The FMT Blog
Opinion, analysis and musings from the FMT editorial team and expert guest writers about the food processing and manufacturing sector.
Young’s Seafood announces M&S contracts and site change
Young’s Seafood Limited has signed three significant contracts with Marks & Spencer (M&S). The contracts will see the company supply the retailer with chilled and frozen coated fish, natural salmon and white fish from 2018 to 2023. Bill Showalter, CEO of...
Lancashire Farm Dairies first to use free range milk in all yoghurt
In what’s being called an industry first, Lancashire Farm Dairies is to use free range milk in all of its yoghurt products. The Rochdale-based company has committed to only using free range milk in every yoghurt pot. Said to benefit both farmers and cows, the decision...
Kent Frozen Foods acquired by Sysco
Global foodservice distribution company, Sysco Corporation, has completed the acquisition of Kent Frozen Foods (kff), a UK-based foodservice distributor. The cash transaction, at an undisclosed price, was approved by the Competition and Markets Authority in March. The...
Aunt Bessie’s product recalled from Lidl stores
Food brand Aunt Bessie’s has recalled one of its products, being sold at discounter store Lidl, because of undeclared egg. The product in question is the Aunt Bessie’s Croquettes, which are described as small potato balls. Aunt Bessie’s is recalling Aunt Bessie’s...
Food businesses visit Latin America on trade mission
A selection the UK's fast growth food companies recently visited Chile and Argentina for a week-long trade mission organised by Santander UK. The firms, the majority from Cambridge and Anglia, undertook a series of exclusive meetings with buyers and distributors and...
Convenience and free-from dominate Easter
Products playing on the convenience and free-from trends dominated retailers’ shelves this Easter, including the prevalence of free-from chocolate and other alternatives. According to grocery researcher IGD, a quarter (25%) of shoppers showed an interest in free-from...
Grocery sales increase during cold weather
Grocery sales have increased in value by 2.5% compared to this time last year despite adverse weather conditions, according to the latest grocery market share figures from Kantar Worldpanel for the 12 weeks to 25th March 2018. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and...
Kerry Taste & Nutrition enhances offering with acquisition of Hasenosa
Kerry Taste & Nutrition has confirmed the acquisition of Hasenosa, a Spanish food producer of added value coatings with a speciality in extruded and gluten free breadcrumbs and coatings systems. The longevity and foothold that Hasenosa has in the Spanish market,...
Colman’s and Britvic factory closures to result in £10m local wage loss
The combined closure of both Colman’s and Britvic/Robinsons will result in nearly 1,000 job losses, and £10 million of wages “sucked out” of the local economy. This is according to GMB London Region, the union for workers at the Norwich Colman's factory, which has...
One year until Brexit: a food sector view
With just one year remaining until Brexit, food and drink expert Darren Seward of NFU Mutual details implications on the food manufacturing sector. “Leaving the EU presents the food industry with vulnerability to a variety of potential practical pitfalls when...