Sainsbury is set to announce a launch date for its new Nectar joint loyalty card scheme with Barclaycard, Debenhams and BP this month. Camelot has yet to churn any underperforming retailers as its retailer sales improvement programme has fallen behind schedule. The first retailers to fail the programme should have had their terminals removed from July 21. Northern Spar wholesaler James Hall is to roll out its new WebSpar web-based communications and ordering system at the end of September. CTN chain Mills Group is opening its 55th outlet. The 2,500 sq ft store in Carolgate, Retford, incorporates Retford Post Office. It is replacing an older store. International bakery and patisserie manufacturer and supplier Délifrance has scooped the Brake Brothers Supplier of the Year Award. Shepherds Purse Cheeses has been awarded full organic status by the Soil Association. It is releasing new cow’s milk cheese, Shire Blue. Dairy Crest has awarded Nampak a contract to expand its polybottle manufacturing plant at Chadwell Heath, London and to build a new bottling plant at its Severnside super dairy. Fyffes has agreed to acquire a 70% stake in Hortim International, the leading distributor of fresh produce in the Czech Republic. Aussie drinks group Lion Nathan said third quarter volumes were up 1% on last year. Carlsberg Breweries has predicted a 15% increase in full-year profit, compared to the 10% forecast by analysts and a sales growth of 10% year-on-year. Unilever has signed up content management specialist Tridion to redesign its corporate website. The new site will allow further changes to content and design to be made more quickly. Arkady Craigmillar, bakery ingredients and frozen produce supplier, is moving its confectionery mixes factory to Manchester from a Unilever-owned site in Suffolk. It is also investing £4m in modernising its Old Trafford plant. Grainfarmers has acquired half of Viking Grain’s 40,000 tonne storage capacity at Colsterworth following the collapse of the company earlier this year. Manor Bakeries has signed a deal with Lex Transfleet, the commercial fleet support services provider, to gain use of more than 165 vehicles on a five-year contract across the UK. Unilever Bestfoods has awarded its Irish tea warehousing and distribution contract to logistics specialist P&O Trans European. Authorities in Holland have cleared the Dutch farm near Emmen, close to the German border suspected of foot and mouth disease. Tesco claims it doubled its first day targets and beat high street rivals on sales of record breaking DVD/video release The Lord of the Rings. {{NEWS }}

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