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Florist Event organisers suspend trading
Moyses Stevens close branches
New Head at Fair Trade Foundation
Flowergram members dropped as Flowers Direct merges membership
Interflora fails Advertising check
Steve Richards to leave Interflora
Booths see increase while others falter
Open Skies for Kenya
New owners for Vitacress
Third month of gloom in High Street
Dialogue re-opens with Interflora
Another supermarket link for Teleflorist
Goldfish stop customers in their tracks
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Basing suspends trading in order to assess situation [top] |
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Marketing man heads up Fair Trade Business and brand consultant David Clayton Smith has been appointed the new Chairman of The Fairtrade Foundation. A member of the board for 10 months, Clayton Smith is a Director and Co-founder of the business consultancy Andrum Ltd, has an impressive range of retail and online sector experience and been responsible for brand management, sales, marketing, and buying and supply functions in major blue-chip consumer businesses.
Harriet Lamb, Executive Director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said: “David brings a fresh creative perspective to developing business growth in the Fairtrade sector. His wealth of experience in the consumer-facing retail world, combined with his commitment to development issues, means he is uniquely well placed to help the Foundation scale up to deliver greater benefits for producers.” Lamb also paid tribute to Mike Gidney, Director of Policy at Traidcraft Exchange, who has served as Chair on the Fairtrade Foundation Board for three years and before that was a board member for three years. Six years is the maximum period it is possible to serve on the foundation’s board. “Mike has constantly challenged the senior management team and staff of the Fairtrade Foundation to deliver his vision of a Fairtrade lifestyle for the public,” says Lamb. “We are in particular very grateful for all his direction and steer in developing the foundation’s ambitious five-year strategy launched earlier this year, Tipping the Balance.” Clayton Smith will now help the organisation deliver the goals of the strategy that, over the next five years, seeks to tip the balance of international trade in favour of disadvantaged producers. Specific targets include achieving a UK market share of at least 50 per cent in the top three product categories, and more than 10 per cent in at least six other food and drink categories. The number of farmers and workers in the developing world benefiting from sales of Fairtrade products in the UK will have more than doubled. [top] |
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flowersdirect Strengthens its Relay Network Eds Note: As we upload this weeks news we are receiving calls from Flowergram members who are aggrieved that their memberships have been terminated as a result of flowersdirect changes. We will contact the company to find out more and report when we are able. [top] |
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Interflora found guilty of breaching ASA ‘truth’ rules [top] |
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Steve Richards to leave Interflora Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Officers. On June 9, 2008, Stephen Richards, an Executive Vice President of FTD Group, Inc. (the “Company”) and Chief Executive Officer of Interflora Holdings Limited (“Interflora”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, submitted his resignation from his respective positions at the Company and Interflora to be effective as of the date of the consummation of the previously disclosed proposed merger with United Online, Inc. (the “Merger”). Ryhs Hughes, an Executive Vice President of the Company and President of Interflora, will assume Mr. Richards’ operational responsibilities following the consummation of the Merger.
In an e-mail sent to both staff and members Mr Richards wrote: “I wanted to end any speculation and formally tell you that I’ve decided to leave Interflora once the merger between FTD and United Online is complete – it is anticipated to close during the third quarter of 2008. Rhys Hughes will take on my operational responsibilities at that time.” Mr Richards continued: “In the 5 years since I joined the business we have seen a radical transformation of the company and I’m proud of all we have achieved together. I’d like to thank you for the part you have played in creating the dominant and most successful relay business in our territories. Those who know me well will not be surprised I think that it’s now time for me to move on to new challenges.” In conclusion he says: “I know once I’m gone the business will be in good hands, Rhys and his team are proven and experienced, United Online bring new energy and ideas. In the meanwhile I will continue to work for the commercial goals of Interflora and towards the successful completion of the transaction.” Editors Note: Mr Richards, (49) who has worked for a number of high profile retailers and brand names in the past, joined Interflora in September 2003 and was responsible for introducing and seeing through the de-mutualisation of Interflora with the sale to 3i for some £23milion. Some 15 months later Interflora was sold to FTD for circa £65 million, with Mr Richards taking on the role of Executive Vice President in addition to his CEO role with Interflora Holdings. [top] |
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Booths on the rise While John Lewis and Marks & Spencer may be reporting a downward trend, Booths, the North-west supermarket group have posted a year on year profit increase of 30 per, up from £6.9 million in the previous 12 months.
