News on Food Trends from Europe

Lamb Weston's European joint venture, Lamb Weston / Meijer has published its sustainability report for 2015-2016. Compared to the reference year 2008, energy consumption per tonne of product has reduced by more than 21% and potato utilisation has improved by 4.5%.

The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged almost 172 points in December 2016, unchanged from November. For 2016 as a whole, the index averaged 161.6 points, down 1.5 percent from 2015, representing the fifth consecutive annual decline.

Lamb Weston / Meijer invested in four new FAM Tridis 240P cutters for the production of its wavy fries in Bergen op Zoom

Potato supplier Preva Produce, located in Norfolk, United Kingdom, is up for sale after 20 jobs were lost when cash pressures led to suspension of packing operation

After three years in office, Fiona Fell has announced she will stand down as an AHDB Board Member and Chair of the AHDB Potato Sector Board at the end of her term in office.

Belgian pre-fried and frozen potato products manufacturer Agristo is teaming up with Egemin Automation for the third time in a row for the construction of a new, fully automated high-bay deepfreeze warehouse.

The FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) averaged 171.3 points in November 2016, only 0.4 percent below its October level, but still 10.4 percent higher than in November 2015.

Avebe takes an active role in the development of appealing, nutritional and healthy food products with potato based solutions.

Bad smells from deep-fat frying in restaurants and take-away food venues could soon be eradicated thanks to experiments funded by ESA on the International Space Station.

From TIMEOUT Blog London, PotatoPro learned that London now has its first 'Crisp Restaurant'. This paradise for potato (chips) lovers is located in Soho and is called Hipchips

AHDB Potatoes' first provisional estimate of total production in Great Britain for the 2016 crop year is 5.22 million tonnes, down 5% from 2015. Average yields for GB are estimated at just under 45 tonnes/ha, down 8% on last year.

Lamb Weston / Meijer inaugurated its new production line for french fries in Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands, on 10 November 2016 in the presence of employees, suppliers, the mayor and the King’s Commissioner.

In order to meet the global population’s growing demand for food, research by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) predicts that the worldwide food manufacturing and processing industries need to increase their total output by 70 per cent by 2050.

Key Technology strengthens support of European food processors with the opening of a new customer visit center – The Innovation and Solutions Center – in Hasselt, Belgium.

British company RJ Herbert Engineering Ltd., which has been in administration since July 2016, has been acquired by Dutch company Herbert Engineering BV effective 1 November 2016.

Potato Processing Equipment specialist Kiremko introduces the Kiremko KnifeGuard®, a unique RFID based knife identification system for the QuadraFlow hydro cutter.

The FAO Food Price Index averaged 172.6 points in October 2016, up 1.2 points (0.7 percent) from September and 9.1 percent above the corresponding month last year. Except for a short-lived drop in July, the Index has risen continuously since the start of the year.

AHDB Potatoes has pledged to work closely with the seed potato sector and Scottish Government to ensure that the industry maintains a low level of the bacterial disease blackleg.