As part of the strategic review of the way the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) operates, CEO Richard Harrow announced on June 9 that the trade association will stop publishing the print edition of The Bulletin, and instead make its content available exclusively online. The magazine, which had been issued six times per year, was delivered to the desks of more than 3,000 industry leaders in the United Kingdom and further afield.
“This decision was not taken lightly, as The Bulletin has been at the heart of the BFFF for so many years,” said Harrow. “We had seen a steady but slow decrease in support 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 and high-speed digital information dissemination, The Bulletin was deemed too slow in communicating timely information to readers in today’s ever faster paced world. By publishing online, BFFF’s aim is to strengthen its communication arm to meet modern standards.
“It had been our intention to publish paper editions until late summer, but current events [the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdown] have meant that the move to online has accelerated,” said Harrow. “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.”
It has also been decided that the BFFF will move toward more digital engagement with members and the wider frozen food industry, which will include the launch of a new, more comprehensive website in late summer. Until the site is live, The Bulletin will continue to be produced in a digital magazine format available at www.bfff.co.uk.
As part of this new digital approach the Federation will be running monthly webinars, regular podcasts and guest blogs. All of this, combined with the new site, will be focused on delivering useful insight and information to BFFF members.
