All The Grocer articles in 14 May 2011

Previous issues.

  • EUROPE RAINFALL GRAPHIC
    News

    Wheat prices to soar as drought deepens

    2011-05-20T00:00:00Z

    The food industry is on red alert again over wheat - and this time it's wheat used in food, rather than feed, that's most at risk.

  • PHIL-FINEGOLD
    Grocer 33

    Sainsbury's Crystal Peaks

    2011-05-20T00:00:00Z

    The Grocer 33 is a weekly mystery shopping survey, tracking price, service and availability at the five leading grocery retailers: Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose. Each week the winning store manager is interviewed by The Grocer.

  • ODDBINS INTERIOR
    News

    Former boss Baile back for failed Oddbins stores

    2011-05-20T00:00:00Z

    Former Oddbins owner Simon Baile has bought the leases to five defunct Oddbins stores from the chain's administrator and plans to re-open them as ExCellar wine shops. Baile was putting the final touches to two of the stores, in East Sheen...

  • SAB MILLER BEER RESEARCH CENTRE
    News

    Research hub hunts for ‘quantum leap’ in brewing

    2011-05-19T12:07:18.447Z

    Scientists at a new UK research centre will be hoping to develop the ‘holy grail’ of brewing: longer shelf life for beers. SAB Miller today announced it is building a £3m global brewing research facility, which will be sited at the University of Nottingham’s School of Biosciences.

  • TESCO NEW
    News

    Japan boss Fleming handed top Tesco strategy role

    2011-05-19T11:36:46.503Z

    Tesco has promoted the head of its Japanese business, Michael Fleming, to a new global strategy role. Fleming is handed the title of group strategy director and has returned to the UK after three years in Japan.

  • BOTTLEGREEN DRINKS
    News

    Bottlegreen bought by WKD maker

    2011-05-18T12:15:38.017Z

    Bottlegreen Drinks has been sold to Northern Ireland’s SHS Group, the maker of WKD. The soft drinks producer was previously controlled by Piper Private Equity. Piper paid around £5m for a majority stake in 2007 and reportedly valued the company at £30m.

  • Comment and Opinion

    The only thing worse than being talked about

    2011-05-18T00:00:00Z

    Few people these days will believe there’s really no such thing as bad publicity. Even so, most marketers would consider a few snarky comments from internet critics a price worth paying for acres of free coverage.

  • Comment and Opinion

    Gluten-free goes super-Novak

    2011-05-17T00:00:00Z

    On Saturday The Times reported with some gusto that food intolerances were a figment of our oversensitive and pampered western imaginations.

  • GEORGE AT ASDA
    News

    Asda to pioneer George franchise stores in Middle East

    2011-05-16T13:22:37.503Z

    Asda is taking its George clothing brand overseas with the launch of two franchise stores in the Middle East. The outlets will be run under the George banner in the retailer’s first foray into franchising.

  • News

    Property and wage hikes hit Clearys

    2011-05-16T00:00:00Z

    Manchester-based Spar retailer Clearys has blamed spiralling property and wage costs for falling into the red. Accounts filed at Companies House this week revealed a pre-tax loss of £41,502 for the year ending 30 June 2010 compared with...

  • Comment and Opinion

    Clarke starts to feel the quality

    2011-05-16T00:00:00Z

    In The Times today, Andy Clarke is again banging the drum on his supermarket’s new focus on quality.

  • HOVIS
    News

    Hovis fights back after sales slump

    2011-05-16T00:00:00Z

    Sales of Hovis have plummeted in the past year, The Grocer can reveal. The brand's pre-packed bread dropped 9% to £406m in the year to 19 February, with volumes down 3.3%, according to SymphonyIRI.

  • STELLA 4 PRODUCTS
    News

    No smooth outcome as Stella 4% sales fall

    2011-05-16T00:00:00Z

    Sales of Stella 4% - hailed as the most successful alcohol launch of the past 10 years - have crashed by more than 30% over the past 12 months. The beer, which was developed for the UK market and debuted in August 2008, was called the...

  • SAINSBURYS COUPONS
    News

    The Sainsbury's coupon offering 1p off your next shop

    2011-05-16T00:00:00Z

    The popularity of coupons is soaring, with a record 61% of consumers claiming to use the money saving device, up from 52% a year ago, according to a survey by coupon company Valassis. And coupon usage was just as high among shoppers in...

  • News

    The rise of the super-trucks

    2011-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Under new government plans, trucks are set to grow in length. Supermarkets point to the potential for efficiency gains and CO2 reductions, but not everyone is convinced. Adam Hill reports

  • News

    PayPoint takes Western Union transactions

    2011-05-14T00:00:00Z

    PayPoint is now accepting Western Union payments from retailers through its terminals. Retailers previously required a PC, printer and broadband to offer the service. PayPoint described the response from retailers to its initial...

  • News

    ‘Hobrobs’ row has McVitie’s in Twitter tizz

    2011-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Jemima Khan and Jeremy Clarkson weren’t the only well-loved British brands on the defensive thanks to Twitter this week. Biscuit king McVitie’s was at the centre of some online argy-bargy over the advert for its Medley bars.

  • Comment and Opinion

    McIntyre’s got Marmite

    2011-05-14T00:00:00Z

    The inexorably linked worlds of grocery and performance art crossed paths yet again this week.First as art student Nathan Wyburn wowed judges on Britain's Got Talent with a portrait of Michael McIntyre made from Marmite on toast.

  • TOMATO PICKER
    News

    Rain in Spain falls and UK tomato prices soar

    2011-05-14T00:00:00Z

    British fruit and veg growers may be having a hard time dealing with the recent unusually warm and dry weather, but it's the ­opposite problem for growers in Spain, where unseasonably heavy rainfalls are threatening this year's ­tomato crop.

  • News

    Shapland exit triggers reshuffle at Sainsbury’s

    2011-05-14T00:00:00Z

    Sainsbury's commercial director Mike Coupe is being tipped as the most likely successor to CEO Justin King following the shock departure this week of group development director Darren Shapland.Shapland revealed he was leaving the...