All news articles for April 2015

EU sugar beet quotas are set to be abolished in 2017

Napier Brown sale prompted by quota abolition

By Rod Addy

The sale of sugar business Napier Brown was prompted by the 2017 abolition of EU sugar beet quotas and buyer Tereos will support its future growth, owner Real Good Food (RGF) has claimed.

The industry needs a dedicated food and drink manufacturing council: FDF

Election 2015

New food manufacturing council leads FDF wishlist

By Michael Stones

A dedicated food and drink manufacturing council – tasked with improving communication and co-operation between the government and industry – tops the wishlist of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) from the next government, ahead of next week’s general...

Sue Davies wants a beefed up Food Standards Agency

Beefed up Food Standards Agency would ‘boost safety’

By Michael Stones

A beefed up Food Standards Agency (FSA) – will full powers restored to oversee food standards, hygiene and safety – is the centre piece of consumer pressure group Which?’s wish list from the next government.

Norbert Dentressangle clocked up revenue of €5.1bn (£3.6bn) in the year to December 31, 2014

Norbert Dentressangle bought by US firm

By Rod Addy

Norbert Dentressangle (ND) has been acquired by US-based giant XPO Logistics for €3.2bn (£2.3bn), one of the biggest supply chain deals of recent years.

Food industry people on the move

Food industry people on the move – in pictures

By Laurence Gibbons

Morrisons, Iglo Group, Leatherhead Food Research and Assured Food Standards were all left searching for new bosses this month as the current incumbents announced their decisions to step away from their roles.

The deal gives Nichols access to customers at Merlin Group's visitor attractions nationwide

Nichols’ drinks deal offers strategic benefits

By Rod Addy

Nichols’ acquisition of a minority stake in slush and milk drinks distributor Noisy Drinks Co offers both firms considerable benefits, according to one leading analyst.

Label dispenser rated for IP69K

Label dispenser rated for IP69K

The latest LD label dispensers from Multivac Marking & Inspection are optionally available for use under strict hygiene requirements, or for use in low-risk areas.

Sensors sort the good from bad

Sensors sort the good from bad

The expanded Mini range of registration sensors from German sensing specialist Sick Reliable is said to provide high-speed contrast, colour and luminescence detection on packaging.

Esko's strategy is to digitise the entire packaging workflow

Digital design takes a large step into the future

By Paul Gander

Packaging design and production software specialist Esko’s acquisition of US-based digital asset management (DAM) system provider MediaBeacon has been billed as a “big step forward” and “quite a differentiator” by the new parent company.

Falling oil prices have undermined the economics of recycled plastics

Plastic bottle recycling under threat

By Paul Gander

The tribulations suffered by at least two major UK plastic bottle recyclers in recent months highlight the larger-scale crisis gripping the UK's bottle-to-bottle food-grade plastics recycling sector, with rock-bottom prices for oil and virgin polymer...

Cageless spiral conveyor for bakery duties

Cageless spiral conveyor for bakery duties

A new cageless spiral system conveyor belt called CamEdge, designed for equipment used in bakery applications, has been introduced by metal conveyor belt manufacturer Cambridge Engineered Solutions. It is designed for cooling and proofing processes, but...

Pizza firm's spiral chiller

Bakkavor installs spiral pizza chiller

Own-label food producer Bakkavor has installed a custom-designed chilling system for pizza production from Starfrost as part of investment in new equipment and facilities.

Food processing equipment firm's new kit

Interfood takes on Alco equipment distributorship

Alco machines used in the preparation and processing of meat, fish, poultry, vegetable, potato and dairy products are now available from Interfood, the German manufacturer’s sole distributor in the UK and Ireland.

Judy Buttriss, director general, BNF

BNF: There's a folate deficiency in young women

By Judy Buttriss

One in five teenage girls and young women aged 16–24 years in the UK are deficient in the B vitamin folate, according to the latest figures from the government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS).

Hines is predicting own-label market growth

A big unknown in cereal

By Nicholas Robinson

Own-label manufacturers are secretive. But John Hiles is ready to rip open the box of the cereal business he heads, Nicholas Robinson reports

Plans to change for handling animal by-products cause industry concern

Animal by-product changes worry industry

By Chris Sturman

Sir,I am writing with reference to your article (‘Industry resists inspection charges’, Food Manufacture, April 2015, p37) on the proposal to impose further costs on the food chain by requiring the industry to accept charges for hygiene inspection.

Mike Coupe: sentenced to two years in an Egyptian jail

Sainsbury boss sentenced to jail in Egypt

By Michael Stones

Sainsbury chief executive Mike Coupe has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment in an Egyptian jail, after his conviction by a court in Giza for attempted embezzlement.

