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UK government's worst-case scenario for no-deal Brexit reveals fresh food supply fears

The UK government's worst-case assumptions for a no-deal departure from the European Union include the fear that certain types of fresh food supply will decrease which could lead to rising prices and panic buying.

its Operation Yellowhammer document, prepared on 2 August but released yesterday (11 September), forms the basis of no-deal planning based on a 31 October Brexit. The assumptions had previously been extensively 'leaked' in an article in The Sunday Times newspaper but have not been confirmed by the UK government until now.

The stark assumptions talk about possible public disorder and severe disruption to cross-Channel routes, affecting the supply of medicines and certain types of fresh foods.

The five page document - which the government was legally enforced to publish - said lorries could have to wait up to two and a half days to cross the English Channel because of "significant queues" in Kent [the English county abutting the English Channel from where many exports to France depart].

But it is the food supply issue which will create many of the headlines.

"Certain types of fresh food supply will decrease," it said. "Critical dependencies for the food supply chain (such as key input ingredients, chemicals and packaging) may be in shorter supply."

It added: "These two factors will not cause an overall shortage of food in the UK but will reduce availability and choice of products and will increase price."

It points out that the UK growing season will have come to an end and the agri-food supply chain will be under increased pressure at this time of year due to preparations for Christmas, which is the busiest time of year for food retailers.

"There is a risk that panic buying will cause or exacerbate food supply disruption." it said.

The document said the flow of traffic across the English channel could be reduced by as much as 60% on the first day after a no-deal Brexit and that the worst disruption could last for up to three months.

And it said that business readiness for a no-deal - especially among small and medium-sized businesses - will remain at a low level, "compounded by seasonal effects impacting on factors such as warehouse availability".

Michael Gove, the government minister in charge of no-deal planning, said that assumptions contained in the document were currently being reviewed.

"It describes what could occur in a reasonable worst case scenario, thus providing a deliberately stretching context for government planning to ensure that we are prepared for exit," he said.

Ian Wright, CEO of UK industry body the Food and Drink Federation, tweeted: "It is as the Food and Drink Federation have been saying for the best part of two years now - it lays bare the grisly crisis facing the UK's food and drink supply chain in a no-deal-Brexit scenario."

He added: "And shoppers have rightly come to expect a wide range of products on supermarket shelves. In a no-deal Brexit scenario there would be significant and adverse changes to product availability, and random shortages.

"[The] government must be upfront about the chaos a no-deal Brexit would bring."

Since the Yellowhammer document was drawn up, Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to leave the European Union on 31 October, whether there is a deal in place or not, has been voted down by the UK's Parliament.

The 25th International Industrial Trade Fair “MVC: Cereals – Mixed Feed – Veterinary - 2020”

The 25th edition of International Industrial Trade Fair “MVC: Cereals – Mixed Feed – Veterinary - 2020” will take place in pavilion No 75 at the Exhibition of National Economy Achievements (VDNH) in Moscow, Russia.

The dates are - January the 28th - the 30th,2020

The organizer of the Exhibition is Marketing Centre “Expokhleb” - member of the Global Association of Exhibition Industry (UFI), Russian Grain Union, Union of Feed Manufacturers.

The exhibition takes place every year with special support of Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, Rosselkhoznadzor, Rospotrebnadzor, Russian Grain Union, Union of Feed Manufacturers, Russian Veterinary Association, Association of Fisheries, Union of Zoobusiness Enterprises, National Union of pig breeders, the World’s Poultry Science Association Russian Poultry Union, Union of Sugar Manufacturers,.

Since 2011 the exhibition is supported by European Feed Manufacturs’ Federation (FEFAC), since 2015 – by the Government of Moscow, since 2018 – by International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF).

Exhibitors will present technologies and equipment for cultivation, harvesting, transportation, storage and processing of grain; raw materials, technologies and equipment for the production of mixed feeds, flour, cereals, corn products; grain mills, flour mills, feed mills; elevators and grain storage facilities; mixed feeds for farm animals, pets, poultry and fish; veterinary preparations, instruments and services; aquaculture.

As of today, the umber of exhibitors is more than 340.

In 2020 the exposition of feed and veterinary companies will be located in two halls – A and C. The exposition of equipment for processing of grain, production of mixed feeds and laboratory equipment will be located in hall B. In hall C selection of plants and genetics companies will be located.

All media partners, associations and unions will be located on the 2^nd floor in hall C.

We invite exhibitors and speakers of business program to take part in the exhibition.

