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1 week ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
B&M’s new boss Tjeerd Jegen has picked up shares in the group worth more than £500k in a show of support for the struggling discount chain.
In an update to the London Stock Exchange this morning, B&M revealed Jegen purchased almost 200,000 shares in five separate transactions last week, with prices ranging from 261p to 270p each.
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1 week ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
Mighty Drinks has collapsed into administration, with specialists at recovery firm Interpath searching to put together a rescue deal to save the milk alternatives brand.
Launched in April 2019 by brothers Tom and Nick Watkins, Leeds-based Watkins Drinks Ltd, trading as Mighty Drinks, appointed James Clark and Howard Smith from Interpath as joint administrators today (17 June 2025).
Its range of pea and oat-based milks are nationwide in the UK at supermarkets and health stores.
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1 week ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
The food and drink manufacturing sector has boosted its output for the first time since March, according to a report out this morning.
The latest UK sector tracker from Lloyds revealed that more parts of the economy recorded higher activity levels in May.
Four of the 14 sectors monitored by the tracker grew in May – two more than in April. Software services expanded at the fastest pace (55.8), while food and drink manufacturing (51.1) was back in growth.
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2 weeks ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
Hunter & Gather has signed up TV presenter Julia Bradbury in an exclusive partnership as a brand ambassador to promote its range of ‘ancestrally inspired’ healthier foods.
Bradbury, who is also an author, campaigner and nature advocate, will front a six-figure marketing campaign for the brand across Meta, YouTube and TikTok.
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2 weeks ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
Pepco has completed a sale of Poundland to Gordon Brothers.
An announcement this morning confirmed the group sold the shares in the struggling discounter for a nominal sum.
Poundland MD Barry Williams will continue to lead the business under the new ownership of the retail-focused investment firm.
As part of the deal, Gordon Brothers and Pepco have agreed to put forward a restructuring plan, with further detail to be announced by Poundland in “due course”.
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2 weeks ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
A strong start to the financial year for Tesco sent shares to their highest level in more than a decade at the retailer.
Tesco fought off intensifying competition from traditional and discount rivals to continue its run of growing market share in the first quarter to 24 May.
Group revenues increased 4.6% year on year to £16.4bn, driven by a 5.9% jump in UK food sales and a 6.2% rise in non-food.
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2 weeks ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
Warburtons has continued to outperform its bakery rivals to push sales and profits to new heights as a focus on innovation paid dividends.
Revenues at the group increased 4.2% to £741.1m in the year to 28 September 2024, with volumes defying the structural challenges in the wrapped bread segment of the market by rising 2.9% year on year.
Operating profits also nudged up from £32.5m to £33.6m thanks to improved margins following efficiency projects.
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2 weeks ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
Tesco has boosted like-for-like sales in the UK by 5.1% to £12.3bn as the retailer grabbed more market share in its first quarter.
The rise in sales – with overall group revenues up 4.6% to £16.4bn in the 13 weeks to 24 May – beat City expectations, with Tesco highlighting a strong performance from its premium Finest own-label range.
Finest is going from “strength to strength”, according to CEO Ken Murphy, with sales up 18% year on year.
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3 weeks ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
Organic babyfood brand Babease has ceased trading following a difficult year plagued by a number of challenges, The Grocer has learned. It is not the first time the business has been forced to call in insolvency practitioners, with Babease previously saved in a pre-pack administration deal in 2019.
Babease appointed liquidators from insolvency specialist Insolve Plus on 28 May 2025 after the directors voted to wind up the company voluntarily.
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3 weeks ago | 
thegrocer.co.uk | Ed Devlin
Profits have soared at Charlie Bigham’s as the chilled ready meals market leader rebuilt margins and continued to attract new consumers.
Revenues at the company rose 8.8% to £144.3m in the year to 31 August 2024 as volumes jumped by the same amount.
Its performance was driven by ever-growing shopper awareness as Bigham’s invested in national television ad campaigns and made further distribution gains, including winning more space with Tesco.
