Staff at Burton’s Foods in Blackpool will vote on a revised pay deal for the second time after initially rejecting the company's offer, FoodManufacture.co.uk understands.
A leading M&A lawyer has described Kraft’s plan to divide its global operations as a “hugely significant” move that could lead other multinational food businesses to demerge operations.
Industry must learn crucial communication lessons from past “techno disasters” such as GM and asbestos to ensure greater consumer acceptance of new technologies such as nanotechnology, according to scientific think tank Matter.
Premier Foods group sales director Ian York will leave the company at the end of the year to pursue "other business interests", a spokesman has confirmed to FoodManufacture.co.uk.
Premier Foods shares rose slightly this morning after an announcement that new ceo Michael Clarke will start work next week, as one City analyst warned that the firm's shares are currently "un-investable".
Despite fears of sovereign downgrades and tumbling share prices, UK food and drink manufacturers increased their output by 0.5% in June 2011, but many are suffering pain from rising input prices.
Leeds food manufacturer Symington’s has bought Unilever brands Chicken Tonight and Ragu for an undisclosed price, in a deal that will boost its turnover by around 25%.
Unilever refused to comment on City speculation that its food businesses may be up for sale as it announced better-than-expected half-year results yesterday.
One City analyst has described Premier Foods claim that its poor performance in the first half (H1) of this year was due to a “successful pricing exercise” as “amazing”.
Union the Unite is seeking assurances about UK jobs and production at Kraft and Cadbury’s, following the announcement that Kraft is set to split its business into two independent companies.
The food industry is entering a crucial planning period with the 2012 London Olympics now a year away and unless it takes action now availability will suffer, according to logistics experts.
The retail promotional system is flawed, unsustainable and needs a complete overhaul, although manufacturers are divided over the ability of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) or the new adjudicator to tackle this.
The pages of magazines are littered with over-eager brands all boasting amazingly optimistic growth plans, which stretch the bounds of credibility. Seabrook Crisps might easily be mistaken for one of them if it weren't for the fact that, in Seabrook's...
Increasing demand for cross-category continuous replenishment and flexibility and growing calls for sustainability are core challenges that manufacturers must face to add value to the supply chain, according to General Mills.
With the launch of the tendering process for foodservice packaging suppliers, the London 2012 Olympics organisers are providing a welcome boost to 'widely recycled' and industrially compostable materials.
Strike action now seems less likely at Burton’s Foods' Blackpool site, after the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) said it would endorse a new company pay offer.
Genius Foods says it is frustrated by additional charges levied on gluten-free bread that it supplies to the NHS in Wales, although the nation's government insists that talk of £32 loaves is incorrect.
Finsbury Food Group ceo John Duffy says that “relentless commodity price inflation” on basic ingredients such as butter, sugar and flour have eroded the firm’s profit margins.
Princes has confirmed that it has completed the acquisition of Premier Foods' canning operations, but that the Fray Bentos business continuing to operate independently until a buyer is found.
Unite the Union is preparing to ballot members at four British Sugar plants on industrial action over pay, in what could lead to the first strike action at the firm in 30 years.
Zetar says its key focus over the next three years will be to drive sales of premium private label and branded products across both its confectionery and snacks divisions.
The Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) has called off scheduled strike action at Burton’s Foods Blackpool site, after the union agreed to further talks with company management.
Ranjit Boparan says that running Northern Foods and 2 Sisters Food Group across five rather than four business divisions this year will give the group a “sharper business focus”.
The “bad news was no worse than expected” said analysts, after Associated British Foods (ABF) posted its third quarter trading update to June 25 2011 this morning.
Premier Foods has pleased the City and commentators with the speedy appointment of Mike Clarke from Kraft Foods as its new ceo, after analysts described a late June trading statement as "shocking".
Increased penetration of own-label products within the UK retail sector will pose new challenges to branded food manufacturers in coming years, according to a recent webcast by Trace One and Planet Retail.
The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) says it has called off strike action at Burton’s Foods site in Blackpool following a last-ditch challenge from the company over the validity of the ballot.
Greencore ceo Patrick Coveney has told FoodManufacture.co.uk that he is “highly confident” that his company’s £113M cash offer for Uniq will be successful.
The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) has confirmed that strike action at Burton’s Foods Blackpool site is still set to begin tomorrow, after it emerged that union members had rejected an improved pay offer.
The UK food industry has given the European Parliament's (EP's) final agreement on food labelling a mixed reception, with one consultant reckoning label changes cost £7,000 per product.
The md of Intersnack UK says that a consumer “appetite for experimentation” is driving strong growth in a snacks market where the main business challenge is keeping pace with fast-changing consumer and retailer needs.
Staff at Burton’s Foods’ biscuit factory in Blackpool have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, after rejecting a 1.8% pay rise from the company.
PepsiCo UK admits it has not hit all its self-imposed targets to make products healthier, but says the economy and technical challenges are partly to blame.
Premier Foods needs urgently to find a successor to ceo Robert Schofield, say industry sources, as the firm continues to hunt for an heir amidst rumoured pressure from institutional investors.
Limagrain Céréales Ingrédients (LCI) has launched two corn pellets called Dominos and Super Cornitos for snack food manufacturers aiming at natural, clean labels on packs.
Processors are braving the harsh economic climate to undertake big capital investments to increase their capacity, which reflects the results of Food Manufacture's 2011 survey.
European processors can access greener hardstocks, requiring far less heat and generating far less waste water, thanks to developments by Sime Darby Unimills.
Premier Foods has refused to comment on rumours that it is close to selling its own-label chilled foods and cake business RF Brookes and Avana Bakeries to a major industry rival.
Jam producer Wilkin & Sons is trying to establish a new home within its current and only base for over 125 years in Tiptree, Essex, as it bids to employ around 200 more people by 2030.
Border Biscuits is investing a further £2.5 million to increase manufacturing capabilities and plant capacity over the next 18 months as the Scottish biscuit maker targets a 50% turnover increase over the next few years.
Analysts at Shore Capital have described Premier Foods half yearly trading statement released today as “shocking, even by Premier’s standards”, as the company revealed a significant slump in profits for the first half of 2011.
Tough new regulations are needed to tackle the promotion of junk food to children by large food firms, according to the author of a prominent new report on responsible standards for food marketing.
Consumer watchdog Which? has hit out at an Advertising Standards Authority adjudication that rejected 31 complaints about a television advert for Nutella hazlenut spread, calling the authority’s failure to ban it a “huge disappointment”.
