The Jones Food Company, owner of indoor farms in Scunthorpe and Gloucestershire, is supposed to be insolvent as it failed to find new investors, the BBC has confirmed.

The firm closed its doors on Monday 7th April, with 61 staff being made redundant.

The vertical farm was launched to grow salad and herbs three times faster than in traditional outdoor way thanks to special lights and a humid atmosphere.

Grocery firm Ocado was a major shareholder in Jones Food but confirmed it did not want to grow its stake, the BBC added.

Farmers Guide has approached the Jones Food Company for a comment.

READ MORE: ‘Nothing is off the table’ – The Wilson & Ashley Podcast launches bringing unusual farming chat

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Read more farm business news.

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Mr Bailye has pointed out that Tesco has been showcasing fake farm names on its products. 

He posted on X (formerly Twitter): ‘None of these farms exist. All are works of fiction by Tesco supermarkets. 

‘This farm washing practice should be made illegal, it deceives consumers and makes nonsense of Red Tractor traceability.’ 

Mr Bailye added that the food labelling should be clear and plainly showcase products’ country of origin. 

Ben Aveling of Radmore Farm located in East Midlands added: ‘Completely agree with Clive. Having been a diversified farm for 20 years, I know this all too well.  

‘It wasn’t long after we set up Radmore Farm Shop, I noticed ‘Redmore Farm’ appeared somewhere on shelves. You couldn’t make it up.  

‘Supermarkets including Tesco have to stop. It’s misleading the consumer.’

A number of supermarkets have previously been criticised for using fictitious farm names on their products. Last year Riverford teamed up with a group of farmers to campaign against the practice.

Completely agree with Clive. Having been a diversified farm for 20 years I know this all too well. It wasn’t long after we set up Radmore Farm Shop I noticed “Redmore Farm” appeared somewhere on shelves you couldn’t make it up.
Supermarkets including @Tesco have to stop. It’s… https://t.co/oGpVTGYGew

— Ben Aveling- Radmore Farm (@Radmore_farm) April 24, 2025

‘Public wants to support British farmers’

Campaign group No Farmers, No Food said on X: ‘The UK government should legislate that supermarkets must immediately stop farmwashing in order to fool shoppers into thinking that certain food products come from British family farms when the food actually comes from overseas.

‘Stop supermarket farmwashing now.’

The Farming Forum said research has shown that the public wants to support British farmers, so they should not be falsely misled by stores. 

‘Check the labels carefully. Family farms need the help of the British public. The government are not listening to farmers, but they just might if the great British public get behind us.’ 

We have a whole campaign running next week. Please share if you can, we need change for our survival. Repost with the title JUST SAYING pic.twitter.com/aWmfmzIdyq

— TheFarmingForum (@TheFarmingForum) April 24, 2025

Tesco has responded to the allegations by saying: “We are proud to be British agriculture’s biggest customer and are a leading supporter of the thousands of British farmers who provide our customers with quality, affordable produce year-round.  

“These brands are named to represent the quality specifications that go into every product. All our packaging clearly displays the country of origin to help customers make an informed decision when they shop with us.”

Read more food and drink news.

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Founded in 2000 by Guy Moreton and Peter Hunt, MorePeople has been helping businesses across its specialist sectors find top talent at all levels.  

Reflecting on the journey, founder Guy Moreton said: “Creating a business that has lasted 25 years is something I’m immensely proud of. When we started, we hoped to be successful, but we never knew for certain.  

“MorePeople has evolved, but our core values have remained the same—providing a great service, building strong relationships, and making a genuine impact in our industry.” 

The team has noticed that the recruitment landscape has changed dramatically since MorePeople’s inception with the rise of digital platforms.

Mr Moreton explained: “When we first started, we were using fax machines and receiving CVs by post! Now, everything, naturally, is online—from job boards to LinkedIn and AI-driven recruitment tools.” 

Like any long-standing business, over the years, MorePeople has navigated major challenges, including the 2008 recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“COVID was a particularly tough time, with businesses shutting down and job offers being cancelled. However, the resilience of the food industry meant we were able to bounce back,” Mr Moreton recalled. 

