Briefs

n A man has denied murdering a fellow bakery worker in the car park at Fine Lady Bakeries, Banbury. Shahid Rehman, 29, of Grimsbury Green, Banbury, is accused of the murder of Imran Shah, 23. Mr Shah died from multiple wounds on Monday, 27 November, 2006. Rehman’s trial will begin at Oxford Crown Court on September 24.

n Coffee chain Coffee Republic has signed a franchise agreement which will see the brand launched in Romania. The company has signed an agreement with Krruss Holdings to develop its coffee and deli bar concept in the country.

n Cash & carry giant Booker and hi-tech wholesaler Blueheath are to merge. The new business, to be listed on the AIM market, will be called Booker Group and will be lead by current Booker chief executive Charles Wilson.

n HTG Trading has sold its manufacturing business to Hubbard Products, a subsidiary of Zanotti SpA. HTG Trading’s distribution activities, Hubbard Ice Systems and Taylor Freezer, are unaffected by this change.

n Foster Refrigerator has sold its 10,000th hydrocarbon cabinet. Hydrocarbon refrigerants can reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions by 15%.

n Baking equipment supplier Interbake (Bury) has been appointed UK and Irish agent for mixing systems specialist the Tonelli Group.

n On 11 May British Baker wrote that Bell Perkins Industrial Easirobe enrober was made in Leeds. It is actually supplied by Brook Food Processing Equipment, based in Minehead, Somerset.