All news articles for January 2015

Growth rates in childhood obesity slowing - study

Sector not absolved by childhood obesity slowdown

By Nicholas Robinson

A slowdown in childhood obesity growth rates does not absolve the food and drink industry from blame, despite its efforts to reduce the fat, sugar and salt (FSS) content of its products, experts have said.

Tacon was appointed as GCA in January, 2013

Expert: Tacon needs more than power to fine

By Rod Addy

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) needs more than the power to fine supermarkets breaking the Groceries Supply Code of Practice to be effective, according to one leading industry expert.

Food and drink business deals have been largely fuelled by intense competition in the retail sector

Food and drink M&A driven by retail market

By Laurence Gibbons

Food and drink manufacturing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have been mainly driven by intense competition in the UK retail sector, according to analysis from Grant Thornton.

Cranswick continued to buck the grocery trend, said City analysts

Cranswick results ‘buck grocery trend’

By Michael Stones

Cranswick’s third-quarter results, boosted by strong Christmas sales, continued to buck the flat or downward trend in the UK grocery market, said City analysts.

Food and drink exports could suffer if the Greek election fatally weakens the euro

Food exports could suffer after Greek election result

By Michael Stones

Food and drink manufacturers’ exports could be threatened by the recent Greek election result, if the successful Syriza party destabilises the euro, warns a specialist foreign exchange provider.

Falling oil prices will cut food manufacturers' production and distribution costs: Rabobank

Oil price falls to cut food production costs

By Michael Stones

Food manufacturers will benefit from lower production and distribution costs as the tumbling price of oil drives down global food prices, according to a new report from multi-national banking group Rabobank.

The FSA is to offer 'differential advice' to local authorities about the sale of rare burgers

Rare burger consumption forces FSA to revise advice

By Rick Pendrous

The growing trend for serving rare burgers in restaurants across the country has raised serious concerns by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) about the increased risk of food poisoning through minced beef patties that haven’t been cooked sufficiently to...

Food industry cuts more jobs than it creates

Food job cuts outweigh creations

By Laurence Gibbons

More jobs have been cut or put at risk by food and drink manufacturers in the UK over the past six months, this site can exclusively reveal.

The effects of bacteria on the gut will be discussed at the conference

Probiotic industry value set to reach £29bn

By Nicholas Robinson

Sales of probiotic food, drink and supplements are set to reach £29bn by 2018, as consumers seek food-based answers to health issues, according to one expert commentator.

BPA poses no risk to human health at current exposure levels, advised the EFSA

Food manufacturers welcome BPA advice

By Michael Stones

UK food and drink manufacturers have welcomed a recommendation from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) that exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) poses no risk to human health.

Safety of insects considered by new report

First EU edible insect food safety guide published

By Nicholas Robinson

Food safety guidelines for insects destined for human consumption have been created for the first time in response to their likelihood of becoming widely consumed in Europe.

KQF claims the halal macon rashers are a healthier kind of convenience food

Halal chicken and beef rashers launched

By Rod Addy

Halal food manufacturer KQF has launched halal macon rashers, bacon-style strips of smoked beef or chicken, which are the first such products to be certified by the Halal Monitoring Committee (HMC).

Top food industry concerns from business leaders

Business Leaders' Forum

Business Leaders’ Forum – in quotes

By Laurence Gibbons

Obesity, skills and the changing retailer landscape were some of the key issues debated at last week’s Business Leaders’ Forum at the Walkie Talkie building in central London.

Sponsors of the Business Leaders' Forum valued access to senior food and drink manufacturing executives

Business leaders’ forum

Business forum gave access to top food execs

By Michael Stones

Unrivalled access to top food and drink manufacturing executives was the top reason singled out by the sponsors of the Food Manufacture Group’s Business Leaders’ Forum for backing the event.

Yacon is a natural source of fructooligosaccharides

Business Leaders’ Forum

Alara Wholefoods aims to create 17 new jobs

By Rod Addy

Alara Wholefoods aims to create 17 jobs over the course of this year off the back of strong demand for its organic and gluten-free muesli and other food lines.