The recruitment expert added that one of the company’s biggest achievements has been its ability to provide comprehensive recruitment services across multiple functions within its specialist sectors.  

“Our vision was always to offer more than just recruitment—to be a trusted partner that businesses could rely on for all their hiring needs,” Mr Moreton continued. 

‘Testament to hard work, innovation and commitment’

The company’s team said that the defining moment for MorePeople was when it became recognised as an industry thought leader, with team members being invited to speak at key sector events, which has only grown from there.  

Mr Moreton added: “When we started getting asked to contribute to conferences, we knew we were making an impact. Seeing our team share insights at industry events today is a testament to the expertise we’ve built.”

MorePeople’s leadership team has been instrumental in driving the company forward. Andrew Fitzmaurice joined the business in 2010 and was made CEO and shareholder in January 2022.  

Managing director Richard Hanwell joined the business in January 2021 and became a shareholder in 2023. Their leadership has been key to the company’s continued growth and success. 

Mr Fitzmaurice said: “As we celebrate 25 years of growth and success, I reflect on the incredible journey we’ve had. When I joined the business in 2010, we had just a small team of eight passionate individuals. Today, we’re 38 dedicated professionals.  

“What we’ve achieved so far is a testament to the hard work, innovation and commitment of everyone who has been part of our story.  

“But this is just the beginning. Our vision for the future is even brighter, and with our expanding team and continued focus on excellence, I’m excited to see where we can go next. The best is yet to come.” 

Looking ahead, the MorePeople team said that they remain committed to its core values of exceptional service, sector expertise, and innovation.  

“The last 25 years have been exhilarating, relentless, and an amazing journey. I still love recruitment as much as I did when we started, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds,” Mr Moreton concluded. 

Read more farm business news. 

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The guide is informed by ongoing engagement with UK national retailers and food service companies.

Priorities and goals vary between businesses, but the research found that Science-Based Targets (SBT) are becoming the standard. To capitalise on lucrative retail and foodservice opportunities, Scottish producers need to be ahead of the curve to help their customers reach their net-zero ambitions.

The onus is not entirely on producers though, the partnership said. Many of the companies engaged while researching the guide highlighted their commitment to collaboration, particularly in simplifying sustainability reporting across the supply chain.

Understanding customers’ sustainability demands

Iain Clunie, director of the Net Zero Commitment Programme, said: “Navigating net zero can be challenging, especially for suppliers managing different sustainability expectations from retail and food service customers. Many of these customers have set ambitious targets, and understanding how they may impact your business is essential.

“Our new guide to customer expectations helps Scottish producers to understand their customers’ sustainability demands. Proactively meeting or exceeding these requirements will give Scottish producers a competitive advantage in an often challenging sales environment.”

Read the guide here.

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The NFU food business unit has broken down information on retailers’ performances and key Christmas trends with the use of Kantar data and UK retailer reports.

The study found that while spending increased, purchase volumes remained flat due to inflation. Premium own-label sales surged by 14.6%, now making up 7% of all sales.

Online grocery shopping also reached new heights, with 5.6 million households using delivery or click-and-collect, driving online spending to £1.6 billion, continuing to outpace in-store sales.

Top supermarkets during Christmas 2024

Tesco turned out to be the leader among supermarkets last Christmas. It maintained its lead, increasing grocery sales by 6.8% year-on-year over December and growing its market share to 28.5%.

More than 18 million customers bought Tesco’s Finest range, driving a 16.7% sales increase, resulting from a net switching from premium retailers, NFU confirmed.

Sainsbury’s year-on-year sales rose by 3.8% in the six weeks to 4th January, with its ‘Taste the Difference’ range growing by 16% and outperforming competitors.

The research found that Nectar Price promotions attracted big-basket shoppers, and party food sales surged by 40%, with more than 200 bottles of fizz sold per minute in the lead-up to Christmas, growing Sainsbury’s grocery market share to 16%.

Lidl’s customer base grew by 2 million, driving a 7% sales increase and surpassing £1 billion turnover in December, driving Lidl’s market share to 7.3%.

