< PreviousPHOENIX HANDLING SOLUTIONSTel: 0845 265 7570 email: info@phs-uk.com website: www.phs-uk.com•De Palletising / Palletising•Pallet Stretch Wrap / Stretch Hooding•Shrink Wrapping Machines•Case Packing Machines•Pick & Place Machines / Tray Denesters•Complete Turnkey SystemsAutomation Experts for theFood and Beverage IndustryAll your End of Line Material Handling / Packaging Systems under ONE roofCATEGORYMANAGEMENT23.02.2017ADVANCED CHANNELSTRATEGIESIN ACTIONwww.categoryconference.comBoost Growth & Category Sales Across Online, Convenience, Discounter & Main EstateConsumer Trend-Led Category Visions To Get Your Product In The Basket In Today’s Challenging, Multi-Channel Retail Environment & Forge Strong, Collaborative Retailer Relationships & Best-In-Class Ranging & Promotion StrategiesWinning Channel Strategies Category ManagementBook Before 20th Jan & SAVE £100A One-Day, Industry-Led Conference & Networking Event, 23rd February 2017, The Waldorf Hilton Hotel, Central London+44(0)20 3479 2299 @food_confinfo@categoryconference.com www.categoryconference.comKerri Fidler Senior Manager BakeryAsdaRetailerAdrian BoswellFresh Food BuyerSelfridgesRetailerJamie Seymour Senior Manager,The Co-operative Group RetailerRebecca Oliver-Mooney Head of Category MüllerJulie StevensCategory ControllerAlproSimon MaddrellGroup Director 2 Sisters Food Group Bob Burgess Director of CategoryAsahi UK“ Definitely worth attending, it’s helped to crystallise some thoughts and give some direction.” Previous attendee, Crediton Dairy LTD25 Brands •1 DayNew VenueDaniela Busseni, Head of Category ManagementPremier Foods10_Layout 1 21/12/2016 10:24 Page 1Coder meets need for speed and qualityA Linx TJ725 Thermal Inkjet Printer ismeeting the current and future needs of aleading Australian drinks supplier with its fastspeeds, easy operation and high quality codes.Patritti Wines produces a series of smallbatch, top-quality wines and juices. As part of acontinuing upgrade of its facilities, the companyhad installed a new boxer on its production lineand needed a coder that would not only matchthe line’s existing speed (around 300 boxes perhour) but also cope with faster speeds of up to450 boxes per hour in the future. The Linx TJ725 printer is placed immediatelyafter the boxer on the production line, coding onto generic cartons and is capable of running at fargreater speeds than Patritti’s current production capacity.Linx’s innovative Active Cartridge Care System® ensures consistent high quality prints, and thetouch screen interface provides simple, intuitive configuration for easy message changeover. Sensors for rollerconveyor systems aremaking logistics smart wenglor’s new sensors for roller conveyorsystems offer everything required for modernwarehousing and transport technology. Mountableunderneath the transport level of racewayconveyors, the inventor of this extraordinary designformat is now presenting intelligent, multitalentedsensors which are not only setting new standardwhere environmental protection is concerned.Together with a broad range of variants, nearfield communication and smart logistics functionsresult in an ideal product for logistics 4.0.Available as reflex sensor with backgroundsuppression, retro-reflex sensor or logic unit, thenew sensors can be supplied with our withoutaccumulation logic and with valve (for pneumatics)or without valve (for motorized rollers). As products which are perfectly matched to theespecial requirements of the system – like custom-made items – but nevertheless can be used toimplement a great variety of applications with asingle format, the sensors for the roller conveyorsystem are wenglor’s ideal response to the needsof automated logistics.Oliver Douglas cleans and separates for craftbakers The Oliver Douglas Panamatic 700 nowinstalled at Wiltshire-based craft bakers, HaydensBakery, has become a key focus for allproduction operations.The self-contained unit allows a wide range ofequipment – from pots and utensils to machineparts – to be cleaned and at a speed that canmatch Haydens’ 24/7 manufacturing processes. Sited in the pot wash area, the all stainlesssteel Panamatic has been specified to reflectboth the range of the equipment and size ofsome of the items that require washing. Rotating spray arms deliver the wash and rinse solutionswith, vitally, a production cycle lasting as little as two minutes.