Better

Morrisons has posts sales and profit growth in its interim results

Morrisons reveals rise in sales and profits

By Gwen Ridler

Morrisons has revealed a rise in sales and profits for the first half of this year in its interim results, released yesterday (September 14), as it sees results from its ‘Fix, rebuild and grow’ strategy.

England’s transport and communications infrastructure needs improving, the CBI says

Transport and communications need shake-up: CBI

By Gwen Ridler

A shake-up of England’s transport and communications infrastructure is needed to give manufacturers access to a wide pool of labour and improved connectivity of supply chains, according to a Confederation of British Industry (CBI) report.

Dairy and nutrition firm Danone launched an efficiency plan to save €1bn

Danone launches €1bn cost-saving scheme

By Matt Atherton

French dairy and nutrition company Danone has launched a cost-cutting and efficiency scheme, designed to save €1bn (£850M) by 2020, after its European sales fell 1.4% last year.

Morrisons' boss praises food makers after the retailer reports its best sales performance for seven years

Morrisons’ food makers praised as festive sales rise

By Matt Atherton

Morrisons’ chief executive David Potts praised the retailer’s “food makers and shopkeepers”, after it reported its strongest sales performance for seven years in a Christmas trading update.

Selig has developed a new range of tamper-evident seals and liners

Tamper-evident seals and liners upgraded

By Rick Pendrous

A range of two-piece wax laminated induction liners has been developed by tamper-evident cap and closure lining materials manufacturer Selig.

Tesco reported a 1% rise in sales

Tesco posts sales boost as ‘momentum is returning’

By Matt Atherton

Tesco’s “momentum is returning”, according to city analysts, after the supermarket firm posted a seventh consecutive quarter of volume growth in its half-year update today (October 5).

Morrisons was making progress on its six priorities, claimed the retailer

Morrisons makes ‘good progress’ on six priorities

By Michael Stones

Morrisons is making progress towards strengthening its business and fulfilling six strategic priorities, claimed a financial statement accompanying the retailer’s first-half results, posted earlier this month.

Kellogg reported a better than expected trading update for its second-quarter

Kellogg posts ‘good progress’ despite sales fall

By Matt Atherton

Kellogg reported better than expected results in its second-quarter trading update, driven by lower costs and higher profit margins, despite falling sales and fears of Brexit backlash.

Morrisons has posted its second quarter of rising like-for-like sales

Morrisons reports more rising like-for-like sales

By Michael Stones

Morrisons has reported its second quarter of rising like-for-like (LFL) sales, in results covering the 13 weeks to May 1 and, again, highlighted its role as “a food maker”.

Morrisons reported a  2.6% fall in like-for-like sales

Morrisons’ sales fall – again

By Michael Stones

Morrisons sales continue to slide – with like-for-like sales, excluding fuel falling by 2.6%, blamed partly on a reduction in promotional vouchers – in third-quarter results posted this week.

Tesco has posted another big profit fall

Tesco posts 55% slump in first-half profit

By Michael Stones

Tesco has posted a 55% slump in first-half underlying profit to £354M from £779M last year, the day after its boss Dave Lewis pledged to standardise payments to its suppliers.

Maheu is made on the hydration system at Dairy Gold in Zambia

‘Disruptive change’ group set for PPMA show launch

By Rick Pendrous

A new consortium called ‘Food is Life’, which aims to introduce ‘disruptive change’ to the food industry in Africa, is being launched at this month’s Processing & Packaging Machinery Association (PPMA) show.

Small firm's growth is being stunted by LEPs

Support for small firms ‘ineffective’ and holding back growth

By Laurence Gibbons

Support offered to small firms by Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) is “ineffective and holding back the growth prospects” of British businesses, including food manufacturers, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).

Finsbury Food Group won the coveted Bakery Manufacturing Company of the Year trophy

Finsbury Food wins bakery manufacturing Oscar

By Michael Stones

Finsbury Food Group has won the Bakery Manufacturing Company of the Year trophy in the industry’s Oscars, ahead of a financial update which looked forward to improved profits next year.

