All Latest News articles – Page 532
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Northern Foods’ bakery division has seen solid seasonal demand over Christmas, according to its interim statement for the 13 weeks ended 27 December 2008. Underlying revenue was up 1.9%, with average prices increasing by 2%. The food firm also noted a good performance for its own-label and Matthew Walker puddings.== ...
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== Contactless Pret ==Pret A Manger has become the latest company to adopt contactless payment systems. The high-street sandwich chain is to launch the integrated system following a successful seven-store trial in London. The system allows customers to pay for items totalling £10 or less by swiping their card across ...
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== It’s breakfast time ==The 10th annual Farmhouse Breakfast Week, run by the HGCA, will take place from 25-31 January 2009. Hundreds of events are expected to take place across the country, aimed at making people think more about the importance of breakfast. Bakers could promote toast, crumpets or ...
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== Greggs’ sales rise ==Greggs’ like-for-like group sales rose 5.3% over the Christmas period, according to its latest trading update. Sales growth for the four weeks to 3 January 2009 were higher than in previous months. In the 28 weeks to 27 December 2008, the bakery chain’s like-for-like sales increased ...
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Northern Foods sees solid bakery sales
Northern Foods’ bakery division has seen solid seasonal demand over Christmas, according to its interim statement for the 13 weeks ended 27 December 2008. Underlying revenue was up 1.9%, with average prices increasing by 2%.Its Fox’s brand is still benefiting from the ‘Vinnie’ advertising campaign and the firm also noted a good performance for its own-label and Matthew Walker puddings. The third quarter also saw the launch of the firm’s branded ‘Scrummie’ range of puddings. In bakery, year to date underlying revenue grew by 4.6%.
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Co-op bakery decision hits Inbake employees
Supermarket in-store bakery (ISB) company Inbake has been forced to make around 80 people redundant in the past year, after its main customer – the Co-operative Group – decided to bring its ISB operation in-house. Keith Bentley, co-director of East Sussex-based Inbake, said that eight ISBs and 10 satellite units at Co-op stores across the country had closed down in the past year, with around 80 job losses.
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Renshaw and Napier consolidate
The Real Good Food Company’s two principal businesses Renshaw and Napier Brown Foods are to amalgamate. The London office of RGFC has already closed and consolidated in Liverpool alongside the newly named ‘renshawnapier’. Renshaw has become renowned as a leading manufacturer of marzipans, fondants, ready to roll icings, baking chocolate and jams, while Napier supplies sugar, including fairtrade and organic.
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Welsh patisserie expands with new factory
South Wales-based La Crème Patisserie & Catering Co plans to expand its retail and wholesale operations having completing the purchase of a new factory unit on the Baglan Moors in Neath Port Talbot. Building work started in December on what will be the La Crème Centre of Excellence and directors Siân and Ian Hindle hope the new unit will be fully operational by March 2009. The business’ fortunes were boosted when Siân Hindle was awarded runner-up in the Puratos-sponsored Patissier of the Year category at the Baking Industry Awards 2007. The accolade “made a huge impact” on the business, said Ian Hindle. “It took us to a different level.”
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Cooplands moves into wholesale
Bakery chain Cooplands (Doncaster) is planning to expand into wholesale for the first time after being awarded a BRC rating. It has recently been audited against BRC issue 5 and awarded a Grade B. Previously the firm had only manufactured products to sell in its own 75-shop estate, but it has been working with the Regional Food Group for Yorkshire and Humber (RFG) for the last three years on growing the business in a new direction.
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Greggs enjoys Christmas sales boost
Greggs’ like-for-like group sales rose 5.3% over the Christmas period according to a trading update released today. Sales growth for the four weeks to 3 January 2009 was higher than in previous months. In the 28 weeks to 27 December 2008, the bakery chain’s like-for-like sales increased by 3.9% and it saw a total sales increase of 6.6%.
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Welcome to Bakers Review!
From 30 January British Baker will be publishing Bakers Review in partnership with the National Association of Master Bakers (NAMB). Bakers Review will feature once a month within the pages of British Baker, covering the latest industry, legislation and regulation news as well as general advice on issues affecting craft bakery businesses.
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Pret go contactless
Pret A Manger has become the latest company to adopt contactless payment systems. The high-street sandwich chain is to launch the integrated system following a successful seven store trial in London. The system allows customers to pay for items totalling £10 or less by swiping their card across a contactless reader, and has been designed to save customers time and cut queues. It will be rolled out across Pret’s remaining 171 stores and the process is set to be complete by April 2009.
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Coffee chains set to expand despite gloomy economy
The rapid growth of the UK branded coffee chain market of recent years is expected to slow only slightly in 2009 and will break through 5,000 outlets by 2012, according to new data published by Allegra Strategies. Its UK Coffee Shop Market report, published December 2008, claimed that the current economic downturn had only a limited effect on trading performance this year, with only 19% of consumers questioned saying they visited outlets less frequently.
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Maple Leaf price fixing allegations investigated
Canada Bread Company, the parent company of the UK’s biggest bagel supplier Maple Leaf, is investigating allegations that an employee at its UK bakery operations, Maple Leaf Bakery, may have sought to influence the pricing of a competitor, Mr Bagel. These allegations have led to the suspension of the employee, while an investigation is carried out with the support of external legal counsel. Lynda Kuhn, senior vice president, communications and consumer affairs at Canada Bread told British Baker: “We certainly see these as serious allegations and we’re treating them as such. We’re proceeding very quickly to understand the facts and would like to resolve the issue as soon as possible.”
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Honeyrose win green award
Honeyrose Bakery has been rewarded for its environmental efforts with a Green Business of the Year Award. The accolade was received by the London-based organic bakery at the 2008 Park Royal Business Awards, which took place in London on 25 November. The Royal Park industrial estate house over 2,000 companies, but Honeyrose was picked out for its attitude to local sourcing and sustainability and its strict environmental production controls.
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Waitrose move into convenience sector
Waitrose has opened its first food shop in a convenience format in Trinity Square, Nottingham, which will stock freshly made baguettes, sandwiches and salads as well as freshly made bread. The 5,815 sq ft outlet is the first of a four branch trial of the new format. The second shop is due to open in Bristol in spring 2009.
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Award-winning pork pie
Brockleby’s Organic Melton Mowbray Pork Pie has scooped an accolade in the Local Foods category at the Quality Food Awards in London. Based in Asfordby Hill, Melton Mowbray, in Leicestershire, the company reached the number one spot with its pork pie - the only organic Melton Mowbray Pork Pie around.
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Register for National Doughnut Week
Sponsor of National Doughnut Week, BakeMark, is encouraging all bakers to get involved and help raise money for The Children’s Trust. The next fundraising week will take place from 9-16 May 2009 and will be the 25th anniversary for the charity which raises money to help provide specific care, education and therapy for children with multiple disabilities.
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Hovis adopts Nimble brand
Premier Foods has announced that its Nimble brand will come under the umbrella of Hovis from January 2009. The lower-fat and calorie bread is to be rebranded as Hovis Nimble, with a supporting £1m advertising campaign to start in the New Year.
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Impress Sandwiches’ new range
Independently run company, Impress Sandwiches, has launched its new range in response to an increasing demand for premium quality and added value sandwich products from catering and retail operators. The new menu consists of 70 sandwiches, wraps, ciabatta, sub rolls, savoury muffins, giant croissants and panini’s, which are available under its Impressively Premium, Deeply Impressive and Simply Impressive ranges.