The UK Court of Appeal yesterday (26 January) denied Northern Foods the right to appeal against local producers and the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs’ (DEFRA) application to the European Commission (EC) to give Melton Mowbray pork pies protected geographical status.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


Northern Foods first presented its case to the UK High Court in December. The Court supported the right of local producers and DEFRA to lodge an application with the EC.


“The Court of Appeal had rejected our plea to appeal the High Court ruling,” a spokesperson for Northern Foods told just-food today (27 January). “We only heard yesterday and we are now reviewing our options.”

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact