Carbohydrates and fibres (sugar, starches)

British Soft Drinks Association boss Gavin Partington at the launch

Map reveals soft drink jobs across UK

By Alice Foster

The soft drinks sector adds £11bn to the UK economy and supports more than 340,000 jobs nationwide, according to figures released this week.

Jamie Oliver gave evidence at an inquiry into childhood obesity this week

Sugar tax could aid obesity fight: Health agency

By Alice Foster

A sugar tax could cut sugary drink purchases and help fight obesity, according to Public Health England (PHE), amid controversy over the government shelving the health agency’s report into the issue.

Action on Sugar revealed 88% of soft drink cans exceed recommended daily intake

Soft drink manufacturers urged to slash sugar levels

By Alice Foster

Soft drink manufacturers worldwide have again been urged to set sugar reduction targets, while the advertising regulator plans to consult on new rules for non-broadcast adverts targeted at children.

Hard to swallow? The government should update its advice on portion sizes: BHF

Urgent action need on food portion sizes: charity

By Michael Stones

The government should update its advice on food portion sizes urgently, warns a leading charity, after researchers advised smaller food packages could help to cut Britain’s obesity crisis. 

A Weakening of the Euro has hit ABF's operating profit

ABF profit hit by £30M by weakened euro

By Laurence Gibbons

Associated British Foods (ABF) has revealed its adjusted operating profit will fall for the 52 weeks to September 12, by at least £30M, due to a significant weakening of the euro.

A petition started by Oliver could force a parliamentary sugar debate

Jamie wins 100k signatures to force sugar tax debate

By Laurence Gibbons

The government will be forced to consider debating whether to tax sugary drinks after a petition calling for the move by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver gained more than 100,000 signatures.

Jamie Oliver has called for a tax on sugary drinks

Jamie slammed by food manufacturers over obesity

By Laurence Gibbons

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has been slammed by food and drink manufacturers for “over-simplifying” the obesity debate and of having double standards surrounding nutritional information in his restaurants.

Just 5% of daily energy intake should come from free sugars, SACN urges

From free sugar to sugar-free

By Lynda Searby

Is a renewed focus on sugar reduction an inevitable consequence of the SACN recommendations? Lynda Searby digests the report and its implications for the food industry.

Ed Spelman, md at Ballymaguire Foods, and Michael Hoey, chairman of Ballymaguire Foods

Ballymaguire Foods creates 100 jobs in output boost

By Alice Foster

Chilled ready meal producer Ballymaguire Foods has started constructing a new factory as part of plans to create 100 jobs and boost sales in the UK and Ireland, the firm’s md told this website.

Plant bread sales are expected to decline further

Is the decline of packaged bread terminal?

By John Wood

A report questioning whether packaged bread manufacturers in the UK could be facing a terminal decline in sales of their products, has been published by Euromonitor International.

Tague: 'We aim to be the biggest snack food company by 2025'

Dragons’ Den stars pump £125,000 into Tags crisps

By Nicholas Robinson

Former Seabrook Crisps md John Tague walked away with a £125,000 investment after four of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den stars battled it out to get their hands on a slice of his £760,000 crisp business.

Rick Pendrous, editor, Food Manufacture

Never mind free sugar, what about the fibre?

By Rick Pendrous

Judging from the press coverage it received, it would be easy to get the impression that the recommendations to halve the total daily energy intake derived from free sugars in people's diets from 10% to 5% a day was the only thing of any significance...

Symingtons has restructured its business to reduce costs during difficult times

Symington’s first profit slump in 15 years

By Nicholas Robinson

Symington’s sales and profits have slumped for the first time in 15 years, despite the Yorkshire-based food manufacturer recently pumping £2.5M into a new noodle facility in Leeds.

Tipping the balance against sugar? Recommended daily intake of sugar should be halved, said SACN

SACN report

Sugar intake should be halved, says SACN report

By Michael Stones

The government should halve the recommended daily intake of sugar, an influential committee of nutrition experts has advised in a widely anticipated report.

'Nothing new about sugar' in the SACN report, industry leaders say

SACN report

Industry: SACN report says ‘nothing new’

By Nicholas Robinson

There’s “nothing new about sugar” in the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition's (SACN’s) report on carbohydrates, but more needs to be done to increase fibre intake, food and drink manufacturing leaders have said.

Meet the beehive team

Food industry execs beehive team on course for £50k

By Michael Stones

A team of senior women food industry executives has passed the half way point in its bid to raise £50,000 for charity Farm Africa, after building beehives in Tanzania last month to boost local farmers' income from honey.

A 20% tax on sugary drinks would reduce obesity in 180,000 Brits, according to the BMA

20% sugary drinks tax ‘ineffective’, says industry

By Nicholas Robinson

The food and drink industry has slammed the British Medical Association’s (BMA’s) calls for a tax on sugary drinks to fight the UK’s growing obesity crisis, claiming it would be ineffective.

Calorie labelling should be made mandatory on alcohol: RSPH

Calorie labelling of booze needed to cut obesity

By Rick Pendrous

Calorie labelling on alcohol should be introduced urgently to help stem the soaring rise in levels of obesity, according to the chief executive of the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH), which launched a campaign last year to see it enshrined in law.

The jv will give Canadian farmers access to the latest wheat varieties

Limagrain and Canterra Seeds in new Canadian jv

By Rick Pendrous

Canadian farmers are set to benefit from access to the very latest wheat seed varieties with enhanced characteristics, following a new research joint venture (jv) known as Limagrain Cereals Research Canada, located in Saskatoon, announced yesterday between...

MacDonald has been forced to defend the role of scientists in the health issue

Carbs, lies and money

A life in the public eye wasn’t something Professor Ian MacDonald thought he had signed up for after starting his academic career. Recently, though, he’s had to deal with reporters on his doorstep and damning criticism in the national press, Nicholas...

 Nestlé is on track to lose millions

Nestlé to lose millions of pounds due to Maggi recall

By Michael Stones

Food giant Nestlé is set to lose more than £127M and suffer brand damage worth billions of US dollars, after India banned its Maggi noodles on food safety fears, warns a brands consultancy.

FDF boss Ian Wright has slammed NHS criticism of the industry's record on sugar

Food manufacturing boss slams NHS sugar criticism

By Michael Stones

A leading food and drink industry boss has slammed criticism of the sector’s record on curbing sugar levels voiced by the chief executive of the National Health Service England (NHS).

Lorraine Hendle, front left, is building beehives in Tanzania with eight other food industry business leaders

Top business women build beehives in Africa

By Michael Stones

Senior women business leaders from the the food and drink industry – including managers from 2 Sisters Food Group, Bakkavor and the Food Manufacture Group’s publisher William Reed Business Media – are completing a week of building beehives in Tanzania;...

Rock bottom prices for bread in supermarket price wars

Bread is ‘price war casualty’ – FoB director

By Nicholas Robinson

Bread is one of the biggest casualties of the supermarket price war, as retailers keep dropping its price to rock bottom levels in a bid to entice shoppers, according to Gordon Polson, Federation of Bakers’ (FoB’s) director.

EU sugar beet quotas are set to be abolished in 2017

Napier Brown sale prompted by quota abolition

By Rod Addy

The sale of sugar business Napier Brown was prompted by the 2017 abolition of EU sugar beet quotas and buyer Tereos will support its future growth, owner Real Good Food (RGF) has claimed.

Ahmed: 'Steady flow of new products'

Tate & Lyle faces £125M in costs for restructure

By Rod Addy

Tate & Lyle has announced a restructure of its international ingredients business, which focuses it on its Speciality Food Ingredients (SFI) division in Europe and will cost £125M.