Food & Drink Towers http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk food & drink towers will put you in touch with the right people at the right time: food &amp; drink PRs, journalists, producers, retailers, manufacturers and foodie experts. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1221 Gordon Ramsay suffers kitchen nightmare The TV chef Gordon Ramsay experienced his own kitchen nightmare last year with profits slumping by almost 90% according to a story in today's Times newspaper. Gordon Ramsay Holdings has filed accounts showing that Mr Ramsay and Chris Hutcheson, his fat Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1220 M&S sales slump slowing thanks to food Marks & Spencer has reported its smallest quarterly sales decline in almost two years as promotions and warmer weather boosted sales of summer fashions and food. Revenue at UK stores open at least one year fell 1.4% in the 13 weeks ended June 27. The Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1219 Breastfeeding protects babies from gut problems Scientists have discovered that human breast milk contains an ingredient called pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI), which protects and repairs the delicate intestines of newborn infants. The ingredient is found at its highest levels in colos Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1218 Brits compromise by eating in on holiday It’s not just British food lovers who will be lugging suitcases of grub with them on holiday this year rather than tasting the local cuisine. Research from Tesco Travel Money has found that the average holidaymaker will do what they can to save a few pou Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1217 Junk food hampering exam chances Junk food could be hampering the chances of exam-stressed youngsters' success according to the School Food Trust. Eight out of 10 youngsters told researchers for that they were likely to snack more and eat less healthily when revising. A quarter of Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1216 Brits turn to comfort food in recession Britons are turning to comfort food during the recession. The traditional British dish, bangers and mash, got 16% of the vote, beating fish and chips into second with 15% and beans on toast into third with 10%. The survey was commissioned by TV channe Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1215 New low calorie low alcohol drink launched A new low calorie, low alcohol pre-mixed drink has been launched in the UK to target calorie-conscious drinkers. VK Lo, a pineapple and grapefruit flavoured bottled drink from VK Vodka Kick, contains 49 calories and 1.2% alcohol content. The drink i Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1214 Trading hours could be extended in Australia The Independent Grocers Association (IGA) in Western Australia has launched an advertising campaign attacking the state's Liberal Party for propsals that will extend retail trading hours. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry is asking the Liberal Party Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1213 US dairy market success despite economy PMMI's latest study, Dairy Industry Market Research Study 2009, reveals that while the US dairy industry has been grappling with consequences of the economic downturn over the last two years, sales of dairy products in U.S. alone saw an increase of 2% las Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1212 Win Tickets to the Taste of London Festival Win Tickets to the Taste of London Festival with Wanchai Ferry You can master the art of Chinese cuisine at Taste of London with Wanchai Ferry, a newly launched range of Chinese recipe kits. The Wanchai Ferry stand at Taste will feature flare-wokking a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1211 Food and drink exports reach record levels UK exports of food and non-alcoholic drinks have hit record levels, boosted by strong performances in all product categories and a growing taste for British products in Central European countries. Research commissioned by the Food and Drink Federation Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1210 Sell-by dates could be scrapped Sell-by dates could be scrapped to stop food waste according to Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary. But a key part of the environmental crackdown is a consultation on how to reduce the confusion around food labelling so that people do not throw away e Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1209 Study confirms oily fish fights eye disease People with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) should eat oily fish at least twice a week to keep their eye disease at bay according to new research. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish such as mackerel and salmon appear to slow or even halt the prog Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1208 Women driven by vanity to drink less booze A survey by the pollster YouGov found that 73% of women aged 25 to 34 drink less than 14 units of alcohol a week, with 75% of 18 to 24-year-olds, and 79% of 35 to 44-year-olds, making the same claim. This restraint may be partly fuelled by vanity, wit Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1207 Aussie XXXX to be removed from sale in UK Australian drinks group Lion Nathan announced yesterday that its Castlemaine XXXX brand, brewed under licence in the UK by Anheuser-Busch InBev, is being withdrawn from the British market next June. Lion Nathan attributed the move to “challenging marke Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1206 Food pice inflation four times higher in UK Food price inflation in the UK is almost four times higher than in the rest of Europe while supermarkets have enjoyed record profits. Despite huge falls in the wholesale price of basic goods such as rice and potatoes, families in the UK are still faci Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1205 Pub puds packed with salt A survey of London pub food found that desserts contain a lot of hidden salt, with family favourite Sticky Toffee Pudding being the saltiest. The study of 50 popular menu items served in London pub chains was undertaken by the lobby group Consensus Act Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1204 'Oscars' awarded to UK chefs A baker’s dozen of chefs last night won a coveted industry ‘Oscar’ from the most respected association dedicated to culinary excellence in the UK. Thirteen skilled culinary masters from education to pubs and cost sector to banqueting walked away with a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1203 Finsbury Food receives takeover bid Shares in Finsbury Food Group are soaring today after the Cardiff-based cake maker confirmed it had received an “exploratory approach”, although the company expressed “considerable doubt” the move would lead to a takeover. Finsbury said in a statement Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1202 Glorious gluten free Throughout their 35 year history Alara Wholefoods have always been at the forefront of muesli production throughout their 35 year history and one of their main focuses has been producing a breakfast cereal for those 500,000 people in the UK who are Gluten Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1201 Young pub group's sales bolstered by food promos Pubs group Young & Co attributed recent sales growth to food promotions and the fact that many of its pubs are in London. The group fared better than many competitors during the economic slump, which has had a big impact on the booze trade. Full-year Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1200 Northern Foods factory to close despite sales rise Northern Foods, private label supplier to major multiples within the UK, revealed a "strong start" to 2009 but yesterday announced plans to close its Hull-based ready meals factory, as contracts with the plant's main customer are to be terminated. The Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1199 John Burton Race enlisted by Kent restaurant duo Michelin-starred John Burton Race has been appointed as Group Development Chef for Kent Inns of Distinction, a privately owned Kent-based restaurant and hotel operator. Ambitious expansion plans have been confirmed by the Group with the acquisition of Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1198 Average family £3 per week better off The average UK family was £3 a week better off in April 2009 compared with 2008, according to the ASDA income tracker, which reached positive territory for the first time since January. A typical household had £166 per week to spend in April 2009, a 1 Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1197 Vimto reaches out to teenagers with £5m campaign Vimto is to launch a new £5m campaign on June 4 spearheaded by a national TV campaign from new creative agency, driven, with the strap-line “Seriously Mixed Up Fruit”. Emma Hunt, senior brand manager at Vimto said: “This campaign will engage a new teen Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1196 ShelterBox charity teams up with celeb chefs International disaster relief charity ShelterBox has teamed up with celebrity chefs to produce recipes to mark ‘Big Green Box Week’ from 18-25 May and promote the charity’s work in providing emergency shelter to those affected by disasters. Anthony Wo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1195 Half of online shoppers sent wrong items Nearly half of all shoppers who buy their groceries online are sent wrong items, a survey by Which? has revealed. Substitutions were received by 45% of those questioned, while 15% had not received a product they had ordered, The consumer group aske Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1194 Drinking to success with Nordic design Active Finnish tea company Nordqvist counts on flexible packaging machines Tea is the new coffee Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world, surpassed only by water. As demographics and culture change, so does market demand for new satisfying Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1193 UKTV rebranded as the Good Food Channel The pay-TV broadcaster UKTV has licensed BBC Worldwide's Good Food magazine and event brand as the name for its TV channel from 22 June. UKTV is a 50/50 joint venture between Virgin Media and BBC Worldwide. The rebrand will also include a revamp of Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1192 FDF's ideas to boost healthy eating at work Speaking at today’s workshop: ‘Big Ideas for Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in Your Workplace’ – part of Business in the Community’s Health and Work summit, Angela Coleshill, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Director of HR, will say: “It is Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1191 VisitScotland Food Tourism award winners Chocolate maker and cafe Cocoa Mountain has been announced as the first winner of VisitScotland’s Food Tourism Award. Based in Durness on the north coast of Scotland, the business received the award at an evening ceremony at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Mus Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1190 Wyke Farms reaches £1m retail sales per week Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, has revealed the latest brand performance figures from TNS, confirming Wyke Farms as the fastest growing brand within the Cheddar category. With record sales over the past year, Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1189 Consumers develop green fingers in recession A multi-country study released today by Lightspeed Research shows that consumers are increasingly turning towards the “Good Life” and growing their own fruit and vegetables. Around one third of respondents in the UK, US, France and Germany now grow t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1188 FSA updates list of products free from E-numbers The UK Food Standards Agency has updated its list of product ranges that do not contain the six food colours associated with possible hyperactivity in young children. A further 22 manufacturers producing product lines free of the colours have been added t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1187 New beer can design launched by Amstel Rexam and Amstel have been working closely to bring a new 500ml aluminium can design to the market. The new can, produced in Russia, uses two of Rexam’s added value techniques: illustration impact print technology together with a matt varnish for real con Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1186 US sees dramatic drop in NPD Fewer new products are hitting the shelves of American supermarkets as US food and drink manufacturers attempt to cope with the slumping economy. According to research group Mintel total food and drink product launches have declined by 51% from the fir Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1185 Sugar levels in cereals remain Sugar levels in cereals marketed to children remain “shockingly high” according to a study by consumer watchdog Which? However Which? Also said there had been some “positive progress” in the healthiness of breakfast cereals since it last conducted the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1184 Food industry chief says no more red tape The President of the Food and Drink Federation is urging the Government to make a public commitment to cut unnecessary red tape as the best way of supporting the country’s biggest manufacturing sector through the recession. Speaking tonight at FDF’s a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1183 Brits turn back on beer in recession The recession has hit sales of beer in supermarkets and off-licences, falling by 11% in the first three months of 2009, as Brits turn their back on the national drink. The fall is the first time since 2005 that beer sales in supermarkets and off-licenc Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1182 Mums 'struggling' to feed kids nutrient-rich food Two-thirds of mum’s believe they are struggling to feed their children nutrient rich food, according to a survey conducted on behalf of Hovis Best of Both. The study, conducted by TickBox, found that 67% of mums find it hard to feed their children food Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1181 Nestle sees bottled water slump Sales at Nestle confirmed that bottled water has become a victim of the credit crunch with sales of its Perrier and San Pellegrino brands slumping by 9% in the UK alone. While bottled water may, in Nestle’s words, be facing challenges in Western Europe Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1180 Darling attacked for ignoring food and drink The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has attacked chancellor Alistair Darling for ignoring the strategic importance of the UK’s food and drink manufacturing sector. Responding to yesterday’s Budget statement Melanie Leech, director general of the FDF, w Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1179 Brits swap bottled water for fizzy drinks Consumers have swapped bottled water for carbonated drinks, despite warnings about high sugar intake and pleas for the public to drink more water. According to a survey conducted by AC Nielsen, on behalf of the National Hydration Council, cash strapped Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1178 Tesco makes a £6.5m profit every day in UK Tesco continues to be the UK’s supermarket behemoth with a turnover last year of £41.5bn during 2008, an increase of 9.5% compared to 2007. Even without the impact of new store openings in the UK last year (which accounted for 2.7% of sales growth) lik Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1177 The revival of the jam sandwich The revival of the jam sandwich – and a grown up alternative! Take That, the Wispa, platforms….. All of the best things in life are destined to come back around again, (without the likes of Timmy Mallet, please) the latest? The revival of the much love Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1176 Chancellor must recongise food in Budget The Chancellor has been urged to recognise the importance of food manufacturing as he gets set to unveil his second Budget on Wednesday. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has warned that ‘unwarranted and poorly-implemented regulation’ is the biggest Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1175 Robust growth for food retailers in March Once again food sales helped to prop up British retail, according to the British Retail Consortium, as grocers showed robust growth. While overall retail sales fell in March by -1.2% this was compared to March 2008 which contained Easter. In the first Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1174 Brits buy more frozen food to thaw recession chill Brits are buying more frozen food to combat the recession, according to the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) Frozen Food Group. Almost half of consumers (49%) believe that frozen food would help them through the credit crunch because it minimised both Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1173 Innocent seeks VAT exemption on smoothies Innocent, the smoothie manufacturer which sold a £30m stake in its business to Coca-Cola last week, is to lodge an application for a tribunal hearing to argue that smoothies should be exempt from VAT. Innocent co-founder Richard Reed told the press thi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1172 Food prices up again due to imports Food retail prices continued to rise in March as food price inflation went up by 9% according to the British Retail Consortium. Food inflation has steadily been on the rise in the past few months, rising by 7.5% in January and 6.2% in December. By comp Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1171 Shoppers bulk buying food to save on waste Cash-strapped consumers are trying to cut back on waste by buying food in bulk, according to a survey by Morrisons. The poll found that more than two thirds of customers at the store (69%) cooked in bulk, and sales of products like freezer storage cont Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1170 Nine in ten British homes buy organic food Sales of organic food in the UK rose by 1.7% in 2008 to just over £2.1bn with nine in ten British households buying organic products. According to a report by the Soil Association, dairy foods accounts for 29.5% of spending on organic food, followed by Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1169 Coca-Cola takes minority share in Innocent Coca-Cola has taken a minority stakeholding in Innocent Drinks valued at £30m estimated at 10-20% of the business. The cash will reportedly go towards international expansion and to support investment in a lower average price in the UK where smoothie s Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1168 Calorie content to appear on high street menus High street food chains such as Subway, Pizza Hut and Pret a Manger are to start displaying calorie information on their menus from later this month. A total of 17 restaurant chains and contract catering companies have pledged to give customers calorie Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1167 £5m marketing campaign for Vimto Soft drink Vimto has unveiled its biggest ever marketing campaign which will see a £5m investment in modernising the drink. At the centre of the campaign is a 250ml screw-top bottle, a new form of packaging to make sure the drink is recognised as a ‘so Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1166 Chinese food beats Indian as Brits favourite dish Chinese, not Indian, is Britain’s favourite ethnic cuisine, according to a report by market analysts Mintel. In a survey of consumers Chinese food came out on top with 83% saying Chinese was the cuisine they preferred the most. Indian came a close seco Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1158 Introducing our Star PR company in April Introducing Lexia Media Do you need a PR agency which has an unhealthy obsession with the very best food and drink produce? Do you need a team which wants to scream and shout about your delicious brand as much as you do? Do you need design gurus Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1157 Are you getting what you deserve? It was a packed train, the day had been long and the Blackberry was stuffed full with at least 40 emails which were going to need replies by the end of the day. The last thing I needed was anything else to fray the temper or push the ‘soapbox’ button. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1165 Virtual food served up As if food in the real world isn’t enough to whet your appetite, thanks to the 7 Days baked goods company, we can now enjoy a virtual feast whenever we’re feeling peckish. As part of the Vivartia group, one of Europe’s largest food manufacturers, 7 Days h Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1164 For those about to cook World-renowned chef and restaurateur Raymond Blanc is teaming up once again with BBC Two for a third series of The Restaurant – and they want you. Currently on the look-out for willing and able couples to take part in the gruelling reality series, Bla Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1161 Economic crisis leads to gastronomic cuisine The celebration of Thai New Year (13-15 April) is set to be more wide-spread than ever this year, and it thanks to the economic down turn! As the credit crunch bites, 78 per cent of cash-strapped Brits claim they’re now cooking elaborate meals at home Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1163 Biscuits up and frozen food flat at Northern Foods Northern Foods, the manufacturer behind Fox’s biscuits and Goodfella’s pizza’s, has said it is trading strongly in a tough market. Group underlying sales grew by 4.7% for the year ending 28 March, but the primary reason for growth was an average price Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1162 Food and drink prices continue to rise Food prices continued to rise in February, defying the downward trend of other retail goods, according to the Retail Prices Index. Food prices rose by 1.7% in February, taking the annual increase up to 11.5%, according to the Office for National Statis Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1160 Sainsbury's gets back to 'basics' Sainsbury’s has seen a 60% rise in sales of its ‘basics’ range as customers make ‘significant changes’ to the mix of products they are likely to buy from the supermarket chain. Total sales for the 11 weeks ending 21 March rose by 3.4% with like-for-lik Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1159 Curbs on childrens TV ads likely to be retained The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has insisted that measures preventing food with high levels of salt, sugar or fat being advertised to children should remain in place. A meeting with government ministers on Wednesday is likely to see the FSA board recom Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1156 Nutraceutical drink sales up 9% in 2008 Sales of nutraceutical drinks grew by 9% in 2008, reaching global sales of 3,700m litres, according to a report by food and drink consultancy Zenith International. However nutraceutical drinks, which refers to extracts of foods claimed to have a medici Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1154 Grated cheese and advertising for Wyke Farms Wyke Farms, the UK cheese and milk processor is to run its most expansive advertising programme to date, with a campaign that will see the cheese appear during GMTV and in the Daily Mail. The campaign will focus on the quality and provenance of the che Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1153 Mums: Mothers Day 'deserves to be celebrated' Children of all ages be warned! A new survey from Bounty, the UK‘s favourite parenting club, has revealed that mums who claim not to like Mother’s Day, refer to it as ‘commercialised nonsense’ and say they are not bothered about receiving a present, may n Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1152 Online sales of alcohol defy recession Online sales of beers, wines and spirits rose by 30% in February as British shoppers turned their backs on thoughts of the recession and a New Year detox. According to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index sales of alcoholic drinks over the Internet Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1151 M&S to extend branded food trial Marks and Spencer is to extend its trial of selling branded products in 20 stores across the south-east of England, according to reports in the Financial Times. The experiment had been limited to 19 stores across Tyneside but its break with 85 years of Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1150 New baby at food&drink towers! Just a quick update to let you know that Helen Lewis, managing director of food&drink towers, gave birth to her first child, Eleanor Sophia Lewis, on 2nd March 2009. Weighing in at a healthy 8lbs 3, Ellie is a gorgeous little bundle of noise and fun! Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1149 Home grown food consumption continues to fall The amount of home grown food produced and consumed in the UK has fallen consistently in the past ten years, according to figures unveiled by the Liberal Democrats. Since 1997 there has been a 10% decrease in the amount of domestically produced meat, w Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1148 Morrisons bucks recession and targets south Supermarket chain Morrisons says it is attracting more than half a million customers to its stores every week as it looks to continue its plans for expansion. The Bradford-based supermarket, currently the fourth largest in the UK, saw like-for-like sal Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1147 Food sales resiliant in February Like for like retail sales in the UK fell by 1.8% in February but food sales proved more resiliant despite the heavy snow affecting trade on the high street. