Azelis, a leading global innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, announces that it has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Ashapura Aromas Private Limited, a leading distributor of ingredients in the flavours & fragrances market in India.
This acquisition provides Azelis with a strong F&F platform in Asia Pacific, creating a global F&F network, following its 2021 acquisitions of Vigon in the US and Quimdis in France, serving the Americas and EMEA regions respectively. Ashapura’s extensive product portfolio strategically complements the group’s lateral value chain in the fast-growing F&F market segment, strengthening the offering and technical expertise Azelis provides to customers.
Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Mumbai, Ashapura is the leading distributor of F&F ingredients in India, representing more than 225 principals with well-established partnerships and serving over 900 customers globally through the breadth and depth of its portfolio of products. Ashapura’s 100 plus employees will join Azelis, along with founders and owners Ajaykiran and Nayan Gudka, who will remain to lead the business post-integration. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the third quarter, after fulfilment of customary closing conditions.
Fi Global’s in-person events and digital platforms will bring together over 250,000 ingredient buyers and suppliers throughout 2022
This year, Fi Global will once again be taking centre stage to bring together international ingredient buyers and suppliers, and connecting the food and beverage community through a series of online and in-person events.
During the year, there will be 11 live events throughout the Americas, Asia and EMEA, and all featuring exhibitors from around the world. These events will cover the industry’s hottest topics, including the ever-growing global trend for plant-based products. Hi and Fi China, for example, is set to launch a plant-based Expo, and Fi Asia is shining the spotlight on plant-based ingredients with a sensory tasting bar and start-up competition, along with other meat-alternative initiatives and opportunities.
Meanwhile, Fi & Hi Europe will once again take place as a digitally enabled event this year. The online show will be delivered in conjunction with the in-person event, offering attendees the best of both worlds, and numerous opportunities to source, connect and innovate. The in-person event will be held for the first time at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in the city centre of Paris. This impressive venue is within walking distance of many hotels, restaurants and bars – bringing back a touch of Parisian panache and making the event more convenient than ever before.
Deep dive webinar series
In terms of online content, this year’s new Fi Webinar Series focusses on increasingly popular market segments, from Protein, Dairy & Dairy Alternatives, to Snacks & Bakery, Plant-based and Beverages. These free sessions are complemented by Fi Global Insights, a digital platform hosting new and exciting content, from latest trends and insights, to industry reports, interviews with thought leaders and much more.
Another key feature of the Fi Global portfolio is its marketplace solution, Ingredients Network – the leading food ingredients marketplace and directory in the global food ingredients industry, where F&B buyers can find suppliers and do business online.
The Fi Global portfolio is supported by global partners including Innova Market Insights, Mintel and FMCG Gurus, all of whom have unrivalled industry expertise and analysis, and their finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to current and future trends.
Marketing services
Fi Global’s marketing services help ingredients suppliers boost their online performance though effective digital marketing solutions with measurable ROI. They help suppliers of food ingredients to reach their specific business objectives such as lead generation, brand awareness and thought leadership, through specific tailor-made digital solutions.
“More than ever before, the Fi Global portfolio connects the ingredient industry through a number of physical and online offerings, with supporting digital platforms and solutions,” says Julien Bonvallet, Fi Global Brand Director. “All of our offerings allow buyers and sellers of food ingredients to come together to connect, learn and do better business. We believe that close cooperation within the global food ingredients community has the power to positively impact wellbeing, health and the environment.”
Orange supply is expected to gradually increase in June, however, the demand for the fruit is also supposed to be higher, as orange processing rises. This scenario may limit devaluations in the in natura market.
Processing plants are expected to begin activities in June. So far, five plants of the large-sized processors have been operating in São Paulo State, and more plants are supposed to begin activities this month, majorly in the second fortnight.
In the spot market, values have been stable. The processors that are currently purchasing oranges in the spot have been paying from BRL 25 to BRL 27.00 per 40.8-kilo box (harvested and delivered at processor). As for contracts, quotations have hit BRL 32.00/box, however, not all plants are receiving fruits, and some of them have minimum quality requirements, mainly related to ratio.
Premium fruit and vegetable ingredient supplier SVZ announced a strategic investment for its Belgian processing plant in Rijkevorsel. The latest in a series of global growth and sustainability-focused investments, SVZ seeks to expand the facility’s capacity to meet rising consumer demand for fruit and vegetable ingredients – while also boosting its sustainability credentials.
Growing capacity
Demand for naturally healthy, nutritious ingredients is growing as consumers become more aware of the impact what they consume has on their wellbeing. To fulfil this need, SVZ is investing in the capacity and processing technology required to process larger quantities of fruit and vegetable ingredients on-site without compromising on quality. A new pasteuriser in the plant, for example, will allow its Belgium facility to boost its puree production significantly.
This investment follows similar expansions across SVZ’s global processing plants, as the business meets this heightened demand for fruit and vegetable ingredients. In Poland, for example, the Tomaszów facility’s concentrate line has been bolstered, while SVZ’s US-based plant has not only boosted its puree line but is also investing in new automation technology to streamline the production process even further.
Sustainability first
SVZ’s investment in the Rijkevorsel plant also supports the business’ sustainability efforts – and progress towards its 100 % sustainable sourcing goal. The Belgium facility has seen a massive reduction in CO2 emissions over the last two years – and this new effort will aim to build on this by further decreasing heat consumption and exploring new ways of reusing expended energy within the facility. Indeed, the new pasteuriser will reduce emissions by 19 % – a crucial step in SVZ’s journey to low carbon production.
This new investment also contributes to SVZ’s broader mission of boosting the sustainability credentials of all global processing sites. SVZ’s Spain-based plant in Almonte, for example, has been recently fitted with solar panels, and a new cold storage facility has also been constructed to reduce reliance on third party-storage and transportation. Meanwhile, SVZ’s US processing plant has focused recent investment on water treatment, so water can be cleaned and reused.
Growing better, together
“SVZ has its sights set firmly on the future,” says Pieter Spanjers, CEO at SVZ. “This new investment increases our Rijkevorsel plant’s processing capacity and capabilities to ensure future growth. We are working on an agreement that will significantly increase our sourcing capacity, and we need a facility that allows us to efficiently absorb those heightened volumes, as well as serve our customers while keeping the highest standards of quality.
“We’re passionate about creating a healthier, greener planet and we want to do our part in ensuring it for all generations. This investment will enable us to continue our mission effectively and support our customers in creating tomorrow’s food and beverage products.”
Elopak announced the market roll out of the Pure-Pak® eSense carton: a more environmentally friendly aseptic carton made without an aluminium layer.
Designed using technology from our fresh portfolio, as well as our traditional sustainably sourced paperboard, the Pure-Pak® eSense carton is aluminium-free and instead made with a polyolefin blend barrier. This results in up to 50 % lower carbon footprint than a standard Pure-Pak® aseptic carton and full recyclability.
With no aluminium layer, the Pure-Pak® eSense carton unlocks the potential to be fully renewable. It also simplifies the recycling process as the new polyolefin structure enables a one operation separation of the fibers and the polyolefin layers, and the polyolefin material does not contain value reducing elements. Furthermore, the carton is designed with easy folding crease lines, which help consumers to empty all the product inside before folding the carton for more convenient recycling while reducing food waste.
The Pure-Pak® eSense carton is suitable for both low and high acid food & beverage products, including milk, juice and plant-based drinks. The innovative new barrier replaces the aluminium layer while still retaining the classic rigidity of a carton.
The Pure-Pak® eSense carton is available in 500 ml, 750 ml, and 1 l sizes, with 1.5 l, 1.75 l and 2 l and US relevant sizes to be introduced at a later stage. The carton will be available with a range of compatible aseptic caps, as well as a cap-free easy-opening feature which reduces plastic consumption and lowers the carbon footprint even further.
Customers can also opt for polyethylene based on feedstocks from second generation renewable sources, or a carbon neutral version of the Pure-Pak® eSense carton, where the remaining emissions are offset through Elopak’s verified CarbonNeutral® packaging program.
SKNY BTCH manufactures sugar free Vodka Soda in different flavours, that appeal to anyone who craves a refreshing drink with an extra twist and less calories. SKNY BTCH is now launching Vodka Shots for those hot summer nights. The alcohol content is 14,9% and these shots contains 50 – 70 % less sugar in comparison with other sweet & sour shots. Both flavours in Raspberry and Green Apple are now available at Systembolaget in Sweden and can be ordered whith wholesaleprices from Savings Mat & Dryck Ltd. internationally.
Green apple is very fruity and has a sweet character with a hint of vanilla. Raspberry has a sweet and berry character with a distinct taste of raspberry. The shots are to be served chilled and are a good choice both as a social drink and at more festive events and parties.
SKNY BTCH Vodka Shot is a good compliment at restaurants, bars and nightclubs. The drinks are produced by the family business Savings Mat & Dryck Ltd. that produce, distribute and market SKNY BTCH Vodka Soda and Shot. The drinks are produced at Värmdo, located in the Stockholm archipelago.
Aetna Group, leading company in the production of end-of-line packaging machines and systems, has acquired the German company Meypack.
Meypack is a technology leader appreciated mostly for the quality and innovative capacity of its end-of-line products mainly in the food, spirits and home & personal care sectors in Germany and at an international level.
This operation is part of Aetna Group strategic plan to grow externally, to establish a production presence in countries with a manufacturing vocation, and to expand the product range in the food and personal care sector. Meypack’s internationalization will be further enriched by taking advantage of the presence of Aetna Group subsidiaries in the main countries of the world, so that Aetna Group will be able to increase its penetration in German-speaking markets.
On 1 June 2022 World Citrus Organisation (WCO) members gathered for the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). During the AGM the WCO Secretariat presented the consolidation of the production and export forecasts for the forthcoming Southern Hemisphere citrus season 2022. This preliminary forecast is collected from member industry associations in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Africa, and Uruguay. Along with citrus market development updates, the meeting also saw the re-election of WCO’s current co-chairs for a second mandate. Both South Africa and Spain, represented by the Citrus Growers’ Association and Ailimpo, were re-elected to head the organisation for another two years.
During WCO’s AGM, the preliminary forecast for the upcoming Southern Hemisphere citrus season was presented to the representatives from the citrus sector. According to the forecast, which is based on information provided by industry associations in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Africa, and Uruguay, citrus production is expected to increase by 4.85% compared 2021 to reach 24,832,270 tonnes. Exports are also projected to increase to 4,140,547 tonnes, 4.91 % up from the previous season. Philippe Binard, WCO Secretary General, explained, “Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a positive trend of consumers’ demand for fruit and vegetables was noted, in particular for citrus fruit, widely recognised for its high nutritional value, notably in terms of vitamin C content. The large volume available is positive news as it will meet this increased demand”. On the processing side, a total of 13,210,832 tonnes of citrus are expected to be destined to the juice market – an 8.32 % increase compared to 2021.
Orange production is forecasted to increase by 5.01 % compared to 2021, reaching 16,596,973 tonnes. Soft citrus production is expected to remain stable (-0.11 %, 3,044,652 tonnes in total). An 8.28 % growth is projected for lemon production (4,754,260 tonnes in total), while grapefruit production should decrease slightly (-0.58 % compared to 2021, down to 436,386 tonnes). Eric Imbert, CIRAD – Technical Secretariat of WCO, indicated, “The Southern Hemisphere citrus export continues to grow, especially lemons and easy peelers. The Southern Hemisphere today represents 27 % of the global citrus market”. Forecast information was followed by a review of the past season’s results and analysis of the estimations for the current season with a focus on ongoing market challenges, including rising costs and logistics disruptions.
WCO is led by a co-chairmanship of two country full members. Both South Africa and Spain, who have co- chaired the organisation since its inception, were re-elected to head the organisation for a second mandate of two years. South Africa is represented by the Citrus Growers’ Association under the guidance of Justin Chadwick and Spain is represented by Ailimpo under the helm of José Antonio Garcia Fernandez. WCO additionally welcomed new members, with the organisation’s membership now totalling 34 associations and companies.
