The organisers of the Juice Summit announced the postponement of the Juice Summit 2020 organised for the 14 & 15 October 2020 in Antwerp, Belgium.
The Juice Summit will come back in 2021 for a special edition. Information will be given in due time, but you can already save the date 6&7 October 2021.
Orange production for the 2019-2020 crop season totals 386.79 million boxes1
The final 2019-2020 orange crop forecast for São Paulo, Triângulo Mineiro and West-Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt, published on April 09, 2020 by Fundecitrus – performed in cooperation with Markestrat, FEA-RP/USP and FCAV/Unesp2 – is 386.79 million boxes of 40.8 kg each, which represents a decrease of 0.54 % in relation to the first crop forecast carried out in May 2019 of 388.89 million boxes. This crop is 35.3 % larger in comparison to the previous season (2018-2019), when 285.98 million boxes were produced, evidencing the biennial production cycle of orange trees, that is, larger crops alternated with smaller ones. …
1Hamlin, Westin, Rubi, Valencia Americana, Seleta, Pineapple, Pera Rio, Valencia, Valencia Folha Murcha and Natal.
2Departament of Math and Science at FCAV/Unesp Campus Jaboticabal.
Please download the complete forecast under: www.fundecitrus.com.br/pdf
Many of today’s busy consumers are juggling their careers, families and social lives while striving to maintain healthy lifestyles, both physically and mentally. Food and diet plays an essential role in this, with innovation increasingly looking to support consumer choices as many endeavor to balance the benefits and costs of these hectic lifestyles. This, in turn, raises the demand for nutritious foods that are easy to prepare, convenient and portable, while indulgent treats also play a role in relaxation and enjoyment.
The Right Bite was one of Innova Market Insights Top Trends for 2020 , reflecting how food and drinks supporting lifestyle choices can fall into a number of areas. These all aim to help those wishing to embrace healthy lifestyles, balance busy schedules and/or reject their current lifestyles and search for change.
Consumers embracing a healthy lifestyle tend to love having many things do and are dedicated (working long hours, exercising, etc.), but need to plan their time efficiently to get the best benefits. Healthy snacks, energy-boosting food/drinks and on-the-go food and beverages are all of interest, with high protein and energy claims of particular significance. According to Innova Market Insights data, global snacking launches featuring high protein claims had a CAGR of 16.8 % between 2015 and 2019, while the use of energy/alertness claims rose 13.7 % over the same period.
Those seeking healthier lifestyles also looked to find a balance between health and indulgence, while also looking for individual needs and preferences to be met, including the development of more balanced and complete concepts in terms of their nutritional needs.
Balancing busy lifestyles is necessary as consumers live life to the full (holidays, dining out etc.) and benefit from this, but feel that it also takes a toll on them, with ‘fast’ lifestyles also necessitating compromise and rebalancing. Convenience is key in this area, prompting a demand for meals that are easy to prepare and cook, which in turn provides opportunities for ready meals and meal kits. The demand for home cooked food has boosted interest in meal kits, with 28 % growth in the number of launches tracked globally by Innova Market Insights (CAGR 2015-2019).
On the other hand, consumers looking for a change in lifestyle are likely to increasingly distract and distance themselves from their busy lives and try to wind down. Emotional comfort is key here, with interest in comforting, relaxing and sleep-inducing food and drinks, particularly carrying mood, energy and sleep improving claims.
Stress and anxiety are key concerns in modern life as awareness of their negative impact on mental and physical health grows. In a 2019 Innova Consumer Survey 32 % of UK consumers and 39 % of US consumers claimed to experience stress at least once a day, rising to over half in India. The industry response has included more products targeted at improving low mood, tiredness and fatigue and sleep.
Researchers at Western University are studying a molecule found in sweet oranges and tangerines called nobiletin, which they have shown to drastically reduce obesity in mice and reverse its negative side-effects.
But why it works remains a mystery.
New research published in the Journal of Lipid Research demonstrates that mice fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet that were also given nobiletin were noticeably leaner and had reduced levels of insulin resistance and blood fats compared to mice that were fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet alone.
“We went on to show that we can also intervene with nobiletin,” said Murray Huff, PhD, a Professor at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry who has been studying nobiletin’s effects for over a decade. “We‘ve shown that in mice that already have all the negative symptoms of obesity, we can use nobelitin to reverse those symptoms, and even start to regress plaque build-up in the arteries, known as atherosclerosis.”
But Huff says he and his team at Robarts Research Institute at Western still haven’t been able to pinpoint exactly how nobiletin works. The researchers hypothesized that the molecule was likely acting on the pathway that regulates how fat is handled in the body. Called AMP Kinase, this regulator turns on the machinery in the body that burns fats to create energy, and it also blocks the manufacture of fats.
However, when the researchers studied nobiletin’s effects on mice that had been genetically modified to remove AMP Kinase, the effects were the same.
“This result told us that nobiletin is not acting on AMP Kinase, and is bypassing this major regulator of how fat is used in the body,” said Huff. “What it still leaves us with is the question – how is nobiletin doing this?”
Huff says while the mystery remains, this result is still clinically important because it shows that nobiletin won’t interfere with other drugs that act on the AMP Kinase system. He says current therapeutics for diabetes like metformin for example, work through this pathway.
The next step is to move these studies into humans to determine if nobiletin has the same positive metabolic effects in human trials.
“Obesity and its resulting metabolic syndromes are a huge burden to our health care system, and we have very few interventions that have been shown to work effectively,” said Huff. “We need to continue this emphasis on the discovery of new therapeutics.”
Freshfel Europe is concerned over the increasing financial burden being carried by the European fresh fruit and vegetable sector as a result of the coronavirus crisis. Increasing costs associated with the implementation of necessary measures across the supply chain to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic as well as current and future non-harvesting of products if seasonal workers are not available are set to have considerable ramifications for the long-term stability of the sector. Freshfel Europe calls for new support measures to secure the supply of fresh produce to consumers over the coming summer months and into the latter half of 2020 and beyond.
Despite providing an uninterrupted supply of fresh, safe and high quality fresh produce to consumers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic so far, the European fresh fruit and vegetable sector is facing significant challenges. Although the sector is well organized and committed to its responsibility to provide fresh produce to consumers confined at home the effects of the pandemic are being felt by all actors in the supply chain. The availability of seasonal workers is still insufficient in many places. This workforce is key for planting, preparing orchards, preventing non-harvesting and picking quality products now and later in the year. Efficiency in orchards and pack houses has decreased due to social distancing rules and with the provision of safety equipment and new packing requirements other challenges are being encountered. Growers in particular are being confronted with a significant increase of new necessary costs, often by more than 10 %, which are not being entirely returned or compensated. Logistics costs in the chain have also increased by 20 – 30 % due to empty returns of trucks and longer journey times. Besides this, significant market loss is being experienced with the closure of the European food service industry and street markets, with wholesalers consequently also losing a significant amount of business. In total this market segment covers 25 % of fresh produce consumption and retail chains are not absorbing all of this volume. Retailers have also had to adapt stores with personal safety measures such as flexi-glass at cashiers and limiting shopper numbers in store. In addition, risks for products to be successfully exported globally are increasing and importers are experiencing high uncertainty in terms of delivery and time required for documentation checks. This increasing burden on the supply chain is set to have considerable ramifications for the long-term stability of the sector.
In light of mounting uncertainty about the future of the sector, Freshfel Europe calls for continued and new support measures to secure the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables to consumers over the coming summer months and into the latter half of 2020. At the start of April the European Commission secured an operation framework for intra-EU trade and measures for seasonal workers, however no further support has been granted under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to producers and producer groups to reflect current increasing costs to guarantee the continued supply of fresh, safe and high quality products to consumers. More incentives through CAP instruments on top of those released by the European Commission on 6 April 2020 are needed for the sector, especially for growers, to cope with the current financial pressure. As an essential good, maintaining the long-term supply of healthy fresh fruit and vegetables to the European market is essential.
With the outbreak of Covid-19, organizations are faced with travel restrictions and quarantine challenges, required to reduce direct contact between employees and service providers. To enable immediate GEA expert assistance for customers during the corona crisis without putting people’s lives at risk, GEA now offers a special remote support solution that is easy-to-set-up.
Easy and secure real-time video communication with GEA experts
GEA Remote Support is a service that provides real-time streaming with GEA experts. From their own location in production, customers can use a commercially available mobile device to connect and communicate in real-time with a GEA expert to resolve their issue. With just two elements, a mobile device and internet access, customers can initiate a session by receiving a short email or SMS containing a secure link, followed by a video conversation, with the option to share high-resolution imagery back and forth, send descriptions and instructions via the chat function or take and share notes during the conversation. All of this is possible without the customer having to install a new application.
Extended real-time communication via GEA Remote Eye Wear
The remote support solution is based on existing GEA Remote Eye Wear technology, offering customers further possibilities for machine maintenance. The specially designed glasses, which include an integrated high-resolution camera and reliable microphone, allows for hands-free remote support, offering several bidirectional functions. By projecting images onto the GEA Remote Eye Wear screen, repairs, process optimizations or inspections can be carried out immediately. GEA Remote Eye Wear is currently available as part of the GEA Service Level Agreement (SLA), however, customers will be able to purchase a stand-alone unit as part of a premium service package in the near future.
20 % higher global volume due to capacity increase of production facility in Chile by 2022
BENEO, one of the leading manufacturers of functional ingredients, has announced a significant expansion for its chicory root fibre production facility in Chile by 2022, funded by an investment of more than 50 million Euro. The news comes following rising demand for BENEO’s chicory root fibres, inulin and oligofructose, as consumer interest in digestive health continues to grow.
Worldwide consumers are paying more attention to their digestive health and are gaining further understanding of the intrinsic link between the gut microbiome and its beneficial effect on the overall well-being. This, in turn, is leading to a rising interest in chicory root fibres from food and drink manufacturers around the globe, creating a high market demand for BENEO’s inulin and oligofructose ingredients.
Eric Neven, Commercial Managing Director at BENEO-Orafti comments: “The market demand for chicory root fibre continues to increase. In order to keep up with this rising interest, we are investing significantly into expanding our production facilities in Pemuco, Chile. With 20 % more volume, BENEO can continue to ensure reliable and consistent delivery to our customers.”
As well as expanding production capacity at the Chilean plant, the raw material sourcing will be supported by additional surface (hectares) dedicated to chicory farming in the region. The existing plant already operates using 75% renewable energy. The recent investment will enable BENEO to make yet further strides against its aim to increase the use of renewable energy over the coming years.
Inulin and oligofructose, such as those produced by BENEO, are the only plant-based proven prebiotics according to ISAPP (International Scientific Association for Pro- and Prebiotics). They have been scientifically shown to support a range of functional health benefits, including a balanced gut microbiota and a person’s overall well-being. There is a wealth of scientific evidence available (in excess of 150 high quality studies) and Orafti® Inulin even has an exclusive 13.5 EU health claim for its promotion of digestive health, which is proving successful in various countries. In fact, only recently, industry expert Julian Mellentin highlighted the potential for inulin, naming it a top ingredient for 2020 in the new New Nutrition Business report, “10 Key Trends in Food, Nutrition and Health 2020”.
Not only are BENEO’s prebiotic chicory root fibres helping to bridge the fibre gap, they are also being widely used in both food and beverages as they help to reduce fat, sugar and calories. Unlike other fibres, BENEO’s fibres are naturally derived from chicory roots via a gentle hot water extraction method and are natural, clean label and non-GMO. They are highly soluble and have a mild natural taste, allowing manufacturers to reformulate their products while keeping the same taste, body and mouthfeel as the original options.
