Independent sugar distributor Real Good Food Company (RGD) has lost its appeal to the Competition and Markets Authority to open an investigation into British Sugar regarding a dispute over pricing with its subsidiary, Napier Brown. However, chairman Pieter Totté remained defiant and said the company would bring the complaint to the European competition authorities in Brussels.
On a brighter note, Napier Brown has won two supply contracts, both of which will use a new import facility at Stallingborough. The group also retained its Whitworths brand in Asda for another 12 months and has been chosen by Sainsbury's to pack all of the supermarket's private label sugar from October this year. Mr Totté added that trading at the Renshaw and Haydens business was going well with "significant cash profit growth in the first half", which will go some way towards mitigating the pricing problems with British Sugar.