Novelis Inc., a leading sustainable aluminum solutions provider and a world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, announced it will invest USD 2.5 billion to build a new low-carbon recycling and rolling plant in Bay Minette, Alabama, US. The highly advanced facility will have an initial 600 kilotonnes of finished aluminum goods capacity per year.
“This investment marks the start of another transformational growth phase for Novelis,” said Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group and the Novelis Board of Directors. “We continue to invest in each of the markets Novelis serves – from beverage can to automotive, aerospace and specialties – and in all geographies. Novelis has a track record of success in delivering customers the low-carbon, sustainable aluminum solutions they seek, and we will continue that storied history with this investment and others to come.”
More than half of the capacity of the new facility will be used to serve growing demand for aluminum beverage can sheet in North America, which is driven by consumer preference for more sustainable packaging.
“Through this investment, we are making a demonstrative commitment to continue to grow alongside our customers and meet their needs for low-carbon, highly sustainable aluminum solutions,” said Steve Fisher, President and CEO of Novelis Inc. “In addition, we are well-positioned to efficiently expand capacity at this facility in the future – above the 600 kt announced today – to capture ongoing strong demand. Our readiness to invest to serve growing markets is a perfect example of how we are delivering on our company purpose of shaping a sustainable world together.”
Novelis’ decision to build a fully integrated, greenfield recycling and rolling plant is backed by strong North American demand for flat-rolled, low-carbon aluminum from can makers and beverage companies. Aluminum beverage cans, bottles and cups are the models of sustainable packaging and the circular economy. With an average “can-to-can” lifecycle of just a couple of months, a can that is recycled today can be back on store shelves in as little as 60 days.
“As the world’s leading supplier of infinitely recyclable aluminum beverage packaging, Ball is committed to creating a circular economy within the aluminum industry and decarbonizing the value chain is fundamental to this work,” said Ron Lewis, Ball Corporation’s chief operating officer, global beverage packaging. “Novelis’ new recycling and rolling plant will not only add much needed domestic production of sustainable aluminum here in North America but will do so while decreasing the carbon footprint of the products we create.”
The facility will be the first fully integrated aluminum mill built in the U.S. in 40 years. It is expected to create up to 1,000 high-paying, advanced careers in modern manufacturing. It will also be the most sophisticated and sustainable of its kind. It will aim to be net carbon neutral for Scope 1 and 2, be powered primarily by renewable energy, use recycled water and be a zero-waste facility. It will also rely on railroad transportation, which can reduce logistics-related carbon emissions by up to 70 % compared to road transport. The plant will make significant use of advanced automation and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, augmented reality and robotics.
With the addition of a new recycling center for beverage cans, Novelis will soon be able to recycle 90 billion cans globally, up from the 74 billion used beverage cans the company currently recycles. To support this, Novelis has been working to develop circular economies for aluminum through state and federal public policies, as well as through partnerships with customers and other stakeholders on new approaches that encourage and incentivise U.S. consumers to recycle more often.
“Aluminum cans are an important form of packaging that, when recycled, play a vital role in our overall efforts to reduce waste,” said John Murphy, Chief Financial Officer of The Coca-Cola Company. “The announcement of this new, low-carbon recycling and rolling facility by our longtime partners at Novelis will benefit the Coca-Cola system, our customers and consumers, while reducing impact on the environment.”
Site work is under way now and the company expects to begin commissioning in mid-2025.
In addition to the beverage can market, the facility will also serve the automotive market, where aluminum is the fastest growing material as automakers make plans to achieve their sustainability goals.
Brown-Forman Corporation and The Coca-Cola Company announced a global relationship to debut the iconic Jack & Coke cocktail as a branded, ready-to-drink (RTD) pre-mixed cocktail option.
Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTD, inspired by the classic bar cocktail, will be made with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey and Coca-Cola. The beverage will be available in markets around the world, with initial launch planned for Mexico in late 2022.
The can and packaging, which will feature two of the world’s most recognizable and valuable trademarks in Coca-Cola and Jack Daniel’s, will include clear responsibility symbols stating that it is to be enjoyed only by consumers of legal drinking age. Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola RTDs will adhere to responsible marketing practices held by Brown-Forman and The Coca-Cola Company.
The global benchmark for alcohol beverage volume (ABV) is 5 % but will vary depending on the market. A zero sugar version of the beverage will also be available.
Cutting edge start-ups, technology companies and universities join hands with Tetra Pak to tackle challenges and unlock new opportunities for the Food & Beverage industry.
Ahead of the United Nations World Food Safety Day Tetra Pak announced its new set of research collaborations and programmes to further accelerate efforts to address challenges facing food systems worldwide. The initiative is part of the company’s drive to nurture an innovation ecosystem to open new opportunities in the areas of food availability, safety and sustainability.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation UN FAO, the world is in a very different place compared to six years ago, when it committed to the goal of ending hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition by 2030. The current reality is that we have not been progressing fast enough towards ensuring access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food for all people. As an example, over 2 billion people did not have access to enough safe and nutritious food in 2020.
Laurence Mott, Executive VP Development and Technology at Tetra Pak says: “Tetra Pak has been an early advocate of forming and strengthening links between academia and the food industry. We have several long-standing relationships with universities and research institutions. We’ve also been working with game changing start-ups and tech companies to accelerate innovation. Now more than ever this is vital. The challenges of the global food industry are broad and varied. The only way we can meet these challenges is to pool our expertise. Only together will we secure a better future in the areas of sustainability, food safety and food availability. I’m very happy to see the progress so far and will take this opportunity to thank all our partners”.
In an attempt to address challenges around food and sustainability, Tetra Pak is teaming up with entities across countries such as France, US, Sweden and Italy, among others, to explore different innovations across the food system. These includes a range of development programmes – from exploring new food categories, such as plant based food, to using enzymes that reduce food waste to advancing the insect protein movement.
Rodrigo Godoi, VP Processing Portfolio Management at Tetra Pak, says: “To drive innovation, we need to question status quo and keep pushing our boundaries, working together with external partners who bring fresh ideas and perspectives to the table. At Tetra Pak, we are continuously exploring new concepts, new food ingredients and new production methods that sit outside of our ‘core’ competencies. As an example, we have conducted over 300 screenings that resulted in more than 10 pilot projects to be researched. We encourage start-ups to come to us with their ideas as well as to join cross-industry teams to explore opportunities. We recognise the value in coming together with experts across an ecosystem in food, science and engineering to help identify new solutions and address challenges intensified by the changes in the food supply chain.
Dr Karim Engelmark Cassimjee, CEO at EnginZyme, said “The food industry faces many sustainability challenges, especially the ability to achieve efficient and sustainable production at the same time. The cell-free biomanufacturing that we have pioneered at EnginZyme can meet this need with its broad applicability, low cost of production, short development timelines and predictable scalability. Our collaboration with Tetra Pak is an incredibly exciting opportunity – in particular how we are exploring solutions to unlock the potential of by-products like acid whey”.
Some of the programmes announced include, France’s Paris&Co innovation platforms, Smart Food Paris and Urban Lab, technology start-ups EnginZyme, NuCaps and Tebrito and leading research universities in Italy and Sweden including University of Modena, Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) and Lund University.
The limited-edition flavour, inspired by the Minions’ love for bananas, is being marketed as “a work of evil genius” and shows how the three-year-old brand is working creatively to go toe-to-toe with the leaders of the USD 38B traditional soda industry.
Functional soda brand OLIPOP announced a partnership with Illumination and Universal Pictures to create a limited-edition Banana Cream flavour, timed to the global theatrical release of the new Illumination film, Minions: The Rise of Gru, on July 1, 2022. The new flavour is now available online at www.drinkolipop.com. Gopuff, the go-to platform for immediate delivery of consumers’ everyday needs, will also be selling single cans in select markets starting June 16, 2022 in the US. The limited-edition flavour will be available for purchase until July 15, 2022.*
This advertising campaign marks a huge milestone for OLIPOP’s better-for-you brand, as they join forces with the biggest global animated film franchise in history. The partnership exemplifies OLIPOP’s growth within the industry as they prove they can compete with the traditional soda companies, not only in terms of elevating taste and nutritionals, but in relevance to mainstream pop culture.
OLIPOP’s delicious product offerings, health benefits, and consistent out-of-the-box marketing tactics have not only attracted powerhouse companies such as Illumination and Universal Pictures, but also celebrity investors including Camila Cabello, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Mindy Kaling, Logic, Gwyneth Paltrow and more.
After launching in 2018, OLIPOP has already achieved a striking valuation of USD 200 million, with an anticipated USD 100 million run-rate by the end of 2022. The brand was started by beverage entrepreneurs Ben Goodwin and David Lester who set out to create a functional soda – one with a familiar and delicious taste but with the added benefits of microbiome and digestive health support. In just three years, the brand has disrupted the traditional soda industry and amassed widespread appeal for its tasty, nostalgia-infused flavours, and proprietary gut-friendly formulation. While traditional soda is loaded with sugar and additives, each can of OLIPOP has 35 – 45 calories, contains two to five grams of natural sugars, and provides nine grams of prebiotic plant fiber, which is one-third of the daily recommended amount. The product is eliminating the consequences of the traditional soda category, and making way for a new functional soda with benefits, changing the trajectory of health outcomes for many consumers.
*Actual length of availability will be based on sell-through.
About OLIPOP OLIPOP is a functional soda that offers the experience of enjoying cola without the guilt. OLIPOP was formulated alongside a team of leading scientists who developed a tonic that combines the classic soda taste with the benefits of plant-based fiber, prebiotics, and other botanical ingredients to help balance out the body’s microbiome and promote overall well-being. OLIPOP is available in a variety of flavours including Vintage Cola, Orange Squeeze, Strawberry Vanilla, Cherry Vanilla, Lemon Ginger, Classic Root Beer, Orange Cream, Blackberry Vanilla, Classic Grape, and Tropical Punch. OLIPOP is Non-GMO, paleo, vegan, and gluten-free and is available online at www.drinkolipop.com as well as more than 10,000 grocers in the US including Kroger, Target, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Safeway, and Wegmans.
Participants in the US can Tweet their best blender breakup line for a chance to win USD 621 for National Smoothie Day (6/21) and a year’s supply of Naked Juice
To celebrate National Smoothie Day on June 21st, Naked Juice introduces ‘Blender Breakup.’ The program launched biginning of June to help people end their messy relationship with their countertop blender because, like all relationships, blenders can be complicated and take a lot of work.
Many people buy blenders in the hopes of becoming at-home smoothie pros, but blending smoothies is a real pain. According to a recent survey by Naked Juice, nearly 228 million Americans say they don’t use their countertop blender for one reason or another, many saying it’s too messy, too difficult to clean, or takes up too much space.
The survey also revealed that approximately 112 million Americans regret buying a countertop blender altogether, and more than 109 million Americans who own one said they use it less often than expected*.
Naked Juice is inviting participants to Tweet their best blender breakup line @NakedJuice with #BlenderBreakup and #Sweepstakes to enter to win USD 621 in honour of National Smoothie Day (6/21) and a year’s supply of Naked Juice. With their messy blender relationship behind them, now consumers can enjoy everything they love about a smoothie, with the convenience and delicious taste of Naked Juice.
“We uncovered an interesting tension on social media where people were sharing how they rarely used their blender and experienced epic blender fails when they did,” said Anup Shah, Chief Marketing Officer, Tropicana Brands Group. “Since Naked Juice offers 100 % real fruit and veggie juice smoothies in a delicious convenient format, we knew we could help out.”
Whether smoothie lovers are looking to enjoy the classic flavour of Strawberry Banana, the tropical deliciousness of Mighty Mango, or incorporate more daily greens with Green Machine, Naked Juice’s suite of products offers the delicious benefits of smoothies without the mess.
The Naked Juice Blender Breakup Sweepstakes will run from June 7 through National Smoothie Day on Tuesday, June 21. No Purchase Necessary.
