News in brief: a round-up of industry stories
We visit different corners of the industry to bring you a selection of stories in bitesize form.
Love Your High Street Week
Running between 10-16 November, Love Your High Street Week returns this month. Led by Bira, the campaign encourages indie businesses to come together and amplify a simple message to their communities: ‘Shop local, support independents, love your High Street’.
Retailers can engage their customers via email and social media, using the hashtag #LoveYourHighStreet. Campaign resources are provided by Bira, including graphics, communications templates, printable posters and flyers.
CLF fundraiser
CLF Distribution has announced a record-breaking fundraising effort for its annual Pink Day.
Each year the distributor encourages employees to wear an item of pink to work on Pink Day to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer.
Pink Day 2025 saw CLF ‘smash last year’s total and set a new CLF record’ with £824.10 collected for charity.
”From bake sales and pink-themed dress-ups, everyone came together to support an amazing cause and raise awareness for breast cancer,” CLF said in a post on LinkedIn. “A huge thank you to everyone who donated, participated and helped spread the word. Your generosity and enthusiasm make a real difference. Here’s to an even bigger and brighter Pink Day next year!”
30th birthday
Planet Organic has celebrated its 30th birthday with a party held at The Amadeus in London, at which it was announced that the retailer has partnered with City Harvest to help rescued food reach families in need.
Taking to Instagram, Planet Organic team members Mark and Chloe told followers: “Planet Organic is turning 30 and to celebrate this we’re doing something meaningful. We’ve teamed up with City Harvest to help provide 30,000 meals to those facing food poverty in London. And this is where you come in: every time you buy a cold drink [juices or smoothies] from our Food To Go counter, 10p goes to City Harvest. It’s a small change that makes a big difference. Less waste, more meals, healthier communities.”
Women’s health
From 2026 NHS health checks will include menopause screening for the first time. Women’s health checks, offered to those between 40 and 74-years-old every five years, will start covering menopause symptoms with the aim of identifying more women who require advice and support.
The Government believes the new measure will place menopause in mainstream conversations, but campaigners caution that low uptake of health checks in some communities may mean not enough women benefit.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting comments: "Women have been suffering in silence for far too long and haven't been encouraged to open up about the symptoms they're experiencing. This often means they're left to navigate menopause alone with very little support. No-one should have to grit their teeth and just get on with what can be debilitating symptoms or be told that it's simply part of life."
Reset and refocus
Launching its first non-CBD product, Goodrays has released new low-calorie functional drink Re:Focus, infused with lion’s mane, magnesium and electrolytes to ‘reset the body and focus the mind’.
The brand says consumers are ‘actively seeking products that support focus and clarity’, with 81% of UK adults linking wellness to mental health.
Re:Focus — available in Zesty Lime & Kiwi and Wild Mixed Berry Mix — contains 800mg of fast-absorbing magnesium, 250mg of naturally harvested lion’s mane and 530mg of a bespoke electrolyte blend.
Eoin Keenan, Goodrays founder, says: “Re:Focus is a milestone moment for us — a first-to-market product in the UK due to the effective doses of magnesium, lion’s mane and electrolytes included. As someone who has faced mental health challenges, I know how important small daily choices are. Being part of that positive change is what drives us every day.”
Baked for breakfast
The latest addition to the Yeo Valley range is its new small batch Organic Tray-Baked Granola which uses 100% British oats, complemented by a ‘generous mi'x’ of nuts, seeds and fruits.
Jonny McIver, marketing manager, Yeo Valley Organic, says: "After 30 years of championing delicious organic food, we’re excited to take another step that supports the whole organic regenerative farming system. Growing oats has been part of our farming story for years, so granola is a natural next step, especially when it pairs so well with our organic yoghurts. Every spoonful has a satisfying crunch and an authentic homemade texture. While there are plenty of granolas out there, not many are delivering on what really matters: natural ingredients, great taste and generous clusters. That’s why we’re proud to bring the range to the breakfast table.”
Morning rituals
A new SKU will launch from The Organic Protein Co. in January, as consumers overhaul their New Year routines.
Real Coffee Organic Whey Protein is made with just two ingredients: 95% cold-filtered organic whey protein and 5% organic coffee sourced from Honduras, Peru, Papua New Guinea and Tanzania — ‘perfect for those who don’t want to choose between their morning coffee and their protein hit’. The carefully crafted 95:5 ratio is said to deliver ‘authentic flavour and a natural energy boost, without the need for separate products or complicated routines’.
The first caffeinated blend from the brand, the product offers a natural energy boost without artificial additives, and each pack sold supports Compassion in World Farming.
Dan Whitehead, founder, comments: “It’s a smarter, more mindful start to the day. Our customers wanted a true coffee experience without the artificial shortcuts, and we’ve delivered exactly that — pure, barista-worthy protein.”
By Rosie Greenaway, editor