All articles by Michael Barker – Page 9
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Farmer confidence key to future of milk supply
Retailers and processors need to do more to build farmer confidence if they want to secure long-term UK milk supply, a DairyCo report has warned.The message came as processors announced another round of cuts in the amount paid to farmers....
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Bigger slice of the retail pie for UK beef and lamb producers
Beef producers are currently receiving their highest share of the retail price for 14 years, new figures reveal. The average retail beef price rose 15% last year to 520p/kg, but the average price cut received by suppliers was up 26% at...
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Jamie's Brit pork plea heeded by multiples
Retailers are bracing themselves for a surge in demand for cheap British pork cuts following next week's Jamie Saves Our Bacon programme. In Oliver's much-anticipated show, seen by The Grocer, the celebrity chef urges consumers to buy cheaper...
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Home-grown popularity could boost UK flowers
Promoting domestic flowers as “British” could be the way for growers to reverse declining sales, according to a new report.
“UK floriculture production is showing a decline, as a large share of the companies are rather out-of-date, have… -
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Vion restructure puts up to 820 jobs under threat
Up to 820 jobs are at risk at Vion after the meat producer announced a restructure of its UK business.The Dutch food giant said the competitive marketplace and over-capacity in the UK meat sector had prompted the restructure of its abattoir...
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Thanet Earth gets green thumbs up on emissions
The green credentials of the Thanet Earth glasshouse project have received a major boost after a new report found the site to be more environmentally friendly than foreign facilities.
Peppers and cucumbers grown at the Kent site would have… -
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Seasonal freshness in the bag
When it comes to salad leaves, Simon Ball will take fresh taste over food miles every time. Michael Barker talks to the MD of prepared salad producer Hazeldene Foods
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Pig farms won't cope if Jamie saves their bacon
Retailers will be unable to cope with any surge in demand for UK pork following Jamie Oliver’s upcoming TV show.
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Trouble ahead for dairy market as demand falls
The global dairy market is set for a troubled year as increased production meets weakening demand, a major US report has warned.Recession in the US, Japan and the EU would dramatically reduce global demand for dairy products, claimed the US...
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Noble Foods offers new hen-friendly Happy Eggs
Noble Foods has launched a new branded egg in a bid to invigorate the category and boost free-range sales.The Happy Egg Co will focus on promoting the wellbeing of its hens, which will live on Freedom Foods-accredited farms.Branded...
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Retail & Commodity Prices: Recession is good news for frozen food manufacturers
The average price of frozen food may be up 12.3% year-on-year but the sector is still set to pass the £5bn barrier this year. Michael Barker reports
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Banana prices set to be driven even higher
The price of bananas has increased by more than a third over the past year – and further price rises look likely to be on the way as the impact of the weak pound hits home. A kilo of bananas has risen from an average 70p at the big ...
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Anchor aims for a great leap forward with felt
Anchor has tapped into the most famous scene in iconic war movie The Great Escape in a bid to boost its profile as a 'free-range' butter brand.Manufacturer Arla Foods has created a £2.5m TV ad in which a felt cut-out Anchor cow makes a bid...
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Sterling slump will keep fresh food costly in 2009
Prices across the board look set to remain high in 2009 as the weak pound and tight UK supply hit home. Michael Barker reports
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Kettle Produce to axe 100 jobs as loss looms
Kettle Produce is to cut 100 jobs and has warned it is likely to post a loss in its full-year results.The company, one of the largest UK suppliers of prepared vegetables to the multiples, said it was axing 100 of its 950 staff on the back of...
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Guinness puts its name to premium meat range
The iconic Guinness name and signature taste is set to grace a wide range of meat products for the first time after Diageo signed a co-branding agreement with sausage specialist Debbie & Andrew's, The Grocer can reveal.The two manufacturers...
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Pork suppliers facing compensation claims
Irish meat suppliers face a wave of compensation claims from retailers in the wake of the contaminated pork scare - but suppliers may struggle to recoup those losses, experts have warned. Irish pork began to reappear on supermarket shelves...
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No place for the inefficient in the new world of dairy
As demand slows, consolidation is looming for a British dairy sector struggling to remain competitive against European rivals. Michael Barker reports
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DFB to slash staff and cut price paid for milk
Dairy Farmers of Britain plans to axe more than a quarter of its headcount in a major restructuring programme to return the business to profitability.The troubled dairy co-operative announced this week that its restructuring plan could...
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'Wall of leaves' putting off shoppers for salads
Leafy salad sales are being lost by the multiples as a result of poor merchandising in-store, an industry expert has claimed.Supermarkets had a tendency to create a "wall of leaves" that was inaccessible and confusing to consumers, according...