*Source: The Naked Juice Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 nationally representative US adults ages 18+ between April 25th and May 1st, 2022, using an email invitation and an online survey. The data has been weighted to ensure an accurate representation of US adults 18+.
WAPA, the World Apple and Pear Association, released the apple and pear stock figures from 1 May 2022. The figures show that in Europe apple stocks increased by 17.7 % compared to 2021 to reach 1,542,655 T, while pear stocks increased by 2.4 % to 155,401 T. In the USA, apple stocks as of 1 May 2022 stood at 785,260 T (+8.5 % compared to 2021), while pear stocks reached 45,758 T (50.5 % above 2021).
WAPA, the World Apple and Pear Association, collects every month the stock figures for apples and pears from Europe and the United States. WAPA can reveal that European apple stocks stood at 1,542,655 T as of 1 May 2022, which is 17.7 % above the figure of 2021. This trend can be explained by the increases concerning Red Jonaprince (65.6 % up from 2021), Gala (+ 56.1 %), Jonagold (+ 40.8 %), and Golden Delicious (+ 27.7 %), although several varieties reported a decrease compared to 2021, most notably Gloster (- 71.3 %) and Granny Smith (- 19.8 %). On the other hand, pear stocks stood at 155,401 T on 1 May 2022, 2.4 % above the volume of 2021. While the Italian varieties were down to zero, Portugal’s Rocha pears increased substantially (+ 30,678 T above 2021’s levels).
European apple and pear stocks (Photo: WAPA)
In the USA, apple stocks in May stood at 785,260 T (+ 8.5 % compared to 2021). Cosmic Crisp (+ 473.8 % compared to 2021), Granny Smith (+ 60.8 %), and Pink Lady (+ 22.8 %) compensated for the decrease in several major varieties, such as Fuji (- 27.3 %) and Red Delicious (- 9.3 %). Pears stocks in the USA stood at 45,758 T, which is 50.5 % above last year, with Anjou pears increasing by 51.3 %.
USA apple and pear stocks (Photo: WAPA)
All Oranges 40.7 Million Boxes
The 2021-2022 Florida all orange forecast released today by the USDA Agricultural Statistics Board is 40.7 million boxes. The total includes 18.2 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, mid-season, and Navel varieties) and 22.5 million boxes of Valencia oranges …
Please download the full citrus crop production forecast: www.nass.usda.gov
HONEST Kids to remain in company’s portfolio, with HONEST teas product line to be phased out
The Coca-Cola Company is challenging itself to think differently about how its brands help accelerate business transformation, reflect consumer choice and promote growth as a company. This means rationalising its lineup of drinks and prioritising fewer, bigger brands with the greatest potential for scale and profitable growth.
While the HONEST Kids portfolio is quickly growing and will remain a successful part of the business, the HONEST teas product line will be phased out of The Coca-Cola Company’s beverage portfolio at the end of 2022.
Gold Peak, a national brand, and the regional Peace Tea offering will now anchor the company’s ready-to-drink tea (RTD) strategy in North America.
“Shifting from a three-brand tea portfolio to a prioritised two-brand tea lineup will free up investment resources and supply chain capacity to better meet consumer needs and capture share in the category,” said Sabrina Tandon, group director, RTD Tea, Coca-Cola North America Operating Unit. “We believe Gold Peak and Peace Tea are best positioned to meet consumer preferences for high-quality brewed teas with different levels of sweetness and flavour.”
The Coca-Cola system will continue to produce and distribute the HONEST Kids line of organic juice drinks and explore licensing ventures and innovation opportunities for the HONEST brand in other categories. “We are phasing out the HONEST teas product line, but are not selling the HONEST brand,” Tandon clarified.
Gold Peak launched in 2006 and became a billion-dollar brand in 2015. The brand transitioned to a real-brewed formula in 2018, appealing to “tea truists” who value tea-forward taste profiles and high-quality ingredients.
Peace Tea has built a loyal, Gen Z following in the Midwest, Northeast and Southeast with fruit-forward flavours offered in colourful, 23-oz. cans and a fun, free-spirited personality.
Mainstream brands like Gold Peak and Peace Tea are driving growth of the RTD tea category. Sales of both Gold Peak and Peace Tea have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic as shoppers gravitate both to beverages with immune-boosting properties and multi-serve packaging options for at-home consumption. HONEST teas, which are primarily offered in single-serve bottles with a strong concentration in the Northeast and along the West Coast, have been negatively impacted by a drop in immediate consumption sales and limited glass supplies.
“Ongoing supply chain challenges mean we are having to prioritise production and distribution of certain product SKUs, and that we’ve been unable to meet consumer demand for Gold Peak,” Tandon added. “This, among other factors, helped drive this very difficult decision.”
Tandon also cited some overlap among Gold Peak and HONEST tea consumers, adding, “We see endless runway with Gold Peak and are excited to expand the trademark with new product and packaging innovations that will appeal to the HONEST Tea consumer.”
The HONEST brand was founded in 1998 by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff. In 2008, The Coca-Cola Company took a 40 % investment stake in HONEST before fully acquiring the brand in 2011.
Tandon credits HONEST tea with helping the company create a new route to market into the natural foods channel, where brands like Simply, Topo Chico, vitaminwater and smartwater remain.
Company announces hiring of William J. Kelley, Jr. as Chief Financial Officer and Rogier Smeets as Chief Executive Officer, Europe
Tropicana Brands Group, which markets, manufactures and distributes premium juice products across North America and Europe, announced that it has named William J. Kelley, Jr. as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective at the end of June and Rogier Smeets as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Europe effective June 13. These appointments come as the newly formed joint venture between PAI Partners and PepsiCo continues to build out its leadership team.
Kelley brings more than 30 years of experience in the areas of finance, transformation and strategy. He joins from Treehouse Foods where he has spent the last six years, most recently as EVP and CFO. A food industry veteran, he also served in executive leadership roles at The Kraft Heinz Company and The Hillshire Brands Company.
Smeets comes to Tropicana Brands Group via Upfield, the world’s largest plant-based consumer packaged goods company, where he held several leadership positions including President, Europe. Prior to Upfield, he built his career at Unilever in various marketing and commercial functions across Europe, US and Asia.
About Tropicana Brands Group Tropicana Brands Group brings together an exciting, global portfolio of some of the world’s most iconic juice brands including Tropicana, Naked, KeVita, Izze, Dole, Copella, and Punica. Established in 2022 as a joint venture between PAI Partners and PepsiCo, the company aims to promote new growth for its business, opportunities for its people and accelerate a vision to quench the world’s thirst for more delight and nourishment. With a global footprint of more than 2,000 associates that spans North America and Europe, the group is proud of its industry-leading capabilities in areas that include innovation, R&D, manufacturing, distribution, sales, marketing and nutrition expertise.
Naturalness, health, and climate-friendliness play an increasingly significant role in food and beverages. Premium products are also becoming more important. These findings revealed the current version of the Trendscope™ metanalysis, which Symrise conducts regularly. With this trend tool, Symrise provides an overview of current and future developments in food and beverages. The study combines qualitative and quantitative research methods and serves as an important basis for the development of consumer-preferred taste, nutrition, and health solutions.
The Trendscope™ metanalysis provides comprehensive information on trends as well as five dedicated reports for the beverages, culinary, dairy, snacks, and sweet categories. These show items, such as trend manifestations, product examples and emerging flavors and ingredients. “Trendscope™ allows us to continually observe consumer behavior and to examine current trends,” says Leif Jago, Global Marketing Manager Food & Beverages at Symrise. “We consider this very important since consumer wishes for food and beverages change over time.”
Various methods of analysis combined
Trendscope™ relies on a combination of different methods of analysis. The qualitative research contains a metanalysis of consumer reports, start-up screening and social media listening. The quantitative research comprises a metanalysis of existing studies and market reports as well as surveys related to consumer behavior and mindsets. This goes hand in hand with an analysis of global urban hot spots. For this, Symrise conducted twenty-four interviews in twelve locations with selected trendsetters like food bloggers, journalists, and trend scouts.
This combination of analysis makes it possible to precisely decode and validate trends. The tool’s global scope also allows to tailor trends to regional specifics. Based on this, Symrise can develop taste solutions and tailor them to consumer demands in specific categories. This, in turn, helps Symrise customers to respond to these decoded consumer desires with food and beverages.
Twelve consumer trends identified in four clusters
Symrise has identified twelve consumer trends in total, which we can subdivide into four clusters. “Natural Goodness” focuses on consumers who want to make a positive contribution to protecting the environment and the climate with their nutrition. These consumers increasingly value regenerative agriculture and biodiversity. Another cluster relates to “Healthy Lifestyle.” Today, many consumers want to live healthily and to use their nutrition to improve their gut health or immune system. At the same time, they want products that add fun, pleasure, and convenience to healthy eating.
The “Premium Indulgence” cluster represents a third trend. Brands drive it that meet ethical as well as environmental criteria. Personalized offerings are also getting increasingly important. The “Emotional Discoveries” cluster is ultimately concerned with navigating the effects boosted by the pandemic. The coronavirus pandemic has led many people to spend more time at home, and they are looking for ways to elevate this experience. They prefer comforting tastes that provide both a sense of security and taste adventures for their inner child.
“The coronavirus pandemic accelerated the development of trends and strengthened existing consumer wishes,” says Jago. “Trendscope™ allows us to understand the changing demands and to react to them. Using our technological expertise, we can develop the corresponding taste, nutrition, and health solutions for our customers’ products.”
Leading coconut water brand Vita Coco is transporting your tastebuds to the tropics with the launch of its boldest-flavoured coconut water yet. Vita Coco Coconut Juice, the brand’s first juice offering, is available since June 2 right in time for summer sipping.
A refreshing blend of coconut water and a burst of tropical, refreshing flavour, Vita Coco Coconut Juice is a thirst-quenching beverage to help you beat the summer heat. Conveniently canned for consumers who need a quick on-the-go boost, Vita Coco Coconut Juice is available in two bold flavours – Original with Pulp, and Mango – with a sweet, unexpected taste that demands one more sip. It is gluten-free and non-GMO, and 50 calories for Original with Pulp (per 8 fluid ounces) with 10 grams of sugar, and 80 calories for Mango (per 8 fluid ounces) with 17 grams of sugar.
Vita Coco Coconut Juice is sold in 16.9 oz aluminum cans and is available in the US at 7-Eleven stores and other convenience store locations across the East Coast and Southeast for an MSRP of USD 2.49 per unit. Limited 12 pack quantities of Vita Coco Coconut Juice are also available online at www.vitacoco.com.
About Vita Coco Vita Coco is the leading coconut water beverage brand, celebrated for bringing the benefits of coconuts to the world. Championed by informed consumers, health and wellness experts, pro-athletes and celebrities for its nutrient-rich hydration, Vita Coco’s portfolio now includes coconut milk and coconut oil.
Bolthouse Farms, portfolio company of Butterfly, aligns powerhouse juice brands to propel Evolution Fresh forward; Starbucks to focus efforts on the growth of its core business
Starbucks and Bolthouse Farms announced entry into a definitive agreement for Bolthouse Farms to acquire the brand and business of Evolution Fresh. The partners (employees) that support the business will also transition to Bolthouse Farms upon close of the transaction.
Evolution Fresh is a leading producer of primarily organic, cold-pressed, premium juice products. By joining forces with Bolthouse Farms – the No. 1 super premium refrigerated beverage brand and largest carrot supplier to North American retailers1 – Evolution Fresh will have the opportunity to accelerate its growth trajectory while Starbucks focuses its efforts on the growth of the core Starbucks business and its partner and customer experience.
“Evolution Fresh has grown steadily over the last several years as a result of our partners’ hard work and commitment to the brand. We feel there is a great runway and opportunity to take Evolution Fresh to the next level, and Bolthouse Farms’ considerable experience and success in the premium beverage category will allow the brand to continue growing,” said Hans Melotte, Starbucks executive vice president Global Channel Development. “Bolthouse Farms shares the same values and commitment to putting people first in everything they do, which affirms for us that we have found the right opportunity for Evolution Fresh.”
