Pecan Deluxe Candy (Europe) Ltd is marking a major milestone this year — its 25th anniversary — celebrating a quarter of a century of innovation, growth, and success in the European confectionery industry.

Established in 2000 as a fully owned UK subsidiary of the US-based Pecan Deluxe Candy Company, the Yorkshire manufacturer has evolved from a modest operation into one of Europe’s most dynamic and trusted suppliers of sweet inclusions and toppings for the food and beverage industry. From cookie dough, fudge and praline nuts to brownie and cookie pieces, Pecan Deluxe’s ingredients add indulgent texture and flavour to a host of household-name products enjoyed by consumers across the UK, Europe and the Middle East. The company has also become a reputable and trusted supplier to numerous retailers, Quality Service Restaurants (QSR’s), casual dining and food service chains.

Prior to its acquisition by Pecan Deluxe, the Sherburn-in-Elmet based company operated under the name Harriet Websters, specialising in the production of fudge. Since the change in ownership, substantial investments have been made in both innovation and workforce development, facilitating the company’s expansion into bakery, chocolate, and confectionery production to meet increasing market demand. A major £3 million factory extension in 2018 enhanced manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics capabilities, while the continued emphasis on innovation resulted in the successful launch of the ‘Bling’ range in 2021 — allowing Pecan Deluxe to offer its range of premium ingredients to smaller businesses and catering providers through ecommerce and wholesale distribution channels.

Managing Director Graham Kingston said:
“There are great plans afoot and many more developments in the pipeline. We operate in a fast-paced industry, and we’ll continue to stay ahead of food and beverage trends to bring innovative, high-quality products to market. Watch this space!”

The European celebrations form part of a truly global moment for the Pecan Deluxe family. Founded in 1950 by Texan ice cream retailer J.C. Brigham, Pecan Deluxe began by creating a range of candies to be used in Brigham’s own scoop shops. Over seven decades later, the family-owned company has become a global leader in inclusions, expanding its international footprint with state-of-the-art facilities in Dallas, Texas (celebrating an impressive 75 years in business in 2025), Yorkshire in the UK, and Pak Chong, Thailand (celebrating its 10th anniversary this year).

With all three Pecan Deluxe sites achieving landmark anniversaries, 2025 is truly a year to celebrate. Pecan Deluxe Europe marked its ‘official’ 25th birthday earlier this year with a visit from President Jay Brigham, a spectacular cake and celebrations for all staff.  

But while 2025 is a year for celebration, the business is already focused firmly on the future. Under third-generation President Jay, Pecan Deluxe continues to push boundaries — from pioneering popping boba production outside Asia to doubling the size of its Thai operations in response to rising demand. 

A quarter of a century on, Pecan Deluxe Europe remains committed to its founding principles: quality, creativity, and a people-first culture that continues to drive its sweet success story forward.

Pacific West is supporting wholesalers and end users looking to maximise Christmas 2025 menu profitability. The latest guide, “The Ultimate Picky Bit Planner”, is the essential toolkit for elevating simple starters and canapés into showstopping seafood festive offerings.

The food-to-go and hospitality sectors demand convenience and quality, especially during peak season. That’s why Pacific West focus on leveraging their range to help operators achieve high-impact presentation with minimal kitchen labour.

Discover creative ideas, including transforming classic smoked salmon into a ‘Smoked Salmon Wreath’ and elevating prawns into ‘High Octane Prawn Shooters’. For calamari, there’s serving suggestions including ‘Crispy Calamari & Wreath Dip’, or ‘MSC Cod & Sweet Chilli Skewers’, focused on providing speed and spectacle this Christmas season!

Get in touch with the team to find out more or click on the link below to see the full range of ideas.

https://pacificwestfoods.co.uk/the-ultimate-picky-bit-planner-pacific-wests-seafood-serving-suggestions-for-the-festive-season/

Earlier this month, PackUK issued Notices of Liability (NoL) to packaging producers under the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging (pEPR) scheme for the first time ever.  An example NoL can be found here.

