Inside food & drink manufacturing
The UK organic sector is ‘cautiously optimistic’ that the market is leveling off after a year of slowing decline in sales, but much depends on consumer confidence after the government spending cuts are implemented this month.
Global political and environmental unrest is forcing growing numbers of food and drink importers and exporters to use currency forward contracts or ‘options’ to hedge against volatile exchange rates, according to a top foreign exchange broker.
Research and development (R&D) champion Unilever has voiced deep disappointment and frustration over the collapse of talks reviewing the 1997 EU Novel Foods Regulation, claiming it will hamper food and drink manufacturers' innovation plans.
City analysts have hailed Cranswick as a “class act”, but say tough economic times have led them to shave the firm's 2011/12 pre-tax profit estimates by six per-cent to £47m.
Kellogg's UK md Greg Paterson has stepped down, with the food manufacturer appointing a temporary successor until it finds a suitable long-term replacement.
We live in uncertain times. I am sure I’m not alone in being concerned by recent global events that are the backdrop to other worries closer to home, such as the fragile state of our economy and the impact of swingeing public sector cuts.