Northern 栄えるs on £10m fish diet

By SARAH MARKS FOR MAILONLINE
Updated: 00:00 BST, 31 May 2000

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Sushi sales at 示すs & Spencer are 始める，決める to 二塁打 within the next 12 months as 顧客s go crazy for the Japanese 軽食s, says M&S 供給者 Northern Foods. 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある Jo Stewart said: 'The market is very young but we think it is going to 二塁打 over the next year. We have a 的 of £10m.' He said Northern was 偉業／利用するing a general 消費者 傾向 に向かって better 質 convenie nce foods. But 貿易（する）ing across the 冷気／寒がらせるd food market 一般に remained 'exacting'.

After stripping out a £6.7m 出資／貢献 from 取得／買収s, underlying operating 利益（をあげる）s in the year ended 31 March were flat at £110.7m on sales up 4.1% to £1.34bn, although this 含むd a £4.6m 増加する in 雇用 costs.

Sales to Northern's five largest 顧客s, 含むing Sainsbury's, 増加するd by 7.5%. Stewart took the 適切な時期 to 賞賛する Sir Peter Davis's '（疑いを）晴らす leadership' at the grocery 巨大（な）, 説: 'There's definitely a spring in their step at JS now.'

The costs of 再編成 Northern 押し進めるd pre-税金 利益（をあげる）s to £74.8m, 20% below last year's level, but the total （株主への）配当 is 6.5% higher after a final 4.5p 支払い（額）.