Novozymes announced its results for the first quarter of 2018. Q1 organic sales growth of 2 % in line with our expectations: Household Care +1 %, Food & Beverages +5 %, Bioenergy +9 %, Agriculture & Feed -5 %, Technical & Pharma -10 %. EBIT margin at 28.9 %. FCF before acquisitions DKK 403 million. 2018 outlook maintained on all parameters.

Peder Holk Nielsen, President & CEO of Novozymes: “We’re well in line to deliver on our full-year sales growth outlook of 4-6 %, and margins are strong despite a significant currency headwind. We continue to see good progress on our key priorities, including increasing presence with new and existing customers to cater for their individual needs. There is still some uncertainty in the agriculture-related business, including from recent geopolitical tensions. However, with current insight, we remain firm about accelerating sales growth throughout 2018 and beyond.”

Highlights Q1:

• Organic sales growth of 2 % and -6 % in DKK. USD/DKK decline of 13 % in Q1 y/y
• Growth in Household Care, Food & Beverages and Bioenergy
• Agriculture & Feed and Technical & Pharma lower, mainly due to continued pressure from certain agriculture markets, as well as timing in Pharma
• 6 % organic growth in emerging markets; developed markets on par with last year
• Strong product development: launch of first yeast solution – Innova^® Drive – for conventional biofuels, EU approval of probiotic solution Alterion^® for poultry, approval of microbial corn bioyield product Acceleron^® B-360 ST for the US and the EU, and launch of a new enzyme class for automatic dishwash enabling easy removal of dried-in cereals
• Strong EBIT margin of 28.9 %, up due to timing of emerging markets’ ramp-up costs and despite currency headwind. Q1 2017 at 27.0 % (~29 % excluding reorganization costs)
  Free cash flow before acquisitions at DKK 403 million
• Dividend payout of DKK 4.50/share. 42 % payout ratio
• Full-year 2018 outlook maintained: Organic sales growth 4-6 % (growth relatively stronger in 2H y/y), EBIT margin ~28 %, FCF before acquisitions DKK 2.3-2.6 billion, ROIC 24-25 %

Following the closing of the public offer on Refresco Group N.V. (“Refresco”) by Sunshine Investments B.V., the consortium of PAI Partners SAS (“PAI”) and British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (“BCI”), Refresco announced that Sunshine Mid B.V., the entity owning Sunshine Investments B.V. (the “Issuer” and together with its subsidiaries, “we” or the “Group”) has launched an offering of €445,000,000 aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2026 (the “Notes”).

The net proceeds from the offering, if completed, are expected to be used by the Issuer to repay the bridge facility borrowed in connection with Issuer’s acquisition, through its direct subsidiary, Sunshine Investments B.V., of 99.4 % of the issued and outstanding shares of Refresco and to pay expenses related to the offering of Notes.

The Group, together with its committed sponsors, PAI and BCI, plan to continue to capture organic growth in both the retailer brands and contract manufacturing business, executing the Group’s “buy-and-build” strategy and striving for continuous operational excellence.

An important step in the buy-and-build strategy was taken with the acquisition of the Cott Traditional Beverage business in January 2018. This acquisition has created the world’s largest independent bottler of retailer brands soft drinks by volume and a leading contract manufacturer of soft drinks by volume for A-brands with leadership positions across Europe and North America, providing meaningful diversification to Refresco’s customer base. In 2017, on a standalone basis, Refresco’s top 10 customers accounted for 58 % of its volumes and the Cott Traditional Business’s top 10 customers accounted for 66 % of its volumes. Together, the company’s top 10 customers accounted for 49 % of its pro forma volumes in 2017. Refresco is now circa 4.1 times larger than its next largest competitor (excluding pure-play water players) in the markets in which the company operates.

Integration of the activities in all countries has started, following receipt of CMA approval in the UK last month. Refresco now anticipates total run-rate synergies of €63 million in the first three years following the consolidation. The Group’s Pro Forma Synergies Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2017 was €392.1 million and the Group’s forma net indebtedness as of December 31, 2017 was €2,330.9 million.

