Author: Sam Allcock

Aldi, the discount supermarket chain, has revealed that its partnership with the food redistribution platform Too Good To Go has resulted in over £7 million in savings for its customers. Through this partnership, customers have the opportunity to buy “Surprise bags” containing surplus food. Since the initiative’s start in February 2023, more than half a million of these bags have been sold. Aldi reports that this initiative has prevented approximately 1,500 tonnes of CO2 emissions by distributing food at discounted prices that would otherwise have been discarded. These Surprise bags, filled with a variety of grocery items nearing their sell-by…

The US-based Hain Celestial has unveiled plans to streamline its array of food and beverage products to bolster future growth. This initiative will impact its offerings in meal preparation, snacks, as well as food and drinks for babies and children. In the meal preparation segment, the company aims to optimise its Linda McCartney plant-based meats selection, focusing particularly on the frozen products sold across Europe and the UK. Additionally, the producer of Terra vegetable crisps is set to revise its baby and children’s food and drinks lineup, “as part of ongoing brand maintenance.” The streamlining effort included the recent divestiture…

Nespresso has partnered with the social enterprise Change Please, pledging a substantial £1 million to aid homelessness relief efforts. Change Please reported in its latest analysis a concerning 50 percent surge in homelessness from March 2022 to March 2023 and noted 1,313 deaths linked to homelessness in 2021. The £1 million from Nespresso will contribute towards providing those affected by homelessness with barista training, employment at a living wage, assistance with essential life administration such as housing and banking, mental health support, and further job opportunities. Out of the total donation, £500,000 is allocated to establish a sustainable program and…

Nestlé India has announced a joint venture with pharmaceutical giant Dr Reddy’s Laboratories to manufacture and distribute medical-nutrition products and supplements. Initially, the publicly-traded Nestlé India will hold a 49% stake in the venture, while the Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s will own the majority share. According to a statement filed with the stock exchange, under the terms of the agreement, Nestlé India will possess a call option to increase its stake to 60% after six years “at a fair market value.” “We have been on a journey where we strive to add value to the lives of our consumers through powerful…

In a stride towards sustainability, the discount supermarket chain Aldi has announced its transition to using 100 percent recycled plastic (rPet) for its own-brand soft drinks and bottled water offerings in England and Wales. This initiative reportedly establishes Aldi as the first UK supermarket to convert its entire own-label soft drinks category to fully recycled materials, with the sole exceptions being the cap and label. The revamped packaging will gradually appear across all relevant products in the soft drinks aisle of its stores. The retailer estimates that the switch to entirely recycled content will prevent the use of “around 10,000…

General Mills is reportedly examining the possibility of divesting its yoghurt business in North America. Reuters has reported that the American company has enlisted the services of investment banking firm JPMorgan Chase to assist in identifying prospective purchasers for this division. The producer of Nature Valley snack bars is aiming to have the portfolio valued at nearly ten times the asset’s annual EBITDA, which is approximately $250m, according to unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The yoghurt product line of General Mills includes well-known brands such as Yoplait, Liberté, and Ratio Food. At the time this article was prepared, the…

During the World Cocoa Conference 2024 in Brussels, Belgium, an investigation revealed that companies sourcing cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire are inadvertently promoting deforestation in neighbouring Liberia. Bakary Traoré, representing the Initiatives for Community Development and Forest Conservation (IDEF), shared findings from a recent field study. The study criticized the current traceability systems used by these companies, which fail to meet the requirements of the new anti-deforestation regulation published on 9 June 2023, in the Official Journal of the European Union. Researchers are calling for the replacement of these ineffective mechanisms with Côte d’Ivoire’s more reliable and transparent national traceability system.…

A report by Swiss investigative organisation Public Eye has found that Nestlé adds sugar and honey to its infant milk and cereal products marketed in many poorer countries. Nestlé holds a significant 20% share of the global baby food market, which is valued at nearly $70 billion. In 2022, the company recorded over $2.5 billion in sales from its popular baby food brands, Cerelac and Nido, predominantly in low- and middle-income nations. Despite advertising these products as crucial for children’s healthy development in its primary markets across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, these practices contravene international guidelines designed to combat…

Spanish seafood giant Angulas Aguinaga is making its foray into plant-based seafood alternatives through a collaboration with startup Vrave, launching a konjac-based calamari under the Aguinamar brand. The innovative product is now available in Spain and is being distributed through major supermarkets including Alcampo and Carrefour, as revealed by Vrave CEO and founder Ricard Puigdemont in an interview with Just Food. Looking ahead, Angulas Aguinaga and Vrave are set to expand their market reach. They plan to seek distributors to export the squid-free calamari to the UK, France, and Portugal starting “next month”. Puigdemont further disclosed the strategic vision for…

William Jackson Food Group (WJFG), a prominent UK food producer, has successfully acquired the family-operated baking business Lottie Shaw’s, based in West Yorkshire. The financial specifics of the acquisition have not been revealed. Lottie Shaw’s is set to become “an extension” of its Jacksons sliced bread brand, yet it will continue to operate “as a standalone business,” according to Owen Elliott, the Managing Director of Jacksons. He elaborated on the acquisition, stating: “The new partnership will help us broaden Jacksons’ reach beyond sliced bread and provide Lottie Shaw’s with additional expertise and scale to help secure long-term future growth.” Established…