Lidl saw an increase to its British supply base by 20%, with one fresh British turkey being sold every second, along with 16 million British pigs in blankets and 750,000 British beef joints.

Other strong rivals

Aldi’s year-on-year sales increased by 3.4% to £1.6 billion, with market share reaching 10%. Christmas product sales rose by 10% and reached more than £1.6 billion, making it Aldi’s best yet as shoppers spread costs by buying themed treats even earlier.

Strong sales of fresh British products were recorded, with more than 350,000 British turkeys sold, more than 400 tonnes of British beef, and almost 3 million British brussels sprouts.

Aldi’s year-on-year sales increased by 3.4% to £1.6 billion, with market share reaching 10%.

M&S food sales jumped 8.7%, with grocery like-for-like sales up 8.9% over the 13 weeks to 28 December.

Morrisons saw its strongest annual growth in four years, with like-for-like sales up 4.1%.

However, a cyberattack on Morrisons technology provider – Blue Yonder – in November disrupted fresh produce availability across the critical Christmas period, which may have contributed to the retailers slowing Christmas sales growth and reducing market share to 8.6% from 8.8%.

Waitrose relaunched its premium no.1 range in September, contributing to 554 new Christmas products. However, sales only grew by 2.1%, lagging behind M&S.

Asda has yet to release its Christmas trading statement, but Kantar data shows a 5.8% sales decline over the 12-week period, reducing its market share to 12.5%. However, Asda has re-launched its 2025 ‘Roll Back’ campaign to regain big shop customers and boost volume sales.

Read more food and drink news.

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Their aim is to put their farms on a sustainable financial footing, said Photovolt, developer of utility-scale photovoltaic power plants that delivers clean, renewable energy to the National Grid.  

Smart financial planning and risk management have become as crucial to farming success as understanding soil and weather patterns. 

A spokesperson for Photovolt said that the UK’s race to net zero provides such an opportunity.  

“As a nation, we have set ambitious clean power targets that require a significant increase in the construction of solar energy generation. To make this a reality, developers will need to work with landowners to deliver projects across the country.  

“The diversified use of farmland can bolster income for farmers while creating lower-cost, clean renewable energy for farmers and the wider community. In some cases, this revenue stream can prove a vital lifeline for those farms in financial difficulty.  

“Farmers we are working with know that in the future, a meaningful proportion of their running costs are now secure thanks to income from leasing land to solar. This is giving them confidence to continue to farm, safe in the knowledge that we will provide a constant and attractive revenue stream.  

“However, with incoming NESO reforms at the end of April, those considering such a move have a small window to act.”  

Financial resilience – diversify your income stream  

Photovolt’s experts added that consistent and reliable revenue streams are proving increasingly difficult for many farms to establish. Allowing for diverse use of farmland can provide exactly this, while still enabling the rest of your holdings to be farmed more effectively and economically.  

“With a renewable energy revolution underway in the UK, this presents one of the best opportunities available to farmers for a secure, reliable income stream. 

“This would typically involve leasing part of your land to solar developers for a period of 25-40 years, which can provide an opportunity to gain a stable, long-term revenue stream, reducing reliance on traditional agricultural income and ensuring the futureproofing of your land.  

“A solar farm lease guarantees income for decades with little to no additional labour required. Installing solar panels is an optimal way to save money in the long term and improve the sustainability of business operations,” they explained.  

Land recovery and soil regeneration  

Photovolt said that responsible developers deliberately target the lowest quality and lowest yield land on a nominated site.  

A spokesperson for the developer added: “This choice ensures the most fertile fields for food production are preserved and enhanced. In our proposals for the Botley West Solar Farm, we have done exactly this, targeting land that has suffered the effects of intensive farming over decades, leaving it increasingly unproductive.  

“Once a solar farm’s lifespan has come to an end (typically after about 40 years), this kind of land and soil will have had the time and lack of disruption required to regenerate and return to productive agricultural use.  

“The site can also be expected to see significant improvements in biodiversity over the life span of the project, with our proposals, for example, expected to deliver a 70% biodiversity net gain.  