“Prior to the installation, we used effective but clearly slower handwashing operations,” said TracyPenny, Hygiene Manager at Haydens Bakery. “Now we can be assured that the cleaning routinesare not only consistent within a shorter time frame, but also enable operators to become involved inalternative tasks.”Interfood delivers new options intumbling & injecting ‘Curing to Clipping’,one of 8 dedicateddivisions operatedby InterfoodTechnology, offersa range ofinjecting,tenderising, tumbling &marinating equipment used bymany of the major food processingcompanies throughout the UK and Ireland.Henneken has been manufacturing equipmentfor the meat industry for almost 40 years and specialisesin the production of vacuum tumblers renowned for their build quality andreliability. Now available through Interfood is Henneken’s new in-linetumbling system, a unique design that allows vacuum loading from the rearof the machine.Schröder manufactures a wide range of machines for processing meat,poultry & fish, from stand-alone injectors integrated into existing lines rightthrough to completely new automated systems. The IMAX range has longbeen the benchmark for performance, high quality and hygienic design andnow the new Smartline range offers even more value with bed widths from350mm to 600mm and simpler control features for those processors withminimal product variation.Food & Drink International 11www.fdiforum.netPackaging Automation’s technologyadded value optionsPackagingAutomation’s technologyadded value optionssave vital time for endusers in high pressureproduction environments.The RFID authorisedfob recognition systemallows you to secureyour machine set up toprevent unnecessary costly operational problems due to unauthorisedchanges. Unauthorised access can cause significant line downtime as wellas quality control problems with completed production. Using RFID technology you can regulate which employees are able toaccess which machines and perform which operations, whether that’smachine setup, program changes or more.RFID has helped Lincoln-based Branston Prepared Foods reduceunnecessary downtime.Tom Britton, Engineering Manager at Branston, said: “We have seen amassive reduction in operators adjusting settings, there is a huge differencecompared to the other machine which doesn’t have RFID installed. I feelmuch more confident, it has eased the risk of operator error by onlyallowing the correct skilled employees to the right access level without therisk of employees sharing passwords.” 11-12_Layout 1 21/12/2016 11:59 Page 1Allen Coding reinforces sole supplier status withCountry Products Further underlining its position at theforefront of marking and coding technologyfor the global food industry, Allen Coding hasstrengthened its sole supplier status withlong-standing customer, Country ProductsLtd, following the recent installation of fouradditional NGT2 thermal transfer printers atthe company’s state-of-the-art plant in NorthYorkshire. The supplier of healthy snacks, nuts, driedfruits, mueslis and herbs and spices, isreporting a 10% increase in production efficiencies.Country Products is using the Allen Coding NGT2 printers to apply data, including product title,nutritional information, address and legal details, to both the front and back of packaging film produced from polypropylene, polyester or laminate.Each of Country Products’ five production lines benefit from two NGT2 machines mounted on Gainsborough form fill seal machines. The units are installedon 90 degree swivel brackets so that they can be easily turned by the operator, both to change thermal transfer ribbons and to move swiftly from oneorientation to another.Nutrition labelling on pre-packedfood nowmandatoryNutritional labelling is nowmandatory on food and beveragepackaging in the EU, according to anew regulation.Following the application of thegeneral labelling rules two years ago,the new rules represent a further stepto provide consumers with factualand comparable information about the nutritional content of products.The nutrition declaration now becomes mandatory for almost all pre-packed foods. Consumers will find on the labels of their favourite food anddrink products information on their energy content as well as on keynutrients (fat, saturates, carbohydrate, sugars, protein and salt).Many European food and drink companies have already started toimplement the new rules on a voluntary basis over the past years. Beyondthis legal requirement, in an attempt to help consumers in their foodchoices, many operators have chosen to also provide key information aboutnutrients and calories per portion on the front-of-pack of their products,through the so-called “Reference Intake” icons, which were originallyintroduced by the industry in 2005.12 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netUK bans fatty sugary foodadvertising to childrenIn a bid to help protect thehealth and wellbeing ofchildren, advertising of high fat,salt and sugar (HFSS) food anddrinks in children’s media is tobe banned.The rules, which will applyacross all non-broadcast mediaincluding print, cinema andsocial media, followed a fullpublic consultation by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP). Theban, applicable to media target at under-16s, will come into effect on 1 July2017.CAP said the new restrictions, which bring non-broadcast advertisingrules in line with TV, will lead to a major reduction in the number of ads forHFSS food and drinks seen by children. It will also mean ads for HFSS products will no longer be allowed toappear around TV-like content online, such as on video-sharing platforms oradvergames.While there are many factors that impact on childhood obesity, CAPbelieve that even a very small positive impact from these new ad restrictionscould play a meaningful role in reducing potential harms to children.Automated carrier solution for pre-packaged foodCSB-Automation AG has developed a unique loadcarrier system, the CSB-Hang & Move, to optimise thehandling and transport of open trays of pre-packedfoods.Traditionally plastic containers are used for theintermediate storage or in-house transportation ofthese packs. Loading and unloading by hand requiresa lot of manpower while handling the open packscreates hygiene risks.The CSB-Hang & Move eliminates these problemsthrough the use of a newly-developed load carrier(called the Gondola) into which the filled trays areinserted and then ejected from. The process can becarried out semi- or fully-automatically as required. The loading and unloading technology of the gondolas offers enormous speed and efficiencygains. Combined with complementary conveyor systems, this creates a powerful transport, storageand sorting system that substantially reduces manpower requirements.The system offers improved hygienic conditions of sensitive meat products, while the gondolashave unique IDs so that traceability and stock management are maintained at all times. Ishida weigher is top ofthe pops A South African snacks manufacturer hasreduced product giveaway by as much as 35%following the installation of an Ishida multiheadweigher.Founded in 1996, Nibbly Bits is a majorproducer of handcrafted rusks, biscuits, cookiesand snacks. The company found that because ofthe lightness of its new pop crisps - crisps whichare made by heat and pressure (‘popping’ likepopcorn) rather than deep frying, to deliver lessthan half the fat of traditional crisps - its existingweighing equipment was unable to cope, with toomany overweight and underweight packs that ledto a high amount of product waste.Ishida’s solution is its CCW-SE-214W-1S/20-PBmultihead weigher. Handling typical target weightsof 20g and 85g, the SE-weigher achieves aweighing accuracy of below half a gram and aweighing tolerance of just 0.8g for both bag sizes. Equally important, product that was previouslywasted is now being placed into additional packs,thus greatly improving production efficiencies andthroughput.11-12_Layout 1 21/12/2016 11:59 Page 2Driven by busy ‘time-poor’ lifestylesand an ageing population, theconvenience food market continues toflourish. With growing demand forproducts that have longer shelf life, can beeaten on the move, are simple to use andboast more innovative packaging formats,Loma Systems is highlighting thesuitability of its high performancecombination X5c X-ray andCheckweighing unit for inspecting frozenand chilled ready meals and food-to-gooptions. As well as ready meals, there is anincreasing trend for portable meal optionsthat are normally consumed off premises,with retailers continuously developingnew food products that make eating onthe move easier, but that also offerauthenticity, premium quality andhealthier choices. Ready meals and food-to-go productsoften contain multiple elements oringredients packaged in differentcompartments, include additional itemslike cutlery or condiments, and have highsalt content. Plus many snacks such asnuts and cereals fluctuate in densitywhich can make it difficult to find foreignbodies. All of these variants can createinspection challenges for conveniencefood manufacturers.Capable of weighing products whilesimultaneously inspecting for foreignbodies in one compact and easy to useformat, Loma’s X5c X-ray combinationsystem has beenspecially developedwith ready mealand food-to-goprocessors and packers in mind.The advanced machine detectsphysical contaminants whilstensuring perfect productpresentation and qualityassurance with fill level and sealinspection, mass measurementand component counts. It canalso identify lumps of productincluding seasoning or powder.The X5c X-ray combinationsystem can be easily integratedwhere production space islimited and helps manufacturersadhere to the latest BritishRetail Consortium (BRC)standards and meet majorretailers’ codes of practice. TheX5c X-ray machine can be bolted on to anexisting CW3 Checkweigher as one unitfor truly effective Critical Control Pointdetection.Built to Loma’s ‘Designed to Survive’specifications, the X5c X-ray combinationunit, including reject facility, measuresjust 2.5 metres in length. Produced fromstainless steel, the complete combinationunit is lead free and offers an unrivalledIP55 wash down design. Capable ofrunning at speeds up to 150 packs perminute, it is operated using twoindependent control panels and hasseparate reject bins for out of weight andcontaminated products. Convenience foods packaged in foil andmetallised film, as well aschanges in producttemperature and moisturecontent have no effect onthe sensitivity of theforeign body inspection capabilities ofLoma’s X5c.The X5c reduces the cost of ownershipof X-ray technology by 30% whencompared to the company’s other X5models, making