High protein ready-to-drink brand UFIT is to welcome a new Head of Marketing, Angie Turner as Co-Founder, Terry Adams steps away from the business this September.
Angie brings senior experience from leading food and drinks companies, Ella’s Kitchen, Mars & United Biscuits to support the ongoing marketing strategy and direction for the brand as it reaches a milestone decade of success. Terry Adams, Co-Founder of UFIT, alongside Founder and Managing Director, Austin Bailey, supported the company’s evolution from start-up in 2014 to a now multi-million revenue business, before joining with the Weetabix Food Company in 2022. He will have celebrated 10-years with the business in November.
“We are delighted to welcome Angie Turner to UFIT, bringing her unique expertise and knowledge within the FMCG sector to help steer the next chapter of success for the business," said Austin Bailey, Founder and Managing Director of Lacka Foods.
“Her previous role in helping develop Ella’s Kitchen into a sustainable and established brand in the UK and internationally makes her a perfect addition to our team, sharing our core values of championing market-leading nutrition and taste for our customers.
“Lacka Foods is thankful for Terry’s dedication and direction over the last 10 years, we are excited to see what plans he has in store for the future and wish him all the very best.”
An undercover operation conducted by Japan Tobacco International (JTI) in Crewe has shone a light on illicit tobacco activity in the town with eight stores found to be selling illegal tobacco products.
The exercise, which involved undercover operatives making multiple test purchases, has added to the growing evidence that illicit tobacco and vapes sales are rife across the UK.
Counterfeit Amber Leaf hand rolling tobacco was bought for as little as £3, compared to £38.10 for the genuine product. The highest price paid on the day was £7, also for a counterfeit version.
Counterfeit Winston cigarettes were bought for £4, compared to £14.25 for the genuine product.
Three of the stores tested were also found to be selling illegal products during a similar exercise in 2021.
All evidence and information gathered has been made available to Trading Standards and HM Revenue & Customs in anticipation that it will support their efforts to enforce and prosecute anyone found to be selling illegal products.
“It is shocking that these criminals are selling illegal tobacco in the town where JTI has its national distribution centre and is a prominent employer," said Ian Howell, Public Affairs Manager at JTI UK.
Cheshire East Council has stated that, "illicit tobacco has proven links to organised crime and the sale of such products can contribute to human trafficking, modern slavery, prostitution and terrorism".
Howell added: “Crewe’s residents need to think about this when they are, or they see others, buying a cheap pack of cigarettes or hand rolling tobacco.
“JTI calls on anyone with information about the sale of illegal tobacco or vapes to contact Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133, or through Cheshire East Council’s website.”
If anyone knows of a store that is selling illicit tobacco or vapes, they should report them by calling Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 or contact HM Revenue & Customs’ Fraud Hotline (0800 788 887), or Crimestoppers (0800 555 111).
A.G. Barr, the beverage company behind brands like IRN-BRU, Rubicon, Boost, and FUNKIN, has announced a sparkling trading update for the full year ending January 25, 2025, anticipating sustained revenue growth and double-digit profit growth.
A.G. Barr expects revenue of approximately £420 million for the 2024/25 fiscal year, a 5 per cent increase from the previous year's £400 million. The company also anticipates a strong improvement in its adjusted operating margin, which is projected to rise to 13.5 per cent, up from 12.3 per cent in 2023/24. This margin expansion has driven double-digit growth in adjusted profit before tax, reflecting the company’s focus on operational efficiency and strategic investments.
“A.G. Barr is in line to deliver another year of strong top line growth, margin improvement and cash generation. These headline metrics highlight excellent progress towards our long-term financial goals,” Euan Sutherland, chief executive, commented. “We have sustained brand momentum despite the well-trailed wider market pressures, and continue to make good progress towards our margin target.”
The company’s core soft drinks brands—IRN-BRU, Rubicon, and Boost—all delivered strong performances. Rubicon stood out with another year of double-digit revenue growth, while IRN-BRU solidified its position as one of the top five carbonates in the UK. Boost, which shifted its strategy to focus on value over volume, saw a notable improvement in profitability in the second half of the year.
