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Gate Gourmet, the airline catering company, received more than £500,000 from the Common Agricultural Policy last year for flying tiny, individual helpings of milk and sugar into international airspace, thereby qualifying for an export subsidy.
David Cameron has urged competition authorities to crack down on supermarket practices such as retrospective discounting and making producers pay for in-store promotions. The Conservative leader has also called for “Food Patriotism,” asking manufacturers to label foodstuffs to aid identification of British and local goods.
Soaring wheat prices will inevitably mean a rise in the cost of bread say millers ADM. The 35% rise in wheat prices since last year has been blamed on global supply and demand which has been particularly affected by drought conditions in Australia, one of the world’s largest wheat exporters.
Kwik-Save is widely reported to be in financial trouble having seen festive sales slump through December. Rumours abound that many suppliers are refusing to make deliveries to them and that stores remain understocked and undermanned. Recent reports suggest that the company could be the target for a GBP70m (US$137m) re-financing package from a mystery source, although the chain has yet to comment on the rumours.
Having reclaimed the Ashes, the Australians are now attacking the Poms with a different type of bouncer – “Bounce Balls” are snacks for athletes or the health conscious gym goer, containing no additives or preservatives.
Year on year retail sales in the fourth quarter of 2006 were up according to analysts. Online retailers saw a 40% rise in sales, making food and grocery the largest online retail market in the UK. The market also saw increased sales of premium food ranges reflecting consumer demand for quality and higher value products.
Cargill has announced that its second quarter earnings to end November, were up by 34%; earnings increased to US$ 662 million following strong results from selling and shipping commodities and its financial trading unit.
Healthy eating messages are getting through to children according to a recent survey. 76% of children listed fruit as their most liked food and the food item most wanted in their lunch box. Other popular items included yoghurt, with 46% of respondents favouring it, and cereal bars, liked by 43% of kids. Bottom of the list, surprisingly perhaps, came sweets with 31% and cake bars with 33%.
A group of lonely welsh farmers seeking love have put their photos on bottles of Calon Wen organic milk under the logo “Fancy a Farmer.” The bottles also carry a link to a lonely-hearts website. Calon Wen was formed as a co-operative of organic dairy farmers; the new initiative is in response to the fact that a quarter of the co-operative members are single.
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