News
Samworth Brothers fined £1.28m after worker crushed to death
Samworth Brothers has been fined £1.28m after an employee was killed in the loading bay of a facility operated by the food manufacturer.
Health & Safety
News
Farmer fined £16k after worker dies in fall
A farmer has been cleared of manslaughter but fined after a worker was killed on his farm in Cheshire while attempting to repair the roof of a packing shed.
News
Repeated safety failings land manufacturer with £150k fine
Confectionery manufacturer Oriental Delight (UK) Ltd has been fined £150k after repeatedly failing to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
Short read
Is your factory safe?
A panel of experts discuss how food and drink manufacturers can ensure that their health and safety practices are fit for purpose.
News
Birmingham Food Council creates food security game
Birmingham Food Council has developed a game for food sector professionals, planners and policymakers to improve their understanding of how system shocks could impact the UK’s food security.
News
Functional foods fuel healthy eating trends
A growing trend of health-conscious consumers in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic has sparked calls for manufacturers to focus on functional foods.
News
UK registered distillery numbers explode post-COVID
The British spirits industry has exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 300 distilleries now registered in the UK.
News
The ingredient looking to take on Coronavirus
A new study has found that a natural compound found in foods such as kiwis, parsley and green peppers, possesses antiviral effects which researchers claim could destroy coronaviruses and help prevent the spread of infections.
News
Food most targeted in supply chain thefts
A BSI report surveying global supply chain risks between 2021 and 2022 has identified food and fuel as top commodities involved in supply chain thefts, alongside an influx of sophisticated cyberattacks.
Opinion
Just-in-time: the changing supplier relationship
John Brown, VP marketing & business development at Selig, discusses the changing landscape of packaging operations after Covid.
News
The state of the UK food and drink sector and what’s to come…
On 19 October, Food Manufacture will see three experts looking at the trends of today and tomorrow, as they report on the state of Britain's food and drink industry and its future outlook.
News
Walker’s Shortbread’s sees 16% climb in annual turnover
The Scottish biscuit and cake company has witnessed an uplift post-pandemic, as 2022 saw its annual turnover rise from £142.4m to £164.6m but profits didn't quite recover.
Long read
Today’s biggest risks in food and drink manufacturing
Marsh, a leading insurance broker and risk advisor, recently highlighted several big threats producers should be aware of in 2023. Here we summarise the findings and how one might mitigate against them.
News
Seara capitalises on frozen food surge
Current economic volatility has been having a big impact on consumer purchasing habits, driving the popularity of frozen foods, says leading UK poultry supplier Seara.
News
Food insecurity reaches new highs
Food insecurity has increased from 16% to 25% across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in the last three years.
Data dashboard
Who led food trade during the height of the pandemic?
An analysis of the world’s most imported and exported food groups identified the US as the world’s food trading leader during the first year of the pandemic, with the UK ranking eighth.
Long read
What’s driving food factory closures – and how to avoid them
With news of administrations, proposed closures and complete shutdowns haunting the headlines, Food Manufacture takes a deep dive into the drivers, whether this is a trend set to last and what businesses can do to turn things around.
Me & My Team
Surviving hard times in business
Tracey Hughes, managing director of the sweet treat sourcing and suppling specialist, Henley Bridge, discusses how she has been leading a team through these tough times we’ve all felt.
News
Supermarkets must re-evaluate how they work with their supply chains to bring food inflation down, says expert
International procurement and supply chain management consultancy INVERTO believes retailers need to move away from transactional relationships with suppliers to help bring food inflation down.
Short read
Food and beverage market overview: challenging environment holds back innovation and productivity
Volatility in the food and drink market is easing, but long-term uncertainty will continue to plague producers holding back innovation and productivity, according to the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) latest State of Industry report for Q1 2023.
News
Food and drink M&A activity on the rise
Food and drink merger and acquisition (M&A) activity is on the rise, but the value of deals has dropped in the face of persistent macroeconomic headwinds and the absence of larger players in the market.
Opinion
Soaring UK food prices could foretell supply shortage, expert warns
Food supply is so interconnected globally, and its distribution so inherently fragile, that the UK is only a disaster away from a food supply shortage, an expert in global food security has cautioned.
News
Threat of insolvency for manufacturers on the rise
Insolvencies in the food and drink manufacturing industry have seen a steady decline since September last year, but a record number of insolvencies could be on the horizon for the manufacturing sector, according to law firm Higgs.
Long read
Where can I cut costs without impacting food integrity?
Food Manufacture recently aired a webinar that explored how food manufacturers could reduce costs without negatively influencing food integrity. Here are the highlights from our expert guest speakers.
News
Calls made for Government to restore access to China pork market
The head of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee has called on the Government to help exporters regain access to the Chinese pork market.
