Help us find the Food Manufacture Personality of the Year 2011
Who do you believe has done the most to raise the profile of UK food and drink manufacturing over the past year?
Archives for July 31, 2011
Spotlight on gluten-free fortification
Fortification of gluten free bread products in the UK is likely to be limited and inconsistent, according to a study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
Small fortune
With accusations of misleading advertising from consumer groups Which? in the UK and Foodwatch in Germany, and bad publicity about the way its Nutella hazelnut spread has been marketed in the US, Ferrero md for UK and Ireland, Christian Walter is...
Adjudicator unlikely to stop retailers abusing suppliers
The retail promotional system is flawed, unsustainable and needs a complete overhaul, although manufacturers are divided over the ability of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP) or the new adjudicator to tackle this.
Upgrades slash power consumption
Energy efficiency expert, Optima Control Solutions (OCS) is seeing a significant growth in demand for its cost-effective, high-quality drive control systems that help maximise plant performance.
Skills framework 'will go on' despite refusal of funding
Plans to establish a new professional qualification standard that would enable people to progress their careers in the food sector will still go ahead, despite the project's failure to receive backing under the first round of bidding for the government's...
Ferrero plans to build plant to make Nutella in the UK
Italian chocolate maker Ferrero is planning to open production facilities in the UK as part of its plans to double sales here to £400m by 2015.
Continuous replenishment drive will be 'key challenge'
Increasing demand for cross-category continuous replenishment and flexibility and growing calls for sustainability are core challenges that manufacturers must face to add value to the supply chain, according to General Mills.
Controlled grills and ovens help meet demand for ready meals
"We are going to see a tremendous amount of growth in the ready-to-serve marketplace," says Walter Sommers, president of Ruprecht, a Chicago-based ready meal manufacturer. "And the cooking equipment we've recently purchased will allow us to participate...
Judge blames bitter war of roses on ‘Yorkshire pride’
Independent Yorkshire brewery Cropton is working on a new design for labels on its beer bottles, following a four-year legal “battle of the roses”.
Vion stands by ‘regrettable’ factory closure
Vion Food Group is standing by its decision to close its poultry processing plant near Doncaster despite pressure from a local MP to reconsider.
It's in the bag for Seabrook
The pages of magazines are littered with over-eager brands all boasting amazingly optimistic growth plans, which stretch the bounds of credibility. Seabrook Crisps might easily be mistaken for one of them if it weren't for the fact that, in Seabrook's...
What's the big idea?
As part of the Vion Group, Snowbird Foods is brimming over with new concepts for a host of meat products, from sausages to meatballs. We grill the man behind production
Power to the people
As the flames of the recession die down, will businesses rise from the ashes with opportunities for employment?
Cash-strapped firms risk going bust as tax loophole closes
The closure of a taxation loophole means that companies that are struggling with their cash flow risk going bankrupt if they try to delay paying year-end tax bills while disbursing dividends, accountants have warned.
Superdairies are off the boil
The UK is the third largest dairy producer in Europe but it pays farmers the third worst price for its milk. No wonder producers are more inclined to bottle out than bottle it.
Belt up for hygienic processing
Conveyor and transmission belt manufacturer Chiorino UK has launched a new belt that ensures absolute hygiene
Let the battle of the sausage commence
As the country gears up for British Sausage Week 2011 (October 30 – November 6), the most hotly contested sausage competition is now underway.
Contract loss leads to Bakkavör Spalding reorganisation
Bakkavör says it needs to reorganise the workforce at its site in Spalding, Lincolnshire, after losing a tender for the supply of speciality salads.
Initiatives unveiled to boost flow of graduates into sector
Manufacturers have committed to doing more to attract bright young people into the food sector and avert the impending skills crisis threatening its future.
Western promise
Forget the ancient tradition of eastern spices, it's flavours from the west that are inspiring the UK's consumers.
Manage food safety and avert a product recall crisis
Environmental health officers (EHOs) have come out strongly against plans being considered by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to move from a local to a centralised system of managing food safety inspection of food business operations.
High impact strength CPET for frozen foods
For the first time, plastics converter Faerch Plast UK has said it is forming frozen food trays from a high-impact strength grade of crystalline polyethylene terephthalate (CPET) for better performance at low temperatures.
Cut reaction
Many companies already feel they've taken action to cut sky-high energy bills. But where might investment make further savings?
Heinz restores Westwick volumes after severe fire
Heinz says it has “dialled up” production volumes on two lines at its Aunt Bessie’s frozen potato factory in Westwick, Norfolk, which was devastated by a major fire in early May.
Olympics to give huge boost to recycling and composting
With the launch of the tendering process for foodservice packaging suppliers, the London 2012 Olympics organisers are providing a welcome boost to 'widely recycled' and industrially compostable materials.
Call for more evidence on unpasteurised cheese safety
Food experts have called for more evidence before they can consider revising the advice they offer on the safety of unpasteurised or raw milk cheese.
Is sugar a magic ingredient?
I recently presented a paper on reformulation at the World Sugar Research Organisation's international conference in Paris to global sugar barons. As a result, I tried to give a balanced, scientifically accurate review of the pros and cons of sugar. In...
The weakest link
Despite growing sophistication in the supply chain, recent food scares indicate continued weaknesses.
Coca-Cola: manufacturers will never win the battle of the biodegradeable bottle
Despite manufacturers' best efforts to become greener, fully biodegradeable plastic bottles and zero carbon emissions from factories are unlikely to ever become a reality, according to the head of corporate social responsibility and sustainability at...
Phone hacking in the 19th century
You would not imagine that there would be a link between the News of The World (NoTW, now deceased) and nutrition health claims.
Coca-Cola's new canning line to raise capacity by 20m cases
Coca-Cola Enterprises' (CCE's) Sidcup factory in Kent will next month commission a new £14.3m line for the production of canned products. It will raise the plant's capacity by a further 20m cases a year.
New concept takes high-street deli sandwich to London schools
The high street boom in deli-style sandwiches is set to hit London schools, thanks to a new sandwich bar concept from Brakes Group.
Europe is up with the larch
Larch extract taxifolin is nearing approval as a novel food ingredient in the EU following endorsement by the Food Standards Agency's (FSA's) Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) last month.
A more consistent way to see red
Red Strawberry Fragaria is the newest natural colour to be launched by Chr Hansen. Designed for fermented milk and fruit preparations, it offers a more cost-effective and consistent way to colour yogurt with a lower concentration of the colour that is...
A game of health claims consequences
In 2009, we published a review on the health effects of probiotics. Although there are gaps in the evidence, a number of peer-reviewed trials have demonstrated strain-specific benefits in a variety of clinical situations, such as antibiotic-associated...
Online voters choose Linda McCartney's new vegan pie
Following a search for the 'UK's tastiest meat-free dish', Linda McCartney Foods is launching a new Mushroom & Ale Pie based on a vegan recipe that won 40% of public votes.
Meat processors 'go natural' for product preservatives
The retailer-driven trend for clean-label foods has hit finished meat products, according to a major ingredients distributor.