As digestive wellness continues to trend across the globe and more consumers come to realise the impact it has on their health, this significant production expansion will ensure BENEO is well-placed to maintain efficient delivery of its high quality ingredients throughout the years to come.
Opposite to the expected by the agents from the Brazilian citrus sector, tahiti lime prices increased in São Paulo State in March, despite the crop peak. The boost came from higher demand, since, in the second fortnight of the month, people were trying to eat healthier, increasing the consumption of vitamin C, because of the coronavirus outbreak worldwide.
However, most of the demand was linked to the increase in the purchases from distributors, retailers and consumers for stocking. Besides, the closure of schools, street markets and grocery stores, and lower sales in restaurants may also reduce the demand for the fruit.
In March, the average price for tahiti lime was 22.2 % higher than that in February, at 12.52 BRL per 27-kilo box.
As regards exports, agents reported a decrease in the volumes shipped, since the coronavirus outbreak affected Europe more severely, so far. Besides, the lower availability of containers for exports and the cancelation of air deliveries also reduced sales to the international market. Thus, tahiti lime prices for exports were lower than quotes in the Brazilian market in March, averaging 12.29 BRL per 27-kilo box.
ORANGE – The demand for oranges was firm in March, and prices remained stable in the Brazilian market. According to growers, the quarantine decree in São Paulo State and the consequent halt in some activities reduced labor, limiting supply and logistic operations. Thus, orange availability was low and, now, many agents are waiting for some early varieties, such as westin and rubi, to ripen in order to start trading.
In March, the average price for pear oranges was 35.35 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, on tree, 6.9 % up compared to that in February. The maturation stage requested by the in natura market is forecast to be reached in most groves between April and May.
Use of 1H-NMR as a screening tool to assess the quality and authenticity of fruit juices
This new 25 page review outlines how Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy coupled with multivariate statistical techniques are applied for the rapid quality and authenticity assessment of fruit juices. It explains the science behind the technique, how it can be used as a rapid screening tool, method validation, the ability to differentiate different types of juices (variety and country of origin) and determination of some components.
The document is available to IFU members and subscribers in the Methods of Analysis section of the IFU website.
During the production of clear beverages a lot of processes are carried out to reach and maintain stability within the recommended shelf life. Technological processes to avoid haze formation in clear fruit based beverages start normally with an enzyme treatment to degrade pectin and in case of apples and pears also starch with pectinases and amylases. In the juice stage, mechanical treatment steps like flotation, racking, decanting, and centrifugation are used to clarify the product. Additionally, colloidal stabilisation is done with classical fining (gelatin/plant proteins, silica sol, bentonite) or polyphenol removing with active carbon, adsorber resins, or PVPP. …
Please feel free and enjoy reading the full article „Instability of fruit-based beverages – clouds, hazes and sediments“ by Prof Dr Frank Will, Jeannette Zacharias, Prof Dr Helmut Dietrich published in the February online edition of FRUIT PROCESSING magazine as a sample free of charge.
Tetra Pak unveiled the food and beverage (F&B) industry’s first full-scale virtual marketplace. The new platform, created using Mirakl SaaS Marketplace solutions, will bring convenience and ease to the industry by making purchasing of products faster, more convenient and simpler for producers.
The collaboration is the first time Mirakl will work within the F&B sector, providing a service that will change how buyers and sellers operate. The marketplace will initially host more than 300,000 spare parts and consumables from Tetra Pak, adding an additional 200,000 products for maintenance, repair and operations from vetted sellers, providing customers with access to a large variety of products.
The launch dramatically expands what Tetra Pak offers to its customers. The marketplace, available 24/7, will host several vendors selling products within Safety & Security, Industrial Supplies, Cleaning Solutions and other vital areas for F&B production. The number and variety of products will continue to grow as more vendors join the marketplace.
About Mirakl
Mirakl is powering the platform economy by providing the technology, expertise, and partner ecosystem needed to launch an eCommerce marketplace. With the Mirakl Marketplace Platform, both B2B and B2C businesses can offer more, learn more and sell more: increase the number of products available for buyers, grow the lifetime value of customers, and anticipate buyer needs and preferences.
The incorporation of sleep-friendly ingredients in food and drinks is expected to have future potential as it closely aligns with many consumers’ want for a better night’s rest through natural methods, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
According to the company’s Global 2019 Q3 Consumer Survey, a notably higher proportion of Gen X and Gen Y consumers worldwide (79 %) are concerned about tiredness/fatigue than the retired Silent Generation (58 %). Among Gen Y, the pressure that comes with starting a new career, combined with a typically higher propensity to watch television or stream apps, could play a part in preventing regular sleep, leading to fatigue in day-to-day life.
GlobalData’s report, ‘Foresights: Night-Time Foods and RTD Beverages’, highlights a growing awareness among consumers that their diets can have a major impact on their sleeping patterns.
New health trend opportunity as sleep-friendly ingredients enter beverages and snacking, says GlobalData
The incorporation of sleep-friendly ingredients in food and drinks is expected to have future potential as it closely aligns with many consumers’ want for a better night’s rest through natural methods, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
According to the company’s Global 2019 Q3 Consumer Survey, a notably higher proportion of Gen X and Gen Y consumers worldwide (79 %) are concerned about tiredness/fatigue than the retired Silent Generation (58 %). Among Gen Y, the pressure that comes with starting a new career, combined with a typically higher propensity to watch television or stream apps, could play a part in preventing regular sleep, leading to fatigue in day-to-day life.
GlobalData’s report, ‘Foresights: Night-Time Foods and RTD Beverages’, highlights a growing awareness among consumers that their diets can have a major impact on their sleeping patterns.
Ramsey Baghdadi, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As fatigue and tiredness are such a high concern for consumers globally, foods and beverages with ‘sleep-friendly’ claims will perform well in an otherwise highly saturated market, as they create a point of differentiation against traditional energy-boosting counterparts.”
Younger consumers are most vulnerable to feeling sleep deprived due to their hard-working, digital-orientated lifestyle. As a result, manufacturers in the past year such as the sleep-easy ice cream brand Nightfood and sleep-friendly ready-to-drink (RTD) brand Snoooze, have been focusing on foods and beverages specially designed to be consumed shortly before bed to improve sleep patterns.
Baghdadi states: “Such products are also an innovative example of how manufacturers can stand out from the competition by highlighting unique benefits to consumers such as specific lifestyle/health benefits, as product specificity is a key driver in consumer purchasing behavior. Manufacturers should use more natural ingredients in their products as a significant proportion of consumers globally are concerned about chemical/pharmaceutical sleep solutions, following global trends towards simpler and more natural lifestyles.
“The key to these sleep-friendly snacks is that they contain more plant-based ingredients that claim to improve digestion, natural melatonin levels and are low in sugar, leading to a deeper sleep.”
Ramsey Baghdadi, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As fatigue and tiredness are such a high concern for consumers globally, foods and beverages with ‘sleep-friendly’ claims will perform well in an otherwise highly saturated market, as they create a point of differentiation against traditional energy-boosting counterparts.”
Younger consumers are most vulnerable to feeling sleep deprived due to their hard-working, digital-orientated lifestyle. As a result, manufacturers in the past year such as the sleep-easy ice cream brand Nightfood and sleep-friendly ready-to-drink (RTD) brand Snoooze, have been focusing on foods and beverages specially designed to be consumed shortly before bed to improve sleep patterns.
Baghdadi states: “Such products are also an innovative example of how manufacturers can stand out from the competition by highlighting unique benefits to consumers such as specific lifestyle/health benefits, as product specificity is a key driver in consumer purchasing behavior. Manufacturers should use more natural ingredients in their products as a significant proportion of consumers globally are concerned about chemical/pharmaceutical sleep solutions, following global trends towards simpler and more natural lifestyles.
“The key to these sleep-friendly snacks is that they contain more plant-based ingredients that claim to improve digestion, natural melatonin levels and are low in sugar, leading to a deeper sleep.”
Admir Dobraca has taken over management of Kautex Machines in USA. He succeeds Bill Farrant, who successfully managed and developed Kautex Maschinenbau’s North American site for a decade.
Dobraca has many years of experience in the plastics industry and is a proven packaging specialist. Most recently, he worked for Retal PA LLC, a supplier of packaging products and solutions to the food and beverage industry. He began his career in the plastics industry at Husky Injection Molding Systems in 2002. He held various different positions there, with placements in North America and Europe, until 2016.
With Dobraca in the lead, Kautex aims to strengthen its strong market position in the North American packaging segment and expand into new markets. To achieve this, the company will improve its product and service offerings for current and future customers.
Orange crushing in the 2019/20 crop slowed down in the first fortnight of March at most of the processors in São Paulo State, due to the low supply in the Brazilian citrus belt. Currently, only one plant (in Araraquara) among the three large-sized processors is crushing oranges, primarily early pera rio and late varieties (natal and folha murcha). As usual, this plant should keep activities going until the crushing beginning for the 2020/21 crop.
Besides the lower orange supply, the quality of the fruits allocated to the industry is below the expected. Although yield is considered satisfactory this season, it has been affected by the frequent rains in the first two months of 2020.
BRAZILIAN SPOT MARKET – As both supply and quality decreased in the first fortnight of March, the prices paid for oranges dropped – the quotes paid for the fruits harvested and delivered at processing plants averaged 18.00 BRL per 40.8-kilo box in the first half of the month, against 20.00 BRL/box in February.
At smaller-sized processors, remuneration ranged from 18 BRL to 24 BRL per box, according to yield and quality (the processors that make fresh juice were paying higher prices for the fruits).
As regards the oranges from the 2020/21 crop, sales have not started yet – opposite to the scenario in the two previous seasons, when, between October and November, agents from plants started to bid in order to close deals. Uncertainties about the output in the 2020/21 season may be hampering price fixing by processors – it is worth to mention that production estimates should only be released in May.
MARCH – The firmer weather in tahiti lime producing regions favored the harvesting of the variety in the first fortnight of March, which, added to the lower demand from both the international market and domestic processing plants (since a large-sized processors has ended activities), pressed down quotes in that period. Between March 2 and 13, tahiti lime prices averaged 9.86 BRL per 27-kilo box, harvested, 7.9 % down compared to that in the first half of February.
As regards oranges, sales increased in that period, while supply decreased. The growers consulted by Cepea reported the harvesting end for late oranges, which should increase the share of early oranges in the total volume traded this month. In general, the harvesting pace is expected to be slow for these varieties, which may underpin orange quotes in the in natura market. In the first fortnight of March, pear orange prices averaged 34.86 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, on tree, 6.7 % up compared to that in the same period of the previous month.
PONKAN TANGERINE – The harvesting of ponkan tangerine started in late February in the citrus producing regions from São Paulo State – despite the slow pace. Supply (mainly of higher quality ponkan tangerine) should only increase from the second fortnight of March, when the variety starts to reach the ideal maturation to be traded in the in natura market.
Some growers harvested ponkan tangerine before the ideal maturation for trading, aiming to take advantage of the attractive price levels and the offseason period for pear and late oranges from the 2019/20 crop.
Agents expect the volume of ponkan tangerine to be lower than that in the previous season, based on the dry weather between September and October – when fruits were developing – and on the lower vegetative vigor of plants, after a large crop. In general, production was low in the last years, with well-distributed and sparse crops.