The Notes have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction. The offering of the Notes will be made only in the United States to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act  and outside the United States in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act to persons other than retail investors in the European Economic Area, whereby a retail investor is defined as a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU, as amended; or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC, as amended, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended. No approved prospectus within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive is required is connection with the offering of the Notes.

Regulatory Notice
This announcement may contain inside information of Refresco Group N.V. under Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (16 April 2014).

MiFID II professionals/ECPs-only / No PRIIPs KID – Manufacturer target market (MIFID II product governance) is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No PRIIPs key information document (KID) has been prepared as not available to retail in EEA.

In the United Kingdom, this communication is directed only at (i) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the “Order”) or (ii) high net worth entities, and other persons to whom it may lawfully be communicated, falling within Article 49(2) of the Order or (iv) persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the “FSMA”)) in connection with the issue or sale of any notes may otherwise be lawfully communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). In the United Kingdom, any investment activity to which this communication relates will only be available to, and will only be engaged with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.

Water is an everyday necessity, associated with life, healthiness and purity. To sustain this image, water packaging should feature simple and recyclable design. Since the impact of plastic packaging on the environment is widely discussed, canned water brands have an important role to play to reduce packaged water’s impact on the environment, says leading data and analytics company GlobalData.

The company’s report ‘ForeSights: Canned Water’ explores the future potential of reusable/recyclable canned water as an alternative to the mainstream bottled products.

According to GlobalData’s Q1 2017 consumer survey, recyclability is the most important factor in environmentally friendly packaging, with 74 % of consumers globally finding it very or extremely important.

Efforts have been made by manufacturers to replace plastic in water bottles with biodegradable materials obtained from various natural sources, such as algae. But could aluminum offer a more straight-forward answer to the problem?

Consumers mostly want reusable containers to be easy to carry, open and close. Other on-the-go packaging benefit preferences include being easy to dispose, reduced carbon foot print and light weight. Only aluminum cans, of all the available water packaging types, fulfill these preferences.

Canned and boxed water have been used in the past for emergency situations, such as natural disasters, rather than commercially. However, a few independent brands, including Noah’s spring water from US-based Varni Brothers and CanO water in the UK, have appeared in the developed world, using aluminum cans and beverage cartons to create more sustainable and safe alternatives of the bottled water.

Aleksandrina Yotova, Associate Analyst at GlobalData, says: “Aluminum cans are the most sustainable beverage package, reportedly outperforming plastic and glass bottles, as well as beverage cartons. They have the highest recycling rate and more recycled content than the other options. Consumers understand the efficiency of aluminum packaging.

“Being lightweight, stackable, and strong, cans allow brands to package and transport more beverages using less material (by weight) than plastic and glass bottles. Since beverage-makers can ship aluminum cans more efficiently, they could make transportation, energy, and cost savings, which translates to a more affordable end product.”

Consumers who make efforts to recycle product packaging as much as possible are likely to see canned water as a viable alternative to bottled water due to its high level of recyclability. According to GlobalData’s 2016 Q3 global consumer survey, the highest ratio of active recyclers is found in North America (78 %) and Europe (66 %).

Yotova adds: “Canned water is a logical extension of the trend for healthy and sustainable living among younger consumers. There are opportunities for manufacturers to target the millennial generation, especially in the developed world, with simple but elegant designs. These consumers want to associate themselves with the good cause of keeping the environment clean.”

For the 8th consequtive year already, the AIM took place from 9th-11th April 2018 at Dubai World Trade Center and is considered to be the leading interntaional direct investors meeting. More then 100 influencial and innovative experts participated at the conference to learn and discuss about the trends and innvocation of direct investments as a tool to guarantuee longterm competitiveness. The Conference was initiated and established by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economics to secure and promote innovative and direct investments longterm.

