Food Manufacturer News: December 2009 Archives

A large number of major food brands have recently been invited to join forces at an event intended to improve training for those is food jobs, with a focus on food engineers in particular. The companies involved, to name but a few, include:

• Warburtons
• Thorntons
• Britvic
• Kellogg
• Premier Foods
• Diageo
• Cadbury

All of the companies involved, as well as HR and training professionals, attended a seminar in Cheshire entitled 'Skills to Maximise Plant Efficiency', which was organised and run by consultancy firm MCP, industry leaders in the field of maintenance and engineering training. The aim of the seminar, which was supported by the National Skills Academy, the Centre for Robotics and Automation and Reaseheath College, was to forge an initiative between companies in order to provide better training for those is particular food jobs such as engineering and maintenance.

It is hoped that the steering group of companies created will set an example of best practice when it comes to training, which will enable all food companies to improve factory efficiency through more skilled and trained employees.

A second seminar has been planned for 2010, which will attempt to incorporate professionals from the pharmaceutical industry into the steering group.

At the moment, recycling and climate change is top of the agenda. And along with most other sectors, the food sector is attempting to do its bit in order to reduce its carbon footprint.

Food jobs are now being created to try and deal with the important issue of sustainability and recycling and Muller is one of the companies leading the way with its latest move.

Muller Vitality yogurt drinks have now been launched in 100 per cent recyclable packaging. Muller Dairy reportedly sells more than 145.6 million bottles of Vitality yogurt drinks a year and now they have got rid of the shrink-film from the bottle which was not recyclable and they have replaced it with packaging which is 100 per cent recyclable. All the parts of the new bottle can be recycled including the six pack sleeve and the shelf ready tray.

It's a great way for the brand to improve their product and get noticed by the consumer. After all, consumers reward businesses who consider such factors and this in turn, leads to success for the business.

The weight of the Vitality yogurt drink bottle has been reduced as too has the weight of the cardboard carton sleeves and trays. This will save over 350 tonnes of packaging per year.

Recycling is a hot topic across the world at the moment and with food jobs related to the issue constantly cropping up, it's an important issue for food manufacturers to consider too.

In a year which has been tough for businesses across the world, it seems that Britvic have been left unscathed as they posted a 23 per cent hike in annual profits.

The group makes Pepsi, 7Up and J20 as well as Tango and Robinsons and they have reported a pre-tax profit of £86.5 million in the year to September 27th.

The sale of Britvic's still drinks rose by 3.6 per cent and the sale of its fizzy drinks rose by 7.9 per cent in Britain despite other soft drinks manufacturers reporting a slowdown in their sales.

Britvic is the second biggest fizzy drinks supplier after Coca Cola and it is putting its success down to a revival in consumer demand for carbonated drinks. The successful year may also be down to new launches such as Robinsons Be Natural and Juicy Drench.

Paul Moody, the chief executive of Britvic said that the soft drinks market as a whole is seeing some improvements. But he is quick to point out that it is difficult to see how things will pan out in the future and that the drinks market should be cautious.

It seems that the spotlight is well and truly on local British food at the moment. And now Gary Rhodes has launched a Truly British and Truly Local food campaign with the world's largest caterer Compass Group.

The new scheme will only give a Truly British status to products with guaranteed British origin which can be traced back to the source.

This new scheme was born out of the fact that far too many food companies were claiming that their products were sourced locally, when really, they came from a local wholesaler which could never guarantee that the products were genuinely local.

The Truly Local standard goes to products which are made from local ingredients and produced by small, local companies within 50 miles of where they are being served.

Interest in the food industry has soared in recent years. More and more people are now looking into the availability of food jobs and the public are showing more of a keen interest in local produce. The number of people who look for locally produced food has almost doubled in the past three years as more cookery programmes crop up and also, as people try to support their local businesses in these tough economic times.

Hovis have managed to put a smile on the face of hundreds of farmers across the country with their announcement that they will only be using British wheat in loaves.

At the moment, Hovis is using between 25 per cent and 50 per cent British wheat and it is importing the rest from Canada. But this is all set to change in the New Year when Hovis will start to just use British wheat.

This follows trials over the past five years of growing a strain of Canadian red wheat in Britain. These trials were successful and so now, an extra 600 farmers are growing wheat for Hovis loaves.

