All news articles for August 2014

Food and drinks firms should follow people online to keep track of trends

Don’t miss ‘significant’ social media opportunities

By Laurence Gibbons

Food and drink firms should pay close attention to social media discussions to ensure they make the most of “significant opportunities” and emerging trends identified online, according to a new report by social media monitoring firm Brandwatch.

Saving energy is a moral responsibility, said Jes Rutter. Sign up for our free webinar on Thursday September 18

Food firms told saving energy is a moral responsibility

By Michael Stones

Saving energy is a moral responsibility, which new EU legislation will force some food manufacturers to take more seriously, according to the md of the company sponsoring Food Manufacture’s free, one-hour webinar dedicated to the subject.

Heading to street food markets could provide the food industry with immediate and authentic feedback

Street food tells manufacturers what’s on trend

By Michael Stones

Visiting street food markets will provide food manufacturers and retailers with instant and authentic feedback about new products and the latest food trends, claim stall holders at London’s newest street food market.

Leatherhead Food Research hopes its new leadership team will increase its support for the food industry

Leatherhead creates new leadership team

By Laurence Gibbons

Leatherhead Food Research has created a new leadership team in a bid to increase its support for the food industry and add investment in resources and customer communications.

A rash move? FSA advice on natural smoked bacon is at odds with EC interpretation

Smoked bacon faces a ban on using 'natural'

By Rick Pendrous

A row has broken out between the UK’s bacon producers and the European Commission (EC) over proposals contained in the latest draft of EU guidance on labelling of flavourings, which would ban the use of the term ‘natural’ on products traditionally smoked...

Chinese consumers are tucking into Ambrosia rice

Premier Foods targets China, US and Australia

By Michael Stones

Premier Foods’s formation of a new business unit and the launch of Ambrosia rice in China are spearheading the firm’s plans to step up global sales in three key markets.

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Energy scheme to save manufacturers thousands

By Michael Stones

Food and drink manufacturers could save thousands of pounds a year in reduced energy costs, thanks to the EU’s new Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme (ESOS), according to the man responsible for leading compliance with the new rules.

Lost fish exports could devastate the Scottish fishing industry

Russian food ban risks thousands of jobs

By Michael Stones

Thousands of British food manufacturing jobs and millions of pounds worth of exports are threatened by Russia’s ban on food imports.

The recovery of the Scottish economy has been set back by uncertainty over the independence referendum, claimed an industry insider

Scottish referendum uncertainty hits jobs and investment

By Michael Stones

Uncertainty over the Scottish independence referendum had damaged the nation’s economy by stalling “hundreds of thousands of pounds of investment”, a food industry source has told the Food Manufacture Group.

Morrisons' new chairman faces a tough challenge in reviving the retailer's fortunes, said Shore Capital

High hopes rest on Morrisons’ new chair

By Michael Stones

High hopes have been pinned on the ability of Morrisons’ new chairman elect Andrew Higginson to revive the fortunes of Britain’s fourth largest supermarket chain.

Kerry Foods makes a range of consumer brands

Changing face of retail hits Kerry Group

By Rod Addy

Consumer food sales took a hit at Kerry Group from the fragmenting retail market, despite UK brands holding up well, and overall sales growth, the firm said in its interim management report.

Imported blue cheese had the second highest salt content

Public health at risk from cheese – CASH

By Nicholas Robinson

Dairy processors have lambasted Consensus Action on Salt & Health (CASH) for attacking the salt content of cheese, especially branded versions, and putting consumer health at risk.

Weetabix is asking for 30 voluntary redundancies

Breaking

Weetabix announces 30 redundancies

By Nicholas Robinson

Weetabix will make 30 roles at its Northamptonshire sites redundant in response to increasing pressure from supermarket own-label products and the discounters, it has announced.

A backlash against stevia in the US led Coca-Cola to do a U-turn on its Vitawater recipe

Coca-Cola Company won’t ditch stevia in the UK

By Nicholas Robinson

Sugar reduction campaigners have praised the Coca-Cola Company’s (CCC’s) refusal to drop the natural sweetener stevia in its Glaceau Vitaminwater in the UK, as it has done in the US.

Allied Bakeries brands include Kingsmill

Allied Bakeries plant closure plan could hit 170 jobs

By Rod Addy

The closure of Allied Bakeries’ Orpington plant in Kent threatens up to 170 jobs and local MP Jo Johnson has demanded answers from Allied’s parent company Associated British Foods (ABF).