Greggs is on the road to deliver a full-year pre tax profit of £46.4M, said Shore Capital

Greggs boss praised by City analysts

By Michael Stones

Greggs boss Roger Whiteside received praise from City analyst Shore Capital, after the high street baker reported total sales up by 3.1% to £373M in first half results to June 28.

2 Sisters is looking to diversify the customer base for its European poultry business

Protein star performer for 2 Sisters

By Rod Addy

Boparan Holdings, the holding company for 2 Sisters Food Group, has reported strong progress in its third financial quarter (Q3), with its protein division contributing significantly to sales and profitability.

Greggs aims to revive its fortunes by becoming predominantly a bakery in the food-on-the-go operation

Greggs’s results ‘show encouraging signs’: City

By Michael Stones

Greggs is showing encouraging signs of transforming its fortunes by “resurrecting like-for-like sales”, said City analyst N+1 Singer, after the high street baker released preliminary results for the 52 weeks to December 28 2013.

Super supply chain: Iglo Foods Group won the Supply chain initiative of the year award in the food and drink manufacturing industry Oscars

food manufacturing excellence awards

Iglo Foods Group wins top supply chain award

By Michael Stones

Iglo Foods Group has won the Supply chain initiative of the year award in the industry Oscars – Food Manufacture’s Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards (FMEAs), at the London Park Lane Hilton last month.

Rumours suggest Premier Foods might sell Hovis: one of its power brands

Mixed blessings as Hovis strike ends

By Rick Pendrous

Premier Foods’ senior management must have had mixed feelings following the agreement reached with the Bakers, Food and & Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) towards the end of last month.

Moy Park delivered a strong performance in 2012, reported ceo Nigel Dunlop

Poultry processor Moy Park reports strong recovery

By Rick Pendrous

The UK’s largest poultry processor Moy Park has announced a strong recovery in trading performance for last year, with pre-profits up to £24.4M for 2012 for 2012, compared with £4.8M in 2011.

Researchers are seeking healthier snacks to fight childhood obesity

Sneaky way to combat childhood obesity

By Laurence Gibbons

Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) claim to have found a way of fighting obesity by “sneaking” nutrients into children's snacks.

Loyd Grossman: ‘No noticeable change in the way hospital food is produced, prepared, cooked and served’

Celebrity chefs cook up hospital food waste protest

By Mike Stones

Celebrity chefs, including Loyd Grossman, Albert Roux and Heston Blumenthal, have backed  a report from pressure group Sustain, which warns the government has wasted more than £54M on failed schemes to improve hospital food.

Effective yield control is perceived as a valid case for capital investment

Get a new case for capital investment

By Rick Pendrous

Justifying capital expenditure (Capex) in today’s tough economic environment is probably more difficult than ever. For many food and drink manufacturers, many investment plans have been put on hold – apart from the most essential items.

Manufacturers are paying their bills more promptly

Cash flow improves for food manufacturers

By John Wood

Cash flow for food manufacturers must be improving since they have significantly reduced the time it takes them to pay their bills, according to credit ratings firm Experian.

Tesco will invest £1bn in improving its UK business

Tesco £1bn investment underway as UK sales fall

By Dan Colombini

Record profits from its overseas supermarkets have propped up tumbling British sales at retail giant Tesco as the firm revealed it will invest £1bn in improving UK stores and cutting prices.

Real Good Food is

Real Good Food ‘on track’ to double business by 2015

By Mike Stones

The Real Good Food Company (RGFC) is “on track” to double its size within three years after posting half year continuing profit before tax up 148% to £5.7M, said Pieter Totté, its executive chairman.

Premier attacks operational costs

Premier attacks operational costs

By Rick Pendrous

Britain's biggest food manufacturer, Premier Foods, has come under a lot of flak recently for the problems with its leadership, direction and strategy.

Moody’s: R&R Ice Cream well-placed to do more deals

Moody’s: R&R Ice Cream well-placed to do more deals

By Elaine Watson

Ice cream maker R&R is well placed to make further sizeable acquisitions if it continues to improve margins, particularly in its French operations, according to credit ratings firm Moody's.