Latest opinions
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“Trump slump or May sway?”
22 May 2017 Expert Eye"Here we go round the mulberry bush” one customer said on hearing the news of a General Election in June this year -
“Flamin’ June”
22 May 2017 Fine FoodFor anyone interested in cooking and eating, deciding which of the 12 months is best for food and drink is like picking a fantasy football team – it’s perfectly alright in theory but will soon be overwhelmed by events. November has... -
“Fragmentation”
22 May 2017 Speciality BitesBack to an old chestnut this week, and one that I believe will become more and more relevant over the next few years. For a number of retailers, suppliers and wholesalers I talk to, the fragmentation of supply to retailers... -
“Margin means everything!”
12 May 2017 Speciality BitesFollowing on from my thoughts last time about the differences between the speciality food world and the convenience sector (and thanks for all the response on that), I want to focus this time on margin. Do bear in mind I... -
“Five things you would NOT have heard at The Convenience Show last week”
02 May 2017 Speciality BitesIn spending some time at both shows last week, it was interesting to compare the two sectors. In my view, it is time for the speciality food sector to stop being an immature teenager and to grow into an adult.... -
“Off to the show”
24 April 2017 Speciality BitesSo, many of us will be off to the Farm Shop & Deli/Convenience Show this week. I’m writing this on Sunday and will be off later today to help set up our stand. I thought it might be interesting for a... -
“United in leadership?”
18 April 2017 Speciality BitesThere was a news story last week, which is still ongoing, that will be used in business courses for years to come. PR companies will use it as a salutary lesson for years to come and undergraduates will be taught “how... -
“Trends bubbling under”
14 April 2017 Fine FoodEarlier in 2017, when the year was but a pup, Greggs the high street baker announced an impressive rise in several key financial indicators. For investors lucky enough to hold Greggs shares, dividends were up by 8.4%, and all of... -
The Interview: Craig Sams
14 April 2017 NewsWe catch up with the forward-thinker, innovator and founder of some of the UK’s most respected brands -
“Avoiding the ‘b’ word”
14 April 2017 Town CrierAs a teenager in the early 1970s, prior to my first ‘dinner party’, parental advice didn’t just cover which cutlery to use. I was also briefed to avoid discussion of politics, religion or money. Perhaps that’s why I became a music, and...
