All articles by FPJ Staff – Page 93
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ArticleAsparagus takes its place among the big boys
Asparagus is no longer the niche line it once was, and with strong double digit growth, the sales success of the last decade looks set to continue. But, asks Michael Barker, will the increasingly mainstream status of the line mean premium margins have to be sacrificed?
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Eating in colour has just become more fashionable
There have been increasing signs that the retail trade has become colour conscious. Not the usual spectrum associated with
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Are piles of paperwork killing your business?
SITPRO has just published a fascinating study on the cost of paperwork in the perishable food import/export sector. It makes
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Spending cuts bring priorities into focus
So retaining investment in coastal erosion eh? Tough stuff. It’s testament to the severity of the cuts which face DEFRA
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ArticleFresh produce’s dotcom dilemma
The internet has revolutionised the way people shop, but can the fresh produce industry make the most of this increasingly popular outlet? David Burrows reports
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ArticleRetailers move to bag their share of new season fruit
As the multiples prepare to push forward the British apple and pear season, Elizabeth O’Keefe discovers that loose is on the way out, a new wave of varietal development is heading onto shelves and pears could be on the verge of stealing some of apples’ long-held limelight
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Spuds get glamorous in retail race to be different
The humble spud has always lacked the more exciting qualities of many lines of fresh produce, but there appears to be a
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Globalgap takes a further step on yellow brick road
Last week’s GlobalGAP Summit in London reflected how far the organisation has moved since its inception in the
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Back in the fast lane after the quiet summer months
After the quiet summer season the life of livery companies speed up again in the early autumn. The last couple of weeks have
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Barlow: a man for all seasons
One of the best-loved characters in the UK fresh produce trade, Adrian Barlow has been effervescent on the top-fruit scene and ubiquitous in the media for more than a decade. In a rare personal interview, he tells Alex Lawson about his colourful background and the path that led him to the fresh produce trade
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Incident highlights need for harmony
Food scares are fortunately extremely rare in this country, and even when incidences do occur - such as the Irish pork dioxin
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ArticleFresh produce standards evolve to make life simpler
As GlobalGAP launches its new version of accreditation and the Red Tractor UK assurance standard celebrates reaching £10 billion worth of products in the market, the main goal is to keep up the momentum and make assured produce even more user-friendly for producers. Elizabeth O’Keefe discusses what is next for assurance schemes
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ArticleAirfreight industry takes off after a turbulent year
It has been a colourful 12 months for those who rely on flying fresh produce into the UK, with rising prices, strikes and a tax rethink topped off with a natural disaster in the shape of the Iceland volcanic ash cloud that famously grounded the sector back in April. Anna Sbuttoni asks what’s next for this fast-moving business
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ArticleOptimism up as citrus sales overperform
Stability has been restored to the citrus category, with South Africa rounding off a good season ahead of the switch to the northern hemisphere. Anna Sbuttoni reports on a market that for now is growing ahead of the rest of the fruit offer
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Retailers look for the novel to stand out in the crowd
Every retailer wants to stand out from the crowd and there is no harm in that. To cement this concept in shoppers’
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Zespri targets increased sales in the UK’s kiwifruit market
Carol Ward is director for corporate and grower services at Zespri. She joined the New Zealand kiwifruit marketer in April 2002 as the global marketing manager for Zespri Gold, after two years of involvement with Kiwifruit New Zealand and Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (KGI). She has also held roles at Zespri as planning and supply manager and is acting director of branding and marketing. She talks to FPJ about the contentious single-desk issue, new varieties, the future of the UK market and direct sourcing
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Reduced audit burden is to be welcomed
It’s good to see GlobalGAP responding to grower concerns over the burden of audits by offering the carrot of reduced
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ArticleArgentina set for comeback as cherries take centre stage
Argentina is preparing for a new cherry season, with the first fruit set to be harvested next week. Anna Sbuttoni gauges the mood of growers and exporters ahead of the new arrivals
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ArticleDeal or no deal?
The number of discount and multi-buy promotions run by retailers has hit record levels in the past year. But, asks Michael Barker, are the supermarkets’ promotional strategies sustainable or will they have no option but to scale back?
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ArticlePrepared fruit and veg sector emerges well from recession
Innovation and the prepared fruit and vegetable industry go hand in hand, and as the country emerges out of the recession fitter and leaner, retailers are becoming more adventurous with their fresh-cut and prepared ranges. And a wide range of new product development is increasingly finding its way onto shelves, as Elizabeth O’Keefe reports