All articles by FPJ Staff – Page 90
-
Article
"Perfect pea" project on track
A project to find the “perfect pea” is progressing well as researchers delve into the vegetable’s make-up.
-
ArticleThe next generation of crop expert
In the first of a new series of articles exploring the day-to-day working lives of professionals along the fresh produce supply chain, we start at the beginning and spend a day with crop specialist Keely Watson of seed company Elsoms. Elizabeth O’Keefe reports
-
ArticleFresh produce growers add a little more sparkle
Although in its infancy, the English sparking wine industry is booming. Hard work, passion, determination and collaboration have recently won the industry many awards and now it is giving Champagne a run for its money. Elizabeth O’Keefe examines whether vineyard production is a viable diversification option for fruit and vegetable growers
-
ArticleSupply squeeze hits UK market in run up to festive period
The grape category has tightened dramatically, but fears for a hole in the market and the need to airfreight emergency volumes from South Africa and Namibia have not materialised. Anna Sbuttoni reports ahead of one of the busiest times of year
-
Article
Snow fails to stop a steady stream of new varieties
It’s been an interesting exercise to see how the multiples have rearranged their wares in the last week, with fresh
-
Article
Fruiterers return to Barber-Surgeons
The Master & Wardens Dinner is the last formal occasion in the Fruiterers’ calendar year. On 11 November, (Remembrance
-
Article
Wilkinson lays out vision for Borough future
Borough Market has been the scene for a bitter dispute between wholesale traders and management over the past few months. In a rare interview, Peter Wilkinson, chairman of the Borough Market Trust, tells Michael Barker about his vision for the future and why he believes fundamental change is necessary
-
Article
Banks should not just look at raw margins
Plimsoll Publishing has got it all wrong in its conclusion that “many fresh produce companies are not worth the risk for
-
ArticleSupermarket sales to surge in next five years
Britons will be spending over £180 billion in supermarkets within the next five years, researchers have predicted.
-
ArticleThe luxury commodity that refuses to wilt
New Covent Garden Flower Market is nationally renowned, with a reputation to match - even at a time when so-called “luxury commodities” have been hardest hit by the economic meltdown. However, like the neighbouring fruit and vegetable market, the traders are on the brink of a new era as they plan for the multi-million pound redevelopment at Nine Elms. So what will this mean for the iconic flower market? Anna Sbuttoni reports
-
ArticleVariety is the spice of life for South African stonefruit
Stonefruit sales have suffered over the past couple of years, as a combination of inconsistent product quality and consumers sticking to core fruits has hit the category. But, as Michael Barker reports, South African producers believe they may have found a formula to get sales moving again
-
Article
Potatoes come into their own in Christmas lead up
Potatoes may not be the most attractive product on the shelves but over the last few weeks no one can deny that there are more
-
Article
Christmas countdown starts with first cold snap
With the recent arrival of the first big freeze of the season - love it or hate it, the UK countryside is looking decidedly
-
ArticleExport game threatens to destabilise UK potato industry
In the crucial run up to Christmas, all remains stable in the UK potato market. However, fears over being drawn into market volatility created by shortages on the continent continue to dog the trade. Alex Lawson reports on a rapidly developing situation
-
Article
Swift resolution to PO cash crisis needed
As if it’s not a big enough threat to growers’ incomes that many winter crops are covered in this week’s
-
ArticleAs prices soar, can dried fruit and nut sales continue to grow?
The dried fruit and nut category has been growing in popularity in recent years but, as Sonya Hook reports, that growth could be undermined by soaring global commodity prices
-
ArticleEgyptians remain hopeful despite rising price pressure
Egyptian soft-fruit producers are waiting with baited breath to see what prices the new strawberry season brings after an oversupply last season, while the Egyptian citrus season once again proves to be the mainstay of the North African country’s fresh produce industry. Elizabeth O’Keefe reports
-
ArticleIs Cardiff wasting a golden opportunity?
Cardiff is in many ways the perfect opportunity for food businesses, with an up and coming restaurant and rural retail shopping scenes. So why is the only traditional fruit and vegetable wholesale market in Wales, Cardiff’s Wholesale Fruit Centre, not thriving? Elizabeth O’Keefe casts a critical eye over the diminishing wholesale offer
-
ArticleOn the right track
The rail network could offer the fresh produce industry an alternative to the UK’s busy roads, but how do these modes measure up? Here, Anna Sbuttoni and Jerome Butcher ask whether the trade is on the right track
-
ArticleA convenient truth: Lettuce takes a leaf out of fruit’s book
Salad sales have held up remarkably well this year, with value sales outperforming price rises and shoppers buying more. And, as Michael Barker reports, a wave of new convenience lines in the lettuce sector is continuing to add interest to the category