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ANALYSIS: Avian Influenza and Aging Infrastructure Tightens UK Chicken Supply
The UK poultry industry continues to face significant challenges stemming from both disease outbreaks and structural issues within the sector.
Avian Influenza remains a major concern, with multiple cases reported across the country in 2025. Following an outbreak in Somerset earlier in August, a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 strain was confirmed at a poultry facility in Devon on August 31, 2025. Government authorities mandated the humane culling of all birds on the affected premises. These recurring outbreaks, which historically intensify during the autumn months, have been disrupting market...
Pulling Back the Curtain on the Market for Packaging Recovery Notes
In the United Kingdom, Packaging Recovery Notes are meant to ensure that the companies creating packaging waste are helping to financially support the cost of recycling it. The prices of PRNs are affected by external factors, such as the demand for recyclate, shipping costs, and rumors about import restrictions or recycling closures. A lack of timely data hobbles companies trying to implement informed buying strategies, as market players often submit late responses or correct their data later, and a structural time lag creates a supply/demand disconnect.
UK Retailers React to Tariff Uncertainty With 76% of Exporters Diversifying Beyond the US Market
New research from ESW and Retail Economics reveals that 76% of UK exporters are now actively diversifying beyond the US, historically the UK’s largest non-EU retail market. Larger UK retailers are radically re-drawing their global growth playbooks as protectionist trade policies upend decades-old export patterns. However, 71% of small UK retailers admit they have no formal plan for sudden trade-policy shocks, a stark operational gap that could hit margins overnight.
The report, “Rethinking Reach...
UK Meat Producer Cranswick Reports 9.7% Revenue Growth in Q1
UK’s Cranswick has reported a 9.7% increase in revenue for the 13 weeks up to 28 June 2025, or the first quarter in its financial year. Like-for-like revenue rose by 7.9%, driven by volume growth, the company said.
The recently acquired food service sausage manufacturer Blakemans on 16 May 2025, also contributed to growth, the trading report showed. And export revenue and volume increased following the reinstatement of the Norfolk site’s China export licence in December 2024.
The new retail business and strong demand at the cooked...
Princes Acquires Historic Liverpool Building as New UK Headquarters
Yesterday, leading UK food and drink company Princes announced its purchase of the historic, Grade-I listed Royal Liver Building (RLB) in Liverpool, England for £60 million (USD $70.33 million).
According to the company, the acquisition is part of Princes’ broader £83 million (USD $97.29 million) real estate plan, which includes the purchase of Symington’s Cross Green facility in Leeds, England, for £23 million (USD $26.96 million). Also, acquiring the Cross Green site will further embed Symington’s business, which Princes already manages and operates, into...
Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #17
Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.
Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #17."
This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text...
This week, reciprocal tariffs were re-announced in the form of letters from the US Trump administration to trading partners who could not reach a trade deal within the previously granted 90-day pause...
ANALYSIS: Latest UK Customs Figures Reveal Large Sheep Trade Growth In April
The latest customs report from HMRC shows that both imports and exports of Sheep meat in the UK saw significant y-o-y growth in April 2025. Sheep meat exports and imports were at 7,690 mt and 6,422 mt respectively, accounting for a 39.9% and 28.3% y-o-y growth. Market participants attributed this to the Easter Holiday that was celebrated later than the prior year, on April 20, 2025...
Diageo Agrees to Sale of Italian Facility to NewPrinces
Formerly known as Newlat Food, an Italian food and drink company now called NewPrinces bought 100% of the share capital for Diageo Operations Italy, according to a Diageo press release which specified the inclusion of the Santa Vittoria production facility.
The site produces a range of alcoholic beverages, ready-to-drink products, and low and no alcohol products, according to a Diageo spokesperson.
The NewPrinces Group is already a leading player in the soft drinks market in the UK, with revenues of approximately €350 million in this category alone...
Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #14
Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #14."
Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #13
Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #13."
Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #12
Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #12."
Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #11
Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #11."
Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #10
Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #10."
Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #9
Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #9."
China, UK Trade Talks Pose Positive Opportunities for US Animal Food Industry
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) is pleased to see a cooling of U.S. tariffs on and retaliatory tariffs from China and a proposed trade agreement with the United Kingdom coming to fruition, given discussions late last week and over the weekend between the U.S. and respective countries’ trade officials. Both China and the United Kingdom present valuable opportunities for U.S. animal food manufacturers, which produce some of the safest, highest quality and innovative feed, feed ingredients and pet food globally...
Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #8
Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #8."
ANALYSIS: UK Lamb Export Market Update
The latest UK sheep meat export figures released by HM Revenue & Customs show that exports for February 2025 are 3.9% lower y-o-y at 6,165 tonnes. The cumulative January to February 2025 sheep meat exports are 2.2% lower than the same period in 2024.
In February, the top three export locations (France, Germany, Belgium) represent the majority of the decline, while the Netherlands had a 79% y-o-y increase. Despite export quantities declining in the first two months of February, export value is up and shows that there is good demand even with higher prices. Market participants reported last week that lamb exports have supported trade volumes and that prices from the Rungis market have held steady during April...
Valeo Foods Acquires Italian Baker Freddi Dolciaria
Europe’s sweet snacks producer with footholds in the EU, UK, and Ireland has again expanded across Europe into Italy with the acquisition of Italian sweet baked goods producer, Freddi Dolciaria. A price of sale was not disclosed in the press release.
Currently, Valeo Foods has many recognized brands across Europe like Rowse honey, Jacob’s biscuits, Batchelor’s canned beans and peas, as well as Kettle crisps. Valeo will add Freddi Dolciaria brands like the bakery’s Swiss Roll products that contain ingredients like whole milk, Italian eggs, cocoa cream, chocolate flakes...
FEATURED STORIES
ANALYSIS: How Brazil’s Beef Trade Adjusts to US Tariffs So Far
ANALYSIS: July Broiler Exports, Seasonal Surge Outpaces the Norm
ANALYSIS: US Turkey Exports See Modest July Uptick Amid Global HPAI Disruptions and Trade Shifts
ANALYSIS: High Cattle Prices Drive Dynamics in the Boxed Beef Market