The Grocer – 13 January 2018

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Birds Eye seals Channel 5 deal:

Birds Eye Inspirations has

announced a £1.4m deal to spon-

sor dramas on Channel 5

throughout 2018. Beginning on 14 January, the

deal will also cover 5 USA, digital channel My 5

and catch-up on demand.

Feed Your Happy funding: The

Organic Trade Board has secured

a £1.7m loan from Triodos Bank to

support the continuation of its

Feed Your Happy campaign. Triodos, an OTB

member, provided cashflow and underwriting to

allow the OTB to access the €10.2m (£9m) in EU

funding it secured in January 2017 to deliver the

campaign, which aims to boost the UK organic

market by 5% each year to 2020.

Somerdale cheeses for the US:

Somerdale is set to launch a range

of new cheeses for the US export

market. The range includes a

‘royal addition’ Westminster cheddar to mark the

forthcoming birth of the Duke and Duchess of

Cambridge’s third child, and Irish cheddar

Claddagh Bó to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.

Woodall’s adds snack packs:

Woodall’s Charcuterie has

launched a range of mini salami

snack packs in original, spicy and

gin flavours. The high-protein range is designed

for ambient storage and went on sale last week in

Woodall’s online shop and selected wholesalers

(rsp: £2/40g).

Wealmoor picks up Sunshine: Exotic fruit

importer Wealmoor has acquired Peruvian mango

and frozen avocado exporter Sunshine. The deal

builds on Wealmoor’s partnership with Peru-

based producer Limones Piuranos.

Pink Lady back at marathon:

Pink Lady has been named the

London Marathon’s official apple

supplier for a 12th consecutive

year. It will provide an apple to around 42,500

runners, in addition to 2,000 11 to 18-year-old run-

ners of the three-mile Virgin Mini Marathon.

Wales pledges farming support: A portion of

Wales’ new £50m EU Transition Fund will go

towards providing development support for the

Welsh agricultural sector, according to first min-

ister Carwyn Jones. The fund aims to prepare

businesses for Brexit and provide a boost for

companies to attract and retain EU nationals.

Flanagan to lead AHDB Dairy strategy: AHDB

Dairy has appointed ex-First Milk communica-

tions director Paul Flanagan as its new strategy

director on an interim basis. Flanagan will report

to AHDB strategy chief Tom Hind.

fresh digest

Kevin White
A “relentless focus” on
lowering costs and bet-
ter operating efficiency
allowed poultry proces-
sor Faccenda Foods to
enjoy a £4m increase in
operating profit for the
year to 29 April 2017.
The chicken, duck and
turkey supplier, which
is expected to complete
a joint venture with the
UK poultry arm of US
meat giant Cargill in
the next few weeks, saw
turnover fall slightly
last year, by £2.7m to
£520.8m, according to
latest accounts filed with
Companies House.
However, EBITDA
grew from £20.4m to
£26.4m, while operating
profit rose from £7.7m to
£11.7m.

Faccenda credits rise

in profit to lower costs

and better efficiencies

Across all poultry sec-

tors, demand remained

“extremely price sensi-

tive”, Faccenda said. This

situation was further

exacerbated by agricul-

tural commodity price

inflation and weakness

in sterling towards the

end of the trading period.

The business also

faced challenges from

feed cost inflation result-

ing in higher selling

prices, according to its

annual report. However,

other inflationary pres-

sures were offset by a

year-on-year improve-

ment in yield and pro-

ductivity, which led to an

increase in Faccenda’s

gross profit margin from

10.5% in 2016 to 11.6%.

Faccenda MD Andy

Dawkins told The Grocer

“getting the basics right”

had allowed the business

to maintain sustainable

margins.

“Our performance is

all from in-house operat-

ing improvements rather

than going to the mar-

ket for more money. Our

customers are constantly

challenging us to invest

with them, support them

and grow with them,”

Dawkins added.

Faccenda is set to complete

a jv with US giant Cargill

Wyke Farms shrugged

off difficult butter trading

conditions to post a slight

increase in profit for the

year to 31 March 2017.

The cheesemaker had

to contend with a near

£1m loss in turnover

from its butter division

as a result of increasing

world demand for butter-

fat, according to its latest

accounts.

But despite this, Wyke

delivered flat turnover,

with sales falling slightly

by £82,000 to £67.46m,

while operating profit

rose from £3.56m to

£3.74m.

Wyke profits

up despite

butterfat hike

Frozen food giant Birds Eye has launched a
new £8m ad campaign for its fish fingers and
coated fish, starring a “younger, more rugged”
new captain. The ad push was “more relevant to
consumers” and focused on the simplicity and
authenticity of food, Birds Eye said.

Birds Eye unveils ‘dishy’ new captain