Wing Yip, the UK’s largest oriental grocer, has announced that it will continue to run its annual Industrial Placement programme in partnership with Loughborough University, despite of the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic
The business has committed to the growth and development of three students this year, who are all conducting a work placement at the company.
Liv Oxer, 20 from Cheshire, Jack Shillinglaw, 21, from New Brighton and Heather Swindlehurst, are all in their third year at Loughborough University, studying for International Business, BSc Economics and Management and Management Sciences.
Placements at Wing Yip will give them the opportunity to delve into a variety of projects ranging from marketing, to e-commerce and general management.
Wing Yip director, Ennevor Yap, comments: “We have offered work placements to students at Loughborough University for the past two years and did not want this year to be any different – this is the first year where we’ve recruited Loughborough students.
"We understand that Covid-19 has made it more challenging for young people to secure placements, so it was especially important that we continued our work to support local students and help them progress their chosen career paths.
As much as we do to support everyone involved in the programme, we are very grateful for all the hard work and dedication shown by each student and we would encourage them to keep up the good work!”
Wing Yip has four superstores located in Birmingham, Manchester, Cricklewood and Croydon and an online shop at www.wingyip.com.
Liv Oxer, who is currently based at Wing Yip Birmingham in the marketing department, added: “I feel very lucky that I have been able to work at Wing Yip this year, in spite of everything that is happening in the world currently.
"Many of my friends have lost their spots on placements due to Covid-19 and finding a new one can be really tricky. It’s great that I am still able to gain valuable work experience which will be really beneficial once I graduate. Thank you to Wing Yip for giving me the opportunity!
Wing Yip has confirmed bringing on another two students onto the team towards the end of this year.
The business also runs a year one retail module in partnership with Loughborough University’s business school which has been running since 2018
Tariffs imposed by China and the United States could deal an estimated €200 million (£167m) blow to Pernod Ricard's business annually, finance chief Helene de Tissot said on Thursday.
China has already imposed temporary tariffs on European brandy imports, hurting Pernod's sales of its Martell cognac brand. The impact of tariffs, which could become permanent, forced Pernod to cut its outlook for 2025 and beyond on Thursday.
The world's second-largest spirits maker now anticipates a low single-digit decline in organic net sales.
US president Donald Trump has also threatened 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, as well as impose levies on the European Union, which would affect a range of Pernod products from Jameson Irish whiskey to Codigo 1530 tequila.
Altogether, assuming a 10 per cent US tariff on the EU, that could have an annual impact of €200m on Pernod, de Tissot told analysts on Thursday's results call, adding around €130-140m of that was related to Chinese cognac duties.
About 50 per cent of the total could be offset via mitigation measures, de Tissot continued, some of which have already been implemented in China.
Earlier this week Diageo, the world's top spirits maker, estimated an around $200m (£161m) blow from US tariffs for the last four months of its current financial year.
Pernod reported a 4 per cent organic sales decline in the first half of fiscal year 2025, with reported sales down 6 per cent to €6.17bn. While seeing sequential improvement in the second quarter and strong performances in some mature and emerging markets, the company cited a declining but improving US market and a continuing weak performance in China as key factors affecting results. Volume was up, but price/mix was down 6 per cent largely due to market mix, the company said.
Despite the sales decline, Pernod managed to expand its organic operating margin by 65 basis points in the first half, reaching 32.1 per cent.
Looking ahead, Pernod anticipates fiscal year 2026 will be a transition year with improving trends in organic net sales, conditional on the challenges posed by the global tariff environment. The company aims to defend its organic operating margin during this period and improve cash conversion. From fiscal year 2027 to 2029, Pernod projects stronger organic net sales growth, targeting an average range of 3 to 6 per cent, alongside organic operating margin expansion.
The company reiterated its commitment to maintaining consistent brand investment, targeting approximately 16 per cent of net sales for advertising and promotion, while remaining agile and responsive to market opportunities.
Pernod also plans to continue its efficiency initiatives, targeting approximately €1bn in savings from fiscal year 2026 to 2029.
A prolific shoplifter has been banned from Blackburn town centre and One Stop Stores in Lancashire.
Benjamin Wareing, 29, of Lockside was handed a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) over shoplifting offences.
As informed by Lancashire Constabulary, Wareing was issued the CBO at Preston Magistrates Court on Saturday (1) with a number of conditions.
He is not to enter or attempt to enter Blackburn town centre unless to attend a pre-booked appointment. He is also not allowed to enter any One Stop convenience store in Blackburn.
Operation Vulture is Lancashire Constabulary’s response to shoplifting across the county, backed by Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw.
The operation sees dedicated officers undertaking hotspot patrolling, increasing their visibility in targeted areas and creating strong partnerships with retailers across the county to better share intelligence, get a deeper understanding of retail crime and identify more offenders.
Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said, "As Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner, I will continue to work alongside the Chief Constable to establish a more proactive approach to shoplifting, with better protection for shop workers and improved relationships between retailers and the police.
"The public need to know that in the event of a crime such as shoplifting, the police will come, and the crime will be punished accordingly.”
Sugro UK, the member-owned buying and marketing group, announced the expansion of its membership with the addition of Manchester-based wholesaler Eurotrade Limited as a new Member to the group.
Established in 1983, family-run business Eurotrade originated from modest roots, operating from a small shop in Manchester which sold novelty items to retailers, cash and carries, and smaller wholesalers.
