Northern Ireland food manufacturer Linden Foods has invested £5M to create 179 new, mainly production, roles in response to demand from the convenience food sector.
For firms seeking to reduce labour costs and improve efficiency, packaging automation is a logical step. But with many smaller companies strapped for cash and starved of loans, could equipment rental prove to be the rational route to avoid capital expenditure?
The distinct heritage feel to Edwin Holden's Bottling Company is deceptive as it recently invested in a Kawasaki Robotics palletising robot for its processing line.
Food industry organisations have given a mixed reception to chancellor George Osborne’s budget – praising the new employer allowance but criticising lack of help for smaller firms and the retention of VAT on hot foods.
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.
Retail giant Tesco announced today (December 5) a review of its US enterprise Fresh & Easy and the departure of the business’ boss, Tim Mason, after years of disappointing financial results.
Sausage skin manufacturer Devro reported strong demand for its collagen sausage castings, which were offset by rising costs and adverse currency factors, according to its latest interim management statement covering the period from July 1 to October 22.
Arla's investment in a bespoke butter facility at Westbury in Wiltshire, is allowing the company to extend its UK manufactured butter offering with production of Anchor block butter, which began at the site in August.
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has refused to confirm or deny whether it had received expressions of interest from private equity firm CVC Capital Partners about acquiring its business.
Britain’s biggest food manufacturer is “still in a sticky situation” after selling its sweet spreads and jellies business to US multi-national Hain Celestial for £200M, according to a leading City analyst.
Premier Foods chief executive Michael Clarke believes he has “cleared the big hurdles”, a year after taking over at the helm of the company, he told Foodmanufacture.co.uk.
Frozen ethnic food manufacturer The Authentic Food Company (TAFC) has invested £2M in boosting its production capacity, after securing contracts to supply ready meals to Asda and several leading retailers in Europe.
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.
Last-minute negotiations between meat processing firm Vion and workers at its South Lanarkshire plant have led to the immediate cancellation of imminent industrial action in the row over pay and conditions at the site.
Walkers Crisps manufacturer PepsiCo UK has revealed that it is set to cut about 400,000 miles from its annual road usage with a new £9.3M investment at its Peterlee warehouse and distribution centre.
China’s booming food and drink sector, the prospects for frozen bakery in Eastern Europe and the vast potential of the US dairy products sector feature in this first global news roundup selected from FoodManufacture.co.uk’s sister online publications...
The acquisition of Argyll-based Loch Fyne Oysters by Scottish Seafood Investments (SSI) will bring significant new funding, which will allow the firm to crack fresh export markets, according to its new owners.
Rising demand in the Middle East and Russia is prompting the Scottish Salmon Company to invest £40M in 10 new fish farms that will create 100 extra jobs within five years.
Operational and supply chain efficiency improvements are more important now than they have ever been, as pressure to cut costs increases, it has emerged.
Momentum is growing for greater capital investment by small and medium-sized food and drink manufacturers (SMEs) to improve their productivity. This is despite the harsh economic environment facing the sector and problems reported by some SMEs in obtaining...
UK food and drink manufacturers have shown their resilience by launching more than 8,500 new products this year, despite the toughest economic trading conditions in decades, the latest Business Confidence Survey from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF)...
ABB's latest version of its six-step energy saving plan is now available. It shows customers the best ways to save money via variable-speed drives and high efficiency motors.
We serve the whole of Great Britain from here and will be looking at a significant uplift in our volume more than 20% to 51M cases next year. It will be the first time our output will have been above 50M cases. The plant will have the capability to produce...
Scottish food group Baxters has moved to secure a “strong foothold” in the canned meat market after completing a deal with Princes for the acquisition of the Fray Bentos brand.
The fashion factor is one of the reasons investing in packaging machinery remains a priority for the supplier, even with margins under pressure. Take a bag of nuts, for example. One-minute standard pillow bags are all the rage. The next step will be that...
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.
Gosforth firm Continuous Retorts (CRL) has received a £250,000 investment from a major investment fund, for what the latter describes as potentially “game changing” food processing technology.
US private equity firm Blackstone Group has bought a majority stake in Blackpool-based Tangerine Confectionery, FoodManufacture.co.uk understands, while management has also reinvested in the firm.
Compared with the optimism expressed in last year's Food Manufacture state-of-the-industry survey, the mood today is far more subdued. This can probably be put down to a combination of factors that are putting the squeeze on Britain's food and...
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.
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.
Premier Foods says it has not received an approach for its Sharwoods brand, after the owner of Veetee Food Group reportedly said he had secured financial backing to support a potential bid for it.
Diageo has dramatically upped efficiency and production in parallel with a £105m investment programme at its Cameronbridge distillery, which makes leading Scotch whisky and white spirit brands.
Beverage manufacturer Aimia Foods has invested in a new pouch packing line to broaden the range of services it can offer foodservice, vending, leisure catering and retail consumers.
