The Bulletin – May/June 2020 Issue

As part of the strategic review of the way the Federation operates, we have taken the decision to stop printing The Bulletin in its current format and make it available online. This decision was not taken lightly as The Bulletin has been at the heart of the BFFF for so many years.

We had seen a steady but slow decrease in support of The Bulletin by members, not so much about content, but in terms of supporting the magazine through advertising. This has resulted in it costing the Federation a significant sum of money to produce and print. In the past changes were made to the frequency of publication, but this only delayed the inevitable.

With advances in technology The Bulletin was caught up in the speed in which news and events reaches us. We are now used to receiving information quickly and in a way that is most convenient for the individual. By publishing online, we will adapt the way we communicate to meet today’s standards.

We have also decided, as part of the revised strategy, that the BFFF will move to a more digital engagement with members and the wider frozen food industry. As part of this we are launching a new website in late summer. Within the site we will have two sections dedicated to the content that was the foundation of The Bulletin. We will have a Current News section making news available far more quickly, such as data from partners like Kantar which will be delivered as soon as we receive it. And we would encourage members to share their information and news. We will then have another area on the site called The Bulletin, where we will publish views and opinion pieces, some commissioned by the BFFF, but also with content from the industry and you our members. Until the new site launches The Bulletin will continue to be produced in a digital magazine format available through our current website.

As part of this new digital approach we will be running monthly webinars, regular Podcasts and guest Blogs. All of this combined with the new website will be focused on delivering valuable and useful insight and information to members. It will also be a platform to encourage companies involved in the frozen food industry to become members of the Federation.

It had been our intention to publish paper editions until late summer, but current events have meant that the move to Online has accelerated. We feel sending out hard copies will put unnecessary pressure on the postal system, plus many offices where we normally send the Bulletin to are closed. The next edition (May / June) will soon be available Online.

If you would like to discuss any point in this letter, then please contact me and I would be happy to talk through.

Richard Harrow

CEO