Food

Food recalls have risen due to tougher new EU rules on allergen labelling

Food firms ‘suffer red tape allergen product recalls’

By Michael Stones

UK food manufacturers are losing millions of pounds, due to a big rise in EU red tape concerning unreported allergens on food packaging forcing up product recalls, warns new research from law firm EMW.

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”.

Kerry Group's Cheestrings sold well in the children's snack market, said the firm

Kerry Group reports growth in business volumes

By Gwen Ridler

Kerry Group has posted a 2.9% growth in business volumes, driven by its Taste & nutrition and Consumer food divisions in first quarter results, thanks partly to its children’s snack product Cheestrings.

Horticulture and plant-based diets are the future, claims Professor Tim Lang

Policy expert slams 25-year Food and Farming Plan

By Rick Pendrous

The government’s forthcoming 25-year Food and Farming Plan has been slammed for its failure to address key issues of sustainability and described as a missed opportunity and “doomed to be irrelevant within five years” by a leading food policy expert.

Clean-label: bakery purchasers are influenced by such claims (credit: Peter Booth)

Consumers ‘actively seek’ clean-label alternatives

By Noli Dinkovski

Almost a third of consumers actively seek products with some form of clean-label claim, while 70% of those purchasing dairy and bakery products say such claims influence their buying decisions, research by Ingredion has found.

Advances in robotic technology are changing the way food is manufactured

‘Robotic chef’ launched at Lincoln University

By Rick Pendrous

The way food is manufactured is set to change dramatically following the launch of a modular robotics and automation manufacturing cell at the University of Lincoln, according to those behind the new development.

Morrisons' Market Street

Morrisons’ food manufacturing: asset or liability?

By John Wood

The business benefits of Morrisons’ food manufacturing capacity has divided industry commentators, after ceo David Potts highlighted the firm’s role as “food maker and shopkeeper” in full-year results last week.

DEFRA's 25-year plan aims to ensure supply chain resilience

Food and Farming Plan details emerge

By Noli Dinkovski


Productivity, exports and branding, supply chain resilience and consumer confidence will be the four central themes of the 25-year Food and Farming Plan when it is released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) later this month.

The Internet of Things is set to play a more important role in the food supply chain

The Internet of Things to revolutionise food safety

By Rick Pendrous

The Internet of Things (IoT) – the network of physical objects which are connected together to enable the collection and exchange of data – is set to play a far more important role in the food supply chain, according to a leading government scientific...

Ooft vending machines will heat frozen ready meals

Vending hot ready meals from frozen products

By Rick Pendrous

A new vending machine, which produces hot meals from frozen products, will be launched on to the market over the next two months, according to the ceo of Bidvest Foodservice, the company behind the innovation.

Tulip is boosting its apprenticeship programme

Tulip boosts apprenticeship programme

By Michelle Perrett

Pork processor Tulip is extending its apprenticeship programme for 2016, offering 30 butchery, nine engineering and nine technical apprenticeships.

Miko: ‘We could have more food but less assurance that all of that is sufficiently safe’

Change needed to ensure EU has safe food in 2050

By Rick Pendrous

The food environment in Europe in 2050 will look very different to what it is today as issues of food security and food safety increasingly overlap and present new challenges for the supply chain, according to the deputy director-general for the food...

Nestlé is still feeling the impact of the Maggi noodles incident

Nestlé results show Maggi incident still hurts

By Laurence Gibbons

Nestlé’s still suffering from its Indian Maggi noodle recall and has lost touch with the Chinese consumer, hitting growth for the global food and drink manufacturer, according to market analysts.

Consumers fear a convenience food culture will destroy the links with where food comes from

Consumers fear modern life will destroy food links

By Rick Pendrous

Consumers in the UK are worried that the growth of convenience foods could cause them to lose a connection with what they eat, according to new research published today (February 16) by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

A Yorkshire poultry and game processor has been closed due to 'filthy conditions'

Poultry processor closed over ‘filthy conditions’

By Michael Stones

A Yorkshire food processor – specialising in poultry and game – has been closed for the second time in six months, after inspectors found “filthy" conditions in its production facilities.

