News on Food Trends from United Kingdom

McCain Foods announces an investment of £100m (USD 120m) in its Scarborough Potato Processing Plant (United Kingdom).

Time is rapidly running out to make sure potato stores in the United Kingdom comply with new rules on using chlorpropham (CIPC), which require the sprout suppressant to be applied using “active recirculation” at new lower rates.

UK retailer Morrisons has acquired the Carnoustie potato packing plant from Farmcare in a deal which will strengthen the supply of Scottish tubers to the supermarket chain.

Potato supplier Preva Produce, located in Norfolk, United Kingdom, is up for sale after 20 jobs were lost when cash pressures led to suspension of packing operation

After three years in office, Fiona Fell has announced she will stand down as an AHDB Board Member and Chair of the AHDB Potato Sector Board at the end of her term in office.

From TIMEOUT Blog London, PotatoPro learned that London now has its first 'Crisp Restaurant'. This paradise for potato (chips) lovers is located in Soho and is called Hipchips

AHDB Potatoes' first provisional estimate of total production in Great Britain for the 2016 crop year is 5.22 million tonnes, down 5% from 2015. Average yields for GB are estimated at just under 45 tonnes/ha, down 8% on last year.

AHDB Potatoes has pledged to work closely with the seed potato sector and Scottish Government to ensure that the industry maintains a low level of the bacterial disease blackleg.

Jim Cruickshank OBE, one of the most well respected seed producers in the UK, is this year’s winner of the British Potato Industry Award, organised by AHDB Potatoes.

Branston, one of the biggest potato suppliers in the United Kingdom, has officially opened its £5 million prepared potato factory extension in partnership with Tesco.

Europe Snacks and Kolak Food Snacks Ltd. announced that they have joined forces.

AHDB Potatoes will use this year’s Seed Industry Event on 3 November to review the industry’s current approach to controlling blackleg. The biennial conference, held this year in St Andrews, will also provide growers with an insight into the potential impact of Brexit, and scope out the potato market, both at home and abroad.

Snyder's-Lance, Inc. today announced that the Company's Kettle Foods subsidiary completed the acquisition of Metcalfe's skinny Limited, by acquiring the remaining 74% interest in the leading UK premium popcorn brand. Kettle Foods had initially acquired a 26% stake in the business from Metcalfe in January 2016.

AHDB Potatoes has produced provisional estimates of planted areas by variety for Great Britain for 2016.

Amplify Snack Brands, Inc. (“Amplify” or the “Company”) (NYSE:BETR) and Crisps Topco Limited and Subsidiaries (“Tyrrells”) announced last week that they have executed a definitive agreement under which Amplify will acquire Tyrrells, an international, market-leading and rapidly growing premium Better-For-You snack food business.

Jobs are to be axed at Herbert Engineering in Wisbech after the company went into administration on July 14

AHDB Potatoes’ Next Generation educational programme continued to explore GB’s diverse potato industry with a processing-focussed, whole supply chain day at McCain GB Foods Ltd Headquarters in Scarborough recently.

Work to make potatoes more nutritious by including nanoparticles in the fertilizer formulation is proving promising, according to the AHDB-funded researcher Karen Davies