The FMT Blog
Opinion, analysis and musings from the FMT editorial team and expert guest writers about the food processing and manufacturing sector.
Whitbread to lose 6,000 jobs following impact of Covid-19
Whitbread, the company which owns Premier Inn and Beefeater restaurants, has warned that 6,000 members of staff could lose their jobs following the impact of coronavirus. Although the company said it is hoping to avoid compulsory redundancies, it said the loss of...
Ingredient labels still aren’t clear enough, survey finds
Many food products do not offer the clear labelling of ingredients that consumers want, according to new research. In a survey of 1,000 adults in the UK and USA, commissioned by Ingredient Communications and conducted by SurveyGoo, 50% of people said they are more...
Carbery Group launches new cheese brand for ingredient and foodservice sectors
International dairy, nutrition and flavour company Carbery Group is launching a new cheese brand specifically targeted at the ingredients and foodservice markets in Europe and Asia. The range includes natural cheddar, ‘Cheese Extra’, which is a functional, reduced-fat...
Patrick Coveney appointed IGD president
Patrick Coveney, chief executive officer of Greencore Group, has been appointed president of IGD by its Board of Trustees. Already an active member of IGD’s Policy Issues Council, Coveney will take on the presidency from Andrew Higginson on 1st January 2021. Coveney...
Soil Association Certification continues to freeze fees in response to Covid-19
Soil Association Certification has announced it will continue to freeze fees for all licensees until the 31st March 2021. All core fees for organic schemes for food and farming will remain at 2019 levels. In another bid to support smaller business, Soil Association...
Contracts consultation is opportunity to change dairy sector for the better, says NFU
Flexible and innovative regulation of dairy contracts will help ensure the sector's sustainability and improve the way dairy farmers and processors work together, according to the National Farmers Union (NFU). The NFU has submitted its response to the Government...
Julie Hesketh-Laird appointed new strategy director of Food Standards Scotland
Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has announced the appointment of former Scottish Salmon Producers’ Organisation chief executive, Julie Hesketh-Laird, to the new role on a two-year fixed-term appointment from the 3rd November 2020. Hesketh-Laird’s responsibilities will...
Verner Wheelock celebrates 30 years with online lecture
Food industry training firm Verner Wheelock is celebrating 30 years in business by hosting an online lecture by a leading ‘low-carb’ professional. The company, based in Skipton, North Yorkshire, was founded by professor Verner Wheelock in 1990, the same year that the...
Research shows consumers actively seeking healthier foods
89% of Scots have at least one health goal and are actively seeking healthier food, according to research by Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scotland with Levercliff. The research looked at consumer attitudes towards health and wellbeing and what drives them when...
Awards ceremony for Women In Meat moves online
The annual Women In Meat Industry Awards ceremony is to take place online this year in December as a virtual event. The popular initiative has received over 9,000 votes – a record number and is set to reveal nine category winners and one overall winner. Organiser of...