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) like-for-like food sales between December and Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1144 When it comes to the crunch... If we are a nation tightening our belts, how do we make the food and drink industry fit? By Lyndsey Metcalf, managing director, Inspired PR Over the last decade, we’ve responded to the market with healthier, locally sourced, organic and traceable Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1146 Dr Pepper to launch zero-calorie sports drink US soft drinks giant Dr Pepper Snapple is to launch a natural flavoured, zero-calorie sports drink next month. All Sport Naturally Zero is reported to be sweetened with rebiana, a zero-calorie sweetener – a product Dr Pepper does not currently use in a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1145 Cereal packaging 'should not' pose health risk A chemical used in the printing ink of breakfast cereal packaging could pose a health risk to children, but only in the most extreme of scenarios. The European Food Safety Authority said after investigating the use of 4-methylbenzophenone “should not Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1142 5% of kebab salads and sauces 'unacceptable' Kebab takeaways are serving sauces and salads containing ‘unsatisfactory’ and ‘unacceptable’ levels of bacteria. According to a study by the Health Protection Agency, LACORS (the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services) and local council Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1141 Six month high for food price inflation Food prices rose by 9% year-on-year, according to the British Retail Consortium, as the weak pound caused exports of food to rise. The highest rise for six months was a result of increased interest from abroad in British foodstuffs, which restricted do Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1139 Premier Foods to eat into debts Britain’s largest food manufacturers, Premier Foods, is looking for £400m from private investors to help manage the £1.8bn debt it accrued when it bought Campbell’s and RHM in 2006 and 2007. According to reports Premier Foods, which counts Hovis, Sharw Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1140 Australian wine suffers fall in exports Exports of Australian wine have slumped by 18% as the recession hits a taste for new world wines throughout the world. While Australia itself is not technically in recession its dependence on exports saw exports to the UK fall by 18% while exports to t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1138 food&drink towers' STAR PR COMPANY: Inspired PR Inspired PR is a fast-growing, dynamic PR and Event Management agency, specialising in the food and drink sector. We’re different because we are inspired. That means we only work with people, brands and businesses which truly inspire us and who we rea Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1137 Wyke Farms is fastest growing cheddar brand Wyke Farms, ths UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, is the fastest growing brand within the cheddar category according to the latest industry figures. Performance figures from TNS show growth at 95% over the past 12 months an Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1136 Pomegranate pretox drink launches in Waitrose Alibi pretox drinks will soon be available in supermarkets. Alibi Pomegranate and Alibi Original Citrus will be in 150 Waitrose stores from the end of March. The drink will be sold on promotion initially and in-store sampling will precede the regular Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1134 REVIEW:Nando's delivers during credit crunch times Nando’s Peri Peri sauce and relaxed atmosphere hit the spot during credit crunch The last time I went to Nando’s was about five years ago with a group of work pals. We had less than an hour to wolf down some food before heading back to the office. The Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1135 Geordies most generous givers this Valentine’s Geordies are Britain’s big spenders, shelling out more than twice as much on their lovers as their Teesside neighbours, according to new figures from flowersdirect. Tyneside Romeos splash the cash on Valentine’s Day, spending an average of £58 on flowe Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1132 Valentine competition: win a meal for 2 at Nandos Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Nandos – or choose to spoil your other half/best mate/Mum twice in one month (the winner will receive £60 of vouchers to spend between February 14th and March 14th). By the time Valentine’s Day comes around, you won’t be ab Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1133 UK retail sales rose in January Heavy discounting prompted a rise in retail sales in January. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said that on a like-for-like basis, retail sales ros 1.1% compared with the previous year, which was the biggest increase since May 2008. The strong over Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1131 Entertaining your loved one at home this year? When it comes to celebrating Valentine’s Day, cash-strapped couples are shunning no expense spared nights out in favour of staying in. In a survey by the makers of Gordon’s® gin, over half of UK adults (58%) said they would be celebrating Saturday, 1 Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1130 Fancy going out for Valentine’s Day? If you fancy splashing some cash after scrimping and saving for the past few weeks then we have some suggestions for you from our food&drink towers subscribers. Lebanese food and Swarovski crystals! Forget the chequered tablecloths and candles stuck Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1129 Valentine's Day gift ideas for your foodie lover Here at food&drink towers we firmly believe the best way to your man/woman’s heart is through their belly! Yes, food and romance go very, very well together (diamond rings are pretty effective too). So, we asked our PR subscribers to recommend some fo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1128 Takeaway orders have risen in cold weather The UK’s leading takeaway site reported a 340% rise in food orders on Monday, with tens of thousands of Brits ordering in whilst millions were housebound due to the weather conditions. Tens of thousands of Brits ordered takeaway food in yesterday wh Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1127 Vimto reports rise in sales due to big freeze Last weekend Asda predicted a rise in sales of Vimto cordial and ordered 40% more in preparation for this week’s forecasted blizzards. Vimto say that the drink is increasingly viewed as an alternative to traditional hot drinks such as tea and coffee. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1126 National Dairy Week in the UK National Dairy Week began yesterday to promote the British dairy industry. According to Dairy UK, 98% of homes in the UK will have dairy foods in the fridge this week. Dairy UK director general, Jim Begg, said: "This really is a week to be proud of Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1125 Aussies turn to fast food as fruit prices soar While fruit and veg prices soar in Australia, consumers are looking for cheaper meals and turning to fast food. Inflation figures released on January 28, 2009 showed that the price of fresh food is increasing at more than twice the rate of that of tak Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1124 I've got an alibi... Alibi is an 'active pretox drink' sold in the UK in two flavours: pomegranate and original citrus. I'm not 100% on the concept of pretoxing but I am a bit of a fan of healthy drinks with added value benefits and these beauties boast some super powers. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1114 food&drink towers' credit crunch survey food&drink towers would like to find out how the credit crunch is affecting you - the food&drink industry. We'd really appreciate it if you could spare a few minutes to answer five questions. In return, we'd like to enter you into a prize draw to win one Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1123 Biggest investment in biofuels research The British government and 15 businesses including Royal Dutch Shell BP and SABMiller pledged £27m yesterday (January 27, 2009) for research on new biofuels that do not use up food. It is Britain's biggest ever public investment in bioenergy. The money Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1122 Sunraysia: the birth of an Aussie brand Dan Presser, Sunraysia entrepreneur founder, created Sunraysia in Australia in 1985. Dan believed that the increasing shift towards healthy appetites in the Australian market would become a major influence across all categories of products – and that mark Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1121 Happy Australia Day! In honour of Australia Day today, we're celebrating Australia Week here at food&drink towers with a wide range of press releases available in the press release archive page. We're inviting Australian food and drink producers to join the website and upload Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1120 January food bills fall by 8% on previous month Shopping basket inflation fell to its lowest level since April 2008 thanks to a price war among the major multiples, alongside a global drop in the price of oil and commodity crops. But our weekly food shop is still more expensive compared to a year ago. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1119 Confusion surrounds junk food ad ban in Australia What’s happening with junk food ads for children in Australia? It seems to be getting even more complicated than it is in the UK, primarily because no real decisions have actually been made. In the UK, calls for even stricter junk food/drink ad reg Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1118 Study shows women can't suppress food cravings Women find it more difficult to suppress food cravings than men, a new study has found. Women are more likely to give in to temptation than men according to scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York who conducted the study using brain sc Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1117 Co-op & Somerfield merger to be completed in March The Office of Fair Trading today confirmed it will not refer Co-operative Group's acquisition of Somerfield to the Competition Commission. The Co-op will become Britain's fifth biggest grocer when the deal is completed in early March 2009. The reta Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1116 Online shopping up - but only for some categories Bad weather, busy shops and a lack of ready cash were expected to drive shoppers online in search of Christmas bargains. Shoppers spent 13% more on alcohol online than in November and sales of gifts and electricals increased 7% and 5%respectively in the m Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1115 Tesco market share drops in the UK The grocery market grew by 6% in the 12 weeks to December 28, 2008. Tesco's market share has fallen 0.6 percentage points compared with a year ago, according to figures from TNS. Tesco's market share fell from 31.3% a year ago to 30.7%. Asda and Morris Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1113 FDF appoints new director of sustainability The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has appointed Andrew Kuyk CBE to the post of Director of Sustainability and Competitiveness, effective immediately. Kuyk joins the FDF following a long civil service career based mainly in the Department of Environm Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1112 A new diet for 2009: The Jewish Way Mince pies, Christmas Cake and all that New Year fizz can lead the average person to pile on considerable pounds over the holiday period. Forget the Atkins, South Beach, Cabbage Soup and Juice diets this year and instead let The Light Jewish Cookbook help Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1111 Premium Stella Artois 4% launched in the UK Stella Artois 4%, a triple filtered lager has been launched in the UK. Stella Artois 4% targets the growing number of beer drinkers looking for a lower alcohol beer for certain drinking occasions as they ‘trade-up’ to premium brands on a more frequent Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1110 Interest rates slashed to 1.5% The Bank of England has announced interest rates will now be 1.5%. This is a historical low for the rate at a time when major retailers such as Marks & Spencers are cutting more than 1,000 jobs. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1108 Cheaper, greener and more British Cheaper cuts of meat, grow your own vegetables, bistros and sparkling wine are in, while molecular gastronomy, restaurants and champagne are out, according to olive magazine’s 2009 guide to the food year ahead. The monthly magazine reports that 2009 looks Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1109 Marinating beef in beer or wine cuts carcinogens A study at the University of Porto, Portugal, has found that marinating beef in beer or red wine can reduce the number of heterocyclic amines (HA) formed when it is fried or grilled. Heterocyclic amines are compounds suspected to have mutagenic and c Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1103 Healthy eating is just a spray away this January Eating to excess goes hand in hand with the festive season, and after the gluttonous Christmas period we all resolve to go on a detox diet in order to shed the pounds that have creeped onto our waistlines. But we all know that New Year’s resolutions are Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1107 Organic industry starting to struggle Organic food sales doubled in the UK between 2000 and 2005. Average growth of 16% each year was recorded until 2007, but now it seems that the recession is having a very negative impact. Organic food sales were down 10% by late November. At the end of Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1106 Get set for 2009 with Alibi Whether your New Year’s resolution is to hit the gym running, secure that promotion you want, or stop watching cheesy TV, get out and socialise more its time to GET SET with Alibi - the world’s first Pretox drink! The mantra on which Alibi is based is Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1104 Have an energy fuelled 2009! The short days and long dark nights of January and February can leave even the hardiest of us feeling down in the dumps and New Year’s resolutions, of getting to the gym and socialising more, can quickly fall by the way side. Make 2009 different and h Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1105 Pressure to reduce budget this Christmas Still thinking about how to manage your budget and cook a great Christmas meal that won’t break the bank? You are not alone – a recent survey* of 1,145 mothers across the UK carried out by the British Frozen Food Federation found that: 52% of women Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1102 HAPPY CHRISTMAS FROM FOOD&DRINK TOWERS OPENING TIMES OVER CHRISTMAS: Business as usual 18th, 19th, 22nd and 23rd December. No updates published on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day. Business as usual for the rest of 2008. We look forward to working with you in 2009! Any f Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1101 Wholesome image for unhealthy products criticised Manufacturers are making misleading claims about fatty and sugary foods aimed at children according to The British Heart Foundation. The report said that adverts for brands including Kellogg's, Dairylea and Nestle gave a "wholesome" image for unhealthy Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1100 Innocent makes £250,000 for Age Concern After much knitting, much behatting and much dithering over which hat to buy in store, Innocent has announced that along with the good folk at Sainsbury’s, they've sold 500,000 behatted bottles as part of The Big Knit. This means that older people acr Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1099 Traditional meat sales soar as credit crunch bites Shanks, hocks and cheeks are giving prime cuts a run for their money according to Waitrose. As the credit crunch deepens, sales of cheaper, lesser known cuts of meat have rocketed, prompting the supermarket to increase distribution in a bid to keep up wi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1098 Sainsbury's refuses landfill and opts for pet food Waste food from Sainsbury's in Northern Ireland will be turned into pet food according to an article in today's Belfast Telegraph. From this week more than 1,200 tonnes of waste each year will be diverted from landfill and shipped across the border to Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1097 More reason to shop at Morrisons Britain’ fourth largest supermarket chain, Morrisons, has seen more than 700,000 new shoppers visit its stores each week. The chain saw an 8.1% increase in its sales excluding fuel in the 13 weeks ending 2 November attracting customers with value range Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1096 Drink promotion ban could result in higher prices The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) said it would be “wrong” if legislation to ban two for one drinks promotions resulted in consumers paying a higher prices at the tills. The Government has outlined plans to consult on a mandatory code coveri Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1095 New Zealand wine producer doubles exports Delegat’s Group, the company behind wine brand Oyster Bay, has doubled its share of New Zealand wine exports. The company said yesterday that over the five-years to 2008 it share to total New Zealand wine industry exports by volume increased from 6.6% Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1094 2008 not so sweet for Real Good Food Company Bakers, sugar and baking ingredients manufacturer Real Good Food Company has warned that sales will be behind last year’s resulting in a profit of just £500,000. The AIM-listed company, which will now relocate its London head office to its Liverpool-ba Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1093 Discounter drives Tesco in Q3 Tesco saw its sales for the thirteen weeks ending 22 November rise by 11.7% with a 5.9% increase in UK store sales driven by the launch of its Discounter range. Discounter, Tesco’s range of products that have prices significantly lower than comparable Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1092 Food producers lead way cutting CO2 Food producers are leading the way when it comes to tackling climate change, according to the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). According to the Committee on Climate Change FDF members have: •prevented more than half a million tonnes of food waste be Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1091 Lower predictions for Tesco's sales results According to an article in The Telegraph yesterday, Tesco is expected to announce like-for-like sales growth of just 1.9% later today. The poll of analysts ahead of the supermarket chain's third-quarter results (excluding fuel) is would be the poorest Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1090 Young people unaware of damage of junk food Most young people in the UK are unaware of the serious damage junk food can do to their health. A survey by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) found 73% of eight to 15-year-olds were not aware that a diet full of junk food could potentially shorten thei Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1089 VAT cut will take just 53 off typical food shop The 2.5% cut in VAT will take just 53p off a typical £50 shopping basket. The analysis from the advisory firm Deloitte reflects the fact that lots of food items which do not attract VAT would be part of an average shopping basket. Daniel Lyons, indire Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1088 Chamarre launches to the on-trade Chamarre has introduced its Grande Reserve collection to the UK on trade market. Produced from premium varietals the wines, the grapes have been carefully selected from the classic French wine regions. All the wines are aged six to 12 months in oak b Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1087 Food waste should be recycled separately at home All households in England and Wales should be asked to put food waste in a separate bin to reduce landfill according to the Local Government Association. Figures obtained by the Daily Telegraph showed 113 councils, out of the 434 in the UK who dispose Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1086 Food sales rise 1% but high streets suffer Sales on the UK's high streets dropped by a lower-than-expected 0.1% in October 2008 according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. The decline was much less than the 0.9% drop that analysts had predicted after sales fell by 0.4% in Sept Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1085 Co-op works with Mumtaz to launch new Indian range The Co-operative has enlisted the culinary skills of famous Bradford-based Indian restaurant, Mumtaz, to produce three authentic new Indian cooking sauces for its premium Truly Irresistible range. The current economic climate means many families are ch Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1084 New product review: Jolly Green Giant soup Green Giant, the brand behind those sweetcorn ads I grew up with, have branched out into the soup category with new pouch packs. They make a very handy addition to the work bag as they're easy to prepare in the office at lunchtime and good for those wa Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1083 Junk food still on sale in Welsh hospitals Banned junk food continues to be sold in hospital vendings machines in Welsh hospitals according to an article in the Western Mail. Chocolates, crisps and carbonated soft drinks are still available in four out of five hospitals surveyed by the newspape Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1082 Eastern Europe Hungary for British food Exports of British food and drink have hit a record high with demand from Eastern Europe helping producers buck the credit crunch. Figures from market research group Food From Britain (FFB) show that in the first six months of the year food exports ros Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1081 Funny shaped fruit and veg allowed again It's time to welcome back the curvy courgette, the mangled mushroom and curly carrots. The European Union, from next summer, will allow the sale of fruit and vegetables that are 'mis-shapen' but are fine for consumption. "This marks the new dawn f Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1080 Jeremy's celebrates inclusion in Harden's West Sussex-based Jeremy's Restaurant has been included in the Harden's UK Restaurant Guide 2009. The contemporary-styled restaurant in a classical setting within the grounds of The Borde Hill Estate, is the only guide based on a detailed survey of restau Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1079 We're reaching natural obesity peak says expert Western societies are reaching a natural limit on the percentage of people who will become obese. Predictions of an epidemic that could bankrupt the health service are wrong according to Dr Michael Gard from Charles Stuart University in Australia, who Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1078 West Europe energy drinks market rises to €3.75bn West Europe's energy drink sales rose a further 11% to 487 million litres with a retail value of €3,757 million in 2007, according to the latest report from leading drinks consultancy Zenith International. “Intensifying competition, effective marketi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1077 Interest rate cut by 1.5 percentage points The Bank of England has cut the interest rate by 1.5 percentage points to 3% today. The decision is the first time the bank has cut the interest rate by more than a 0.5 percentage point since 1997. The news follows the announcement that annual food inf Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1076 The return of the Innocent warmer... Innocent has announced the return of the lemon, honey & ginger smoothie to make everyone feel better during the winter months. The lemons are packed full of vitamin C and are handy for colds and runny noses. Then there’s honey - nature’s sweetener and won Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1075 Germany most popular functional water market Germany sold more than twice the flavoured and functional water volume of any other country in West Europe during 2007, according to global drinks consultancy Zenith International. In a new report, Zenith estimates that Germany also accounted for 68% of o Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1074 How to plan the perfect seasonal party Tips to put the wow into winter parties From now through to Christmas, people will be gearing up to banish the winter blues and getting into the spirit by throwing parties. If you’re throwing a bash yourself, you’ll want it to be an affair to remember Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1073 New venison products target 'Wild Food' trend Three new venison products are to be launched by Fletchers at the BBC Good Food Show this year. In line with the Wild Food trend identified in the food&drink towers' Ten Top Trends for 2009 report, venison is becoming increasingly popular in the UK. Ve Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1072 New carbon footprint audit launched in the UK A new standard has been launched enabling UK companies to measure the size of their product's carbon footprints. The system, known as PAS 2050, will be managed by BSI British Standards. The audit will show customers how much CO2 has been emitted during Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1071 Black cheese launched in the UK A new black mould cheese has been launched by Arla Foods in the UK. Black Castello is the "first black mould cheese in the UK", according to Arla and is made with black mould and a combination of cow and sheep's milk. Sam Dolan, Arla's brand manager Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1070 Two-thirds of Brits skip breakfast Nearly two thirds of Britons regularly skip their first meal of the day, according to a new McDonald’s McBreakfast Study. Despite a balanced breakfast being heralded as the most important meal of the day, aiding productivity and providing that much-needed Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1069 David Beckham launches new kids food range I’m five months pregnant. I have no idea yet whether I’m expecting a boy or a girl, but if I do end up with a happy and healthy little boy I’m pretty sure the new David Beckham-endorsed range of GO3 products would be top of his shopping list as soon as he Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1068 Pub landlords "being bled dry" in the UK High rents imposed by pub companies are bleeding publicans dry. Sarah Ferdinand, a commercial solicitor pinpoints Midlands-based Punch Taverns, Mitchells & Butlers and Enterprise Inns. Ferdinand of Ferdinand Kelly, is an adviser to the Fair Pints C Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1067 China GDP falls below 10% for first time in 3 year China has sparked fears over a global recession by warning yesterday that the worldwidefinancial crisis is damaging its economic growth. China's gross domestic product grew by 9% in the third quarter of 2008, falling from 10.1% for the second quarter. