Vendex North took place in the Manchester Suite at Old Trafford, home to none other than Manchester United on Tuesday 16th November. Vending International was there to see the latest in machine technology, together with a wide range of vended products and services.

The latest session of Vending PARIS confirms the exhibition’s role as the mustattend event for the vending world and marks a significant milestone in the show’s history, with new themes and events reflecting the latest industry trends and developments.

According to leading frozen food retailer Iceland, the first frozen food was developed by Birds Eye and appeared in the shops in 1939. “The increasing availability of a quickly expanding range of frozen food challenged people’s perceptions in terms of food preservation, but it was an easy transition for families to make when technological developments in the 1970s made freezers cheaper and more readily available to all.”

With more than 55,000 products in its portfolio, an annual R&D spend in excess of $1.5 billion and net revenues of $24.5 billion, 3M employs a staggering 73,500 people worldwide. Marcus Whitely of 3M Cuno Filtration Products, together with Marketing Executive Katie Gibbs invited Vending International for an exclusive tour of its stunning HQ in Bracknell to find out more...

The eighth annual Welsh Consumer Attitudes to Food Survey, published in 2008 by the Food Standards Agency revealed that consumers were continuing to take a keen interest in healthy eating. Nearly nine out of ten respondents claimed that healthy eating was important to them, while 88% also believed that a limited budget is not a barrier to healthy eating. There was overwhelming agreement (83%) that parents should be strict with children and make them eat healthily. Just over three quarters (76%) of consumers were said to be aware that they should be eating at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables each day and 50% claimed to be putting this into practice by eating at least ‘5-a-day’.

With over 100 years experience in roasting and blending coffee, Lavazza is the leader when it comes to creating an authentic Italian coffee experience. Lavazza OCS and Vending supports 2.5 million coffee machines serving over a billion coffees a year worldwide.

This winter, Cadbury has redesigned two of its classic chocolate bars, Cadbury Picnic and Cadbury Starbar, giving their packs a modern update.

The newly designed bars are available now, in time for retailers to make the most of Christmas sales.

The team at Tyrrells have really ploughed everything they know into producing their new Furrows range, available in stores this November. The delicious hand-cooked potato chips have been skilfully cut and perfectly formed to replicate the furrowed potato fields surrounding the farm in Herefordshire – the Society of Ploughmen would be proud of their efforts!

Myrtle Coffee based in Fife, Scotland have become the latest business to invest in the Vendman software system. Recognising the growing needs of customers and management alike Myrtle have introduced Vendman as the management tool to help control all aspects of their ever changing business.

Back in 2005 Beautiful Vending made their mark on the UK vending scene with the invention of the Hair Straightener Vending Machine. Since then the company have enjoyed high profile media coverage in international publications and have earned a long list of awards.

Beautiful Vending stylers can be found in every corner of the UK and in a total of 29 countries around the world.

With sugar prices on the increase due to the drought and flood damage brought about by the Niña weather event, the subsequent heavier rain in parts of Asia and drier weather to Argentina and Brazil are about to take their toll and impact on the export of sugar from countries like Australia.

Queensland Sugar, Australia’s largest shipper, cut its shipment forecast on the wet weather, saying nationwide exports may slump by as much as 20 percent.

The technical committee is an integral part of the AVA and is run by volunteers from the membership with support from the quality auditors and the AVA technical consultant, Mike Saltmarsh. Under the stewardship of Chris Skipper, the current chairman, it represents all sectors of the membership; operators, commodities, ingredients and machine manufacturers.

Hurley and Stefan Searle agree: “Glaxo SmithKline and Cool Assist have agreed a deal that just didn’t exist in the marketplace until we invented it.”

To appreciate the puzzle Stefan Searle had been challenged to solve in his role as Glaxo SmithKline’s (GSK’s) Equipment Team Manager, picture a Rubik’s Cube, as viewed through a kaleidoscope.

It is essential for the safe operation of traditional espresso and B2C coffee machines that everyone understands their responsibilities under the often confusing regulations regarding maintenance of the pressure vessels they have to generate steam.

In the UK, the European Pressure Equipment Directive 97/23/EC is interpreted and presented in the form of Pressure Equipment Regulations.

Leading beverage equipment innovator and manufacturer, Marco Beverage Systems, has finalised its Ecoboiler range of eco-friendly water boilers, which now comprises three different models. The original Ecoboiler, launched three years ago, has become the benchmark in the industry for environmentally aware and costconscious caterers. Originally available in pushbutton and tap models, it has since been joined by a wall-mounted version and most recently, by the Ecosmart, a variable temperature boiler for brewing speciality teas and coffees at the correct temperature. The energy efficient features that made the Ecoboiler so popular in the first place are now also to be found in these other two models.

Nestlé Professional® has announced its new reduced packaging on its NESCAFÉ® single-serve stick packs, which will save 22.4 tonnes of material waste every year – that’s the equivalent weight of two and a half double-decker buses.

United Biscuits UK (UBUK) is announcing that it is improving the nutritional content of another of its brands by slashing the saturated fat content of its go ahead! Fruit Bakes range by 50%!

What does LTT Vending have in common with BBC Television Centre, Beatles and the Mini? They were all founded 50 years ago.

LTT Vending is proudly celebrating 50 years of business this year rewarding all employees with a fifty pound note. Over the course of five decades, this refreshment focused business has a deep business legacy to celebrate.

Dairy UK calls for stricter legislation on cheese origin labelling, claiming that at present customers can be mislead about the place of manufacture.

In the UK, US grape juice manufacturer Welch’s adds a new variant, 100% Purple Grape and Raspberry, to its range of chilled juices.

Tate & Lyle posts a 3.9% rise in sales for the six months ended 30 September to £1.35bn, with profit climbing 58.7% to £73m.

Huhtamaki is delighted to announce John Dickman from Leicester College as the winner of its ‘Capture The Cup’ Photographic Competition 2010! Judges were impressed with John’s entry – an image which they felt captured the Competition’s ‘beverages-to-go’ brief perfectly!

Footprint Awards 2011, the UK foodservice industry’s first-ever Awards programme exclusively dedicated to rewarding contributions to sustainability and environ mental excellence, is now open for entries.