Claudia Lauener and Frank Hofer, nomenees and representatives of swiss-based Frutco AG, were proudly handed over the AIM Runner-up Investment Award 2018 for the best direct investment in Latinamerica, supported by nicaraguan ambassador Mohamed Lashtar.

The 20 Million Dollar project CHIMACO AG (farms) and Frutco de Las Americas SA (processing) has become an epicenter of sustainability for trainings, education and farming in regards of Maracuya. CHIMACO stands for Chinandega Maracuya Company and employs more then 100 people.

Frutco AG and CHIMACO currently produce on 200 hectares of farmland. As soon as the processing plant of Frutco de Las Americas SA, a joint-venture of Swiss based CT Finance AG and Nicaragua based Grupo Coen will be ready for production, additional independent producers for Maracuya, Guava and Bananas will join the project with a production plan of more then 1.500 hectares, ready to produce purees, concenrates and juices. Grupo Coen will dedicate 2.000 hectares of extra land to the project. In addition to that, enough land can be added for portential future projects.

Following several consecutive years of growth, SVZ, the leading provider of processed fruit and vegetable ingredients, is undertaking a three year investment programme at its facility in Almonte, Spain. Beginning with the commission of a new puree concentrate line and improvements to SVZ Almonte’s filling area, the company has now completed the installation of additional freezing capacity in time for the summer 2018 strawberry season.

Strawberries constitute a large percentage of SVZ’s red fruit portfolio and are sourced from a network of carefully-chosen growers in the Huelva region. The premium fruits are processed quickly at source into purees and puree concentrates, which are then supplied to customers all over Europe. With burgeoning demand from the food and drink industry, especially beverage makers and dairy processors, SVZ embarked on a three year plan to increase its Almonte capacity from 12,500 to 20,000 metric tonnes annually. The development will also support the company as it expands Almonte’s product range to include raspberries and blackberries as well as vegetables like bell peppers, cucumbers and zucchinis.

The investment is fundamental to the company’s ambitious growth plans for the coming years, according to Anouk ter Laak, SVZ’s CEO. “Demand for natural and sustainable fruit and vegetable ingredients is growing exponentially throughout Europe and we constantly invest in our capacity, expertise and growers to ensure we remain at the forefront of the industry,” she says. “We have been processing in Almonte for over thirty years, meaning we have an enviable supply chain and superb knowledge of the region, and its unique characteristics, which we can leverage to serve our customers even better in the future. Our facilities are obviously vital in maximising the freshness, nutritional quality and taste of our ingredients as well as our ability to deliver quickly to customers throughout Europe and beyond.”

SVZ’s commercial director, Johan Cerstiaens, adds: “The Almonte investment plan is improving many aspects of our operations and already providing benefits for our customers and our employees. As we move into the last stage of the programme, investment will be built around the specific needs of those customers, so our business is even better aligned to theirs.”

The BIOFACH AMERICA LATINA – BIO BRAZIL FAIR will open ist doors again from 6 to 9 June 2018. This 14th edition of Brazil’s most important organic products exhibition will be held at the Anhembi Exhibition Grounds in São Paulo for the first time. Visitors and exhibitors are expected from around the world, including from Peru, South Korea, the United States, Chile, China and Italy. This exhibition, to be held concurrently with the Naturaltech Exhibition, is the central point of contact for Latin America’s organic products industry. In addition to the new venue, the exhibition will feature organised business meetings and an international forum.

Fuelled by rising consumer demand, the consumption of organic foods is rising steadily in Brazil. Sales of organic foods in this country have since grown to more than R$ 3 billion, or US$ 900 million. This development will certainly be reflected at the BIOFACH AMERICA LATINA – BIO BRAZIL FAIR 2018, which will be held at the Anhembi Exhibition Grounds in São Paulo. This venue offers plenty of space for all exhibitors and visitors to Latin America’s largest international exhibition for organic products and ecological agriculture to discover the latest trends and exciting new developments in the organic products industry. Moreover, the excellent infrastructure of Anhembi Park, which is one of Latin America’s most important event centres, has been attested to by exhibitors and visitors for many years. This offshoot of BIOFACH Nürnberg is thus an excellent meeting place to establish or deepen business relationships with Brazil’s most important decision makers and associations in the organic products industry, as well as international organic product companies.

