Food and Drink

Bringing the natural and organic products industry the latest food and drink news from around the UK and Ireland.

Employee ownership will be ‘force for good’ says Riverford founder

Riverford Organic Farmers has formally passed into employee ownership in a move that its founder, Guy Singh-Watson, says will create a 'force for good'.

Fruity bites for on-the-go

New to the healthy grab and go snacking category are Instinct Bites, bite-size pieces of freeze-dried organically sourced fruit, with nothing else added.

Thai favourite launches in the UK

Eurostar Commodities has launched Thailand’s popular hot beverage brand Gingen in the UK.

TRIBE unveils new brand identity, adds to offer

Performance nutrition brand TRIBE has revealed a new brand identity inspired by the ‘Force of Nature’ alongside the launch of a new Hydrate product.

Scientists investigate alternatives to plastic mulch

A team at Coventry University’s Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience (CAWR) is exploring environmentally-friendly alternatives to the potentially damaging plastic soil mulch used worldwide by farmers.

Eat your grains

Just launched in the UK is a three-strong range of gluten-free Quinola Mothergrain Kids Meals in pouches featuring organic vegetables and Fairtrade Peruvian quinoa.

Bread baked from the heart

The Heart of Nature has created a six-strong range of organic and gluten-free pure grain breads.

Organic farmland on the up

The number of British producers farming organically has increased by almost 2%, according to the latest figures released by Defra.

CEIBA Drinks produces line of cinnamon thirst-quenchers

CEIBA Drinks has created a range which combines Sri Lankan cinnamon and fruit, designed as a refreshing and sophisticated alternative to alcohol.

Palm-oil free certification puts first stamp on UK

UK products can now be certified palm oil-free with the world’s first fully accredited, international Palm Oil Free Certification Accreditation Programme (POFCAP), now approved by the Intellectual Property Office.

A Real Handful of a snack

‘Unruly’ snack brand Real Handful has unveiled two new flavours plus a fresh pack design and new formulations across its line of innovative trail mixes.

Little Freddie aims to shake up UK baby food market

After initially launching in Asia, British organic baby and toddler food brand Little Freddie is now available in its home market.

Ethical cold brew coffee launches

Union Hand-Roasted Coffee has created Union Brew Lab Cold Brew Coffee produced using single-origin coffee from Guatemala, ethically sourced through Union Direct Trade.

Gaia Pulses launches Greek vegan classics

In what the brand says is a UK first, Gaia Pulses has launched a four-strong range of Soil Association-certified organic ready meals in compostable packaging.

Peas Please puts pressure on the PR of veg

Veg Power, a crowdfunded initiative spear-headed by Peas Please, launched on 3 May with the aim of proving that more effective and targeted marketing can be used to ‘increase vegetable consumption’.

For Green Brexit delivery, organic must be ‘front and centre’

Government plans for a ‘Green Brexit’ must include an organic farming scheme that ‘takes the pressure off the market to deliver for organic farmers’, the chief executive of the Soil Association said during a special discussion at NPE.

Luscombe sparkles for summer

Devon-based Luscombe Drinks has created a new range of organic Sparkling Fruit Waters in response, it says, to increasing consumer demand for no added sugar products.

Remedy Kombucha launches in UK

Australia brand Remedy Kombucha has brought its organic fizzy live-cultured drink to the UK.

Orgran scoops top prize at FreeFrom Food Awards

It’s that time of year again, when the winners of the Freefrom Food Awards are announced, and this year’s top accolade ­– the FAIR trophy for Best FreeFrom Food – was presented to Orgran for its Vegan Easy Egg.

Food producers gather for London show

Nearly 400 exhibiting companies from 42 countries will be showcasing their latest food and drink innovations to thousands of trade buyers and retailers at The Natural Food Show (ExCel, London, 22-23 April), which opens on Sunday.