Through this acquisition, Bolthouse Farms will expand its beverage offerings from nutrient-dense, plant-powered juices and smoothies to include a full lineup of primarily organic cold-pressed, premium juices. Starbucks stores in the U.S. will continue to sell Evolution Fresh products.
“Evolution Fresh is a natural extension of the Bolthouse Farms portfolio and we look forward to welcoming the team,” said Jeff Dunn, chairman and chief executive officer of Bolthouse Farms. “At Bolthouse Farms, with the support of Butterfly, we strive to ensure that the acres we grow and beverages we make have a positive impact on the land, on the people who make up our company, and on all people. By bringing Evolution Fresh into our portfolio, we will extend our spirit of ingenuity and innovation, sharing resources and passion for high-quality, nutrient-dense juices to pioneer solutions for today’s food system.”
Butterfly is a leading private equity firm that specializes in the food sector with a particular focus on high-growth, on-trend categories. Through Bolthouse Farms, Evolution Fresh joins Butterfly’s brand portfolio that includes the likes of Chosen Foods, MaryRuth Organics, Orgain, and Pete and Gerry’s Organics.
“We have long admired the Evolution Fresh brand and see tremendous untapped potential in the premium beverage category. By bringing these powerhouse brands together — Bolthouse Farms and Evolution Fresh — we will deliver a robust, high-growth, and consumer-preferred portfolio of juices to market,” said Bill Levisay, president, Consumer Brands, Bolthouse Farms.
The transaction, which is for an undisclosed amount, is expected to close later this year.
About Bolthouse Farms For more than a century, Bolthouse Farms has been known as the innovation leader in growing and distributing carrots and high-quality, nutrient-dense branded products. Employing more than 2,200 people and headquartered in Bakersfield in California’s fertile San Joaquin Valley, Bolthouse Farms is one of the largest carrot growers and distributors in the U.S. and the No. 1 premium refrigerated beverage brand in U.S. retail. Guided by its purpose — Ingenuity Grows Good — the company also produces and sells super-premium juices, smoothies, café beverages, protein shakes, functional beverages and premium refrigerated dressings, all under the Bolthouse Farms® brand name.
1SOURCE: IRI MULO L52 weeks ending May 1, 2022
Refresco Group B.V., the global independent beverage solutions provider for Global, National and Ernerging (GNE) brands, and retailers in Europe and North America, announced that Adee Packer has stepped down as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Member ofthe Executive Board.
Bill McFarland, CFO of Refresco North America, will be appointed as CFO for the Group, effective 1 July 2022. Bill joined the Company through the acquisition of Cott Beverages, where he was CFO since 2013, and has over 20 years of experience in the FMCG industry. Prior to his career at Cott, Bill held several finance rotes at Molson Coors, an international beverage company. He has worked and lived in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK.
Andre Voogt, M&A Director Refresco North America, will step into the rote of CFO Refresco North America, also effective 1 July 2022. Andre has been with Refresco for over 15 years, mainly in senior finance rotes. When Refresco set its first steps in North America in 2016, Andre led the local finance organization. From 2018 to2020, Andre was responsible for the integration of Cott Beverages into Refresco, and member of the North America Leadership Team.
The 2022-2023 orange crop forecast for the São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt, published on May 26, 2022 by Fundecitrus in cooperation with Markestrat, FEA-RP/USP and FCAV/Unesp, is 316.95 million boxes (40.8 kg). Total orange production includes:
59.48 million boxes of the Hamlin, Westin and Rubi varieties;
17.52 million boxes of the Valencia Americana, Seleta, Pineapple and BRS Alvorada;
93.95 million boxes of the Pera Rio variety;
106.78 million boxes of the Valencia and Valencia Folha Murcha varieties;
39.22 million boxes of the Natal variety.
Approximately 22.99 million boxes are expected to be produced in the Triângulo Mineiro.
The projected volume is 20.53 % higher than the previous crop that totaled 262.97 million boxes and represents an increase of 1.11 % in relation to last ten years’ average, …
Adding cranberries to your diet could help improve memory and brain function, and lower ‘bad’ cholesterol – according to new research from the University of East Anglia (UK).
A new study published highlights the neuroprotective potential of cranberries. The research team studied the benefits of consuming the equivalent of a cup of cranberries a day among 50 to 80-year-olds. They hope that their findings could have implications for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia.
Lead researcher Dr David Vauzour, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Dementia is expected to affect around 152 million people by 2050. There is no known cure, so it is crucial that we seek modifiable lifestyle interventions, such as diet, that could help lessen disease risk and burden. “Past studies have shown that higher dietary flavonoid intake is associated with slower rates of cognitive decline and dementia. And foods rich in anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins, which give berries their red, blue, or purple colour, have been found to improve cognition. “Cranberries are rich in these micronutrients and have been recognized for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. “We wanted to find out more about how cranberries could help reduce age-related neurodegeneration.”
The research team investigated the impact of eating cranberries for 12 weeks on brain function and cholesterol among 60 cognitively healthy participants. Half of the participants consumed freeze-dried cranberry powder, equivalent to a cup or 100 g of fresh cranberries, daily. The other half consumed a placebo. The study is one of the first to examine cranberries and their long-term impact on cognition and brain health in humans. The results showed that consuming cranberries significantly improved the participants’ memory of everyday events (visual episodic memory), neural functioning and delivery of blood to the brain (brain perfusion).
Dr Vauzour said: “We found that the participants who consumed the cranberry powder showed significantly improved episodic memory performance in combination with improved circulation of essential nutrients such as oxygen and glucose to important parts of the brain that support cognition – specifically memory consolidation and retrieval. “The cranberry group also exhibited a significant decrease in LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol levels, known to contribute to atherosclerosis – the thickening or hardening of the arteries caused by a build-up of plaque in the inner lining of an artery. This supports the idea that cranberries can improve vascular health and may in part contribute to the improvement in brain perfusion and cognition. “Demonstrating in humans that cranberry supplementation can improve cognitive performance and identifying some of the mechanisms responsible is an important step for this research field. “The findings of this study are very encouraging, especially considering that a relatively short 12-week cranberry intervention was able to produce significant improvements in memory and neural function,” he added. “This establishes an important foundation for future research in the area of cranberries and neurological health.”
The study was supported by a grant from The Cranberry Institute. It was led by the University of East Anglia in collaboration with researchers at the Leiden University Medical Center (Netherlands), the University of Parma (Italy) and the Quadram Institute (UK).
‘Chronic consumption of Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) for 12 weeks improves episodic memory and regional brain perfusion in healthy older adults: A randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel-groups study’ is published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition on May 19, 2022.
As observed for other agricultural products, the production costs of citrus farming have increased sharply in Brazil, due to higher inputs prices, majorly fertilisers. This scenario is concerning farmers in Brazil, considering that citrus production was low in the two previous seasons, which resulted in higher costs per unit.
Even if productivity and production increase in the 2022/23 season – compared to that in 2020/21 and 2021/22, because of the slightly more favourable weather –, higher inputs prices are expected to limit a possible reduction in the production cost per unit. Thus, profit margins may be lower than the expected, despite orange valuations in 2022/23 – so far, the ceiling orange price is at BRL 32.00 per 40.8-kilo box, harvested and delivered to processing plant (considering only large-sized processors).
Tight profitability may continue to constrain investments in both crops’ renewal and replating, mainly because shorter-cycle crops, such as soybean crops, are currently more attractive and bring better opportunities to farmers.
Last year, after five consecutive years of stability, the area allocated to citrus farming shrank in São Paulo and the Triângulo Mineiro (citrus belt), according to data from Fundecitrus, which may happen again in 2022.
Lower profit margins may also hamper adequate crop management in the citrus belt. Lower investments in crops’ renewal and replanting added to difficulties related to crop management may reduce orange production even more in the mid-term. Low supply may underpin prices, since the stocks of orange juice at the processing plants in SP are not high, and production needs to be higher for inventories to be replenished.
Citrus market
The domestic demand for oranges has not been high enough to raise prices. According to Cepea collaborators, many purchasers are trying to pay lower prices, putting farmers off selling oranges in the domestic market.
Brazilian citrus farmers claim that, if prices drop lower than the current levels, sales in the in natura market will become unviable. Currently, juice processors are bidding prices up to BRL 32/box (harvested and delivered). Although the values paid by processors include the harvesting and freight, the quality standard required by this segment and the risks of default are lower, making sales to the industry more attractive.
In this scenario, if the demand from processors continues high and prices, attractive, sales to the in natura market are expected to decrease, at least during the Winter and the beginning of Spring, when supply increases, while demand decreases. Also, most oranges have not reached the ideal maturation stage yet, allowing farmers to wait and sell the oranges when the processing activities in the 2022/23 season begin, forecast to late May/early June.
Symrise continues to develop its health expertise with the launch of a new range of aronia health actives. The range contains an aronia extract and aronia juice powder, both standardized in polyphenols and anthocyanins. The company has filed a patent application for the aronia extract, which has a unique polyphenols profile in addition to strong multiple cellular antioxidant effects. This range expands the diana food™ portfolio of health actives, which forms a part of the Taste, Nutrition & Health segment.
Aronia (Aronia melanocarpa), also known as black chokeberry, contains a high concentration of potent antioxidants such as polyphenols, particularly anthocyanins. Plants produce these antioxidants to protect themselves from environmental stress. While few consumers know aronia, this little berry can be characterized as a superfruit and thus as a key component of the better-for-you health trend. Literature has well-documented the antioxidative properties of aronia. This relates specifically to cardiovascular health, metabolic health, and immune system support. Symrise has demonstrated the specific cellular antioxidative properties of the aronia extract on different cell types, including intestinal cells, using a novel cellular model.
Under the diana food™ portfolio brand of health actives, the aronia extract comes with a unique polyphenols profile: high total polyphenolic content, high proanthocyanins content, and a specific proanthocyanidins-to-anthocyanins ratio. The carrier-free, free-flowing aronia extract in powder form features a minimum of both fifty percent total polyphenols and ten percent anthocyanins. Suggested applications include capsules, tablets, powder sticks, nutritional shots, and supplement gummies. The spray-dried, soluble aronia juice powder features a minimum of both two percent total polyphenols and 0.2 percent anthocyanins. Applications for the juice powder include powder drinks, healthy beverages, snacks, and foods.
New South African facility will produce sustainable nutrition solutions for consumers across the continent
Kerry, one of the world’s leading taste and nutrition companies, officially opened the largest and most advanced taste manufacturing facility on the African continent. The new EUR 38 m facility is located in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and will produce sustainable nutrition solutions that will be consumed across the African continent.
The new 10,000 m2 facility is one of the company’s most environmentally efficient manufacturing sites with numerous sustainability features including low energy usage equipment, solar power generation to reduce consumption from the local grid, waste heat capture and efficient water capture, reuse and reduction.
Kerry is also expanding its Development and Application Centre in Nairobi, Kenya to further support customers in East Africa and the development of sustainable food processing for the continent.
Alexander Lenz has taken on the newly created position of Head of Sales Key Account Management at ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA. In this role, Alexander Lenz is the main contact for international key customers from the brewing, beverage and liquid food industry. “Alexander Lenz is an experienced and well-connected expert, who will help us to further intensify contact with our most important customers” emphasizes Florian Schneider, CCO of ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA GmbH.
In 2005, Alexander Lenz successfully completed his training as a brewmaster at Doemens. This was followed by positions as a commissioning engineer and group leader for the consulting division at an international plant engineering company for beverage production, as well as at another company as a department head and Director of Project Management / Project Engineering & Key Account Manager. About his new role at ZIEMANN HOLVRIEKA, Alexander Lenz says: “My main goal for our key customers is to make communication and our service even more effective and to establish strategic partnerships. I am looking forward to tackling this challenge together with our dedicated team and our customers.” Alexander Lenz took up his position in January 2022 and will be in charge of his area of responsibility from the Ludwigsburg location.