Knowledge platform and networking expertise

In addition to the product show, the exhibition will serve as a central knowledge platform thanks to the “International Forum of Organic and Sustainable Production”, where numerous presentations and panels will deliver concentrated expertise in organic products over a total of more than 100 hours. In addition, the so-called “Area Conhecimento” and “Area Inspiração” featuring selected discussions and contents will provide inspirational ideas for Latin America’s burgeoning organic products sector.

Concurrently, The BIOFACH AMERICA LATINA – BIO BRAZIL FAIR will also create ideal conditions for establishing business contacts in an exclusive setting of organized business meetings between vendors, buyers and retailers of organic products.

Experience the full range of organic diversity

Thanks to the numerous product segments on display, visitors to the BIOFACH AMERICA LATINA – BIO BRAZIL FAIR will experience the full range of organic diversity. The offering ranges from foods to cosmetics and clothing. Besides trade visitors, the exhibition is also aimed at interested consumers of organic products, so as to bind them closer to the industry and demonstrate the advantages of a sustainable lifestyle. For this reason, the exhibition is open to the general public on all days, thereby bridging the divide between direct consumer outreach and contact cultivation as an exclusive business platform.

The first impression always counts! When it comes to buying food and beverages an appealing color and appetizing appearance are indispensable. Color not only indicates freshness, quality and a delicious taste. In the age of social media consumers also place high value on vibrant food to make their Instagram and Facebook feeds colorful. Pink burger buns, green popcorn or purple smoothies are only the beginning. At the same time, consumers focus more than ever on healthy nutrition. Additives and E numbers are simply not accepted anymore. EXBERRY^® by GNT, one of the global market leaders in Coloring Foods, will be at FoodTech Barcelona from 8 to 11 May with its all-natural colors from fruit and vegetables. At stand 712, the brand’s experts will provide advice, inspiring ideas and support food and beverage manufacturers in fulfilling consumer demands.

“Color is one of, if not the most important buying criterion for food and beverages, today. Manufacturers need to be aware of the latest trends to make their products succeed on the shelf”, says Carla Compte, Country Sales Manager GNT Iberia S.L. “Our market trend analysis shows that 2018 is the year for purple! It is an ideal color shade to attract attention and to deliver inspiring food and beverage that meet the needs of consumers.” The EXBERRY^® portfolio offers more than 400 shades of intense and stable colors. They are suitable for all types of applications and meet the highest quality expectations and standards.

EXBERRY^® experts will be available at stand 712 to provide insights into recent color trends, advise on the application of Coloring Foods and explain the quick and easy transition process from additives to Coloring Foods. The booth will also demonstrate the concept “from farm to fork” – the complete vertical integration of the EXBERRY^® supply chain which guarantees best quality, year-round availability and stable prices. A supermarket area with many applications will further show how they support a clean label. During live demonstrations, visitors will have the opportunity to get a first-hand impression of Coloring Foods and taste trendy purple smoothies.

The crushing pace of the 2017/18 oranges has been slow at processors from São Paulo State. Currently, only one plant of the large-sized processors is operating (in Araraquara), receiving early oranges, both purchased through contract and in the spot market, where bidding prices for pear and late oranges have been around 15 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, harvested and delivered at the processor. At small-sized processors, however, mainly those that produce fresh juice, quotes may reach 23 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, depending on yield and quality.

Crushing of the 2018/19 early oranges, in turn, should start only in May – activities are forecast to step up in June. Remuneration in the spot has not been defined yet, but prices bid by processors are expected to be similar or even higher than in the 2017/18 crop (at 18 BRL per box), since orange supply is expected to be smaller this year, and juice inventories, limited.

