The FMT Blog
Opinion, analysis and musings from the FMT editorial team and expert guest writers about the food processing and manufacturing sector.
McDonald’s sales suffer slight drop despite worldwide restaurant closures
McDonald’s sales fell by only 3.4% in the first three months of the year, despite closing all of its restaurants in the UK. The fast food chain’s international business was hit due to closures in the UK, France, Italy and Spain, but 99% of restaurants in the US...
Record number of people apply for fruit and veg grower jobs
Travel restrictions on overseas workers has seen a record number of people apply for farming jobs, according to job site TotalJobs. As a result of the current Covid-19 crisis, the UK has faced a shortage of fruit and vegetable pickers. However, Totaljobs says it has...
Tesco suffers significant costs due to Covid-19
Tesco said it is “incurring significant additional costs” as the company tries to deal with the impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. In a statement released alongside its preliminary results for the financial year ending 29th February 2020, the supermarket said...
NFU holds crisis meeting with Defra secretary to save UK’s iconic dairy sector
National Farmers Union (NFU) president Minette Batters has called on Defra secretary, George Eustice, to a crisis meeting and to take immediate steps to ensure the sustainability of the dairy sector. The survival of many British dairy farming businesses hit by the...
CCF details impact of coronavirus on cold chain businesses
The Cold Chain Federation (CCF) has provided an insight into the effects Covid-19 is having on UK cold chain businesses, with businesses reporting a 15% loss of staff due to the virus. The Federation has reported that current absentee rates are between 10-15% in...
NFUS aiming to keep Scotland fed over Easter
Farmers, crofters and the Scottish food and drink sector are striving to ensure Scottish glasses and plates remain full over Easter, according to NFU Scotland. NFU Scotland says it remains fully committed to its pledge of keeping the plates and glasses of Scotland...
Branston appoints new sales and marketing director
National potato supplier Branston has added to its sales and marketing team by promoting its account director, Lucia Washbrook, into the role of sales and marketing director. Washbrook, who has over 12 years’ experience in the food manufacturing industry, started at...
IGD works with industry to supply essentials to food banks
IGD has been working with food surplus charity FareShare to ensure a consistent supply of food to food banks across the UK following the effects of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Susan Barratt, CEO of IGD, said: “Two weeks ago, as the pandemic escalated, and with the...
IFST bestows Honorary Fellowship on three members
The Institute of Food Science & Technology (IFST) has bestowed its Honorary Fellowship Award to three of its most esteemed members following the Annual General Meeting. Due to Covid-19, the organisations AGM and the handing over of the presidency and its various...
New regional sales manager appointed at Loma Systems
Loma Systems has announced Ivor Milne as its new regional sales manager for Scotland. In moving into an existing position, Ivor aims to bring many years of engineering experience to Loma, having worked for leading food manufacturers in Scotland and more recently with...