Retaining a knowlegable workforce is the key to business success

Food boss: people integral to business growth

By Laurence Gibbons

Retaining knowledgeable employees who are committed to the business is the key to any successful food manufacturing business, according to one food boss.

Morrisons boss David Potts highlighted the retailer's food manufacturing business

Morrisons uses food manufacturing to cut prices

By Michael Stones

Morrisons is to harness the power of its food manufacturing capability to cut prices even further, as it battles the limited range discounters Aldi and Lidl and the other big supermarkets, its boss David Potts has revealed.

BRC: Global Food Safety Standard issue 7 includes unannounced audits

HE Stringer in AA+ grading factory audit success

By Noli Dinkovski

HE Stringer Flavours has become the first UK manufacturer to be given an AA+ grade certification on an unannounced factory audit under the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) Global Food Safety Standard issue 7.

Paul Wilkinson unwrapped four surprises of the food manufacturing year

Business Leaders’ Forum

Four food and drink industry surprises of 2015

By Michael Stones

A shift in power from retailers to their suppliers, leading to a better year than expected, was one of four key surprises that shaped the UK food and drink industry last year, Paul Wilkson, chair of the Food Manufacture Group Business Leaders’ Forum told...

Sainsbury warned customers that bread may contain pieces of metal

Sainsbury recalls bread over metal fears

By Alice Foster

Sainsbury recalled bread that may contain metal pieces and Iceland recalled frozen ribs with incorrect storage instructions this week. 

Crunchy insects anyone? How best to put them on a plate will be one of the subjects under discussion at our innovation conference

Insects on a plate at food innovation conference

By Michael Stones

Edible insects, 3D printing and personalised nutrition are just three of the topics under discussion at Food Manufacture’s one-­day innovation conference – New Frontiers in Food and Drink 2016  –  in central London on Thursday March 17.

Tom Heap:“People are very, very afraid of technology in food”

Public fears the power of food science

By Rick Pendrous

Consumers are frightened by developments in food science as they fear those behind them will wield too much power which they will abuse, BBC TV’s Countryfile presenter Tom Heap has suggested.

Food firms backs packaging petition

Film prevents mineral oil migration

An online petition launched late last year in Europe by lobby group FoodWatch, which called for action to be taken against the use of mineral oils in food, has been welcomed by Clondalkin Flexible Packaging.

Soutar: ‘We’re looking at potential options for a fifth subsidiary’

William Jackson plans to double turnover to £600M

By Rick Pendrous

William Jackson Food Group (WJFG), the food manufacturing parent to brands such as Aunt Bessie’s frozen foods and organic grocery business Abel & Cole, plans to double turnover to £600M over the next five years and is looking to acquire a fifth subsidiary.

It has been a mixed week for the food industry

2 Sisters, Morrisons and apprentices make week’s headlines

By Laurence Gibbons

2 Sisters Food Group’s decision to snap up S&A Foods’s former site in Derby and reports of Morrisons’ potential exit from the FTSE 100 leads our selection of the top headlines in food and drink manufacturing.

The latest food and drink innovations will be on show at FiE

FIE SHOW PREVIEW

Show preview: Food Ingredients Europe

By John Wood

Next week’s Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) and Natural Ingredients (Ni) shows offer the opportunity to see the some of the latest products onthe market and hear about cutting edge developments, says John Wood

wFood Manufacture awards in pictures

Food Manufacture Excellence Awards

Food and drink manufacturing Oscars – in pictures

By Laurence Gibbons

Moy Park, Premier Foods and 2 Sisters Food Group were among the 11 businesses that graced the stage at the Food Manufacturing Excellence Awards (FMEAs) earlier this month to collect Oscars for their top performance over the past year.

Innova Market Insights has identified 10 top trends for 2016

Top 10 food and drink trends for 2016: Innova

By Alice Foster

Clean labelling, free-from products and part-time vegetarian diets are among the top 10 food and drink trends for 2016, according to Innova Market Insights.