it ideal for foodcompanies keen to make the switch to X-ray for the first time or to replace lowerperformance ferrous-in-foil twin headmetal detectors. This fully specifiedsystem offers good quality contaminantinspection using a reduced number ofwell-proven subcomponents andstreamlined design. Like the X5c, the CW3 checkweigher isdesigned for operation in the toughest ofproduction environments. It boasts quickchange conveyor parts and powerful ACmotors plus the tubular frameworkdelivers a hygienic design but is flexible iftransport or reject systems need to bechanged.For more information,visit www.loma.com,emailenquires@loma.com, orcall+44(0) 1252 893300Loma increases focus onconvenience food market 13_Layout 1 21/12/2016 10:25 Page 114 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netOcean Optics appoints two new executivesOcean Optics, the industry leader inmodular spectroscopy applications andproducts, has appointed two new boardmembers. Jack Riccardi joins as vicepresident finance, and David Schaefer hastaken on the vice president sales and strategicmarketing role.Mr Riccardi is responsible for all aspects offinance, accounting, IT and office administrationat Ocean Optics. Mr Schaefer is responsible forthe global sales and marketing of thecompany’s entire line of spectrometers,chemical sensors, analytical instrumentationand accessories. Both are members of the executive board, assisting in the strategic managementof the company’s business, including sales, operations, engineering, and finance.Mr Riccardi joins from MDNA Life Sciences, where he was chief financial officer. He has astrong background in financial controls, governance and risk management. Mr Schaefer joins from AxelaCare, where he was chief marketing officer. He has extensiveexperience in the execution of growth-based commercial plans, strategic planning and businesstransformation.Lorien boosts packagingexpertise with newappointment Lorien Engineering Solutions has furtherstrengthened its team with the appointment of ChrisBullock as Packaging Engineering Manager.Mr Bullock is responsible for the management,resourcing and technical outputs of the packagingdepartment and will manage engineering projects.The Burton on Trent-based engineering design andproject management firm specialises in food, brewing,drinks, life sciences, biotech, safety compliance andsustainability.Mr Bullock is a trained mechanical engineer with aproven track record in packaging engineering andproject management. He has led projects in brewing,soft drinks, dairy and food for clients including BritvicSoft Drinks, Carlsberg, Heineken, Premier Foods andMizkan.The firm recently recruited Matthew Hidderley asBusiness Development Manager and is adding seniorstaff to its utilities, safety compliance and site safetymanagement teams. Lorien Engineering Solutions is a division of GPStrategies Corporation, a global engineering andtechnical services organisation headquartered inMaryland, US.David SchaeferJack RiccardiParamount Packaging appointsOperations ManagerParamount Packaging Systems Ltd,exclusive distributor of Fuji MachineryCompany’s horizontal and vertical form-fill-seal equipment in the UK and Ireland, hasappointed Darren Bull to the newly createdposition of Operations Manager, leadingday-to-day operations to ensureexceptional customer service as thebusiness continues to expand.After graduating from ManchesterMetropolitan University, Mr Bull spentalmost three years in the packagingindustry before relocating to London totake up a role in IT recruitment. He alsoenjoyed a variety of positions with greeting cards company, CardConnection, which was subsequently acquired by UK Greetings. He became National Account Controller at UK Greetings with responsibilityfor five National Account Managers and companies such as WH Smith,Boots, Poundland and McColls. He subsequently moved into the role ofAccount Manager for the seasonal element of Tesco UK and the whole ofTesco Ireland.Prior to joining Paramount, Mr Bull was Operations Manager at Hill’s PetNutrition, a subsidiary of Colgate Palmolive.Approved Foods appointsentrepreneur as Brand Ambassador Approved Food, the UK-baseddiscount online retailer and foodsustainability champion, has appointedentrepreneur Jonathan Straight as itsBrand Ambassador. Mr Straight, the founder and formerCEO of recycling productsmanufacturing firm, Straight PLC, istasked with driving forward the firm’songoing commitment to reducing the‘wholly unnecessary’ amount of foodwasted in the UK every year.The move will see Mr Straightspearhead Approved Food’s#PerfectlyGood campaign; which aimsto educate the public, politicians andother key stakeholders about thedifference between use-by-dates and best-before-dates.Mr Straight will also continue to act as non-Executive Director of watersaving NGO Waterwise, as well acting as a trustee of The StraightCharitable Trust and continuing to oversee the work of Leeds based socialenterprise, The Street Lane Bakery. Dan Cluderay, Approved Food founder, said: “He brings to the table awealth of experience in the recycling and sustainability sector, and we’reabsolutely delighted that he’s agreed to come on board.”Nisa adds two independentnon-executive directors Nisa Retail has appointed Neil Ashworth and ArnuMisra as Independent Non-Executive Directors (INEDs)following a comprehensive search process.The Yorkshire company said its two newappointments based extensive business, retail anddistribution experience.Mr Ashworth is CEO of Collect+, an independent store-based parcel services in the UK. Healso has his own consultancy, specialising in the retail and logistics sectors. Mr Ashworth, theimmediate past Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, has also heldexecutive positions in a variety of senior retail and logistics roles.Mr Misra is a retail executive, having held significant senior executive roles at Matalan, Asda,and Loblaw’s in Canada. He also spent six years as CEO of private equity backed CannonsHealth, doubling its membership base before selling to Nuffield Health.Peter Hartley, Nisa Chairman, said: “The management team has done an excellent jobstabilising the business in the last financial year and we are now building on this.”14_Layout 1 21/12/2016 11:58 Page 1INTERNATIONALFood&DrinkFood&DrinkWWW.FDIFORUM.NET MINIMUM COST…MAXIMUM IMPACT!Plan your campaign with Food & Drink International…...your competitors are!Marketing is the vital ingredient for the success and growth of anybusiness, and we show clients how to layer their marketing to achieveevent better results. Speak to one of our experienced account executives today for advice andpackages to suit all budgets. By joining some of the biggest names in the industry you can give yourbrand the best chance of being seen by your target market.Can you afford not to? Contact us below for details of our 2017 editorial schedule Call today on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email: s.trott@blmgroup.co.uk 15_Layout 1 21/12/2016 10:25 Page 116 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTTrade in Japan is driven by two fronts. Firstly, thegrowing popularity of fast food, high quality spirits andcurry gaining more market share. Secondly, the risingtrend for healthier, wholesome and more adventurousfood in the west has introduced the mainstream toJapanese cuisine. As while Japan is enjoying morewidespread and diverse exports overseas, it imports astaggering amount of food and beverage products. Looking solely at total calories consumed, Japanimports approximately 60 per cent of its food each year.Analysis shows that its agricultural imports, whichtotalled almost $60 billion in 2013, positioned thecountry behind the US, China and European Union asthe world’s fourth largest importer. ‘McDonaldization’has seen many iconic American brans set up shop in thecountry, but marketing the same food they had beenserving in America, Britain and other markets isn’talways the best option when it comes to Japan. Coca-Cola is the most popular drinks brand in thecountry, though the fizzy, syrupy drink that bears thecompany’s namesake is far from the top dog. Instead, thecompany has marketed drinks specifically aimed at someof Japan’s more eccentric taste preferences. We’re allfamiliar with Japan’s huge range of Kit-Kat flavours, fromwasabi and soybean to green tea, and it’s no different withsoft drinks. So Coca-Cola’s most popular drinks here are‘Georgia’ brand canned coffee, orange-flavoured water andthe ubiquitous green tea. Food companies looking to break into the Japanesemarket can learn from the drinks company’s example andadapt their products to suit the national palateaccordingly. Market research can help stem financialdisarray further down the line and the logistical nightmarea failed product launch can entail. The growing trend for clean and healthyfood products in the West, particularly inthe UK and US, has seen a massivediversification in the market.Make it JapanJapan is capitalising on its internationally renowned cuisine with an ambitious export target, whichcoincides with the growing popularity of Japanese food in Britain and the United States.18 Á16-19_Layout 1 20/12/2016 13:02 Page 1Food & Drink International 17www.fdiforum.net16-19_Layout 1 20/12/2016 13:02 Page 218 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTPerhaps in reaction to the growing obesitycrisis, cuisines from Japan, Korea andVietnam, among others, are becomingpart of the consumer mainstream.Throughout 2016, there has been agrowing emphasis on probiotics and guthealth with fermented goods gainingmarket traction. The pickles andfermented miso products of Japan areperfectly aligned with this trend. Healthfood and specialist shops have longstocked such products, but what was oncea niche taste is now available insupermarkets across the UK. Despite this upsurge in demand, Japanis looking to bolster its exports. Key to itssuccess lies in its global reputation andrecognition. It’s fair to say that overseas,Japan has a reputation for high qualityfood products