael Stones

Fresh prepared foods manufacturer Bakkavor has sold 40% of its Italian pizza manufacturing business to Dreamfood for an undisclosed sum.

Novel food approval systems are preventing exciting fruits from entering the EU

Vitafoods Europe 2014

New system for novel food approval on the horizon

By Nicholas Robinson

Novel food approval systems in Europe prevent the food industry from bringing new and exciting foods on to the market quickly, but could be about to change, according to one specialist. 

Increased demand for spelt has led to diminishing stocks

Find a spelt supplier now or miss out

By Laurence Gibbons

Food manufacturers looking to latch on to the growing demand for spelt should act quickly as the resurgence for the ancient grain has led to depleting stocks, one supplier of the grain has warned.

An online Ribena brand has been banned for misleading consumers

Ribena advert banned for misleading health claims

By Laurence Gibbons

An online Ribena advert has been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for making exaggerated and misleading health claims about the benefits of the drink.

If you see Jesus in your toast you are completely normal, research has found

Seeing Jesus in your toast makes you normal

By Laurence Gibbons

Seeing Jesus in your toast does not make you mentally abnormal, as humans are wired to recognise features, a study by the University of Toronto and the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered.

There is still 'room for improvement' in food safety training

‘Room for improvement’ in food safety training

By Laurence Gibbons

Employee understanding of food safety training is not being checked, which is a big reason why there is “room for improvement” in the field, according to a new survey.

Research by small farm businesses could help boost crop yields

Farmer-led R&D crucial for sustainable food supply

By Rod Addy

Global agricultural yields are dropping and more farmer-focused research is urgently needed to strengthen sustainable food supply, according to an article published in Nature magazine.

240 pupils at Boston West Academy will take part in the Freshtime Fun Club

School pupils to explore Freshtime food factory

By Laurence Gibbons

Pupils at a Lincolnshire primary school will learn what goes on inside food factories and how vegetables are grown and processed in a new initiative with chilled food firm Freshtime.

Buyers of ovenable and microwaveable films should ask to see converters’ test certificates, said TCL Packaging

Concerns rise over inks on ovenable films

By Paul Gander

The fledgling market for printed ovenable and microwaveable food-contact films is at risk from companies choosing to use or specify inks which can indirectly form carcinogens in food at high temperatures, converter TCL Packaging has warned.

Knowles is looking forward to leading the business in a new direction

New boss for Scottish brewer

By Laurence Gibbons

Scottish firm Harviestoun Brewery has appointed Toby Knowles as its new md, following Chris Miller’s decision to quit the business.

Confusion about how many calories people should consume is adding to rising obesity levels in Britain, AB Sugar claimed

Confusion surrounds calories intake

By Laurence Gibbons

Confusion about how many calories people should consume is contributing to the obesity epidemic gripping the country, AB Sugar has claimed.

The West Bromwich plant can now make up to 8,500 Kingsmill loaves an hour

West Bromwich Allied Bakeries investment pays off

By Rod Addy

Allied Bakeries’ £25M West Bromwich overhaul has reduced stoppages and delivered more consistent product quality, according to Midlands regional general manager John Jackson.

Weighty problem: about a quarter of the UK's adult population is now obese. Don't miss our free, one-hour webinar on obesity at 11am on Thursday July 3

Taxes needed to curb obesity too high

By Rick Pendrous

Taxes on food and drink containing high levels of saturated fat, sugar and salt (HFSS) would need to be so high to have any significant effect on reducing obesity levels in the UK population that they would not be acceptable to consumers, leading academics...

New products, such as Warburton's Thins range, are making a bigger contribution to the baker's profits

Warburtons focuses on future beyond bread dependence

By Michael Stones

Innovation to keep pace with Britain’s fast-changing bread market is vital to Warburtons’ success, the firm’s chairman told the Openfield’s Farmer Conference at Towcester Racecourse last month.

Food and drink brands secure Facebook likes

Top 10 food and drink brands on UK Facebook likes

Mars International’s colourful confectionery brand Skittles is the most liked food and drink product by UK users of Facebook, according to data from social media analyst Social Bakers.

The debate about food science and nutrition should be moved onto a firmer scientific footing, said the FDF. Meanwhile, reserve your free place at our obesity webinar in July by emailing michael.stones@wrbm.com

Stand up for food science: New FDF president

By Michael Stones

Food science and nutrition deserve a fairer hearing in the national media, while campaign groups should focus on scientific evidence not on personalities, warns the Food and Drink Federation (FDF).

Morrisons has pledged to axe the cost of more than 1,000 everyday items

Morrisons slashes prices as supermarket price war looms

By Michael Stones

Morrisons has fired its latest shot in a likely supermarket price war with the pledge that its prices are going to be “permanently cheaper”, as it promised to cut the cost of 1,200 everyday items.

The FSA has welcomed the prosecution of H R Jasper & Son Ltd

Food Standards Agency welcomes slaughter house prosecution

By Michael Stones

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has welcomed the successful prosecution of the Cornwall-based slaughter house H R Jasper & Son Ltd for breaching regulations introduced to control the risks from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

The food and drink industry needs a body to match the Automotive Council, said FDF president Richard Evans

FDF suggests industry body to match Automotive Council

By Michael Stones

British food and drink manufacturers should be represented by an industry council, similar to the car industry’s Automotive Council, said Richard Evans, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) president.

RGFC has said it is working hard to improve sustainable sources of sugar supply while the dispute continues

Napier Brown confirms ABF sugar dispute hit

By Rod Addy

The Real Good Food Company’s (RGFC’s) annual profits were hit by its dispute with British Sugar, part of Associated British Foods (ABF), over sugar supply, it has confirmed.

Pirbright Institute was prosecuted for safety failings after cattle were deliberately infected with FMDV

Food-and-mouth failings cost Pirbright Institute £77k

By Michael Stones

The Pirbright Institute in Surrey has been ordered to pay more than £77,000 for safety failings in experiments with the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), after a successful prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Wilson was sentenced to four months in jail, ordered to pay £8k fines and banned from poultry processing management

Maggots and old bloodstains – poultry processing case

By Rod Addy

A Northern Irish man was jailed, fined £8,000 and banned from managing poultry processing firms after officials found nine food safety breaches at his business, Upper Erne Lakes Poultry in Newtownbutler.

The Grow Movement charity works with food entrepreneurs in Africa

Could you help African food entrepreneurs?

By Nicholas Robinson

UK food and drink manufacturing professionals are being encouraged to mentor African entrepreneurs as a way of helping them to improve their underperforming businesses.

British brands command global appeal, prompting Chinese firm Bright Food to take over Weetabix two years' ago

UK food must adopt modern technology to thrive

By Michael Stones

The British food industry faces a bright future, provided it can blend overseas technology with the business community’s strong entrepreneurial skills, according to a leading City analyst.

Crisis in the Ukraine underlines the need to step up food security, said Meurig Raymond

Crisis in Ukraine forces up world wheat prices

By Nicholas Robinson

Political instability in the Ukraine has reinforced the UK’s need to increase its own food security and production, National Farmers Union (NFU) president Meurig Raymond has warned.

Microbes grow faster with less salt

Reformulation can pose a food safety risk

By Nicholas Robinson

Healthy reformulation of foods by reducing levels of salt, fat and sugar could increase the risk of food poisoning unless companies know how to do it properly, a leading food microbiologist has warned.

There will be a 9% rise in over 55s by 2017

Ageing population will drive food innovation

By Nicholas Robinson

An ageing population will contribute to a significant drive in health and wellness food and drink innovation, Campden BRI nutritional specialist Sarah Kuczora has predicted.

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