All News articles – Page 790
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News
THE TROUBLE WITH SALESMEN While he considers employing a salesperson for his chocolate business, Tony Phillips mulls over the pros and cons of good sales practice
Often, I think we bakers are the only people in the business world who chase after new customers and return phone calls. How many times do we have to phone if we are thinking of buying a new piece of equipment? The average query will result in at least five ...
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Coffee chain heads north
Café franchise chain Coffee Republic aims to open 100 more sites in the next year.The bulk of the new outlets will be franchises and concessions. New locations will include the Midlands and the north of England, as well as Scotland.The ambitious expansion plan comes despite operating losses of £1.63m ...
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Keep it clean
For employees in bakery retail, foodservice or food processing industries, choices made about handwashing affect not only the employee, but also other people: consumers, diners and the general public. Handwashing among food workers is crucial to prevent the spread of germs that can lead to food-borne illnesses and food poisoning. ...
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Commodities tracker
It is a worrying time for bakers that still need to cover their butter requirements for the crucial Christmas period. The price rises currently being seen in the market - already at levels unheard of over the last 10 years - will likely rise even further. UK prices have ...
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Greggs’ profits surge despite tough market conditions
Greggs has sailed out of the Doldrums with a boom in profits for the first half of 2007, restoring its fortunes to the record levels enjoyed in 2005, it said this week.But the chain, which was hit by a flat sales period in the first 18 weeks of 2006, still ...
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Distribution watch
Bakery distributors that operate within the Greater London area are being urged by Transport for London (TfL) to act now if they want to avoid paying a daily charge when the Low Emission Zone begins next year.From 4 February, 2008, diesel-engined lorries weighing over 12 tonnes will be required to ...
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Fletchers MD steps down in management shake-up
Fletchers Bakeries in Sheffield has announced major changes to its management team, following a recent review of its structure and operations performance.It said the review of its management team "complements its new structure that now incorporates autonomous business units".By mutual agreement, Scott Wallace has stepped down from his role as ...
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Injured worker gets pay-out
A senior Midlands bakery worker has been awarded £400,000 in an out-of-court settlement following a horrific injury.Kenneth Johnson, 58, from Tipton, was a manager in the bakery department at Russells Foods in Lozells, Birmingham, when his right arm became trapped between rollers as he cleaned the bowl of a dough-milling ...
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Greencore sells Irish milling stake
Convenience foods specialist Greencore Group is selling its 50% shareholding in Irish miller the Odlum Group to Origin Enterprises, giving Origin total control.Subject to Competition Authority approval, Greencore will receive a cash payment of €35m (£23.5m) from Origin on completion. Origin will assume the portion of outstanding Odlums’ net debt, ...
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Passion play
Italians take their bread seriously. Along with pasta, bread remains a fundamental staple of the Italian diet. I do not recall having once sat down at an Italian dinner table and not been offered bread of some description. The variety of bread available is staggering, matched by the fact that ...
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A sense of place
You have to be strong to be a baker," says Caroline Parkins - strong-willed, that is, and not just physically fit, if you’re to fight the tide of mediocrity that she believes has dumbed down our bread.Mediocre is not a criticism that can be levelled at her artisan bakery in ...
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Roll plant remedy
Meeting and answering the demands of its customers has seen continuous investment in plant, equipment and people at Birds (Derby)’s central bakery. The bakery company has always had one simple aim - to make a product that is as fresh as possible. It is a philosophy that bakery manager Gary ...
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Warburtons gets active on health
Warburtons has introduced an oat bread, said to help lower cholesterol, to its Healthy Inside range.The healthy heart claim comes from extra beta glucan in the 400g Healthy Inside Oats loaf. Warbutons’ existing Healthy Inside loaf includes inulin, derived from chicory, which encourages the formation of friendly bacteria in the ...
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South Africa rises to the challenge
The overall size of the bread market in the UK and Europe is best described as static. However, there is one country where the industry has problems meeting the huge demand for bread products of all types. South Africa’s economy is booming and the baking industry there is rising to ...
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Allied’s new web
Allied Bakeries has revamped its trade website for convenience stores in an attempt to boost returns for the sector.The interactive site at www. localkingsmill.co.uk includes point-of-sale kits and a profit calculator as well as category management tips and downloadable planograms. Details of Allied’s product range for convenience stores, developed ...
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Bakery Services sees pre-tax loss
Bakery Services has announced ’disappointing’ preliminary results, for the year ended 31 March 2007, showing pre-tax losses of £124,985.Bakery Services operates Don Millers’ franchise cafés and Inbake, an in-store bakeries business. Underlying sales revenues generated by Don Millers were down by approximately 8% at £2.75 million. The company ...
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Northern sees bakery fall
Northern Foods held its annual general meeting last week, where it was announced that bakery profits were down due to challenging commodity prices and bad weather.Overall revenue grew in the 13 weeks to June 30, although bakery was down by 2.6%. Chairman Anthony Hobson said: "Stronger ready-meal sales offset a ...
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Briefs
n After being open for seven years, a 200sq ft Starbucks coffee shop in Beijing’s Forbidden City has been forced to close, following an internet petition, signed by 500,000 people. It was claimed that the outlet was not in keeping with the culture of the old Imperial Palace.n TNS Worldpanel ...
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Floods bring chaos
The unfolding weather crisis has crippled many bakeries across England, with Gloucestershire businesses badly hit, amidst scenes of panic-buying.Janes Pantry bakery, on Lower Tuffely Lane, Gloucester, expected to be without running water for anything up to two weeks. "The flooding has drastically affected our trade," said Nevil Morse, managing director."It’s ...