All news

Nairn' sOatcakes robotic loading system

Robotic loader gets on the case

A new case erecting and robotic loading station at Nairn's Oatcakes in Scotland has automated a labour-intensive job, improved efficiency, and overcome limitations to meet retailer expectations on shelf-ready applications.

Precise cake decoration now possible with robots

Contoured cakes get robotic sign off

Precise and consistent cake decoration using robots is now possible, thanks to a development by Quasar Automation and its technology partners Scorpion Vision and Mitsubishi Electric.

Marel re-opens Carnitech factory

Marel mixes and grinds it in the UK

Following Marel’s recent acquisition of the mixing and grinding activities of Carnitech, Marel GB will now provide, in the UK & Ireland, full sales, service and spares for the range of mixers and grinders for the meat, fish and poultry industries.

Meat firm cuts processing time with flame pasteurising

Flame pasteurising for pathogen control

Until recently, Belgium-based Luka Meats’ smoked, roasted, and extra-lean hams and meatloaves were pasteurised, browned and seared using a hand-held torch. When handling 1,200 hams and 300-400 loafs a week became too time-consuming, the firm automated...

Firms can post work placements

New tool helps young find work placements

By Rick Pendrous

Young people will be provided with help in finding work placements and experience within the food industry when an online facility called FoodStart is launched next May by the Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST).

German energy drink launched in the UK

German 'mental energiser' invades UK

Following its success in Germany, the Middle East and Spain, the German energy drink Effect is being launched in the UK by MBG International Premium Brands in partnership with UK healthy drinks manufacturer, Feel Good Drinks.

Enzyme to reduce waste in bakeries

Enzyme makes smoother bread mix

A new enzyme product has been designed to reduce waste in industrial bakeries caused by excessively sticky wheat-mix dough with limited proofing stability.

New natural colouring agent for confectionery

'Natural' blue colour originates from spirulina

Chr Hansen has launched a 'natural' blue shade of colourant that can be used in the manufacture of confectionery or chewing gum in the US. The colourant is based on spirulina: a blue-green algae that occurs naturally in tropical and sub-tropical...

Bye said even in the firm's Northern heartlands there was a massive distribution to be won on the brand

Full-scale turnaround for Seabrook crisps

By Gary Scattergood

Former Vimto boss Jonathan Bye has halted Bradford-based Seabrook Crisps' decline and set the firm on a new course, reports Gary Scattergood

Clare Cheney, director general, Provision Trade Federation

Costly sledgehammer to crack an EC nut

By Clare Cheney

The European Commission (EC) is calling for tenders for a study on mandatory origin labelling of milk, milk used as an ingredient and unprocessed meat other than beef, pig, poultry, sheep and goat meat. Presumably the latter is to cover game. What about...

Gudmundsson remains optimistic, despite challenging conditions

Bakkavör's turnover keeps on rising

By Rick Pendrous

Chilled convenience foods manufacturer Bakkavör has seen a 6% increase in turnover to £428.7M for the second quarter of the year in its most recent results issued for the half year to June 29.

Tesco has apologised to a customer who reported finding a live catapillar in her BLT sandwich

Tesco apologises for live caterpillar in sandwich

By Mike Stones

Tesco has apologised to a woman who claimed to find a live caterpillar in a bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwich, bought from one of its stores in St Leonards in East Sussex last week.

Professor Graham MacGregor said the Public Health Responsibility Deal may not be dead but it does need intensive care

CASH boss slams government health campaigns

By Rick Pendrous

The government’s voluntary Public Health Responsibility Deal (PHRD) may not yet be dead, but it is clearly in need of intensive care, according to the chairman of Consensus Action on Salt & Health (CASH) Professor Graham MacGregor.

The expansion at Corkers will enable the firm to produce an extra 120,000 bags of crisps a day

Corkers completes factory expansion

By Laurence Gibbons

Crisp brand Corkers has finished the expansion of its factory in Ely, Cambridgeshire and is now able to produce an extra 120,000 bags of crisps a day.

