Trends & Analysis

Lidl is to triple its plant-based range next year. Image: Lidl

News

Lidl triples plant-based range

By Gwen Ridler

Lidl has announced plans to more than triple its range of plant-based products after demand saw double digit growth over the past year.

Shortages of certain ingredients can spark new innovations as bakery manufacturers search for new flavours. Image: Getty / YinYang

Feature

Bakery manufacturing trends and insights October 2024

By Gwen Ridler

Food Manufacture explores the trends driving NPD and production in bakery as well as analysing how to adapt to the challenges surrounding ingredients sourcing in today’s tough geopolitical climate.

Organic food and drink sales outperformed conventional products in the year to 25 August 2024. Image credit: Getty / alle12

News

Organic outperforms conventional food market

By Gwen Ridler

Organic food and drink outperformed the conventional market in the past year, as the sector ‘bounced back’ from the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis.

More than a third of US consumers want to try British brands, but cost often is a preventative factor. Image Credit: Getty / Kimberrywood

News

Demand for British brands on the rise in the US

By Gwen Ridler

British brands are growing in popularity in the US, with more than a third of consumers likely to purchase UK products, but price pressures are hindering their growth of the market.

HSS Chair Heather Kelman: 'We need to act now to maintain high standards and ensure public trust in our food supply chain.' Image credit: Getty / Amorn Suriyan

News

The future of food standards in the UK at risk: FSA report

By Gwen Ridler

Ongoing shortages of key food safety and standards professionals are threatening the future of food standards in the UK, according to a new report from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS).

Heavy metals in tomatoes and salad crops: a new food safety concern? Credit: Getty/Susumu Yoshioka

Food Forensics

Are heavy metals an emerging risk in tomatoes and salad crops?

By Alison Johnson

Amid reports of cadmium contamination in tomatoes and in anticipation of Food Manufacture's upcoming Food Safety Briefing later this month, food safety expert Alison Johnson examines the gravity of this heavy metal threat.

Food Manufacture unwraps 2024's festive flavours. Credit: GNT

Long read

Christmas food and drink trends 2024

By Bethan Grylls

As the leaves begin to turn brown and the heating is switched on, Food Manufacture explores what will be popular F&B picks among consumers shopping baskets this Christmas.

Meat-related fraud has been a big issue in recent times. Credit: Getty/Platforma

Short read

The biggest threats to UK food safety

By Bethan Grylls

The UK is known for its commitment to food safety, but the last few years have given way to new opportunities for unscrupulous activity. As the saying goes, we are only as strong as our weakest link – are you ready for what's to come...?

Free-from foods are becoming more and more mainstream, but how can manufacturers tap into the growing trend? Image: Getty

Feature

Drivers and developments in free-from food production

By Gwen Ridler

As consumers seek free-from food products for both dietary and lifestyle reasons, Food Manufacture explores the major trends driving growth in the market and key considerations producers need to take into account when manufacturing these products.

Campden BRI held a number of demonstrations for guests to mark the opening of its new wine lab. Credit: Campden BRI

News

Campden BRI invests in new wine lab

By Bethan Grylls

Campden Wine Services, based at the Surrey Research Park in Guildford, has opened its doors to spur on opportunities in wine UK production.

AHDB’s 'Cover Crop Champions' will provide independent feedback on practical trials. Credit: Getty/mvburling

News

AHDB leads UK cover crop research project

By Bethan Grylls

A network on regional cover crop champions have been appointed across the UK to address complications associated with this farming technique and share lessons.

We investigate how food and drink brands are creating products with feeling. Credit: Getty/woocat

Feature

You are what you eat

By Bethan Grylls

Food Manufacture explores the movement towards ‘mood inspired’ products within food and drink and the trends you should be keeping top of mind.

Read this week's round-up of F&B new launches. Credit: Young's Chip Shop, Richmond, Cathedral City

News

5 F&B NPD launches

By Bethan Grylls

Health, costs and fakeaways continue to be a big hits among new product launches, as Food Manufacture rounds up the latest food and drink SKUs to hit UK retailers.

