Recession hits Aryzta
Aryzta’s UK and Irish business has been hit the hardest by the recession, said the company, as it announced revenue losses in its Food Europe division. In its full year results, ended 31 July 2009, the firm, which focuses primarily on speciality bakery, revealed a drop in revenue of 2.2% to 1.14bn (£1.0bn) in its Food Europe division. Operating profit rose 11.4% to 135,103 (£124,561).

Costa’s ATM drive
Costa Coffee is to advertise its handmade coffee production through cash machines. It will promote the chain’s commitment to using manual coffee grinders rather than mechanical push-button machines for the preparation of its coffee. The ads will run across 200,000 targeted one-to-one ATM transactions in towns and cities across the UK, and reminders will also be printed on take-away receipts.

Ginsters in TV push
Ginsters of Cornwall returns to television screens until 13 November using a ’Keeping a Close Eye on Quality’ strapline. The ads feature a thinly disguised pantomime cow keeping watch among the Ginsters herd and a telescope inside a tree, watching over Ginsters’ locally-grown potatoes.

Split performance
According to CBI’s monthly Distributive Trades Survey, 39% of retailers said year-on-year sales volumes rose in September, while 36% said they fell. National Association of Master Bakers CEO Gill Brooks-Lonican said sales were still flat in some parts of the industry, although events such as National Cupcake Week had been a positive boost for many shops. "I hear from a lot of people that sales are not as good as they were one told me sales were down £1,000 a week," she said.

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