Services

Genius Foods plans to cut 115 jobs across its business

Gluten-free baker Genius to cut 115 jobs

By Matt Atherton

Gluten-free bakery company Genius Foods has announced it will cut 115 jobs across its business, including a reported 78 jobs at its Hull factory, as it plans to end production of its non-Genius branded products.

Tayto Group products will appear in 7,000 more vending machines across England

Tayto snacks to appear in 7,000 vending machines

By Matt Atherton

Snack manufacturer Tayto Group’s sister company Montagu Group has acquired vending machine firm Freedom Refreshments, in a multi-million pound deal which would see Tayto’s products feature in 7,000 more vending machines across England.

Public Health England challenged manufacturers to reduce their products' sugar content by 5% by August this year

Manufacturers set target to cut sugar 20% by 2020

By Matt Atherton

Public Health England (PHE) has targeted a 20% reduction in sugar in some everyday foods to reduce childhood obesity and the food and drink industry is “willing to take on the challenge”.

Wincanton has taken over the Britvic logistics contract

Britvic signs transport contract with Wincanton

By Rick Pendrous

Britvic, one of the UK’s leading branded soft drinks businesses, has placed a new contract for national transport operations for an undisclosed value, managing over 100,000 deliveries a year, with third-party logistics (3PL) firm Wincanton.

UK food manufacturers could be boosted after Brexit, said Rabobank

Brexit ‘may boost’ UK food manufacturers

By Matt Atherton

Brexit could benefit food manufacturers, according to food and agribusiness bank Rabobank, ahead of the UK’s formal exit from the EU, which is triggered today (March 29).

The food industry calls for stability ahead of Theresa May triggering Article 50

Food sector reveals core aims in Brexit trade talks

By Matt Atherton

The food and drink industry has urged government to deliver a Brexit trade deal that would ensure stability and continuity for the sector, ahead of the triggering of Article 50 on Wednesday (March 29).

Direct to consumer channels could boost manufacturers’ sales by 5%, claimed LCP Consulting. LCP’s Will Shepherd pictured

Direct to consumer channel could boost sales

By Gwen Ridler

Food manufacturers could boost their revenues by 5% by opening direct to consumer (DTC) supply channels, according to a new report from a global supply chain management consultancy. 

Drivers unloading their deliveries should be paid extra for the work: FTA

Drivers unloading lorries should be paid more: FTA

By Gwen Ridler

Delivery drivers should be paid more to load and unload lorries, said the Freight Transport association (FTA), after discount retailers Aldi and Lidl were criticised for requiring divers to take on warehouse duties.

Third-part hygiene audits could become key to future regulation

Permits to trade needed under new hygiene regime

By Rick Pendrous

Food businesses would need a ‘permit to trade’ before being allowed to start up, under new proposals from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) being considered as part of its Regulating the Future programme, which seeks to radically change the way food hygiene...

Mars global president expected price rises in a WTO trade scenario

Mars warns of supply chain job cuts under WTO rules

By Matt Atherton

Food manufacturing and other supply chain jobs will be lost and Mars products will become more expensive if Britain trades under World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules post-Brexit, Mars’s global president has claimed, after the Confederation of British...

Morrisons profit increased 11.6% in the 12 months to January 29

Morrisons’ profit would make Sir Ken ‘very happy’

By Matt Atherton

Morrisons has reported an 11.6% increase in underlying profit to £337M, in a financial statement which the late Sir Ken Morrison “would have been very happy to observe”, according to analyst Shore Capital.

The Apprentice winner Alana Spencer is seeking brand ambassadors for Ridiculously Rich by Alana (Youtube/Ridiculously Rich By Alana)

The Apprentice winner Alana hires brand ambassadors

By Matt Atherton

Premium cake maker Ridiculously Rich by Alana, owned by The Apprentice 2017 winner Alana Spencer, is recruiting “an army of ambassadors” to sell its products at events across the country.

The FDF urged Hammond to boost exports funding

Budget 2017

Budget requests: Boost export and R&D funding

By Matt Atherton

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) urged Chancellor Philip Hammond to increase funding for food and drink exports and research and development (R&D), ahead of his first Budget today.

Amazon has already launched its fresh delivery service in the UK

Amazon could open drive-thru stores

By Rick Pendrous

Amazon could target the UK next for its drive-thru grocery stores, following reports that the online retail giant planned to open its first drive-thru in Seattle in the US, it has emerged.

