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
Tesco and M&S catch heat for failing to disclose cocoa supply chains data
The annual Chocolate Scoreboard ranks cocoa buyers on issues such as child labour, deforestation and supply chain transparency
Village Bakery set to command £160m price tag as PE owner explores exit
Village Bakery is seeking new owners, with its private equity backer having tasked bankers with running an auction for the premium private-label bread maker
Shicken wins further multimillion backing from Matthew Glover’s Veg Capital
The brand will use the £4m cash injection to scale up manufacturing capacity and ‘realise the global potential of its restaurant-quality range’
Hovis turnaround picks up under new management team
Hovis has made big strides in its turnaround as significant price hikes helped boost revenues and profitability
Little Moons hires Graze boss Joanna Allen as new CEO
Ice cream challenger Little Moons has appointed industry heavyweight Joanna Allen as its new CEO to fill the vacant position left by the surprise exit of Mike Hedges last month, The Grocer can reveal
Accrol subject of £130m takeover bid as Navigator sets sights on UK toilet tissue
Portugal’s Navigator, a paper and pulp group listed on the Lisbon Stock Exchange, offered 38p a share to buy the Blackburn-headquartered business that counts all the UK’s major supermarkets and discounters as customers
Freshways swoops to rescue bread wholesaler Coultons from collapse
Freshways has swooped to rescue bread wholesaler Coultons from administration in a deal that solidifies the acquisitive dairy group’s position in the bread market
Lactalis launches Président extra creamy brie to Ocado
The brand said the mild and creamy cheese was “highly versatile” but had “special melting properties and extra depth” which made it best enjoyed hot
Müller Yogurt & Desserts launches large Frijj cartons
Shoppers will be able to purchase 950ml cartons of Müller Frijj in fudge brownie and strawberry flavours
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
Defending margins while earning volume growth won’t be easy
Retailers aren’t in the mood to wave through another round of pricing, says Warren Ackerman, head of European consumer staples research at Barclays
Tarry’s work at Tesco shows the power of supplier collaboration
Under Jason Tarry, supplier dialogue with Tesco buyers became more strategic – investment followed and honourable commitments replaced settlement wrangling, says David Sables, CEO of Sentinel Management Consultants
GSCOP needs an overhaul to properly protect fmcg suppliers
In GSCOP there remain loopholes that enable retailers to wreak havoc with suppliers, says Karen Green, author of Buyer-ology