Supply Chain
We cover the supply chain pressures and developments affecting the UK foodservice and hospitality industry, from ingredient shortages and logistics disruption to price volatility, labour gaps, and sustainability goals. Our coverage brings together our reporting on how restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés, and catering firms are adapting procurement strategies, working with suppliers, and maintaining resilience in the face of global and domestic challenges. Whether you’re re-evaluating sourcing models or navigating cost increases, we provide operational insight and real-world examples to support decision-making across the sector.
-
Jan- 2019 -9 JanuaryBusiness
Greggs reports a ‘strong finish’ to 2018
High street bakery Greggs said it had a “strong finish” to 2018 as it reported its total sales for the year were up by 7.2% for the 52 weeks ended 29 December 2018. This follows a year of “significant strategic progress” where the company saw 149 new shops opened in…
Read More » -
Dec- 2018 -5 DecemberFeatures
Five eating out trends to watch in 2019
Global information company The NPD Group has identified five new trends that will shape Britain’s £56bn out-of-home (OOH) foodservice industry in 2019. 1 – Delivery aggregators will thrive as consumers cocoon themselves indoors Driven by technology, the rise in in-home entertainment subscription services like Netflix and Amazon Prime and a desire to…
Read More » -
Nov- 2018 -23 NovemberFeatures
What challenges will the hospitality industry face post-Brexit?
It is alarming as we inch closer to Brexit that it is still unclear what the impact of leaving the EU will have on the UK economy and its people. Pundits are trying to predict an outcome, but until the goalposts are cemented in, there is actually still no way…
Read More » -
Oct- 2018 -17 OctoberFood and Drink
Restaurants ‘getting away with fish fraud’ experts claim
Restaurants have been “getting away” with passing off catfish as cod due to the seafood testing being intelligence-led, experts have claimed. The term “fish fraud” describes the passing off or mislabelling of seafood products as a more expensive type to boost margins. In 2017, seven of 91 samples sent to…
Read More » -
11 OctoberOpinion
Apprenticeships reform: Good news for SMEs
“For the past 18 months the Apprenticeship Levy has been firmly in the spotlight. While larger business with a pay bill over £3m now pay monthly into their levy pots, SMEs have been hit by new requirements to pay a 10% contribution to their apprenticeships, where previously they received the…
Read More » -
Aug- 2018 -30 AugustAdvice
How to prepare for seasonal demand
In the food service industry, proper planning is imperative, and the old adage ‘fail to prepare, prepare to fail’ really rings true. By now, efforts to plan ahead for the upcoming post-summer and run-up-to-Christmas increase in demand should be well under way. Anticipating the seasonal change well in advance and…
Read More » -
24 AugustPubs and Bars
Greene King launches ‘industry first’ compostable straws
Pub group Greene King has announced it will introduce compostable PLA straws across its entire UK estate of 1,750 pubs, as part of its pledge to send zero waste to landfill by 2020. This move is set to remove over 30 million plastic straws from use every year. This follows…
Read More » -
21 AugustBusiness
Third of fruit and veg is wasted before it reaches shops and restaurants
New research has found that a third of European farmed fruit and veg is wasted before it reaches shops and restaurants for being too “ugly”. The research by the University of Edinburgh found that over 50 million tonnes of fresh produce is discarded every year because its appearance doesn’t meet…
Read More » -
Jul- 2018 -30 JulyFeatures
The Apprenticeship Levy – one year on
Following a year of the Apprenticeship Levy, the government initiative to fund three million places for apprentices by 2020, Jill Whittaker, managing director at HIT Training, reflects on its impact, what the future holds for apprenticeships in the UK and what opportunities this opens for the hospitality sector “For some…
Read More » -
20 JulyFood and Drink
Frozen food sector warned against listeria outbreak
UK retailers and suppliers have been advised to protect their businesses as a dozen more frozen food products feel the impact of recent listeria outbreak. A European-wide warning issued by the Food Standards Authority (FSA) has already resulted in a major recall of big-name supermarkets selling frozen food, meaning products…
Read More »
