The number of workers permitted to travel to the UK to pick and package fruit and vegetables will be increased for the 2021 harvest. Originally launched in 2019, the Seasonal Workers Pilot has been extended and expanded for an additional year with 30,000 visas available for those wanting to come and work on UK farms for a period of up to six months. According to the government, the workers will play a “vital role in helping horticulture growers pick and package their produce in 2021, whilst reducing their reliance on migrant labour as we exit the EU”. The expansion of the scheme follows a long period of close working with the National Farmers Unions and the Association of Labour Providers, across all parts of the UK and in particular recognition of the need for additional seasonal labour in Scotland to support local rural economies and the renowned soft fruit growers. In addition, the government alongside industry will build on this year’s Pick for Britain campaign and actively promote the recruitment and retention of domestic seasonal workers in 2021. “We will always back our farmers and growers, who work hard all year round to provide us with a secure supply of fruit and vegetables,” said Environment Secretary George Eustice He added that the measures “will provide vital labour, both domestic and from abroad, to our farmers and growers to help gather the 2021 harvest to feed the nation. Our review into automation will pave the way for a pioneering and efficient future for our fruit and vegetable growers.” NFU Vice President Tom Bradshaw said: “This is welcome and positive news, not just for Britain’s growers but also for shoppers who want to enjoy home-grown fresh produce. “By expanding the Seasonal Workers Pilot, the Government is sending a clear message that it is important for Britain to be able to produce its own fruit and veg, which has huge potential for growth. “This scheme will allow growers to employ seasonal workers at key times to pick a wide variety of fresh produce on British farms.”

Kerry Group has joined RE100, an initiative led by the Climate Group in partnership with CDP, to bring together the world’s most influential companies committed to100% renewable electricity. This is a result of the taste and nutrition company’s recent commitment to source 100% renewable electricity across its operations by 2025. Kerry recently launched its ‘Beyond the Horizon’ sustainably strategy where it announced that it aims to reach over two billion people with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030. The target to source 100% renewable energy is part of the Group’s commitment on climate action which includes a science-based target for the reduction of operational emissions by 33% by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions before 2050. “Our vision is to be our customers most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition and today’s commitment is a part of this journey,” said Juan Aguiriano, Group Head of Sustainability. “The scale of the challenge to address the growing climate crisis cannot be underestimated and requires a concerted global effort from all parts of society. “The commitment to using 100% renewable electricity will have an immediate impact and will reduce our footprint by over one million tonnes of carbon between now and 2025, helping us meet our goal of net zero emissions before 2050.” To achieve its renewable electricity target, Kerry will utilise a diversified portfolio of solutions globally, to support its transition and broader goal of net zero carbon.

Food and drink experts fell by 11.6% to £5.5 billion compared with the same period in 2019, according to new analysis published by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). The decline was largely driven by the impacts of COVID-19, including the closure of hospitality and travel sectors, which has meant a loss of sales into restaurants, cafés, bars and the out-of-home sector across Europe. In the first nine months to September 2020, food and drink exports fell to £15.2bn (-12.9%) when compared to the same period in 2019. Exports to the majority of the top 20 markets decreased, with sales to Spain falling significantly by -33.8%. However, exports to Norway experienced the most substantial increase, rising by 38.4% to £198.8m. When looking at UK export products, pork and breakfast cereals were the only products within the top 10 to show growth, up 12.7%, and 2.5%, respectively. As the UK approaches the end of the transition period, the EU remains a key commercial partner, with over 60% of food and drink exports heading to EU markets. Within the top five products exported to the EU, whisky sales suffered the most, experiencing a reduction of 19% to £901.4m from January to September. Ireland was the top EU destination for food and drink exports, making up almost 30% of overall sales in the EU, reflecting the close integration of UK and Irish food and drink supply chains. Ireland has been a key export market for the UK, particularly over the past 10 years, totalling around 18% of total sales during that time period. Most of the top 10 products exported to Ireland fell in value terms, with cheese and savoury snacks the only categories to show growth. Maintaining these highly integrated supply chains across Great Britain, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland as we leave the EU will be essential for future growth in our industry. “The continued decline in exports in the third quarter of 2020 shows the immense dilemma that UK food and drink exporters are currently facing. With less than one month to go, businesses are still in the dark about what arrangements will be in place following the end of the transition period in January 2021,” said Dominic Goudie, Head of International Trade, FDF. “As the UK makes it way towards economic recovery, ensuring a quick return to growth will be essential to strengthen resilience in our industry. It is vital that we continue to work closely with Government and industry partners to ensure that food and drink exporters have the support they need. “Today’s news of the launch of Open Borders Direct® is a most welcome development and promises to deliver urgently needed support for UK SMEs, helping them to safely navigate key crunch points when trading overseas.”

Earlier this month, Deloitte released its annual Technology Fast 50 2020, recognising the fastest-growing tech companies in the industry. Coming in at number 20 was Vimcar, a fleet tracking company specialising in helping SMEs optimise their fleets. Whilst fleet tracking is traditionally a technology solution only available for larger corporations, Vimcar has focussed on bringing cost-cutting fleet technology to smaller businesses. Its easy-to-use software, strong customer support and affordable pricing has given even smaller businesses, with no dedicated fleet manager, the chance to better track and optimise their fleet. This laser-focus on smaller businesses enabled Vimcar to find a gap in the fleet management market and allowed the company to grow 380% in the last four years and raise over 20 million euros. Many of its customers include SMEs in the food industry. One such customer is Doherty’s Meats, a Northern Irish meat producer. Doherty’s Meat’s strict emphasis on quality means they look to deliver food products to customers as quickly as possible and several times a week. This requires a high-performing vehicle fleet. Brian McQuaid, Sales and Marketing Manager of Doherty’s Meats, was able to install Vimcar’s fleet tracker, Fleet Geo, within minutes of receiving the hardware. A Vimcar customer service agent then gave him a guided tour of the software over the phone to get him up and running. “Now, when a customer calls and asks for a delivery, we are able to give them ETAs. We have hundreds of customers and it’s great to be able to see which van is closest to which customer: a real selling point. Once, one of our vehicles had a breakdown,” he said. “I was able to call the mechanic to describe exactly where the broken down vehicle was, saving a lot of time and hassle.”