It's excellent news for Britain's food industry as not only is it keeping local farmers in business and using this country's produce, but the move will also create new food jobs.

With this new policy coming into place early next year, one in eight wheat fields across Britain are being used to grow wheat for Hovis.

In total, £18m was spent on importing Canadian wheat and this £18m will now go to British farmers.

As the focus in the food jobs industry turns well and truly to local produce, it's fitting to see British farmers receiving a little bit of good news.

Fresh food counters are seen half as much as they used to be. But with more and more people taking an interest in fresh produce in recent years, the supermarkets are starting to see that fresh food counters are very much in demand. And now, they are coming back.

Last month, Marks & Spencer reintroduced fresh food counters including butchers and fishmongers in store.

This was good news for the customer as they now have much more choice of quality food. But it was also excellent news for talented butchers and fishmongers who were looking for food jobs.

The idea was tested out in Meadowhall in Sheffield and the second at Bluewater in Kent. Fresh produce always goes down well with the customers; as has been seen with supermarkets such as Morrisons which has attracted a huge, loyal customer base through its range of fresh produce.

The food division of M&S accounts for slightly more than half of their revenue so it is important that they make the right decision when it comes to these fresh food counters.
But with the amount of food jobs they will create and the customers they attract, it seems that everyone is a winner.

At any food establishment, hygiene is of paramount importance. Hygiene is not only important for ensuring that food standards remain high, but it is also important for the reputation of the food establishment.

In fact, hygiene is so important, that hundreds of food jobs are created out of the need to keep food establishments hygienic and healthy.

And one food establishment in particular which has been recognised for its high hygiene standards is Domino's Pizza in Harlow. This store has scored a top rating of five stars in the Scores on the Doors programme which runs nationwide.

Scores on the Doors acts as a public information service where people can find out the official local authority hygiene ratings for thousands of food businesses.

The Food Standards Agency has issued a Food Law Code of practice and this is what is used to inspect each premises.

The Domino's Pizza store in Harlow, was rated for hygiene, the structural condition of the premises and the management of the business. And it was awarded five stars for excellence based on these factors.

The standards at the store have always remained high and the staff work hard to ensure that hygiene is always considered. And now they have five stars to prove it.

It's a battle that we witness every single week; the battle between the country's major supermarkets.

Supermarkets including Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's are constantly fighting for the customers' attention. Their television adverts are designed to make us think that each of these supermarkets can offer you the best value for money.

But one supermarket which seems to be enjoying huge success at the moment is Morrisons. This supermarket, known for its reasonable prices and fresh produce, has recently announced that a record 10.8 million customers went into its stores between August and October this year.

Morrisons is the UK's fourth largest supermarket and like for like sales during this period rose 4.3 per cent.

The supermarket has enjoyed steady success this year and that is being put down to its focus on cost efficiencies and a constantly increasing number of customers.

Because of all of the success it has enjoyed this year, this particular supermarket has been steadily expanding. This year alone, the company has opened up 37 new stores, creating hundreds of food jobs across the country in a variety of sectors. And in a year which has been difficult for most businesses, that's not bad going.

It's one of the most recognisable logos across the world. For years, the Coca-Cola brand has been at the top of its game. And now, as the world is beginning to focus upon climate change and sustainability, Coca-Cola is following suit with their new steps to reduce their environmental footprint.

The company is focussing on water use, refrigeration and packaging. Coke Chairman and Chief Executive Muhtar Kent has said that they will be focussing on these issues. He also said that Coca-Cola have worked with Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund as part of this project.

The Chairman said that as the consumer is beginning to consume more responsibly and is rewarding those businesses who provide sustainable goods, those companies in turn, can create a sustainable business.

Kent also highlighted that no company can do this alone and that they will all need to work together.

So as the world turns its attention to sustainability, so too do the food and drink manufacturers across the world, constantly creating new food jobs along the way. It's an important issue which must be addressed. And Coca-Cola is taking the lead to ensure that they become a sustainable company and one that will continue to thrive at the top of their game.

When it comes to food, quality is of paramount importance. Anyone involved in any food jobs will know that in this industry, more than others, quality and standards are the most important aspects to consider. And that is certainly the ethos that foodservice company 3663 works to.

