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Record British Apple Sales Reflect Demand For Homegrown Fruit
UK retailers have purchased a record volume of British apples during the first nine months of the 2025/26 season as more grocers respond to the continued growth in shopper appetite for domestically-produced fruit. Image: BAPL New figures released by British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) show that supermarkets bought 138,823 tonnes of British apples between September 2025 and May 2026. This is the highest volume recorded during the same nine-month period over the past four sea
Morocco Challenges Spain’s Dominance In UK Mandarin Supply
Morocco has posted record mandarin exports to the UK for the second consecutive year, continuing to rapidly expand its market presence and increasing pressure on Spain’s traditional dominance in the category. Recent trade data analysed by EastFruit indicates that Moroccan mandarin exports to the UK rose to 71,600 tonnes between October 2025 and April 2026, garnering more than £60 million in sales. The total represents a rise of nearly 20% compared with the previous season, m
Cornish Grower Embraces Automation To Remove Potato Packing Bottleneck
As part of a long-term strategy to build resilience, Cornish potato producer Pengelly Farms has significantly increased its packing efficiency and reduced reliance on manual labour by integrating automated case assembly and sealing equipment from Endoline Automation. Image: Pengelly Farms The family-run business, established in 1967, grows premium salad potatoes across 1,200 acres in West Cornwall, and supplies approximately 16,500 tonnes of produce annually to retailers, who
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Brexit At Ten: A Chance To Finally Get Food Security Right
Ten years on from the Brexit referendum, Britain has an opportunity to do something far more useful than relitigate the past: it can finally make the right decisions for the future of its food security. For the UK fresh produce industry, the anniversary should not be treated as a political milestone, but as a practical moment of reckoning. The question is no longer whether Brexit happened, or whether people were right or wrong to support it. The real question is whether the G
Chefs Back Burnham As Restaurants Demand Relief
Leading UK chefs are backing Andy Burnham’s potential bid to become Prime Minister, amid renewed calls for urgent tax relief for Britain’s hard-pressed hospitality sector. According to FoodBible, the former Manchester Mayor has signalled that he could seek to replace Sir Keir Starmer following the Prime Minister’s resignation announcement on June 22. Burnham’s position on hospitality VAT has placed him firmly on the radar of chefs and restaurateurs, many of whom are calling f
Aldi And Iceland Join Push To Double UK Bean Consumption
Aldi and Iceland are among the latest major food businesses to pledge action to help double UK bean consumption by 2028. The retailers have joined The Food Foundation and Veg Power’s Bang in Some Beans campaign, which aims to make beans, pulses and legumes a bigger part of everyday diets across the UK. The campaign is backed by The National Lottery Community Fund and promotes beans as an affordable, sustainable and nutritious food source, rich in protein, fibre and micronutri
Fresh Produce Sector: This Is The Moment To Get It Right
Keir Starmer’s decision to step down as Prime Minister has opened the door to what farming and fresh produce leaders hope will be a meaningful reset in government thinking on food security, rural business and Britain’s global supply chains. Starmer announced on Monday, 22 June, that he intends to resign as both Prime Minister and Labour leader, less than two years after entering Downing Street following Labour’s general election victory in July 2024. His departure has immedia
Change On The Menu As Ocado Searches For New Chief
Ocado is searching for a successor to long-serving chief executive and co-founder Tim Steiner in a move that could mark the end of one of the most recognisable leadership eras in British grocery and retail technology. Steiner, who co-founded Ocado in 2000, has led the business for more than 25 years, taking it from an online grocery start-up to a listed technology group best known for its automated warehouse systems and online fulfilment platforms. According to the Financial
New Trial Aims To Keep British Strawberries Premium From Field To Fridge
A new commercial-scale pilot involving LiVA Biotechnology, Dyson Farming and a leading UK retailer could help British strawberry growers protect premium fruit quality, reduce waste and preserve returns through the supply chain. LiVA Biotechnology and Dyson Farming have announced the next stage of their collaboration following a structured trial programme carried out during winter 2025–26. The trials tested LiVA’s prebiotic bio-protection technology across Dyson Farming’s prem
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