2017/18 SEASON – On April 10, Fundecitrus (Citrus Defense Fund) announced that orange production in the citrus belt (São Paulo and Triângulo Mineiro) ended with 398.35 million boxes of 40.8 kilos, a staggering 62.4 % up compared to that harvested in the 2016/17 crop (245.3 million boxes). Compared to the average in the last 10 years, the current production is 25 % higher and the largest since 2011/2012, when it totaled 416 million boxes. According to Fundecitrus, good rain volumes in the developing period and higher investments in crop management favored productivity.

DOMESTIC MARKET – With the slower crushing pace, early oranges were sold exclusively to the in natura market in the first fortnight of April. Between April 2 and 13, pear orange prices averaged 31.88 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, on tree, 17.6 % up compared to the average in the first fortnight of March.

As for tahiti lime, the market was calmer in the first half of April. However, with the price rises observed in late March, growers continued to control the harvesting pace, aiming to underpin quotes. In that scenario, tahiti lime prices averaged 17.93 BRL per 27-kilo box, harvested, 31.1 % up compared to that in the first fortnight of March.

Tate & Lyle PLC announced the appointment of Imran Nawaz to the position of Chief Financial Officer, and to the Board of Tate & Lyle, with effect from 1 August 2018.  He succeeds Nick Hampton in that role, who, as announced on 16 January 2018, was appointed Chief Executive of Tate & Lyle from 1 April 2018.

Imran Nawaz joins Tate & Lyle from Mondelēz International where he has been Senior Vice President Finance Europe since 2014. Prior to that, during a 16-year career at Mondelēz and Kraft Foods, he held a number of senior financial roles across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Orange production final¹ estimate totals 398.35 million boxes

The 2017-2018 orange production final estimate for the São Paulo and West-Southwest of Minas Gerais Citrus Belt, published on April 10, 2018 by Fundecitrus – Fund for Citrus Protection, carried out in cooperation with Markestrat, FEA- RP/USP and FCAV/Unesp² – is of 398.35 million boxes of 40.8 kg each, 62 % higher in comparison to that of the previous crop (2016-2017) with a final figure of 245.31 million boxes, and 25 % above the average of the seasons of the last ten years3. All crop estimate updates published along the season showed positive change as compared to the previous expectation. The final figure represents an increase of 0.27 % in relation to the update published in February 2018 and 9.30 % in relation to the initial May 2017 forecast.

The closing figure for total production includes:

• 77.48 million boxes of the Hamlin, Westin and Rubi varieties;
• 18.02 million boxes of the Valencia Americana, Valencia Argentina, Seleta and Pineapple varieties;
• 118.47 million boxes of the Pera Rio variety;
• 139.62 million boxes of the Valencia and Valencia Folha Murcha varieties;
• 44.76 million boxes of the Natal variety.

Approximately 30.51 million boxes of the final estimated crop were produced in the West of Minas Gerais.

Regarding the productivity index, the crop 2017-2018 showed a remarkable performance: 1,033 boxes were harvested per hectare, against 634 boxes per hectare in 2016-2017. The significant variation between the two crops was triggered by a favorable conjunction of factors. Suitable weather for citrus growing and improved cultural practices in groves in 2016, evidenced by the increased demand of inputs for crop nutritional and phytosanitary management, influenced positive results…

¹ Hamlin, Westin, Rubi, Valencia Americana, Valencia Argentina, Seleta, Pineapple Pera Rio, Valencia, Valencia Folha Murcha and Natal.
² Department of math and science.

Please download the complete forecast under: https://bit.ly/2JGhOMT

Good Idea^® – the Swedish Sugar Buster notably known for helping a healthy person handle the sugar spike following a carb-rich meal has made its way to the NorCal region and is now securing placement at a growing number of retailers. The company GoodIdea Inc, originally from Sweden and now located in San Francisco is excited to have a growing footprint in a community that’s comprised of health conscientious people who are observant of what they eat and drink.

