Cygnet Gin moves production to Penderyn distillery
Premium gin brand Cygnet has partnered with Penderyn Distillery to move its production to the drinks firm’s Swansea site.
Investments
Dawn Meats completes €1.5m solar panel project
Dawn Meats has invested €1.5m (£1.27m) in a newly completed solar panel project at its Grannagh, County Waterford production site.
Co-op announces £820k fund for British farmers
Co-op has announced an £820k investment in British agriculture aimed at supporting the adoption of more sustainable farming practices.
The Black Farmer secures £1m funding line
The Black Farmer has secured a £1m funding line and specialist foreign exchange services to support the brand’s expansion.
67% of retailers plan price hikes
Food and non-alcoholic drink inflation remained steady in December 2024 compared to the last year, but prices rose on the month – with retailers painting a bleak picture for future trade.
TRIBE raises £2.4m in latest funding round
Energy snack brand TRIBE has raised £2.4m in a funding round led by Mercia Ventures to support growth and several senior appointments.
Pioneer Group and Unilever collaborate to open new UK food and drink incubator
Developer and operator of life science and high-tech campuses, Pioneer Group, has revealed plans for a new F&B incubator in Bedford.
Central Foods acquired by Gressingham Group
Northamptonshire-based frozen food distributor Central Foods has been acquired by Gressingham Group for an undisclosed sum.
Food and drink firms win share of £52m sustainability funding
From beer to baked beans, food and drink firms were among 25 business that received a share of a £51.9m Government grant to help emissions-cutting projects in the UK.
YSCO acquisition to create one of the largest third-party ice cream manufacturers
Davidson Kempner Capital Management LP and Afendis have completed the acquisition of European ice cream producer YSCO for an undisclosed sum.
Geia Food acquires Lupa Foods
Lupa Foods joins Geia Food, a leading Nordic food group with a combined annual turnover of £370m.
Westfalia Fruit acquires Belgian avocado firm
Westfalia Fruit has acquired Belgian avocado firm Syros for an undisclosed sum, strengthening its value-added business and presence in the European foodservice and retail sectors.
Construction complete of ‘UK’s tallest’ freezer warehouse
ISD Solutions has completed construction of the ‘UK’s tallest’ high bay freezer warehouse for logistics firm Magnavale, as it addresses demand for industrial and logistics space.
Naturaw Pet Food secures six-figure Northern Powerhouse investment
Naturaw Pet Food has secured a six-figure growth funding package courtesy of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) and Mercia Debt.
Granarolo Group invests £10m into new UK headquarters and distribution centre
Construction of a new head office for Granarolo UK & Midland Chilled Foods has been announced following fire in 2023.
Kerry Group completes dairy disposal phase one
Kerry Group has competed phase one of its disposal of its Irish dairy business as it continues on its path to become a purely taste and nutrition company.
Biggest acquisitions of 2024
The past year has seen plenty of M&A activity within the food and drink industry, including deals for Kellanova, Britvic and Princes.
UK Export Finance fuels festive SME success
Christmas is almost here! Meet four SME F&B brands creating festive delights, backed by UK Export Finance.
Louis Dreyfus Company acquiring new health business
Louis Dreyfus Company to acquire BASF’s Food and Health Performance Ingredients Business for an undisclosed amount.
I'Anson Brothers completes £20m feed mill
North Yorkshire-based I’Anson Bros has completed construction of a new £20m animal feed mill, Waterloo House.
Unilever sells historical brands
Zwanenberg Food Group to acquire the Unox and Zwan brands from Unilever, following the recent acquisition of Conimex by Paulig.
Bird Bros hatches £1m robot investment plan
Egg producer Bird Bros has hatched a £1m plan to improve efficiency and sustainability at its Bedfordshire headquarters by investing in robot automation equipment.
Lucozade owner invests £6m in factory sustainability
Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I) is to invest £6m into its Coleford factory to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels by 2026.
DB Foods unveils new Dorset factory following £3m investment
UK meat distributor DB Foods has opened a new 15,000 sq. ft. production facility at its headquarters in Dorset.
F&B producers limiting investments in face of new regulations
While two fifths of UK food and drink businesses plan to maintain or increase investment over the coming year, uncertainty over what new regulations will bring is limiting further opportunity.