Scotch beef could soon be on the way to the US

US food safety experts to audit Scottish beef

By Laurence Gibbons

US food safety inspectors will audit Scottish beef production following the lifting of a BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) related ban, according to Scottish food secretary Richard Lochhead.

Findus makes a range of frozen food lines

Findus’ performance may hook acquisitive investors

By Rod Addy

Findus Group’s UK arm has become a more attractive acquisition target after the global business confirmed it had experienced its second consecutive year of positive growth, although it has denied sell-off rumours.

Watkins said food and drink firms shoud prepare for the impact the General Election could have on their businesses

Business Leaders' Forum

Prepare for election threats and opportunities

By Laurence Gibbons

Food and drink manufacturers should prepare for the threats and opportunities arising from the General Election in May, according to law firm DWF.

Brennan: 'Germany could be one of the top three or four markets in the world for us'

Quorn gears up for massive NPD push

By Rod Addy

Quorn has revealed plans for substantial new product development (NPD) activity this year, including gluten-free and vegan lines, which it expects to fuel UK and international growth.

Premier Foods's sales continued to slide in the fourth quarter of last year

Premier Foods’s sales continue to slide

By Michael Stones

Premier Foods has reported another fall in sales for the fourth quarter of last year, while reaffirming its pledge to drive down costs .

The report argues that waste food redistribution needs better coordination

Government must appoint food security coordinator

By Rod Addy

The government must appoint a food security coordinator to spearhead efforts to redistribute waste food to needy UK consumers, according to an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee report.

Courtauld signatories boosted the amount of waste food redistributed to needy consumers

Food waste progress, but more needed

By Rod Addy

The food industry is struggling with food waste reduction, despite achieving some significant milestones, according to the charity Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP).

Eaton: 'Much greater competition in manufacturing'

Business Leaders’ Forum

Business leaders tackle fat tax at industry forum

By Rod Addy

Debate about taxing ‘unhealthy’ foods provoked division at Food Manufacture’s Business Leaders’ Forum and was a top hot topic singled out by Geoff Eaton, chairman of New England Seafood International.

The brewery ignored safety advice, said the HSE

Safety failings cost brewery £29k

By Michael Stones

Safety failings that led a worker to trap his foot in a rotating stirrer have resulted in a £29,000 bill for a Herefordshire brewery, after a successful prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Grocery code adjudicator Christine Tacon

PM: empower groceries code adjudicator

By Rod Addy

Groceries code adjudicator (GCA) Christine Tacon should be able to enforce her decisions with fines and have her remit extended, according to Prime Minister David Cameron.

Bingham and Jones are looking for solutions to future food problems now (Photo©Sacha Ferrier)

Business Leaders’ Forum

Bingham and Jones to launch insect ready meals

By Nicholas Robinson

Ready meal industry gurus Jonny Bingham and David Jones are developing their own brand of meals with a difference, following dozens of successful launches for other major firms.

Vets protest non-stun halal abattoir

Vets protest non-stun halal abattoir

By Eleanor Mackay

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has called on the Welsh government to end talks with a halal meat provider over an approved non-stun slaughterhouse.

The BDA supports a taz on sugar

Drinks industry slams sugar policy

By Nicholas Robinson

The British Soft Drinks Association’s (BSDA’s) director general Gavin Partington has slammed the British Dietetic Association’s (BDA’s) new policy on sugary drinks for children.

The UK is not among the top 12 sugar-consuming countries

100 years for UK to reach global sugar target

By Rod Addy

It may take 100 years to cut UK consumers’ sugar intake to levels recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO), according to market analyst Datamonitor.

Power Chews have lower sucrose levels when palatinose is used

Lower blood sugar levels

By Nicholas Robinson

Beneo's new range of blood sugar-lowering ingredients can be used in food and drink and help contribute to a healthy lifestyle, it says.

Heinz's popularity in India could pave the way for other global brands to enter the market

Reformulate to enter emerging markets

By Nicholas Robinson

Heinz’s growing popularity in India should give other global food brands the inspiration to alter or develop products for emerging markets.

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