FUNKIN's ready-to-drink business also saw rapid growth, driven by increased retail distribution and innovative new products. This growth helped offset ongoing difficulties in the on-premise market, the company said.
Convenience channel focus
A.G. Barr also announced the successful completion of strategic projects to strengthen its convenience channel route to market and integrate the Boost business. These initiatives are expected to generate significant commercial and operational synergies, although they did incur a one-off cost of approximately £5 million in 2024/25.
The company continues to invest in its supply chain, with capital expenditure of around £19 million this year. This investment includes a new small format PET line and an upgraded large format PET line at its Cumbernauld site, boosting capacity and capabilities.
“We are committed to consistent long-term revenue growth and have confidence in further margin improvement as per our previous guidance,” Sutherland said, adding that the company’s outlook for 2025/26 is in line with market expectations – revenue growing to £439.4m; adjusted profit before tax at £65.0m and adjusted operating margin rising to 14.5 per cent.
The company will report full year results for 2024/25 year on 25 March.
Toms Group’s international growth brand, Anthon Berg, is strengthening its position through strategic partnerships with Pernod Ricard and Luxardo. These collaborations reflect shifting consumer preferences and support the brand’s ambition for continued growth.
In Autumn 2025, the portfolio will expand with two new international launches: the Luxardo Cherry Liqueur Bottle and the Kahlúa Praline.
The Baileys range and business, which have experienced impressive growth of over 400 percent in the past two years, stand as a success story. This strategy also forms the foundation for the launch of the new partnerships.
Anthon Berg offers the world’s widest selection of partner brands, collaborating with 20 different brands represented in over 300 airports globally. In Autumn 2025, the portfolio will expand with two exciting new international launches: the Luxardo Cherry Liqueur Bottle and the Kahlúa Praline.
“We are continuously working to strengthen and develop our partnerships. Two clear consumer trends show increased demand for stronger flavour experiences and ‘no- or low-alcohol’ products – which is why we are proud to present the new Kahlúa and Luxardo variants,” Jens Egelund Jakobsen, Head of International Marketing at Toms Group, says.
While the classic alcohol-filled liqueur bottles still remain a crucial part of the core business, the company has noted a growing consumer trend toward “low-alcohol” products and emerging markets lacking premium offerings.
“The cherry syrup harmonizes perfectly with the taste and complements the dark chocolate bottle beautifully. We see significant market potential, and we are not shy to say that the combination of Luxardo Maraschino and Anthon Berg’s dark chocolate is nothing short of a taste sensation,” Jens Egelund Jakobsen, further elaborating on the Kahlúa partnership, says and continues.
“Millennials are driving growth in specialty coffee shops in Western markets. By combining Kahlúa with chocolate, we tap directly into the global coffee trend and launch a product that captures the zeitgeist while opening up new market opportunities.”
Alcohol-filled liqueur bottles remain a core part of the business
Luxardo: An Italian brand with over 200 years of experience, one of Europe’s oldest producers of liqueurs and spirits based on Maraschino cherries.
Kahlúa: A Mexican coffee liqueur from 1936, a key ingredient in many classic cocktails such as the popular Expresso Martini.
Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa is used in production.
Shock figures from the Office for National Statistics released this month reveal that transport and storage sector firms (the category which includes logistics, parcels, haulage and warehousing employers) have a cash crisis. The sector has the lowest cash reserves of any industry, including their manufacturing and retail partners.
The ONS’s Business Insights and Conditions Survey dataset, Wave 123, reveals that, compared to any other sector, more transport & storage companies have no cash reserves, says the home delivery company, Parcelhero.
Parcelhero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks, a Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, says: "Companies were asked: 'How long do you expect your business's cash reserves will last?' Of those who responded who are listed as currently trading, a whopping 36.8 per cent of transport & storage firms say they have no cash reserves.
The position has worsened rapidly since the first time the question was posed in June 2020. At that time, of the transport and storage companies currently trading which responded, the number reporting they had no cash reserves was too small to register in the survey.