Brand tie ins, traditional celebrations and alcoholic spirits look set to be big trends the Halloween. Image: Getty, CatLane

Trends

No tricks, only treats this Halloween

By Gwen Ridler

As the days get shorter and the nights darker, we explore some of the spooky trends that food and drink manufacturers will want to look out for in the run up to Halloween 2024.

How to win the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards

Short read

How to win a Food Manufacture Excellence award

By Bethan Grylls

Entering a competition can be daunting – questions such as ‘am I good enough to stand out’ and ‘how and where do I even start my entry’ may flit across your mind – but if you’re keen to enter, you absolutely should!

The FSS puts together facts around what we know so far on UPFs. Credit: Getty/Kolonko

News

Food Standards Scotland debunks 3 UPF myths

By Bethan Grylls

The public sector food body for Scotland has published three things we know so far around processing to help consumers make sense of ultra processed foods, as the topic continues to garner increasing interest.

From slicing sandwiches to cutting fudge squares - Food Manufacture hears about four manufacturers' individual operations on the shop floor. Credit L-R: Raynor Foods and Fudge Kitchen

Feature

Slicing simplified: from knife to ultrasonic waves

By Bethan Grylls

In this exclusive cutting and slicing round-up, we look at how different food manufacturers in different segments – cheese, fudge, sandwiches and cake – handle their cutting operations following the introduction of machinery.

Danone has partnered with Microsoft to implement AI solutions into its business. Image: Getty, Userba011d64_201

News

Danone partners with Microsoft on AI project

By Gwen Ridler

Danone has partnered with tech giant Microsoft on a multi-year collaboration to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) throughout the manufacturer’s operations.

The food and drink sector has made notable strides in decarbonisation, but there's still a long way to go...Credit: Getty/ArtistGNDphotography

News

The power of self-generating energy

By Bethan Grylls

Meet the expert panel ahead of our roundtable discussion on renewable, self-generated energy taking place online later this month.

Looking for your next career move? Here's our latest job round-up. Credit: Getty/Aree Sarak

Job Seekers

2 Sisters seeks NPD manager

By Bethan Grylls

Among the job listings this month, 2 Sisters Food Group - Meal Solutions is on the lookout for a new product development manager, whilst PepsiCo seeks a manufacturing technician to join its Coventry site.

Are you prepared for next stage of HFSS? Credit: Getty/Nadezhda Kozhedub

Short read

Navigating the next stage of HFSS

By Lewis Wallis

Lewis Wallis of Campden BRI examines the UK's new HFFS restrictions coming into force next year and what food businesses need to do to prepare.

Pictured centre: Pedro Sancha, president & CEO at NSF, surrounded by Belgium’s Mastercooks

Long read

The importance of independent sensory labs in NPD

By Bethan Grylls

In the competitive landscape of the food industry, developing new products and refining existing ones is not just a matter of taste but a complex and often high-stakes endeavour.

Industry experts take Food Manufacture talk us through how to take the stress out of audits. Image: Getty, andresr

Feature

Taking the stress out of audits

By Gwen Ridler

Audits can be a time consuming and often confusing practice for food and drink firms, but can the process be simplified? Food Manufacture asked experts in the field what steps manufacturers can take to ease their burden.

More than 81% of end users said that automation was their main challenge in 2023. Image: Getty

News

Automation biggest challenge for manufacturers

By Gwen Ridler

Automation is one of the biggest challenges for manufacturing businesses in the UK, with frustrations relating to cost, availability of staff and a lack of information major hurdles preventing adoption, according to a recent survey by Automate UK.

The Hub allows Moo Free to trace every part of its supply chain

News

Moo Free unveils new traceability tool, The Hub

By Gwen Ridler

Dairy-free chocolate maker Moo Free is strengthening its sustainability credentials with the launch of The Hub, a business tool offering the manufacturer complete traceability across its supply chain.

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