Government urged staff to check their pay before new wage rates

Low-paid staff urged to check pay ahead of wage changes

By Matt Atherton

Britain’s lowest paid workers are the target of a new government advertising campaign, designed to make them aware of their rights, ahead of the rise in National Minimum and National Living Wage rates next month.

Greggs reported a 10% rise in profits in its full-year trading update

Greggs profits rise 10% as food-to-go sales rise

By Matt Atherton

High street baker Greggs reported a 10% rise in profits to £80.3M in its full-year financial update, driven by consumers’ growing demand for food-on-the-go, alongside plans to restructure its manufacturing operations.

Amazon has launched both a 5,000 head recruitment drive and a new apprenticeship scheme

Amazon launches 5,000-head recruitment drive

By Michael Stones

Amazon, the online retail giant, has revealed plans to recruit 5,000 more full-time workers, taking its total UK workforce to more than 24,000, and launched a new apprenticeship programme.

Abbey Logistics has acquired bulk liquid food transport specialist Armet

Brexit must not delay smooth freight movements

By Rick Pendrous

Britain needs to keep trading with the rest of the EU and maintain smooth transport and logistics operations as Brexit progresses, with as few delays as possible, the head the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has warned.

Tesco is closing two of its distribution centres with the net loss of 500 jobs

Tesco closes two distribution centres

By Rick Pendrous

Tesco is to close two of its distribution centres, with the net loss of around 500 jobs, in a move designed to simplify its supply chain operations and management structure across all distribution operations and meet changing consumer demand.

The 12-week notice period commonly used for terminating retail supply agreements may be challenged more in the courts

Supplier notice periods come under scrutiny

By Rick Pendrous

The 12-week notice period commonly used for terminating retail supply agreements looks set to be challenged more in the courts, according to a legal expert.

Bibby will handle all Tangerine’s warehousing and distribution requirements

Bibby wins contract to distribute Tangerine’s sweets

By Rick Pendrous

Confectionery maker Tangerine has signed a “multi-million pound contract” with third-party logistics (3PLs) company Bibby Distribution for the transportation of the firm’s range of sweets to wholesalers and supermarkets across the UK.

Fuel price hikes are likely to eat into food manufacturers' profits. Picture by Wikipedia user Rama

Fuel prices to hit food manufacturers’ profits

By Gwen Ridler

Food and drink manufacturers’ profits are likely to be hit, after diesel and petrol prices reached an 18-month high, according to manufacturers’ organisation EEF. 

Marcus Boardall (l), deputy chief executive of Reed Boardall, and finance director Sarah Roberts

Reed Boardall maintains profits despite falling sales

By Rick Pendrous

Yorkshire-based cold storage and transport business Reed Boardall has reported a slight fall in revenues of £64.3M for the year to March 31 2016 in its financial results released today (January 4), down from £65.9M achieved in 2015, in what the frozen...

The CIEH is to stop being an awarding body for food safety training as it develops new vocational qualifications

CIEH stops awarding food safety qualifications

By Michelle Perrett

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), which represents local authority environmental health officers that carry out food safety inspections, is to stop being an awarding body for existing training courses next year, as it reviews the...

Suppliers have compalined about the excessive burden of retailer hygiene audits

Reduce burden of hygiene audits

By Michelle Perrett

The burden of excessive retailer hygiene audits of their food and drink suppliers needs to be reduced, argues the head of the Provision Trade Federation (PTF).

ICH ltd was fined £20k after a worker fell through the ceiling of an Iceland Foods store

Firm fined £20k for Iceland ceiling fall

By Gwen Ridler

A firm has been ordered to pay more than £20,000 for safety failings, after one of its workers fell through the ceiling of an Iceland Foods’s store.

Food manufacturers face the worst labour crisis in more than a decade

Food manufacturers face huge labour crisis

By Noli Dinkovski

The food and drink industry is facing its worst labour shortage in over a decade, and some firms risk failing to fill vacancies in the peak demand period before Christmas, the head of a labour providers’ association has warned.

Coop Denmark has increased productivity to 450 food items picked an hour

More food industry warehouse automation needed

By Rick Pendrous

The introduction of the National Living Wage (NLW) in April and rising concerns over the future of the UK labour pool following the Brexit vote on June 23 have revealed the need for higher levels of productivity within distribution centres (DC), according...

Engineers have seen a rise in their pay since 2015, according to EEF

Food manufacture engineers see 4% boost to pay

By Gwen Ridler

Pay for engineering graduates – including those in the food and drink industry – has risen by 4% since last year, according to a new report from EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation.

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