Greggs' 'strong' results were welcomed by analysts

Greggs’s ‘strong’ results praised by analysts

By Michael Stones

High street baker Greggs has posted own-shop like-for-like sales up by 5.9% in the first four months of the year, in “a strong” set of results, according to the analyst N+1 Singer.

Sainsbury is bringing F1 technology to its stores

Sainsbury’s fridges draw on F1 technology

By Rod Addy

Sainsbury is redesigning its in-store fridges drawing on aerodynamic technology built into Formula One (F1) racing cars from Williams Advanced Engineering to make them more energy efficient.

Dalton Philips received £2.1M. But did he earn it?

Ditched Morrisons’ boss gets £1M bonus

By Michael Stones

Former Morrisons’ ceo Dalton Philips – ditched by the retailer in January – has received a £1M bonus, taking his total pay for last year to £2.1M, according to the retailer’s Annual Report.

Small-scale support: small food firm bosses have signed a letter supporting Conservative policy. Or did they?

Election 2015

Small food firm bosses 'back Conservative policy'

By Michael Stones

Small food and drink firm bosses – including a dairy, a butchery and a confectionery manufacturer – have signed a letter of support urging the Conservatives be “given the chance to finish what they started”. But the letter’s authenticity was later challenged...

IPS offers a range of contract packing services to well-known UK food brands

Nestlé forges contract packing deal

By Rod Addy

Nestlé has sealed a deal with Eddie Stobart and IPS, the UK’s largest independent contract packer, to secure a range of packaging services and the creation of display units. 

Last week's warm weather pushed up sales of hand-held ices at Waitrose

Waitrose boasts ready meals growth

By Rod Addy

Ready meals and food-to-go sales soared at Waitrose last week, with Bigham’s and Waitrose own-label Traditional British lines achieving strong sales growth.

Food allergy risks in April

Latest allergy recalls in pictures

By Laurence Gibbons

Nine potentially dangerous products were recalled or withdrawn by food businesses in April over allergy fears stemming from undeclared ingredients, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

Artist's impression of Fleetwood Fish Park

Processing space available at £20M fish park

By Rod Addy

Plans for Fleetwood Fish Park will officially be launched on May 5 and seafood processors will be able to secure space at the 13,000m2 Lancashire site, which will create up to 150 jobs.

Mining and sharing big data could flag up emerging food safety problems

Big data is future for better food safety

By Rick Pendrous

Food giant Nestlé has suggested that the huge amount of data collected by companies such as itself and regulatory authorities like the Food Standards Agency (FSA) should be shared so that it can be ‘mined’ for information about emerging food safety problems.

Deals and partnerships lead the past week's headlines

New Anglo-American partnership leads Good Week/Bad Week

By Laurence Gibbons

A new partnership between the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) and its American counterpart – the Institute of Food Technologists – leads the selection of good and bad news from the past seven days in a special edition of Good Week/ Bad...

Horizon scanning should be carried out by all businesses: expert

Top 6 secrets for successful horizon scanning

By Nicholas Robinson

It is vital more food and drink firms use horizon scanning to put in place robust measures to protect themselves against avoidable food safety threats in the future.

Rachel’s makes a range of organic dairy-based foods

Tesco supply cull hits jobs at Rachel’s

By Rod Addy

Rachel’s is facing job losses as a result of the organic dairy producer losing a contract with Tesco amid the multiple’s drive to cull 30% of its stock keeping units (SKUs).

More and more people have been forced to visit foodbanks for emergency aid

Record 1M people forced to use foodbanks

By Laurence Gibbons

A record 1M people received at least three days’ emergency food aid from Trussell Trust foodbanks in the past 12 months, according to data released by the charity.

The new transatlantic partnership will boost food science and technology

Food science gets transatlantic partnership boost

By Michael Stones

Sharing the latest information on food science and technology is the aim of a new transatlantic partnership forged between the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) and the US Institute of Food Technologists (IFT).

Eblex reveals Best Steak competition results

Eblex reveals Best Steak competition results

By Oli Haenlein

The winners of 'England's Best Sirloin Steak', 'England's Best Innovative Steak' and 'England's Best Steak Pie' have been revealed at Eblex's Quality Standard Mark Excellence Awards at Underglobe in London.

Supermarkets are entitled to use a full range of promotional pricing tactics, says Miller

Supermarkets ‘right to fight’ super complaint

By Rod Addy

Supermarkets should defend themselves against the ‘super-complaint’ issued by consumer group Which? following an investigation into apparently misleading supermarket pricing practices.

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