which boast intricatepreparation and cooking processes with anattention to presentation and flavour. Theexplosion of popularity of sushi inAmerica in the seventies introduced anentire country to the concept of Japanesefood and the prestige that goes with it. Makoto Kondo, Deputy Director of theExport Promotion Division at the FoodIndustry Affairs Bureau of the Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry and Fisheries(MAFF), was interviewed by The JapanTimes where he discussed the Ministry’splans in boosting exports. “Taking advantage of such globalrecognition, MAFF is starting tocollaborate with other ministries and theJapan External Trade Organization(JETRO). Altogether, we are trying topromote further exports of Japan’s farm,forest and marine products,” he said. The Ministry is aiming to raise theexport value of its most famous productssuch as sake, beef and green tea as well assome examples consumers might notimmediately go out of their way to buyJapanese, such as dairy products, rice,vegetables, fruit as well as fish andprocessed marine products. If successful,the Ministry hopes to raise such productsto the value of ¥1 trillion before 2020.There are a number of roadblocks toovercome in order to achieve thatfinancial aim, namely the Fukushimanuclear meltdown from 2011. Followingthe disaster, Japan adopted strict controlmeasures to ensure product safety andquality. Not only was this a critical moveto alleviate fears on a domestic level, butalso to quell concerns overseas. As aresult, exporters are again trustingconsumer goods coming out of Japanwithout the stigma of radiation. It will take more than just convincingonce and existing exporters if Japan is tomake good on its aims, and will require areal push from government. As part of itsplans, the country is utilising overseastrade shows, seminars and cooking showstailored specifically for Japanese cuisine.16-19_Layout 1 20/12/2016 13:02 Page 3Food & Drink International 19www.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTMoreover, it is organising business meetings andtrade visitors, and establishing in-store Japanshops in strategic commercial facilities overseas. The government is encouraging the expansionof export destinations that have so far beenrelatively limited to neighbouring countries andregions such as South Korea, China, HongKong and Taiwan, though the latter is provingvolatile. In response the Fukushima disaster, Taiwanbanned food imports from five areas near theFukushima prefecture in 2011, just weeksfollowing the meltdown that contaminated someimports. In May 2016, Taiwan imposed newrestrictions of Japanese imports after hundredsof products were found to be mislabelled todisguise their origin. More recently, however,talks have taken place exploring the lifting ofsaid bans, though the talks have triggered inviolence in as many as ten public hearings. Atthe time of going to print, the issue is far fromresolved, and is likely to play a make-or-breakrole in Japan’s 2020 export goal. Chinese import plans rufflefeathers in Europe & US Authorities inEurope and the USare anxious for morehigh level talks withChina over thenation’s plans tobolster regulations onits food imports.Starting October2017, Beijing wants allfood items, such aspasta, coffee andbiscuits, to carryhealth certificationseven if they’reconsidered to be of low-risk. EU and US officials, however, say the move woulddrastically raise costs from global suppliers. It could also create a major logisticalproblem, the officials added. In Europe and the US, such controls are currently only needed for dairy products,meat and other perishable goods. Chinese products, on the other hand, are notrequired to meet the same standards. China’s food and drink imports have exploded in recent years, and the nation isforecast to become the world’s top consumer of imported food by as soon as 2018.Subsequently, many exporters are keen to get in on the action and sidestep anyregulations that might otherwise hinder trade activity.UK gin exports to US rise 553%British ginexports to the USAhave risen by astaggering 553% inthe last decade.British gin isnow sold overseasin 139 countriesaround the worldwith America,Canada, Spain andGermany buyingthe most.UK gin brandshave benefitedfrom America’slove for hit showslike DowntonAbbey and the James Bond franchise helping to sell £159 million worth of British gin tothe Americans in 2015.According to the HMRC, 40 new distilleries have opened in 2016, which, when addedto the 56 opened in 2015, means close 100 new distilleries have opened in the UK intwo years.Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association said: “Followingthe cut in spirits duty in the 2015 budget, spirits duty income increased on the previousyear by £125m (+4.1%) from April 2015 to March 2016 inclusive. The UK spirit industryis one of the most heavily taxed in Europe with 76% of a bottle of spirits accounted forby tax, the 4th highest duty rate for spirits in the EU.”16-19_Layout 1 20/12/2016 13:03 Page 4Next >