According to Edwin Booth, the fifth-generation family member to run the UK’s remaining independent supermarket group, Booths ethical and environmental policies have helped generate a four per cent rise in sales to £243m while an investment of £2m in a more efficient warehouse and distribution network, and the completion of an environmental audit have added both increased efficiencies and supply transparency. However Edwin also believes that the Preston based company’s growth has been helped by their decision to focus on both locally sourced foods with an emphasis on the ‘human touch’. “It’s one thing all our competitors find it hard to replicate,” he said. “When you go into a Booths store, you feel you belong and there is a sense of community.” [top] |
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Open skies for Kenya The deal which allows direct flights between the two countries for one year is expected to promote Kenya’s export trade particularly flowers. Ambassador Michael Ranneberger said that flower growers in Kenya should take advantage of the deal to export more flowers to the US because there is a high demand for them. "We think that in the next 12 months or so, the U.S. could be the largest source country for tourists to Kenya if we can get direct flights underway," the Ambassador said, adding that flights could start after negotiations on a "Safe Skies" agreement are completed. A "Safe Skies" deal is designed to ensure airlines flying to U.S. airports and foreign airports to which U.S. carriers fly meet U.S. security standards. Speaking about the new deal an official at the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya said they expected the U.S. market to account for between 2 and 5 percent of exports at the start of the direct flights and rise gradually. Records from the Kenya Tourist Board indicate that 101,879 U.S. tourists visited Kenya in 2007, up from 86,528 the previous year. However the tourism sector was greatly jolted by violence following the disputed presidential elections last December. Kenyan flower exports to the United States are negligible but it is the largest exporter of cut flowers to Europe, earning the country 70.3 billion Kenya shillings (1.09 billion USD) last year. [top] |
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Vitacress acquired by RAR Group Based in south of England, Vitacress is one of the leading growers and marketers of salads in the UK and Portugal, being the largest Europe’s supplier of watercress, baby leaf spinach and rocket, farming about 1.200 hectares of land in England Portugal and Spain. The company has a strong presence in the bagged salads market, with special emphasis in the baby leaf segment, where its products are well known for their innovation and excellence.
Vitacress in 2007 had a turnover of £81m (€102m) and an EBITDA of £6.4m (€8m), employing around 1,000 employees.
The current CEO of the company, Nick Stenning, will continue to lead a strong management team, focusing on the consolidation and expansion of this business. This signifies a new phase in the development of Vitacress, allowing for an increase in the scale of its operations, particularly in the Iberian market. [top] |
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CBI report 3rd month of disappointing high street sales Thirty nine per cent of retail respondents to its latest Distributive Trades Survey reported that in the first half of June sales were lower than a year ago, while 30% said sales had increased.
The resulting balance of -9% disappointed expectations of modest growth in sales volumes, but was an improvement on last month's balance of -14% and April’s very weak figure (-26). A slightly slower decline is predicted next month (-7%). The 9% survey balance equates to annual volume growth of just over 2% on the ONS measure.
The three-month moving average of sales volumes, which levels out monthly volatility, continued its downward trend to a balance of -16% this month, which is the weakest since December 2005 (-18%).
Sales for the time of year were also seen as poor by a net 21% of firms - a trend which is expected to continue easing next month, when a balance of 17% expect poor sales.
Weak demand prompted retailers to cut the volume of orders placed with suppliers in June (a balance of -12%), and they expect to do so again in July at a similar rate. Stock levels were seen as more than adequate to meet demand by a net 22% of businesses.
In individual sectors, clothing retailers reported a record low in their year-on-year sales growth, and booksellers & stationers also fared poorly. And retailers tied to the housing market, such as durable household goods, furniture & carpets, hardware, china & DIY continued to report falling annual sales.
However, grocers, including supermarkets, had another month of strong year-on-year sales growth, with a balance of +67% reporting an increase in sales, which was the highest since December 2005 (+70%). Footwear and leather shops were the only other sector to report sales growth.
Andy Clarke, the new Chairman of the CBI's Distributive Trades Panel, and Retail Director of Asda, said: "High fuel prices and concerns about the economy have blunted consumer appetites, and those retailers linked to the housing market are continuing to endure difficult conditions. Grocers have had another strong month, as people spend more in supermarkets, focusing on the essentials and also upgrading to higher value foods instead of having a night out." [top] |
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New owners agree to interview with F&WB [top] |
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Teleflorist members to get orders from Sainsbury's The deal, which operates in the same way as the Tesco site referrals, transfers Sainsbury's customers to the World Flowers on-line ordering site which gives customers the choice of flowers by post, a sameday service through their 'network of florists' and a courier flower option under the Jane Packer brand name. [top] |
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Show stopping goldfish [top] |
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