This season, fruits quality should be lower than in 2019, due to the weather. Frequent and high rains in the first two months of 2020 favored the incidence of fungal diseases and rotting after the harvesting.
A tough market, according to GEA experts Martin Zickler and Dave Medlar, where it is better to start planning from the back in order to make everything right from the beginning. That’s why they first built up the service network and a local assembly and then made a promise: GEA pumps will bring a new level of quality, efficiency and hygiene to the US dairy, pharmaceutical, food and beverage markets.
GEA acquired Hilge, a leading German pump manufacturer, in June 2015. Since then the company has been integrated into GEA and has benefitted from its engineering experience and global network of customers, suppliers and agents. Now that the pumps have received 3-A certification, the time is right to meet the US market head on.
Martin Zickler is the product manager for hygienic pumps, based in Germany. He worked with Hilge before the GEA acquisition. “The old company had no footprint in the USA,” he said. “But now that we have the backing of GEA and a comprehensive service and distribution network in the country, we are ready to take on the challenge.”
Michael Brandt is the business development manager charged with the job of making the US launch a success. He said that he had never had any doubts about the quality of the pumps and the opportunities for them in the US, but he had to make sure that the service and support structure was up to American standards before introducing them to the market.
Get ahead by looking back
“GEA pumps are strong, reliable workhorses but, for the American market, service is critical,” he explained. “We need to be able to respond quickly to our customers and provide a fast spares service. We also needed a reliable distribution network as customers need to know that if they require assistance, they can get the relevant expertise quickly.”
Dave Medlar, head of sales valves & pumps USA and his team have been working hard to get the support network in place before the product launch. “Of course, providing excellent service is always work in progress but I am now confident that we are ready,” he said. “We have a global reputation to maintain; when people buy a GEA product, they know it’s going to be supported well, also during the entire service life of a pump.”
Hygienic approach becomes a must-have
The GEA centrifugal pumps have a unique impeller design that sets them apart from normal centrifugal pumps. “We have pushed the impeller towards the front making it more efficient and the mechanical seal easier to cool. It mimics a closed impeller but can still be used in the pharmaceutical industry and wherever sanitary conditions are required,” said Martin. “This means the pump is easier to clean and can handle a much wider range of liquids.”
In addition, GEA pump housings are manufactured by deep drawing, not casting. This provides a much higher quality surface finish without blow holes in which bacteria can collect. Although this has been a feature demanded largely by the pharmaceutical industry in the past, the food and beverage market is increasingly requiring a more hygienic approach throughout all aspects of its production.
Engineering excellence that allows customization
Although the product’s unique features are impressive, and it has a great reputation for reliability, Michael sees an even stronger sales proposition in the engineering experience of the GEA group. “It’s like an engineer’s toolbox,” he said. “We know that all applications are different and it’s flexibility that our customers need. Because we are engineers, not just suppliers of components, we can adapt the pumps to fit virtually any application. This might include, for example, different fittings or mountings, a more robust design or even providing the pump on a trolley. We look at the application, then work out what the customer needs are.”
Juice has been acknowledged as a rapidly declining soft drinks category, with volumes weakening by 3 % in 2019, compared to the same period in 2018, according to leading data and analytics company GlobalData’s UK Quarterly Beverage Forecast in Q4 2019.
Holly Inglis, Beverages Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Although the juice category is free from the sugar tax levy in the UK, consumption has still seen a downward turn in recent years, with consumers opting for other soft drinks categories such as iced/ready-to-drink (RTD) teas and enhanced waters, although none of these promote lean tags.
Another finding from GlobalData’s surveys include that a total *43 % of UK consumers claim they pay a high to very high amount of attention to the ingredients used in the food and drinks they consume.
An attempted turnaround in 2020 is Tropicana Lean – a new juice variant that indicates a movement towards better-for-you beverages in line with current consumer beverage trends.This poses the question whether Tropicana is taking a leap of faith with promoting a lean juice, or in fact we will welcome a new entry into the soft drinks market that combines hydration with health.
Inglis noted: “Tropicana’s innovation comes soon after the brand’s release of Tropicana Whole Fruit in May 2019, which attempted to impact the market with its high-fibre claims.”
*GlobalData’s Q3 2019 Consumer Survey
The iGeneration (also known as Gen Z) is the name given to people born between 1995-2007, following Generation Y. The “i” represents the technology that this generation has grown up with, for example, iPhone, iPod, Wii and iTunes.
Digital Dilemma
The iGeneration are known to consume large amounts of media on a daily basis, averaging between six and nine hours. They use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat as information sources and a way to connect with brands.
Growing Purchasing Power
As this generation graduate from school and college, they begin to have a growing purchasing power, and by 2020, they will account for 40 percent of the consumer market. Influenced by their level of control, identities and globalization, these behaviours and characteristics are shaping the beverage industry, as they look for products to improve their physical and emotional health, as well as helping the environment.
Teetotalism
This digitally-connected generation are more concerned over safety, taking fewer risks and drinking less alcohol than former generations. In comparison to previous generations, the iGeneration have become conscious of what they put in their bodies. This is driving the explosion of variety in low alcohol or no alcohol alternatives on the supermarket shelves.
This is driving the explosion of variety in low alcohol or no alcohol beverages on the supermarket shelves, driving the desire for more sophisticated drinks. Mocktails are becoming more inventive with savoury and spicy notes, appealing to the iGeneration’s broad and adventurous palates. The iGeneration are one of the most ethnically diverse groups and therefore more receptive to ethnic flavours, driving an appeal towards botanical-infused drinks.
Better-for-you
This generation have been educated to make healthier choices, particularly around ever-growing concerns over the consumption of sugar. With CSD’s in decline, bottled and flavoured water has noticeably increased as a replacement, along with cold brew coffees and teas, with more innovative flavours and ingredients.
Transparency is also valued, leading to a higher number of clean label claims. According to Global Data’s study in 2018, 42 % of iGeneration “are often or always influenced by how ethical, environmentally friendly, or socially responsible a product is in the following sectors” in comparison to only 28 % from the silent generation.
Healthy Grab-and-Go
The iGeneration are revolutionising the eating experience. Convenience has become key to meet on-the-go lifestyles and creating grab-and-go convenience opportunities for not just meals, but snacks and beverages. As told by Global Data, “Gen Z and Millennials are most likely to use out-of-home services on a regular basis compared with older age cohorts.” They often prefer to stay at home and use technology to get a food delivery.
According to a study by the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) and the Centre for Generational Kinetics, 24 % of the iGeneration order a takeout three or four times in a typical week, exceeding any other generation. It is worth noting that these deliveries are mostly healthy in order to keep up to go with their on-the-go lifestyles. As told by Tufts Nutrition, 41 % of Gen Z say they would spend more on foods they perceive as healthier, in comparison to only 32 % of millennials and around 21 % of baby boomers.
Source Treatt: www.treatt.com
All Oranges 71.0 Million Boxes
The 2019-2020 Florida all orange forecast released by the USDA Agricultural Statistics Board is lowered 1.00 million boxes to 71.0 million boxes. If realized, this will be down 1 percent from last season’s final production. The forecast consists of 30.0 million boxes of the non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason, and Navel varieties) and 41.0 million boxes of the Valencia oranges. A 9-year regression has been used for comparison purposes. All references to “average”, “minimum”, and “maximum” refer to the previous 10 seasons, excluding the 2017-2018 season, which was affected by Hurricane Irma. Average fruit per tree includes both regular and first late bloom. …
Please download the full citrus crop production forecast: www.nass.usda.gov
To prep for the warmer weather and festivities summer brings, Smoothie King launched Metabolism Boost smoothies—designed to boost metabolism and help control appetite.
Metabolism Boost smoothies are made with clean ingredients and come in two flavors—Strawberry Pineapple and Mango Ginger. When combined with a fitness routine, these smoothies help guests boost metabolism and control their appetite with whole, organic veggies, non-GMO fruit and naturally derived caffeine. An excellent source of both fiber and protein, Metabolism Boost smoothies help guests feel fuller and satisfied longer, and when combined with Smoothie King’s proprietary Metabolism Boost enhancer, help to accelerate metabolism and calorie burning.
Metabolism Boost smoothies are the newest menu item designed to help guests feel their best for swimsuit season and beyond. Smoothie King is committed to helping guests attain their health and fitness goals through nutritious smoothies complete with whole fruits, organic vegetables and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
For health-conscious guests looking for the perfect meal replacement smoothie to Rule the Day, Metabolism Boost smoothies are masterfully crafted with nutritious, wholesome ingredients and contain 280 calories and over 17 grams of protein per 20 ounces.
Metabolism Boost smoothies are available in all Smoothie King locations in the US.
For the first time ever, European container glass manufacturers come together to build the first large scale hybrid electric furnace to run on 80 % green electricity.
The ‘Furnace of the Future’ is a fundamental milestone in the industry’s decarbonisation journey towards climate-neutral glass packaging. It will be the first large-scale hybrid oxy-fuel furnace to run on 80 % renewable electricity in the world. It will replace current fossil-fuel energy sources and cut CO2 emissions by 50 %.
For the very first time, the industry has adopted a collaborative approach where 20 glass container producers have mobilised resources to work on and fund a pilot project to prove the concept.
We are extremely proud to announce this joint-industry project”, comments Michel Giannuzzi, President of FEVE. “The hybrid technology is a step-change in the way we produce and will enable us to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of glass packaging production. The move marks an important milestone for the glass sector in implementing our decarbonisation strategy”.
Ardagh Group – the second largest glass packaging manufacturer in the world – has volunteered to build the furnace in Germany. It will be built in 2022, with an assessment of first results planned for 2023. The industry already works with electric furnaces in several of its 150 glass manufacturing plants across Europe, but they are small scale and exclusively used to produce flint (colourless) glass with virgin raw materials, therefore using very little or no recycled glass content. With this new technology, the industry will be able to produce more than 300 tonnes per day of any glass colour, using high levels of recycled glass.
“With this new technology we are embarking on the journey to climate-neutral glass packaging, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of manufacturing”, states Martin Petersson, CEO of Ardagh Group, Glass Europe. “We aim to demonstrate the viability of electric melting on a commercial scale, which would revolutionise the consumer glass packaging market”.
Bringing the ‘Furnace of the Future’ to life is an extremely ambitious project requiring significant financial and human resources and a wide range of expertise. For this reason, the industry has committed to work together. By adopting a sectoral approach, it also intends to gain the support of the European Commission through the ETS Finance for Innovation Fund Programme. Despite its key importance, this project is not the only one the industry is working on. Other pathways towards clean production technologies and climate-neutral glass packaging are already implemented and others are also being explored.
Amid the COVID-19 outbreak across Europe the European fresh fruit and vegetable sector has increased efforts to ensure a continuous and diverse supply of safe, high quality fresh fruit and vegetables for consumers in Europe and around the world. With at-home consumption increasing as the outbreak develops, ensuring consumers can maintain a healthy, balanced diet with access to fresh fruit and vegetables remains a top priority for the European fruit and vegetable sector.
Freshfel Europe together with its members has been closely monitoring the implications of the COVID0-19 outbreak for the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain across Europe. Now officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the closure of border crossings in Europe for people has delayed some operations in the fresh produce supply chain. However, all possible measures have been taken across the chain to maintain supply of high quality fresh produce. With the closure of restaurants and cafés in many Member States, consumers are increasingly reliant on the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables in retail outlets for at-home consumption. The fresh fruit and vegetable sector is holding discussions with public authorities to guarantee a ‘fresh corridor’ to fast-track trucks transporting highly perishable fresh fruit and vegetables to guarantee timely supply. This includes securing vehicles and drivers in a timely manner in the right locations and introducing protocols to ensure trade flows. Discussions are also being centred on securing resources for the upcoming picking season, such as having enough employees picking in orchards and working in packing stations and further down the supply chain.
