Northern rumours
Northern Foods could be planning to sell its biscuits business Fox's Biscuits. Reports suggest the company could be planning to sell its bakeries and flour mills division, which includes Fox's Biscuits. The division recorded sales of £307m last year. Earlier this year reports suggested that Northern Foods could be planning to sell its transport division NFT.

Sale closer
Unilever is closer to selling its European frozen foods business, which includes the brands Birds Eye and Iglo. Reports suggest that investment bank Goldman Sachs, which is advising Unilever on the sale, is planning to send out an information memorandum to interested parties next month. Private equity groups Apax, Candover and Capvest are understood to be interested.

Bleak house 2
Four disgruntled agricultural businessmen, who last week ran high-profile press ads painting a bleak picture of the UK dairy industry, have this week launched the second instalment. They ran an ad in the Sunday press claiming that 40% of UK food is imported, and that a crisis could mean there would not be enough food for everyone. Readers were again invited to call a Food Security Infoline.

Living for Scots
Asda has opened its first Asda Living store in Scotland. The 23,000 sq ft store, in Glasgow Fort, was officially opened last week by double Olympic gold medal winner Samantha Murray. It is the sixth Asda Living store to open.

Tobacco profit up
Tobacco company Imperial Tobacco's half-year pre-tax profit to March 31 rose 13% to £547m on sales up 3% to £1,496m. It said cigarette volumes had increased 9% to £86.3bn during the year.