"Accelerating profitability for food businesses" Producers, Retailers, Caterers

Shoppers buy cheaper food brands

Cash-strapped shoppers are turning to cheaper food brands as they feel the impact of the credit crunch, according to research.

A study by market research company Mintel shows that in the past 12 months 41% of shoppers have switched to cheaper brands and three in 10 (34%) have cut down on the premium ranges, such as Tesco Finest and Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference.

Two-thirds of shoppers now look for the promotions and deals more often than a year ago, 2 (more…)

The movement in the Organic food market is important to Africa is we do intend increasing the use of Organic as a selling point, but also because it is an indicator of how people in Europe are going to react to increasing food prices.

Tesco, the UK chain, decreased it’s prices in August 2008 by up to 25 per cent, “in response to feedback from consumers who are feeling the effects of the credit crunch” Tesco believe
consumers were already less willing to pay the premium price of Organic Foods (more…)

Eating Better in ‘09?
What “healthy eating” will mean to CPG companies, marketers, foodservice, restaurants and supermarkets in the coming year.

If any one cultural practice could be picked from the horn of plenty symbolizing American food culture, we would say that the complex intersection between healthy eating and wellness would be a defining characteristic of our ever-aspirational population. Such aspirations, rooted in healthy eating, are also true at an industry level. Tim Hammonds, Fo (more…)

Duchy Originals Wins Award for New Website

LONDON, Jul 11, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) —-Duchy Originals, the pioneering organic food company founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1990, has won a prestigious APA (Association of Publishing Agencies) Award for its new website. The new website, designed by Story Worldwide, uses storytelling techniques to help Duchy Originals deepen its relationship with existing and new consumers and use its position in the market to encourage debate about the enviro (more…)

Smaller firms top UK food innovation charts
By Jess Halliday
While innovation is fundamental to growth for food and beverage manufacturers, smaller companies are maintaining more momentum in product launches than their bigger counterparts, says OC&C Strategy Consultants.

The consultancy conducted a study of the most innovative firms in the UK sector, and found that the ten most innovative firms had average organic growth in excess of 5.8 percent between 2004 and 2006.

The remainder, on (more…)