“Additionally, a reliable and responsible developer will ensure the selection of fields leased is tailored closely to the needs and priorities of the land itself. They should work closely with you, who knows the land best, to understand the optimal land use approach.”  

Dual land use  

Photovolt’s experts added that once developments have been built and panels are installed, a number of options exist for how the land can be utilised for additional purposes.  

For example, agrivoltaics production can be particularly suitable for crops such as onions, grains, potatoes, root vegetables, as well as strawberries and raspberries. Land can also be used for livestock grazing.  

Livestock, typically sheep, can graze around and under solar arrays without damaging the infrastructure, allowing farmers to maintain their livestock operations while benefiting from the additional income from solar energy. This is what has been proposed in areas of Botley West Solar Farm.  

NESO update  

Farmers currently considering leasing part of their land for solar development should be aware of significant upcoming reforms from the National Energy System Operator (NESO), Photovolt’s team said.  

In headline terms, the prioritisation of ‘deliverability’ will mean those projects where landowners have yet to conclude a deal with a developer will move further back in the queue for a grid connection if not concluded by May this year.  

The proposed reforms would require applications to be submitted during a designated window at the same time each year and would mean that ‘deliverable projects’ would move ahead in the queue, with land agreements that are already in place being a key part of making a project considered ‘deliverable’.  

Additionally, they will also assess the number of projects in a given region, as opposed to nationally. This means NESO could push your connection date back further if there are already a number of realistic projects in the pipeline.  

While these reforms will work to prioritise viable and necessary developments, they will also limit the number of applications that developers can make. This will limit the timeframe for farmers to make a decision.  

The later that farmers leave it to decide on land agreements, the later a developer can apply and the further back a grid connection date becomes. It is reasonable to expect connection dates as late as the mid-to-late 2030s if agreements aren’t concluded by the end of April, the company explaied.  

A spokesperson for Photovolt concluded: “Farmers will need to act to agree land deals now for grid connection dates to be considered in this window. This will enhance a project’s deliverability, improving the chances of NESO granting an earlier grid connection date.  

“Delays could mean years of waiting and lost income opportunities. With stricter limitations ahead, securing a connection now could prove crucial for farm viability.”  

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A spokesperson for Farmstar said that while the heads of terms have been agreed, the finalisation of the deal is ongoing.

“Plans are firmly in place to ensure a smooth and seamless transition for customers and staff, with uninterrupted service guaranteed throughout the process.

“This acquisition not only preserves the excellent service already provided by Farmstar Newark, but also introduces new product ranges to the region,” they added.

The company confirmed that the Newark depot will remain fully operational throughout the transition, with all current staff being retained by Henton and Chattell.

‘Best outcome for all parties involved’

Sam Davies of Farmstar Ltd, said: “This deal represents the best outcome for all parties involved. The key aspect for us is that our loyal staff will transfer over and we are confident that Henton and Chattell will continue to provide excellent service within the area.”

The company said that further updates will be provided upon completion of the deal.

Farmstar was founded in 1988 as an agricultural machinery hire and lease business. The company operates from four depots, including the Newark one that has recently been sold.

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On 16th January 2025, the High Court granted Morrisons an injunction, which prohibits anyone from entering or remaining upon any part of a store’s land and creating or causing blockades or obstructions of traffic.

Anyone who contravenes the terms of the injunction order may be in contempt of court and sent to prison, fined or have their assets seized, Morrisons confirmed.

A spokesperson for Morrisons explained that the court order comes in place to “protect the business and the integrity of the food supply chain, for all customers, throughout the UK”.

They added: “Given the protests experienced recently and the serious threat of immediate further action, we’ve had to take the difficult decision to seek a High Court injunction to restrain unlawful protest action aimed at preventing us from operating from our sites referenced in the injunction order.

“However, please know that we remain committed to continuing to work with all our farming network on the issues that matter most to you.”

The news comes after last week’s protests organised by farmers across the UK. On Friday, 17th January farmers drove their tractors to local supermarkets to show their dissatisfaction with changes to the inheritance tax.

