UK Food Council

Big news from Domino's Nicola Frampton confirmed as permanent CEO after impressive stint as interim since Nov 2025. Tasked with driving the brand's push into fried chicken, a major growth bet, with profits tracking on target. Bold move. Eyes on execution. #Dominos #UKFoodCouncil

1 in 5 UK hospitality businesses fear collapse in the next 12 months. From 01/04: higher business rates + NLW rises = £1.4bn in x costs for the sector. 44% of operators are pessimistic. 17% are already trading at a loss. Policymakers need to act now. Stats by CGA by NIQ.

Big day for PizzaExpress 2 major announcements: Lance Batchelor ex-CEO of Domino’s, Saga & Tesco Mobile) joins as non-executive director alongside chair Allan Leighton - Mac & Wings its delivery-first chicken & mac & cheese brand goes live today across 300+UK sites via Deliveroo

Tilray Brands completes £33m acquisition of BrewDog. 11 brewpubs retained across UK & Ireland 733 jobs preserved, 38 bars closed immediately, 484 jobs lost. No return for 220,000 Equity for Punks investors. Tilray's global beverage platform now targets ~$500m annual revenue.

Asda's next CEO will come from within, says Executive Chairman Allan Leighton speaking at @RetailWeek "The history of Asda is that it's very difficult to bring someone in from the outside." Asda has been without a permanent CEO since 2021. Full story - foodcouncil.uk/register

Kraft Heinz has paused its break-up plan under new CEO Steve Cahillane — choosing reinvestment over structural separation. For the UK Food Industry, the signal is clear: Brand strength, pricing strategy & operational execution now matter more than financial engineering.

The Coca-Cola Company keeps Costa Coffee — sale plans dropped after bids fell short. Costa posted a £13.5m loss in 2024 amid rising costs & fierce competition, but Coca-Cola is backing performance recovery over divestment. Strategic reset or market reality? UK Food Council

Busy restaurants. Full tables. Flat-out teams. Yet behind the scenes, UK hospitality is under severe pressure - squeezed margins, labour shortages, subdued growth & geopolitical uncertainty. Register to unlock the full report: foodcouncil.uk/register (it's free) #UKFoodIndustry

John Lewis expands its partnership with Benugo — 32 in-store restaurants to be transformed by 2027 Retail + hospitality convergence accelerates. Is F&B now strategic infrastructure for department stores? Full story with interviews: foodcouncil.uk/register (to unlock it's free)

UK households bin up to £1,000/year in perfectly edible food. Meanwhile, 1 in 10 people face food insecurity. This isn't a supply issue—it's a glaring systems failure. We must tackle #FoodWaste + #FoodPoverty as one national priority. More: foodcouncil.uk/register it is free.

Founder returns at Tortilla-Founded in 2007, the UK’s largest fast-casual Mexican brand has reshaped its leadership, with Brandon Stephens back in an executive role and new senior hires from Leon and Gail’s. Full story: foodcouncil.uk/news (register to unlock) #UKFoodCouncil

Just one working day to go until 'The Future of Food Summit' opens at 155 Bishopsgate. Organised by Economist & supported by the UK Food Council, the Summit aligns with our 2026 agenda on resilience, sustainability, and food system reform. Passes: econimpact.co/1e3

Dave’s Hot Chicken is accelerating its UK expansion following a strong London debut and rapid rollout into regional cities. Backed by Azzurri Group, the Nashville-style QSR plans at least 60 UK sites as demand for premium fried chicken continues to grow. #UKFoodIndustry #QSR

Pie & mash isn’t dying — it’s relocating. London’s rising rents & changing high streets have pushed out many traditional shops, while the dish finds new life across Essex and the South East. A lesson in how food culture follows people and why heritage foods need space to survive

Great Northern Market opens in Manchester T2 with six street-food kitchens, local favourites & social dining space. Pret A Manger expands to Heathrow T5 Arrivals with fresh food & drinks 24/7 later this year. Fresh, fast, and flavoursome airport dining is evolving #UKFoodIndustry

McCain Foods will launch a UK Farm of the Future in North Yorkshire, testing regenerative farming at commercial scale. Results will be shared with 4,400 growers worldwide, supporting resilience, soil health and climate-ready food production. #UKFoodIndustry #FoodIndustry

X POST (UKFC) UK pubs face a structural cost disadvantage vs France, the Netherlands & Germany (rates, VAT and duty). Our new Insight Report explains what must change and what operators can do now to win foodservice footfall. Full story: foodcouncil.uk/news (register free)

UK grocery inflation eased to 4.3% (4 wks to 28 Dec 2025) from 4.7% in the prior period - and Sainsbury’s says it expects food inflation to keep falling through 2026. But pressures remain: National Living Wage rises to £12.71/hr from 1 Apr 2026 (+4.1%) and wage growth continues.

CMA refers ABF’s proposed acquisition of Hovis for an in-depth Phase 2 merger investigation (fast-tracked at the parties’ request). Statutory deadline: 24 June 2026. What it could mean for competition, pricing, and investment in UK bakery. Full story: foodcouncil.uk/news

Jersey Mike’s commits to 400 franchise sites across UK & Ireland, with the first opening due in 2026. Founder Peter Cancro will lead the rollout. Big move in a fast-evolving UK food-to-go market. #Foodservice #Franchising Full story: foodcouncil.uk/news (register free)