All articles by Alex Beckett – Page 21
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News
Carling steps down as Red Bull director
Guy Carling has quit as Red Bull UK's brand director exactly 10 years to the day after joining the energy drink manufacturer. He was responsible for developing Red Bull's marketing campaign and led last month's structural review with Red...
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News
Outclassing its nearest rivals - Q&A and Availability
Stuart Edginton, store manager of Tesco's Winchester branch, Hampshire, may have only been in charge for four weeks, but he's started his new appointment in style by scooping this week's Top Store award. Our shopper was impressed with the high level...
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News
we work together - Phil on Andy
Phil on Andy I've been managing director of the family fruit company for 12 years, but Andy and I met about 18 years ago. I had only just started in the family business and Andy was working for R&K Wise, making desserts for Marks & Spencer....
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Profiles and QandAs
Parsons new chief at Rural Shops Alliance
The Rural Shops Alliance has promoted Kenneth Parsons to the position of chief executive, replacing Sean Carter, who is retiring at the end of October. Parsons joined the RSA in June 2006 as regional county co-ordinator for the...
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News
Unilever culls 315 jobs at three UK factories
Unilever is axing 315 jobs at three of its UK manufacturing plants, including the country's only Marmite factory, while positions at its Pot Noodle and Flora plants are also under threat. Unilever said the latest job losses were part of...
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News
Price Survey - 22nd September 2007
After a minor blip in last week's commodity based list, Asda is once again sitting pretty as the cheapest retailer in The Grocer 33 pricing survey. However, Somerfield is closer than ever to breaking into the top four. Usually the second most...
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News
Price Survey
After weeks of anticipation the rocketing price of commodities has finally hit the supermarket shelves, but the rising price of bread, milk and other staples is by no means across the board. Our analysis of The Grocer 33 this week shows,...
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News
Minute Maid sets sights on wellness
Coca-Cola Enterprises has added variants to its Minute Maid range and given the brand an image overhaul. The company wants to turn the brand into a leader of the wellness juices category with an £8m investment over the next 12 months. The...
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News
Premier reveals its key products for Christmas
Bird's Custard, Branston pickle, Ambrosia and Cadbury's cakes are the main products Premier Foods is backing for Christmas, chief executive Robert Schofield revealed this week. Schofield told The Grocer that Premier was well placed for...
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News
Somerfield now fully loaded! - Q&A and Availability
This week's winning Somerfield store, in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, is extraordinary for three reasons. For one, most of the shoppers at the branch fall into the 'hard-pressed' category, according to CACI, making it the first such store this year to...
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News
Lipton unveils its Rainforest Alliance tea
A Rainforest Alliance- certified tea has joined Unilever's Lipton portfolio in a move to stamp its authority on the ethical tea market. Lipton Kericho Estate Tea comes from Unilever's tea holdings in Kericho, Kenya. It has been...
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News
Price Survey - 8th September 2007
It's a case of five weeks and not out for Asda, which has chalked up its fifth consecutive week as the cheapest retailer. Asda's £35.32 basket contained five of the cheapest items on the list, although it undercut Morrisons on the loose apples, Hula...
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News
Hill to head supply chain at Greencore
Convenience food manufacturer Greencore has appointed Alwen Hill to the new position of group purchasing and supply chain director as it tries to keep a lid on inflationary cost pressures. The former managing director of the group's chilled sauces...
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News
Shake-up at Northern ready meals business
Northern Foods is restructuring its ready meals business in an attempt to improve service levels to its key customers. The division is to be split into two units: one dedicated to the manufacturing of Marks & Spencer meals and the other to its...
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News
Cost of bread set to rocket as wheat price hits record high
The cost of a loaf of bread is set to soar even further following another dramatic rise in wheat prices. The average price of a loaf of bread has already gone up 10% this year to about £1. Experts warned that prices could rise a further 10 to 20p...
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News
Winning over local residents - Q&A and Availability
This week, our shoppers visited stores across the breadth of the UK from Ballyclare in Northern Ireland to Porthmadog on the Welsh coast, and Scotland's ancient capital Stirling. Last week, the story was one of long queuing times. This time, they...
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News
Price Survey - 25th August 2007
It's just like old times in The Grocer 33 at the moment with Asda extending its run as the cheapest retailer to a third week. Asda provided a £40.68 basket, which was £1.39 cheaper than runner-up Tesco, although the rival retailers had the same...
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News
In Brief: Lo leaves Sainsbury's; Asda restructure; Sharp joins SSMG; Minister appointed; SABMiller shake-up
Lo leaves Sainsbury's Sainsbury's head of corporate affairs Helen Lo has left the company after seven months in the role. She arrived at Sainsbury's from Unilever, where she was head of corporate social responsibility and sustainability for Unilever...
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News
Sainsbury's hit by out-of-stocks
Sainsbury's has played down concerns of an availability crisis despite reports of dismal out-of-stocks from The Grocer 33 survey. In the past four weeks, Sainsbury's average availability has plummeted to 89.4%. Last year's average across the six...
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News
A far from unsuitable store - Q&A and Availability
In a week when none of the retailers could provide a full basket, the Morrisons branch in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, has landed our Top Store award for its first-class customer service and bounteous fresh produce selection. The other retailers were...