Food and Drink Suppliers

Supplier news

Samworth Brothers expands food-to-go operation with Real Wrap Co deal

Samworth Brothers has taken full ownership of food-to-go supplier The Real Wrap Company following the purchase of a minority stake in the business last year

My Emissions secures seven figures for carbon labelling tech rollout

Food tech startup My Emissions has raised a further £1.3m as it prepares to roll out its carbon labelling tool with new national and international partners

Relations with suppliers at ‘all-time high’ says Asda owner Mohsin Issa

Issa said the support of suppliers was vital for the next phase of investment in prices and loyalty

Major growers report turbulent weather toll

Results posted this month at Companies House by Huntapac Produce and Puffin Produce cited weather issues as key challenges to profitability

Yoplait teams up with TV’s Josie Gibson for kids’ yoghurt push

Children were increasingly being fed ultra-processed, high-energy, nutrient-poor foods such as biscuits and cakes instead of yoghurt, Yoplait said

Fridge Raiders launches multimillion-pound Get the Day Done campaign

The campaign centres on Fridge Raiders as a convenient, high-protein option for busy lifestyles, the brand said

The Artful Baker collapses under weight of cost pressures

The Dorset-based business, which also starred on Channel 4’s Aldi’s Next Big Thing, appointed liquidators from Leonard Curtis on 5 April after experiencing cashflow issues in recent months

Primula owner to launch new Kavli dairy brand in UK supermarkets

The brand, which is well established in Scandinavian retailers, will launch in Tesco next month

Bold Bean Co founder Amelia Christie-Miller wins six-figure young entrepreneur prize

Christie-Miller won £150k to support Bold Bean’s growth from EasyJet founder’s Stelios Philanthropic Foundation

Morrisons launches personalised loyalty card rewards for customers’ favourite brands

The My Points Boosters scheme is being trialled in the latest phase of the relaunch of its More Card programme

Waitrose recalls olives over possible glass risk

The olives are unsafe to eat and should be returned for a refund

Dragons’ Den-backed Alf Turner sausages back in the mults

The Hampshire-based butcher brand has secured listings for two sausage lines

Defra unveils multimillion-pound River Wye clean-up action plan

The river has been blighted by agricultural pollution in recent years

Heck back in profit after range reset

The brand reported an operating profit of £239k last year following a switch to more profitable SKUs

Fiddes Payne to cut 20 jobs after losing Jamie Oliver contract

The Grocer understands that more than 20 roles are being lost out of a total workforce of about 50 staff

Ella’s Kitchen loses share as cost-conscious families turn to own label

Ella’s Kitchen has seen its market share eroded as parents switched to cheaper own-label babyfood amid price sensitivity in the category

SimplyCook defies category woes to make first-ever profit

The company called 2023 a “watershed” year and said in its newly filed accounts that it moved into the black thanks to a “right-sized” plan, with lower marketing investment and disciplined cost management

Over half of government seafood catch limits unsustainable, data shows

For 2024, of the 79 baseline total allowable catches negotiated, only 36 are in line with ICES advice

Fearne & Rosie set for growth push with two senior hires

Fearne & Rosie has appointed its first-ever finance director and sales director to help the fast-growing challenger brand get its range of healthier jams into more supermarkets

Bako expands into Northern Ireland with acquisition of Finlay’s Food

Founded in 1976 and based in Craigavon, Finlay’s manufactures and supplies ingredients to the bakery and general food industry

‘Tinder for sourcing’ supplier marketplace secures funding boost

Berlin-based Torg said it would use the cash injection to expand its supplier database and build more time-saving tools for buyers

Tiba Tempeh launches tempeh mince and pack redesign

The Tempeh Mince is the first of its kind and the brand claims is the only plant-based mince to contain 100% natural and organic ingredients

Marleybones wins backing from JamJar and Active Partners

The fresh dogfood startup has raised almost £1m in seed funding as the business aims to expand its retail distribution following recent wins

Re:Nourish wins six-figure backing to support expansion

The challenger brand will use the expansion loan to increase its manufacturing capability and back sales and marketing initiatives

Egg industry has ‘serious concerns’ over Scottish cage ban

The Scottish government last week announced a new consultation on outlawing the use of cages to house hens involved in egg production

Primula launches limited edition Cheddar & Chorizo variant

The new product begins with the ‘comforting familiarity of creamy cheddar cheese, followed by a delightful burst of chorizo’

Tofoo Co weighing up strategic options as sales boom

Investment bankers at Piper Sandler are in the early stages of a process to weigh up interest in the fast-growing tofu brand, according to City sources

Co-op ditches Thai coconut milk supplier over monkey labour concerns

Co-op’s own-label coconut milk is now sourced from Sri Lanka

Furr Boost secures Dragons’ Den investment for dog smoothie brand

The business secured £50k from Touker Suleyman in return for a 30% stake

Up to 10 execs depart Pilgrim’s Europe in wake of £4.2bn restructure

The JBS-owned businesses are in the process of an integration under the Pilgrim’s Europe banner

Yazoo launches £6m push for Thick n’ Creamy line

The brand’s biggest-ever ATL investment will run until 1 July

Who Gives a Crap on a roll with rapid UK growth

Sustainable paper products challenger Who Gives a Crap is racking up rapid growth thanks to a loyal DTC customer base and expanding distribution in retail

UK Organic formed to spearhead revival of sector

The move has been prompted by the ‘urgent need for a fresh approach’ for the organic sector

NFU calls for halt to proposed seasonal worker cost changes

The union said it feared the new rules could have a financially damaging impact on farming and growing businesses

Flora launches Plant Cream to retailers for first time

The previously professional product is now available in Asda in a double cream format

Nice Rice secures six-figure investment to build sustainable rice category

Nice Rice has closed a six-figure investment round to help with its mission to champion environmentally friendly products and grow the sustainable rice category in the UK

Heck unveils sub-brand targeting younger shoppers

The sausage brand has expanded with a new proposition, called What The Heck!

Cranswick petfood brand Vitalin launches first TV ad

The ad push represents a seven-figure investment in the brand by Cranswick, which also includes a packaging revamp

Yeo Valley launches protein-rich Greek recipe snacking yoghurts

The snacking yoghurts will launch in three fruit flavours: Lemon, Peach & Raspberry and Strawberry & Passion fruit

New agri-adjudicator ‘may let retailers off hook’

A policy expert who proposed the creation of the Groceries Code Adjudicator said the government should have expanded the remit of the GCA instead

analysis & features

UK Food & Drink Shows 2024: speakers, panels and awards not to miss

Brought to you by William Reed, publisher of The Grocer, this year’s event will take place at the NEC from Monday 29 April to Wednesday 1 May

How British are the supermarkets and what’s behind their marketing claims?

Much has been made of online ‘buy British’ sections, but farmers aren’t impressed. A consultation is looking to make claims clearer

opinion