M&S, Lidl and Aldi were biggest winners during festive period

After a challenging 2020, the supermarket making the most headway during the festive period in 2021 and making a stunning comeback was M&S. According to data from NielsenIQ, it saw sales grow 9.4% in the final quarter of the year. Only two other UK retailers saw positive gains across the same 12-week period compared with […]
Research and Analysis: Fresh Produce Has Marketing Challenges

Originally printed in the November 2021 issue of Produce Business. The issue of fresh produce branding is an important one. It is, however, different from the typical analysis of branding in most of the supermarket. What is the key difference? Simple… retailers generally only carry one brand at a time of each fresh produce item. In […]
Health, Sustainability and The Younger Diners Of Today’s Restaurants: How The Produce Industry Can Ride the Wave

Interest in health and sustainability — and plant-centered foods — will drive consumer behavior post-pandemic. Consumers aren’t the same people they were pre-pandemic. Foodservice consultant and thought leader Maeve Webster, president of Menu Matters, a consulting firm for foodservice manufacturers and operators, offered insight into how the pandemic fundamentally changed consumer perspectives and behaviors, and that impact […]
NYPS Foodservice Forum: Imagining The Spirit Behind Ghost Kitchens

There’s no denying we’re continuing a new era of food delivery, but how can we do it smarter and in a way that preserves both the brand and the hospitality diners crave? Kristen Barnett, founder and chief executive of Hungry House, Brooklyn, NY, is forging a new model for ghost kitchens, working with chefs to […]
Consumers, Grapes and Gene Editing: Cornell’s Rickard Sheds Light On Latest Research

Brad Rickard has an inquisitive mind and a generous heart. He has presented with us in numerous venues and always left the audience thinking: Cornell Professor Brad RickardReturns To London To Unveil New Study: QUANTITY, VALUE AND DIVERSITY —The 10-Year Evolution Of Consumer Purchase Preferences For Packaged Produce Can Labeling Impact Food Waste?Is Zero Waste […]
Global Trade Symposium: Elevating The Industry … With Purpose Beyond Produce

If you change one life, generations are touched: The produce industry is uniquely situated to help address global social disparities. Is there more we can do as individuals, farms and companies to make the world a better place — even though that sounds overwhelming? Yes, and it can start with one person, one farm, one […]
UK government grants relief on labour shortage, but is it enough?

British ministers extended some relief to agriculture and the fresh produce industry by allowing to temporary workers to remain in the UK through 2024, though it will begin putting limits on the “reliance on foreign labour.” Affected by Brexit and COVID-19, worker shortages led to food waste and delivery issues in 2019 and early on […]
Shoppers delight as Asda again gives away excess produce for 0p

The end of the year is a time for giving. For UK supermarkets, that meant cutting customers extreme deals as they did their shops for Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Discount chains such as Aldi and Lidl set the bar low on prices on fresh produce, coming in this year at 19p. As other retailers […]