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1066 Today is national osteoporosis day Today is World Osteoporosis Day, October 20, 2008. Osteoporosis is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced, leading to weakness of the skeleton and increased risk of fracture, particularly of the spine, wrist and hip. Osteoporosi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1065 Milk drinkers may perform better at school Teenagers with higher academic performance are more likely to include milk, fruit and vegetables in their daily diet, according to a recent study published in the Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research. Dr Judith Bryans, director of the Da Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1064 Impulse buying disappearing across UK market British retail sales fell for the fourth consecutive month in September 2008 on a like-for-like basis. Furniture stores were particularly badly hit recording their worst performance in at least eight years. The British Retail Consortium said like-for-l Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1038 COMPETITION: Win a Jelly Belly Bean Machine! What do you give someone who has immaculate taste, requires quality in everything, has a sweet tooth, is totally chic and deserves a special present? It has to be fun, beautiful, cool and yet totally solid. Available in all the best department store Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1027 COMPETITION: Win a premium fish selection box Good Taste Foods was founded 10 years ago by John Lewis and Martin Darnley in the West Country. Their premium quality food comes from a small group of suppliers with whom they have close personal links. They offer a tasty range of frozen ready-to-cook cre Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1048 COMPETITION: Win a Rowse Honey gift box! Rowse Honey is giving you the chance to win a presentation gift box containing a delicious selection of Rowse’s finest honey. A completely natural sweet treat this assortment includes the much sought after Manuka Honey and a selection of Rowse’s honeys o Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1046 COMPETITION: Feel-Good goodies The Feel Good Drinks Company are giving one lucky winner at food&drink towers the chance to bag themselves an exclusive organic cotton shopping bag designed by Vimrod and a case of gorgeous Feel Good Drinks. In just two feelgoodness days, the Feel Goo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1028 COMPETITION: Win a copy of Terrines & Verrines Unique book on hot new food trend … Verrines Verrines originated in the Michelin-starred restaurants of France a few years ago and last year they really took off in America, but they have not yet made an impact in the UK and French master chef Franck P Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1039 COMPETITION: Win a 'cosy' bottle of Grand Marnier Grand Marnier can be enjoyed naked or dressed up this Christmas as the iconic orange and cognac brand launches its 2008 Limited Edition Bottle. ‘Cosiness’ is the theme as diva-like, the naked shoulders of a Grand Marnier bottle emerge from an opulent r Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1040 COMPETITION: Win your own personalised cookbook! MyDish.co.uk is a new recipe website dedicated to preserving Britain's most treasured recipes - and the stories behind those recipes. The idea is simple. MyDish believe that the best recipes are those hidden carefully away or scribbled on scraps of paper Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1037 COMPETITION: Win James Martin Hand Blenders We have two fabulous James Martin Hand Blenders to give away to food&drink towers subscribers. They are perfect for mixing, blending, chopping and pureeing. A 500ml stainless steel beaker is provided for any mixing and blending. Your mixes can be kept Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1031 COMPETITION: Win a month's supply of Pomegreat! Pomegreat is proud to present two new chilled flavours to its range of tasty juices. Pomegreat “Ruby” is a delicious and refreshing pomegranate juice whilst Pomegreat “Sapphire” blends together the sensuous sweetness of pomegranate with the tangy kick of Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1063 Philip Green in discussions to take over Baugur Philip Green, the billionaire owner of British fashion chain Top Shop and Bhs department stores, is reported to be in talks that could see him take control of a substantial part of the Icelandic investment group Baugur. Baugur is an international inves Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1062 Delicious Crunchy Nut Bites-too good for breakfast Kellogg’s has launched its latest new cereal, Crunchy Nut Bites. food&drink towers tried the cereal with some fresh, ice cold semi-skimmed and we were very impressed with the whole experience. The chewy caramel and baked cereal pieces melt away in the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1061 food&drink towers celebrates its second birthday! food&drink towers will tonight celebrate its second birthday (officially the 9th October) with a guestlist-only networking party. The event is sponsored by Mile High Drinks (http://www.milehighdrinks.com), which will use the party as a platform to cele Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1060 Thanet Earth to produce Kent veggies all year long Kent produce will be hitting supermarket shelves all year round from late 2008 onwards. Seven high-tech greenhouses - each one covering land equivalent to about 10 football pitches - are in the final stages of construction at a cost of £80m on a 91-hec Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1059 COMPETITION WEEK STARTS ON MONDAY! To celebrate food&drink towers' second birthday next week, we have arranged for a number of fantastic prizes to be given away to registered members of The Towers from Monday 6th October 2008 to Friday 10th. Visit the features page everyday next week fo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1058 Sardines good for health from birth to old age Sardines have been credited in the media recently with making babies brainy, helping fight eczema, slowing memory decline and reducing depression. Brainy Babies The newspapers have been full of stories about an American report which suggests pregn Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1057 Yum Brands in the US to put calorie count on menus Yum! Brands in the US will put calorie information on its menus in its Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s and A&W All-American Food restaurants. The calorie information will be based on individual serving sizes and phased Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1056 11m Brits are shopping online More than 11m Britons are now shopping online at least twice a week new research suggests. Clothing, books, CDs and DVDs are among our favourite items, while more than 1.3m of us are logging on every day to purchase goods and services. The nationwi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1055 Cheese from Canary Islands crowned champion Following the closest ever final of the World Cheese Awards, a co-operative of 50 partners from the Canary Islands, the Sociedad Canaria de Formento, has been awarded the World Champion crown for its ‘Queso Arico curado piment?cheese. Co-operative sec Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1054 Cut back on meat and milk to beat climate change Consumers will have to cut down to four small portions of meat and one litre of milk each week to slow down escalating climate change. Conducted by the Food Climate Research Network, based at the University of Surrey, the four-year study is one of the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1053 Jamie Oliver vows to change our ways or quit Jamie Oliver is so disgusted by British eating habits he has vowed to quit if he cannot turn back the junk food tide. His new television programme will screen at 9pm on Channel 4 tonight in the UK continuing the campaign Jamie began with his School Dinner Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1052 Indulgent foods are the "coolest brands" in the UK Green & Black’s, Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s are the UK’s top three coolest food brands, according to CoolBrands 2008/09. The CoolBrands Top 10 coolest food brands list is dominated by brands that target the British sweet tooth. Unswayed by healthy Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1051 European ban on kids food from China A Europe-wide ban on all food for children imported from China began today. The European Commission's ban was led by the growing concern over contaminated milk powder, which has caused four infant deaths in China and affected thousands of children. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1050 YOU ARE INVITED to our second birthday party! Date: 8th October 2008 Time: 6:30pm-10pm Venue: A bar in Charing Cross, London Why? food&drink towers marked its first birthday last year with an informal gathering of registered members. We all had such a great time we decided to do it all over aga Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1049 Chinese sweets withdrawn from Tesco Tesco pulled a brand of Chinese sweets from shelves in the UK yesterday after concerns they could contain the substance at the centre of a milk poisoning scandal in China. The retailer said it had no evidence that the White Rabbit Creamy Candies conta Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1047 Harvester sales hit as families cut back Mitchells & Butlers Plc, the owner of O'Neill's pubs and the family restaurant chain Harvester yesterday confirmed that the credit crunch had hit sales as British middle-income families cut back on spending. Sales at the 156-outlet chain were "margina Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1045 Welsh eat the most takeaways in the UK The Welsh eat the most takeaways out of all of the home nations according to a recent UK-wide survey. Nearly half of Welsh people eat at least one takeaway a week, compared with the healthiest takeaway nation, Northern Ireland, where two thirds of people Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1043 Britains quirky breakfast habits revealed Do you prefer your OJ with bits or no bits? Your crusts on or off? Your eggs sunny side up or over easy? Whether it’s always having your eggs sunny side up, or insisting your marmalade is peel-free, everyone has their own eating habits or knows so Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1044 BrewDog products could be pulled from sale UK beer maker BrewDog is under fire from industry watchdog Portman Group following an online petition organised by freelance drinks writer Melissa Cole. The beers include Punk IPA, Rip Tide, Hop Rocker and Speedball. It is reported that Punk IPA and Ri Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1042 British families are now £600 a year worse off British families are nearly £600 a year worse off than 12 months ago because of rising utility and food prices. According to research from Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), for Asda, despite an average £20 weekly increase in earnings, Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1041 Waitrose takes stock of forgotten meat cuts Despite the current credit crunch, new research released by Waitrose today, has revealed that many of the more economical cuts of meat are simply being ignored. The survey of 1,000 men and women highlights a growing generational divide, as consumers lo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1036 Junk food ad ban not working Adverts for unhealthy foods are still being show during TV programmes watched by children, despite measures introduced in January. Which? said the five programmes with the most child viewers and only four of the top 20 most popular children's shows we Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1035 Superfruit benefits of the mulberry The mulberry, which looks a bit like a raspberry, is the latest 'superfruit' to get scientific support for its high antioxidant levels beating cranberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. The mulberry’s levels of antioxidants are 79% higher Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1034 Alcopop tax hike supported in Australia An independent Australian report supports the Rudd government's 70% tax increase on alcopops. The report, commissioned by the Howard government in 2006, found that the AU$15.3bn annual social cost of alcohol could be cut by half if interventions such as h Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1033 UK bartenders are best in the world UK bartenders were confirmed as the best in the world after winning the 5th 42 Below Cocktail World Cup in New Zealand yesterday. A team of three UK bartenders has won the fifth 42 BELOW Cocktail World Cup after five days of cocktail making in Queensto Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1032 NEW PRODUCT REVIEW: Peter Rabbit Organic Jelly Peter Rabbit Organics has launched a new range of jelly products to appeal to kids. They are rather unusual though thanks to an innovative take on the standard clear pot format used for lunchboxes across the country. The jelly is served in squeezy pouc Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1026 NEW SERVICE AT FOOD&DRINK TOWERS HELP IS AT HAND! food&drink towers now offers a free service for journalists looking for help from our lovely friends in the PR world. Not only do we have hundreds of PRs specialising in food&drink signed up to the website, but we also have plenty of p Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1030 Surrounded by pregnant people? Give some food! If, like me, you're surrounded by people who will be giving birth to their first children over the next few months (including myself), a new idea from the US appears to be a fantastic idea! The new food concept comes to the rescue of time-stretched and Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1029 Study supports Mediterranean diet Following a strict Mediterranean diet offers significant protection against heart disease, cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. A new study from the University of Florence, Italy, analysed existing studies on the health benefits of eating a diet rich i Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1025 Scottish manufacturers cry for help Improving perception of the Scottish food and drink manufacturing industry and promoting it as a career destination of choice were key issues raised at a Scottish Food and Drink Federation (SFDF) and Hudson event in the Scottish Parliament yesterday. T Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1012 NEW PRODUCT REVIEW: Alize This one is for the ladies! I took this lovely bottle of pink alcohol goodness along to a dinner party - half of the guests were male and the other half female - so it seemed like a great place to test the product. I presented the host with the bottle Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1024 Eastern European fruit juice sales up 10% in 2007 East European sales of fruit juices and nectars rose a further 10% in 2007 to €6,485mn, according to the latest East Europe Fruit Juice report from leading drinks consultancy Zenith International. Consumption volumes increased 9.5% to 5,616 million litre Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1023 12 tips to eat British despite the credit crunch With food prices accelerating at their fastest rate since records began, fuelling a rise in the average family’s shopping bill of £750 a year, the organisers of British Food Fortnight, which takes place 20th September to 5th October and is the national ce Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1022 Cookbook recipes are daunting and too expensive The biggest issue with cookery books is that the ingredients are too expensive. Nearly half the women polled in an online survey by Whisk believe this to be the case. Over a third of the men polled said that they find cookery books too daunting and off pu Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1021 Co-op launches fairtrade fizz The Co-operative is to become the first retailer in the UK to launch a Fairtrade sparkling wine. The new Co-operative Fairtrade Cape Sparkling Brut, £7.99, comes from the Du Toitskloof wine co-operative in the Western Cape of South Africa, and will be Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1020 Sustainable fish on the agenda at the Co-Op The Co-operative has launched new fish lines in time for Seafood Fortnight 2008 (5 - 21 September). The new products are the first to be introduced following the launch of the retailer’s new responsibly sourced fish policy in August. The new policy mea Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1019 Welsh restaurants get recognition they deserve Another Welsh restaurant today joins The Good Food Guide 2009 Top 40. The Crown at Whitebrook, near Monmouth, joins Tyddyn Llan, Llandrillo, Denbighshire. The guide’s reviewer praised The Crown’s kitchen, which it says: “avidly seeks out ingredients fr Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1018 Organic production praised as oil prices rise Production of organic combinable crops such as wheat, barley and oil seed rape could become more profitable compared to non-organic as the price of oil increases to $200 per barrel - predicted by a recent Chatham House report to happen in 5 to 10 years – Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1017 Wall's is modernised, reformulated & relaunched Wall’s sausages is undergoing an £8m relaunch to highlight its credentials as a quality, family brand. In store from September 15, it includes a new range and new recipes, a packaging makeover and a new logo. This will be supported with a new advertisi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1016 Chapel Down wines opens restaurant with TV chef TV chef Richard Phillips has joined forces with Chapel Down wines in Kent to open a new restaurant. Phillips is a regular on 'Ready Steady Cook', and 'Daily Cooks' has given his name and culinary skills to the restauarnt - ‘Richard Phillips @ Chapel Down’ Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1015 Supermarkets push junk food in credit crunch UK supermarkets are promoting cheap and unhealthy food to appeal to cost-conscious shoppers in the credit crunch. The National Consumer Council (NCC) said fatty and sugary foods represented more than half (54%) of in-store promotions, almost double the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1014 Snacks in front of the box = bad news for dieters! The availability of food, the presence of other people at a meal and the meal setting all have a big influence on our eating behaviour and food choice according to recent research. In an article published in Appetite, Suzanne Higgs and Morgan Woodward Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1013 food&drink towers’ second birthday networking part food&drink towers’ second birthday networking party Wednesday October 8th 2008, Central London Last year, the food&drink towers first birthday party was held on Wednesday October 9th 2007. It was a huge success with around 100 people (journalists, P Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1006 Black Sheep puts new team through its paces The Black Sheep Brewery was the first supplier in the UK to train its staff to Cask Marque accredited standard in cellar management. The company is carrying on the tradition by training a new crop of sales and marketing staff. The Masham brewery has p Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1005 British Mums operate a ship-shape home for kids Two-thirds of British mums are running their household with military precision to keep on top of hectic family schedules. According to M&S Money's Modern British Women Report women today are confident family planners, scheduling their day to a strict time Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1004 July retail sales take us all by surprise UK retail sales recovered without warning in July from June. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that UK retail sales grew 0.8% month-on-month in July after a record fall of 4.3% in June. Economists had predicted retail sales to fallanoth Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1003 Milk may reduce exercise-induced muscle damage Milk may reduce exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), according to a recent study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. Dr Judith Bryans, Director of The Dairy Council and Registered Nutritionist, said “This study supports the gr Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1002 Grapefruit juice link to drug interference Drinking certain fruit juices could reduce the effectiveness of some medicines according to research presented at a US conference this week. A spokesperson from the University of Western Ontario suggested a chemical in grapefruit juice could stop anti- Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1001 UK guilty of using way too much water The average UK household uses more than 1,000 gallons of water every day, making the country one of the biggest water importers in the world, according to a report by environment group WWF. The discovery of the UK's huge water footprint is worrying. Us Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=1000 Mile High Drinks to take off in Waitrose Mile High, a natural juice high in antioxidants, will be available in 33 selected Waitrose stores nationwide, including the Oxford Street store, from September 22, 2008. UK-based drinks company Mile High Drinks (http://www.milehighdrinks.com) origina Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=999 Love of convenience gives growth to Greencore Ireland-based food producer Greencore has described the performance of its convenience foods division in the four months to July 31, 2008 as 'solid'. The company said the value of underling sales had fallen 7.5% from a year earlier to €284m. However, w Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=998 Lack of healthy food at top UK attractions Tate Modern and Alton Towers fared well in a recent Which? Holiday study to identify the availability of healthy food in top UK visitor attractions. Blackpool Pleasure Beach was rated badly, with very few healthy food options and very little nutrition Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=997 REVIEW: Take the road to Camino Camino has found a prestigious place for itself amidst the run-down Indian restaurants and (far too numerous to detail) chain coffee shops and fast food joints. Situated in a ‘new’ part of Kings Cross, Regent’s Quarter, Camino is a very short walk from Ki Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=996 Argentinian influence in Morrisons Three new wines from Argentinian brand Finca Las Moras have been introduced to Morrisons stores. Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz and Black Label Sauvignon Blanc are available in stores now. The latter is only poduced in small quantities and is therefore only Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=995 The Fat Duck scores a perfect 10 Heston Blumenthal's restaurant The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, has received a 10 out of 10 Good Food Guide score. The last restaurant to receive such a brilliant score was Gordon Ramsay's restaurant in Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea. Nine years ago Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=994 RECIPE: The sun is shining so treat yourself! The credit crunch might be throwing us all back to the 1970’s but some things can be improved on - the humble vol-au-vent just got an overhaul – wave goodbye to ego mayo and coronation chicken and say hello to the Jus Rol Sweet Bite ... in just three Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=993 Dairy Crest wins top honours at the Cheese Show Dairy Crest’s Davidstow Creamery became the first cheese maker to win top honours for the second year in a row at the Nantwich International Cheese Show 2008 with Cathedral City Extra Mature being named ‘Supreme Champion’. The Extra Mature variant from Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=992 Nutrition company takes a stand against fat gene Nutrition should be a compulsory school subject according to the UK’s leading sports nutrition company, who claim that the Government’s newest measure of sending parents letters lacks impact and will have no effect on battling childhood obesity. In Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=991 Kingsley Smith to open fourth restaurant in Sydney A new dining concept will be open to Sydney-siders on Monday 18th August courtesy of steak aficionado & restaurateur Kingsley Smith. His fourth restaurant CHOPHOUSE will specialise in steaks and chops of meat, a concept that is well-known in the US and gr Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=990 Free from trend hits the pet food category The Co-operative Group has re-developed its private label pet food range to be 100% free from artificial colours and flavours. Every single product in this range including the economy, standard and premium products will be made using “clean” ingredien Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=989 Gooseberry sales soar at Waitrose Sales of gooseberries have risen by 91% year on year according to supermarket Waitrose. The UK retailer is attributing the dramatic rise in sales to the fruit's versatility together with greater awareness among British consumers of eating seasonally. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=988 Festival go-ers to get true taste of Scotland Festival fever is set to rise as The Scotch Malt Whisky Society unveils its unmissable programme of events, which will give everyone a wee taste of Festival 'spirit'! The Festival is an exciting time for the Society, as it's one of the few times of the ye Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=987 West Midlands firm flourishes in meat industry A Shropshire company which sources and supplies an ever growing range of weird and wonderful meats – including crocodile, bison, ostrich and zebra – is taking its first bite into the food service industry. Alternative Meats, owned by business partners Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=986 Free great British beer festival tours f your opinion of beer is that it's all bitter brown liquid or fizzy tasteless lager then a beer festival might not be your first choice for an evening out but the Campaign for Real Ale, and leading female beer expert Melissa Cole, would like to help chan Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=985 Credit crunch continues to hit retail visits The frequency of visits to retail outlets in July fell for the third consecutive month according to Experian Group Ltd. Retail visits fell 2.6% from the previous year. The company forecasts sales volumes in the next 12 months will be "the slowest peri Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=984 Pussy energy drink launched in the UK Pussy, a premium, natural energy drink, made with herbs such as milk thistle and guarana has been launched in the UK. Pussy is made with natural fruit juices and does not contain any preservatives or artificial additives. Milk Thistle - a natural anti Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=983 Greeks top the EU obesity list Greece has the highest prevalence of obesity in the EU, according to a report released yesterday. "Greece today is the EU state with the highest average body mass index and highest prevalence of overweight [people] and obesity," according to the the UN Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=982 Halt in packaging growth welcomed by FDF WRAP has announced that the grocery sector has met the Courtauld Commitment target to end packaging growth. Melanie Leech, Food and Drink Federation Director General said: “It’s great news that the industry has met the Courtauld target to halt packagin Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=981 Natural food takes over from functional The market for functional food slowed during 2007, recent market research shows, due to the decline in the yogurt drinks sector, with consumers becoming increasingly sceptical over the claims made by the manufacturers of these drinks. Earlier this year a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=979 McCain sponsor UK athletics Popular frozen food brand McCain has announced a five year sponsorship deal to become Principal Partner of UK Athletics and Title Sponsor of the McCain Young Athletes League and McCain UK Challenge events. McCain's £5 million sponsorship over the next Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=980 Create your own Battenburg flavours and colours Everyone loves a slice of cake with a cup of tea, and the Battenberg is a British classic. We all know the usual pink and yellow version, but wouldn’t it be fun to choose your own colours and flavours? Check mate To make your own Battenberg, use the b Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=978 UK market for dairy products continues to grow The UK market for milk and dairy products grew by 13.8% between 2003 and 2007, from £6.56bn to an estimated GBP 7.46bn. In the report that commissioned this research, the market is divided into the following sectors: liquid milk; cheese; yogurts, yogurt d Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=977 Salt intake "starting to fall" A campaign to reduce the amount of salt eaten in Britain by more than a third is starting to have an impact, according to the latest figures. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) wants the average adult to eat no more than 6g of salt a day. Between 2001 and Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=975 Fit camps for overweight and obese kids in the UK One in five men and a quarter of women are obese in the UK. More than 30,000 people die prematurely every year from obesity-related conditions in the UK. In England, the Government has decided to tackle the problem by investing more than £200,000 enco Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=976 Takeaways are good for the sex life - apparently! Eating Thai curries can lead to a better sex life, due to the high contentof aphrodisiac ingredients according to European online takeaway portal, Just-Eat. Thai Green Curry tops the list of meals said to steam up more than just the kitchen. Thai Gr Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=974 New food companies launch at Royal Welsh Show A passion for local food and the Welsh countryside were the driving forces behind seven new food businesses that are launching new products at the Royal Welsh Show next week (July 21-24). The Welsh Assembly Government’s Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jone Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=973 Soil Association response to Defra on food Patrick Holden, the Director of the Soil Association, has published a response to a discussion paper by DEFRA entitled “Ensuring the UK’s food security in a changing world”. Mr Holden states in response to the paper that what is needed is a truly susta Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=972 A 21st century look at the future of food A ten-month Strategy Unit project looking at food policy across Government was published by the Cabinet Office last week. It concludes that rising demand, climate change, and trade and productivity restrictions must all be addressed. Commissioned by th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=969 Co-Op adopts recycled PET across own label drinks The Co-operative Group has become the first retailer in the UK to roll out 100% rPET plastic bottles across its entire own-brand range of carbonated drinks and mixers. The move to 100% rPET plastic bottles for these beverages, along with the retailer’ Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=971 Will the credit crunch impact organic sales? Could organic food be the next victim of the credit crunch? Despite growing by 70% since 2002 to a value of £1.5bn last year in the UK, sales of organic food have slowed as consumers move over to discount grocers, according to Mintel. The food miles Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=968 Peter Rabbit Organics is refreshed and revamped The Peter Rabbit Organics range of children’s foods has been revamped with new packaging, new products and a refreshed website. The new packaging is based on the familiar blue of Peter Rabbit’s jacket and combines it with clean stripes and food photog Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=970 Co-op acquires Somerfield The Co-operative Group has agreed to buy Somerfield for £1.57bn strengthening its market share as the fifth biggest food retailer in the UK and the number one local convenience store. Somerfield’s owners – a consortium of Apax Partners, Barclays Capi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=967 FDF response to Which? Food Fables report Responding to the Which? Food Fables report on marketing to children, Julian Hunt , FDF Director of Communications said: “The only food fables are those you will read in this sloppy report, which lacks any real substance, is very subjective and paints a m Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=965 Food companies not curbing marketing to kids Food companies are still not doing enough to curb their marketing of unhealthy food to children, despite 88 per cent of consumers thinking they should be more responsible*. Social networking sites, text messaging competitions and viral promotions are just Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=966 Food industry pledges fewer & friendlier food mile Some 40 food and drink companies have today pledged to make fewer and friendlier food transport miles, signing up to the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) Environmental Checklist and Clause for Greener Food Transport. This is the latest step by the food a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=964 La Cave a Fromage goes online Following on from the successful launch of its first shop in South Kensington, London, La Cave a Fromage is now expanding and selling its wonderful farmhouse cheeses online at www.la-cave.co.uk. Cheeses are availablefrom around Europe and there is a r Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=963 Italian tapas arrives in the UK this summer Aperitivo is an urban ritual that was born out of the fashion and style capital of the world, Milan, and now set to launch into a series of high-end bars and eateries across the UK this summer thanks to Peroni. The trend in ‘miniature dining’ is cha Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=962 Low fat dairy may lower risk of heart attacks Low fat dairy may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with poor kidney function, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Poor kidney function can lead to disease of the small blood ves Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=961 Red Bull Cola launched as natural & strong Red Bull has introduced to the UK a new variant - Strong & Natural - a cola flavoured drink. 20 years after first creating the energy drink category, Red Bull Cola is a blend of 23 ingredients, said to come from 100% natural sources. "No additives, no Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=960 School dinner rises in primary schools The number of primary school children eating school meals has risen for the first time since healthier school meals were introduced in 2006. There has been a 2.3 percentage point increase in school meal consumption in England to 43.6%, according to a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=959 Glanbia Nutritionals opens facility in China Glanbia Nutritionals has opened a manufacturing facility in Suzhou, China. This development marks the nutritional innovator’s long-term commitment to delivering science-led solutions tailored to the Asia-Pacific region. Located to the north west of Sh Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=957 Credit crunch encourages people to dine at home Waitrose has reported a growing demand for 'restaurant-style foods' soar as rising costs put greater strains on household spending. Sales of nibbles - from olives and dips to gourmet sharing dishes - are up 53% year on year according to the multiple. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=958 Pretz gets a revamp The popular Pretz brand is being relaunched this month with a new brand identity to target core consumers. The relaunch will capitalise on an established national brand status with a focus on wider distribution into impulse, food service and convenienc Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=956 Lifting the lid off lunch boxes Packed lunches are the staple of our children’s lunchtime diets, and a few years ago the biggest decision surrounding lunch boxes was whether to go with Post Man Pat or My Little Pony. Now the back-to-school ritual is much more complex, as not only has th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=955 Keeping a food diary doubles weight loss A study published on Tuesday reveals that overweight people who kept daily food diaries lost up to twice as many pounds as those who didn’t log their food intake. The study is being published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine. Keeping a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=954 Which? lends support to Food Matters report Following the release of the Cabinet Office's Strategy Unit ‘Food Matters’ report, Which? chief policy adviser, Sue Davies, says: “It’s promising that, for the first time, there will be a co-ordinated approach to food policy across Government which should Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=953 US chocolate launched to fight acne A chocolate has been launched which claims to clear acne from skin. New York-based company Frutels says that chocolate is the delivery vehicle for their nutritional formula, which “supports the body against the internal causes of acne - hormones, diet Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=952 Government report on biofuels published The Government will "proceed cautiously" over the introduction of biofuels, after a Government report stated they could be increasing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to food price rises. The Gallagher review into biofuels was published yester Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=951 Enjoy a nutritional burst with red quinoa Quinoa (prounounced keen-wah) is a seed grain that is bursting with nutritional value and Essential Trading has recently launched a red version. Quinola is usually a pale golden colour, but this dark red fruited variety will add a burst of colour as well Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=950 A feast of fruit and vegetables Growing Tastes will be launched at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show on 8-13 July and along with the RHS Growing Tastes Kitchen Garden, the RHS Summer Fruit and Vegetable Competition and the Growing Tastes Cookery Theatre, this major new feature will t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=949 M&S to introduce brand names to stores As retailer Marks & Spencer looks at bringing its profit levels up again, it is to take the radical step of introducing over 140 of the UK’s biggest consumer brands onto the shelves of its food stores this week. This controversial move marks a huge cha Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=948 Our war on waste The Cabinet Office will today unveil a food policy review stating that the UK throws away 4.1mn tonnes of edible goods every year. The equivalent to £420 for every home is disposed of although the costs are a lot more damaging to the environment than t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=944 Chupa Chups to celebrate its 50th birthday Chupa Chups, the world’s first ever lollipop, turns 50 this summer, bringing with it nostalgic memories of childhood. Created in 1958, the unique sweet became an overnight sensation, beloved today by adults and children everywhere. Chupa Chups, whos Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=943 UK consumers won't abandon quality food Consumer interest in the quality and provenance of food is not going to wane, according to Justin King, chief executive of UK retailer Sainsbury Plc. Talking yesterday at the Royal Agricultural Show, King said: "If one had read the headlines this morn Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=942 Knorr to sponsor Marco’s great British feast ITV Customer Relations announced today that Unilever’s Knorr Stock Cubes brand is to sponsor ITV1’s brand new series Marco’s Great British Feast. Marco Pierre White is on a journey around Britain to rediscover great British food. For 20 years he cooked Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=941 Amuse Bouche Champagne: Bastille Day promotion Amuse Bouche Champagne Bars are suspending all sales of Grandes Marques Champagnes in July to celebrate the democratic revolution of Bastille Day. Amuse Bouche Champagne Bars will be launching a new list on July 3rd, focussing exclusively on a range of th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=940 Plough-On Lunch replaces the Ploughman's Workaholic, deskbound lifestyle of average Brit worker necessitates classic lunchtime make-over. It may sound strange to those of us who can't make it through the afternoon without a baked potato or thickly cut sarnie but before the mid 19th century, ' Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=939 Snail caviar introduced to Harrods Snail Caviar is now exclusively available in the UK at Harrods. Apparently the "unique creamy white pearls have a delicate flavour". Fans of Snail Caviar say that the premium product is reminiscent of a walk in the forest after the rain, with the aroma of Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=938 Review: Wookey Hole cave aged farmhouse cheddar Following a recent visit to Wookey Hole caves, on behalf of food&drink towers Lisa Ventura tried and loved cave aged farmhouse cheddar cheese made on Ford Farm, which is situated next to Wookey Hole. Cheddar cheese originates from the area that surroun Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=937 Findus brings back the nation's favourite With 114 packs of fish fingers being sold every minute in shops across the UK, Findus is bringing its famous fish fingers back to an eager public. The Findus name is synonymous with fish fingers and now they’re back and better than ever. Launched this Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=936 M&S falling food sales - director steps down Marks and Spencer shares have fallen by more than 20% after it revealed sales had been hit by a lack of consumer confidence. Underlying UK sales fell 5.3% in the past three months and its food business (typically premium packaged convenience and fres Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=935 Lincolnshire comes to London The big day is getting closer - when Select Lincolnshire comes to London. There are 100 days to go until for the first time, Select Lincolnshire, which promotes county produce across the UK and abroad, comes to the Restaurant Show (6-8 October 2008) Ea Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=934 Martini al fresco anyone...? To celebrate the summer, All Bar One and Martini have teamed up to offer lounge lovers the opportunity to visit the outdoor Martini Terrazza which will be touring throughout July and August. What better way to enjoy the British summertime than sipping Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=933 Cardiff international food and drink festival Cardiff Bay’s impressive waterfront will once again be a food lover’s paradise when the Welsh capital holds its annual International Food & Drink Festival (July 11-13). Many of the companies taking part are True Taste Wales Food and Drink Award winners Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=932 Rising petrol prices force a cut in food spend Rising petrol prices are forcing one in five Britons (19.2%) to cut back on food, according to a new survey. A quarter of people (26.7%) are reducing the amount they spend on leisure activities, while 15.1% have cancelled outings or holidays outright a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=931 UK price war reignited by Tesco and Asda Tesco and Asda will reignite the UK supermarket price war this weekend with price cuts on thousands of grocery products. Tesco, the UK's number one retailer, will reduce the price of 3,000 items by up to 50% on Monday (June 30, 2008. Asda has promi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=930 Memory loss linked to unhealthy meals Diabetics could forget they've eaten if they've had an unhealthy dinner according to new research from Canada. Eating a fatty unhealthy meal can cause a temporary dip in memory in people with type 2 diabetes. Previous research has indicated that people Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=929 Morrisons wins carbon footprint reduction award Morrisons has been named as one of the first companies to be awarded a prestigious new environmental award for cutting its carbon footprint – as part of a new ‘anti-greenwash’ initiative launched on June 24, 2008 by the Carbon Trust. The UK’s fourth bi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=928 Megatrends Media Party a huge success! The inaugural food&drink towers Media Party was hosted last night in a bright and sunny bar in central London. Buzzing with journalists and full of passion from the seven sponsor companies, the evening was a resounding success and cited numerous times Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=927 The Megatrends Media Party is tonight! Tonight food&drink towers will host its first Media Party for special guests in central London. This is an invitation-only party that is set to revolutionise the way people do business in the food and drink industry. Journalists will get the chance to Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=926 New food intolerance test launched A simple test that offers fresh hope to millions of people keen to find out if what they eat is causing their chronic health conditions has been launched. The new intolerance2food website offers the best value home test on the market to help people identi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=925 Budweister launches new sauce range Beer brand Budweiser has launched a new line of Genuine Sauces, which includes three barbecue sauces, two wing sauces and a marinade. The sauces and marinade all feature Budweiser beer as a key ingredient and are on shelves now at leading supermarkets. Th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=924 Vion to buy Scottish Grampian Country Food Group Vion NV, a Dutch meat processor, has agreed to acquire Scotland-based company, Grampian Country Food Group, from its founder for an undisclosed price. The proposed takeover will be submitted to competition authorities for approval, Son en Breugel, Neth Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=923 Mario’s ice cream seals cool deal with Asda West Wales ice cream producer, Mario’s, is making its first appearance in a multiple retailer following a deal to supply Asda. The Cross Hands based company has been making ice cream for over 20 years, predominantly for the food service and hospitality Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=922 2.6mn single girls fake it in the kitchen Around 2.6mn British single girls admit they fake it on a date when it comes to home cooking as three quarters (76%) readily admit to passing off an entire meal prepared by friends or family as their own to impress potential partners. The research come Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=921 Are you a miserable or a happy voter? An MP has branded voters as "bloody miserable" on his website. Tom Harris, a Transport Minister and MP for Glasgow South, wrote on his blog that people seemed to be afflicted by "crippling levels of cynicism and pessimism". "High-def TVs fly off th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=920 Sainsbury's sales up 8.1% Sainsbury's, the third largest retailer in the UK, reported its first quarter sales figures to June 14, 2008. Total sales for first quarter increased 8.1% (4.5% excluding fuel). Like-for-like sales for the first quarter were up 7.3% (3.4% excluding fu Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=919 Primark sacks suppliers over child labour issue Primark, owned by Associated British Foods, has cancelled its account with three Indian suppliers which were found to be sub-contracting work to companies guilty of child labour by a BBC documentary. On Monday 16 June, 2008, Primark confirmed it had Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=915 Another firm favourite at f&dt: Hardy’s Shuttles We love the arrival of Hardy’s shuttles, an innovative way to enjoy a glass of wine outside this summer. It is a mini bottle of wine with a built-in glass and comes in two varieties the Hardy’s Stamp of Australia Semillion Chardonnay for white wine l Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=916 Review: beauty…in a bottle Here at the f&dt office we love the brand new spring water that has been launched with a view to improving the condition of your skin within weeks. It is pleasantly flavoured and contains a natural bioactive protein called Praventin, which supports the co Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=918 Authentic braai recipes with wine recommendation Beyerskloof Pinotage Burger This deliciously simple recipe has travelled straight from the chefs at the world-famous Beyerskloof winery, which lies at the heart of the South African winelands. The burger gets its kick from a healthy dashing of Beyerskl Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=917 Culinary couple’s national coup A culinary couple from Artisan Restaurant, in Hessle, East Yorkshire has been short-listed alongside some of the Country’s most famous chefs in a major National Restaurant Award. Self taught chef Richard Johns, and his wife Lindsey, are somewhat stunne Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=914 Strawberries…but no cream for Wimbledon Paying homage to the 2008 Wimbledon Tennis Championship, Tossed, the next generation of salad and smoothie bars offers up a healthy indulgence from Monday 23 June to Sunday 6 July. The new Strawberries No Cream smoothie is a delicious combination of fresh Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=913 Poles acquire a taste for afternoon tea Polish consumers helped make 2007 a record year for British food and drink exports. Britain exported £11.5bn worth of grown or processed food in 2007 – a rise of 9.1% on 2006, according to Food from Britain, the Government's export agency. Europeans a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=912 British shoppers lead the way on ethical shopping Ethical food shopping is now mainstream in Europe, and British shoppers lead their European counterparts when it comes to shopping ethically, according to food and grocery expert IGD. Tens of millions of shoppers across Europe regularly consider facto Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=911 Fruisana helps scones get fruity Few of us can resist a freshly baked scone, and when it is served with a dollop of fresh clotted or whipped cream and a spoonful of delicious home-made jam, who could want to resist it anyway? Fruisana have come up with a set of free recipe booklets Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=910 Bridport is where it’s at on the food map Some people will say that it was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his River Cottage series that put Bridport on the food map. But anyone serious about their food knows that this remarkable town in West Dorset was producing some of the finest regional fo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=909 Barcelona tapas restaurant's award winning wine Barcelona Tapas Y Restaurante, the home of Spanish ambience, delicious tapas and award-winning wine provides Londoners with an authentic taste of Spain in the middle of The City. For over 15 years the family run Barcelona Restaurant group has been bringin Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=908 A favourite at f&d towers: Burnt Sugar fudge Burnt Sugar’s Sea Salt Caramel Crumbly Fudge is bloomin' marvellous and a firm favourite at food&drink towers - regularly purchased on the way home from meetings via Borough Market. Burnt Sugar, the indulgent sweet maker, has introduced a conveniently Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=907 Taste the very best British meat If you are planning a visit to one of the Taste Festivals taking place around the country in the next few weeks, make sure you look out for Broad Stripe Butchers, who will be exhibiting at A Taste of Leeds (5-8 June), A Taste of London (19-22 June) and A Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=906 Shape up for summer with shallots If you want to shed a few pounds for summer but don’t want to deprive your taste buds of delicious foods, try cooking with shallots. Shallots add lots of flavour and texture to savoury dishes – ideal if you want to cut down on the calories but don’t wa Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=905 Tesco reports slowing sales in the UK Tesco today confirmed its first quarter like-for-like sales excluding petrol in the UK increased 3.5%, slowing from the start of the year, while its international business grew by 26.6%. Britain's largest retailer in a statement said although food grow Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=904 Pasty for breakfast anyone? Attracting pasty-loving Brits across the country, the leading pasty chain, West Cornwall Pasty Company, has launched a new ‘Brekkie’ range. Following on from the recent launch of fair trade organic coffee, the company has now introduced a new savoury Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=903 Divine wins observer ethical business award Divine Chocolate, the leading Fairtrade brand co-owned by cocoa farmers, was named top “Ethical Business” at the prestigious Observer Ethical Awards, presented in association with Ecover. Shortlisted for this category with fellow Fairtrade business Equ Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=902 Revive juice bars unveils national model search Revive, the popular chain of fresh juice and smoothie bars, today announced the launch of a new partnership with top model agency Storm. The brands have teamed up to find fresh faces and new talent across the UK, and will also be looking for models to sta Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=901 It's time to Pick Your Own In our hectic lives it’s all too easy to rush around Tesco grabbing all sorts of different convenience foods and pre-packed fruit and vegetables. However, picking summer fruit such as strawberries at a Pick Your Own (PYO) farm is a great way to get out an Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=896 London bar launches Measure Up campaign Market Place, a bar in Oxford Circus, London today launches Measure Up to Friday 13th June 2008 to make their customers more aware of the number of units they consume whilst at the bar. A sticker will be placed on the glass or bottle of every alcoholi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=900 US fast food craze comes to the UK It is a trend that started in South Korea five years ago an spread to the US in 2007. Since then it has gained significant consumer attention and press coverage. YOGO was born when co-founder Nick Jaques saw a picture of Paris Hilton with a frozen yog Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=899 Parents challenged as food prices soar Parents across the UK are struggling to cope with their fussy children due to rising food prices, with many only able to afford £1 a day on their children’s lunchboxes, a survey reveals. The research, commissioned by the EdamMade campaign, reveals that Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=898 It's your show: the Royal Show 2008 The annual Royal Show at Stoneleigh in Warwickshire is a great day out and somewhere to find out about the latest developments in the food and agricultural industry. The show starts on Thursday 3rd July and runs until Sunday 6th July and the event orga Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=897 Anti-Asda's two pence sausage Asda announced earlier this week that it has launched a sausage for the value of 2p in the UK. In a market currently dominated with stories about over-excessive food and drink consumption, and increasing food prices, this takes the issue one step further. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=895 Raw & natural honey from chemical-free hives Raw, untreated honey, served in the comb, used to be the norm but synthetic chemicals can be found in modern bee hives and bees are in danger of becoming a rare breed in the UK unless measures are taken to produce more natural honey. The honey is now a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=894 Hardy’s shuttles land in the UK The arrival of Hardy’s shuttles in the UK makes it even easier to enjoy a glass of wine outside this summer. The latest export from Australian wine brand Hardys is a mini bottle of wine with a handy built-in glass, which makes it easily portable and perfe Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=893 Lea & Perrins announces the “official dish of Worc Not since the Manchester Pudding in 1856 has there been a new British regional dish created. Today, 152 years on, the nation’s favourite, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce, has made culinary history by crowning the Worcestershire Warmer the “Official Dis Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=892 Salad potatoes - an essential summer ingredient Sometimes getting midweek meals sorted can be a real challenge. So many of us are short of time and inspiration that for ease we just cook the same meals every week. Now the summer is finally here there is a plentiful supply of British Salad and new potat Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=891 Beat stress syndrome with nutrition Could nutrition be the key for our stressed, exhausted nation? According to an article in Optimum Nutrition magazine written by a leading stress expert, the answer is a definite “yes”. For many people fatigue, loss of concentration and mood swings are Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=890 Brits are red, white and green with envy British are bottom of Euro cookery league as we yearn for Italian flair. Despite a culinary heritage of pies, fish and chips, puddings and Delia Smith, when it comes to the kitchen us Brits would much rather have pizza, pasta and the cookery skills of Ant Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=889 Gaucho’s hands-on steak and masterclass event In celebration of the launch of the new food and wine menus and the Manchester restaurant’s recent refurbishment, Gaucho are offering a hands-on Ceviche and Beef educational taste experience with a selection of wine matches. Ceviche is a traditional South Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=888 New organic vegan pesto launched by essential Essential has launched a pure pesto that, true to Italian tradition, comprises of just four simple ingredients: aromatic pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, fresh fragrant basil and sea salt. There are some key differences between this and many other Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=887 New campaign highlights online retail standards Computeractive has launched a new campaign called Fair & Square, which aims to educate consumers about their online rights. The campaign also offers online retailers the opportunity to sign up to a Consumer Confidence Charter to ensure shoppers are abl Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=886 Beauty...in a bottle! Beauty is finally arriving in a bottle with the launch of a new spring water that is cited to improve your skin within weeks. Beauty is the UK’s first spring water to contain active ingredients clinically proven to reduce the bacteria that causes blemi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=885 Asda records 10% sales growth to mid-May Asda recorded outstanding sales growth of 10% in the four weeks to the middle of May according to the latest figures from Nielsen. Sales in the grocery sector as a whole grew by 5.2% in the four weeks to 17 May 2008, with the large grocery multiple ret Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=884 Food Inc. launches new food market events Food Inc., London’s innovative new food market which opens today (28 May), launches its series of monthly foodie-fun events on Wednesday 25 June. Food Inc. Food Fairs will bring the food and wine calendar to life each month introducing customers to ne Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=883 Italian, organic, vegan pesto launches in the UK Essential has introduced a pure pesto that, true to Italian tradition,comprises just four ingredients: pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, basil and sea salt. It is certified organic by the Soil Association, which assures consumers that each ingre Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=882 Global fairtrade sales increase by 47% Sales of fairtrade certified products globally have increased by 47% in 2007 and worldwide consumers spent more than €2.3bn on these products. Over 1.5mn producers and workers in 58 developing countries now benefit from fairtrade sales according to the Fa Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=881 New mayo adds flavour of New York Start spreading the news…Heinz is bringing a taste of New York to the nation’s salads and sandwiches with the launch of its fantastic new Deli Mayos. The Deli Mayo range, which comes in 280ml deli style glass jars, is available in Sundried Tomato, Car Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=880 FDF outlines salt reduction strategy The Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) Biscuit, Cake, Chocolate and Confectionery (BCCC) sector manager, Barbara Gallani, will today present the sector’s salt reduction strategy at the ‘CAOBISCO Invites - Chocolate, Biscuit and Confectionery products in a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=879 Gold standard for rice pudding defined Mark Hix, who has just opened his own restaurant the Hix Oyster and Chop House in London’s Smithfield Market has created the pinnacle of rice puddings. In celebration of one of the nation’s unsung favourite desserts, celebrity chef, restaurateur, wri Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=878 Invoke childhood memories with the new Candy Floss From the company that brought you the chocolate fountain, Giles & Prosner has launched its Candy Floss Maker. It is positioned as enabling you to get the joy of the funfair in your own home anytime, without having to trudge through a muddy field. You c Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=877 Celebrate Father’s Day with a brand new BBQ! If your father loves to don his apron and cook food al fresco on the barbeque, then why not go to www.mode.co.uk to find the perfect barbeque for the outdoors Dad? With summer fast approaching there is no better way to celebrate Father’s Day than with Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=876 How to get your oats Oatly oat drinks have teamed up with Cookery expert Lorna Rhodes to give consumers 14 simple, easy and delicious ways to help you and your family eat healthy meals without giving up on your favourite foods and recipes. Here is a small selection: Satisf Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=874 Australian wine grape production to increase Australia's wine grape production will increase by 19% this financial year despite the continued drought, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE). Production is expected to reach 1.67mn tonnes. "Forecast p Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=871 Wine industry fights back against CO2 emissions Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have been cut by more than 28,000 tonnes, equivalent to taking more than 8,500 cars off the road, as a result of the industry programme GlassRite Wine. The project, funded by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), ha Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=873 MEGATRENDS MEDIA PARTY Contact us today at events@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk or visit www.foodanddrinktowers.com/events.php for more information about our exciting upcoming media event for journalists and food&drink producers, retailers and suppliers. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=872 Bertolli expands its share of healthy baked snacks Bertolli continues on its mission to take on the savoury snacking market with the launch of its Bertolli Baked Bites targeting the ‘healthier on-the-go snacking’ segment. Bertolli Baked Bites are made by Burton Foods using Bertolli Olive Oil and are av Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=870 Welsh companies to make their mark at PLMA Welsh food and drink companies will be joining their European counterparts in Amsterdam later this month at a specialist trade event held by the PLMA (Private Label Manufacturers Association). The event will take place at the RAI Exhibition Centre near Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=869 Waitrose new ad campaign speaks to food lovers Waitrose is synonymous as a brand with good quality and giving customers that little bit extra special in their ranges, and is poised to make the first major changes to its brand advertising for seven years with a new campaign designed to celebrate the en Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=868 Wine-filled tubes to launch at next week's LIWSF Les Maitres Vignerons de la Gourmandi? will launch a new way of tasting wine at the London Wine & Spirits Fair (LIWSF), to be held at EXCEL in London from 20 to 22 May 2008. La Gourmandiere has designed and markets wine-filled, cigar-shaped tubes. The Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=867 Fruit - & Pimms - delivery for London offices London fruit delivery service, Fruit for the Office, is launching an exciting new way of bringing the delights of the summer season into the office (although perhaps not something that should be ordered every day!). One of the newest services offered i Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=866 A bit of Friday fun... The city of Cardiff has been named as the most fun place to live in the UK, according to research from an online retailer of gadgets and gizmos. The research revealed that Cardiff had the biggest hoard of amusements; dubbing the city the most fun plac Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=862 Ready... Veggie... Go! Giving up meat and becoming a vegetarian is a major lifestyle decision - more of us than ever before are taking the veggie pledge. In some cases people go even further and take the vegan route cutting out fish and dairy products too. A survey released Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=865 Wasted food costs £10 billion New research published by the Waste & Resources Action Forum (WRAP) shows the true cost of needlessly wasted food to UK households is £10bn a year, £2bn higher than previously estimated. The research gives detailed new insights into the nature and amou Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=864 New range of celeb chef ready meals Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson has launched two new additions to his range of chilled ready meals including Creamy Chicken Casserole, Chicken and Chorizo Paella and Irish Style Country Stew. The Antony Worrall Thompson range has been developed Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=863 Potential for bars & pubs to boost wine sales Research for the Wine and Spirit Trade Association shows significant potential to increase wine choice and sales in the UK’s pubs, bars and restaurants. A poll of 500 outlets across the country shows: • 57% have a wine list with 10 or less wines to c Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=859 Average family food bill up £20 per week The average family is now spending almost £20 a week more on food than they were a year ago, new figures revealed yesterday. A basket of 24 common supermarket items such as tea bags and pasta sauce costs 19.1% more than it did 12 months ago, according Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=861 Top chef Mark Page supports raw food movement London venue the Commonwealth Club is adding raw food items to their summer menus. The move follows recent dining trends and the popular raw food movement. The hot summer months offer the perfect opportunity to test out some of the menu items such as, Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=860 Adnams launches the UK’s first carbon neutral beer Adnams, the leading environmental brewer, has launched East Green, the UK’s first carbon neutral beer, which is being distributed exclusively by Tesco’s nationwide, priced £1.79. East Green is brewed in Adnams’ groundbreaking new brewery, which has an Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=858 New fairtrade stats show recognition rising More UK consumers than ever before – 70% of the population – recognise the fairtrade mark, up from 57% in 2007. Latest research commissioned by the Fairtrade Foundation and launched to coincide with World Fair Trade Day on Saturday 10 May, showed that rec Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=857 Royal Bath and West Show at the end of this month As one of the country’s biggest rural events – the Royal Bath and West Show – fast approaches on the 28th-31st May, we take a look at some of the highlights the organisers have in store this year. With more than 150,000 people expected to attend over Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=856 Retail price rise in the UK thanks to food costs Shop prices have increased moderately in April in the UK, driven, mostly, by food prices, excluding food, prices of all other products would have edged down, according to data released by the British Retail Consortium. Annual shop price inflation has Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=855 Food packaging safety fears in Canada Consumers have been reassured about the safety of a chemical widely found in food packaging after Canadian authorities moved to restrict its use. The Canadian government officially declared bisphenol-A (BPA) toxic last month and has started monitoring Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=854 Almost half of Brits support farmers' markets The Real Food Festival conducted a survey prior to last week's festival, which showed that the British public’s passion and appetite for ‘real food’ is alive and kicking: 48% of people surveyed believe that farmers' markets have a vital role to play in th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=853 DVD to show Welsh kids where bacon comes from Primary schools across Wales will be watching a new DVD this week about farming and where our food comes from. Part of the aims of the Learning on the Farm project, spearheaded by Ceredigion farmer Nick Rebbeck, is to teach children about the countrysi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=852 European Central Bank warns about rising food cost Yesterday (May 5, 2008) Jean-Claude Trichet, the European Central Bank President, spoke of the future inflationary risks of soaring food prices across the world and explained that financial market speculators may also be to blame for the rising cost of gr Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=851 National Doughnut Week 10th – 17th May 2008 Apparently National Doughnut Week is coming up soon, which represents a profit-making opportunity for brands such as Moy Park Foodservice with its thaw and serve donut range. Their ‘donuts’ are sold in two sizes, and in sugar, chocolate and cinnamon v Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=850 Retailers' responses to the CC's final report Since the Competition Commission's report, published on April 30, 2008, retailers have spoken about their opinions on this so-called 'final statement'. Sainsbury’s said that the report "confirmed that UK grocery supermarkets are providing a good deal Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=849 6% rise in supermarket sales Supermarket tills are continuing to ring despite a squeeze on household budgets. Revenues for the UK's grocery sector were ahead more than 6% on a year earlier in the 12 weeks to April 20, market researcher TNS Worldpanel said. The combined till rol Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=848 PepsiCo acquires UK V Water company PepsiCo yesterday announced the acquisition of the UK's V Water company boosting its presence in the functional drinks market in a decline in carbonated soft drinks. V Water, which comes in six flavors, is made from spring water and additions such as v Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=847 Competition test to be introduced to UK retail The UK competition regulator has recommended a 'competition test' to stop one supermarket dominating the sector. In its final report on the local supermarket industry, the Competition Commission outlined measures to improve competition in local areas a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=846 Fridge Raiders get £4m ad injection The Fridge Raiders chicken bites range by Mattessons will be back on air on May 1st in a new national £4mn TV and cinema advertising campaign, part of a heavyweight support package for the brand this year. The campaign will have a six week stint on TV Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=845 Marriott Hotels introduce new dining concepts As part of its £120m ‘Nip and Tuck” refurbishment programme, Marriott Hotels is introducing an exciting and extensive range of new dining and restaurant concepts in a major upgrade of its food and beverage offering. Each new concept is specifically des Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=844 Global food problems hit Australia Families in Australia are facing similar problems to those in the UK with experts warning of price rises up to 50% on food staples before the end of the year thanks to a burgeoning world food shortage. Fruit and vegetables are expected to experience th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=843 Save Our Bacon Week gets full support of industry Celebrity chefs and numerous restaurants want to put British bacon on the menu for Save Our Bacon Restaurant Week. Restaurants across the UK are joining forces to mark Save Our Bacon National Restaurant Week (Monday 28th April – Sunday 4th May). From t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=842 Family food bills up by £780 in a year Food bills for the average family have risen by almost £800 a year in the last 12 months, according to website Mysupermarket.co.uk. Families who have been hit by rising energy and petrol prices and, in some cases, higher mortgage costs, are also facing Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=841 Sainsbury's aims to halve plastic bag usage Sainsbury's intends to halve the number of free one-use disposable plastic bags used by its customers by April 2009 and to reduce the overall environmental impact. The company believes a number of different initiatives are required to bring about a c Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=840 New cocktail and tapas bar to open in London A new cocktail and tapas bar called Albert & Pearl will open in London on May 31st. The distinctive cocktail list, using premium spirits, mixers and fresh fruits, is created to provide a wide selection of classic cocktails with a unique twist, and seve Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=839 Tropicana launches healthy carbonated soft drink Tropicana has introduced a 'healthy' carbonated soft drink (CSD) in the UK called Tropicana Spirit, which provides one of your five a day. According to Tropicana, the drink has been created with a simple blend of 70% juice and 30% lightly sparkling mi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=838 Bread for women in a diet-obsessed world Research by nutritional consultancy, The Food Doctor, has uncovered a worrying trend in female eating habits with 69% cutting out whole food groups from their diet in a bid to stay slim. Eradicating fat (46%) and sugar (37%) from their eating habits w Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=837 Huge support for junk food ad ban says Which? More than eight out of 10 people believe junk food advertising is making it difficult to feed children a healthy diet, according to new research from consumer watchdog Which? Which? found 84% of consumers want the Government to do more to control the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=836 Bling Britain quaffs more and more sparkling wine Bling’ Britain is buying more premium Champagne, driving sales up 8% over the last two years to 29.2m litres, valued at £958m according to Mintel. Higher prices and volume limitations may slow trade in 2008, but value growth is expected to continue, fuell Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=835 Indian company acquiring Australian wine labels Indian company, Indage Holdings has acquired Barossa Valley wine label VineCrest and 10 hectares of vineyards in Tanunda, Australia. In March 2008, the Mumbai-based company purchased Loxton Winery and Austflavour from Australian Vintage Limited. I Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=834 Swanky London restaurants top gastropub prices Swanky London restaurants aren’t out of your price range – take advantage of their bargain set lunch menus, says The Good Food Guide London. Some highly regarded restaurants offer excellent three-course set lunch deals, often for less than a meal in a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=833 Retail sales fall at fastest pace in 2 years UK retail sales fell by 1.6% in March 2008 failing to stay afloat despite the early Easter, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Food sales slowed again after two strong months, to show the weakest growth since July 20 Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=832 Thornton's launches new dinner party cakes Thornton’s Cakes is launching four new variants to bring new consumption occasions to the cake sector: Toffee and Chocolate Marbled Cake, Mini Chocolate Fudge Brownies, Mini Chocolate and Orange Cakes and Mini Toffee Cupcakes. Jo Fraser, commercial con Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=831 Kazakhstan bans wheat exports Kazakhstan has banned wheat exports until September 1, 2008 according to a report by http://www.bakingbusiness.com. "At a meeting of the Kazakh government on April 15, 2008, a decision was passed to introduce a ban on exports of wheat - without restric Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=830 Antioxidant review says they don't prolong life There is no evidence that taking antioxidants like vitamins A and E prolongs life according to a review of 67 studies. The studies, involving more than 230,000 people, found "no convincing evidence" that antioxidant supplements cut the risk of dying. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=829 Five a day - plus turkey?? British Turkey hopes to jump on the 5-a-day bandwagon by encouraging people to eat their five plus turkey. An ambitious marketing campaign will encourage consumers to add a portion of one of the healthiest meats to their daily quota of vegetables. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=828 Natural & Organic Products Show - last day today! Europe’s leading show for the natural and organic trade is set to break more records as Natural and Organic Products Europe celebrates its twelfth year on 13-14 April. The biggest event of its kind saw 8,500 attendees in 2007 and growing numbers for th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=826 Supersize wine in pubs criticised by physicians Pubs are pushing customers towards unsafe drinking by supersizing their wine glasses, according to doctors at the Royal College of Physicians. An article on the Times Online yesterday said that the RCP has accused the pub industry of “irresponsibly” fooli Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=827 Sainsburys launches 1% milk following US trends Sainsbury's has introduced the first own label 1% milk. According to Sainsbury's, 1% milk is already popular in the US and Canada. With health-consciousness prevailing across the UK, the retailer believes that if all UK semi-skimmed consumers were to swit Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=825 Welsh producers are naturals for the organic show Organic producers from across Wales are preparing for the sector’s largest UK trade event - Natural & Organic Products Europe 2008 which opens in London next week (13/14 April). Six companies will be exhibiting at the event at the Olympia exhibition ce Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=824 4.4 million apples thrown away every year in UK More than four million whole apples are being thrown away untouched every day in the UK, according to the latest figures from Love Food Hate Waste, WRAP’s (Waste & Resources Action Programme) campaign to tackle food being wasted in UK homes. The figur Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=823 FSA decision on food colours are bizarre Responding to the FSA decision to recommend phasing out of the Southampton study colours in food and drink in the EU and voluntary ban by 2009 in the UK, Julian Hunt, Food and Drink Federation Director of Communications said: “UK food and drink manufactur Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=822 Salt and sugar reduction symposium a huge success Obesity is one of the greatest public health challenges of the 21st century, while cardiovascular disease remains the biggest cause of death in both the developed and developing world – killing around 12.7 million people each year. According to the World Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=821 Children driving organic sales down under Children are have a major influence on the growing popularity of organic goods, according to the online Australian news website FoodWeek (www.foodweek.com.au). Fonterra brand category manager Rick Carmont commented that up to one third of the group’s o Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=820 New global drinks market sustainability standard Today, at the InnoBev Global Soft Drinks Congress in Moscow, a groundbreaking new plan is being launched to provide beverage companies, and their suppliers, with a common worldwide scheme for carbon footprint measurement. It also enables audited results t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=819 NZ school bans birthday cake - sound familiar? An Auckland primary school is banning birthday cake as it prepares for new national healthy eating guidelines to be introduced in June 2008. Schools throughout the country are starting to remove 'junk food' from tuckshops, school canteens and lunchboxes. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=818 Aussie wines proving popular in Russia We reported this week that West Australian Wines had introduced a British retail service to build on the Brits' love of Ozzie plonk. It seems the Russians can't get enough either. The value of Australian wine exports increased by more than 40% in 2007 Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=815 Scrap plastic bags and follow the Co-op's lead Almost 80% of people plan to buy food with less packaging during the next year, according to a new survey by Populus for The Times. The research shows that a majority of people want supermarkets to tackle all packaging rather than simply focusing on pl Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=817 West Aussie Wine launches new UK service West Aussie Wine (WAW) has launched a new service, offering wines to the UK. WAW says that it is the only company that exclusively supplies WA wines direct to the UK market and will deliver wines from across WA to the customers front door in the UK. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=816 Japan to study safety of cloned animals for food Japan will study the safety of cloned animals for food, according to a report by Reuters yesterday, following the US FDA announcement earlier this year. "The safety commission has been asked to deliberate on the matter," an Agriculture Ministry offici Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=814 FDA says meat from cloned animals is safe The Food and Drug Administration in the US has decided that meat from cloned animals is as safe as conventionally bred animals. It's unlikely that there is similar feeling among consumers, but with the FDA backing, there is a higher chance of cloned anima Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=813 Something (for the foodie) for the weekend? Three Choirs’ new lodge rooms in the heart of the vineyard combine luxurious accommodation with a haven of peace and tranquillity in leafy Gloucestershire. If you yearn for a relaxing and original way to while away a weekend, look no further than these be Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=812 A nation of 'same old, same old' eaters A new survey has revealed that as a nation we tend to stick to the same old foods, therefore creating and eating just a handful of dishes. The overwhelming majority, 78%, buy largely the same ingredients on every supermarket shopping trip. It follows Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=811 British biggest online shoppers in Europe The British spend the most money shopping online in the European Union according to the latest report from Mintel. UK online sales were worth €18.5bn last year, compared to just €13bn in Germany, the second largest market. France, Italy and Spain fol Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=810 Bag in box wine sales growing Leading European bag-in-box manufacturer Rapak, part of DS Smith Plastics, says latest research from the US has further strengthened the environmental case for bag-in-box packaging. According to The Wine Group, the world’s largest winery by volume, bot Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=809 Wow! micro leaf sales set to rocket HumberVHB, the UK’s largest supplier of cut and potted herbs, and Westland Nurseries, plant propagators and baby leaf growers, are launching a new brand for their award-winning micro leaf range at this year’s Food and Drink Expo. Called Wow! micro leaf Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=808 Sainsbury's boom thanks to wet and dreary Easter While the high streets experienced a sharp decline in footfall over the Easter weekend, Sainsbury's saw a 4.1% rise in the 12 weeks to March 22, 2008. It seems the bad weather prompted people to stay indoors and cook rather than brave the bad traffic, dod Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=807 Heinz didn't behave badly with its market soup Heinz was cleared yesterday of misleading the public into believing its 'Farmers' Market' soup range is made from locally sourced ingredients. The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK rejected 25 complaints about television and press adverts for Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=806 Parisian pawn shops to take wine for first time According to the leading wine magazine Decanter, Paris pawn shopps have agreed for the first time ever to exchange bottles of wine for cash. More than 350 bottles with a total value of €60,000 (£45,000) have been pawned so far according to the article Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=805 Wild Pelican wine cans have success on the slopes Rexam is now producing cans for exciting and innovative new wine brand called Wild Pelican. A newcomer to the growing canned wine market, Wild Pelican offers high quality wines from all over the world in Rexam’s 20cl aluminium cans. Unlike the majorit Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=804 COMPETITIONS ARE NOW CLOSED! Thank you to everyone who entered our fabulous foodie competitions. Please do not send any further emails to competitions@foodanddrinktowers.com until the next competitions are announced. Any entries after 1pm today will not be considered. Helen Lewis Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=803 Your last chance to enter our foodie competitions Go to the features page and check out the foodie competitions while you still have time to enter! The competitions must end at 1pm today. Good luck... Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=796 Win 12 litres of Simply Hibi for your next party! Simply Hibi, is the UK’s first hibiscus based health drink which offers 17 times more anti-oxidants than other juice drinks on the market. It is an ethically produced, antioxidant rich, refreshing new drink produced from the flowers of a very special vari Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=801 Cornwall Farmer delivers first asparagus of 2008 Local grown English Asparagus has been dubbed ‘the new Beaujolais nouveau’. Asparagus lovers agree that nothing can beat the superb flavour of local grown English varieties and there is fierce competition amongst growers as to who can deliver the first h Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=802 NHS launches guide to healthy eating The NHS has launched a new service on its website to help people to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. Live Well, is based on NHS accredited information and aims to enable users to access reliable, scientifically accurate information on good food and healt Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=800 Mateus launches Kanga Pack to tempt consumers Mateus Rose is launching its ‘Kanga Pack’ aimed at encouraging trial of the Mateus Rose range during the run up to the key summer trading period. Apparently reminiscent of Australia’s best-known marsupial, the Kanga Pack is a first for the UK wine mark Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=793 Win a place at a classic French cookery class! Outdoors Abroad, a collection of the leading European holiday and travel providers, has developed the website www.destinationcooking.co.uk in response to the growing trend for family food holidays. Working in partnership with top French chef Christian Loh Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=794 Win a case of natural presses from Bottle Green Win a selection case of delicious natural fruit presses from Bottle Green Drinks Co. Add a splash of sophistication to your summer drinks collection with the delicious range of bottle green natural fruit presses. Lightly sparkling Cotswold spring water Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=795 Win a gift box packed with dinner party goodies! My Secret Kitchen, the UK’s first nationwide food and drink tasting company, have launched three fresh new products that capture the flavour of spring and summer, and take taste buds to some exciting new places. Kashmir Curd is delicately infused with Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=798 Brits still fuzzy over food science facts Some of our perceptions of risks in our diet fly in the face of science, according to a new survey by the Food Standards Agency. The survey investigated how consumers perceive the risks associated with various food issues in comparison to the scientific e Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=797 Win a Sir Stelios Easy Pizza party! Pizza lovers across London can now enjoy top value meals thanks to the expansion of http://www.easypizza.com throughout the Capital. News of the pizza service comes from Sir Stelios Haji-ioannou, the serial entrepreneur and founder of the easyGroup co Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=799 Half of bread on sale contains pesticides The latest review from the government’s Pesticides Residues Committee (PRC) has revealed that over half of bread sampled, some 54%, contained traces of pesticides. This represents a 3% increase in the number of samples containing pesticides since the last Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=792 The truth about stir-fries and sushi We like it, we're just not sure about what's in it... Brits may be famous for enjoying a good old-fashioned Sunday roast but it would seem we are no longer a meat and two veg nation. Seven out of 10 of us are now big fans of world cuisine. Furthermore Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=791 Darling's tax hike on booze is ludicrous Alistair Darling is not popular with British wine connoisseurs. The Chancellor's first budget was announced yesterday with the cost of a bottle of wine jumping up by 14 pence and a pint of beer by 4 pence. Spirits will rise by 55 pence a bottle. Duty Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=790 FOUR DAYS OF FOODIE COMPETITIONS NEXT WEEK! The weather is really starting to drag us down here at food&drink towers so we thought we'd liven up the four-day week in the lead up to Easter with some fantastic foodie compeitions. Visit the website every day between Monday 17th and Thursday 20th to Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=789 Bubbly in a can to be available this summer Rexam and Black Tower have joined forces to launch a single-serve, semi-sparkling wine in a 20cl can. The black and silver aluminium can is 100% recyclable, lightweight and unbreakable. Black Tower FIZZ is aimed at younger drinkers and is said to suit Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=788 Cadbury Schweppes could see delayed de-merger Cadbury Schweppes may have to postpone the de-merger of its US soft drinks business according to UK media reports. Previously expected to be completed by June 2008, market analysts are pointing to further deterioration in the debt markets which could Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=785 Asda asks for reduced VAT on smoothies Asda is backing the Liberal Democrats in their demand to reduce the VAT charged on fruit juices and smoothies. The retailer believes the tax should be cut to 5% but is also concerned that these tax reductions should stand alone and not linked to any rise Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=786 Scientists discover how to cook healthy chips The acrylamide levels in chips can be lowered, new research from Leatherhead Food International shows. Acrylamide is a naturally occurring chemical that is produced in starch rich foods when they are baked, fried, grilled or roasted. Scientists are concer Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=787 Ozzie farmers' markets troubled by dodgy dealers In Australia, farmers' markets are booming but a national policing system is needed to prevent dodgy dealers and private companeis from reaping the benefits according to consumer campaigne group Choice. According to a report published in February 2008 Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=783 Waitrose serves up wine just for two In a move that will no doubt earn it bonus points for promoting responsible drinking, Waitrose has launched a new size of wine bottle in its stores. Following a trend in the market for smaller bottles, Waitrose is increasing the range of wines in 25cl Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=784 Faitrade Coffee tops taste test poll As Fairtrade fortnignt comes to a close, it has been revealed that Caf?rect, the pioneering Fairtrade company, has outshone the competition in an independent coffee taste test conducted by Which? magazine. To get an idea of how Fairtrade products mea Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=782 Split developing in eating out options As the economic situation worsens, Mintel International Group Ltd predicts that the UK dining out market will divide along economic lines. The market analyst predicts that despite the widespread tightening of belts, the restaurant market could actually e Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=780 Grocery Market grew 6% in February The UK grocery market saw total sales grow by 6.2% in February, with an impressive increase in like-for-like sales of 4.2%, figures from market analysts Nielsen reveal. These impressive figures are, however, lower than this time last year and represe Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=781 Food Price Inflation hits 4.6% There is no escaping it, inflation is rising and food prices are rising faster than anything else. The BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index for February showed that annual shop price inflation was 1.3% higher, up from 1.2% in January and the highest rate of i Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=779 New Report Reveals Why We Buy More Free From Foods A new report on food sensitivity in the UK has revealed exactly why we seem to be consuming ever-larger amounts of Free From foods. Foods which have certain ingredients, removed such as wheat and gluten, dairy or nuts. Using national NOP and qualitativ Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=778 Consumers say no to cheap chicken A new RSPCA poll shows the recent campaign on the plight of meat chickens reared in the UK each year - highlighted in programmes presented by Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - has changed people's buying habits. An amazing 73% of consumers Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=777 Consumer Confidence is growing on food issues The eighth annual English Regions Consumer Attitudes to Food Survey published by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), points to increased confidence among the general public in the food they are consuming, and in regards to wider food issues. Since the ini Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=776 End of free plastic bags at M&S Following the decision by Whole Foods Market last month and the trials by Sainsbury's to stop issuing plastic carrier bags, Marks and Spencer is the latest retailer to take steps to reduce its use of plastic bags. In January food&drinktowers reported Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=775 UK Barista Champion is named What with coffee shops on almost every high street, the demand for high-quality coffee has grown rapidly in the past seven years, so much so that there are now Barista Championships, contests to find the best barista, all over the world. In th UK, the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=774 Functional Foods about to enter critical stage? Whist the functional food and drink market is still enjoying healthy and growing sales, a new report by market analyst Datamonitor reveals concerns that functional food is about to enter a critical stage in market development. Currently the combined U Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=773 Seeds put on ice 'just in case' A new Doomsday Vault has opened in the Artic to store samples of all the world's most important food crops. Hundreds of millions of seeds from all over the world will be stored at temperatures of 18°C below freezing. The Svalbard global seed vault is o Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=772 Dieting Brits avoid traditional food Brits are a nation of perpetual purgers with over half claiming to have been on a diet in the last 12 months according to new research. Nearly 1 in 5 claim they are "always on a diet" painting a rather stark picture of our relationship with food. What's w Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=771 Future of alcohol sales is off-trade Consumers prefer to drink at home rather than in the pub, according to a new report by Report Buyer. The report, "Off-trade Trends: Creating Value In The At-home Alcoholic Drinks Market" shows that European and American consumers are shifting away from dr Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=768 Waitrose top retailer according to Which? Waitrose has been named as the number one high street retailer for customer service in an annual survey by consumer magazine Which? From September to November 2007, Which? asked 10,963 members of its online panel to rate their satisfaction with and lik Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=769 Consumers confused over fairtrade As Fairtrade fortnight begins, it is clear that Fairtrade has never been so popular, but a new survey has revealed that consumers are confused when it comes to understanding the principles behindthe Fairtrade mark. More than 2,500 consumers took pa Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=770 Tate & Lyle go Fairtrade As Fairtrade fortnight begins, Tate & Lyle announces its ambition to move its entire retail cane sugars range to Fairtrade, marking the largest ever switch to the ethical labelling scheme by any major UK food or drink brand. In the first year alone, t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=767 London Politicians visit new farmers' market Senior London politicians will visit London's newest farmers' market this Sunday at 11am. Waltham Forest's London Assembly Member, Jennette Arnold; Deputy Mayor of London, Nicky Gavron and Mayor of Waltham Forest Councillor Liaquat Ali will visit Walth Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=764 Tesco willing to discuss Alcohol with Government Tesco has told the Government that it is willing to take an active role in discussions around the introduction of legislation to ensure responsible pricing on alcohol and alcohol promotions. But Britain’s biggest supermarket warned that Ministers must ini Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=765 Safer Food Preparation Now Easier to Achieve. Caterers and food retailers will have extra help from today in achieving the right standards in food hygiene and giving extra confidence to their customers. The Food Standards Agency, the UK’s food regulator, has produced a new DVD for food businesses tha Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=766 UK's sweet tooth raises Nestle profits Nestle, the world's biggest food and drink group has reported that its annual earnings have risen by 16% to £5bn. The producer said that their profits have benefited from a renewed focus on the UK confectionary market as well as cost cutting measures a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=762 Asda to expand in 2008 Asda has declared its faith in the UK economy and by announcing its biggest jobs programme this decade. The retailer has stated it intends to create more than 9,000 new jobs through new store openings, extensions and business expansion. 7,000 jobs will Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=763 Sainsbury's makes more ethical moves Sainsbury's has made two announcements to support its intentions to woo ethical shoppers. In January the retailer became the first retailer in the UK and in Europe to stock sustainable tuna, certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The M Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=760 Birmingham is world class good food city Birmingham might not immediately spring to mind when asked to name a British city renowned for its food, but the organisers of a new Europe-wide culinary network called Delice, The Good Food Cities of the World, obviously know something we don't, they hav Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=761 First meat to gain FSC certification Game supplier Rick Bestwick Ltd, specialist in game to major retailers, has secured an industry first by agreeing a deal to feature The New Forest Marque on packs of Wild Venison. . This makes this game meat the first meat in the world to receive Fores Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=759 Market for chilled foods heats up The chilled prepared foods marketin the UK has increased at a very healthy pace over the past five years (2002 - 2007) with levels of growth far above levels of inflation, according to a new report by Research and Markets. The Chilled Foods Market Repo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=758 EU puts special meaures on Chinese rice The European Commission Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health has decided to put special requirements on imports of rice products from China to make sure the products do not contain an unauthorised genetically modified (GM) rice. The d Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=757 British farmers essential world food supply Britain is vulnerable to a "global food crunch" and must increase the amount of food it produces, according to David Cameron. He is set to address the centenary conference of the National Farmers Union (NFU) in London today, where he is expected to an Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=755 New study links green coffee to weight loss A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal NutraFoods 2007 6(3), 13-17) confirms the weight loss effects of taking the green coffee extract. Green coffee beans are raw, unroasted coffee beans and they are increasingly being used in functional Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=756 Green top milk does the rounds Do you remember Green Top Milk? Plenty of us do and what's more we miss it. So here at food&drinktowers we were delighted to learn that Londoners, at least, we be able to get unpasteurised milk delivered straight to their door. James and Keith Jeffer Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=754 Tempting New Treats from Magnum Magnum, the UK’s number one hand-held ice cream brand from Unilever UK is set to deliver a totally irresistible year for ice-cream lovers everywhere. Magnum is launching an indulgent new variant, Mayan Mystica, as well as a tempting new range of Magnum Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=753 Calls for EU to set up transparent supply chain The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has called on the European Union to establish a fair-supply chain which is transparent and supports local farmers in each country. The NFU senior food chain adviser Robin Tapper went to lobby for EU support for a transpar Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=752 Increased demand pushes up Basmati Prices Basmati Rice has increased in price by 75% over the last financial year according to the latest figures from the London based Rice Association. All rice prices have increased over the past year by up to 60%, but basmati prices have doubled since 2005. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=751 Food still pushing up inflation Increases in food prices, especially of fruit such as grapes and grapefruit have pushed CPI inflation, – the Government’s target measure of inflation to was 2.2% in January, an increase of 0.1% over December. When the RPIX inflation rate is considered Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=750 Food borne illnesses increase in 2006 The number of laboratory reported incidences of food borne and food related illnesses increased by 1.7% between 2005 and 2006, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the first overall increase since 2000. According to a report published by the P Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=749 Amazon set to deliver food? Amazon.co.uk is considering adding food to its online store, according to reports in Australian Food Week. The potential new move comes after Amazon successfully launched sales of shoes online last and amid speculation that Amazon will soon be opening Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=748 Food sales grow in January The latest retail figures from the British Retail Consortium(BRC) show that sales rose 2.6% on a like-for-like basis, compared with January 2007, when sales were up 3.1% compared with a weak January 2006. The three-month trend rate of growth rose to Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=745 Five New Restaurants Opened Every Day in 2007 Five new restaurants opened up in the UK every day in 2007, according to research released by Startupsplus, a marketing service for catering industry suppliers The research into business start-up activity in the food and catering industry during last y Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=746 Wagyu beef comes to Asda Wagyu beef, one of the most expensive meats in the world, costing up to £100 per kilo, could soon be on sale at Asda, at a heavily reduced price. Wagyu meat, which is coveted by gourmets and multi-millionaires for its mouth watering, tender, succulent Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=747 Camden Market Destroyed by Fire Camden Market, the largest street market in Britain and one of the capital's top tourist attractions, was devastated by fire on Saturday (8 February) and its future remains unsure. 