Most people would perceive Good Idea as just another flavored sparkling water, but the fact is that it is far from that. The “supplement facts” on the backside of the can reveal a proprietary blend of five amino acids and chromium, clinically proven to help the body handle the blood sugar spike following an ordinary meal rich in fast carbs. Good Idea is the result of years of research and development conducted by Good Idea Inc´s Swedish mother company Aventure AB and the Food for Health Science Centre at Lund University in southern Sweden.

“We´re on a mission to bring health to the table”, says GoodIdea Inc´s CEO Björn Öste. “Many of the meals we eat, like burgers, pizzas, fries and even sushi contain fast carbs that turn into sugar in the blood vessels. In the long run this puts a strain on the body, and adding soda makes the problem even worse. We see a trend coming, where people replace their sugary drinks with water, and adding the functionality of Good Idea, we are at the forefront.”

GoodIdea Inc. CEO Björn Öste is also part of the team that brought another Swedish success into the US. New York´s latest dairy trend, Oatly Oat milk is spreading across the country as a prairie fire, with thousands of café´s literally throwing out the old non-dairies, replacing them with Oatly.

“Oatly is, just as Good Idea, a result of multidisciplinary research, and understanding of market needs”, says Öste. “The point of departure for Good Idea was research showing that a blend of five specific amino acids could reduce the post-meal blood sugar spike substantially. When a hint of chromium was added, repeated clinical studies showed that the reduction was an impressive 20-30 %, and we realized that we were on to something really exciting. Years of studies and product development later, Good Idea was ready for launch, and the US is our first market.“ So, what is a blood sugar spike, and how can it be recognized? Öste takes an ordinary lunch, and what happens after as an example.

“When you have a carb-rich meal for lunch, you will feel almost instantly energized, just to fall into the afternoon slump shortly after. What happens is that the blood sugar spikes, and then drops again like a stone. You feel drowsy, and if you give in to the cravings for something sweet, it is all on repeat. Unfortunately this all too common eating pattern poses a severe threat to your health and is one of the foremost risk factors behind obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”

The roll-out in NorCal is currently covering around 25 stores and growing by the day. According to Öste, the area was an obvious choice, since it is densely populated by health consentious people who are early adopters of products with true functionality and promote a sustainable lifestyle.

“And sustainability is all we are about, all the way from promoting healthy and sustainable eating habits, to the choice of packaging material”, says Öste. “With recent studies showing that more than 90 % of tested water brands contain microplastics, consumers are seeking alternatives to buying water in plastic bottles. We consciously chose aluminum cans instead – a 100 % recyclable material leaving the content absolutely free from any contamination.”

Latest industry data on glass recycling show that the average glass recycling rate in the EU28 is steady at 74 %. This means that over 11.6 million tons of glass bottles are collected, and recycled into food grade quality material for the production of new glass containers.

Countries such as Belgium, Slovenia or Sweden, with excellent separate collection systems, continue to outperform beyond 95 %. While glass stands alone as the most circular packaging solution, maintaining permanent quality even when recycled, the reality is that there is still an important collection gap to fill in many EU countries.

“Our industry is mobilized to fill the gap to 100 % EU glass recycling because recycled glass is our most important raw material”, commented Adeline Farrelly, FEVE Secretary General. “We hope the new packaging recycling targets will give the necessary boost to all EU countries to invest in closed loop glass collection.”

As pointed out at the Euractiv Event, real recycling is a balancing act between developing materials that are recyclable, and markets that are open to use recycled material. “More and more effort is being put at European level to use recycled material for new food packaging”, says Jean-Paul Judson, FEVE Public Affairs Manager. “Recycled glass is of food grade quality. It goes straight into new food or beverage containers. We want to engage with policymakers to make this model the reference”.

All Oranges 45.0 Million Boxes

The 2017-2018 Florida all orange forecast released today by the USDA Agricultural Statistics Board is 45.0 million boxes, unchanged from the March forecast. The total includes of 19.0 million boxes of non-Valencia oranges (early, midseason, and Navel varieties) and 26.0 million boxes of Valencia oranges.