United Biscuit’s Aintree factory makes Jacob’s Cream Crackers

Strike ballot sought at Jacob’s crackers plant

By Rod Addy

GMB officials have sought permission from the union’s executive council to ballot for strike action at United Biscuit’s Jacob’s Cream Crackers factory in Liverpool after talks about changes to work agreements collapsed.

Replacing three servings per week of fruit juice with whole fruit reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes

Drinks trade body defends fruit juice health benefits

By Laurence Gibbons

The British Soft Drinks Association (BSDA) has reiterated that fruit juice plays a positive role in the diet after a new report found a link between drinking it and an increased risk of contracting type 2 diabetes.

Kensey Foods makes chilled desserts for customers' own-label ranges

Samworth Brothers reassures on chemical spill

By Rod Addy

Chilled foods firm Samworth Brothers has reassured customers that, following an acid spill at its Kensey Foods factory at Launceston, Cornwall, business has returned to normal.

There has been a resurgence in the uncertainty over the supply and pricing of milk

Dairy farmers unite against ‘unfair’ pricing

By Lorraine Mullaney

Small-scale farmers are joining forces to boost their bargaining power against the ‘unfair pricing policies’ of large dairy producers, according to the National Farmers Union (NFU).

Burton's makes Cadbury-branded biscuits under licence

Suspects line up to buy Burton’s Biscuits

By Rod Addy

2 Sisters Food Group, and PepsiCo are among the trade buyers that could snap up Burton’s Biscuits, although the deal could easily go to a private equity house, according to analysts.

A selection of local cheeses, poached halibut and shitake mushroom are among the 12-courses included in the can

Student creates 12-course meal in a can

By Laurence Gibbons

A Kingston University student has created a 12-course gourmet meal in a can, including kobe beef, belly pork and rib eye steak.

Arla delivered capacity cost savings of £57M on an annual basis

Arla profits boom as mergers bear fruit

By Rod Addy

Dairy giant Arla has doubled profits for the first half of its financial year, amid news the two mergers it undertook in 2012 were paying off.

Professor MacGregor: 'If you can put a man on the moon, you can produce a meat product with less salt in it'

CASH chairman MacGregor rebuts attacks over salt reduction

By Rick Pendrous

The chairman of Consensus Action on Salt & Health (CASH) professor Graham MacGregor has hit back at claims by the food industry that further salt reduction in ham and other cured meat products would endanger people’s lives.

Premier Foods insists supply of bakery products, such as Hovis bread, will not be disrupted by the strike

Premier Foods strike begins at Hovis plant

By Rod Addy

Premier Foods moved to reassure customers that bakery supplies would not be disrupted as the first of three threatened strikes kicked off at its Hovis bread factory in Wigan.

Well trained? Too many small food manufacturers go through the motions of staff training in food hygiene in order to prove due diligence, claimed Alchemy Systems

Food safety training too often a ‘tick box’ exercise

By Rick Pendrous

Too many small food manufacturers merely go through the motions of training their staff in food hygiene in order to prove due diligence to their customers and the regulatory authorities, a leading training provider has claimed.

The advertising watchdog upheld complaints about one advert in Unilever's Piri Piri Pot Noodle Facebook campaign but rejected two others

Unilever slammed for ‘offensive’ Facebook noodle advert

By Mike Stones

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that Unilever cannot use one of its Piri Piri Pot Noodle online adverts in its current form and ordered the firm not to use “offensive images” in future.

McCarthy claims there are signs of a rising incidence of zero-hours contracts in the food industry

Union slams food industry zero-hours contracts

By Rod Addy

Zero-hours contracts in the food industry are on the rise and unions believe firms are using them to press workers into accepting longer hours and lower pay and avoid employment costs.

Mark Allen earned £328,751 from the share sale to buy a new family home after his recent divorce

Dairy Crest boss sells shares after divorce

By Mike Stones

Dairy Crest chief executive Mark Allen has netted £328,751, after selling shares in the firm to fund the purchase of a new family home following his recent divorce.

Follow us

Featured Jobs

View more

Webinars

Food Manufacture Podcast