Pork Pie maker secures five-figure investment
Dudley-based pork pie maker T.C. Morris has secured a five-figure funding deal from UKSE to support the next stage of the business’s growth as it moves to larger premises.
New partnership to plug investment gender gap
£250bn could be added to UK economy if access to finance for women matched their male counterparts.
Food and drink M&A outlook for 2025
As 2025 approaches, James Scallan and Javier Chiquero of investment bank Houlihan Lokey assess the current food and drink industry mergers and acquisitions (M&A) landscape and discuss what lies ahead in the new year.
Allied Bakeries invests in transport and logistics operations
Allied Bakeries has announced a significant investment in its national transport and logistics operations, strengthening its fleet with the addition of 68 new vehicles from DAF Trucks.
November food and drink investment round-up
Check out our round-up of the major investments that were announced across the food and drink industry throughout November 2024.
Ty Nant expands its UK influence with duo of acquisitions
Premium bottled water brand Ty Nant has acquired Fonthill Water and Decantae Mineral Water from the US-based Primo Water Corporation, expanding its reach in the UK and cementing itself as the country’s fastest growing bottled water company.
One Rock Capital Partners completes purchase of Burts Snacks owner
One Rock Capital Partners has completed its acquisition of crisp manufacturer Burts Snacks owner Europe Snacks.
Typhoo acquired from administration in £10.2m deal
FMCG firm Supreme has acquired Typhoo Tea out of administration in a deal worth more than £10m.
Waitrose opens first new store in six years
Grocery retailer Waitrose has opened the doors to its first new store in more than half a decade.
Unilever completes £40m investment into Burton site
Unilever’s largest UK food factory in Burton has seen a five-year transformation period, following a £40m investment which brings its UK condiments production into one specialist hub.
News
Food Manufacture has a new website
Food Manufacture has unveiled a brand-new website as part of our continued commitment to developing top-tier digital offerings.
News
Three-Sixty Aquaculture closes £3.5m funding round
Three-Sixty Aquaculture has completed a £3.5m series A funding round to support the creation of a new facility in Wales.
News
Lincoln & York invests £1m into high-speed line
The independent coffee producer has marked its 30th birthday with a major investment into its Brigg roastery.
News
Alternative protein innovation falls
Innovation in plant-based and cultivated meat has dropped, according to the latest patent data from Appleyard Lees.
News
Bakery seeks rescue deal to save 100 jobs, 13 locations
Lancashire bakery business Oddie’s has announced that it is seeking a rescue deal after a potential sale fell through.
News
Tate & Lyle closes £1.4bn CP Kelco acquisition
F&B giant Tate & Lyle has completed the acquisition on CP Kelco for $1.8bn (approximately £1.4bn).
News
Typhoo Tea files notice to appoint administrators
Typhoo Tea has filed a court notice to appoint administrators in the hopes of selling the business as it continues to struggle in a declining market.
News
Lidl £6bn ahead of investment target
Supermarket chain Lidl is on track to exceed its five-year investment commitment by £6bn, new figures show.
News
Healthy NPD deserves financial backing, FDF tells Gov
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has called on the UK Government to provide greater financial support for SMEs investing in healthier product innovation.
New
Gravity Drinks secures £4.5m finance package to support export growth
Premium spirits producer Gravity Drinks has secured a £4.5m finance package to support export growth and meet seasonal spikes in international demand.
News
Kerry Group agrees to €500m sale of Kerry Dairy Ireland
Kerry Group has entered into an agreement with Kerry Co-Operative Creameries to sell Kerry Dairy Ireland in a deal worth €500m, or approximately £414m.
News
Kepak acquires Summit Foods
Meat processor Kepak has acquired chilled and frozen convenience food firm Summit Foods for an undisclosed sum.
News
Investigation clears Arla Food Ingredients to acquire Volac's Whey Nutrition business
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has concluded its investigation into the anticipated acquisition of Volac Whey Nutrition Holdings by Arla Food Ingredients.
News
KP Snacks to acquire Whole Earth Foods
UK food manufacturer KP Snacks has agreed to acquire Whole Earth Foods from Ecotone.
News
Julienne Bruno takes home share of €900k innovation fund
UK plant-based food brand Julienne Bruno was one of four food and drink businesses to take home a share of €900k of funding from EIT Food’s Fast Track to Market Initiative.