WE'RE PLEASED TO BRING YOU JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR FOOD & DRINK RETAIL AND SUPPLY STORIES RECENTLY COVERED BY THE GROCER.
GrowUp Farms appoints former Ella’s Kitchen boss Will Howard as UK MD
Howard, who joined in February, will oversee a scaling up as the business grows to sell more than one million bags of salad a week. Read more>>
Cook trialling frozen ready meal vending machines in railway stations
Cook has installed vending machines at Orpington and Bromley South stations, which have been live since last month. Read more>>
Dozens of women-led brands in the spotlight at Whole Foods Market
Deliciously Ella, Little Moons, and Neom are among 55 women-led brands highlighted by Whole Foods Market. Read more>>
Thanet Earth acquires new business to produce lettuce all year round
The new venture will trade as Thanet Earth Lettuce and will produce lettuce under glass for 12 months of the year in a deep flow, hydroponic system. Read more>>
Convenience stores to be offered security guards ‘on call’ in new app service
Launching next month, the app-based platform Aura said it could provide retailers with quicker response rates. Read more>>
Big names announced as speakers at The Grocer’s Omnichannel event
How tech will influence the future fmcg and hospitality retailing landscapes will be explored by a raft of expert speakers at the upcoming Omnichannel conference this May. Read more>>
Mandatory food waste reporting: supermarkets and suppliers demand government go-ahead
Leading retailers and food companies warned a lack of traceability was contributing to hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food waste and costing the economy more than £20bn a year. Read more>>
Whole Foods Market to shutter two stores and Dartford DC
Despite the closures, Whole Foods Market said it planned to expand its UK footprint. Read more>>
FSA urges fast-track approval for lab-grown meat and insect products
Under the proposals, the FSA plans to use the approval of regulators in other countries as grounds to let products come to the market. Read more>>
Country of origin and method of production labelling consultation begins
The plans promised to improve transparency, while supporting British farming, Defra said. Read more>>
UK Salads suppliers still looking for produce buyers, following collapse
Two suppliers have told The Grocer they have not heard from UK Salads or Aldi since administrators were appointed. Read more>>
Plans to slash meat and dairy consumption pose health risk
Insufficiencies in calcium, iron, iodine, selenium, and zinc would worsen in men and women aged 16 to 24, the report found. Read more>>
British Apples & Pears launches manifesto ahead of election
The manifesto is designed to provide all political parties with clear guidance on how best to secure the future of the British apple and pear industry. Read more>>
Clarence Court launches limited-edition traditional breed egg box
The box of eight includes two eggs each from the Burford Brown, Seabright Sage, Old Cotswold Legbar and Leghorn White breeds. Read more>>
Plant-based players plan to ‘refocus and collaborate’ in bid to revive sales
More than 40 plant-based protein businesses, retailers, and NGOs came together for an ‘unprecedented’ summit in London. Read more>>
Allergies campaigner urges supermarkets to overhaul free-from aisles
The FSA’s campaign is also being supported by the three biggest UK allergen charities – Allergy UK, Anaphylaxis UK and the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation. Read more>>
Red meat requires ‘more inspiration’ to kick start sales, AHDB finds
Analysis from AHDB has found there is a need to re-engage shoppers in the red meat category in store and online. Read more>>
FSA launches new allergy warning over vegan labels
The campaign is encouraging people with allergies to always check for a precautionary allergen statement such as ‘may contain’ on vegan products. Read more>>
Innocent to offer £1m via regenerative agriculture fund
Grants of between £20,000 and £500,000 will be available through the fund. Read more>>
Grwth Club launches venture fund for fmcg startups
Grwth Ventures is founded by Joe Benn and Jake Higgins with a £5m cornerstone investment from media agency MNC. Read more>>
Margiotta invests in HQ in bid to supercharge Waitrose expansion
The family-owned grocer currently stocks more than 2,000 Waitrose products, and wants to grow its offer. Read more>>
Progress on rolling out Better Chicken Commitment ‘falling behind’
UK retailers were singled out in CIWF’s new Chicken Track report over their slow progress. Read more>>
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