3663 First for Foodservice is the UK's leading foodservice company. The company delivers quality food, products and equipment to the catering industry and it has earned itself a remarkable reputation.

And now, there is a new string to their bow as they have just been awarded The Investor in Excellence Standard which is a recognised mark of quality.

The Investor in Excellence Standard promotes business excellence by considering continuous improvement, reducing waste and using best practice.

3663 have been working towards achieving this standard in recent years and their hard work has finally paid off. The company also received particular praise for their inclusive people culture. 3663 give their employees the opportunity to get involved and offer feedback. The company also excels at communication and offers staff positive recognition where appropriate.

3663 has always thrived on exceeding customers' expectations and therefore building healthy relationships with their clients.

UK superstore chain Tesco recently demonstrated their intention to move into the luxury food market by rolling out price cuts on their 'Tesco's Finest' range, to compete with the likes of Marks & Spencer and Waitrose. As part of a nationwide promotional campaign, Tesco is shaking off their 'value' image by cutting prices in time for Christmas, in order to hold on to their market share.

Tesco bosses have taken advantage of the fact that consumers are tentatively starting to opt for luxury food items again, after initially trading down due to fears over economic recession, a period which negatively affected luxury food stores like M&S and Waitrose. As these customers start to go back to luxury food items, Tesco's aggressive marketing drive is hoping to stop those customers going back to upmarket stores by getting in first. It seems the strategy is working too; city analysts have reported a total sales increase of 8.8% for Tesco.

As part of their expansion, Tesco are also placing great importance on opening new stores. This strategy will not only create thousands of new food jobs for UK workers, but will also provide the group with good momentum, as well as making sure their rivals have plenty of competition during the run-up to Christmas.

Due to the global recession, the state of which is not expected to improve until late 2010 at the earliest, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) have informed the government of a number of ways they could help the food industry.

The FDF, in association with the British Plastics Federation, the Manufacturing Technologies Association and manufacturers' organisation EEF, sent a detailed letter to the Chancellor ahead of the upcoming pre-budget report, outlining strategies which could be implemented, including:

• A freeze in the rate of corporation tax for small food companies until 2011
• A delay to the introduction of new business-limiting regulations
• A 12 month extension to 40% first-year capital allowances
• Finally, an initiation of dialogue between EU authorities in order to extend the Letter of Credit Guarantee scheme, which is in place for developed economies

In the letter, the FDF also stressed that the food and drink manufacturing industry, with a gross turnover of £72.6 billion, is the largest sector in the UK at present, and that these measures are essential to not only help struggling businesses to survive and continue to support a balanced economy, but would also mean greater financial security for the 440,000 British people in food jobs throughout the UK.

With the economy showing the first signs of a slow recovery it comes as good news that supermarket giant Morrisons is about to create 240 food jobs in the Birmingham and Black County region.

The new superstore in the Birmingham and Sandwell area is hoped to be open by 2011 after the go-ahead was just given be the city's planning team. The store will be situated on an old industrial site on Holyhead road and around 240 jobs are hoped to be created.

"This is an impoverished area, we need the investment and the local jobs for local people."

Morrisons will give around £750,000 to the local council to pay for upgraded local community facilities and to update the road network as part of the package.

Although the planning approval has been given, Morrisons still need the development officially sanctioned by the government before building work can start.

The multi-national supermarket chain Asda is planning to invest £65 million to create three new superstores in Northern Ireland. Asda has performed well in the last year, selling over £55 million of locally sourced food in 13 stores across the region, and has boosted Northern Ireland's agri-food sector by almost £60 million in this year alone.

With figures set to improve by 26% next year, Asda are capitalising on their success by planning three new stores in Crumlin, Antrim and Larne, which are expected to create 900 new food jobs. Asda currently employs 3,500 people in the UK, but believes that their Northern Ireland stores are the pinnacle of their achievements.

Asda bosses believe that by meeting their customers' needs and using over 100 local food suppliers in their Northern Ireland, they have created an excellent model for growth, which they hope to use to enhance existing stores as well as adding new branches throughout the region. They also believe that the Northern Ireland model can be applied to all of their stores in the UK.

To honour Asda's contribution to the local economy and job market in Northern Ireland, company bosses were invited to the Parliament buildings for a special 'NI: Good food is in our Nature' event, which was also attended by government ministers and representatives from agri-food sectors.