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A proposed new regulation is only a small step in helping SMEs secure funding

Government funding proposals for SMEs fall short

By Laurence Gibbons

Government action to improve cash support for small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is only a small step in the right direction, according to the Federation of Small Businesses.

Waitrose competes with Ocado, with initiatives such as Click & Collect

Doubts persist about Ocado’s Waitrose contract

By Rod Addy

Fears remain over the long-term viability of Ocado’s contract with Waitrose as the upmarket supermarket looks set to develop as a direct competitor to the online retailer, a leading analyst claims.

Nuritas researchers

Food by-product can kill MRSA bug

By Rod Addy

A food by-product can kill hospital superbugs that are resistant to many antibiotics, Irish researchers have discovered.

Team Goosefoot wins culinary product development challenge for its vended quinoa bars

Healthy quinoa bars in Bristol NHS Trust vending trial

By Rick Pendrous

A healthy quinoa bar concept developed by a team of final year culinary arts management students has picked up the award in the ‘culinary product development challenge’, run by the Automatic Vending Association (AVA) in partnership with the University...

Toal will oversee 2 Sisters Food Group's divisions

2 Sisters appoints Adams Foods boss

By Laurence Gibbons

2 Sisters Food Group (2SFG) has appointed food industry veteran Ian Toal to the newly created role of divisional md.

Consumers' are more open to alternative proteins

Health Ingredients Europe

New proteins are creeping on trend

By Nicholas Robinson

Alternative proteins are a “hot area” of interest and products such as sandwich spreads made with meal worms could be a thing of the future, according to one food trend expert.

Jason Potter, general manager of Besmoke with the giant Advent calendar

Giant advent calendar showcases food firm’s growth

By Laurence Gibbons

A giant advent calendar arrived in Brighton today (December 11) to showcase food ingredients firm Besmoke as one of 24 business that have benefited from government support over the past year.

Pernod Ricard boss Pierre Pringuet has taken over as the new chairman of the Scotch Whisky Association

SWA appoints Pernod Ricard boss

By Laurence Gibbons

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has appointed Pernod Ricard boss Pierre Pringuet as its new chairman.

Spicy opportunity: five key trends will drive shoppers' purchases next year, predicted Canadean

Top five food trends for next year offer opportunity

By Michael Stones

‘Better-for-you ingredients’ is one of five top trends that will influence the purchase of food and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) next year, predicts market research firm Canadean.

Audits can be picked apart by prosecutors - pic copyright: iStock, Robyn Mackenzie

Audits not full defence versus food safety damages

By Rod Addy

Regular audits don’t protect food firms at the centre of food safety incidents from facing substantial damages, David Young, Eversheds partner and head of its health and safety team, has warned.

The EU has banned horsemeat imports from Mexico, including from animals of US origin, on food safety fears

EU bans Mexican horsemeat imports on safety fears

By Michael Stones

The EU has banned horsemeat imports from Mexico, including meat from horses of US origin, after fears they may threaten food safety, according the Humane Society International (HSI).

Brussels sprouts took a pounding in recent Christmas sales figures

Sprouts and mince pies hit in pre-Christmas sales

By Rod Addy

A slowdown in pre-Christmas food sales in traditional grocery retailers has hit Brussels sprouts and mince pies the hardest, according to data analyst Information Resources (IRI).

Tesco has issued another profit warning

Tesco issues yet another profit warning

By Michael Stones

Troubled supermarket giant Tesco has posted another profit warning, declaring that its full-year results will be significantly below expectations. 

Stormy outlook: People in developed countries were advised to radically change their diets

Sustainable diets needed to save the world from disaster

By Rick Pendrous

People in developed countries such as the UK need to completely change the food they eat if the world is to avoid a catastrophe from rising global food demand from a rising world population and climate change, a leading food security expert has warned.

The 20 new blends are inspired by current 'foodie' trends, says EHL

EHL boosts blends by 20

By Nicholas Robinson

EHL Ingredients will launch 20 new herb and spice blends, rubs, marinades, coatings and seasonings soon.