20 fire engines and over 100 fire-fighters attended the scene and it took Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=744 Texas Chicken takes on KFC in the UK Texas Chicken, the international brand of Atlanta-based Church’s Chicken, is to open its first restaurants in the United Kingdom this month, with plans to open 36 restaurants by the end of March and 50 before the year’s end. This acquisition will make th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=743 We're dealing with the fats says the FDF The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has once again said it is worried about the amount of saturated fats in the British diet and with good reason. According to a survey from LIPObind, a natural diet product, over two-thirds of the population are concerned abo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=741 Tesco & Disney launch healthy branded kids range Disney and Tesco have teamed up to launch a co-branded kids food range. A broad range of products will be available in store in February and the range will continue to grow significantly throughout 2008. From Winnie The Pooh’s easy peeler citrus fruits an Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=740 Melton Mowbray Pork Pies to be protected Following ten years of hard work to overcome opposition from multinationals and get through European red tape, Chappell's Fine Foods will soon, finally, gain Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status for its Forryan's and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=739 Five companies join third stage with Carbon Trust Five food and drink companies will join the third phase of the UK-based Carbon Trust's trial to set a new standard for assessing carbon emissions. The five food and drink companies included in the third wave are: British Sugar; Colors, one of South Af Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=738 Regional food beats organic for British shopppers UK consumers favour regional foods over organic, according to dairy co-operative First Milk. The study analysed results of 10 separate focus groups and found that consumers perceive organic food to be more natural than "conventional" foods, but regiona Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=737 Brits follow Italian love of Parma Ham The UK consumes the most Parma Ham in the world - outside of Italy. The British devoured more than 12mn packets of Parma Ham last year. There was a huge increase in sales at 27% in 2007. Parma Ham, Prosciutto di Parma is produced in the hills surroundi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=736 From school fete to deal with Waitrose Two mums have secured a hot six figure deal to supply Waitrose with their luxury range of Anglo-Indian curry sauces. Inspired by recipes discovered in an old family exercise book, Bombay Authentics, from The British Curry Company, launches into all 18 Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=734 Potato is the safest food in Britain Yesterday, 3 February, was officially National Potato Day. But if this fact escaped your attention, then you might be interested to know that the humble, ordinary potato is the safest food in Britain. According to food intolerance experts, YorkTest.co Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=733 Walkers Crisps in rubber recall Several batches of Walkers Crisps have been recalled by the manufacturer amid concerns that they might contain pieces of yellow rubber. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a Food Alert for Information to warn members of the public about the pos Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=732 All E-numbers should be banned say MPs The Associate Parliamentary Food and Health Forum has called on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to ban all E-numbers and chemical additives from foods as research has proven they can over stimulate children's brains and cause hyperactivity. The find Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=731 UK CO2 emissions fall by 0.5% says Defra Emissions of the climate change gas CO2 fell in the UK in 2006. It was expected that the UK's carbon dioxide emissions would be approximately 1.2% higher than 2005. However, figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) sh Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=730 Asda launches 'green' rollbacks Asda has announced plans to lower prices on own-brand products by removing excess packaging from its own-brand items to reduce total packaging. All the money saved from the reduction in packaging costs will be ploughed back into price cuts for customers. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=729 EU introduces compulsory food labelling The European Commission has confirmed that front-of-pack nutrition labelling will be compulsory across all member states. The rules, introduced by Markos Kyprianou, the EU's health commissioner, are a defeat for Europe's powerful food industry, which had Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=728 Top 10 fruit and veggies revealed Carrots are the nation's favourite vegetable according to a survey published by the Health Food Manufacturers Association (HFMA). Bananas have pushed apples off their top spot as the most popular fruit. Regional fruit is more popular than 'exotic' vari Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=727 Chips and mash are not part of the five a day! Britons are tucking into chips, roasted spuds and mash to get their five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, unaware that potatoes don’t actually count towards their daily intake, new research has revealed. The survey by the Health Food Manufact Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=726 Big brands join the FDF's water fight Big names in food and drink including Cadbury Schweppes and Coca-Cola Enterprises will sign up to an agreement to significantly improve water efficiency, possibly saving about 37mn gallons a day. The other companies to sign up include Apetito, Birds Ey Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=725 South-west Wales meet the buyer event on Thursday Welsh food and drink producers will have the opportunity to move into the public procurement market with a special ‘Meet the Buyer’ event to be held in Carmarthen on Thursday (January 31st). It is the first time an event of this kind specifically targe Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=721 FSA welcomes Government's new obesity plan The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has welcomed the Government's new plan to tackle rising obesity rates. The "Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives" strategy was launched by the Department of Health last week and has a five-fold strategy for reducing obesity rates Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=722 Cookery lessons back on the timetable The Food for Life Partnership has welcomed the decision by the Government to put cookery lessons back into the core curriculum for 11 – 14 year olds. The Food for Life Partnership, which consists of the Soil Association, Focus on Food Campaign, Health Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=723 BRC says retailers already leading on obesity Following the launch of the Government's new co-ordinated obesity strategy, The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said that British retailers have been at the forefront of offering healthier eating choices for years and that the market is already delivering Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=724 Brits Are Buying Much Less Salt British shoppers saved the equivalent of almost 2,000 tonnes of salt in their total purchases in five important food categories over the past 12 months, according to new research by leading market insight provider TNS Worldpanel. This staggering reduct Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=720 Danisco buys plant from Associated British Foods Danish sugar and food ingredients firm, Danisco has signed and agreement to buy Abitec Ltd from Associated British Foods PLC. Abitec Ltd is an emulsifier production plant in Northampton that currently employs 55 people. Abitec is at present part of the In Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=719 Demand outstrips supply for organic food Producers of organic food cannot keep up with demand, according to new research by Mintel. The rising popularity of organic food, boosted by concerns over food safety, and promoted by television chefs such as Jamie Oliver has seen the organic food sector Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=717 New Divine fairtrade chocolate Easter eggs Divine Chocolate, the Fairtrade company co-owned by cocoa farmers, is introducing three new products to its Easter range. New from Divine Chocolate for 2008 is a Divine Milk Chocolate Egg with Divine mini milk chocolate eggs in an elegant brown box dec Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=718 London gets five new Michelin stars Michelin has awarded London restaurants with five further stars, in the second edition of the company’s guide for the capital. The Michelin Guide London 2008 features 45 starred restaurants39 one-starred, five two-starred, and one three-starred establ Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=716 Morrisons wins the Christmas sales war Morrisons, the smallest of the large four grocery retailers in the UK, has beaten all its rivals with its Christmas trading figures. Like-for-like sales across Morrisons stores that have been open for at least one year were up 9.5%, excluding fuel, in the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=715 Whole Food Market ditches the plastic bags Other retailers such as Sainsbury's have tried it, but Whole Foods has now committed to removing disposable plastic bags from all of its stores worldwide by the 22nd April 2008, which is also Earth Day. Sainsbury's has twice offered customers free bags Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=714 El Bulli oils on sale at Harvey Nichols For those of you (including myself!) who long for an evening at El Bulli, settling for one of the exclusive new oils on sale from this month at Harvey Nichols may have to do - for now. The range f naturally aromatic olive oils, created by Ferran Adria Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=711 Tesco stops calves being exported Tesco has halted the export of calves from the 930 dairy farmers who supply it with milk. Until now many of these farmers exported their calves to the Continent where they were used to produce veal. Welfare standards on the Continent do not meet the high Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=712 Farmhouse Breakfast Week in full swing In case you've missed it, this week is the ninth annual Farmhouse Breakfast Week. The week, a celebration of breakfast run by the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA), began on the 20th January and runs to the 25th. 1600 events are expected to take pla Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=713 MPs call for re-think on biofuels The Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has called for a moratorium on biofuels, questioning their impact on the environment. It also argues that current agricultural support for biofuels is unsustainable and that a large biofuel industry based on Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=708 Healthier food in workplace canteens Around 3nn meals are eaten in the workplace each day, 2mn of which are prepared by contract caterers and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is keen to ensure that these canteen meals are as healthy as they can be. It wants to improve the range of healthy foo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=709 Food Allergy and Intolerance Week starts today Allergy UK, the UK's foremost medical charity for people suffering from food intolerances and allergies today launches Food Allergy and Intolerance Week 2008. The week runs until the 25th January and there is a variety of events being held nationwide t Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=710 Asda hopes we cook with Gordon Asda is hoping that lots of people 'sky-plussed' "Gordon Ramsay: Cookalong Live", as the retailer has been filling its shelves with the ingredients needed to make Gordon's gourmet three course meal for four people in an hour. After Friday's show Asda Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=707 Vineet's Urban Turban is unveiled Urban Turban opened (finally) last night boasting delicious Indian tapas with a sprinkling of sophistication for the West London trendsetters. One of the most drawn out openings in recent London restaurant history - thanks to residents' campaigns and nume Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=706 On your marks, get set, turn on those ovens! The entire country will get a chance to nose around Gordon's London kitchen this evening. Wannabe chefs in kitchens across the UK will tonight get a chance to graduate from the Gordon Ramsay school of cookery. On Channel 4 between 9pm and 10pm (which is p Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=705 Food allergy warnings needed in foodservice Restaurants and cafes should take steps to warn customers about possible allergens in food. Products made with ingredients which could spark an allergic reaction should have them listed on a card, label or menu, the Food Standards Agency said. The watc Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=704 Kids don't see sweets as a treat any more Many children no longer regard sweets, crisps and fast food as treats, but as part of their everyday diet according to a story on www.kiddicare.com. The story features research by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), which found that more than two-thir Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=698 DO YOU WORK FOR A FUNCTIONAL FOOD CO.? If so, please get in touch with Helen Lewis today at helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk with info about your functional food product. I am writing a detailed feature for www.just-food.com about functional food trends and really want to speak to some interesti Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=703 The Co-Op launches fairtrade smoothies The Co-operative is introducing two Fairtrade fruit smoothie drinks, which will be the first Fairtrade chilled smoothie drinks available from a supermarket retailer. Launched on January 28 2008, the two variants are: Fairtrade Pink Guava Smoothie Drin Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=702 Rexam beverage can scoops three MPMA metal awards Rexam Beverage Can Europe and Asia has been announced as the winner of three awards at the recent MPMA Best in Metal Awards. Rexam’s registered debossing technology won awards in both the Product category and the Consumer Appeal category and the Alumi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=701 New operations vice president at Crown Bevcan Crown Holdings, Inc. announced yesterday that Brian Rogers, age 48, has been named Operations Vice President of its Crown Bevcan Europe & Middle East business unit. Rogers previously served as Area Manufacturing Manager for Crown’s beverage can operations Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=700 British turkey farmers celebrate success Initial indications suggest British turkey farmers will be celebrating a very happy Christmas when official sales figures are released later in January. Andy Lewins, chairman of the British Turkey Federation and joint managing director of Cranberry Foo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=699 Hugh's huge influence at London farmers' markets Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s recent Channel 4 campaign has sparked a lot of debate over the past fortnight. It's almost impossible these days to open a newspaper without reading a chicken-related story, and if you switch on the TV you're Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=697 Tesco had a merry little Christmas By Dawn Copeman While other retailers did not do as well as expected, Tesco enjoyed record sales over the Christmas and the New Year Period with an increase in like-for-like sales in the UK of 3.1% excluding petrol. Total UK sales for the six weeks lea Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=696 Our most successful day...ever! food&drink towers had a record day yesterday with the highest number of visitors since we first opened our doors on October 9th 2006. Why? The 2008 trends report was published yesterday and made freely available to all registered users plus thousan Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=692 Organic brie from the 'girls' in Cotswolds Simon Weaver, the Cotswold organic cheese-maker has introduced a new range of artisan bries. The bries are an ideal ingredient for easy-entertaining suppers and can jazz up mid-week meals in minutes. Fresh organic milk from the ‘girls’ (the Friesian c Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=695 food&drink towers' ten top trends for 2008 Real indulgence, mental acuity and raw food among 10 top trends to stir up the food & drink industry food&drink towers (www.foodanddrinktowers.com) today publishes its widely anticipated annual ‘ten top trends’ report. The report is freely available Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=693 Food price inflation falls Food price inflation has fallen for the second consecutive month according to figures from the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index (SPI) for December. The SPI revealed that prices in December 2007 were 1.0% higher than a year ago, which is slightly less than the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=694 Northern Foods buys Baxters Soups Northern Foods plc has bought a state-of-the-art chilled soup manufacturing plant in Grimsby from Baxters Food Group Ltd. The 70,000 ft site was only built in 2001, is highly automated and currently employs 48 people. Neither side have revealed how mu Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=691 New Polish restaurant opens in London The Knaypa Restaurant has opened in Hammersmith, London, home to one of the UK’s largest Polish community. The restaurant is a result of owner Monika Milcarz,Monika’s penchant for the London restaurant scene and her pangs for good quality home cooked P Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=690 Prince Charles targets Londoners at lunchtimes Duchy Originals, the organic, natural food brand established by HRH The Prince of Wales, is encouraging Londoners to go premium and organic at lunchtime with the launch of a range of sandwiches such as Cornish Smoked Mackerel and gooseberry. The mackerel Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=689 Marks and Spencer shares fall By Dawn Copeman Following yesterday's disappointing third quarter trading statement, shares in Marks and Spencer fell by 94.25p to 409.25p. The fall in share value knocked over £1.7bn off the value of the company and triggered worries that the retai Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=688 Sainsbury's reports sales growth By Dawn Copeman In the third quarter trading statement for the 12 weeks to the 29 December 2007, Sainsbury's has reported an increase in total sales of 4.7% or 5.9% including fuel. They also reported that like-for-like sales in the third quarter increa Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=687 Brits steer clear of five a day A survey into our nutrition and eating habits released today reveals that over half the nation (55%) is still only consuming three portions or less of fruit and veg a day, despite 92% admitting that they know the recommendeddaily amount is five. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=686 Multinationals reinvent RTD coffee concept The combined markets of Japan, North America and West Europe for ready to drink (RTD) coffee amounted to 3,163 million litres in 2006, according to a new report from global drinks consultancy Zenith International. Japan, home to the RTD coffee concept and Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=685 McDonald's says videogames to blame for obesity Videogames are partly to blame for Britain's overweight children, according to Steve Easterbrook, chief executive of McDonald's UK. Talking to The Times, Easterbrook said that "the issue of obesity is complex". Easterbrook commented: "There [are] fewer Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=684 Tesco takes on Aldi and Lidl in food price war In what could, perhaps be seen as another indication of the impending credit crunch and recession that so many of us keep hearing about Tesco has decided to take on the discount supermarket chains Aldi and Lidl. The retailer has decided to expand the n Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=683 Tangerine ventures into Easter egg market Tangerine, the UK’s largest independent sugar confectionery firm, has confirmed that it intends to target the Easter market with the launch of a limited edition Princess Marshmallow Egg. The news comes on the back of the company’s announcement to enter Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=682 Meat prices rising lower than other foods Whilst we all acknowledge that the era of cheap food is almost over, with food prices rising faster than inflation, it seems that not all food prices are increasing at the same rate. According to a report by the Meat and Livestock Commission, meat pri Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=681 UK chickens are not battery reared Chickens reared for meat in Britain are not battery farmed and poultry farmers in the UK are fed up with hearing this claim repeated in the press, according to the National Farmers Union and the British Poultry Council. Charles Bourns, chairman of the Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=680 Enjoy two of your favourite things on Valentine's Why not treat yourself and a loved one to an evening of matching two of your favourite things, Kumala wine and chocolate. What better evening to set aside and curl up together than February 14, Valentine’s Day! Valentine’s Day is the one day of the yea Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=679 food&drink trends report - sponsorship opportunity For those of you who were friends of food&drink towers from the early days you will remember that we published a Top Ten Trends Tip Sheet for all of the registered users in January 2007. As we're now a lot more grown-up since our humble beginnings bac Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=678 Innocent launches new smoothie It’s been a year since Innocent first started making smoothies of the month. This month sees the introduction of a new variety: beetroot, apples, pears & ginger. Innocent says that it is a combination renowned for its cleansing properties which will fit i Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=677 Harvey Nichols' tea master class next Sunday Ever thought of yourself as the discerning tea drinker? Well now is your chance to prove your credentials. To celebrate the range of Emeyu teas at Harvey Nichols, Emeyu's founder Kristiane Blomqvist will host an intimate tea master class for 10 customers Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=676 Report shows UK beef producers short-changed A new Soil Association report shows British organic beef producers are getting short-changed by their processors and some key supermarkets who are not paying enough to cover the costs of production. The report shows that retailers are choosing to impo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=675 Calorie-rich foods cheaper than fruit & veg in US In the US, the price of fruits and vegetables is climbing faster than inflation, while junk food is actually becoming cheaper. Using retail prices at major supermarket chains in Seattle, researchers at the University of Washington found that low-calori Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=674 BBC report shows UK is the no.1 fast food nation The UK is most obsessed with fast food - ahead of the US - according to a survey of 13 nations by the BBC for a new three-day series. A poll of 9,000 people across five continents conducted by Synovate, alongside a BBC investigation into global obesity Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=673 Junk food ad ban springs into action The British government introduced a ban on advertising junk food to under-16s yesterday (January 1, 2008). The ban extends measures already in place for under-10s and will curb television adverts for food and drink products with high fat, salt and sug Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=671 Detox regimes are a source of contention once more "Popular detox fasts and extreme diets can actually leave you worse off, with looser skin, lower metabolism, poorer circulation and more toxins," says London-based nutritionist and cellulite reduction specialist Georgios Tzenichristos. "To detoxify and lo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=672 Waitrose own label champers wins Decanter award A Waitrose own label champagne priced at just £19.49 has beaten illustrious champagne houses including Bollinger, Pol Roger and Veuve Cliquot in Decanter’s Guide to Festive Fizz. Waitrose Blanc de Blancs NV was one of only two champagnes to be awarded Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=670 Happy Christmas from food&drink towers We hope you have a wonderful few days off work and enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and plenty of wine to guzzle it down with! All the best over the festive season, Helen Lewis Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=668 Brits fear hangover more than beer belly By Dawn Copeman New research conducted by BRMB on behalf of Coca-Great Britain shows that Brits are more concerned about hangovers than they are about any other health dangers of over-indulging in alcohol. 27% of British women interviewed said that Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=669 Bluetongue found in imported cattle By Dawn Copeman 20 cattle imported from the Netherlands have been found to be infected with Bluetongue disease. Bluetongue is prevalent in Northern Europe and as such there are safeguards in place to try and prevent the transmission of the disease. In Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=667 Top 10 press releases at food&drink towers in 2007 Press releases: top 10 for 2007 www.foodanddrinktowers.com/press_article.php?id=266 24 January 2007: Sweeten Up With Uncle Ben's At Chinese New Year! Jackie Cooper PR www.foodanddrinktowers.com/press_article.php?id=286 24 January 2007: Sponsorsh Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=666 Top 10 news stories at food&drink towers in 2007 News and features top 10 for 2007 http://www.foodanddrinktowers.com/features_article.php?id=201 10 January 2007: The Ten Top Trends for 2007 Tip Sheet http://www.foodanddrinktowers.com/press_article.php?id=680 03 December 2007: Get A Closer Look A Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=665 Jewel Isle Rum Punch competition winners food&drink towers in association with Jewel Isle Productions Ltd are pleased to announce the winners of our Get A Closer Look At...Christmas Rum Punch competition. Congratulations! A box of delicious rum punch will be with you in the new year! Kim Jone Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=664 One in three patients unhappy with hospital food The quality of hospital food has been a running joke for decades, yet, despite our growing interest in nutrition and appreciation of the link between health and nutrition, one in three patients are still unhappy with the quality of the food they receive. Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=663 French cookery for sale-the perfect Xmas present? Le Manoir de L’Aufrage, a lovingly restored 18th century manor house in the Normandy countryside, has been offering short-term residential cookery holidays for the past decade. It is now on the market for 860,000 Euros. There is a large, regular client-ba Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=662 Mums are better than Nigella for Christmas grub Move over Delia, Nigella and Jamie, a new survey by Waitrose has revealed that when it comes to Christmas cooking, Britons are six times more likely to turn to their mum's recipes than those of the country's most famous chefs. Despite numerous glitzy Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=661 Salmonella falling while listeria on the rise The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) have launched their yearly joint Community report on infectious diseases transmissible from animals to humans (zoonotic diseases) which affect over Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=658 Free-from foods market to double in 5 years By Dawn Copeman A report by the Independent has found that sales of free-from foods have now reached sales of £180m and that research by Mintel predicts that this market will grow to £350m by 2012. Free-from foods are foods that have been specially Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=659 People still being poisoned by their turkeys By Dawn Copeman The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a not so festive warning to everyone about the health dangers lurking in their Christmas turkey. According to a new survey, 80% of people still wash their turkeys before cooking them, which Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=660 Too much pesticide on foods By Dawn Copeman A report published by the Pesticides Residue Committee shows that a large number of every day foods contain high levels of pesticide residues. More worryingly, 100% of the samples of apples that are provided to schools under the School Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=657 No restrictions needed on trans-fats By Dawn Copeman The Board of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will recommend to Government health ministers that they do not need to impose legislation on trans-fats as voluntary measures undertaken by the food industry have already resulted in reducing Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=656 The ultimate Christmas cheeseboard By Dawn Copeman We eat more cheese at Christmas than at any other time of year; for some of us, Christmas Day is the only time the cheeseboard is brought out. And for many years, the cheeseboard has had the same, predictable content: one hard, one soft Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=653 Premium food goes from strength to strength By Dawn Copeman Britons just can't get enough premium food and drink according to international food and grocery expert, IGD. They predict that spending on premium products will grow at 7% per year over the next five years, or twice as fast as the over Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=655 Market getting tough for snack foods By Dawn Copeman We are slowly, but surely, falling out of love with crisps a new report shows. According to the report, Snack Foods Market Report Plus by Research and Markets, the market for crisps, savoury snacks, nuts and baked snacks fell 2.4% from Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=651 Wedge pie launched to increase pub profits The newly launched Wedge pie, brought to the market by The Pie People is hoping to take a slice of the catering market. According to the company, the Wedge pie is attracting substantial interest as caterers realise the ease of serving up a spectacular Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=650 Marks & Spencer win environmental gold medal By Dawn Copeman Marks & Spencer have won the he World Environment Center’s (WEC)Twenty-Fourth Annual Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development has been awarded to Marks & Spencer for its Plan A, a unique way of link Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=649 Sainsbury's cans the cans By Dawn Copeman Sainsbury's is replacing tin cans with the world's first Tetra Pak packaging to have been certified as forest friendly by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Sainsbury's will be the first supermarket to stock the Tetra Recart packagin Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=648 For dieters: how to keep trim this festive season It can be hard to look forward to Christmas when you're dieting. What should be anticipated as a fun, festive event, is seen as the blot on the diet horizon; the time of year when all your dieting hard-work comes undone. Dawn Copeman guides dieters throug Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=647 Independent dairy Wyke Farms expands butter range Wyke Farms, the UK’s largest independent cheese producer and milk processor, has added Unsalted Farmhouse Butter to its award winning range of dairy products. The new Wyke Farms Unsalted Butter makes a timely entrance into the category as health and pr Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=646 Local Good Pub Guide direct to your mobile Random House’s Good Pub Guide has announced the launch of a new mobile phone service to help pub lovers track down the right pub for them wherever they are. Good Guides has partnered with software developer, Oxford Softworks, to offer a Location Based Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=644 Food price inflation hits new high By Dawn Copeman The latest figures from the BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index (SPI) for November show that prices are 1.1% higher than a year ago. This means that shop price inflation is at its highest rate so far this year, mainly caused by the continu Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=645 Who ate all the pies? Bristol shoppers! By Dawn Copeman Mince pies have been on sale at Asda for just over a month and are flying out of the door. With sales up 300% on last year, it seems that as a nation we cannot get enough of these festive treats. Traditionally, if you eat a mince pi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=643 The forgotten omega? Omega 7 makes an appearance Whilst Omegas 3 and 6 (the essential fatty acids) may have been making headlines there is another Omega starting to create waves, which could have important health implications, especially for women. Scientists believe our most delicate body tissues, e Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=642 Jelly babies nation's favourite childhood sweets Jelly babies are the nation’s favourite childhood sweets, according to a national poll from Taveners Proper Sweets. The classic treats, which will be 90 years old next year, beat chocolate eclairs, fruit pastilles, wine gums, chocolate limes, American Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=641 Fish is off the menu for most Brits By Dawn Copeman A new survey by Efalex, the Omega 3 and 6 fish oil supplement, reveals that 70% of the population don't eat fish. The survey of over 3000 people revealed that whilst 90% of the nation is aware that fish should be an important part o Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=640 Ethical food sales rise By Dawn Copeman Sales of ethical food and drink products have risen 17% since 2006 to annual sales of £4.8bn according to a new report by the Co-op Bank\'s Ethical Consumerism Report. The report, which considers ethical food to be organic, fair-trade, Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=639 Cancer risk to women in over-cooked foods By Dawn Copeman A new study from Holland, involving 120,000 people, has proved a link between a chemical released when food is fried, grilled or roasted and ovarian and womb cancer. The chemical, acrylamide, was first discovered in cooked foods in 2002 Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=636 Sainsbury's to buy British wheat for its bakeries By Dawn Copeman Sainsbury's has announced a multi-million pound deal with farmer-owned cooperative Camgrain, to use flour guaranteed to be traceable back to UK farms for all 360 of its in-store bakeries. This deal means that for the first time, wheat f Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=637 Green Alliance calls for greener food packaging By Dawn Copeman Green Alliance is calling upon all food manufacturers and retailers, together with local authorities and waste companies to take steps to ensure that all food packaging is recyclable or compostable by 2013. Green Alliance is so conc Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=638 Christmas food sales to rise by 4% By Dawn Copeman According to latest figures from the British Retail Consortium and Nielsen, the average family will spend approximately £169 on Christmas food and drink this year, a 4% increase on last year. They also predict that estimated £42 mi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=635 Rexam beverage can plant in Turkey wins award Rexam, the global consumer packaging company and beverage can maker has announced that it has been awarded the Turkish National Excellence Award. Ahead of some of Turkey’s top companies, and in the presence of ex-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, Rex Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=634 London’s first slow food market opens for Xmas The inaugural Slow Food Market will be held in the Southbank Centre Square, outside the Royal Festival Hall in Londonfrom Thursday 20 to Sunday 23 December. Organised between 11am – 8pm the Christmas market will feature more than 25 stalls offering out Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=631 23% of Scottish food has unsafe bacteria levels by Dawn Copeman A report by the Food Standards Agency Scotland (FSAS) has shown that 23.8% of the food it tested in Scotland, which included meat and meat products, cakes and fruit, failed tests which measure acceptable quality and safety levels of bac Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=632 We must pay more for beef and lamb say NFU By Dawn Copeman The National Farmers' Union (NFU) is calling for higher prices for beef and sheep farmers after a report shows that most beef and sheep farmers were already making heavy losses before the onslaught of rising feed prices, foot and mouth Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=633 Government doctor says no to folic acid in bread By Dawn Copeman The Sunday Telegraph reported yesterday that Dr Liam Donaldson, the Government's Chief Medical Officer, has overturned plans by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to put folic acid in bread. According to the Telegraph, Donaldson has sent a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=630 Five ways to enjoy a healthy Christmas Day By Dawn Copeman We all know we tend to over-indulge a bit at Christmas; it is the one day of the year when we push aside our good intentions and concentrate on enjoying the day and the food. And besides, it’s only one day, it can hurt that much. Or c Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=629 Five everyday Christmas superfoods By Dawn Copeman If there is one time of the year when we need super foods, it is now. We are busy, we are stressed, everyone is coming down with 'bugs' and we are supposed to be enjoying ourselves. So we've come up with five more festive super foods th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=628 A potted history of your Christmas lunch Christmas is almost upon us and we'll soon be tucking into Christmas lunch, the most memorable meal of the year and also the one time of the year when we stop worrying about calories or how healthy our food is and just enjoy it. So, before you rush off to Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=625 Tough new rules on baby formula milk By Dawn Copeman The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has outlined tough new labelling, promotion and composition of infant or baby formula and follow-on milk. Infant formula is a product that satisfies, by itself, the nutritional requirements of babies from Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=626 Sainsbury's moves to sustainable palm oil By Dawn Copeman Friends of the Earth have stated that demand for palm oil, which is present in a tenth of all supermarket products, is one of the main factors contributing to the destruction of the rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia. Sainsbury's Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=627 Morrisons wins Italian food awards By Dawn Copeman Morrisons has won two national awards from The Pizza Pasta and Italian Food Association (PAPA). The retailer won Supermarket Fresh Pasta Retailer of the Year as well as the Supermarket Frozen Pizza Retailer of the Year awards. Accor Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=624 Our local Barcelona Tapas bar launches hampers Barcelona Tapas Y Restaurante – London’s family-run Spanish Restaurant Group, is providing its customers with an authentic taste of Spain to take home this Christmas with its range of Bespoke Hampers, packed with the finest Spanish meats, cheeses, wine, s Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=623 Curry Cuisine to showcase its wares at Harewood Curry Cuisine authentic Indian cookery courses and gifts will be on offer at the Harewood Christmas Craft Fair this weekend (23-25 November). The Tingley-based company is the brainchild of passionate home cook Prett Tejura, who teaches authentic India Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=622 Drink your way to a healthy Christmas By Dawn Copeman Christmas is one of the most sociable times of the year as well as one of the most hectic. What with buying and wrapping presents, writing cards, preparing for the big day itself and attending parties, the whole event can take a lot out Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=621 Christmas recipes from Shepherds Purse Cheeses I’M DREAMING OF A BLUE CHRISTMAS One hard, one soft, one goat’s, one blue, and the blue is often Stilton. At one time, this was the mantra for anyone creating a cheeseboard, but in recent years we have seen the great cheese revival in Britain and many Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=620 Fantastic festive drinks for the festive season By Dawn Copeman & Helen Lewis The busiest social event of the year is upon us but what do you serve your guests? food&drink towers has compiled a guide to some of the best festive drinks around to help you impress your guests. Eggnog makes a comeb Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=619 WELCOME TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT...CHRISTMAS WEEK From Monday 19th November to Friday 23rd November, food&drink towers will focus on Christmas food and drink products, as part of our Get A Closer Look At...Christmas week. We will publish features, press releases and news about Christmas specialities, Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=617 Sainsbury's dramatically cuts carrier bag use By Dawn Copeman Sainsbury's has seen the use of its free carrier bags drop significantly in the past six months as more of its 16 million customers begin to use the re-usable carrier bags. The retailer has seen the use of free disposable, 'single u Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=618 Morrisons supports British lamb farmers By Dawn Copeman In what has been a bleak year for British farmers, Morrisons has offered a ray of hope to Britain's lamb farmers. The retailer has made a commitment to sell 100% British fresh lamb throughout the year in its stores nationwide. Morrisons Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=612 Supermarket deception about GM foods Nearly all the milk, dairy products and pork in UK supermarkets are being produced from animals fed on GM crops, and none of this is labelled, according to a Soil Association investigation. Tests of animal feed and a survey of company policies have re Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=615 Canned food is healthy too... Many people today look down upon canned food. It is seen as second-best, the unhealthy option, but not for much longer if Canned Food UK has anything to do with it. Canned Food UK is a national organisation representing the canned food industry. Its Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=616 Return of the sandwich By Dawn Copeman For quite a while, the sandwich has not been our first choice when it comes to lunch. Faced with the option of a sarnie or a salad, a nice hot cup of freshly made soup or a sushi take out, the sarnie lost out. But not anymore, accordi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=614 Top tips to survive Christmas Courtesy of Filippo Berio... Christmas can be stressful enough without having to conjure exciting new food ideas to impress the in-laws, so this year Filippo Berio have done the hard work for you! Family run Italian Olive Oil specialists, Filippo Berio Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=613 Welsh grub takes to the small screen for Christmas Shoppers looking to stock up for Christmas will be able to offer a host of Welsh goodies as the first True Taste of Wales show is to be aired on QVC next week (November 19). In a special show on the UK TV shopping channel marking the first anniversary Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=611 Radioactivity in foods at safe levels The amount of radioactivity absorbed by people through the food they eat was within safe levels for 2006, a new report by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) confirmed. Radioactivity exists naturally in the soil, rivers, seas and atmospheres and extra radi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=610 Jamie Oliver's favourite shop boosts profits 20% J Sainsbury has beaten City forecasts with a 20% increase in pre-tax profits. These are the first results since Delta Two walked away from a takeover bid. The supermarket group reported pre-tax profit up from £194mn to £232mn for the six months to Octo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=609 Industry to measure supply chain's footprint At a series of workshops, organised by Scala Supply Chain Consulting, and attended by more than 40 companies, agreement was reached by participants to measure the impact of the supply chain on the environment. Initially the group will concentrate on m Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=608 Best Innovation in Food Ingredients Award Winners The winners of the prestigious ‘Best Innovation in Food Ingredients 2007’ awards were announced last week at Fi Europe 2007 in London, UK. Dutch firm EBI Food Safety fended off competition from eight other finalists to scoop the Gold award for its Lis Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=606 Brits say 'no' to government's GM plans By Dawn Copeman Britons are opposed to Defra's proposals to allow fields of crops surrounding GM crops to be contaminated according to a summary of the results published by Defra. Defra had planned to allow surrounding non-GM crops to be contaminat Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=607 Organic milk reduces eczema in children By Dawn Copeman A new study from the Louis Bolk Institute Department of Health Care and Nutrition, in Driebergen, the Netherlands, shows that the incidence of eczema in infants fed on organic dairy products, and whose mothers also consumed organic dair Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=605 Meat export ban lifted but not without problems By Dawn Copeman The EU's Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (Scofah) has agreed to lift restrictions on British meat exports, caused by foot and mouth disease, across most of England and Wales in the next few days. The ban will remain Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=604 UK food and drink exports break all records By Dawn Copeman Despite food and mouth and bluetongue disease, the lousy weather and the floods, British food has managed to break all records for exporting food and drink. Food from Britain, the market development network that assists food and drin Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=603 Sales slow as credit crunch takes hold By Dawn Copeman The lastest retail figures from the British Retail Consortium/KPMG which cover the four weeks to the 27th October 2007 show that retail sales are slowing. As interest rate rises begin to take hold and people begin to feel more uncer Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=601 Food prices have risen 12% in past year By Dawn Copeman UK households are paying on average 12% more for their groceries than they were in 2006, according to new research by price comparison site mySupermarket.co.uk. The website undertook the price comparison research to celebrate the fi Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=602 WRAP launches food waste campaign by Dawn Copeman As predicted in a report by food&drinktowers last week the government quango, WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), has launched a national campaign to make people more aware of the environmental impact of throwing away food. Th Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=600 FSA issues guide to fish labelling By Dawn Copeman The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a new guide to fish labelling laws. The guide will be sent to all involved in the fish industry, including manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. The new labelling law requires that label Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=599 New premium organic chocolate launched By Dawn Copeman Seeds of Change, the organic company that started out supplying 100% organic seeds to farmers back in 1989, has now entered a sweeter part of the market. It has launched a range of four, premium quality, 100% organic chocolate bars mad Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=598 Beringer Vineyards in six-figure advertising push Beringer Vineyards has recently invested a six-figure sum to launch a UK advertising campaign running through October, November and December. The strapline for the campaign is “Pioneering great taste since 1876” and it will communicate Beringer’s grou Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=597 CC says UK grocery market is fair By Dawn Copeman The Competition Commission (CC) has released its provisional findings into the UK grocery market and finds that on the whole, it delivers a fair deal to consumers but that in some areas, competition could be improved and grocers could a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=596 Britain goes trans-free By Oliver Tickell at tfX tfX campaign declares "success" Yes, it's true, the British diet is now almost free of industrial trans fat. This was the remarkable outcome of a meeting at the Food Standards Agency on Monday 29 October. Representatives Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=595 Organic food is better for you finds EU study Organic food is healthier than its conventional counterparts, according to a four-year EU-backed study conducted in Newcastle University in the UK. Organic food contains more antioxidants higher levels of nutrients. Professor Carlo Leifert, the projec Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=594 The launch of food&drink towers:images food&drink towers is pleased as punch with its new addition - food&drink towers:images Created for food&drink towers by photographers Scott Lewis (http://www.scottlewisphotography.co.uk/) and James Wooldridge (http://www.decisivephotography.co.uk/), Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=592 Food Waste next on Wrap's agenda By Dawn Copeman The collection and processing of food waste is a growing concern for Wrap (Waste and Resources Action Program). In their 2006/20097 annual report Wrap reveals that 6.7 million tonnes of food is thrown away each year and that on average; Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=593 UK Food Miles have increased By Dawn Copeman The Department for Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) has revealed that food transport miles in the UK rose last year and created over 18.5m tonnes of carbon dioxide pollution. This shows that the carbon footprint created by food transpo Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=591 Food and Drink Federation launch eco plan By Dawn Copeman Members of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) have signed up to a five-point environmental plan. They have decided to work on the areas where they feel they can make the most impact and as such they intend to: • achieve a 20% a Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=590 Soil Association decision on organic airfreight Soil Association challenges UK Government to do same for all air freighted produce The Soil Association’s Standards Board is today [25 Oct 2007] announcing proposed changes to the Soil Association’s standards to ensure that organic food is only air f Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=589 ASDA withdraws products over misleading labels By Dawn Copeman Asda has withdrawn its own brand baked beans in tomato sauce as well as its own brand jaffa cakes following mislabelling problems. Some cans of Asda Beans and Sausages have been accidentally labelled as Beans in Tomato Sauce. This means Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=588 Disney and Tesco launch healthy kids' food By Dawn Copeman Disney and Tesco have announced that they are working together to launch a new healthy range of children's food featuring Disney and Disney/Pixar characters. These new foods, which will be available in stores from November 2007, meet Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=586 Mayonnaise gives salad cream a dressing down By Dawn Copeman Salad cream, which has for many a decade been Britain's salad dressing of choice, is now losing out to mayonnaise. New research from Mintel shows that sales of mayonnaise are now almost double sales of salad cream. Sales of mayonnai Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=587 Fast-food salt warnings for half-term treats By Dawn Copeman If you were thinking of treating your children to some fast-food half-term; think again. New research by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) shows that if you do, you'll be exposing them to huge doses of salt, far more than their Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=585 Tesco uses water to move wine Tesco became the first major retailer in the UK to return to moving freight by canal as it launched a new initiative to ferry wine from Liverpool to Manchester. The retailer will make three barge shipments a week, delivering an estimated 600,000 litres o Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=583 Job cuts likely in food industry By Dawn Copeman A new report by Plimsoll International suggests that the food industry could suffer severe cutbacks over the next year. The business analyst predicts that the majority of the job losses will be in the food processing sector and says Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.co.uk> http://www.foodanddrinktowers.co.uk/news_article.php?id=584 FSA considers cancer link with folic acid By Dawn Copeman The Board of theFood Standard's Agency (FSA) is reconsidering it's advice of June 2007 when it recommended to health ministers that folic acid be added to a food. Back in June, the Board recommended that the government fortify bread Food & Drink Towers Helen Lewis <helen@foodanddrinktowers.