Measures are being taken by all European fresh produce companies to provide the highest protection to workers in the supply chain. Non-essential staff are working from home, distances between essential operating staff have been increased, the highest hygiene precautions in pack-houses and wholesale markets are being taken and truck drivers are being isolated to decrease the risk of shortages of these crucial personnel in maintaining operations. In retail outlets staff and consumer safety is of the highest priority. Precautions have increased to ensure the highest level of safety for essential staff re-stocking shelves to meet heightening demand for products and for consumers expecting safe, high quality fresh products.
The highest levels of food safety and hygiene are being met by operators in the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain amid the COVID-19 outbreak. While the European Food Safety Authority has stated that there is no evidence that transmission through food consumption could occur, the sector reminds consumers to follow the precautionary recommendations issued by the WHO on good hygiene practices during any food handling and preparation. This includes washing hands, using different chopping boards and knives for raw meat and cooked food and avoiding potential cross-contamination between cooked and uncooked foods. All these efforts by the sector are facilitating consumers in continuing to have a healthy balanced diet rich in fruit and vegetables throughout the outbreak.
Following the news that PepsiCo is set to buy Rockstar Energy Beverages; Andy Morton, Drinks Deputy Editor at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:
“This agreement will fill a gaping hole in PepsiCo’s beverage portfolio just as The Coca-Cola Co looked to have the drop over its historic rival in global energy drinks.
“In recent years, Coca-Cola has taken a minority stake in Monster Energy owner Monster Beverage Corp and launched its own energy drink under the Coca-Cola brand. The moves targeted fast growth in energy that has stolen share from carbonated sodas such as Coke and Pepsi and threatened the traditional business strategies of the larger beverage multinationals.
“As Coca-Cola cosied up to Monster, PepsiCo’s lack of action in energy became more apparent. Energy offerings from PepsiCo so far have largely been from its Mountain Dew soft drinks brand, with niche consumers such as gamers served with the likes of Amp Game Fuel and athletes with a caffeinated version of Gatorade called Bolt24.
“The Rockstar acquisition hands PepsiCo an off-the-peg solution to its lack of a bespoke energy brand while offering new angles for those already in its portfolio. According to GlobalData, Rockstar accounts for just 4 % of the global energy drinks market by value, but the company offers a platform to bigger things.
“The purchase also sounds the starting gun for a new frontier in PepsiCo and Coca-Cola’s beverage war as the world’s biggest soda companies finally get serious in energy.
“For years, the global energy drinks market was dominated by the upstart Red Bull. Recently, however, Monster – buoyed by a sea of cash from domination in the US – has closed the gap by stretching its tentacles beyond the country, with exports boosted by a distribution agreement with Coca-Cola. With Rockstar now set to join PepsiCo, it too could become a global player and expand beyond its current few dozen export markets.
“There’s much to play for – according to GlobalData, the global energy drinks market grew by 8.9 % in 2018, making it the fastest-growing category in non-alcoholic beverages. That growth was driven by Asia (+18.7 %), Eastern Europe (+16.9 %) and Africa (+14.0 %). China, meanwhile, became the world’s biggest energy drinks market after overtaking the US, signalling that the real action in the category lies beyond PepsiCo and Coca-Cola’s developed markets.
“Prepare to be buzzed – the energy drinks showdown is going global.”
The estimated revenue generated from the global ready-to-drink shakes market is US$ 9 Bn in 2019, and is projected to reach US$ 16 Bn by 2028. The market is therefore projected to rise at a CAGR of ~6 % between 2020 and 2028.
Globally, functional drinks are sought after for their high protein content and their demand is likely to rise steadily over the forecast period. A key factor resulting in increasing consumption of functional drinks is the increase in the consumer spending power, especially in developing nations. Ready-to-drink shakes which constitute a category of functional drinks are available in various flavours for retail sales in the global market. Some of these flavours are chocolate, banana, strawberry, among others. The global market of ready-to-drink shakes is analyzed on the basis of various flavours. These products are available for sale in different packaging forms, like bottles, tetra packs/cartons, and cans, which offers heightened convenience. Ready-to-drink shakes are meeting the current health and wellness demand in such a way that the drinks offer high protein amount with added specialty health ingredients.
Key takeaways from the ready-to-drink shake market study
“Ready-to-drink shakes market is expected to channel upwards due to the excellent marketing strategies of the key players in the global market, resulting in the positive growth in the emerging markets,” says the report analyst.
Easy availability and increasing penetration of manufacturers and sellers of ready-to-drink shakes to positively Impact growth
Due to the increase in the preference for e-commerce platforms for transaction and shopping, the market reach out of the ready-to-drink shakes is anticipated to increase in the developed and developing economies. The boom in the IT sector has led to the development of the various new and easy ways of the transactions and shopping across various domains. The food and beverage industry is also driven by the increased use of the e-commerce platforms, since consumers have top priority for convenience and ease of doing business. Likewise, e-commerce platforms have enthralled the potential buyers of ready-to-drink shakes due to the easy and increased availability of the products, even in remote areas. Ready-to-drink shakes sales across e-commerce platforms are anticipated to rise over the forecast period and likely to be one of the drivers of the market growth.
Who is winning?
Some of the key players operating in the Ready to Drink Shake market are Nestlé S.A, Starbucks Corporation, PepsiCo Inc., Monster beverage Co., Lotte Chilsung Beverage Co., The Coca-Cola Company, The J.M Smucker Company, Bolthouse Farms, Inc., Arla Foods amba, Atkin Nutritionals Inc. and others.
These insights are based on a report on Ready to Drink Shake Market by Future Market Insights.
New date 25 February to 3 March 2021
Messe Düsseldorf is postponing the leading international trade fair interpack. It will now take place from 25 February to 3 March 2021.
In doing so, Messe Düsseldorf is following the recommendation of the crisis management team of the German Federal Government to take into account the principles of the Robert Koch Institute when assessing the risk of major events. Based on this recommendation and the recent significant increase in the number of people infected with the new corona virus (SARS-CoV-2), including in Europe, Messe Düsseldorf has reassessed the situation. In addition, there is the general ruling issued by the city of Düsseldorf on 11 March 2020, in which major events with more than 1,000 participants present at the same time are generally prohibited. …
Please read more under https://bit.ly/33jZ4wC
Ball Corporation announced that it has earned the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification for all 23 of its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) beverage can plants. This accomplishment is a major sustainability milestone for the company and Ball is the first beverage can manufacturer to meet ASI’s environmental, social and governance principles.
The certification accompanies a commitment to significant carbon reductions by Ball, which is now covering all of its operations in the European Union, Serbia and the UK with renewable energy. Ball previously announced agreements for 100 % renewable energy covering all of its North America operations by 2021.
“We’re extremely proud to be the first aluminium beverage can manufacturer to achieve ASI certification,” said Ron Lewis, President, Ball Beverage Packaging, EMEA. “With their infinite recyclability, aluminium cans are the fastest growing beverage packaging type in Europe. As consumers seek more environmentally friendly products, they can have confidence in aluminium’s strong sustainability credentials such as responsible sourcing. The certification, combined with our renewable energy investments, demonstrates Ball’s commitment to a low-carbon, sustainable economy.”
ASI is a multi-stakeholder initiative that provides assurance of responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium throughout its value chain. As consumers demand greater sustainability across packaged goods, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s scheme aims to do for aluminium what the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) did for paper and wood, making sustainability performance a mainstream, visible issue.
Ball has achieved both ASI’s Performance, and Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard certifications.
The ASI Performance Standard is a measure of how much effort Ball is making across its plants to assess, manage and disclose its environmental, social and governance impacts. These include issues such as life-cycle thinking, recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste management, biodiversity, business integrity and the human rights of both workers and local communities.
The ASI CoC Standard sets out requirements for the creation of a Chain of Custody for material that is produced and processed through the value chain. In Ball’s case, it links verified practices – certified under the ASI Performance Standard – from mining and remelting to casting, rolling, can manufacturing and filling.
“We’re responding to a greater desire from consumers, across Europe and around the world, for genuinely sustainable and infinitely recyclable packaging solutions,” said Kathleen Pitre, Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer, Ball Corporation. “We’re working closely with our beverage customers to help them deliver on their sustainability commitments including on responsible sourcing practices. Ball is proud of our achievements in getting certified.”
“We are very pleased to award ASI Certification to, Ball Corporation, the world’s largest aluminium can maker and the first in its sector to have achieved this,” said Dr. Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative. “The ASI’s Performance Standard covers critical issues for the entire aluminium value chain. The programme is focused on responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of this important industrial metal. ASI Certification enables the aluminium industry to demonstrate responsibility and provide independent and credible assurance of performance. Supply-chain certification programs like ASI are becoming increasingly important for customers and stakeholders, who seek assurance that companies’ sustainability practices are genuine.”
With 75 % of aluminium ever produced still in use today around the world, the metal has a vital role to play in creating a truly circular economy. Ball is taking a lead on industry efforts to significantly increase the European recycling rate of aluminium beverage cans, currently at 75 %. Recycling aluminium saves 95 % of the energy required for the production of virgin aluminium, and so helps the global community to meet urgent carbon reduction targets.
PepsiCo, Inc. announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Rockstar Energy Beverages (“Rockstar”), the popular energy drink maker, for $3.85 billion.
“As we work to be more consumer-centric and capitalize on rising demand in the functional beverage space, this highly strategic acquisition will enable us to leverage PepsiCo’s capabilities to both accelerate Rockstar’s performance and unlock our ability to expand in the category with existing brands such as Mountain Dew,” said PepsiCo Chairman and CEO, Ramon Laguarta. “Over time, we expect to capture our fair share of this fast-growing, highly profitable category and create meaningful new partnerships in the energy space.”
Rockstar, founded in 2001, produces beverages that are designed for those who lead active lifestyles from athletes to rock stars. Rockstar products are available in over 30 flavors at convenience and grocery outlets in over 30 countries. PepsiCo has had a distribution agreement with Rockstar in North America since 2009. In addition to Rockstar, PepsiCo’s energy portfolio includes Mountain Dew’s Kickstart, GameFuel, and AMP.
“We have had a strong partnership with PepsiCo for the last decade, and I’m happy to take that to the next level and join forces as one company,” said Russ Weiner, Rockstar’s founder and creator of the world’s first 16oz energy drink. “PepsiCo shares our competitive spirit and will invest in growing our brand even further. I’m proud of what we built and how we’ve changed the game in the energy space.”
PepsiCo has also entered into an agreement, which will provide approximately $0.7 billion of payments related to future tax benefits associated with the transaction, payable over up to 15 years. PepsiCo does not expect the transaction to be material to its revenue or earnings per share in 2020. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval, and is expected to close in the first half of 2020.
Centerview Partners LLC acted as financial advisor to PepsiCo. Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP acted as lead counsel to PepsiCo, and Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP as U.S. tax and antitrust counsel. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC acted as financial advisor to Rockstar, with King & Spalding acting as Rockstar’s legal counsel.
A new study1 published in the Journal of Nutrition and Health Sciences reports that drinking 100 % orange juice following exercise contributes to hydration equally as well as water and sports drinks, positioning the beverage as a viable alternative for post-exercise recovery. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Kansas and funded by the Florida Department of Citrus, found no differences between 100 % orange juice, sports drinks, or water with respect to taste preference, thirst level, hydration, or gastrointestinal distress following exercise.