"The situation is even bleaker when we compare the transport and storage companies’ cash reserves with their partner firms in the manufacturing and retail sectors," Jinks continued. "Only 10.9 per cent of manufacturing companies currently trading report they have no reserves. Similarly, just 16.4 per cent of currently trading retail sector companies say they have no cash reserves.
"In fact, construction is the only business sector to have anything approaching a similar number of companies with no cash reserves. 25.5 per cent of construction firms reported that they are out of cash reserves. That’s still over 10 per cent fewer than the transport and storage sector.
‘Believe it or not, looking deeper into the figures, there’s even worse news. A further 12.4 per cent of transport and storage firms say they have less than a month of reserves left. In fact, only a meagre 12.9 per cent report they have more than six months of cash reserves. Compare that to June 2020, when a robust 25.4 per cent of transport and storage companies had more than six months of reserves.
Jinks said that the awfulness of the figures is highlighted by the fact that only 5.1 per cent of manufacturing companies say they have less than a month of reserves and a healthy 29.8 per cent say they have more than six months of cash. Among retailers, only 6.3 per cent say they have less than a month of cash reserves and 27.7 per cent have more than six months of cash reserves.
"Perhaps the most telling figures are those of the sector with the healthiest cash reserves. The information and communication sector reported only 7.2 per cent of currently trading companies have no reserves, just a further 1.8 per cent have less than a month’s reserves and a staggering 46.5 per cent of the sector have more than six months of cash reserves. That puts the cash issues facing the transport & storage sector into perspective.
Jinks concluded that it will be those transport and storage companies who are partnered with retailers with strong in-store and online sales that will perform best. Parcelhero’s “2030: Death of the High Street” report, which has been discussed in Parliament, reveals that retailers must develop an omnichannel approach, embracing both online and physical store sales."
Shops will not be compelled to accept cash, a government minister has said, despite concerns that certain marginalised people could be excluded where cash isn’t accepted.
As part of an inquiry into the acceptance of cash, economic secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds told the Committee on Tuesday (28) that the government has no plans to compel big or small firms to accept cash.
"We have no plans to regulate businesses - big or small - to compel them to accept cash," she said.
The UK was "not anywhere near" being a cashless society, with convenience stores planning to accept notes and coins for years, said Reynolds, adding that tackling digital exclusion was still key for those who might struggle.
Members of the committee pointed to evidence they had received from victims of domestic and economic abuse who said they only had an escape route with cash.
Card payments dominate ways of paying, and consumers are increasingly using their smartphones to pay for things.
However, notes and coins were used in a fifth of shop transactions last year, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), as shoppers found cash helped them to budget better.
It was the second year in a row that cash use in shops had risen following a decade of falls.
Bank branch and ATM closures have prompted concerns around the ability to use cash, as have the struggles among some people to pay in cash for goods and services such as shopping and parking.
Reynolds later told the hearing: “I think we’re saying that businesses should have the flexibility to offer the choice in payments that they think their customers need and that we are not minded or we don’t have any plans to regulate to force business to accept cash. But we do know that there are many businesses who still do.”
She said a plan to force businesses which provide essential services to accept cash would not be easy to implement because, “it’s so difficult to define… where would it stop and where would it end?”.
She later added: “As I’ve said, the focus of the government is on the access to cash regime, which does relate to the acceptance of cash, because if businesses don’t have places to go to deposit cash, that’s when they stop accepting cash.
“We don’t have a plan to go towards a cashless society. Yes, we do want to ensure that we’re at the leading edge of innovation and we do want to combat digital exclusion but we think there is a role for cash going forward, otherwise we wouldn’t have been committed to the access to cash regime and to 350 banking hubs.”
Commenting on Reynolds' declaration, Ron Delnevo, chair of Payment Choice Alliance, expressed hope that Treasury Committee will most likely recommend some legislation to guarantee the British public can use cash.
"Also in February, the Payment Choice Alliance will be in Parliament meeting with MPs who support cash and Payment Choice. There are hundreds of them, including 70 per cent + of Labour MPs," he stated.