WE'RE PLEASED TO BRING YOU JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR FOOD & DRINK RETAIL AND SUPPLY STORIES RECENTLY COVERED BY THE GROCER.
Farm Retail Association rolls out Real Farmers Market scheme
Markets must show they are selling and promoting local produce to become certified by the Farm Retail Association. Read more>>
Co-op opens £820K sustainability fund for farmers
The initiative will be delivered via two sustainability projects; one focusing on dairy farming improvements and a second focusing on beef farming. Read more>>
Tesco revamps and enlarges Sustainable Pig Group
The producer group will pay pig farmers the cost of production and give further incentives for production improvements. Read more>>
Foot and mouth: industry urges better border control
Defra halted all meat and dairy imports from Germany last week after an outbreak of foot and mouth disease was detected outside Berlin. Read more>>
Fortnum & Mason ramps up tech investment to mitigate price rises
Fortnum & Mason’s costs are set to rise by £3m a year as a result of increases to the national minimum wage and changes to the National Insurance tax threshold. Read more>>
Tesco, Lidl, Co-op and Aldi call for pause on ‘Family Farm Tax’
Tesco CCO Ashwin Prasad said the retailer wanted a halt in the rollout of inheritance tax reforms and called for a long-term government vision for farming. Read more>>
Oddbox moves closer to profitability after business reset
The wonky veg box company has seen sales falter with three successive years of falling revenues. Read more>>
Berry sector hangs in the balance amid soaring costs and falling returns
Revenue returns were not keeping pace with operating cost increases for 85% of growers, research by British Berry Growers found. Read more>>
Milk brand Our Cow Molly carries NFU anti-‘Family Farm Tax’ logos
The Sheffield-based supplier has called on other brands to follow its lead and join the campaign against government inheritance tax reforms. Read more>>
The Black Farmer secures funding to open store in White City
The business opened its first farm shop in Brixton in 2023 and is preparing to open a second in the former BBC HQ in west London. Read more>>
Red Tractor: shoppers regaining faith in UK food system
New research by the farm assurance scheme showed an increase in consumer confidence across all aspects of UK food production. Read more>>
Booths hails ‘exemplary’ Christmas with record sales
Like-for-like sales at meat counters were up 16% in December, with fresh fruit & veg both up by 10%. Read more>>
Supermarket-backed £1m carbon insetting fund for farmers unveiled
The Soil Association Exchange and Lloyds scheme is being backed by the likes of Tesco, Lidl and Co-op. Read more>>
Tesco calls for ‘clear’ government plan on sustainable farming
The retailer this week announced new plans to set up two low-carbon concept farms in its supply chain to trial low-carbon farming methods. Read more>>
Daylesford Organic owner pledges further support as losses balloon
The business was owed nearly £3m by its supply base, according to latest annual accounts. Read more>>
Government promises to salvage £15m fund to tackle farmgate food scandal
An estimated 330,000 tonnes of edible food is either wasted or repurposed as animal feed before leaving farms every year. Read more>>
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