PoleStar Foods in trouble again 2 months after takeover
The future of PoleStar Foods' Okehampton desserts factory is once again in doubt just two months after Privet Capital stepped in to buy the business.
Archives for January 31, 2011
Tate & Lyle potentially vulnerable to Cargill takeover bid, M&A expert
Tate & Lyle could be vulnerable to a takeover by an industry rival such as Cargill, according to a lawyer specialising in food industry mergers and acquisitions.
New test to measure water activity
Ready-to-eat dried meat products such as pepperoni and jerky can be stored safely at room temperature because the preparation process destroys pathogens and reduces the water activity (aw) to a level at which microorganisms cannot grow. But getting the...
Local inspectors fear centralised control
Plans by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to review the delivery of food safety controls on businesses have raised concerns that any move to centralise work to ensure consistency across the UK might risk losing local expertise.
Chop and change to flat or wavy bacon
JBT FoodTech has incorporated a ‘lift’ mechanism into its custom-built ‘hold-down’ belt so that producers can cook both flat and wavy bacon to a high standard.
Success in China takes new, milder yogurt culture global
Food ingredient and enzyme company Danisco has taken a new milder yogurt culture global after it has shown “tremendous” success in China, the Middle East and North Africa.
Revamp for reward
Milk Link’s creamery in North Tawton, Devon, will have its whey dryer replaced as part of a refurbishment.
Arla offers licence for lactose-free dairy expertise
Dairy company Arla has begun to offer other producers a licensing package for its patented lactose-free dairy production technology. Previously the technology was only available to other companies in the Arla group in Scandinavia and the UK.
Joseph Dobson makes sweet savings
Traditional boiled sweets maker Joseph Dobson has more than doubled its output, while reducing its energy costs, following the installation of two new air compressors from Thorite.
Bakkavör earmarks Caledonian Produce site for expansion
Bakkavör has earmarked its Caledonian Produce site at Bo'ness, West Lothian, for expansion to ensure it has sufficient capacity to meet seasonal fluctuations in demand.
Island life: Warehousing and materials handling in focus
With voice picking and laser-guided truck systems, today’s islands of automation are not what they were 20 years ago. John Dunn reports
Insects can’t escape the ‘pest-net’
Pinguin’s site in Kings Lynn can typically process, pack and cold store around 50,000t of peas in a six- to eight-week period.
Halal poultry firm raises Euro standard
Dibs Distribution, a supplier of halal poultry products to the fast food industry, has obtained a EU food safety accreditation for its hygiene standards and can now trade in Europe.
Blakemore Fresh Foods invests £3.5m in new cutting plant
AF Blakemore has pumped £3.5m into a new temperature-controlled fresh meat cutting plant in Hilton Cross, South Staffordshire.
Cushion saves cash
A leading brewer has solved a costly stock damage problem by fitting innovative load cushions to its gas-powered counterbalanced forklifts.
Enzymes to enrich cheese flavour
Cheesemakers can benefit from new strains of enzymes produced by Wales-based enzyme manufacturer Biocatalysts.
New project gives postgraduates a flavour of the food industry
A new project designed to attract more postgraduates into the food industry has been launched, which awards bursaries to outstanding PhD students in the field of flavour research.
Focus on factory cleaning: On spray watch
Industry hygiene processes have evolved with technological progress, as Michelle Knott reports
Montezuma's doubles capacity as sales surge 40%
Upmarket chocolate maker Montezuma’s has doubled capacity at its chocolate factory in Chichester with the installation of a new depositor line.
Krispy Kreme chooses Manchester for first UK factory
US-based doughnut giant Krispy Kreme is opening its first UK manufacturing unit, as it bids to double its number of stores in the country within the next five years.
Clip the strip to hang up sales
Ishida says Lancashire-based contract packer Strategy Group is the first UK firm to install its new flexible strip pack applicator (F-SPA) system for applying hanging strips to products.