WE'RE PLEASED TO BRING YOU JUST SOME OF THE MAJOR FOOD & DRINK RETAIL AND SUPPLY STORIES RECENTLY COVERED BY THE GROCER.
Winners of 2026 Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards revealed
Expert judges have this year given 94 products the coveted Gold award and recognised them as standout products driving excellence, innovation and growth. Read more>>
Sustainable farming could increase profits, report finds
The report from cross-party think tank Demos found sustainable methods could increase farm profits by £1.6bn a year by 2035. Read more>>
Whole Foods Market to double UK presence with new store openings
The six new stores in London mark the first time the Whole Foods Market Daily Shop store format has been brought overseas. Read more>>
Charlie Bigham’s first manufacturer to eliminate all edible food waste
Charlie Bigham’s said it had developed a number of pioneering processes to eliminate food waste. Read more>>
Two more artisanal chocolatiers liquidated in wake of cocoa price surge
Horsham’s Cocoa Loco and Nottingham’s Gourmet Chocolate Pizza Co entered liquidation in early March. Read more>>
Iran war: growers warn of rapid escalation of costs
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for fertiliser and natural gas, was a key driver of the current volatility, British Apples & Pears has warned. Read more>>
Jempson’s passes £250k milestone in colleague profit share scheme
Jempson’s said the milestone reflected its commitment to recognise the contribution colleagues make to the business every day. Read more>>
Red Tractor appoints new chief executive
The new CEO joins the scheme on 5 May having worked across food, farming and assurance businesses. Read more>>
Meat and dairy industries are ‘derailing’ climate progress, report finds
Dangerous Distractions report reveals co-ordinated effort to downplay emissions and attack independent science. Read more>>
Holland & Barrett quietly launches online marketplace to reach new shoppers
H&B is on the hunt for new and existing suppliers to list products, having launched the new platform last month. Read more>>
Spoon rolls out Wildfarmed co-branded regenerative granola and secures seven-figure
The innovation follows a shift to a vertically integrated model as the brand opened its first factory after securing a seven-figure investment. Read more>>
Weight-loss drug users cut grocery and takeaway spending
Consumers using weight-loss drugs reported notable changes in their diets, scaling back on high-calorie convenience food and alcohol in favour of healthier options. Read more>>
Functional soft drinks outshone low & no-alcohol in Dry January, data shows
Across cola, flavoured carbonates, lemonade, sports and energy, functional variants grew by 28.5% to £11.3m in January. Read more>>
Organic grew 400% faster than conventional last year, new data shows
Volume sales of organic grew by 1.2% last year compared with just 0.3% for non-organic in 2025. Read more>>
EU to ban use of meat words on plant-based packaging
Under the new agreement, 31 animal-associated words including chicken, beef or pork and cuts terms like breast, thigh or drumstick will be banned. Read more>>
Soggy February compounds challenging conditions for retailers
Shoppers stayed off the high street in February as rain added to the challenges facing the UK retail industry, according to new data. Read more>>
Agrifood sector records highest number of migrant worker abuses in 2025
More than 200 cases were recorded, accounting for more than 32% of the Migrant Worker Allegations Database from the Business and Human Rights Centre. Read more>>
Criminals swerving inland border controls to bring illegal meat into UK
So-called ‘drive-bys’ of illegal meat and plant products – where vehicles swerved the facility – rose from 8% last August to 18% in November. Read more>>
First tariff-free UK beef shipment hits US
The shipment follows the signing of the UK/US Economic Prosperity Deal last May, which gives both countries a reciprocal 13,000-tonne tariff-free quota for beef. Read more>>
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If you do not already receive our montly digital newsletter Farm Shop & Deli News, produced by The Grocer in conjunction with the Farm Shop & Deli Show, please click on the image below to sign up now. The Grocer will carry a wide range of articles to inspire and inform, while William Reed will host additional content including videos and webinars on the Farm Shop & Deli Show website.