Researchers conducted a five-day exercise study with 26 healthy young adults who were moderately trained for endurance exercise. Each day they cycled on a stationary bike for 80 minutes and then consumed approximately eight fluid ounces of commercially available 100 % orange juice, orange-flavored water, or an orange-flavored sports drink. Participants rated the taste of the beverages, thirst levels, and measures of gastrointestinal distress such as reflux or intestinal cramps immediately after the exercise, after drinking the beverages, and after one hour of rest. The researchers measured participants’ hydration status immediately after exercise and after a one-hour rest period.
These findings suggest that 100 % orange juice is a viable post-exercise rehydration strategy, with the beverage receiving positive palatability ratings from study participants when used as a post-exercise rehydration beverage. Additionally, 100 % orange juice was able to satisfy thirst while helping to achieve or maintain hydration following exercise without causing gastrointestinal distress.
“The study showed that people consuming 100 % orange juice were hydrated as well as the participants consuming a sports drink or water. There were no symptoms of serious GI distress with the orange juice despite the carbohydrate content and acidity of the beverage. The results indicate that people can drink orange juice to aid in their rehydration and recovery after exercise,” said Dr. Dawn Emerson, Assistant Professor at the University of Kansas and principal investigator on this study.
An eight-ounce serving of 100 % orange juice provides carbohydrates and is a good source of potassium, an electrolyte, that may provide rehydration and recovery benefits post-exercise. The naturally occurring sugar in 100 % orange juice keeps good company with these and other vitamins, minerals and the antioxidant properties that are all part of the nutrition package 100 % orange juice delivers.
According to the U.S. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, one cup of 100 % orange juice counts as a fruit serving2 meaning the naturally sweet taste of 100 % orange juice can contribute to an overall healthy diet. Just one-in-ten Americans meet their daily fruit intake as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines, missing out on important nutrients.3 A glass of 100 % orange juice can help close that gap in a convenient, quick way, while also serving as a viable option for post-exercise rehydration.
1Kelly MR, Emerson DM, Landes EJ, Barnes ER, Gallagher PM (2020) Gastrointestinal Implications of Post-Exercise Orange Juice Consumption. J Nutr Health Sci 7(1): 101
2USDA/DHHS. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines
3CDC. Disparities in State-Specific Adult Fruit and Vegetable Consumption. 2015. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/wr/mm6645a1.htm?s_cid=mm6645a1_w
Following their successful 70th anniversary Juice Conference in Mexico last year, the IFU are now looking forward to the 2020 international conference which will take place over two days in the famous Stellenbosch wine region of South Africa. This event will be held in conjunction with the South African Fruit Juice Association (SAFJA) and will be combined with their annual meetings. With an expected attendance of over 200 participants, the conference is a wonderful opportunity to meet and engage with other juice industry professionals from around the world.
It will be held at the Spier wine farm and conference hotel near Stellenbosch which is one of the oldest wine farms in the region, with a recorded history dating back to 1692. It is home to one of the largest collections of contemporary South African art and its wines are among the most awarded in the country.
Well-known speakers will give presentations covering a variety of informative and interesting topics relevant to the global juice industry, as well as the African market, including the following:
On both evenings, participants will have the chance to network at a welcome dinner on day one and over drinks and canapés on day two.
There will be also an opportunity to take part in an exclusive wine tasting event the day before and visits to local producers in the area have been arranged for the day after the conference.
For more details about attending this exciting event and to experience South African hospitality, visit the IFU website.
¡CACTUS! Organic Cactus Water: Nature’s way to hydrate under hottest conditions “The Desert Hydrator” contains unique hydrocolloid that boosts hydration
¡CACTUS! Organic Cactus Water, a new line of plant based functional waters powered by Nopal cactus leaf juice, provides consumers seeking healthy hydration, refreshment and recovery with nature’s way to hydrate under the hottest conditions. The ¡CACTUS! formulation contains a cactus hydrocolloid that boosts hydration, absorption and retention. ¡CACTUS! is an excellent source of Vitamin C and contains additional antioxidants, electrolytes and amino acids including taurine. Low calorie and with only 5g sugar (agave), ¡CACTUS! is available in delicious organic Papaya, Lime and Watermelon flavors, in recyclable 12 oz/355 ml aluminum sleek cans.
“I created ¡CACTUS! to bring the hydration secret of the desert to consumers everywhere,” said ¡CACTUS! founder Sarita Lopez. “While it makes intuitive sense that water from a hot, dry region would provide especially effective hydration, the science backs it up. Inside every Nopal cactus paddle is a unique hydrocolloid that absorbs and retains moisture – so the cactus can survive the desert heat. ¡CACTUS! contains the same hydrocolloid. That’s why it’s so well absorbed and retained in the body, and why it hydrates so well.”
While “plant based waters” are relatively new, ¡CACTUS! is rooted in traditional wisdom. “For generations, Latin American folk healers recommended cactus leaf juice for colds, coughs, skin conditions and stomach ailments,” said Lopez. “Today’s research shows cactus leaf juice may promote muscle recovery, combat oxidative stress linked to inflammation, and may even help reduce the effect of hangovers.”
The ¡CACTUS! brand reflects Lopez’s personal experience and her focus on sustainability. Cactus leaf juice cleared up her eczema when nothing else worked. As a result Lopez decided to create an organic cactus water made with cactus leaf juice. The cacti used to make ¡CACTUS! are grown via natural rainfall, using no irrigated water. Select paddles (leaves) are harvested, not the entire plant. (The paddles quickly regenerate). The whole paddle is used, for maximum nutrition and minimum waste. And ¡CACTUS! aluminum sleek cans are both recycled and recyclable to a far greater degree than aseptic or cardboard containers.
About ¡CACTUS! Organic Cactus Water
¡CACTUS! Organic Cactus Water is nature’s way to hydrate under the hottest conditions. Made with organic cactus leaf juice, ¡CACTUS! contains a unique hydrocolloid that promotes hydration by boosting absorption and retention in the body. ¡CACTUS! is an excellent source of Vitamin C and contains additional antioxidants, electrolytes and amino acids including taurine. Low calorie and with only 5g sugar (agave), ¡CACTUS! is available in delicious organic Papaya, Lime and Watermelon flavors, in recyclable 12 oz./355 ml aluminum sleek cans. At work or before and after workout, hydrate, refresh and recover with ¡CACTUS!, The Desert Hydrator™ ¡CACTUS! parent company Green-Go LLC is certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC), and is also a minority owned business. Green-Go LLC makes ongoing contributions to the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection.
ACE supports the European Commission proposal on the EU Climate Law aimed at reaching climate neutrality by 2050.
“We fully endorse the European Commission’s objective to make the EU climate neutral by 2050. Today, the EU demonstrates their leadership on climate change, and presents another opportunity to foster greater innovation, green jobs and reduce harmful emissions that negatively impact our society” said Annick Carpentier, Director General of ACE. “We now encourage the EU-co-legislators to go a step further and increase the ambition of this proposal by addressing the climate impact of materials and to strengthen the link between climate, the circular economy and the bioeconomy. Several reports acknowledge that production and use of materials account for a substantive share of greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why the substitution of high carbon materials with low carbon materials, such as sustainably-sourced renewables, is key to reach climate neutrality and reduce the need for fossil-based resources. We look forward to working constructively with the EU institutions to have this more clearly reflected in the Climate Law.”
By using recognised science-based targets, sustainably sourced materials, internationally recognized standards, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®), the members of ACE remain committed to contributing to a low carbon circular economy.
As orange production is higher this season (2019/20), orange juice inventories should increase again until the end of the crop. According to a report from CitrusBR (Brazilian Association of Citrus Exporters) released on February 18, ending stocks of Frozen Concentrate Orange Juice (FCOJ) equivalent should total 412.83 thousand tons at the processing plants from São Paulo by June 30, 2020. This is the highest volume registered in five seasons (since 2014/15), considering CitrusBR’s historical series.
If this volume is confirmed, it would account for a 63 % increase compared to that in the 2018/19 season (253.18 thousand tons). This scenario was already expected, since orange production in the citrus belt (São Paulo and the Triângulo Mineiro) increased 34.6 % between the last season and the current one, according to Fundecitrus (Citrus Defense Fund).
Of the total volume produced, still according to CitrusBR, 59.7 million boxes (40.8-kilo box) will be allocated to the in natura market and 325.17 million, to processing. The average crop yield is estimated at 270.1 boxes for a ton of FCOJ Equivalent, and the total juice production is forecast at 1.2 million tons.
In August/19, Cepea calculations had pointed to the possibility of inventories to increase at processors to levels similar to that estimated by CitrusBR, at 400 thousand tons.
REFLEXES IN 2020/21 – Although estimates point to a recovery in the volume stocked (the last four seasons closed with lower volumes), the effects on juice inventories in 2020/21 will depend on the amount to be produced in the coming season. However, since citrus growers expect next crop to be at least 30% smaller than the 2019/20, inventories should decrease to lower levels in June/21.
If production decreases, the prices paid to growers by the industry may rise, since demand should remain firm in this segment, despite the high inventories. In the in natura market, quotes may be favored by low supply, since processors should try to purchase the largest possible amount of fruits, to prevent inventories from decreasing to critical levels in June/2021.
MARKET IN FEBRUARY – Orange consumption decreased in the in natura market in the second fortnight of February, due to the rainy weather in some regions of São Paulo State and fruits’ lower quality. However, the low supply of higher quality pear oranges underpinned prices during the month. Between February 3 and 28, pear orange prices averaged 33.06 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, on tree, 8.3 % up compared to that in January.
TAHITI LIME – The harvesting pace for tahiti lime was fast in February in the major producing regions from São Paulo State. Supply, which has been increasing since December, hit its peak last month, and according to agents consulted by Cepea, it may continue high until late March.
Besides that, rains influenced the in natura market too, hampering activities in the field and lowering fruits quality. Moreover, the sales pace was slow in February, due to the carnival season in Brazil.
Thus, in February, tahiti lime quotes averaged 10.24 BRL per 27-kilo box, harvested, the lowest for the month since 2017, in nominal terms, and 14.9 % down compared to that in January.
Yakult launches its first aseptic food and beverage products on the Korean market, in Ecolean® Air Aseptic lightweight packages. The first two launches match health-oriented products with convenient and unique packaging, elevating the Korean consumers’ experiences.
“The Ecolean package is the perfect fit for us, since it is lightweight and flexible, yet extremely durable. We have already seen a huge interest from consumers,” says Ms. Jeonghyeon Hong, Marketing Manager, Yakult Korea.
Yakult is a well-established global food and beverage manufacturer, and the first beverage on the Korean market for ambient distribution, marks a move into the aseptic segment with new opportunities to follow. Hyfresh ready-to-drink tea launched in Ecolean® Air Aseptic 125ml package, is developed with Pyunkang medical institute and Hyfresh ready-to-drink vegetable soup, in Ecolean® Air Aseptic 200ml, is a nutritious vegetable-based creamy soup.
“This also marks Ecolean’s first launch in Korea and we are looking forward to showing consumers the benefits of our lightweight packages – being microwaveable and easy to use. Brand owners using lightweight packaging are not only reporting cost savings but also an improved environmental profile and brand image among other advantages”, says Johnny Sajland, Global Sales Director, Ecolean. “This will be a great match, with both the Yakult products’ added-value offering and with consumer’s everyday lives.”