Gressingham Foods has won a top marketing prize

Duck producer wins top marketing award

By Rick Pendrous

Gressingham Foods, the duck producer and processor, has been awarded the annual Excellence in Marketing Award by the Food, Drink and Agricultural (FDA) sector interest group of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).

Nearly 50 firms were involved in M&A activity in 2014, according to the new report

M&A deals to remain strong in 2015

By Nicholas Robinson

More than £20.2bn was exchanged in food and drink business mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in 2014, according to figures from Catalyst Corporate Finance (CCF).

Premier Foods has published a list of supplier testimonials to win back support after flak over its investment strategy

Premier Foods launches charm offensive

By Michael Stones

Premier Foods has launched a charm offensive to win back public support after widespread criticism of its controversial ‘Pay and stay’ plan last week, with a list of suppliers that support the practice.

Premier Foods claimed its investment plans had been 'misunderstood and misinterpreted’

Premier Foods backtracks on pay-and-stay

By Michael Stones

Under fire Premier Foods has backtracked on its controversial ‘pay-and-stay’ programme, after a storm of criticism about its demands for suppliers to invest in the business or lose their listing with the firm.

A woman's diet before and during pregnancy is crucial to her baby's health

Maternal diets dictate health of their children

By Rick Pendrous

Women’s diets before and during pregnancy can have a profound effect on the health of their offspring in later life, a leading public health nutritional scientist has revealed.

Thin end of the organic veg? Organic food could become the next cut price battleground

Aldi’s organics entry could cause a price war

By Nicholas Robinson

Organic food could become the next battleground in the supermarket price war, Helen Browning, chief executive of the Soil Association, has warned after Aldi’s move into the sector.

Competition from discounters, such as Aldi, is prompting the multiple retailers to put the squeeze on their suppliers

Supermarket suppliers ‘are cannon fodder’

By Michael Stones

Insolvencies among food manufacturers have risen sharply over the past year, as competition between supermarkets and discounters has resulted in them being treated “as cannon fodder”, claims accountancy firm Moore Stephens.

Must try harder: Schools should provide better information about food industry careers

Young stars explain how to attract others

By Nicholas Robinson

Schools must play a bigger role in attracting young people to the food and drink manufacturing sector, according to the UK’s top young industry talent.

Hot stuff: hot food vending is likely to become much more popular in the UK

Vending machines to stock healthier items

By Rick Pendrous

Vending machines are about to undergo a revolution in the UK with new hot and cold food offerings set to create a completely new sales channel for manufacturers.

The chancellor's Autumn Statement drew a mixed reaction from industry commentators

Autumn statement gets praise and brickbats

By Michael Stones

Chancellor George Osborne’s last Autumn Statement before next year’s general election drew both praise and criticism from food manufacturers and economic commentators.

Premier Foods' demands for supplier investment has provoked a storm of hostile tweets

Premier Foods supplier row sparks Twitter storm

By Michael Stones

Premier Foods’s demands that its suppliers invest in its business or face de-listing have unleashed a storm of protest on the social media networking site Twitter. Here we capture, in tweets, a flavour of the row.

HIE was a hot topic on Twitter this week

Health Ingredients Europe

Talk of consumer behaviour fills Twitter during HIE

By Laurence Gibbons

Consumer behaviour, the hunt for alternative protein sources and the latest food ingredient trends were the hottest topics discussed on Twitter during Health Ingredients Europe (HIE), in Amsterdam this week.

Edlin at 2 Sisters' Carlisle site, where prototype green energy kit is being tested

2 Sisters Food Group’s green plan creates 150 jobs

By Rod Addy

2 Sisters Food Group is investing millions of pounds in a green initiative that looks set to create 150 jobs as well as dramatically slashing its energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions.

Produce World supplies a range of vegetables, including Chinese tatsoi

Produce World cuts 33 Scottish jobs to defend profits

By Rod Addy

Produce World has announced 33 redundancies amid plans to shift organic root vegetable packing from Forres in Scotland to Yaxley, near Peterborough – closer to the bulk of its organic produce activities.

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