The FMT Blog
Opinion, analysis and musings from the FMT editorial team and expert guest writers about the food processing and manufacturing sector.
Proseal to become part of JBT Corporation
Food processing machinery supplier, Proseal UK, along with Proseal America and Proseal Australia is to become part of the JBT Corporation. Established in 1998, Proseal now employs 350 staff in Adlington, Cheshire, with additional facilities in Richmond, Virginia and...
Sainsbury’s launches the first till-free store
The experiment will put SmartShop Scan, Pay & Go technology to the test in a bespoke food-to-go store, making grocery shopping quicker and more convenient. Customer feedback from the experiment will help Sainsbury’s develop the SmartShop Scan, Pay & Go app...
Grocery market sees record-breaking figures for Easter
The latest grocery market share figures from Kantar show a record-breaking £2.5 billion was spent during the Easter week, which is the fastest rate of growth the overall sector has experienced in 2019. Total year-on-year sales increased by 2.0% during the 12 weeks to...
Samworth Brothers launches new food-to-go business
British food manufacturer, Samworth Brothers, is to launch a brand-new food-to-go business and delivery service, Fresh Food For Now Company. The UK food-to-go sector is a growing market, predicted to be worth £22.8bn by 2023. The new venture marks the evolution of the...
Scotch beef and lamb PGI to be profiled at Hong Kong event
Both Scotch beef PGI and Scotch lamb PGI are set to be high profile in Hong Kong next month at HOFEX, Asia’s leading food and hospitality trade show. HOFEX runs over four days from 7th – 10th May 2019 and attracts more than 42,000 visitors from over 85 countries and...
Sainsbury’s celebrates its 150th birthday with pop-up experience for the general public
To celebrate its 150th Anniversary, Sainsbury's is going back in time to its beginnings in London’s Soho with a pop-up experience. Visitors will be taken on a journey from the store’s family-run shop on Drury Lane in 1869, through to the present day. The experience...
ABF largest private label bread manufacturing contract ends
Publication of Associated British Foods (ABF) interim results has revealed that at Allied Bakeries, recent customer discussions on pricing have had some success, but also led to the termination of its largest private label bread manufacturing contract with Tesco. ABF...
Industry responds to CMA’s decision to block Sainsbury’s/Asda merger
Responding to the announcement by the Competition and Mergers Authority that it will block the proposed merger of Sainsbury’s and Asda industry appears to approve its decision. FDF chief operating officer, Tim Rycroft said: “The CMA decision is the only logical...
Sainsbury’s and Asda merger blocked
The proposed merger between Sainsbury’s and Asda has been blocked outright by the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA’s judgement concludes the deal would be bad news for consumers. Stuart McIntosh, chair of the inquiry group, said: "It’s our...
Tesco launches new ‘Meat & Veg’ range
With an increase in demand for healthier, more sustainable and convenient products, Tesco is launching a new ‘Meat & Veg’ range. The new range is said to help make scratch cooking easier, removing the need to buy vegetables separately to make the base of popular...