READ MORE: Pensions to be included in the inheritance tax calculation

READ MORE: 30 councils join town hall rebellion against inheritance tax ‘attack’ on farmers 

Morrisons’ pledge of support

Very recently, the grocery chain’s head of agriculture, Sophie Throup, posted a video message on social media expressing solidarity with Britain’s farming community.

She said: “We want to send a message of support today for the whole of farming community. We understand your anger and your frustration in the inheritance tax, and we’re with you.”

A message to British Farmers from Morrisons – we’re with you and support you pic.twitter.com/9hfp1pluBj

— Morrisons (@Morrisons) January 11, 2025

READ MORE: Pensions to be included in the inheritance tax calculation

READ MORE: Agricultural businesses join #StopTheFamilyFarmTax campaign at LAMMA 2025

Read more political news.

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Ms Mosey has also reflected on five key ways in which farm shops and farmers markets can mitigate the challenges of this budget to attempt to come out more profitable than before.

She said: “When it comes to cost-saving measures, time is of the essence. Don’t delay, start to convert your ideas into action. Engage your team on cost-saving measures as soon as possible, hold a cost-saving meeting, and brainstorm ideas for new revenue generation.

“We have recently conducted this at Yolk Farm, and it has resulted in a motivated team and cost saving already. It is great to involve the team so everyone feels like they are on the same side, and we can weather the storm together.”

Diversify and take care of customer relationships

Ms Mosey, who runs award-winning Yolk Farm and Minskip Farm Shop near York, added that if it is possible, farmers and business owners should diversify their products.

“Try adding more local suppliers to extend your offer; the more unique and different, the better. Also focus on direct sales of your own products, which have higher margins, promoting these on your social media platforms and through contacting local press.”

The expert added that building strong customer relationships has never been more important than in the wake of this Budget.

“Offering the best customer service, loyalty schemes, and good communication with your customers will all stand you in really good stead. Repeat business will help to offset increased costs and put you in a stronger position,” she continued.

Optimise operations and be creative

The chairwoman of FRA said that business owners should also undertake a candid review of their business processes to identify areas for cost savings and reductions.

This might include improving efficiency of your inventory management, energy-saving measure or negotiating better deals with suppliers. All of these will slowly start to add up to further cost savings.

“At times like this we all need to get creative and think outside the box. Work with your team to come up with savvy, new ideas that will help.

“Ask yourselves – what can you add to your current offering? What can you change or tweak? Do you have disused space that you could turn into a new offer for customers without much capital expenditure?

“Could you open in the evening to use your hospitality space to the max? By asking these questions, new cost-saving ideas will come to fruition,” Ms Mosey added.

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Aldi customers are now able to enjoy two exclusive beer products, developed in partnership with Toast Brewing and Freedom Brewery, The Hop Foundry x Toast Brewing Another Round Session IPA and The Hop Foundry x Freedom Brewery Misfits Summer Fruits. 

By rescuing surplus or wonky ingredients such as Tiger bread and berries, these products will prevent an estimated 4,000 loaves of bread and almost a tonne of fruit from ending up as food waste annually. 

Following their successful partnership in 2021, Aldi has partnered with Freedom Brewery, to produce the Misfits Summer Fruits, which is brewed using surplus raspberries and other “wonky” fruit from Aldi’s fruit supplier, Chambers. 

Meanwhile, Toast Brewing is launching its first ever product with Aldi, Another Round Session IPA, which is made with Aldi own-brand Tiger bread. 

Julie Ashfield, managing director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “We’re always looking for ways to improve sustainability across our business and our partnerships with Toast Brewing and Freedom Brewery will help reduce food waste, support British suppliers and offer customers high-quality products. 

“These beers are a perfect example of how we can work together to make a positive impact on the environment, while still delivering great value and taste.” 

Louisa Ziane, co-founder at Toast Brewing, added: “We’re excited to partner with Aldi for the first time on an IPA that’s as kind to the planet as it is to beer lovers’ taste buds. By using Aldi’s surplus Tiger bread to prevent food waste, this is a big win for nature and Aldi’s carbon footprint.” 

Read more food and drink news. 

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