Author: Sam Allcock

Krispy Kreme, Inc.’s partnership with McDonald’s is just the beginning. As the company continues to develop its hub-and-spoke infrastructure to serve McDonald’s outlets nationwide, it is also looking to expand its reach to retailers such as Walmart, Target, and Kroger on a national scale. Joshua Charlesworth, president and chief executive officer, stated during an 8 August conference call to discuss second-quarter results that the McDonald’s relationship is “a bit of a catalyst” for Krispy Kreme, enabling its delivered fresh daily (DFD) business to expand more rapidly. “Our biggest opportunity is to make it easier for people to buy our fresh…

FieldGoods, the premium prepared meal brand founded by brothers Elliot and Sam Day, has closed its biggest round of investment fundraising to date, reaching its target of £750k. The brothers plan to use the funds to accelerate growth within the UK market with a focus on brand awareness, new product development and expanding the team. On a mission to reinvent the ready meal, FieldGoods has seen two years of 100%+ revenue growth, with the business on target for a third record year in 2024. Bringing convenience without compromise when it comes to mealtimes, FieldGoods has a roster of high-end stockists;…

This brain nutrient is helping consumers achieve acute performance as well as long-term brain health As consumers contend with a glut of stressors at work, home and socially—all exacerbated by the rapid-fire pace of life in general—the search for natural and lifestyle-friendly ways to improve brain health is on the rise. This is exemplified by the “nootropic” supplement market—a category of cognitive-health supplements—forecasted to surge to $8.2 million by 2032. With performance-specific cognitive health an apparent top-of-mind concern for people of all ages and interests—from healthy aging-focused seniors to career professionals across generations, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, college students, and much in between—throngs are turning…

Also chance to win a dream holiday for two to Thailand! Award-winning Pan-Asian restaurants Banana Tree are giving away FREE Pad Thai to celebrate A-level exam results day. The big day is on Thursday August 15 and the popular Banana Tree restaurants are ready with a special treat for all those picking up their results. Banana Tree will be giving away a FREE chicken or tofu Pad Thai and all you have to do is click on this link https://bananatree.co.uk/alevel-results and get a voucher. A starter and a drink must be purchased in order to receive this offer and students are requested…

Expansion of select services and revamped guest area to relaunch at the birthplace of Hotel GrandBach brand Hotel GrandBach Kyoto Select will reopen on 1st September 2024 at Shijo, Kyoto, hometown of the hotel brand. The opening arrives after completed renovation of public areas, including first two floors and partially the third. The hotel will relaunch as a lifestyle destination based on the concept of wellbeing and mindfulness defined as “Unwind in Kyoto with tranquil music and wellness inducing breakfast.” Hotel GrandBach Kyoto Select initially opened in Shijo, Kyoto in 2014 as the inaugural branch of the “Hotel GrandBach” brand, operated…

Lay-offs could affect up to 1,000 positions at Wilkesboro, according to one report. More job losses appear to be imminent at US meat giant Tyson Foods. Tyson is reportedly planning to lay off workers at its Wilkesboro plant in North Carolina due to a reduced need for staff to process the company’s fully cooked products, according to WXII, an affiliate of the national broadcaster NBC. While WXII was unable to determine the exact number of jobs that will be affected, it reported that Tyson intends to assist affected employees in finding alternative positions. Meanwhile, the Wilkes Record newspaper, citing unnamed…

Ukraine exported 4.2 million metric tonnes of wheat and corn in July, compared to approximately 2.1 million during the same period last year. Ukraine has managed to double its monthly grain exports year-on-year despite Russian attacks on key Black Sea ports. According to Ukraine’s UGA traders’ union, the country exported 4.2 million metric tonnes of wheat and corn in July, compared to around 2.1 million a year earlier. This achievement comes despite Russia targeting key Black Sea ports, including Odesa and Izmail, a port along the Danube River, with precision missiles. However, Ukraine, a major global producer of wheat and…

The Minerva transaction involves the acquisition of facilities in Brazil, Argentina, and Chile from meat industry peer Marfrig. Minerva Foods and Brazilian meat peer Marfrig Global Foods have both confirmed that an asset deal between the two companies has been approved by regulators. Nearly a year after the 7.5bn reais ($1.3bn) plant transaction was announced, in which Minerva was to acquire a number of factories and facilities from Marfrig across four South American countries, Brazil’s competition authority has granted conditional approval to a scaled-down version of the deal. Originally revealed last August, the deal included 11 plants and a distribution…

Despite the ongoing “softness” in the meat-alternatives category, Quorn’s gross margins have shown signs of recovery. Monde Nissin, the owner of Quorn, continued to experience challenges in the meat-alternatives sector, although the decline in second-quarter sales was less severe than in previous quarters. The results for the three months ending 30th June presented a mixed picture for the meat-free category. While the Philippines-based Monde Nissin reported a recovery in gross profits and margins, there was also a widening in EBITDA and net losses. Conversely, the company’s core Asia Pacific branded food and beverage business (APAC BFB) recorded a 5.7% increase…

Reuters reports that agri-food companies are encountering challenges as commodity crop prices approach four-year lows and crop processing margins have declined. US agri-food giant Cargill is reportedly planning a strategic overhaul that will see the business restructured into three operating units, down from the current five. News agency Reuters, citing an internal memo it has seen and two unnamed company sources, wrote that Cargill, like other agri-food businesses, is facing difficulties as the prices of the commodity crops they trade reach four-year lows and crop processing margins have decreased. According to Reuters, the memo indicates that the company intends to…