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Birds Eye Ltd

While chilled processed food sales are booming, the European frozen food market barely grew in 2006. Maria Lindahl, analyst at Euromonitor International, believes brands must revamp the image of frozen food and shake off negative consumer perceptions if they are to wrest some of the initiative back from the chilled aisle.

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It may not be the glamorous end of retailing, but cash & carry is alive and well. Meanwhile consumers who want to buy in bulk without resorting to processed food can visit meal assembly outlets such as Dream Dinner to assemble recipe ingredients to cook later. Devoting a little time and money at the outset can facilitate significant savings down the road, as Bernice Hurst reports.

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Children’s food is one of the most daunting sectors for any company in the present climate. Rising obesity levels in children are one of the hottest topics in the sector. Is the food industry responsible for making kids unhealthy and fat? Kate Barker takes a look.

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Consumers are no longer just concerned about convenience. The key challenge facing frozen food manufacturers in Western Europe today is how to reposition their products as diet- and health-friendly. The low-carb trend is also making an impact as the massive frozen potato category slumps.

The salmonella scandal that hit Cadbury Schweppes last year cost its flagship chocolate brand some GBP83m (US$169m) in lost sales, according to a survey listing the top 100 brands in the UK.

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Birds Eye has hired former Heinz UK executive Ben Pearman as marketing director.

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UK frozen foods group Birds Eye has increased its focus on sustainability with a commitment to reduce its eastern Baltic cod catch by 80%.

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UK frozen foods group Birds Eye has increased its focus on sustainability with a commitment to reduce its eastern Baltic cod catch by 80%.

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Kellogg’s has been named as the leading grocery brand in the UK, according to a survey.

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Birds Eye has unveiled a move it dubs the “most significant fish marketing initiative since the launch of the first fish finger”.

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Norway’s competition authorities have asked frozen food giant Findus why it wants to buy local firm Gro Industrier.

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Swiss manufacturer Nestlé's move to cut the salt content of its Shreddies cereal brands by 15% is the latest example of a wider trend in the UK cereal sector, which has seen an array of manufacturers reduce the salt content of their cereals.

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Birds Eye today (11 January) announced the closure of its factory in Hull, which manufactures frozen fish, due to unsustainable capacity in its supply chain. The closure will result in the loss of 490 jobs, venture capitalists Permira said.

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Birds Eye today (11 January) announced the closure of its factory in Hull, which manufactures frozen fish, due to unsustainable capacity in its supply chain. The closure will result in the loss of 490 jobs, venture capitalists Permira said.

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The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced a food alert for a host of own brand frozen ready-to-eat meals with rice, due to the possible presence of small fragments of glass.

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FoodVest, through its Sweden-based foods subsidiary Findus, has signed a letter of agreement to acquire all shares in GRO Industrier, Norway’s leading frozen vegetables producer. Shares in GRO Industrier were bought from Norway-based BAMA Gruppen and A.L. Gartnerhallen.

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Findus, the Sweden-based frozen food manufacturer, is interested in opening talks to acquire all the shares in Gro Industrier, Norway's leading frozen vegetable producer.

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Birds Eye has reached an agreement with the family owned Arkansas-based Allan Canning Company, that will see Allen Canning acquire substantially all of Bird’s Eye’s non-branded frozen vegetable business.

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Birds Eye Foods is voluntarily recalling frozen Cooked Winter Squash, which has been sold nationally under various store brands and the Birds Eye brand, because some of the products have been tainted with ammonia.

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Jerónimo Martins Retail (JMR), the biggest food retailer in Portugal with brand names including Pingo Doce and Feira Nova, is currently in talks with Ahold to buy its 49% share in JMR.

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Unilever subsidiary Birds Eye said today (1 November) that its range of ready meals has already met the Food Standards Agency’s salt content targets for 2010.

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Consumer goods giant Unilever has received approval from the EU to sell the majority of its European frozen food businesses to Permira Funds for EUR1.73bn (US$2.18bn).

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Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever has agreed to sell its Birds Eye frozen food business to private equity group Permira for EUR1.73bn (US$2.22bn).

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Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever has agreed to sell its Birds Eye frozen food business to private equity group Permira for EUR1.73bn (US$2.22bn).

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Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever has agreed to sell its Birds Eye frozen food business to private equity group Permira for EUR1.73bn (US$2.22bn).

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Private equity groups Capvest and Permira are reported to have tabled bids for the Birds Eye frozen foods business.

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Ireland’s Kerry Group looks likely to emerge the victor in the EUR1.46bn (US$1.87bn) battle to buy the Birds Eye frozen food brand from Unilever.

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Ireland’s Kerry Group looks likely to emerge the victor in the EUR1.46bn (US$1.87bn) battle to buy the Birds Eye frozen food brand from Unilever.

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According to the latest TNS Worldpanel ‘biggest brands’ survey, which follows take-home grocery sales in the UK, brands that have capitalised on healthy eating and indulgence food trends have experienced the most growth over the past year.

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Irish food giant the Kerry Group told just-food that it is unwilling to comment on rumours that it is preparing a EUR1.75bn (US$2.23bn) bid for Unilever’s Bird’s Eye frozen food business.