We’ll be glad to see you at our exhibition!

For further information is available on our web. site: www.mvc-expohleb.ru

Tel.: +7 (495) 755-50-38, +7 (495) 755-50-35, +7 (495) 974-00-61

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MAKE AN APPOINTMENT IN GUANGZHOU! PURCHASING GLOBAL FOOD IN FOOD2CHINA EXPO 2019

On September 19th – 21st, 2019, FOOD2CHINA EXPO will be solemnly held in Area C of China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China. Scale of the exhibition this year will be expanded to 20,000 square meters, with exhibit products covering the entire industrial chain of imported food, such as snacks & confectionery, drinks and tea, food and condiments, health food, infant food, and third party services providers. Attracting 800 enterprises from more than 30 countries and regions, The exhibition is a professional onestop sourcing platform for the imported food industry in South China.

More Popular Snack Foods Are Coming to the Stage

Imported snack food is one of the most popular categories in China market. With the help of FOOD2CHINA EXPO, a group of "celebrities" snack food from Southeast Asia has successfully entered the South China market. Among them, Thailand's dried jackfruit, the Philippines’ coconut sugar, and Brunei's shrimp cakes have become the most popular varieties in the newly-entered category in South China market.

At FOOD2CHINA Expo 2019, we will exhibit more snack foods from all over the world. In addition to a wide variety of Southeast Asian specialties such as Vietnamese biscuits, Philippine dried mango, Malaysian coffee toffee, and Thai roasted coconut slices, there are also chocolates from Belgium, fruit jelly drops from Sweden, Nori from South Korea, lollipops from Japan, etc. The products of FOOD2CHINA Expo 2019 will be expanded to more regions of the world, so as to provide more first-hand hot selling overseas products for buyers.

Imported Seafood Made a “Fresh” Appearance

The domestic market for imported seafood is rising rapidly, with the total amount of imported seafood exceeding 50 million tons in 2018. In order to cater the demand of Chinese consumers for imported seafood,FOOD2CHINA Expo 2019 will gather the freshest and the highest quality imported seafood in the world and display them on site.

It is worth mentioning that all the seafood will be kept fresh at frozen during the exhibition, whether it is king crab from Alaska, salmon from Norway, black tiger shrimp from Vietnam, abalone from Australia, they will be frozen together by using advanced freezing technology to ensure that they are still alive when they arrive at the show. In addition, the exhibition will invite experts and big shots from the front line of industry to share their views in the business,talk about the opportunities and challenges of the imported seafood market, from the source of origin to transportation and sales channels. How to develop fresh channels with new retail methods? How to save the transportation cost of fresh products to the greatest extent? All the answers will be found at the exhibition!

High-End Forum Activities Are Coming Again

As another highlight of the exhibition, the FOOD2CHINA forum helps the audience gain a lot, it invites global food industry experts, opinion leaders and other industry elites to participate in the in-depth discussion of the industry development trends, policy guidelines, food safety, circulation and sales channels, innovative technology and other hot issues of imported food industry, and jointly explore the next outlook of imported food industry in the new consumption era every year.

This year, the forum will be upgraded again, allying with more veteran experts in the industry, so as to share, exchange and brainstorm with audience with full and accurate data and rich experience. In addition, the popular VIP Buyers Program will be started up again--providing more efficient, better quality, and more accurate on-site matching services for domestic and foreign food suppliers and distributors, to save time in business talks and pocketing all good quality products! All kinds of events will be as wonderful as previous editions, with more than a dozen of coffee cup testing competitions, cooking competitions and various kinds of industry training events.The exhibition will gather the entire industry together to find the outstanding ones of the industry.

Gathering the Experts of the Industry Again

As the only professional exhibition deeply cultivated in the imported food industry in South China, the exhibition last year attracted a total of 15,204 professional visitors from 34 provinces, cities and regions across China, and 800 exhibitors from all over the world, creating a record high, and has won praises from many professional buyers.

This year we will cooperate with the national wholesale imported food market, inviting importers, dealers, distributors, and retailers from all over the country to visit the exhibition. At the same time, we will actively cooperate with more relevant trade associations and institutions to build a good communication bridge for the domestic imported food industry, and jointly promote the rapid construction of the upstream and downstream supply chain and service system of the industry.

FOOD2CHINA EXPO will kick off in a new level in 2019. From September 19th to 21st, welcome to meet us at Area C of Guangzhou Canton Fair Exhibition Center. Be sure to be there!