Performance Drink Group, Inc, a new force in the manufacturing of unique Sports Nutrition and Energy Drinks, announced that “Pro Boost”, a new 2 FL OZ (60 ml) zero-calorie, zero-sugar energy supplement drink, is now available to order in the US.
Pro Boost is available to order through www.proboostenergy.com and the Company has already begun taking pre-orders direct from retailers who see this as an explosive space to be entering. Consumers are able to place orders now through the website and product will start to be delivered both to retailers and consumers alike from June 1, 2022.
Management is focused on driving sales of Pro Boost by targeting distribution through specialty-supplement retail, as well as the traditional grocery and convenience store space. The direct to consumer model via the Company’s website is said to also be crucial in the success of the product.
James Gracely, Senior Vice President of Performance Drink Group stated that “Pro Boost will mobilize an often undervalued beverage consumer by focusing on the gamer/streamer community. Pro Boost will have a wide appeal in all classes of trade as we seek placement across a broad spectrum of high-impact high-volume retail end-points.”
In addition to energizers like Taurine, Malic Acid, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, Glucuronolactone, Caffeine, and L-Phenylalanine, Pro Boost features a robust burst of B Vitamins, including 100 % of the recommended daily value for Niacin, 2,000 % of the recommended daily value for Vitamin B6, 100 % of the recommended daily value for Folic Acid, and 8,333 % of the recommended daily value for Vitamin B12.
Pro Boost contains no calories, no sugar, no GMO, no gluten, no artificial colours, and no preservatives.
New products in the health and wellness space will be released this year as part of the collaboration
Smart Cups, the sustainability-driven technology company with a mission to provide a mindful path forward for the beverage industry and beyond, announced their multi-year deal with IFF, an industry leader in food, beverage, scent, health and biosciences. Smart Cups will further expand the foundational platform of its Smart Cups TechnologyTM, which is anchored on the printing platform developed through IFF’s acquisition of The Additive Advantage in 2019. The collaboration, led and managed through IFF’s Integrated Solutions group, will enable the creation of several lines of innovative and sustainable consumer products, beginning in the health and wellness space.
“We’re excited to combine IFF’s expansive ingredient portfolio with Smart Cups Technology and Smart Cups’ manufacturing capability under IFF’s new Integrated Solutions group,” said Auroni Majumdar, VP Strategy and Business Development, Integrated Solutions.
“Smart Cups is continually innovating new products, which is why we are excited to collaborate with IFF to access their unparalleled and expansive portfolio of ingredients, which will be used to enhance existing product lines and incorporated into the development process for new products,” said Chris Kanik, Founder and CEO of Smart Cups. “By working with IFF, our applications have the ability to help each company reach their eco-forward goals. Smart Cups Technology allows for a true revolutionary new standard of environmentally conscious products that will usher in a brighter and more sustainable future for everyone.”
In addition to incorporating IFF ingredients into the development process for new products, Smart Cups will also utilise IFF ingredients to enhance their current product line of energy drinks and caffeine-free Refreshers, which are produced by Smart Cups Technology a patented delivery system based on proprietary printing technology which allows the printing of ingredients on any surface. The technology allows Smart Cups to print drink ingredients onto the inside of cups and containers, eliminating the need to ship liquids. The inherent waterless nature of Smart Cups Technology significantly reduces the resources needed to transport products from the manufacturer to the consumer, which can offer a significant reduction of carbon footprint across a multitude of industries.
“IFF has always been at the forefront of innovative technology. By gaining exclusive access to Smart Cups’ manufacturing technology and this collaboration, we will focus on the development of new innovative print products that will help lead the future of sustainability, manufacturing, and enable new product formats for consumer packaged goods,” said Dr. Gregory Yep, Executive Vice President, Chief Global Scientific & Sustainability Officer at IFF. “This collaboration highlights our continuing R&D tech expansion as well as our commitment to sustainability.”
Currently, the collaboration is focused on products within the health and wellness industry. The products, which are currently in development, are expected to be released in 2022.
About Smart Cups Smart Cups is a sustainability-driven technology company with a mission to provide a mindful path forward for the beverage industry and beyond. Having created the world’s first printed beverage, an energy drink, Smart Cups eliminates the need to bottle and ship liquids, which, in turn, significantly reduces our carbon footprint. With the unique ability to print ingredients on any type of surface, Smart Cups’ technology can be easily implemented across a myriad of industries—offering an eco-forward approach. Founded by Chris Kanik, the Southern California-based company is revolutionizing the beverage industry by disrupting the way products are manufactured, packaged, shipped and consumed. Smart Cups aims to give every customer the tools they need to drink healthier, happier, eco-friendly and more conveniently, as well as bringing better beverages to their customers through their revolutionary technology. Most recently, Smart Cups was honored by TIME Magazine, receiving high recognition for their proprietary technology with a Special Mention in TIME’s 2021 Best Inventions.
All Oranges 40.2 Million Boxes
The 2021-2022 Florida all orange forecast released today by the USDA Agricultural Statistics Board is raised 2.00 million boxes to 40.2 million boxes. If realized, this will be 24 percent less than last season’s revised final production. The forecast consists of 18.2 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, mid-season, and Navel varieties) and 22.0 million boxes of Valencia oranges. …
Please download the full citrus crop production forecast: www.nass.usda.gov
Simply Spiked Lemonade, Molson Coors Beverage Company’s latest collab with The Coca-Cola Company, is set to hit shelves in the U.S. this June.
The flavoured malt beverage segment is growing, up 11 % in dollar sales between 2020 and 2021, according to IRI. Moreover, the lemonade-flavour subsegment is exploding, up 49 % since 2018, with more than USD 254 million in dollar sales, according to IRI.
Known for its real, high-quality juices and variety of flavours, Simply Lemonade is the nation’s best-selling refrigerated lemonade. It is found in half of American households and already is routinely used by consumers to make cocktails. Simply Spiked Lemonade products check in at 5 % alcohol by volume and are made with real fruit juice.
It will launch in variety packs of 12-ounce slim cans featuring four flavours: Signature Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Watermelon Lemonade and Blueberry Lemonade. Select flavours also will be available in stand-alone 24-ounce cans.
Simply Spiked Lemonade is the latest collaboration between Molson Coors and The Coca-Cola Company, which also combined to turn Topo Chico Hard Seltzer into a top-4 hard seltzer in the U.S. market. Topo Chico Hard Seltzer went national earlier this year, and the brand recently launched Topo Chico Ranch Water Hard Seltzer and Topo Chico Margarita Hard Seltzer.
Citrus-based flavours are a top consumer taste preference and will be a driving force of market-leading innovation in the years ahead. The Flavorchem team developed an exclusive collection of six true-to-fruit citrus flavours inspired by their associated health halo, global appeal, and consumer demand for authenticity.
Fresh calamansi lime
The fruit itself is very sour, while the peel is sweet. Our calamansi lime type flavour has a familiar juicy lime profile with elements of tangerine and orange.
Fruity kumquat
Kumquat has a sweet, tangy taste that is reminiscent of a cross between an orange and grapefruit. Our kumquat type flavour has notes of orange and grapefruit with fruity and floral undertones.
Juicy blood orange
Blood orange has a complex flavour that’s reminiscent of navel oranges, but is more floral and tart. Our extract is sweet and juicy, fresh and pulpy, and has a fruity aroma similar to tangerine.
Sweet tangerine
Characterized by its coarse peel and tangy flesh, tangerines are typically sweeter and less tart than oranges. Our tangerine extract has a sweet and fresh aroma with a zesty and refreshing taste.
Yuzu citrus
Yuzu’s sophisticated flavour profile is often considered an exotic hybrid of the citrus family. Our yuzu type flavour has notes of grapefruit, lemon, and mandarin.
Zesty key lime
Valued for its characteristic flavour, Key limes are smaller, seedier, and have a stronger aroma than the Persian limes. Our key lime extract, reminiscent of fresh limes, features a sweet, juicy, tangy, and aldehydic top note.
Flavorchem’s citrus varietals can be optimised for any food or beverage application.
Swiss-Ghanaian start-up Koa secures USD10 million growth capital to accelerate its disruptive up-cycling business around the cocoa fruit. The investments will allow Koa to scale its production capabilities tenfold and thereby allowing the company to cooperate with an additional 10,000 cocoa smallholders in Ghana.
Koa is taking the next step to scale its impact in the cocoa sector. Today, the Swiss-Ghanaian start-up announces the completion of its Series A equity round as well as the closing of additional senior and junior ranking debt for a total of USD 10 million of financing from both institutional and private investors. “We are excited that we won strong and reputable partners for the further growth of our business. It shows that our way of responsibly doing business and our value proposition are meeting the pulse of the time. With these investments, we will be setting up Africa’s largest cocoa pulp processing plant in West Africa which is the world’s largest cocoa growing region,” Benjamin Kuschnik, Co-Founder and Group Finance Director of Koa, says.
Founded in 2017, Koa is disrupting the cocoa industry through its innovative upcycling of the cocoa fruit. Koa is the first company in West Africa to have unlocked a new value chain around the so far discarded cocoa pulp. Working closely with cocoa smallholders, Koa reduces on-farm food waste around the cocoa fruit, generates additional farmer income while at the same time bringing unique new ingredients to the food and beverage industry for applications ranging from chocolate, confectionery, ice cream to drinks.
Bringing together private and institutional investors into an impactful venture
To finance its next expansion plans, Koa has successfully completed its Series A round raising a total of USD 4.7 million in equity. The investment round was led by Haltra Group, a Luxembourg-based family investment company which is joined by a group of other like-minded family offices all sharing Koa’s conviction to establish a business that creates real impact while being profitable and sustainable on the Triple Bottom Line “People, Planet and Profit”.
“As a family investment group focused on managing assets and having a positive impact, we promote the emergence of disruptive and sustainable economic models for future generations. We are delighted to participate in this exciting venture at the edge of Circular Economy and Food Transition, two of our core investment themes, and to contribute to impacting the local communities in Ghana,” Matthieu Baumgartner, Co-Founder of Haltra, says.
The equity round is complemented by a USD 3.5 million long-term debt facility from impact funds and USD 2.0 million of shareholder loans. The long-term debt facility is coled by the IDH Farmfit Fund and the Landscape Resilience Fund coming together in a unique partnership for this investment with the aim of improving smallholders’ incomes and their transition to climate resilient agriculture.
“Koa’s innovation makes it possible for farmers to increase their living income significantly by selling their waste product, without having to make additional investment costs at their farms,” Barbara Visser, COO of the IDH Farmfit Fund, says. “Koa furthermore aims to create gender equal employment opportunities in rural communities and targets to reach 40 % women farmers, which are in line with core objectives of the IDH Farmfit Fund. We are very pleased that today’s investment will support Koa in responsible value creation in the cocoa supply chain. These kind of disruptive and innovative solutions are key to catalyse the system change that is needed to improve the lives of these cocoa farmers.”
Looking at strengthening cocoa farmers’ climate resilience, Urs Dieterich, Managing Director of the Landscape Resilience Fund, emphasises that “increasing investment in adaptation will save and improve many lives in the communities hardest hit by climate change. That’s what today’s investment is all about – supporting an inspiring, socially and environmentally grounded business to reach greater heights and have even more climate impact.”
Increasing the production capacity tenfold to meet customer demand
Koa is investing the funds from the debt financing into a new production plant in Akim Achiase, in the Eastern Region of Ghana. This will be Koa’s second factory which is already in construction and is planned to start its operations by the end of 2022. “As the food industry is discovering the cocoa fruit, we need to grow in line with the demand from our customers. Once fully operational, the new factory will increase our production capacity by tenfold, while generating 250 new jobs in rural Ghana and allowing us to extend our cocoa fruit upcycling to an additional 10,000 cocoa farmers,” Daniel Otu, Production & Operations Director at Koa, explains.
The new caps, introduced by BBL in Ireland, Cido Grupa in the Baltics, LY Company Group and Lactalis Puleva in Spain and Weihenstephan in Germany, have been designed to prevent litter and accelerate transition to renewable materials.