In 2010, Eurotrade expanded their operations by relocating to a 30,000 sq. ft. warehouse and broadening their product offering to include a variety of food and beverage lines.
Today, Eurotrade offers wholesale delivery services across a diverse range of products including confectionery, soft drinks, household goods and toiletries, and select ambient grocery items.
Pritesh Mehta, Director of Eurotrade Ltd, said, “At Eurotrade, we are thrilled to become part of the Sugro Family. This partnership will allow us to expand our product portfolio and offer an even wider range to our customers.
"We look forward to building a strong relationship with the Sugro team and leveraging their resources to further grow our business and better serve our customers.”
Sugro’s Business Development Manager, Shruti Senapati, added, “We are excited to welcome Eurotrade to our expanding Sugro family.
"We look forward to helping drive their growth and creating new opportunities by leveraging the Group’s buying power, promotions, digital initiatives, and robust supplier network to deliver mutual benefits.”
Two local business owners and entrepreneurs have acquired the historic Jennings Brewery, located in Cockermouth, Cumbria, from Carlsberg Britvic for an undisclosed sum.
Kurt Canfield, CEO of specialist engineering business Delkia, and Rebecca Canfield, proprietor of wine and spirits company Wine and the Wood, took ownership of the brewery site with intention to resume brewing Jennings beer in Cockermouth, following the brewery’s closure in 2022.
The deal also involves the transfer of rights to the Jennings brand, including all trademarks, intellectual property and recipes. Bottled beer under the Jennings brand will continue to be sold by Carlsberg Britvic until March this year, following which beer production will transfer to the new company – Jennings Brewery Ltd.
“As lifelong residents of West Cumbria, we have cherished Jennings Brewery and its beer for many years. Preserving the heritage of the brewery and the Maltings building, which are integral to our community, is of utmost importance to us. We are delighted to bring Jennings back to the local area and to have it once again run by a family-owned business,” Rebecca Canfield said.
“The brewery has almost 200 years of brewing history and one element that really attracted us to the project was the fact that it has its very own well. This is what makes it so beautiful and unique – an authentic Jennings beer can only be brewed with local water!”
Kurt Canfield, who will continue as CEO of Delkia, added: “This project is a remarkable and ambitious endeavour, which we are taking on to benefit the entire community. The Maltings building is an historic landmark, and we have extensive plans to enhance the site while respecting its heritage. However, critical repairs are necessary and will take time before we can get back to brewing the great beer that Jennings in known for.”
David Bodily, head of properties and facilities at Carlsberg Britvic, said: “We're pleased to have completed the sale of Jennings Brewery to new, local owners who are looking to preserve the site's brewing heritage. The brewery is a unique location in Cockermouth, and we wish Kurt and Rebecca every success for the future."
The project is expected to create several new jobs in the area, including the appointment of a Head Brewer, a brewing team, and a local sales and marketing force. Some appointments have already been made for the new business, with Chris France, founder of speciality beer retailer Beer Hawk joining as managing director.
France, who also grew up in The Lake District said: “Jennings was hugely influential as I developed my love for this industry, and the idea of bringing a great beer back to the heart of this town is an exciting prospect. There’s a rich brewing history here and we’d love to hear from anyone in the community who wants to join the team or be part of bringing it back.”
The Labour government is getting rid of a "shoplifters’ charter" to take a grip on rising retail crime left behind by the Conservative party, prime minister Keir Starmer stated on Wednesday (5) in the Commons Chamber.
Starmer was answering a question raised by Labour MP Claire Hughes when he acknowledged that shoplifting is no more a "low level" crime.
Citing an example of seaside town Llandudno where businesses are struggling with a rise in shoplifting, Hughes raised the concern in the Commons Chamber, adding that thieves are now committing robbery in full view of staff because they have no fear of consequences.
She stated, "The recent funding boost for neighbourhood policing is very welcome, but will the Prime Minister please tell my constituents what more the Government are doing to tackle retail crime and deter repeat offenders?"
Starmer agreed, saying shoplifting is not a victimless crime.
He said, "For far too long, crimes such as shoplifting have been written off as 'low level'.
"That is wrong; such crimes are devastating. The Conservative party left us with rising crime and effectively told the police to ignore shoplifting of under £200-worth of goods.
"We have got rid of that shoplifters’ charter, and we are working hard to ensure that we take a grip where they lost control."
Nearly half a million shoplifting offences were recorded by police in England and Wales in a year, the highest 12-month total on record, according to the data released by Office for National Statistics (ONS) last week.
.A total of 492,914 offences were logged by forces in the year to September 2024, up 23 per cent from 402,220 in the previous 12 months. The figure is the highest since current records began in the year to March 2003.
Industry body the British Retail Consortium's (BRC) annual crime survey also shows similar trend.
BRC survey shows that theft and violence against retail workers in Britain soared to record levels last year and are "out of control", driven partly by criminal gangs.
The survey found more than 20 million incidents of theft were committed in the year to Aug 31 2024, which equates to 55,000 a day, costing retailers a total £2.2 billion. There were 16 million incidents in the previous year.
Incidents of violence and abuse in 2023/24 climbed to over 2,000 per day, up from 1,300 the year before. This is more than three times what it was in 2020, when there were just 455 incidents a day.
Incidents included racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons. There were 70 incidents per day which involved a weapon, more than double the previous year, shows BRC survey.