Cranswick: Pig farmer pivots to bite-sized falafels as Brits embrace weight loss trend Retail A food conglomerate founded by pig farmers has been rewarded by its expansion into share-sized Mediterranean foods as weight-loss jabs and health kicks surge in popularity. Cranswick was established by a group of Yorkshire pig farmers in 1972, but has since expanded into falafel and houmous with its acquisitions of Mediterranean food brands like Ramona’s [...]
Iran war takes familiar toll on Britain’s punch-drunk farmers Food The Iran war has left farmers facing another round of brutal cost rises. With the scars wrought by the cost-of-living crisis only just beginning to heal, many are warning that something will have to give. The bucolic West Suffolk estate managed by farmer Andrew Blenkiron does not, on appearances, look like a scene ravaged by [...]
Firms scramble to keep up as the UK prepares to align with EU food standards Politics Fans of Clarkson’s Farm will know that, for British farmers, dealing with the EU presents an endless stream of headaches and paperwork. But things are changing fast – too fast, many worry – in the UK’s complex web of food production, and farmers and manufacturers are scrambling to meet changes in legislation coming down the [...]
Investors eye farming as AI’s latest cash cow March 23, 2026 A startup fitting livestock with AI-powered collars is closing in on a $2bn valuation, as investors turn their attention to a less obvious frontier for AI. New Zealand-based Halter is in talks to raise fresh funding led by Founders Fund, the Silicon Valley firm backed by Peter Thiel. The round is understood to be heavily [...]
Treasury ‘buries’ farming report until after Budget in inheritance tax blow November 16, 2025 A government-commissioned review that shows the financial pressures on the farming industry has been “buried” by the Treasury until after the Autumn Budget, Whitehall sources claim. The review which was carried out by a former president of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), Baroness Batters, is understood to lay bare concerns among farmers over Chancellor Rachel [...]
Mahmud Kamani-backed vertical farm collapses after failing to find a buyer October 3, 2025 A vertical farming group backed by the likes of Boohoo co-founder Mahmud Kamani has collapsed after being unable to find a buyer, owing creditors nearly £8m. London-based Vertical Future had raised more than £37m in capital since it was founded in 2016, courting high-profile investors including Kamani, Charles Tyrwhitt founder Nick Wheeler and World First [...]
Groove Armada DJ’s side hustle rakes in millions after Clarkson’s Farm boost September 26, 2025 A wild farming brand co-founded by one half of Groove Armada has surged in value after appearing on Clarkson’s Farm. Wildfarmed was set up by Groove Armada’s Andy Cato alongside former TV presenter George Lamb and Edd Lees in 2018. The business aims to aims to transform landscapes and food systems by producing nutritious, sustainable [...]
The last harvest? How tax changes are impacting British farming September 8, 2025 Britain's food security hangs in the balance as agricultural land is lost to pay inheritance tax bills, writes Sarah Jordan.
UK’s largest bioethanol plant to shut after US trade deal August 15, 2025 The UK’s largest bioethanol plant is to shut, its owner has said, after the government decided not offer the struggling factory an emergency funding settlement after months of fraught negotiations. Vivergo Fuels had been locked in talks over its future with the business department since June, after it warned an element of the UK-US trade [...]
Agritech firm Vertical Future put up for sale on insolvency marketplace after losses widen July 30, 2025 One of Britain’s biggest vertical farming businesses has been put up for sale on an insolvency marketplace after reporting widening losses, City AM can reveal. London-based Vertical Future, which has raised more than £37m in capital since it was founded in 2016, saw its losses surpass £10m in 2024 after turnover tumbled from £6.7m to [...]