Joining forces with leading beverage producers, Tetra Pak is launching tethered caps on carton packages. Marking a significant milestone in the company’s long-term work on design for recycling, five new tethered cap solutions are currently being introduced across Ireland, the Baltics , Spain and Germany in different product categories – a market first for these geographies. As part of a wider programme, this development paves the way for Europe-based customers to stay ahead of schedule and meet the Single Use Plastics (SUP) Directive coming into force by 2024.
Julia Luscher (Photo: Tetra Pak)
Julia Luscher, Vice President Marketing, Tetra Pak, comments: “We are delighted to be supplying a number of customers with tethered cap solutions, helping them to ‘walk the talk’ towards their sustainability ambitions. Understanding our customers’ needs and having collected consumer insights through multiple pieces of research across various markets, our new tethered caps have been designed to enhance convenience. For instance, they are easy to open and re-close for subsequent consumption, while featuring carefully sized diameters for smooth pouring and drinking.”
Tethered caps play an important role in preventing litter, as the cap will stay attached to the package. They could also help reduce the carbon footprint of the carton when they are chosen by food manufacturers as plant-based options, made from polymers derived from responsibly sourced sugarcane, thereby increasing the renewable content of the package. Additionally, a majority of Tetra Pak’s tethered cap portfolio features a reduced amount of plastic. Depending on the various solutions, the company achieved a plastic content reduction ranging between 7 % and 15 %.
Marco Marchetti, Vice President Packaging Materials, Sales and Distribution Solutions, Tetra Pak, adds: “Starting with these five new introductions, we are planning to equip approximately 300 packaging lines with tethered caps in Europe by the end of 2022. Considering the scale of change required across the value chain, early collaborations like these are putting the food and beverage industry on a fast track to accelerate the transition to a low carbon circular economy.”
In May, Borrisoleigh Bottling Ltd (BBL) is set to start commercial production of the new plant-based C38 Pro tethered cap on Tetra Top® 330 and Tetra Top® 500 carton packages. Based in Ireland, BBL is an experienced and awarded water producer, who’s seeking ‘to lead the industry towards a more responsible and sustainable future’.
The new HeliCap 26™ Pro closure – on a Tetra Prisma® Aseptic 1000 Square package – is being tested since February 2022 in the Baltics with Cido Grupa, who is leading the juice segment in that region since many years and exporting its products to over 20 countries across the globe.
In Spain, LY Company Group – that is driving the growth of carton-packaged water in the country, with the mission of ‘reaching a turning point in which both society and companies are aware of the importance of choosing sustainable packaging for the conservation of the planet’ – will soon start commercial production of the new plant-based DreamCap™ 26 Pro closure on a Tetra Prisma® Aseptic 330 Square package.
In the same country, Lactalis Puleva – part of the Lactalis Group, a world leading dairy company – has chosen to test the new HeliCap™ 23 Pro closure. The cap, in its plant-based option, has been applied to Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1000 Slim packages for the brand Lauki, on shelf since March this year.
Weihenstephan, one of the oldest and most popular German dairy brands, will soon test the production of the new LightWing™ 30 closure, on a Tetra Brik® Aseptic 1000 Edge carton.
The company has also heavily invested towards an improved manufacturing experience for customers. Tetra Pak’s new high quality, automated production lines for tethered caps utilise Artificial Intelligence technology for increased efficiency.
Marco Marchetti (Foto: Tetra Pak)
Marchetti concludes: “We are on a journey towards creating the world’s most sustainable food package, a carton that is fully made from responsibly sourced renewable or recycled materials, is fully recyclable and carbon-neutral. We are ramping up investment in the development of alternative solutions across our packaging portfolio such as tethered caps and other drink-from systems, to reduce littering while increasing the renewable share of our cartons.”
“In total, we are investing around EUR 400 million in the development and roll-out of tethered cap solutions, including a EUR 100 million investment last year in our Châteaubriant plant in France to accelerate the production of tethered closures. By working seamlessly across multiple project streams and covering approximately 40 different packages with tethered caps, we expect to sell over 1.5 billion such closures by year end.”
EXBERRY® colouring foods supplier GNT has published a major new report that sets out its plans to become the leader in its field on sustainability.
Each year, GNT produces more than 11,500 metric tons of EXBERRY® concentrates from edible fruit, vegetables, and plants – enough to colour over 40 billion servings of food and drink.
To ensure the company is fit for the future, it has unveiled a sustainability roadmap for 2030 to optimize its environmental and social impacts across its global operations. The full plans feature in GNT’s new ‘Sustainability Report 2021,’ which also includes detailed information on its performance last year.
Frederik Hoeck, Managing Director at GNT Group B.V., said: “Since GNT was founded in 1978, we’ve been revolutionising the food colouring industry with our plant-based EXBERRY® solutions. Today, we’re known for offering the most natural solutions on the market. We now want to take this to the next level and lead the industry in sustainability too. As a family business, sustainability and caring for future generations have always been part of our DNA.”
GNT’s sustainability strategy is built around four key pillars: better products, better operations, better agriculture, and better for people. It features a total of 17 targets for 2030, including cutting the Product Environmental Footprint for EXBERRY® product ranges by 25 % and reducing the intensity of factories’ CO2-equivalent emissions by at least 50 %.
Furthermore, due to GNT’s strong vertical integration, the company will soon be in a position to report on greenhouse gas emissions for 80 % of EXBERRY® products. Covering scopes 1, 2 and 3, this data will provide important advantages for food and beverage brands as it will enable them to calculate final products’ total environmental footprint.
Rutger de Kort, Sustainability Manager at GNT Group B.V., said: “We’re positioning our EXBERRY® brand as the most sustainable food colouring solution on the market. GNT is committed to driving industry standards higher than ever before by providing colours that deliver on cost-in-use, performance, naturalness, and sustainability. Achieving our goals won’t be easy, but we’re already making excellent progress across multiple areas.”
In the Netherlands, Lipton Ice Tea, a leading global ice tea brand, has made the decision to switch to SIG aseptic carton packs with SIGNATURE FULL BARRIER packaging material, where all the polymers used are linked to certified forest-based renewable materials via a mass-balance system. This decision by Lipton Ice Tea, a Unilever brand, is an important step and contributes to the bigger Unilever sustainability goal of becoming fully net zero by 2039. The switch to SIGNATURE FULL BARRIER is also a significant step forward on Lipton’s commitment to contributing to the circular economy and becoming a fully circular brand.
Lipton has been appreciating the benefits of SIG aseptic carton packs in the Netherlands for many years and its ice tea will now use carton packs with SIGNATURE FULL BARRIER from May 2022. With around 20 million packs sold yearly, this important next step matches the brand’s strong sustainable ambition and meets the demands and expectations of Dutch retailers and consumers.
Lipton, who is committed to using the most sustainable packaging solutions, has chosen SIG’s combifitMagnum 1,500 ml carton pack with SIGNATURE FULL BARRIER. Carton packs with SIGNATURE FULL BARRIER reduce carbon footprint compared to a standard pack*, as a result of the substitution of fossil polymers with mass-balanced plant-based polymers made from tall oil – a by-product of paper manufacturing. All three key raw materials come from certified responsible sources via mass-balance systems: paperboard is from FSC™-certified forests and other controlled sources; forest-based renewable polymers certified according to ISCC PLUS; and an ultra-thin layer of aluminium which protects against light and oxygen is covered by ASI (Aluminium Stewardship Initiative) certification.
The harvesting of early oranges is expected to advance in May, which may raise supply and press down quotations. In general, availability has been growing since mid-April, weakening prices.
In April (until April 28th), the average price for pear oranges closed at BRL 42.10 per 40.8-kilo box (on tree), a slight 4.96 % down from that in March (BRL 43.00/box). Before that, values had increased for two months.
On the other hand, for early oranges, quotations were firm in April – the average price for rubi oranges closed at BRL 35.71/box, 3.63 % higher than that in March. As the values for this group of oranges have been lower than that for pear oranges, the competitiveness of early oranges has increased.
For the coming weeks, if prices drop, sales tend to increase, since demand may be higher. However, if values decrease too steeply, farmers may reduce the harvesting, since the oranges on tree have not reached the ideal maturation stage yet. Thus, citrus farmers may prefer to wait for the beginning of activities at processing plants. The industry’s purchase proposals for the oranges from the 2022/23 season have been up to BRL 32.00/box (harvested and delivered).
Although two plants of the large-sized processors were processing oranges in late April, activities were slow because of low supply. By the end of last month, only one plant was purchasing early oranges (as long as ratio is near or higher than 14).
Over 1,000 exhibitors and around 25,000 trade visitors at the Special Edition in Cologne
For four days, from April 26 to 29, 2022, the food and beverage industry met with its supplier sector at Anuga FoodTec – Special Edition – in Cologne, Germany. “Anuga FoodTec is and remains the central and international meeting place for the industry. And this leading position has been clearly underlined by the successful re-launch of the trade show here in Cologne. The right concept, at the right time,” said Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH. “The high-caliber trade audience that traveled from more than 120 countries met excellently positioned and committed exhibitors here in Cologne. Intensive effective discussions characterized the course of the trade fair. The exhibitors’ feedback confirmed to us once again how important personal encounters are for successful business,” added Oliver Frese, Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH.
Dr. Reinhard Grandke, Chief Executive Officer of DLG (German Agricultural Society) and Chairman of the Anuga FoodTec Advisory Board, clarifies: “The mix of physical and digital offerings underscored the high professional relevance of the international Anuga FoodTec platform and provided the right setting for successful business deals and investments. Compact, innovative formats offered numerous opportunities to take an in-depth look at the intelligent automation of production processes in the food and beverage industry. Along the entire value chain, new technologies and concepts were presented that push the sustainable use of natural resources. The important networking of science and business practice was again achieved in an exemplary manner in Cologne.”
The opening of Anuga FoodTec by Federal Minister Cem Özdemir also underscored the outstanding importance of the trade show for the industry. During his tour of the trade show, Minister Özdemir learned about a wide variety of new concepts and solutions for meeting the challenges facing food and beverage producers worldwide.
A total of around 25,000 trade visitors from over 120 countries were counted. The attendance from other European countries and from Germany was very strong. Visitor numbers from the Middle East and some African countries were also gratifyingly good. The proportion of visitors from abroad was around 57 percent.
As the most important platform of the year, Anuga FoodTec thus successfully launched the re-launch of the entire industry. The great need for investment and, at the same time, the high level of willingness to invest on the part of the inquiring industry was expressed, among other things, by the fact that many of the managing directors and plant managers who attended approached the exhibitors with concrete project ideas. In some cases, machines and equipment were even purchased on the spot. The current world situation has increased the need for answers to questions in areas such as energy efficiency, resource conservation and sustainability. In addition to key players, numerous medium-sized companies, smaller specialists and 28 start-ups also showed innovative concepts tailored precisely to the industry.
“Smart Solutions – Higher Flexibility” was the highly relevant guiding theme of the trade show and its extensive technical program, which was very well received by the international audience with over 200 specialist events. The DLG played a leading role, using its expertise to organize the numerous events in a variety of formats. For example, specialist forums highlighted a wide range of current topics in food technology and linked scientific findings with business practice. Visitors also received a compact overview and orientation with regard to pioneering innovations in the field of food technology during the Guided Tours on the exhibition grounds.
Until June 30, visitors will have the opportunity to network with exhibitors at the Anuga FoodTec @home digital extension, watch missed presentations from the congress program and pick up a wealth of other industry information. Visitors to Anuga FoodTec can use the platform, free of charge, while the rest can access the content after registering free of charge.
AIJN joined forces with NMWE, UNESDA, the Changing Markets Foundation and Zero Waste Europe to call on EU decision-makers to create the right enabling policy framework and help our industries accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
AIJN, together with Europe’s non-alcoholic beverage industry represented by Natural Mineral Waters Europe (NMWE) and UNESDA Soft Drinks Europe, and leading NGOs, including Changing Markets Foundation and Zero Waste Europe, call on EU decision-makers to create the right enabling policy framework to help accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Europe. Our organisations underline the need to ensure resource-efficient waste management systems to enable close-loop recycling. We also call for a “priority access”, or a similar mechanism that guarantees a “right of first refusal” to beverage producers to facilitate their fair access to the food-grade recycled materials coming from the products they placed on the market and which were successfully collected.