Yakult puts one trillion packages on the market each year and has high standards when partnering with packaging suppliers
“We are developing food and beverage products responding to health concerns in typical modern lives. Marking the launch of our health-oriented ready-to-drink tea, we are addressing the need for self-care. The same can be said about our launch of Hyfresh vegetable soup, bringing an end to health concerns derived from vegetable-poor diets,” says Ms. Jeonghyeon Hong, Marketing Manager, Yakult Korea. “This is so important to us, to be able to make a difference in the consumer’s everyday life and we feel that with Ecolean that promise is strengthened.”
Fever-Tree launched Soda Collection, a brand-new range of delicious flavoured sodas, expertly crafted from the finest naturally sourced ingredients.
Each soda is low in calories and uses no artificial colours, sweeteners or preservatives, making them perfect for creating delicious yet simple spritz drinks.
Raspberry & Rose
Raspberry and Rose Soda is made with delicately perfumed Damask rose petals combined with the juicy sweetness of late-harvest raspberries to create a unique and delicious soda that’s perfect for mixing with pink gin or premium vodka for a refreshing summer spritz.
White Grape & Apricot
Wonderfully tart white grapes and sweet apricots from Italy are balanced with the subtle floral notes of French verbena oil to create White Grape & Apricot Soda.
Italian Blood Orange
Juicy blood oranges from Sicily meet an iconic herbal blend to create Italian Blood Orange Soda. This complex and sophisticated mixer pairs perfectly with Italian liqueurs, bitters and premium vodka.
Mexican Lime
Mexican Lime Soda is made with Tahiti lime from Mexico’s fertile groves in addition to pressed oil extract from the wonderfully floral Japanese yuzu to create a low-calorie soda that’s perfect for mixing with premium vodka or tequila for a mouth-wateringly zesty summer spritz.
The range is available throughout the UK across pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels from March 2020 before launching in retail in the run-up to Easter 2020.
75 years of gas safety and performance optimization
A world market leader from Germany is celebrating its birthday – for 75 years now, the Witten-based company Witt-Gasetechnik has been setting the standard for safety and efficiency in the use of industrial gases. Gas mixers and analysers, pressure regulators and valves – Witt products can be found in industrial applications all over the world. And just in time for the company anniversary, the manufacturer is working on the next milestone in the company’s history under the banner “Witt 4.0”.
Did you know ? Flashback arrestors for welding applications, used worldwide ever since, were first introduced to the market in 1945 by the German manufacturer Witt. Company founder Paul Witt revolutionised the handling of flammable gases with this small but immensely important component. These safety devices remain a globally demanded part of the Witt product portfolio. The manufacturer also offers a comprehensive range of valves for industrial gas applications, such as safety relief valves, gas non-return valves and pressure regulators.
However, the company has long since developed into other niches in the field of gas technology, and with its 200+ employees continues to set new standards. The range of gas mixers is unrivalled internationally and the gas analysers and leak testers also enjoy an excellent reputation.
But even after three quarters of a century, Witt is still young and modern. Its R & D team is constantly improving and expanding the product range, thus responding to changing requirements, and developing game-changing innovations.
Witt 4.0 – smart gas technology
A current example is the shift to digital solutions for networked manufacturing in Industry 4.0 – a change that does not stop at gas technology. Witt is one of the pioneers: Dr. Richard Benning has been driving development forward for years. “Witt 4.0” is what the managing partner, who is the third generation to head the family business, calls this project, thus giving a name to the next revolution from Witt.
The technological breakthrough was achieved two years ago. Witt presented the first prototypes of “smart” fittings: safety devices that can record and transmit important parameters such as pressures and temperatures via sensors. Witt’s engineers managed the feat of integrating the electronics directly into the fittings. Fully integrated valves offer real commercial added value: real-time data from a single device, little space required, quick installation, easy maintenance. In other words, performance and cost advantages compared to piecemeal solutions.
Smart dome pressure regulators that can measure gas pressure and temperature, calculate flow rates and transmit them to a network are now an integral part of the product catalogue. Soon further “smart” fittings will be added. But that is not all.
Data anywhere and anytime
Witt has also long since equipped gas analysers and gas mixers with electronic control systems specially developed for this purpose. All relevant data is recorded, evaluated and output. In this way, these systems, parallel to the smart fittings, are seamlessly networked in the production process and can be controlled “intelligently”.
All components are interconnected via the local network, and can also be read and controlled over the internet. The data converge in real time at the control station controller. Via PC or tablet, the right people have all information available at all times. If something goes wrong or needs to be reset, they can intervene immediately: The networked gas technology thus also stands for more precise process control and minimum rejects, i.e. for maximum efficiency.
Global company with local presence
Witt 4.0 is another important building block for the company to maintain and expand its leading market position. The manufacturer has always worked meticulously on its portfolio and is consistently expanding it. The Witten-based company has long been regarded as a “one-stop shop” for everything relevant to the safe handling of gases.
The products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art production facility in Witten. Quality management is comprehensive, all relevant standards are met and are validated by external accreditations.
Also to know, Witt generates well over half of its sales outside Germany. Through subsidiaries and sales partners, the company is represented on all continents and offers its customers local advice and service.
A team of technical experts is helping Coca-Cola North America launch breakthrough beverages in emerging categories – from kombuchas, to cultured ciders, to keto-friendly smoothies, to cold-brew coffees – in record time.
The Transformational Innovation Team partners with brands and business units to take new drinks in unfamiliar spaces to commercialization in a handful of months. A rotating group of specialists from Research and Development (R&D), Quality, Safety & Environmental Sustainability, Technical Commercialization and Scientific and Regulatory Affairs (SRA) is helping the company navigate uncharted territory by challenging existing approaches to innovation – from sourcing and seeking approval on new ingredients, to producing beverages in emerging categories, to bringing new brands to market – through an agile, test- and-learn launch model.
“We combine the best of what entrepreneurs do and the best of what Coca-Cola does,” explains team lead Susan Zaripheh. “Entrepreneurs dream of having the power of our brands and scale of our distribution network, and large global companies like Coke want to be able to innovate quickly, iteratively and stay
competitive in emerging spaces.”
Inspiring a mindset shift
This means challenging organizational processes and breaking down boundaries. “Capability isn’t an issue at Coca-Cola,” Zaripheh says. “Our talent and people are top notch. What we’re trying to do is inspire a mindset shift and push the company into new or emerging segments consumers want us to explore.”
The Transformational Innovation Team has partnered with Minute Maid to develop several breakthrough products in 2019, including Cidewinder, which boasts similar digestive health benefits as kombucha but with less sugar. The cultured juice brand, which leveraged a novel ingredient and process from a third-party company, is being tested in grocery and convenience store outlets in Texas and California.
“Cidewinder is an example of how we’re moving quickly, but deliberately, by running small market tests before investing significant time or resources,” Zaripheh said. “Some of the brands we’re helping to launch will not reach scale, but that’s the point of what we’re doing. We’re pushing the company to move faster than ever and to use real-time market data to make informed decisions and gain important learnings for the future.”
Following the consumer
Odwalla, meanwhile, tapped Zaripheh’s team to help develop a zero-sugar, keto-friendly smoothie using trending ingredients like MCT oil and coconut cream – bringing the first-of-its-kind offering in the Coca-Cola portfolio to life in less than six months.
“Our partnership with the Transformational Innovation Team has added tremendous value to our decision making,” said John Hackett, president, Minute Maid Business Unit. “With their support, we’ve been able to test emerging spaces quickly and gain real-world learnings. Direct guidance from the market enables us to focus our investments on ideas and innovations that strongly resonate with consumers.”
The team also partnered with Honest to launch two category-crossing innovations – Honest Kombucha and Honest Cold Brew Co”ee. Honest is building a master brand beyond its core tea business and, as part of that strategy, decided in 2019 to enter the fast-growing – and complex – kombucha segment. “Part of the Honest brand’s strategy is to ‘own the fridge’ of the
Millennial family by offering lower- sugar, organic beverages for all occasions,” said Rafael Acevedo, vice president, Tea Portfolio, Coca-Cola North America. “Given the rising popularity of kombucha, it made sense for a brand known for making tea to enter this space.”
The Transformational Innovation Team helped Honest enter this space by end of the year in a limited, 20-store test, then quickly aligned on a brand proposition and execution strategy. Results are expected in early 2020.
‘Being nimble doesn’t mean cutting corners’
The teams also partnered to secure all required approvals in time to produce and ship samples of Honest Cold Brew Coffee to the Natural Products Expo East tradeshow in only 10 weeks. The brand received great feedback from attendees.
“That project was not a product development challenge – it was a regulatory and food safety challenge,” explained Zaripheh, a food scientist with a PhD in nutrition. “Low-acid beverages like coffee have significant food safety and regulatory hurdles which can take a ton of time, but we were able to do even more due diligence by taking a different approach.”
Acevedo called the collaboration “a great example of how the company is approaching innovation differently and prioritizing agility to achieve effcient results.”
However, Zaripheh insists, the team takes steps to move quickly without compromising safety or quality, or taking due-diligence shortcuts. “Being nimble doesn’t mean cutting corners… it means approaching challenges from different angles and finding ways to parallel-path and operate with flexibility,” she added. “We hear a lot about speed to market these days. But speed by itself isn’t a competitive advantage – anyone can go fast. The key is identifying potential big bets, starting small and learning before making significant investments and launching at scale. That’s what we do.”
Creating a ripple effect
This group of “intrapraneurs” is on a mission to create a ripple effect by sharing learnings with Coca-Cola North America teams leading innovation projects across the system.
“Power is not having one team dedicated to transformational innovation, but seamlessly implementing learnings and frameworks across the organization and fueling new capability to drive growth,” said Simon Yeung, SVP, Innovation and Stewardship, Coca-Cola North America, noting that the team consulted and shared learnings with the sparkling water team spearheading the AHA brand launch. “Our goal is to get the system to move faster and deliver more disruptive innovation… to take on meatier projects and platform-able ideas and bring them to life.”
After almost 40 years as managing director of FRITSCH GmbH, Robert Fritsch was bit farewell on his retirement on 1st January 2020. He looks back on times of modernization, economic growth and success.
In 1920 the medium-sized family business was fund in Idar-Oberstein as a technical precious stones dealer by Max and Alfred Fritsch. After the Second World War Willi and Paul Fritsch, sons of Alfred Fritsch, took over the management.
As the second generation of the company, they were looking for a new business idea, because more and more synthetic materials found their way into the application area of FRITSCH. Soon it became clear to focus on the niche market of application-oriented laboratory instruments for sample preparation and particle sizing. This specialization led the laboratory instrument manufacturer to success: Already since the mid-1950s FRITSCH has been one of the leading manufacturers in this field. The first patent application for a fully automatic Planetary Mill followed in 1962. In the following years FRITSCH continued to grow steadily, whereupon the construction of a production hall in Georg-Weierbach 1973 and later the complete relocation of the administration followed.
The third generation was characterized by Robert Fritsch, son of Paul Fritsch, who took over the management in 1982. The breakthrough in high-tech particle sizing was achieved with the Laser Particle Sizer ANALYSETTE 22 under the leadership of him. Since then research, development and production have continued steadily. Further patents in the fields of sample preparation and particle sizing followed and a new production hall was opened in 2014. Because FRITSCH stands for Quality “Made in Germany” for over 100 years and is one of the leading manufactures in the field of milling, sieving, dividing and sizing.
