Report: Dole planning to shift Ireland operations to new £44M facility
According to a report from Independent.ie, Dole is planning to develop a £44.3M logistics hub in eastern Ireland. The new facility could see the company’s operations in the country move from Dublin to the new campus in Balbriggan, which is already under development at the M1 Business Park in Courtlough. The publication notes that the […]
Self-driving vehicles are making grocery deliveries in London as part of ASDA trial
Customers who frequent ASDA’s Park Royal superstore in London west of Portobello Road Market now have another option to do their weekly shops instead of fighting the crowds. In a trial just launched by the retailer, shoppers can have their groceries delivered by self-driving vehicles. Over the next year, ASDA says it will serve approximately […]
Jim Prevor: My Thousandth Man
This tribute appeared in Produce Business magazine earlier this year, just two months after the passing of co-founder Jim Prevor. On the wall in my home is a Rudyard Kipling poem that Jim had mounted and framed. He gave it to me about the same year he and Debbie were married. I did not realize […]
Loyalty card discounts prove ‘win-win’ for shoppers, supermarket chains
What drives supermarket shoppers to buy certain products over others? In a tight economy, price often wins out over brand and even high quality. But one other factor appears to be driving sentiment and purchasing in 2023: loyalty card discounts. According to new data revealed by NielsenIQ (now NIQ), more than 50% of UK retail […]
M&S Food puts price lock on 100-plus items as Family index reveals struggles of shoppers
Sensing the need to continue delivering quality products to consumers at lower prices, M&S Food has extended its price lock on more than 100 items through the end of spring, including some fruits and vegetables. A 300g pack of British White Mushrooms is listed for £1, while 750g of Select Farms Easy Peeler satsumas and […]
Product rationalisation in Food and Drink: Causes and challenges for manufacturers
The need for product rationalisation has significantly increased in recent years for a number of reasons. Major events have influenced changes in consumers’ shopping behaviour, affecting retailers, and in turn suppliers. The Covid-19 pandemic caused retailers to reduce their product range following consumers’ shopping patterns, contributing to the development of a ‘simplification’ trend that has […]
Westfalia Fruit receives ‘transformational’ investment to strengthen avocado production
Kent-based Westfalia Fruit Group has landed £242 million in funding from three banks that it says will be used to boost sustainable avocado production. The infusion of capital from HSBC UK, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Standard Bank will help Westfalia expand and improve packaging, ripening and storage. But it also will help it […]
Aldi noses out Lidl again to remain UK’s least expensive supermarket
One month ago, in an effort to save British consumers money at checkouts, Waitrose said it would be slashing prices on already reduced items. It has put an incredible £100m investment behind cost-saving initiatives, including fruit and vegetable areas. And yet, when Which? revealed its latest monthly numbers on the cost of the average supermarket shop […]
