All articles by Alex Beckett – Page 19

  • News

    Aunt Bessie’s MD hunt ends in Heritage hire

    2008-07-26T00:00:00Z

    After eight months without a managing director, Aunt Bessie’s has appointed Paul Heritage to the role. Heritage replaces Paul Sanderson, who left last December after four years with the frozen food company. A spokeswoman blamed the delay on the...

  • News

    Pickup appointed new sales director at UBUK

    2008-07-19T00:00:00Z

    Former Hovis chief Dave Pickup has been named as the new sales director of McVitie’s and Hula Hoops manufacturer United Biscuits UK. In addition to heading up UBUK’s sales team, providing strategic leadership and driving the sales function of the...

  • News

    Freedom Food farm lapses face scrutiny

    2008-07-05T00:00:00Z

    The RSPCA has suspended a Somerset chicken farm from the Freedom Food scheme following a Five News investigation revealed it was not meeting the scheme's standards. The Five report claimed perches were not in use, chickens were not let...

  • News

    Asda 'acting like slave trader' with latest banana price cuts

    2008-07-05T00:00:00Z

    Asda's recent banana price cuts and a decision to pull out of a supplier conference make it "no better than a Victorian slave trader", claims an international banana trade organisation. The attack was provoked by Asda's decision to slash...

  • News

    Findus targets growth through 70s nostalgia

    2008-06-28T00:00:00Z

    Findus is bringing back its fish fingers after an 11-year absence to capitalise on the revival of interest in old 1970s staples. It hopes the relaunch, which comes ahead of a wider refresh of its classic frozen food offer, including the...

  • News

    Puro plans broader range as turnover heads for £1m mark

    2008-06-28T00:00:00Z

    Unpasteurised smoothie brand Puro is on target to hit turnover of £1m in the next 18 months and plans to widen distribution and launch new formats. The brand, which shifts 5,000 units a week and has doubled sales in the past year, is...

  • News

    Top-Up shop

    2008-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Who we visited costcutter Finchley Road, London LONDIS Harrogate, North Yorkshire somerfield Stamford, Lincolnshire spar Milton of Campsie, East Dunbartonshire tesco express Aberdeen How...

  • News

    Price Survey

    2008-06-21T00:00:00Z

    They are separated by the faintest of margins, but Asda has narrowly undercut Morrisons to record its fourth week as cheapest retailer. Asda's £52.32 basket was just 9p less than Morrisons' total, although they did not match as many...

  • News

    Tesco carves Turkey into three regions

    2008-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Tesco has restructured its operations in Turkey, with three directors appointed to run three newly defined regions of the country. The Aegean and Mediterranean region is to be headed by COO Richard Baker, promoted from his position as...

  • News

    Kraft promotes Bunker to oversee investment

    2008-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Kraft Foods UK and Ireland has promoted Nick Bunker to the role of vice president and managing director to oversee a £13m investment in its leading brands. Bunker, who was previously head of Kraft Foods' European customer services and...

  • News

    Availability

    2008-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Asda Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire 0 Our shopper was highly impressed by the standard of tidiness at this bright and spacious Asda. The aisles were free from shelf stackers and packing trolleys and staff were polite and quick to...

  • News

    Q&A with Andy Stanbridge Store manager of the week

    2008-06-21T00:00:00Z

    Are there any perks to the events? Well they certainly increase footfall. We recently had the regional university fair and thousands of students descended on the store and blitzed our stock of sandwiches. But we know when the events are...

  • News

    Waitrose wins in Wiltshire

    2008-06-14T00:00:00Z

    Being housed within an old cinema is not the only reason why Waitrose's Marlborough branch in Wiltshire blends in so harmoniously with its surroundings. Our first Top Store of the new year as far as The Grocer 33 is concerned managed to...

  • News

    Price Survey

    2008-06-14T00:00:00Z

    No retailer came close to matching Asda's remarkable domination of our pricing survey this year. This was Asda's eleventh consecutive year as the UK's cheapest retailer, with its consistently low prices winning it 35 of the past 50...

  • News

    Pearson promoted to refresh Danone water

    2008-06-14T00:00:00Z

    Danone Waters UK, the owner of Evian and Volvic mineral water, has promoted James Pearson to the role of commercial director in a bid to restore growth in bottled water sales. The former sales development director at Groupe Danone will...

  • News

    Asda Prices to go Global

    2008-06-14T00:00:00Z

    As Asda was crowned Britain's cheapest supermarket for a record-breaking 11th year running at The Grocer Gold Awards this week, The Grocer learned of plans by the Leeds-based supermarket to lower the price of branded goods still further by...

  • News

    The constructive approach - Q&A and Availability

    2008-02-04T00:00:00Z

    Deciding the winner of the Top Store award has been a tough call this week with all the retailers except Somerfield providing full baskets - but staff at Sainsbury's branch in Winchester, Hampshire, clinched it with an excellent display of customer...

  • News

    Old El Paso aims to get families cooking

    2008-02-04T00:00:00Z

    Mexican food brand Old El Paso is ploughing £5.5m into the launch of a strategy primarily targeting the family market rather than adults for the first time. To kick off the new positioning it is launching two dinner kits, Oven Baked...

  • News

    Price of food rockets 8% as rising commodity costs bite

    2008-02-04T00:00:00Z

    Food prices have leapt 8% in two years as a result of soaring commodity costs, according to The Grocer's exclusive research. Latest data from The Grocer Price Index shows the average cost of our secret 100-item trolley of staple products...

  • News

    Price Survey - 2nd February 2008

    2008-02-04T00:00:00Z

    Morrisons has toppled Asda from its perch to claim the title of UK's cheapest retailer for the first time since 29 September. The only serious challenger for the crown over recent months, Morrisons finally produced the cheapest basket at £43.82 -...