For the 100th anniversary, the 4th generation takes over the management: Maximilian und Sebastian Fritsch, just as their father, grandfather, great uncle, great grandfather and great grand uncle showed them. Maximilian Fritsch, who came to the company after completing his apprenticeship as an IT-manager in 2009 will in future work as Commercial Manager. In his new position, he particularly appreciates the contact to the employees as well as developing new ideas and strategies. Sebastian Fritsch, who is working in the sales department of FRITSCH for more than 10 years, is now the new Managing Director. As a child he dreamed of a career as professional soccer player, but since his apprenticeship at FRITSCH in 2006 he knew „this is my future!”.
The brothers set themselves as a goal to expand further and to lead the company as well as the team in a successful future.
Mintel, the experts in what consumers want and why, has announced two trends impacting the global packaging industry in 2020:
Looking ahead, Mintel Global Packaging Director David Luttenberger discusses the major trends influencing the packaging sector worldwide during the coming year.
Ahead of the Recycling Curve
“Despite the world’s wishes, single-use plastic will exist for decades to come. With a fraction of the world’s plastic waste actually being recycled, there is a dire need to explore technologies that are ‘technically’ recyclable now, and for the development of plastic alternatives – not just single-use plastics, but for all types of plastics and packaging. Time is of the essence; these technologies must be developed today, ahead of their ability to be recycled, rather than the other way around. But next-generation technologies are only small pieces of the greater equation that will address and solve the waste and recycling crisis. With all the will in the world, ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ is not universal; it’s hard to recycle if consumers aren’t first reminded to ‘return’ packaging to the proper recycling bin or store take-back system. The ultimate solution is brands, manufacturers, packaging industry bodies, governments and environmental non-profits working in harmony to better inform consumers, develop more easily recyclable packaging and establish better collection systems and recycling processes.”
In-store Refill
“Regardless of the material used, the next iteration of the circular economy is clearly focused on reusability, alongside recyclability. With single-use now a toxic phrase for many consumers, refillable packaging is becoming more and more commonly known and used. While consumers want packaging reduction that comes from reuse, they expect this to be a simple and mess-free transaction. But without packaging to serve as one of the main communication channels from brands to consumers, branding can become challenging. Brands should look to offer memorable experiences through refill in order to create brand engagement, with those bringing some theatre to the refill moment most likely to succeed. And whilst many smaller refill stores use Instagrammable containers (such as attractive heritage glass jars), if refill is to become mainstream, consumers will expect refillable options that are easy to use from start to finish. By meeting this need, brands have an opportunity to ensure that their message is maintained.”
To find out Mintel’s predictions for what consumers in 2020 (and 2030!) will want and why, and what manufacturers and brands must do now to stay ahead of the competition, download the free thought piece here.
All oranges 72.0 million boxes
The 2019-2020 Florida all orange forecast released by the USDA Agricultural Statistics Board is lowered 2.00 million boxes to 72.0 million boxes. If realized, this will be up slightly from last season’s final production. The forecast consists of 31.0 million boxes of the non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason, and Navel varieties) and 41.0 million boxes of the Valencia oranges. A 9-year regression has been used for comparison purposes. All references to “average”, “minimum”, and “maximum” refer to the previous 10 seasons, excluding the 2017-2018 season, which was affected by Hurricane Irma. Average fruit per tree includes both regular and first late bloom. …
Please download the full citrus crop production forecast: www.nass.usda.gov
The global packaging producer, Ecolean has been awarded the prestigious Gold Medal Recognition 2020 for its sustainability work. The certificate is awarded by the independent and trusted provider of sustainability ratings, EcoVadis. In the overall rankings, Ecolean is placed in the top 5 percent of a total of 60,000 companies assessed from 155 countries.
Ecolean’s high score is based on the company’s strategic work with clear objectives within significant areas of sustainability such as environment, including renewable energy and climate impact and social aspects – as well as via monitoring and transparent reporting of sustainability data of its lightweight packages and filling machines. For Ecolean, this is the first year the company participates in the ratings by EcoVadis.
EcoVadis is an independent provider of business sustainability ratings, which evaluates companies’ sustainability work in global supply chains annually. The assessment focuses on four key areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. EcoVadis uses international standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative and the UN Global Compact.
About Ecolean
Ecolean develops and manufactures innovative packaging systems for the dairy and liquid food industry. Ecolean’s modern lightweight packaging is consumer convenience and environmental concern in one. Ecolean is a global company with its headquarters in Sweden. Established in 1996, the company has commercial activities in over 30 countries, with China, Pakistan and Russia being its largest markets. Ecolean has 450 employees.
Updated orange1 crop forecast totals 384.87 million boxes
The 2019/2020 orange crop forecast update for São Paulo and Triângulo Mineiro/Southwest Minas Gerais citrus belt, published by Fundecitrus – performed in cooperation with Markestrat, FEA-RP/USP and FCAV/Unesp2 – is 384.87 million boxes of 40.8 kg each. This figure corresponds to a decrease of 0.11 % in relation to the previous forecast update published in December 2019 and is 1.03 % smaller as compared to the first crop forecast announced in May 2019. Approximately 26.85 million boxes of the total crop should be produced in the Triângulo Mineiro region.
Rainfall remained below normal for most of the citrus belt from May 2019 to January 2020, according to data from Somar Meteorologia. Accumulated rainfall in this period averaged 836 millimeters for all regions, which is 14% or 139 millimeters below the historical average of 975 millimeters (1981-2010). Rainfall shortage was more pronounced in the Central, South and Southwest sectors, including regions such as Limeira, where the accumulated amount was only 690 millimeters, that is, 33% or 341 millimeters below normal. …
Please download the complete forecast under: www.fundecitrus.com.br/pdf
1 Hamlin, Westin, Rubi, Valencia Americana, Seleta, Pineapple, Pera Rio, Valencia, Valencia Folha Murcha and Natal.
2 Departament of Math and Science at FCAV/Unesp Campus Jaboticabal.
12.000 apple trees the start of new sustainable agriculture
Brännland Cider to establish 10 hectares of commercially viable and productive apple orchards in collaboration with farmers, regional governments as well as national and international stakeholders from academia and business.
Bringing together these stakeholders within the agricultural sector has been ongoing since 2017 in parallel with Västerbotten-based ice cider producer Brännland Cider establishing its ciders in national and international markets.Preceded by trial orchards in the vicinity of the city of Umeå on the Baltic seaboard the company is now scaling up its ambitions.
In December 2019 the Swedish Board of Agriculture granted funding to the project “Commercial productive apple growing in a northern climate – innovation for new climate resilient agriculture in northern Europe” within the framework of EIP-agri, the European innovation partnership for productivity and sustainability within agriculture.
This is a major step in creating an entirely new and unique terroir for ice cider in northern Sweden but of course also opens up a large scope of opportunities for farmers in the north to diversify with positive implications for agriculture, regional food production, tourism and the larger sustainability issues our society as a whole faces. The project aligns to the ambitions highlighted in the EU Green Deal and 2030 UN Sustainability Development Goals, says Andreas Sundgren Graniti, founder of Brännland Cider.
The project is set to run between 2020 and 2023 and will combine traditional cultivation models with more conventional methods, trial a wide base of apple varieties to create an opportunity for northern farmers to diversify, optimize land use, decrease transports and water usage in the region and create a new branch of climate resilient sustainable agriculture. The long term aim also includes stream-lined product development partnerships from the individual farmer to local, regional and global markets.
This project will expand on and put into practice, on a commercial scale, the positive experiences Brännland Cider has made so far in our trial orchards in Burträsk 100 km north of Umeå and at Röbäcksdalen just outside Umeå. It’s not just about growing apples where none have been grown before for the purpose of creating a product of singular quality; we want to see our region blossoming and this is a huge step towards achieving that goal, continues Sundgren Graniti.
A strong team has formed around the mission. The project will be led by Daniel Pacurar from Boreal Orchards who up until now has been instrumental in contributing practical experience and academic knowledge to the trial orchards that have formed the basis for the project. Daniel is a horticultural engineer with a PhD in Agronomy and long experience in R&D and in leading large and ambitious projects within biotech, horticulture and forestry.
We are honored to partner with Brännland Cider in the pioneering work of establishing apple growing in Northern Sweden. It will be an exciting journey. We are going to learn new ways of growing apple trees, creating new terroir expressions for ice cider and generate knowledge that will benefit future generation of apple growers in the north and elsewhere. We are laying the path as we walk it. I am confident that the team´s compounded experience and expertise will secure the successful completion of this project. Brännland Cider is arguably making the best ice cider on the planet. Together we are now laying the foundation of what is going to be an evolution of that fantastic achievement, says Daniel Pacurar, Boreal Orchards.
What others consider waste, Fooditive considers a primary resource. Its new 100 % natural sweetener is produced from apple and pear leftovers, making it a chemical- and allergen-free sugar substitute. The sweetener came into fruition after founder and food scientist the Jordanian, Moayad Abushokhedim noticed that the multi-billion-dollar industry had been dominated by unhealthy sweeteners and had seldom seen change. Cue Fooditive.
Fooditive’s “mission is to develop food additives that contribute to a healthier body and a healthier environment” (Abushokhedim) with sustainability at its core. In 2019, Fooditive caught Rabobank’s attention and was awarded the Innovation Loan.
“Fooditive contributes to the European food industry by offering healthy alternatives to chemical sweeteners. Additionally, this product helps battle food waste. This fits in with our vision of Banking for Food: Rabobank wants to facilitate and support entrepreneurs in the agricultural and food industries, now and in the future to contribute to a more sustainable way of feeding the world” (Wiel Hopmans, SME account manager at Rabobank Rotterdam).
Fooditive is currently developing a range of other products in food ingredients, the specifics of which will be revealed later this year. The sweetener complies with EU organic standards, which has led to Fooditive being awarded the Skal certification meaning it can also produce an organic sweetener next to its regular one. In 2019, Fooditive have partnered with sustainable third-party production company Bodec. Allowing the zero-calorie sweetener to reach consumers through products in Dutch supermarkets. This year, it will be further distributed to various food and beverage companies across the Netherlands.
Last year, Fooditive began collaborating with Rotterdam Circulair, an organisation that is dedicated to reducing, re-using and recycling waste and whose ultimate goal is to transition from a linear to a circular economy by 2030. Fooditive plays a major role in achieving this target because its sweetener is transforming and challenging the long-standing sugar-substitute industry from a greener, healthier and more sustainable perspective.
It is not just the Netherlands that is interested in Fooditive, Sweden also wants to pear up. In October 2019, €100,065.63 was raised to set up the now registered branch in Stockholm. Future plans include expanding to the UK and Jordan. By starting production in these countries, Fooditive aims to reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to an all-round better future.
A recent study by Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Netherlands, analysed the fate of compostable packaging products in a full- scale industrial organic waste treatment facility. The results show that the tested EN13432 certified products break down within a maximum of 22 days. The project was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy (EZK). “The study shows that the tested objects have the same disintegration and degradation rate as regular biowaste or are even faster. We need more research of this kind, conducted by independent and renowned institutions”, says EUBP Chairman of European Bioplastics (EUBP), François de Bie.
Central aim of the study was to gather more empiric data on the question whether the disintegration rate of compostable products is sufficient to be compatible with the current organic waste treatment practices. In an industrial organic waste treatment trial, a set of nine different compostable plastic products, consisting of organic waste collection bags, plant pots, tea bags, coffee pads, coffee capsules, and fruit labels were tested. “We studied how compostable plastics behave in the current Dutch system for the treatment of GFT (i.e source separated municipal biowaste) and came to the conclusion that compostable products can be processed well with GFT“, says Maarten van der Zee, co-author of the study.
