Category: News
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Arla-backed study says workforce gaps threaten UK food security now. New research with Harper Adams University finds only 4% of 18–24 year olds are employed in, or actively pursuing, agriculture, and warns that persistent recruitment failures are colliding with an ageing farm-holder base.
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Testo Saveris will demo cloud monitoring at EuroShop 2026 Düsseldorf. The company is pitching its testo Saveris Food platform as a route to automated HACCP documentation, with wireless data loggers, handheld instruments, and configurable workflows aimed at chilled and frozen retail operations.
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Welsh Heather Honey’s PGI name is under amendment review now. Defra has opened an objection window for a non-minor change that adds an accent to the Welsh term, moving from “Mel” to “Mêl”. For producers, it is a reminder that protected names live and die on precision.
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Food inflation is expected to ease, but compliance costs grow. The Food and Drink Federation forecasts UK food inflation averaging 4.4% in 2026 and ending at 3.1%, after rising to 5.7% by December 2025. It argues regulation is now the dominant inflation driver.
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Most shoppers do not know what is inside sliced bread. New YouGov research behind Biona’s Rye January campaign shows widespread confusion about additives and processing. The findings sharpen the commercial case for clean-label reformulation, fermentation-led baking, and simpler ingredient decks in mainstream loaves.
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Milk prices are falling as UK processors confront oversupply today. Arla, Müller, and First Milk have announced sharp cuts into early 2026, with some contracts moving into the mid-30ppl range. Farming bodies warn prolonged losses will accelerate exits and weaken future supply resilience.
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Spring & Mulberry recalls Mint Leaf bars after Salmonella test. The company is voluntarily recalling lot #025255 of its Mint Leaf Date Sweetened Chocolate Bar after third-party testing flagged potential contamination; no illnesses have been reported to date.
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Grupo Bimbo is buying Morocco’s Joy Food, via Spain subsidiary. The deal, disclosed via a Moroccan Competition Council filing, brings a local packaged bakery producer into Bimbo’s orbit as it builds out North African capacity and product range.
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Cocoa prices eased in January, but long-term volatility persists globally. ICCO’s composite daily price fell from $5,984/tonne on 5 January to $5,103/tonne on 14 January, yet manufacturers are still treating cocoa as a high-risk input as EU deforestation compliance clocks keep ticking.
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IFT sees Value 3.0 steering drinks, alongside GLP-1 shifts behaviour. The Institute of Food Technologists says affordability remains dominant, while weight-management drugs continue to reshape consumer expectations around portion size, nutrient density, and functional benefits.