Co-op: Promises in King’s Speech mark a ‘seismic’ moment in efforts to deter store attacks, crime
British retailer Co-op became one of the first companies on Wednesday to “roundly applaud” the King’s Speech and the Government’s promise to crack down on crime, including individuals who attack store workers. In the speech, His Majesty King Charles III made clear his intentions for the nation, to bring “stability” back to the UK, while […]
Easing of grocery inflation emboldens UK shoppers, but will it continue under Starmer?
Grocery market inflation in the UK has tumbled to 1.6%, the lowest level it has been in nearly three years, according to newly released data from Kantar Worldpanel. That easing has helped spur on foot traffic to supermarkets. In the past month, consumers have increased their trips to shops by 2% and spent more on […]
Tesco, FareShare and Trussell Trust brighten summer for kids with healthy meals
Rest, relaxation and recreation. Summer months can provide all three, along with the feeling of being able to brush aside everyday stressors. But for those less fortunate including impoverished children across the UK, the summer ‘gap’ can be anything but carefree. In some cases, it can exacerbate their troubles. No school can mean no free […]
Freshfel blasts EU Commission’s proposal to drastically cut funding for fresh produce promotions
Freshful Europe drafted a letter and lashed out at the EU Commission this week, saying its proposal to gut the policy budget for agricultural promotions was short-sighted. Not only would the EU Commission plan trim the current outlay of funding by one half – a staggering €281.7 million – but it also would eliminate budgets […]
Why Southern Africa’s focus on ‘premium’ makes it a quality partner in blueberry market
This Q&A features highlights from an interview done with Dane Castle, Blueberry Technical Sales Manager Southern Africa at Planasa, who discusses the state of the Southern Africa blueberry season. For the full interview and charts, go to FreshFruitPortal.com. Could you share insights into the expected volume and quality of the 2024 Southern African Blueberry season? Southern […]
How UK retailers are responding to rising demand for online supermarket shopping
The numbers of consumers turning to online shopping during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic was not surprising given lockdowns throughout the UK. However, once the nation fully opened up, it would have been natural for online orders to ebb. That hasn’t happened. Asda reported this week that its online grocery sales last year […]
Colombia cements its status as one of top suppliers of avocados to UK
During the first quarter of 2024, the Hass Avocado Producers and Exporters Corporation of Colombia (CorpoHass) reported significant growth in the industry’s contribution to the nation’s economy. The avocado sector’s input to Colombia’s Gross Domestic Product surged by 150%, representing 1.5% of the national GDP, according to CorpoHass data. Avobook highlights the impact of this […]
Kronen receives patent for pitting and peeling technology on avocados
Germany-based Kronen delivered its first robotic solution for avocado processing in April 2024 and it didn’t take long for the patent on their technology to follow. Showcased for the first time at Fruit Logistica, Kronen’s process enables the sensitive fruit to be processed gently in an automated procedure through its Robot Avocado Line. The company […]