Former Tesco director of produce Peter Durose has challenged fresh produce suppliers to build successful brands to achieve better prices and achieve production benefits of scale.
Jam producer Wilkin & Sons says its main focus during 2011 is to find new premises, which could possibly involve moving from its iconic site in the village of Tipree, Essex.
Dairy Crest announced a new set of efficiency measures as it released what one City analyst described as “a good set of numbers” for the year to March 31 this morning.
Northern Foods is proposing to close it Leeds office and move the majority of staff to its ‘shared service centre’ in Wakefield, FoodManufacture.co.uk has learnt, as owner Ranjit Boparan starts restructuring his new acquisition.
The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) says that a prominent DEFRA task force appointed to cut red tape for farmers and food processors has ignored oppressive regulations facing its sector.
Heinz’s frozen and chilled foods facility near Norwich remains closed, 12 days after a devastating fire that destroyed the area of the site that produces Aunt Bessie’s potato products.
Confectionery and snacks group Zetar has described the last year as a ''difficult period'' for its snacks division, as sales flatlined and commodity costs rose.
Robert Wiseman Dairies (RWD) has announced that its operating profits fell 29.7% to £35.3m in the year to April 2 2011, hit by oil-related costs and rising raw milk prices.
Wine and spirit trade industry body the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) is launching a fraud prevention unit in an effort to combat fraud in the sector.
Asda has settled its long-running legal dispute with ingredient supplier Ajinomoto out of court, FoodManufacture.co.uk has learnt, after the latter took legal action against the retailer for describing aspartame as a ‘nasty’ on own-label product packaging.
Cranswick announced today that it has appointed former fresh pork md Adam Couch as chief operating officer (coo), as it unveiled record sales and profits for 2010/11.
Low-calorie snack producer Crips says it is on course to achieve a £10m turnover within three years, and hopes to gain more national listings with UK supermarkets, having just gained its first with Morrisons.
Nestlé has revealed to FoodManufacture.co.uk that it is planning a significant extension to its confectionery and biscuit product technology centre (PTC) in York.
Arla has modified its plans to build a super dairy near Aylesbury, but a local councillor has warned the firm that its changes are ''superficial'', and that opposition to its £150m project will continue.
Premier Foods is hosting an investor day today (Friday) with the aim of convincing sceptical analysts and investors that its business strategy is sound.
Beechdean Farmhouse Dairy Ice Cream has bought Loseley Dairy Ice Cream’s brands out of administration, and revealed plans to double its own turnover to £20m within two years as a result.
Major brand owners such as Coca-Cola, Mars and Unilever are increasing their marketing spend on social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to interact directly with consumers using smartphones, while small firms are also upping their...
Mark Fairweather, chief executive of Allied Bakeries, has called on retailers to accept inevitable bread price rises due to rising input costs, and specifically pressure arising from global speculation on wheat.
Holland’s Pies md Ed Hyslop has left the firm, with industry insiders identifying him as the first high-profile casualty of businessman Ranjit Boparan's move to restructure management at Northern Foods.
Oysters in France and Ireland have been stuck by the Oyster Herpes Virus (OHV), which is causing upwards of 60% mortality in farms and creating a European shortfall that has no short-term solution, experts have warned.
Heinz’s frozen and chilled foods facility near Norwich remains closed, after a devastating fire last Friday ravaged the portion of the site that produces Aunt Bessie’s potato products.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) says news that the Groceries Code Adjudicator may not start work until mid-2013 will harm innovation in the sector amongst small and medium-sized companies and reduce consumer choice.
Private equity group Blackstone is close to acquiring the stake owned by investors Growth Capital Partners in Tangerine Confectionery, the largest British manufacturer of sugar confectionery and branded popcorn, claim media reports.
Former Thorntons chairman Peter Thornton says the firm's current woes are due to an unduly large shop chain, poorer product quality and "extremely bad" retail marketing.
Nestlé UK may keep its headquarters in Croydon, despite reissuing a warning that it is "reviewing other options" outside the London borough in a bid to escape its dilapidated site by 2014.
The few remaining staff at Loseley’s ice cream plant in South Wales are expected to leave the site in the coming days following the company’s collapse last month, a company spokesperson has confirmed to FoodManufacture.co.uk.
Fresh from launching an aphrodisiac beer for the royal wedding laced with herbal Viagra, Scottish beer maker Brewdog has voluntarily stopped supplying some larger customers until it completes a new brewery in 2012.
Oven chip specialist McCain Foods' efforts to reformulate its product range combined with a targeted PR campaign has helped it to successfully navigate the healthy food storm that has engulfed the UK over the past few years, its corporate affairs...
PepsiCo UK is pumping £8.5m into its Quaker Oats site in Fife to meet increasing demand for hot cereals, which have grown 13% in the year to March 19 2011, according to Nielsen.
Corporate nutritionist Kate Cook has attacked the government’s Responsibility Deal for a “one-dimensional approach” to calorie labelling on food that risks damaging sales of foods such as salmon and endangering public health.
UK food and drink manufacturers are under-represented in the European Economic Recovery Plan, says the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), which is aiming to promote the sector more at EU level in the coming year.
Drinks group Diageo pleased city analysts today reporting a 7% year-on-year growth in like-for-like sales in the third quarter, with sales volumes up 2%.
A New Zealand entrepreneur is building a new factory near Norwich to exploit rising UK demand for gourmet yogurts and reach a £2m turnover within 18 months.
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.
Peanut butter is now Britain’s fastest growing sweet spread with sales up by over 40% from 2008 to £40m in 2010, according to market intelligence firm Mintel.
Uniq ceo Geoff Eaton says retailers cannot continue to demand bespoke desserts for rock-bottom prices, following his firm’s recent review of this arm of its business.
Unseasonably hot Easter weather dented Thorntons sales for the crucial third quarter sales period up to April 30 2011, while the firm has predicted a drop in full-year profits.
Greencore has refused to comment on rumours that it has appointed bankers to explore a possible £100m takeover of chilled food group Uniq, while Brookes/Avana may also be on the firm's radar after Premier Foods said it is willing to consider offers...
The City is uncertain about Ranjit Boparan’s plans for Northern Foods, with analysts divided on whether he needs to sell brands such as Fox's Biscuits and Goodfella's to pay down debt following his £342m takeover.
Increasing division over food labelling proposals has reignited fears that the entire process of updating the EU Food Information Regulation (FIR) could collapse, wasting years of work and substantial investment by industry.
Work is underway to foster closer collaboration over salt, fat and sugar reduction as deadlines loom, according to Clair Baynton, head of the Department of Health’s (DoH’s) Nutrition Science and Delivery branch.