After the first waste treatment cycle of only 11 days, the PLA plant pot already completely disintegrated. “This is significantly faster than paper and most organic matter. Even the orange peel and banana skin (the reference materials) did not completely disintegrate and needed more time” de Bie commented on the study. “The PLA tea bag, which is a typical consumer product, also successfully disintegrated within 22 days.”
The study also analysed the composition of the current visual contamination of conventional plastics in compost, and no compostable plastics were identified amongst the plastics that were found in the compost. “The importance of this result cannot be overstated”, de Bie stresses. “All stakeholders involved in the business of organic recycling, be it waste managers, industry, or legislators, now have the proof that certified compostable plastics actually deliver.”
Read the complete study here: https://bit.ly/2HHAXhn
Starting February 1, 2020, Thomas Hartkämper is the new CEO of Kautex Maschinenbau. He is taking over from Dr. Olaf Weiland, who has had significant influence on the development of the company since 2005. Going forward, Hartkämper is responsible for the areas of operations, research & development, and digitalization. Weiland, who is also a shareholder in Kautex Maschinenbau, is joining the advisory board, which is the controlling body of the company.
Weiland brought Thomas Hartkämper into the company in October 2019 as the preferred candidate to be his successor and initially entrusted him with responsibility for operations. The former CEO had put a succession plan into place four years ago, working in consultation with all members of management. His 50-year-old successor is an expert in change management and organizational development. Hartkämper champions a forward-looking approach to business operations, to ensure they are consistently aligned with customer requirements. Prior to joining Kautex, he had an active role for many years in managing various companies that operate internationally in mechanical engineering and plant engineering. He also has extensive experience in the plastics industry.
Weiland himself is retiring from day-to-day operational business, for reasons of age. As a member of the advisory board, he will continue supporting the development of the company that he has guided for more than 15 years. Kautex Maschinenbau has seen massive sales growth under his leadership. With his keen sense of future market developments and his strategic skill, Weiland was able to drive forward the internationalization of the company and its transition from an automotive to a packaging-focused company at an early stage.
The heavy rains that hit São Paulo State in the first fortnight of February did not result in losses in orange groves, but reduced sales and hampered activities in the field. It is worth to mention that the harvesting pace is usually a lot slower in the first quarter of the year and that many of the fruits available in the market in the first half of the month had undesirable features, such as larger size, thick peel and were beginning to crystalize.
According to Fundecitrus (Citrus Defense Fund), the harvesting of the current crop is ending in the Brazilian citrus belt (São Paulo and Triângulo Mineiro), having reached 96 % of the area, on average, for all varieties. In pera rio groves, 97 % of the oranges have been harvested, for valencia and folha murcha, 95 %, and for natal, 93 %.
Despite the lower quality in the current off-season period, precipitation should not reduce the output in the 2019/20 crop, but underpin prices in the in natura market – as supply is low, the demand for higher quality oranges should be firm. Between February 3 and 14, pear orange prices averaged 32.68 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, on tree, 10.8 % up compared to that in the first half of January.
FUNDECITRUS – On February 11, Fundecitrus released their third estimates for the current season (2019/20). According to the report, the output should total 384.87 million 40.8-kilo box, 0.11 % down compared to that forecast in December/19 and 1.03 % lower than the first crop estimates, released in May/19.
According to the report, the rain volume between May/19 and Jan/20 was lower than the historical average in almost all producing regions (except in northern and northwestern SP), which limited growth, primarily for the varieties hamlin, westin, rubi, folha murch and natal. In general, the oranges have reached different sizes among the producing regions in the citrus belt, due to irregular rains.
TAHITI LIME – The rainy weather in São Paulo in the first fortnight of February hampered field activities and helped to control supply (it is worth to mention that, currently, tahiti lime is at crop peak). Still, on the average of the period, tahiti lime prices dropped 18.2 % compared to that in the same period of January, averaging 11.65 BRL per 27-kilo box, harvested, in the first half of February.
Total drinks industry deals for December 2019 worth $135.84m were announced globally, according to GlobalData’s deals database.
The value marked a decrease of 70.01 % over the previous month and a drop of 93.3 % when compared with the last 12-month average of $2.02bn.
In terms of number of deals, the sector saw a drop of 31.8 % over the last 12-month average with 30 deals against the average of 44 deals.
In value terms, Asia-Pacific led the activity with deals worth $116.79m.
Drinks industry deals in December 2019: Top deals
The top five drinks deals accounted for 95.7 % of the overall value during December 2019.
The combined value of the top five drinks deals stood at $129.96m, against the overall value of $135.84m recorded for the month.
The top five drinks industry deals of December 2019 tracked by GlobalData were:
The World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) held its Annual General Meeting on the last day of the Fruit Logistica fair in Berlin (Germany), 7 February 2020. Representatives of the key global apple and pear producing and exporting countries met to discuss the Southern Hemisphere production forecast, the final update of the Northern Hemisphere production forecast that was released in August 2019, and the season developments.
WAPA discussed and released the consolidated crop forecasts for the forthcoming southern hemisphere apple and pear seasons (see SH Statistics aggregate in email). Collected from industry associations in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa, the forecast showed that the 2020 apple and pear Southern Hemisphere crops are expected to reach 5.003.000 T and 1.276.000 T, respectively. For apples, this represents a small decrease of 1 % compared to the 2019 crop. Export is expected to remain stable at 1.725 million T. The pear crop is expected to decrease by 3 % compared to 2019. Export is expected to decrease by 2 % to 691.660 T. The Northern Hemisphere crop and stocks data were also updated. Overall, the forecasts continue to demonstrate the huge variation in crop sizes due to the consequences of climatic havocs impacting the production. Furthermore, the Eurasian apple growing developments and global reporting initiatives were discussed.
Other topics on the agenda were marketing, promotion and consumption trends, and research and innovation activities among the members. The discussion underlines the efforts of the sector to cope with the new market requirements and expectations to reduce pesticide dependency. It also focussed on the development of new sustainable strategies regarding water usage, biodiversity, carbon emissions, adapting packaging to the plastic debate and continuing to promote the health benefits of apples and pears to consumers around the world.
Erbslöh Geisenheim GmbH has issued an invitation to the latest International Juice and Fruit Wine Seminar in Rotenburg an der Fulda (Germany) on 26 and 27 March 2020. For the third time the Göbel’s Hotel Rodenberg will provide the perfect setting for specialist presentations on beverage research and process technology in fruit and vegetable processing. More than 120 experts from the fruit juice and cider industries are expected. The Rheingau company is organising the seminar in cooperation with leading processing industry suppliers and renowned applied research institutions. The programme includes a wide range of presentations on topics such as “Processing of particularly difficult apples”, “New research and analysis findings”, “Filtration”, “Fermentation”, and “Sensory aspects when manufacturing purées and citrus products”. The event will end with a moderated tasting of innovative, premium quality fruit wine products.
Consumers across the world may soon be experiencing tastier, fuller-sized blueberries year-round, thanks to a new breeding partnership in blueberries that will bring premium quality berries to customers across the world.
Plant & Food Research and global fresh produce company T&G Global have announced they are entering into a new agreement to breed and commercialise exciting new varieties of blueberries to be sold globally.
The breeding programme will produce new varieties of blueberry that will provide improved yield and resistance to disease while also delivering consumers larger, tastier berries over a longer period, with an extended harvest season.
The first new commercial varieties could be launched globally in the next 12 months under T&G Global’s Orchard Rd brand.
“Blueberries are a key strategic play for us in building our global portfolio, and we’re delighted to build another global category to emulate the success of our premium apple brands. We know there is strong consumer demand for blueberries and teaming up with Plant & Food Research means we get access to a pipeline of world-class varieties,” says Gareth Edgecombe, CEO of T&G Global.
“Securing exclusive rights to the best varieties is the first step in our strategy to build multiple global verticals that drive and enable value and add demand through strong consumer brands,” he says.
The new partnership builds on an existing agreement that grants the global fresh produce grower and marketer, T&G Global, access to a suite of Plant & Food Research-bred and licensed blueberry varieties for production in Australia.
“Plant & Food Research and T&G Global have a strong relationship that began at their legacy organisations in the 1990s,” says David Hughes, CEO Plant & Food Research.
“T&G has an excellent track record of commercialising our varieties, most notably the apples branded JAZZ™ and Envy™. We are looking forward to continuing building on this history and delivering excellent blueberries for New Zealand and global consumers,” he says.
The combined trade fair of BIOFACH, the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food, and VIVANESS, the International Trade Fair for Natural and Organic Personal Care, will be more international and diverse than ever before when it opens its doors at Exhibition Centre Nuremberg from 12 – 15 February. Both shows are setting new records for exhibitor numbers, display area and international focus. A total of 3,792 exhibitors – 292 of them at VIVANESS – from 110 countries will showcase their products to the trade public on a display area measuring 57,609 m2. BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2020 are offering their roughly expected 50,000 visitors even more diversity than ever, in two additional halls. The approaches that the organic system already offers for resolving urgent issues affecting the future will be discussed by the organic sector as part of the congress theme “Organic delivers!”, while water will be the focus of the special show “All about water – is the basis of life endangered?”. The key trends at BIOFACH this year are “Packaging”, “Vegan 2.0”, “Open Pollinated Varieties” and “Region 2.0”.
All facets of organic: the thematic focus areas at BIOFACH
BIOFACH offers three major thematic focus areas to explore: Know-how & Learning, New Products & Trends, and Experience & Discover. Besides the BIOFACH Congress, the Know-how & Learning area includes the German-language “Fachhandelstreff” for specialist retailers, the network hubs “Generation Future” and “Initiatives & NGOs” as well as the new special show “All about water – is the basis of life endangered?”. The focus of “New Products & Trends” is on new products, newcomers and start-ups. This also includes the Novelty Stand (www.biofach.de/noveltystand) with 629 registered new products and the Best New Product Award, which is decided by trade visitors based on the products showcased at the Novelty Stand. The “New Products & Trends” area also includes the Pavilion that the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy sponsors for innovative new companies, the “German Newcomers”. Twenty-five newcomers and start-ups will be presenting to the trade public there under the heading of “Innovation made in Germany”. (www.biofach.de/en/newcomer).
The Experience the World of OLIVE OIL, WINE and VEGAN are part of the thematic focus area “Experience & Discover”. Product presentations, tastings and accompanying events for trade visitors are a long-standing part of the program there. There is also a standing tradition of coveted awards: the international organic wine prize known as MUNDUS VINI BIOFACH, and the Olive Oil Award.
BIOFACH World
NürnbergMesse has proven expertise in the field of organic foodstuffs.In February every year, the international organic sector gathers in Nuremberg at BIOFACH, the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food. The comprehensive range of certified organic products on display shows their diversity – from fresh products like dairy and cheese, fruit, vegetables, dry products like grains and pulses, nuts and confectionery to beverages. The international patron of BIOFACH is IFOAM – Organics International, while the national supporting organization is the German Federation of Organic Food Producers (BÖLW). An integral part of this world-leading fair is the BIOFACH Congress, a knowledge-sharing platform that is unique worldwide. With another six BIOFACH events in China, India, Japan, South America, Thailand and the USA, BIOFACH World has a global presence and year for year brings together more than 4,500 exhibitors and
150,000 trade visitors.
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