The EU Circular Economy Action Plan has the ambition of accelerating the transition to a circular economy. This will require significant changes in the way we collect, reuse, recycle and incorporate recycled materials. Achieving fully closed and resource-efficient waste management systems for all materials should be the primary objective. The more closed-loop a system is, the more resource efficient it will be by delivering quality recycled materials which can be re-used multiple times for the same application. Therefore, for each sector, the ultimate goal should be to achieve «closed-loop recycling». With the right enabling policy framework this can be achieved.
Read the recommendations here and see the position paper attached below as well.
An enzyme variant created by engineers and scientists at The University of Texas at Austin can break down environment-throttling plastics that typically take centuries to degrade in just a matter of hours to days.
This discovery, published in Nature, could help solve one of the world’s most pressing environmental problems: what to do with the billions of tons of plastic waste piling up in landfills and polluting our natural lands and water. The enzyme has the potential to supercharge recycling on a large scale that would allow major industries to reduce their environmental impact by recovering and reusing plastics at the molecular level.
“The possibilities are endless across industries to leverage this leading-edge recycling process,” said Hal Alper, professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at UT Austin. “Beyond the obvious waste management industry, this also provides corporations from every sector the opportunity to take a lead in recycling their products. Through these more sustainable enzyme approaches, we can begin to envision a true circular plastics economy.”
The project focuses on polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a significant polymer found in most consumer packaging, including cookie containers, soda bottles, fruit and salad packaging, and certain fibers and textiles. It makes up 12 % of all global waste.
The enzyme was able to complete a “circular process” of breaking down the plastic into smaller parts (depolymerization) and then chemically putting it back together (repolymerization). In some cases, these plastics can be fully broken down to monomers in as little as 24 hours.
Researchers at the Cockrell School of Engineering and College of Natural Sciences used a machine learning model to generate novel mutations to a natural enzyme called PETase that allows bacteria to degrade PET plastics. The model predicts which mutations in these enzymes would accomplish the goal of quickly depolymerizing post-consumer waste plastic at low temperatures.
Through this process, which included studying 51 different post-consumer plastic containers, five different polyester fibers and fabrics and water bottles all made from PET, the researchers proved the effectiveness of the enzyme, which they are calling FAST-PETase (functional, active, stable and tolerant PETase).
“This work really demonstrates the power of bringing together different disciplines, from synthetic biology to chemical engineering to artificial intelligence,” said Andrew Ellington, professor in the Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology whose team led the development of the machine learning model.
Recycling is the most obvious way to cut down on plastic waste. But globally, less than 10% of all plastic has been recycled. The most common method for disposing of plastic, besides throwing it in a landfill, is to burn it, which is costly, energy intensive and spews noxious gas into the air. Other alternative industrial processes include very energy-intensive processes of glycolysis, pyrolysis, and/or methanolysis.
Biological solutions take much less energy. Research on enzymes for plastic recycling has advanced during the past 15 years. However, until now, no one had been able to figure out how to make enzymes that could operate efficiently at low temperatures to make them both portable and affordable at large industrial scale. FAST-PETase can perform the process at less than 50 degrees Celsius.
Up next, the team plans to work on scaling up enzyme production to prepare for industrial and environmental application. The researchers have filed a patent application for the technology and are eying several different uses. Cleaning up landfills and greening high waste-producing industries are the most obvious. But another key potential use is environmental remediation. The team is looking at a number of ways to get the enzymes out into the field to clean up polluted sites.
“When considering environmental cleanup applications, you need an enzyme that can work in the environment at ambient temperature. This requirement is where our tech has a huge advantage in the future,” Alper said.
Alper, Ellington, associate professor of chemical engineering Nathaniel Lynd and Hongyuan Lu, a postdoctoral researcher in Alper’s lab, led the research. Raghav Shroff, a former member of Ellington’s lab and now a research scientist at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, created the 3DCNN machine learning model used to engineer the plastic-eating enzyme. Danny Diaz, a current member of Ellington’s lab, adapted the model and created a web platform, MutCompute, to make it available for wider academic use. Other team members include from chemical engineering: Natalie Czarnecki, Congzhi Zhu and Wantae Kim; and from molecular biosciences: Daniel Acosta, Brad Alexander, Hannah O. Cole and Yan Jessie Zhang. The work was funded by ExxonMobil’s research and engineering division as part of an ongoing research agreement with UT Austin.
Across all age groups, strawberry consistently ranks among the top fruits consumed around the world. It forms an ubiquitous ingredient in applications ranging from beverages, baked goods, cereals, confections, dairy foods, and plant-based products to consumer health products for sports nutrition and dietary supplementation. To help meet this demand, Symrise has developed a broad diana food™ portfolio of strawberry ingredients that includes powders, flakes, crunchies, and crunch’flakes.
To reliably deliver such a broad portfolio of high-quality strawberry ingredients, Symrise has built a worldwide network of sourcing capabilities. Today, the company responsibly sources strawberries from Chile, Morocco, Spain, and Italy. This global strategy enables Symrise to provide a broad range of strawberry ingredients meeting different features whether it relates to competitiveness, a specific quality such as Baby Food, a specific certification such as organic, a composition up to 100% from fruit or diverse organoleptic properties. It also ensures a reliable supply chain all year long. Our long-term relationships with farmers, supported by regular visits and audits from our in-house agronomists, guarantee the high quality of the selected fruit, the full traceability of agricultural practices, and the ability to supply certified ingredients that meet the client’s specific needs.
According to Aurélie Pellé, Global Fruit Product Line Director at Naturals Business Unit, Symrise Food & Beverage: “As a customer-driven organization, we offer the ideal solution with year-round availability whatever application and product form requirement our customers may address.”
To assist global customers in choosing the most appropriate strawberry reference for their application needs, Symrise has created a new product brochure for the diana food™ portfolio specifically designed to guide them through the company’s comprehensive strawberry offerings. With this resource, customers’ product development teams can more easily identify the strawberry ingredient that best suits their functional and sensorial requirements.
The aim of the collaboration is to leverage holistic supply chain solutions and provide supply chain participants with valid data.
Due to increasing regulatory requirements and consumer demands, transparent supply networks are essential. These developments are expected to accelerate, at the latest starting on January 1, 2023, when Germany’s new Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) enters into force. Internationally, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the resulting internationally recognized standards also highlight the need for transparency in global supply networks. All existing and new processes supporting greater transparency require cooperation and a high degree of data integrity.
In an effort to address regulatory and individual company challenges and to offer corresponding solutions, GS1 Germany, together with its subsidiary F-Trace, will work closely with the certification organizations GLOBALG.A.P. and International Featured Standard (IFS). The aim of the strategic cooperation is to ensure transparency along entire supply chains and thus to efficiently fulfill the legislative requirements in the area of Environmental Social Governance (ESG).
Thomas Fell, Lead GS1 Germany, is convinced: “For the multitude of challenges regarding supply chain transparency, collaborative approaches and globally valid standards are the key. This cooperation brings us a big step closer to our goal of achieving the highest level of data quality and data integrity for our community.”
Stephan Tromp, Managing Director of IFS, adds: “Collaboration is essential for transparent supply chains. It is critical in meeting the growing demands of consumers and politics in the area of ESG. Together with F-Trace, GLOBALG.A.P. and GS1 Germany, we want to offer viable one-stop solutions for optimal supply chain management.”
To this end, the cooperation partners combine, among other things, established standards from the consumer goods industry and GS1 in the community platform “ftrace transparency”. This enables them to provide consistently valid data for all participants in their complex supply networks. Especially since GLOBALG.A.P. and IFS have already certified over 250,000 companies worldwide. Within the framework of the cooperation, from now on – by means of internationally recognized standards – the certified market participants can be optimally linked with each other.
Kristian Möller, Managing Director of GLOBALG.A.P., says: “We welcome F-Trace’s initiative to offer this highly needed transparency platform. Now we can recommend all our global certificate holders the early opportunity to connect and share their ESG compliance on a community driven IT infrastructure that is truly governed by the sector itself.”
Mark Zeller, Lead F-Trace, summarizes: “Together with the know-how of GLOBALG.A.P., GS1 Germany and IFS, we are able to check all data fed into ftrace transparency as well as certificates used for their authenticity and correctness. In addition, we remain open to further social and ecological minimum standards that are brought to us from the community.”
The cooperation enables transparency data to be used in near real time as part of a standardized and decentralized approach. In this way, F-Trace, GLOBALG.A.P., GS1 Germany and IFS meet all supply chain participants’ and market requirements – regardless of industry, company size and IT maturity.
Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire Quantum Hi-Tech (Guangdong) Biological Co., Ltd (Quantum), a leading prebiotic dietary fibre business in China from ChemPartner Pharmatech Co., Ltd (ChemPartner) for a total consideration of USD 237 million.
Quantum engages in the research, development, production and sale of fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS). Together, FOS (from sucrose) and GOS (from milk sugar/lactose) represent around 25 % of the global dietary fibres market which is forecast to grow at around 6 % per annum. In China, which currently represents the majority of Quantum’s sales, the FOS and GOS market is forecast to grow at around 10 % per annum.
The acquisition of Quantum significantly strengthens Tate & Lyle’s position as a leading global player in dietary fibres, bringing a high-quality portfolio of speciality fibres, strong R&D capabilities and proprietary manufacturing processes and technologies. The acquisition expands Tate & Lyle’s ability to provide added-fibre solutions for its customers across a range of categories including dairy, beverages, bakery and nutrition (including infant nutrition), and to meet growing consumer interest in gut health. It also significantly expands Tate & Lyle’s presence in China and Asia, and extends its capabilities to create solutions across food and drink utilising its leading speciality ingredient portfolio.
The transaction is subject to approval by the shareholders of ChemPartner, a public company listed in China, of which Quantum is a wholly-owned subsidiary. At completion, consideration will be paid in cash for 100 % of the equity interests in Quantum. For the 11 months ended 30 November 2021, Quantum generated revenue of USD 46 million and EBITDA of USD 14 million. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to revenue growth and EBITDA margin for Tate & Lyle in the first year of ownership.
Quantum produces its range of FOS and GOS fibres at its production site in Guangdong Province, Southern China. The management team of Quantum will join Tate & Lyle at completion. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the second quarter of calendar year 2022.
European Bioplastics, the association, representing the bioplastics industry in Europe, is pleased to announce the appointment of Maria Neguț as new Head of EU Affairs. She assumed her position on 14 March 2022 and will be based in Brussels.
European Bioplastics (EUBP) and its members are happy to welcome Maria Neguț on board of the EUBP team at this time of crucial importance. With the Green Deal casting its shadow ahead, setting up the path for the European Union’s transition to a real resource-efficient economy, bioplastics are poised to play a significant role.
Prior to joining European Bioplastics, Maria Neguț held several positions at the European Parliament and the European Commission. Most recently, she worked with the European Cocoa Association (ECA) where she served as EU Affairs Director Sustainability for over five years. Besides holding a Master’s degree in Political Sciences and European Affairs from the Université Libre de Bruxelles as well as a post-graduate degree in International Organizations from the European Academy of Diplomacy (EAD), she is also a recognised Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner. Maria was an active member of the EU Commission’s Expert Group/Multi-Stakeholder Platform on Protecting and Restoring the World’s Forests, including the EU Timber Regulation and the FLEGT Regulation. In addition, she was a member of the CEN TC415 – tasked with the development of the first international standard ISO 34101 on sustainable and traceable cocoa. On a regular basis, Maria is contributing to think-thank projects and writing on topics linked to sustainability, energy, and EU policies.
