All articles by Vince Bamford
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RankingsDairy - butters & spreads 2025: ‘Challenging’ year amid inflation
Branded butters & spreads are on a slippery slope, and overall category volumes are in the red by 2.7%
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RankingsCereal 2025: Rival brekkie options steal cereals’ share
Younger consumers are opting for diverse breakfast options, whilst smaller, health-focused brands pile pressure on the big players
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RankingsHousehold - paper products 2025: Branded loo roll sales flushed away
A key reason for the sale of fewer packs is the continued success of larger formats such as double-length rolls, allowing consumers to buy less frequently
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RankingsSavoury pastries 2025: Posh pies and pastries keep sales warm
Posh pies and innovative on-the-go formats have stopped the savoury pastry market going stale over the past year
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Analysis & FeaturesRishRight: how a shared passion became an award-winning chilli brand
Yuan Gao and Rina Su are on a mission in bring ‘aromatic without burning’ Chinese qin chilli to a UK audience
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Analysis & FeaturesThe North Yorkshire farm shop supporting adults with learning disabilities
Adults with learning disabilities and autism are given the opportunity to take part in activities including growing fruit, veg and ornamental plants
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Analysis & FeaturesRuby’s Bakery: traditional classics and ultrasonic tech at award-winning bakery
West Sussex bakery Ruby’s has evolved from its foodservice focus towards retail – and picked up a Farm Shop & Deli Product award along the way
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Analysis & FeaturesFarmer Copleys: the farm shop with a seasonal social calendar
The Farmer Copleys farm shop offers not only a bakery, private dining area and events space but opens the wider farm for a tulip festival and pumpkin festival
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Analysis & FeaturesHow a US trip inspired The Jar House’s traditional British beer bread
Claire Bowes Fairless has built a brand whose mixes are listed at Harvey Nichols, National Trust sites and breweries. Now, after input from the likes of Theo Paphitis, it’s diversifying
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Analysis & FeaturesThe Estate Dairy: moving milk from commodity to craft
The Estate Dairy’s founders felt there was an opportunity to bring the craft and care of British farming into hospitality
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Category ReportSpread too thin? Dairymen butter & spreads category report 2025
Increasing labour costs, squeezed milk supplies and increasing demand are all pushing up the price of butter to melting point
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Category ReportBlue bounces back: Dairymen British cheese category report 2025
As cheddar sales drop, British blue has benefited from a hunger for flavour, heritage and authenticity among younger shoppers
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NewsUK Food & Drink Shows get bold new look
Rebranding introduces a contemporary typeface and new background textures
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Analysis & FeaturesHow award-winning Delilah Fine Foods created the ‘Cheers’ of the deli world
Retailer of the Year Delilah Fine Foods in Nottingham looks to ‘echo the shopping experience of a past era’, with a huge range and good company
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Analysis & FeaturesHoney Heaven: how wellness-focused brand found a new direction
Honey Heaven’s Hungarian honey products have won acclaim across UK retail. But illness for one of its founders saw it diversify into CBD
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Analysis & FeaturesGood Fermentation: from kitchen table to award-winning kimchi
From modest beginnings in a Surrey kitchen, Good Fermentation is now selling a growing range of products to kimchi and kombucha fans across the country
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NewsFarm Shop & Deli Retailer Awards 2026 open for entries
Free to enter, the awards recognise top-quality retail businesses across a range of specialist and regional categories.
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Category ReportThe big Halloween weekender: trends for Halloween 2025
With Halloween 2025 falling on a Friday, retailers are gearing up for major sales of party lines. Which ones are likely to be the biggest hits?
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News‘Guerrilla’ marketing campaign rolls out to promote natural local food
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is spearheading the Farm Retail Association’s drive to redefine how British consumers view food
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Analysis & FeaturesRoniB’s Kitchen: bringing the Filipino melting pot to the UK
In a bid to introduce Brits to Filipino flavours, Roni Bandong produces the RoniB’s Kitchen brand that includes award-winning Filipino Banana Ketchup