New products

 

Beer boost to ailing crisps market

Beer flavoured crisps are being launched on the bar market by snack company Kettle Foods. The UK Kettle Chips maker has added new Mature Cheddar and Adnams’ Broadside Beer variety to its range of premium crisps. The beer flavouring, provided by English brewers Adnams, has been introduced to target the luxury end of the crisp […]

, , ,

£3 million quiche investment for Thomas Food

Quiche manufacturer Thomas Food Group (TFG) is embarking upon a new development programme targeting the premium end of the market. In particular, the company is developing a new range of premium quiches aimed at the rapidly expanding food-to-go market. A £3 million (£4.4m) investment programme is currently underway at its two production sites in Milton […]

,

Tangerine deal creates new confectionery opportunity

Tangerine, the Blackpool-based confectionery firm, has bought the confectionery arm of Burton’s Foods for an undisclosed sum. The deal creates the UK’s largest independent sugar confectionery firm increasing Tangerine’s turnover from around £45 million to nearly £60 million. Commenting on the deal, Tangerine chairman Steven Joseph said,“This is fantastic news for Tangerine, and confirms our […]

, ,

French crush on Britvic

French company PAI Partners is tipped as the favourite to acquire British-based soft drinks firm Britvic, which is reported to be the target of an international takeover. Britvic is said to be struggling in the fizzy drinks market as health-conscious consumers look for alternative options. The company, which owns Robinsons in Norwich and the Tango […]

, , ,

New expansion for Strathaird

The recent completion of a new two-storey office development at Strathaird Salmon, in Inverness, will improve operational efficiency and help spearhead the launch of new products. The £300,000 investment, which was made by parent company Young’s Bluecrest, will for the first time bring the senior management, finance, administration and technical teams all under the one […]

,

Beer loses out to wine

Overall consumption of alcoholic drinks among the senior population is forecast to drop 42% to one billion litres by 2010 as consumers are switching from beer to spirits and wine. Overall consumption of beer is forecast to halve by 2010 in favour of the preference for stronger drinks. Pure alcohol is set to rise by […]

, ,

Majestic sales lift alcohol drift

Wine warehouse chain Majestic’s New World wines have lifted sales, despite the state of the alcohol retail sector which has 4.7% of companies in liquidation. Majestic has reported a 10% rise in pre-tax profits to £14.5 million and a 6% increase in turnover to £172.2 million. Matthew Debbage, head of product and marketing at ICC […]

,

Resource network to aid UK firms

UK businesses can look forward to benefiting from the newly launched Resource Efficiency Knowledge Transfer Network. The scheme, part funded by the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme, is a division of the Government’s £370 million Technology Programme to stimulate more efficient use of resources. The network aims to help UK industry and commerce minimise waste. Services […]

, , ,

Cadbury Schweppes steps up investment

Cadbury Schweppes Americas Confectionery has opened its new Science & Technology Center in Hanover, New Jersey. The $40 million investment will create new products for the Cadbury Schweppes worldwide gum business and its Americas confectionery region. The 148,000 sq ft facility will enable the creation and testing of new gum and candies, tasting and evaluating […]

, ,

Little effect from longer licensing hours

The new British alcohol licensing laws, which became effective in November, are deemed to make little difference to the drinks industry. Consumers are shifting from on-trade to off-trade drinking, motivated by the lower price and greater comfort of drinking at home. Few venues will move regular closing times by more than an hour and the […]

,

Confectioner’s sweet reflections

Glisten, a fast-growing confectionery group making chocolate and sugar-based decorations, announced double turnover and good progress on current trading at its recent AGM. Chairman, Jeremy Hamer, said “Glisten has had a very good start to the current year with overall turnover for the first four months more than double last year and, on a like-for-like […]

, , ,

Midlife market missed by drinks makers

Drinks manufacturers are missing out on the midlife market, according to a new report by independent market analyst Datamonitor. Apparently, the ‘midlifers’ are aged between 25-44, disinclined to binge drinking and account for 42 per cent of Europe’s multi-billion euro alcoholic drinks market. What’s more, alcoholic drinks manufacturers continue to regard young adults as their […]

,

Lax laws loom as boozy Brits drink on

Soaring alcohol sales in the UK are causing concern among health ministers as imminent changes in licensing laws could allow the beverages to be sold round the clock in pubs and shops. The new licence laws, due in November, have been proposed despite reports that alcohol sales have increased by almost ten per cent in […]

, ,

Warning labels

Manufacturers of sugary foods and beverages could be forced to put warning labels on their products as, like cigarettes and alcohol, these are increasingly considered damaging to health. Soft drinks, in particular, are blamed for a nationwide increase in obesity, diabetes, tooth decay and osteoporosis. Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the […]

, , , ,

Food and Drink Technology