The prices for Frozen Concentrate Orange Juice (FCOJ) Equivalent rose high at ICE Futures in the first fortnight of April, reflecting the current low world supply, majorly in Brazil and in Florida (USA). Between April 1st and 13, the May/22 contract for orange juice increased by 20 %, and in 2022, by more than 30 %, closing at USD 2,650/ton on April 13.
Indeed, orange production (and juice production) in the Brazilian citrus belt (São Paulo State and the Triângulo Mineiro) decreased in the 2021/22 crop, which is practically over. According to a report released by Fundecitrus in the first half of April, the Brazilian citrus belt is expected to harvest 262.97 million boxes (40.8-kilograms) of oranges, 10.6 % down from the first estimates (May/21) and 2.2 % lower than that in the previous season.
This context will influence the Brazilian supply of orange juice, since the citrus belt is the major orange-producing region in Brazil. In February, Citrus BR estimated that, by the end of the season (in June 2022), the national stocks of orange juice (forecast at 127 thousand tons) will not be enough to ensure the world supply until the new crop (2022/23) steps up.
The same scenario is observed in Florida, where production estimates were revised down by the USDA by 19 % compared to the expected in Oct/21, to 38.2 million boxes, 28 % lower than that last season.
Lower production in the current and in previous seasons is reflecting on local stocks. According to the Florida Department of Citrus, from the beginning of the 2021/22 crop, in Oct/21, to March 26, 2022, the stocks of FCOJ were 31 % lower than that in the same period of the previous season. For not-from-concentrate orange juice, stocks were 25 % lower.
In this context, although the United States did not increase imports of concentrated orange juice – which decreased by 4.6 % between Oct/21 and Jan/22, according to the Florida Department of Citrus –, they increased purchases of not-from-concentrate orange juice. Brazil supplied 85 % of all the not-from-concentrate orange juice and 71 % of the FCOJ imported by the USA.
These estimates for Brazil and the USA explain the recent valuations of orange juice at ICE Futures. In both countries, supply is not expected to recover in the coming season (2022/23).
In the Brazilian citrus belt, although orange production may increase slightly, a higher harvest would not be enough to raise stocks and ensure world supply, since the current volume stocked is very low. In Florida, with the high incidence of greening on orchards (which has been lowering the average productivity of orange trees) and the smaller area with orange orchards in the state in the last years, production is not expected to return to the levels observed in previous decades.
Elopak announced the upcoming roll out of its tethered cap solution – the Pure-TwistFlip™
Announced in 2021, the tethered cap is one of the latest innovations launched by Elopak. The Pure-TwistFlip™ has been designed so that the closure remains attached to the carton throughout its entire lifecycle, thereby reducing the risk of it being littered. It complies with the EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive, which was introduced as part of efforts to reduce the impact of certain plastic products in the environment and tackle marine littering.
The Pure-TwistFlip™ 29i is also Elopak’s lightest screw cap to date, helping to reduce the use of plastics. It can be combined with any Pure-Pak® carton to create an original packaging solution that prioritises the environment, safety and consumer convenience.
Commenting on the announcement Elopak CMO Patrick Verhelst stated, “We are delighted to share the news that our tethered cap solution will soon be available to customers. The Pure-TwistFlip™ is a fantastic addition to our current portfolio of opening features that meets the tethering requirements of the EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive well ahead of its deadline in 2024.”
“As Elopak’s lightest screw cap to date, the Pure-TwistFlip™ 29i also represents a great option for our customers outside the EU who are looking to adopt more sustainable packaging solutions. We look forward to supporting those who choose to make the transition in the coming weeks and months,” he continued.
The cap itself is produced by United Caps. Speaking on the company’s partnership with Elopak, United Caps CEO Benoit Henckes said, “We have an ethos that we are ‘better united’. It makes us proud that world-class brands like Elopak recognise our differentiating ability to create breakthrough on the shelf.”
He added, “Innovating together on the Pure-TwistFlip™ meant combining our 80+ years of experience in cap design with Elopak’s outstanding packaging concept to bring together elements of usability and sustainability. The result is a tethered closure that performs for today and for tomorrow.”
Elopak’s iconic Pure-Pak® cartons are made using renewable, recyclable and sustainably sourced materials. They offer customers a natural and convenient alternative to plastic bottles.
Previous innovations launched by Elopak have a strong focus on sustainability and reducing the use of plastics, reflecting the company’s commitment to contributing to a net zero circular economy for packaging. These include the Pure-Pak® Imagine carton, which is a modern version of the company’s original Pure-Pak® carton that comes without a screw cap. Designed with a new easy open feature, it contains 46 per cent less plastic and is 100 per cent forest-based. Elopak’s Natural Brown Board cartons are renewable, recyclable and have a lower carbon footprint than conventional cartons owing to reduced wood consumption, one less layer and fewer bleaching chemicals.
Arla Foods Ingredients’ Novel food application for its BLG (Beta-lactoglobulin) ingredient, Lacprodan® BLG-100, has received a positive EFSA opinion.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an opinion that BLG is safe and suitable for use in food products in the EU. It has submitted its findings to the European Commission, which is expected to grant final authorisation later in the year.
When this process is complete, Lacprodan® BLG-100 will become Arla Foods Ingredients’ first product approved under the new Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. It will be able to be used in categories including sports nutrition,health foods, and foods for special medical purposes.
In October 2021 Arla Foods Ingredients became the first supplier with the capacity for commercial production of pure BLG. Lacprodan® BLG-100 contains 45 % more leucine than commercially available whey protein isolates.1 This, coupled with its palatability, makes it an ideal solution for medical nutrition applications, where it can help minimise the loss of muscle mass and maintain mobility.
Lacprodan® BLG-100 also provides 26 % more essential amino acids and 40 % more branched-chain amino acids than commercially available whey protein. This opens up new opportunities in sports nutrition applications, in particular clear ready-to-drink beverages and powder shakes.
Niels Østergaard, Vice President, Innovation at Arla Foods Ingredients,said: “BLG is unique – in fact it’s basically a whole new protein category. Its combination of purity, amazing nutritional quality and appealing taste will create a world of new opportunities in medical and sports nutrition. We’re delighted by this decision, and proud to have led the way in the development of a game-changing new ingredient.”
1Gorissen et al 2018
Orange production for the 2021-2022 crop season totaled 262.97 million boxes1
The 2021-2022 orange crop for the São Paulo and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt, published on April 11, 2022, by Fundecitrus – performed in cooperation with Markestrat, FEA-RP/USP and FCAV/Unesp2 is 262.97 million boxes of 40.8 kg each. Approximately 23.35 million boxes were produced in West Minas Gerais.
This final figure was 10.61 % smaller than the initially expected volume published in May 2021, corresponding to a significant crop loss of 31.20 million boxes. Although this was an “on-year” for the alternate-bearing, when plants produced a larger amount of fruit, a sharp decrease in rainfall and more intense atypical frosts inhibited the growth of oranges and contributed to an increased early fruit drop, therefore reducing the number of oranges at harvest. Under those conditions, there was a yield loss in groves, which made the crop decrease 2.11 % as compared to the previous one, resulting in a small crop for the second consecutive year. Total orange production included:
47.16 million boxes of the Hamlin, Westin and Rubi early-season varieties;
14.85 million boxes of the Valencia Americana, Seleta and Pineapple early-season varieties;
74.78 million boxes of the Pera Rio mid-season variety;
96.59 million boxes of the Valencia and Valencia Folha Murcha late-season varieties;
29.59 million boxes of the Natal late-season variety.
The May 2021 forecast considered that the yield of groves would be affected due to the lower rainfall volume that was already forecast for 2021. However, forecasts did not point to climate conditions as extreme as those observed, which brought greater than expected damage. The prolonged dry spell turned out to be the worst drought in almost a century, with water shortage in practically all regions of the citrus belt. That critical situation severely impacted rainfed groves, which encompass approximately 70 % of the total area and inevitably rely on rainfall. But even irrigated groves were affected by drought. In many locations, rivers and reservoirs reached the most critical levels ever recorded, restricting water use for irrigation. This crop’s most critical period was from May to September 2021, when accumulated rainfall was almost 70 % below historical average. The scenario started to improve in late September and early October when spring came …
1Hamlin, Westin, Rubi, Valencia Americana, Seleta, Pineapple, Pera Rio, Valencia, Valencia Folha Murcha and Natal. 2Department of math and science, FCAV/Unesp Jaboticabal Campus.
The past couple of years have seen an increased number of companies breaking into the hard seltzer market with new launches, says GlobalData. However, the leading data and analytics company found that new innovations are needed to remain competitive and engage with the 53 %* of U.S. consumers who are worried about their health.
Chloe Gbadero, Senior Beverages Analyst at GlobalData comments: “Hard seltzers tend to be popular with millennials, as low-calorie and zero sugar alcoholic beverages are continuing to gain traction in light of growing consumer health trends. However, it can be difficult for people with health conditions such as diabetes to navigate and engage in this trend, as they are limited due to their blood sugar level concerns.”
The XED beverage company has introduced its first product – a new cocktail/seltzer brand, SESH, which helps diabetic consumers to keep their blood sugar at appropriate levels. The cocktail-seltzer contains no sugar with only 120 calories a can, placing it at the healthier end of the seltzer market. This product, though specifically marketed at diabetics, will appeal to the wider consumer base. In fact, GlobalData’s survey reveals that 44 % of US consumers are trying to reduce their sugar intake, while 40 % say the same for calories.
Gbadero continues: “By positioning the product as diabetic-friendly, the brand is also making a statement. SESH has the potential to transform the market to be more inclusive of health conditions or disabilities – as seen in other areas such as braille on packaging. ‘Unseen’ disabilities also need to be acknowledged by consumer brands.”
The launch of SESH adheres to XED’s mission statement of bringing a guilt and stress-free beverage to the seltzer market for all consumers. Now celiacs, diabetics, athletes and all health conscious individuals can indulge in an alcoholic beverage without having to compromise or feel excluded. GlobalData’s survey reveals that 17 %* of the US population reportedly have an underlying health condition, such as diabetes, that puts them at risk of COVID, suggesting a sizeable market for health-specific and inclusive products.
Gbadero concludes: “With the hard seltzer market forecast to demonstrate more growth in the coming years, companies would benefit from looking into creating inclusive seltzers, which would not only increase their target market, but also maximise their consumer impact.”
*GlobalData’s Q4 2021 Consumer Survey, The U.S.
LIFEAID Beverage Company has released a new line of clean performance energy drinks. The FITAID Energy® collection is the long awaited clean-caffeine addition to their original Sports Recovery product, FITAID®, boosted with 200 mg of caffeine from green tea. The FITAID Energy + Sports Recovery blend is naturally sweetened with only 15 calories, no sucralose, no aspartame, no fillers, and no synthetic caffeine. Available in four electric flavours: Mango Sorbet, Peach Mandarin, Blackberry Pineapple, and an online exclusive Raspberry Hibiscus, FITAID contains no artificial flavours or colours.
“This is the evolution of energy. Energy 3.0,” says LIFEAID Co-Founder and President, Aaron Hinde. “FITAID Energy is unlike any other energy drink on the market. Our clean caffeine from green tea helps fight your fitness fatigue and contains our original post-workout recovery blend which includes BCAAs, Turmeric, Electrolytes, Vitamins B, C, D3, E, and more. All of our hand-picked ingredients have met the highest supplement standards and remain vegan, non-gmo, and gluten-free. Coupled with no sucralose, no taurine, and no synthetic caffeine, FITAID Energy is the future of clean performance energy.”
LIFEAID Beverage Company has long held itself to the highest standards of product design and formulation. The LIFEAID research and development team spent a year formulating an optimal blend of clean caffeine and quality supplements to give athletes an all-in-one solution without compromises. Each of the four flavours have a clean, crisp finish and avoid the synthetic aftertaste often associated with energy drinks.
FITAID Energy is available at the company’s website, Lifeaidbevco.com, Amazon, and select retailers in the U.S. including, Vitamin Shoppe, Harris Teeter, HEB, HyVee, Circle K, Stop & Shop, Big Y, United Market Street, G & M Oil.
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