Non-Valencia Oranges 19.0 Million Boxes

The forecast of non-Valencia production is unchanged at 19.0 million boxes. The Row Count survey conducted March 27-28, 2018, showed 99 percent of the early-midseason rows are harvested. Estimated utilization for non-Valencia oranges to April 1, with an allocation for non-certified fruit, is 18.9 million boxes. The Navel forecast, included in the non-Valencia portion of the forecast, remains at 500 thousand boxes, 3 percent of the non-Valencia total.

Valencia Oranges 26.0 Million Boxes

The forecast of Valencia production is unchanged at 26.0 million boxes. Final fruit size is below average, requiring 236 pieces to fill a 90-pound box. Final droppage is above the maximum. The Row Count survey conducted March 27-28, 2018 showed 38 percent of the Valencia rows are harvested.

All Grapefruit 4.00 Million Boxes

The forecast of all grapefruit production is lowered 650 thousand boxes to 4.00 million boxes. The white grapefruit forecast is lowered 100 thousand boxes to 750 thousand boxes. The red grapefruit forecast is lowered 550 thousand boxes to 3.25 million boxes.

Estimated utilization to April 1, with an allocation for non-certified use, of white grapefruit is 715 thousand boxes and of red grapefruit is 3.22 million boxes. The Row Count survey conducted March 27-28, 2018, indicated 94 percent of the red grapefruit rows and 92 percent of the white grapefruit rows are harvested.

Tangerines and Tangelos 770 Thousand Boxes

The forecast for the tangerine and tangelo production is lowered 110 thousand boxes to 770 thousand boxes. If realized, this production level will be 52 percent less than last season’s production. This forecast number includes all certified tangerine and tangelo varieties…

Please download the full citrus crop production forecast: www.nass.usda.gov

As the conversion wave from synthetic to natural colors continues to rise in the US market, Chr. Hansen gears up for the future

Global bioscience company Chr. Hansen has purchased the Banker Wire manufacturing facility in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, adding significantly to its presence in North America, in convenient proximity to its Milwaukee-base. Taking this step is in response to an ever growing interest from US consumers in products made from natural, recognizable and safe ingredients, putting pressure on food and beverage producers to convert to natural colors.

The acquired facility will be renovated to become the new North American headquarters for the company’s Natural Colors Division, housing everything from production, to research and development, application and quality assurance labs, a pilot plant, a dedicated warehouse, as well as sales and marketing and other business support functions.
“This is the largest single investment for Natural Colors in recent years and demonstrates our commitment to the important North American market,” says Jacob Vishof Paulsen, acting Executive Vice President of Natural Colors Division. “Having the whole chain gathered in one place will allow for a fast and agile response to customer needs, supporting Chr. Hansen’s current and future business demands for the next decade – with room to grow.”

High quality products, faster

The expansion will strengthen Chr. Hansen’s position as an industry leader with full supply chain capabilities to deliver natural color solutions to current and future customers. The new state-of-the-art site will create better speed to market, based on more flexibility in production and supply chain and resulting in high quality products, faster.
Chr. Hansen, who has been present on the North American market since 1878, will take over the building next year and initially employ 70-80 people. Meanwhile we will continue to serve our many customers from our base in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Russian sector of commercial orchards currently yields fresh fruit of the food embargo: the producers strive to build up harvests and gain the market share previously occupied by imports. A strong driver to this trend is government support for starting orchards. Specifically, the Russian Ministry of Agriculture has boosted subsidisation fivefold in 2015 – 2016. As reported by Alexander Tkachev, Russian Minister of Agriculture, a total of 72k ha will be established before 2020. 2017 registered 3.3bn RUB of subsidies for orchard start and aftercare with 15.2k ha of orchards laid.

An increase in fruit and berry yields and acceleration of the entire industry’s growth is fostered by introducing innovative solutions, attracting investment, building rootstock nurseries, and developing state-of the-art machinery. All these factors can be enabled only through the combined efforts of all industry stakeholders, who will be brought together at the industry meeting place “Orchards of Russia”.

