High street retailer WH Smith said on Thursday its shift from the high street to travel hubs was bearing fruit and expected its full-year results to be in line with expectations. (The Financial Times £)

“WH Smith was recently voted the worst retailer on the UK high street, in a survey by consumer group Which?” notes the FT’s Lombard column. “It can ignore [this as Which?] appears to have ignored an essential fact — WH Smith is quite unlike any other retailer in Britain.” (The Financial Times £)

One of Britain’s most prolific pubs entrepreneurs will unveil the latest in a string of corporate deals on Friday when her Food & Fuel group is sold to the owner of Garfunkel’s. Karen Jones, the former chief executive of Spirit, has ‎struck a £15m agreement to sell the business she founded in 2006 to Restaurant Group, the London-listed company. (Sky News)

The dairy company Arla Foods is planning to pay its entire 2018 profit to farmers who are struggling financially due to the drought that has affected Europe over the summer. (The Guardian)

A butchers chain told investors that it was continuing to haemorrhage sales, prompting a renewed share sell-off. Crawshaw Group said that half-year like-for-like sales had fallen 13.2 per cent, up from a fall of 12.9 per cent during the first 20 weeks of its financial year. (The Times £)

Campbell Soup is to sell its fresh foods and international businesses in a multibillion-dollar disposal plan that falls short of activist demands for an outright sale of the company. (The Financial Times £)

Campbell Soup finally has a turnround strategy, writes the FT. On Thursday, the New Jersey-based packaged food company released a risky and much anticipated master plan. All it needs now is someone brave enough to execute it. (The Financial Times £)

The UK’s potential ban should be used as a spur to ride trend for healthier drinks, writes the FT’s Lex column. “Manufacturers argue that their drinks contain less sugar than fruit juice and less caffeine than a coffee. This will not wash. It is hard to argue that drinks with names like Monster, Rockstar and Relentless are designed purely for grown-ups.” (The Financial Times £)

Jamie Oliver has revealed that his restaurant chain was hours from bankruptcy before he rescued it by injecting nearly £13m of his own money into the business. (The Guardian)

Revenues, profits and dividends are all on cruise control at Eddie Stobart Logistics but the company with the famous trucks is finding it difficult to persuade investors to join it on the road. (The Times £)

 

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