This article examines why British brands have bounced back. At the start of 2012, the outlook for UK food and drink exporters was grim. The economic malaise in Europe showed no signs of lifting and even China and India were faltering. However, against the odds, British exporters have turned the situation around. After falling last year for the first time since 2004, British food and drink exports grew 2.5% to £6.1BN in the first half of 2013, according to figures compiled from HMRC data by the FDF. This may not sound like much, but when you take into account the dire 2012 harvest, which meant Britain became a net importer of what for the first time in a decade, it is quite a turnaround. Stripping out commodities, value-added food and drink exports climbed 4.9%.
