Marks and Spencer - food industry company news 
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week
24 May 2013
Plum Organics this week joined Happy Family and Ella's Kitchen as three organic baby food brands set to have new, multinational owners. Campbell Soup Co. is to buy Plum, joining Danone and Hain Celestial as three food majors that have looked to invest in the growing category in just a month.
Quote, unquote: just-food's week in words
24 May 2013
Campbell Soup Co. became the third major multinational to invest in the buoyant organic baby food sector in a month with a deal to buy US firm Plum Organics. Danone is another of the three food giants to do business in organic baby food - and this week it continued its investment in faster-growing categories and markets with a fresh attempt to crack China's booming yoghurt sector.
UPDATE: UK: M&S has no plans to launch full online grocery
21 May 2013
Marks and Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland has said the UK retailer has no plans to launch a full online grocery service.
On the money: M&S upbeat on Simply Food c-store prospects
21 May 2013
Marks and Spencer is eyeing further expansion of its Simply Food convenience store network, the UK retailer told just-food today (21 May).
UK: M&S FY earnings fall but food sales, margins up
21 May 2013
Marks and Spencer today (21 May) reported a fall in annual group profits but sales and margins from the UK retailer's food business rose.
The week ahead - M&S, Dairy Crest FYs, Hormel Foods H1s
20 May 2013
UK meat processor Cranswick, dairy group Dairy Crest and Marks and Spencer, perhaps the most scrutinised name on the country's high street, are all set to announce annual results next week. In the US, Spam owner Hormel Foods will post its half-year results.
Interview: Amy's Kitchen sets out international mission
15 May 2013
Amy's Kitchen, the US frozen-food, organic and free-from business, is a quarter of a century old this year but there is a passion - almost a sense of mission - one would normally associate with a start-up. Dean Best spoke to co-owner Amy Berliner and European commercial director Damien Threadgold about the company's plans.
Talking shop: Price fires shot across Ocado's bows
13 May 2013
Waitrose MD Mark Price is the self-styled "chubby grocer", one of the more affable figures of UK food retail. However, Price's comments over the weekend about Ocado's talks over a tie-up with Morrisons show a serious side the online specialist would do well to note.
UK: Industry targets food waste, carbon with new pledge
9 May 2013
Manufacturers including Nestle and Mars, as well as retailers like Sainsbury's and Marks and Spencer, have pledged to further cut food waste and carbon emissions in the UK.
Consuming issues - GM debate comes down to question of trust
25 April 2013
The GM debate has re-emerged in the UK in the last couple of weeks with the news four major supermarket operators will allow their suppliers to use GM feed for poultry and eggs.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food last week
22 April 2013
Major food manufacturers began to report their first-quarter results last week. Nestle came under scrutiny for its performance in emerging markets. A cautious Danone saw signs of improvement from its European dairy operations, while its infant formula business was buoyant. Elsewhere, we shone the spotlight on the recent rationing of formula in Western markets amid high demand in China, looked at Marks and Spencer's latest European venture and analysed Magnit's move to Russian retail's top spot.
Talking shop: Is the time right for M&S's European push?
18 April 2013
Despite facing challenges at home, Marks and Spencer is bent on European expansion. In 2011, it re-entered France; yesterday (17 April) the retailer's new outlet in Amsterdam opened its doors. M&S said the move came as part of the group's drive to expand in Benelux countries and - more broadly - to become a leading international and multi-channel retailer. Katy Askew reports.
NETHERLANDS: M&S goes Dutch with clicks & bricks expansion
17 April 2013
UK retailer Marks and Spencer is launching a clicks and bricks expansion strategy in the Netherlands.
What the analysts say - M&S food beats City forecasts
11 April 2013
The City's attention has been on Marks and Spencer's clothing business in recent months. The UK retailer's fourth-quarter trading update indicated the division performed better than expected, although problems remain. However, all the while, the upmarket grocer's food business powers along nicely.
UK: Food sales accelerate at Marks and Spencer
11 April 2013
Food sales at Marks and Spencer jumped in the UK retailer's fourth quarter, as the company said its "market-leading quality" meant it was unaffected by the horsemeat contamination saga.
UK: M&S tight-lipped over India food retailing "plans"
3 April 2013
UK retailer Marks and Spencer has declined to comment on reports it is looking to start food retailing in India.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food last week
25 March 2013
Last week saw the just-food team hitting the streets to bring you coverage from two key events in the industry calender: the IFE trade show in London and the Consumer Analyst Group of Europe (CAGE) conference.
UK: M&S share price up on takeover rumours
18 March 2013
Marks and Spencer has seen its share price shoot up this morning (18 March) following rumours that the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) is planning an GBP8bn (US$12.1bn) bid for the UK retailer.
UK: Dairy Crest acquires Proper Welsh Milk
1 March 2013
UK dairy group Dairy Crest has acquired small specialist regional milk group Proper Welsh Milk.
HORSEMEAT: Contamination impact on sales emerges
19 February 2013
Sales of frozen products in the UK, Ireland and France have taken a hit from the horsemeat contamination scandal, data has revealed.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food last week
11 February 2013
One story has dominated the industry headlines last week - the deepening and widening horse meat contamination, which has now taken in household brand Findus and a supplier in France. Beyond the debate over food standards and the scrutiny of the supply chain, Dairy Crest admitted it was struggling to find suitable M&A targets, Marks and Spencer said its Simply Food ambitions could lead them beyond France and further into Europe, while Kellogg insisted it was seeing improvement in its business in the region.
UK: Ocado losses narrow as sales jump
7 February 2013
Online grocer Ocado today (7 February) revealed its losses narrowed in the year to 2 December amid higher sales.
What the analysts say: Ocado losses narrow but jury out
7 February 2013
UK online retailer Ocado reported smaller full-year losses this morning (7 February). And, with its second distribution centre looking set to open this month, the grocer seemed optimistic that it will be well-placed to take advantage of the interest in e-commerce that has come to mark the UK grocery sector. However, there were those in the City that remain decidedly unconvinced.
EUROPE: M&S explores Simply Food expansion
6 February 2013
UK retailer Marks and Spencer is considering opening stand-alone Simply Food stores in western Europe.
UK: M&S raises milk payments
1 February 2013
Marks and Spencer has raised the price it pays farmers for milk under its Milk Pledge+ payment model, which is linked to the cost of production.
just-food's outlook for 2013: Consumer trends to watch
31 January 2013
If innovation is the lifeblood of a healthy brand, then getting that innovation right is key to growth. Over the coming year, we are likely to see a swathe of development across the food sector. However, success will hinge on a good understanding of consumer trends. It will identify a growing demand or niche that is yet to be filled. Katy Askew takes a look at some of the key consumer trends that are likely to drive innovation during 2013.
Editor's choice: the highlights on just-food this week
14 January 2013
A swathe of results released by UK retail powerhouses dominated the headlines on just-food this week.
What the analysts say: Marks & Spencer Q3
10 January 2013
Marks and Spencer's share price took a hit this morning (10 January) after the retailer reported worse-than-expected third-quarter sales figures, despite strong demand for food over Christmas.
UK: Marks and Spencer shares slide on Q3 figures
10 January 2013
Marks and Spencer's share price has taken a hit after the retailer reported worse-than-expected third-quarter sales figures, despite strong demand for food over Christmas.
The just-food review of 2012: industry makes progress on CSR
18 December 2012
From a sustainability standpoint, 2012 might be characterised as a year when the world went backwards - or at a pinch stayed still - but the food industry moved forward, writes Ben Cooper.