News
Food inflation accelerates but could be hitting its peak
Food inflation has risen to 19.2% in March from 18.2% in February, the highest rate in 45 years, rocketing ahead of CPI’s inflation of 10.1%, according to Office of National Statistics figures.
The Talent Poole
Being a confident decision-maker
Jon Poole interviews Keston Williams, Barfoots COO, who offers his perspective on nimble decision-making in the fast-paced world of food and drink.
6 ways to build a robust food supply chain in an unstable world
Professor Manoj Dora, Director, Centre for Intelligent Supply Chains & Chair in Sustainable Production & Consumption at Anglia Ruskin University offers six ways you can firm up your supply chain resilience in a rocky world.
Video
Why can't the UK solve food insecurity? Episode seven
In the final episode of this seven-part series brought to you by Food Manufacture and sponsored by RSSL, our editor Bethan Grylls, meets with Timothy Lang of City University, emeritus professor of food policy.
News
NFU president says gaps in ETII scheme are “irresponsible”
NFU president says an “urgent review” of the ETII is needed to avoid essential and vulnerable food producing sectors facing “a cliff edge” when the Energy Bill Relief Scheme ends later this month.
France and the Netherlands boost UK beef exports to Europe
France and the Netherlands' appetite for British beef has help boost exports to Europe for the first nine months of 2022, according to a new report from Meat Promotion Wales – Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC).
Long read
Challenges and developments in the food and drink supply chain
With the food and drink industry under constant threat from global pressures such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, how has the supply chain managed to keep up and running and what new developments do operators need to be aware of?
Red meat production is returning to pre-Covid patterns
Red meat production is returning to pre-Covid patterns as the impact of the pandemic is subsiding, the latest Monthly Market Bulletin by Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has revealed.
COVID-19 causing SARS-CoV-2 could stay on food for 30 days
SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, could survive on meat and fish products in the freezer or refrigerator for up to 30 days, a new study has suggested.
Digital feature: long read
Food safety trends
The past two years have brought rapid and relentless change to the food chain and this shows no signs of slackening.
Government U-turn on border strategy: Industry reaction
The UK government’s U-turn on border strategy will help clear up red tape surrounding imports, but could endanger parts of the industry to potentially devastating disease risks, warned members of the food and drink industry.
McCain GB and Bright Blue Foods see sales and profits rise
McCain Foods (GB) and Bright Blue Foods have joined the ranks of food manufacturers recovering from the hammer blow of the pandemic, with both reporting sales and profits up in full-year results.
Government launches review into fortifying food with vitamin D
A review into whether food should be fortified with vitamin D to help boost the nation’s intake of the nutrient has been launched by the Office for Health Improvement & Disparities (OHID).
Digital feature: long read
Sustainable sourcing: the challenges
Food and drink processors are making constant progress in tackling the sustainability of the raw materials they use, from energy, gas, packaging, to ingredients such as soy and palm oil.
NI red meat consumption stable, but concern for female groups
People in Northern Ireland are continuing to eat red and processed meats, according to the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), citing National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) data.
Sugar and ingredients soar as ABF offsets inflation
Associated British Foods (ABF) claims its sugar and ingredients divisions have delivered powerful performances in the 24 weeks to 5 March 2022, while Twinings Ovaltine proved a star performer in its grocery channel.
Food suppliers and shops must change tack to address inflation
Food manufacturers and retailers need to change their approach to inflation to tackle current trends and understand that mid-sized and small retailers and brands are more vulnerable than big companies or own-label.
Food and beverage producers see slowdown in cost increases
Food and beverages producers saw the biggest slowdown in cost increases in January, according to the latest Lloyds Bank UK Recovery Tracker.
Fresh funding for Scottish food wholesalers and producers
Food and drink wholesalers and producers in Scotland affected by coronavirus restrictions can now apply for funding.
Food industry trends 2022: from COVID-19 to climate change
Brexit, supply chain issues, the pandemic, sustainability and consumer concerns about health and wellness look set to steer many food industry trends in 2022.
Sushi rice prices set to explode
The UK is set to experience a significant increase in the price of sushi rice, according to ingredients firm Eurostar Commodities.
Food and drink manufacturers face supply issues in wake of plunging hospitality trading.
Food and drink manufacturers are facing major challenges as orders for some have collapsed in the wake of the Omicron variant and rising Covid cases.
Greencore bounces back, helped by food-to-go and convenience
New business and strong food-to-go and wider convenience sales have helped Greencore Group return to revenue and profit growth after a challenging year.
Action needed to curb ‘terrifying’ rate of food inflation: FDF boss
Action needs to be taken to curb the ‘terrifying’ rate of food inflation in the UK, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) chief executive Ian Wright has warned.
Food manufacturers report sharpest month-on-month price increases
Food and drink manufacturers reported the sharpest month-on-month price increases, as input cost inflation neared record highs, according to the latest Lloyds Bank UK Recovery Tracker.