Mission Produce ‘quickly advancing’ avocado ripening in the UK

Mission Produce, Inc., a world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados with additional offerings in mangos and blueberries, announced the advancement of its ripening process in the UK with AVOS Mini.  This is a non-destructive ripeness control tool and innovative smart device that measures avocado ripeness and provides quality management insights.  The […]

UK supermarkets enjoy great month, helped by Coronation and holiday

Aldi pushes ahead with trial of its first click-and-collect services in UK

Sparked by the Coronation and bank holiday weekend, British supermarkets saw a 12.3% boost in total till sales during the four weeks leading up to 20 May. That figure bettered sales from the previous reporting month by 2.6%, according to data from NIQ, formerly Nielsen. Own-label sales were the biggest driver, rising more than 14% […]

Consumer spending power increases, but Asda tracker shows cost concerns still high

ASDA celebrating Veganuary with trial vegan butcher counter in store

Although spending power has increased and inflation decreased, new insight from Asda shows that shoppers are still struggling with affordability. The rising cost of food and other items actually means that the amount customers can spend per week fell by £3 from March to August. That data point offsets somewhat upbeat news and is among […]

Led by M&S Food and a lean to value, Marks and Spencer shows signs of a comeback

Despite falling profits in 2022/23, stock outlook has soared in the past week for Marks and Spencer, which notably has been bolstered by the rejuvenation of M&S Food. Sales from its Food division jumped 8.7%, including a 5% rise in its “core categories” that eclipsed pre-pandemic levels. Its market share, in fact, increased by 3.6% […]

Lidl GB again increases hourly pay for store and warehouse colleagues

For the third time in the past year, Lidl GB has raised the wage rates of hourly colleagues to become the highest paying retailer for that group of workers among UK supermarkets. Nearly 25,000 store and warehouse employees will see pay increases from £11.00 to £11.40, including some who will see boosts as high as […]

Is there a more valuable fresh produce player than the retail merchandiser?

How has COVID-19 affected the fresh produce sector in the UK?

What makes a good merchandiser at retail? There are several opinions that vary by experience and perception. Upper management says a good merchandiser is one who generates sales and profit projections, plus controls cost. In the produce world, the definition of a good merchandiser is considerably different, although it does contain parts of what upper […]

Global avocado market still booming but must continue to evolve

New trends to further drive avocado growth in 2019, says World Avocado Organization

The outlook for avocado production and consumption is expected to be strong over the coming years, although not without challenges, according to a new report from financial service company Rabobank. With the release of its annual World Avocado Trade Map, Rabobank notes that competition will rise and that pressure will grow on operators to be […]