Polish invasion
The Polish food revolution is well under way, not just in specialist delicatessens, but in major retailers where consumers can't get enough of pickled cucumbers and Pierogi dumplings. Lynda Searby investigates
Archives for November 26, 2007
Gloucester fosters skills
The rolling countryside of Gloucestershire looks set to become home to a vital base of training for the food and drink industry. Rod Addy investigates
The art of food factory resin floors
BASF Construction Chemicals' Performance Flooring division has supplied 3,000m² of its resin flooring systems to Hygrade Foods in Wiltshire....
Product sales to kitchen scales
Sales experience gives Premier Foods' business development chef Justyn Dow the upper hand in NPD, says Sarah Britton
The health divide
Depending on which category processors specialise in, the health craze is either stifling or encouraging creativity. Rod Addy investigates
No more noodle giveaway
The speed and accuracy of the Ishida Fresh Food Weigher has enabled German noodle manufacturer Geflügelhof Martin Zapf to double its production of...
To the manor born - the humble pie
With Christmas round the corner, Peter Dee says there are more reasons than ever to believe Manor Bakeries can meet the demand
Aspartame offers firms a sweet deal
As the nation battles with obesity, the popularity of low calorie soft drinks is increasing and the need to maximise manufacturing efficiencies is...
Supplier help needed to drive 'delivered wholesale'
Food wholesaler Booker is seeking greater supplier involvement as it forges ahead with plans to expand its "delivered wholesale" services, following...
Da Vinci code paints a picture of NPD in food and drink
Many new products are unsuccessful because manufacturers are failing to keep tabs on them after they have launched, according to a market...
Unilever twists again at Gloucester site
Unilever is embarking on a major expansion of its ice-cream factory in Gloucester with the installation of two new production lines for Twister...
Trade Talk
No such thing as bad publicity for bacon butty fans
Tesco puts poor-performing suppliers in 'intensive care'
Regime of action plans and regular reviews
Cadbury won’t give us the facts on Keynsham closure, says union
There could be a ballot for strike action at Cadbury Trebor Bassett plants before Christmas if progress is not made in talks over the firm’s plans...
Oxygen scavenging aids cut meat
New oxygen-scavenging technology can increase the shelf-life of fresh-cut meat products from a few days to almost a month by virtually eliminating...
Throwaway ideas
In an environmentally conscious age, disposable pumps might seem odd. But the idea is not as barmy as it seems. Michelle Knott reports
Centralised vacuum is a winner for food packaging
Energy and environmental factors have triggered a move towards the use of central vacuum systems for food packaging, according to vacuum specialist...
Cooler factory air helps Buxton bake better cakes
High summer temperatures of 34°C to 37°C at Buxton Spa Bakery have been reduced by up to 10°C following the installation of a Breezair Evaporative...
Don't let non-bottlenecks steal from you!
Is your business a victim of internal self-inflicted supply chain crime?Like a burglar sneaking round the back, are you being robbed by some of your...
Lycopene put to the test
Lycopene is frequently hailed as a wonder ingredient, associated with preventing cancer and heart disease. But researchers are now beginning to...
The chefs of tomorrow
As I got my fix of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares one evening last month, I found myself scribbling down some notes as I planned a menu for a young...
Premium, not prima donna
Experts tell Sarah Britton where to draw the line between developing an expensive product that tastes great, but is unaffordable, and creating a lesser product that looks the part, but doesn't perform well
Cast your net wider
Sustainability issues mean traditional cod and haddock products are making way for hake and pollock. Sarah Britton reports
UK food firms unprepared for bird flu
The UK's food industry is badly prepared for bird flu compared with other countries, a leading insurance broker has claimed.Avian flu may cause many...
Research on extending shelf-life endangered
A research project to double the shelf-life of chilled foods and save the industry millions of pounds in waste is in danger because of fears over...
GM plants for omega-3
Genetic modification may offer plant alternative to fish oils
HGV taxes need to rise by 50% to cover their damage to environment
Taxes on heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) would have to rise by 50% to cover their true environmental impact costs, new research has suggested.The...
Forget 'frankenfood', GM crops can feed the world, says FDF
Europe cannot continue to bury its head in the sand over GM crops, says FDF's Ferguson
Gibsons Foods to cut landfill use by over 65%
Ellesmere Port-based food manufacturer Gibsons Foods is working with Storm Recycling to recycle and compost an additional 250t of waste a year. The...
Robots put some pace into packaging Cornish pasties
Ginsters has transformed the packing of its top-selling Cornish pasties and other savoury products with a high-speed automated robotic packaging...
Smokin' hot chamber for meat, fish
New from Union Food Machinery & Equipment is the Mauting UKM Junior-02 smoking chamber, suitable for small to medium-sized meat processing firms....
LFI launches study into wholegrains and satiety
A study exploring the impact of wholegrains on satiety will start at Leatherhead Food International next year.Thanks to projects like the EU-funded...
Food Chain Centre proves benefits of lean thinking
Lean production techniques offer food producers and processors huge potential for reducing supply chain costs, new studies have revealed.Twenty-five...
Irish firms turn to UK expertise
Three meat processors in Ireland have invested in the latest food processing and cooking equipment from Interfood Technology. McCaughey Foods, Brady...
Robots just keep on saving
Almost two years after adding two ABB robotic cells to its production line, Ilchester Cheese continues to maintain improved labour and material...
Chicken offal waste pumped faster
The installation of a Widethroat Mono pump at Grampian Country Food Group's chicken processing plant in Flintshire has increased productivity at the...
Co-operation aids innovation
Look outside your in-house research efforts for inspiration and novel ideas
Flavour controls tighten up
I wonder if renaming additives as food improvement agents will reduce the pressure for 'clean' labels we continue to see in the UK prepared foods...
Euromonitor: functional foods will be worth $130bn by 2011
The global market for functional and fortified foods and beverages is set to grow 35% from $96bn to $130bn in 2011, according to new data from market...
Raise awareness on food waste
Call for public education to beat planning objections on digestion plants
Good food is going to waste, claims Sainsbury
Thousands of tonnes of retail food waste, which could be redistributed, are unnecessarily going into landfill because the infrastructure is not there...
Independents lead the way on synchronisation of data
Major supermarkets left standing in bid to standardise on global product info
Stars of the show
The very best in UK food manufacture was recognised at the Food Manufacture Excellence Awards 2007. Sarah Britton reports
Competition hots up as chilled pizzas get a longer shelf-life
Competition in the chilled pizza market is hotting up, with prepacked products battling it out with the fresh made-to-order alternative from the deli...
Unilever uses warehouses to prototype
Unilever is making use of spare space within its warehouses to prototype new developments before they are fully integrated into manufacturing...
Show me the honey
Honey Monster Foods, a subsidiary of Big Bear, plans to revive the hot cereals category with the launch of Honey Meltz - a new porridge with tasty...
Pasta on-the-go packs a punch for consumers too busy to stop for lunch
Specialist pasta meals supplier, and Food Manufacture Excellence Award winner, Pasta King is launching Pk2go - a new product line to cater for the...
Mixed emotions
While market analysts are confident that the mood foods sector is set to grow, consumers remain unconvinced, says Sarah Britton
Bone up on waste
For a sector that is under the cosh, new controls on handling waste are making life even more difficult for meat processors. Nicola Cottam reports
The heart of the debate
Ingredients suppliers remain confident that the heart health trend is about to rocket, but market analysts aren't so sure. Mary Carmichael reports
Automated tracking beefs up Canadian meat producer
Automation and radio frequency identification (RFID) equipment from Omron in the UK has been the key to tracking and transporting beef at Rancher's...