US firm Gorton's Seafood names Kurt Hogan new CEO

Gorton's Seafood has named Kurt Hogan as the US frozen-seafood supplier's new chief executive to succeed Judson Reis, who is stepping down after a decade in the role.

Hogan, the company's vice president of sales, will take the reins at the Massachusetts-based business on 1 January.

"Kurt's knowledge of the drivers of our business, expertise in sales management and customer relationships are especially valuable as we pursue the next phase of growth," Reis said today (18 July). "At a time when our industry is experiencing dramatic change to satisfy the evolving needs of today's consumers, Kurt is the right person to lead the business forward."

Reis joined Gorton's Seafood in 1990 as associated marketing manager and became president and CEO in 2009. In a statement, Gorton's Seafood said Reis had "successfully guided" the company "through a rapidly changing consumer environment", with initiatives including making products healthier and investment in capital expenditure.

SIG LEADS THE BEVERAGE CARTON INDUSTRY WITH THE FIRST PAPER STRAW SOLUTION

SIG is the first in the industry to offer a market-ready alternative to plastic straws, announcing today that a

paper straw solution will be delivered to first customers in the first quarter of 2019.

With growing concern about the environmental impact of plastic straws, the food and beverage industry urgently needs an alternative solution. SIG’s new paper straw offers such a solution.

Markus Boehm, Chief Market Officer at SIG, said: “We saw an opportunity to address concerns about marine litter and offer added value to our customers by helping them meet consumer and regulatory demand to scrap plastic straws. This win-win is a great example of how our commitment to go Way Beyond Good for the environment is delivering real business benefits.”

Nestlé is the first customer to introduce SIG’s paper straw solution and has already tested the market launch in the Dominican Republic.

Michael Schwan, Manufacturing Manager RTD - Dairy Strategic Business Unitat Nestlé: “We are committed to improving the environmental performance of our packaging and addressing the critical issue of single-use plastics is an important part of that. We need effective, scalable solutions and SIG’s new paper straw has the potential to meet that need.”

Seeking a solution

SIG does not make straws, but some of its portion-size packs are designed to be used with a straw for convenience on the go and the company has been working with suppliers to develop alternatives.

Paper is renewable and recyclable. This forest-based material already makes up 70-80% of SIG’s cartons on average, and the look and feel of paper also visibly reinforces its environmental credentials to consumers.

SIG worked closely with a manufacturing partner to develop an innovative and exclusive solution that makes the paper straw robust enough to pierce the closed straw hole of SIG’s aseptic cartons. The wrapper for the straw has also been redesigned to help prevent litter by remaining attached to the pack to be recycled along with the rest of the carton.

The new paper straws will be made of paperboard from FSC^TM (Forest Stewardship Council^TM)-certified forests or other controlled sources. Customers can already include the FSClabel on any SIG carton and they will be able to add the label to the paper straws once the manufacturing partner has completed FSC Chain-of-Custody certification, which is expected during the second half of 2019.

The new paper straw solution supports SIG’s efforts to use more renewable materials. The initial volume of paper straws will be limited during the launch phase, as SIG ramps up capacity with its manufacturing partner. SIG is also continuing to invest in new ways to apply this alternative straw solution to a wider variety of packaging formats.

SIG is determined to collaborate with customers, suppliers and other stakeholders to find new approaches to reduce single-use plastics, foster recycling and minimise waste. Helping customers improve the sustainability of their products is an important part of the company’s commitment to go Way Beyond Good by putting more into the environment and society than it takes out.

More on SIG’s Way Beyond Good:www.sig.biz/en/responsibility/way-beyond-good

About SIG

SIG(FSC^TM trademark licence code: FSC^TM C020428)is a leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging. We work in partnership with our customers to bring food products to consumers around the world in a safe, sustainable and affordable way. Our unique technology and outstanding innovation capacity enable us to provide our customers with end-to-end solutions for differentiated products, smarter factories and connected packs, all to address the ever-changing needs of consumers.

Founded in 1853, SIG is headquartered in Neuhausen, Switzerland. The skills and experience of our 5,000-plus employees worldwide enable us to respond quickly and effectively to the needs of our customers in more than 60 countries. In 2017, SIG produced 33.6 billion carton packs and generated €1.66 billion in revenue. For more information, visit www.sig.biz.

Picture Caption:

SIG is the first in the industry to offer a market-ready alternative to plastic straws, announcing today that a paper straw solution will be delivered to first customers in the first quarter of 2019.