These first NoLs are based on 2024 packaging data from producers and cover disposal costs for April 2025 to March 2026. To help producers prepare for this important step, PackUK published detailed guidance outlining the invoicing and payment process as well as important security information.

With the introduction of any new payment service, PackUK is mindful of the risk of attempted fraudulent activity. To manage this risk, PackUK will never send producers a payment link via email. Producers are reminded they should log into their Report Producer Data (RPD) account to view and arrange payment of their Notice of Liability. Producers should also be mindful that scammers may attempt contact by phone or letter to perpetrate fraud.

Customer Service Desk  

There is a dedicated customer support team in place to help producers with the pEPR scheme. If you have any questions about your notice of liability or payments, please contact the EPR support desk.

If you wish to raise any concerns, check the validity of any communications, or think you may have been a victim of a scam (or an attempted scam) you should also report this to the EPR support desk.

You can contact the support desk  via email or telephone on 0300 060 0002.

The helpdesk is open Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm during October 2025 and closed on weekends and bank holidays.

Normal opening hours for the helpdesk after October 2025, are 8am to 4.30pm.

British families looking to eat a healthy diet could save over £1,100 a year on their grocery bills simply by swapping fresh fruit and vegetables for frozen alternatives, according to our new  British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) research.

The analysis comes at a time when the government continues to push the “5-a-day” message as part of the national health agenda. However, current sustained food price inflation leaves many households struggling to keep up with the cost of healthy eating.

Using current supermarket prices, we compared the cost of an 80g portion of commonly bought fresh fruit and vegetables with the same weight from frozen packs. Across five staples – broccoli, spinach, mixed vegetables, strawberries and blueberries – the average portion of fresh produce cost £0.46, compared to just £0.30 for frozen.

That difference equates to a saving of 80p per person, per day when eating five daily portions. For a family of four, the weekly saving is £22.40, or around £1,165 a year.

The research has been carried out as part of the BFFF’s Frozen Food Revolution campaign, which aims to inform, educate and engage consumers about the benefits of frozen food, and coincides with Frozen Food Week (13–19 October).

In a survey by consumer insight platform Vypr, commissioned by the BFFF, more than half of UK adults (51%) said the rising cost of fresh fruit and vegetables has made it harder for them to reach their 5-a-day. The BFFF has said it was using the campaign to highlight that frozen food makes nutritious diets available more affordably, making it easier for everyone to eat well.

As well as typically being cheaper, frozen food has the advantage of lasting far longer than fresh, meaning it can be used exactly when needed, reducing food waste and making household spend go further. Freezing also “locks in” key vitamins and minerals that naturally degrade in chilled produce from the moment it is picked.

For example, scientific studies have found that chilled spinach retains just 20% of its vitamin C content after 7 days, whereas almost 80% is retained following the freezing process, and it takes a year for this to fall to 50% retention[i].

Rupert Ashby, Chief Executive of the British Frozen Food Federation, said: “A healthy diet plays a huge part in the nation’s wellbeing, both physically and mentally. But for too many families, the rising cost of fresh food has put good nutrition out of reach.

“These figures show just how much of a difference frozen fruit and vegetables can make. Not only is frozen fruit and vegetables every bit as nutritious – and in some cases even more so – but they are significantly more affordable and far less likely to end up wasted. Frozen food really is a win-win for health, happiness and household budgets.”

Separate research, published in Nomad Foods’ Frozen in Focus report, shows the savings could be even higher for those who use their freezer space efficiently. Almost a fifth of consumers believe they could save around £6-10 per week if they knew what was in their freezer. That’s a yearly saving of around £530 a year.

More details are available here: https://bfff.co.uk/frozen-food-revolution/.

[i] A comparison of the vitamin C content of fresh and frozen vegetables, D.J. Favell, Unilever Research, Colworth Laboratory, Sharnbrook, July 1997.