Haydens

Haydens Bakery aims to avoid troubles like Avana

By Nicholas Robinson

Haydens Bakery has restructured its operations by securing more contracts to safeguard jobs and prevent a similar situation to 2 Sisters’ Avana Bakeries site, where 650 jobs were at risk.

Britain should say 'Spasibo' to president Putin for focusing attention on energy security

Free energy webinar

Putin to be thanked for Britain’s energy focus

By Michael Stones

Britain should thank president Vladimir Putin for focusing national attention on the need for a domestic energy policy, says a former cabinet insider.

Previous FSA surveys had indicated that up to two thirds of raw poultry could be contaminated with campylobacter

Packaging may cut campylobacter contamination

By Rod Addy

Non-leak packaging may be key to cutting transmission of the food poisoning bug campylobacter found on fresh shop-bought chickens, according to the latest Food Standards Agency (FSA) figures.

The GLA was established to ensure migrant workers are treated fairly

Channel 4 turns spotlight on food production

By Rod Addy

Channel 4 highlighted a food industry under pressure in its Dispatches documentary, broadcast on August 4, claiming suppliers were forced to cut corners as supermarkets refused to pass on more of their profits.

Incontrovertible evidence linking sat fats to cardiovascular disease

Sat fat concern as obesity focus shifts to sugar

By Rick Pendrous

Policy makers, consumers and food manufacturers risk losing focus on the need to cut levels of fat in the nation’s diet, following the publication of a scientific report, which called for sugar consumption to be halved to cut rising obesity levels, experts...

Buyers driving down costs create a climate in which fraud can thrive

Supermarket buyers’ culture aids fraudsters

By Rick Pendrous

The cost cutting culture that exists in supermarket buying departments will have to change if future incidents like last year's horsemeat contamination scandal are to be avoided, according to a food safety expert.

Poppy seeds could contain hazardous levels of morphine

Poppy seed warning about potential ‘highs’

By Nicholas Robinson

Food businesses have been warned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to be cautious when using poppy seeds in products, after scientists discovered potentially hazardous levels of morphine in some food-grade seeds.

Reduce carbon footprint with battery

Battery chargers give flexibility

New modular high-frequency battery chargers from Enersys are said to deliver increased flexibility, efficiency and reliability with reduced downtime, costs and carbon footprint across a wide range of materials handling, automatic guided vehicle and motive...

Clare Cheney, director general, Provision Trade Federation

FSA Board shows risk aversion on ‘raw’ milk

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) Board’s decision on raw drinking milk controls (July 23 2014) was based on a risk averse approach in not accepting the recommendation of the FSA officials to modernise the rules so that consumers would be able to buy unpasteurised...

Adnams says sales and profits are looking up

Adnams brewery hails ‘bright times’ ahead

By Michael Stones

Suffolk brewery Adnams is saying cheers to “brighter times emerging”, after posting operating profits up by 29% to £862,000 for the six months to June 30.

Married men are more likely to be overweight

Married men fatter than single men

By Nicholas Robinson

Married men are fatter than their single counterparts, results from a newly commissioned study have shown.

Elliott: 'Consumers are losing trust in the safety and quality of what they purchase'

Elliott spearheads one of five food fraud projects

By Rod Addy

A £500,000 food fraud probe is being launched by scientists at Queen’s University Belfast, spearheaded by Professor Chris Elliott, author of the forthcoming review into the handling of the horsemeat scandal.

Muntons estimate the £5.4M anaerobic digestion plant could save 340t in greenhouse gas emissions

Muntons invests £5.4M in anaerobic digestion

By Laurence Gibbons

Malted ingredients firm Muntons has invested £5.4M in an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant to treat liquid waste from the ingredients business at its Stowmarket site.

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Energy row reignites after Ofgem figures

By Michael Stones

The simmering row over energy prices has hotted up after energy firms cried foul over predictions of high profits from regulator Ofgem.

Devro makes a range of sausage casings

Devro confirms job cut plans

By Rod Addy

Devro is cutting 130 jobs at two factories in Scotland, the sausage casing manufacturer confirmed in its interim results.

New Britain Palm Oil supplies UK food manufacturers with sustainable palm oil

Sime Darby could take over New Britain Palm Oil

By Rod Addy

A major stake in New Britain Palm Oil, which supplies UK manufacturers, is being targeted by Malaysian conglomerate Sime Darby, part of the consortium that acquired Battersea Power Station.

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