All news articles for July 2016

Could your business glide to greatness at our Venice-themed awards celebration? Why not place your free entry today?

Your chance to win a food manufacturing Oscar

By Rick Pendrous

The deadline is fast approaching to enter the 2016 Food Manufacture Excellence Awards the industry’s Oscars, which recognise outstanding achievement and the very best people and companies in the business.

Brexit is set to change food buying habits, predicts Nielsen research

Brexit impact

Brexit to change food buying habits: Nielsen

By Michelle Perrett

Consumers fear food prices will rise after Brexit and plan to change their buying habits accordingly, reveals new research from Nielsen. 

The growth of online grocery shopping will boost branded products at the expense of own-label: Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones

Branded goods to benefit from online growth

By Noli Dinkovski

The growth of online grocery shopping through the likes of Amazon Fresh and Ocado will significantly boost branded products at the detriment of own-label, the founder of the Black Farmer brand has claimed.

M&S's food sales dropped 0.9% this quarter

Marks & Spencer’s food sales drop 0.9%

By Matt Atherton

Food sales at Marks & Spencer (M&S) fell by 0.9%, on a like-for-like basis, in its first quarter, amid reports consumer confidence had fallen to its lowest level in 21 years following the UK’s Brexit vote.

The new herbs and spice guide will help fight fraud

Herbs and spices guide to help fight fraud

By Noli Dinkovski

A guide designed to protect manufacturers from buying adulterated or substituted herbs and spices could herald a new era of collaboration between food industry organisations, its authors have claimed.

ABF has benefited from the weakened pound after Britain’s shock Brexit vote

Associated British Foods benefits from Brexit

By Matt Atherton

Associated British Foods (ABF) has reported a 3% rise in revenue during its third-quarter compared with the same period last year, as the business benefited from the weakening pound after the UK vote to quit the EU.

A fatality at a food distribution centre has cost two construction firms more than £286k

Fatality at food firm costs construction firms £286k

By Gwen Ridler

Two construction firms – Premier Roofing Systems Ltd and A-Lift Crane Hire Ltd – have been ordered to pay more than £286,000 last month (June 29), after a fatality at a food distribution centre.

Amazon creates 1,000 new jobs

Amazon UK to create 1,000 UK jobs

By Matt Atherton

Amazon UK is to create 1,000 new jobs across multiple departments, bringing the total number of recruits to 3,500 this year.

Scotch whisky distillery to create 20 jobs

New whisky distillery to create 20 jobs

By Gwen Ridler

A total of 20 new jobs will be created at a new £10M whisky distillery being built in Scotland, following approval from the Scottish Borders Council.

A US health study has reinforced dietary public health guidelines

US dietary fats study highlights public health advice

By Gwen Ridler

New US scientific research, just published, based on a 30 year study into dietary fats and their effects on health, has reinforced current dietary public health guidelines that had been questioned by some health lobby groups.

Bernard Matthews has sold its German subsidiary

Bernard Matthews sells German subsidiary to lessen debt

By Matt Atherton

Bernard Matthews has sold its German subsidiary – Bernard Matthews Oldenburg (BMO) – to the Sprehe Gruppe, a German meat company, for £11.9M (€14M), after it was itself offered for sale last week.

Hostess Brands has been sold to The Gores Group (Image taken from Flickr/Sharon)

Hostess Brand sold again to go public

By Matt Atherton

Hostess Brands – the maker of snack cake Twinkies – has been sold to the private equity firm The Gores Group, with a view to making the company public later this year.

The FDF has launched a six-point Brexit manifesto

Brexit impact

FDF launches six-step manifesto to ease Brexit

By Michael Stones

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has launched a six-step manifesto to help Britain’s biggest manufacturing sector cope with Brexit – the “UK’s most significant peacetime challenge ever”, according to its director general Ian Wright.

Coca-Cola European Partner's Leendert den Hollander has been appointed IGD vice-president

Grocery think-tank IGD appoints vice-president

By Gwen Ridler

Coca-Cola European Partners Great Britain’s vice-president Leendert den Hollander has been appointed vice-president of grocery think-tank IGD with immediate effect.

Hilton's Portugal partnership will help strengthen its position in the European market post Brexit

Hilton Food Group expands into Portugal

By Gwen Ridler

UK meat manufacturer Hilton Food Group has agreed a partnership with a Portuguese meat packaging firm to strengthen its position in the European market.

Third-party hygiene audits are to become more widespread

Risk-based focus for hygiene audits will grow

By Rick Pendrous

Third-party hygiene audits will feature much more prominently under the changes planned for the way food businesses are regulated by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), following a review.

Rick Pendrous, editor of Food Manufacture

Brexit impact

Food sector licks its wounds after Brexit

By Rick Pendrous

Despite all signs to the contrary, I don’t think many of us on the Remain side really expected a Brexit vote in our heart of hearts. Which made the result to leave the EU even more of a shock when we woke up on Friday June 24.

Continuous inkjet printers get enhanced features

Continuous inkjet printers get enhanced features

By Rick Pendrous

Linx Printing Technologies has extended its recently-launched Linx 8900 CIJ (continuous inkjet) printer range with the introduction of two models, which further enhance their capabilities in the food and drink sectors.

Labeller can wrap around corners

Labeller can wrap around corners

By Rick Pendrous

Industrial printer supplier Videojet has launched a Corner Wrap applicator for its 9550 ‘print and apply’ labeller.

Cherries packed on 'most sophisticated' line

Cherries packed on 'most sophisticated' line

By Rick Pendrous

Ackio, a specialist fruit packer of blueberries, cherries, cranberries and cherry tomatoes, now operates what it claims is the most sophisticated cherry packing line in Europe.

The food and drink sector will need to recruit 130,000 new employees by 2024

Attracting food industry talent ‘never more urgent’

By Michael Stones

Food and drink manufacturers have never faced “a more urgent challenge” to attract talent, according to the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), as it launched a new report designed to help plug the industry skills gap.

Horticultural firm, William Sinclair Horticulture Ltd, was fined for safety failings

Safety failings cost horticultural firm £30k

By Gwen Ridler

A horticultural firm was ordered to pay more than £30,000 by Bolton Magistrates court last week (June 27) for safety failings at two of its sites, after investigations by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

‘Putting more British food on more British plates,’ was Kendall’s recommendation

‘Put more British food on British plates’: AHDB boss

By Michael Stones

The UK needs a new farm policy, designed to boost consumption of domestically-produced food, to prepare the sector for life outside the EU, according to the chair of the Agriculture and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) Sir Peter Kendall.

The FSA may expand its guidance to food manufacturers to cover food storage and freezing advice for consumers

FSA to consider freezer advice on food labels

By Michelle Perrett

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) plans to consider whether to expand its guidance to food manufacturers to cover food storage and freezing advice for consumers. 

A row has erupted about the safety of eating rare burgers

Scientists dismiss changes to rare burger advice

By Rick Pendrous

Food scientists are on a collision course with Britain’s top chefs and restaurants over the safety of serving burgers rare, following the decision last week by a Food Standards Agency (FSA) expert committee to retain its thorough cooking recommendation.

General Mills is the first tenant at Culina’s Port Salford distribution hub

General Mills UK moves into Port Salford distribution hub

By Rick Pendrous

General Mills UK – owner of well-known brands, including Old El Paso, Green Giant, Betty Crocker and Nature Valley – last month became the first tenant of a modern distribution hub at Port Salford that is expected to save 600,000 road haulage miles a...

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