The Forum and exhibition “Orchards of Russia 2018” (5 – 6 June 2018, Moscow) is a thought-provoking international platform tailored for unlocking investment in Russian commercial orchard and viticulture industry, discussing industry development strategies, sharing best practices, and placing new win-win contracts.

At present, the forum expects a total of 250 representatives from the entire value chain, including C-suite executives of the industry leaders, such as Belgorod apples, Beliy Sad, Glazunovka Gardens, Mengir, Nash Sad, and Plodovoye, along with policymakers, investors and top engineering companies. In general, the expected attendee line-up is represented by the following categories: 30 % of commercial orchard enterprises, 30 % of farm enterprises, 20 % of Russian and international investors, 15 % of service providing companies, and 3 % of regulators. The positions of delegates include: Governors, Ministers and their deputies (10 %), Presidents and VPs (28 %), CEO and their deputies (30 %), and divisional directors (30 % as well).

The forum will be bringing top players of the sector together to evaluate the financing and investment landscape of the industry, share insights to improving efficiency, reducing costs, product storage and processing, and other critical issues.

Moreover, it will highlight more than 60 investment projects in viticulture and orchard industry with 2019 – 2020 deadlines across Russia: Sad-Gigant Ingushetia, Yuzhnye Zemli, Chernozemye Berries, to name just a few. A special focus will be put on Meetings with Investors for project initiators and investors to discuss cooperation opportunities in a relaxed setting.

Request the event programme: www.gardensforum.ru

Whilst we recognise health issues associated with obesity are a serious matter, it’s important to note that obesity is a complex issue with a number of factors and there is no evidence to suggest a tax will reduce obesity.

As an industry we recognise we have a role to play in tackling obesity. Soft drink companies have been engaged in a range of calorie reduction initiatives for many years – resulting in a 19 % reduction in sugar intake (from soft drinks) since 2013. [Kantar]

Current data illustrates that a tax of this sort on a single category will not have a meaningful impact on obesity levels.

Sugar intake from soft drinks has been declining year-on-year since 2013 yet figures from the NHS state that obesity prevalence increased from 15 % in 1993 to 27 % in 2015.

Also, latest figures from NHS Digital show that hospital admissions where obesity is a factor has more than doubled in England during the last four years.

Recent reports from Food Standards Scotland outline that levels of obesity are not reducing and that the decline in sugar from soft drinks has been offset by increases in sugar from other foods. This is underpinned by data from Kantar, which states whilst sugar intake from soft drinks has decreased by 18.7 %, it has increased in frozen confectionery (+ 8.7 %), take home confectionary (+ 2.3 %), and biscuits (+ 1.4 %) since 2013.

We all have a role to play in helping to tackle obesity and we hope our actions on sugar reduction, portion size and promotion of low and no calorie products set an example for the wider food sector.

Source: British Soft Drinks Association

Over the first two months of 2018 UK retailers Waitrose, Tesco, Co-op, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl and Morrisons – the UK’s seven largest food retailers – all implemented their own bans on the sale of energy drinks to children. This is despite the lack of any formal direction or regulation from the UK government, observes GlobalData a leading data and analytics company.

In March 2018 Boots became the first non-supermarket retailer to join them. Specifically, this means banning the sale of products with a caffeine content of more than 150 mg per litre to under-16s. The fact this potentially profit limiting step has been taken without government regulation or a call for retailers to take voluntary action is unusual, but emphasises the importance large retail chains place on maintaining a responsible brand image.

Associate Analyst at GlobalData, William Grimwade commented, “Major retailers have become extremely concerned about monitoring opinion of themselves on social media, and the highly competitive nature of British supermarket retailing means retailers do not want to be seen to be out of step with their competitors on issues like this”.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) has gone as far as attributing some cases of poor behaviour of children in schools to high energy drink consumption. The #NotforChildren campaign has become prominent on social media among a variety of stakeholders, including health concerned celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, the charity Action on Sugar, the MP Maria Caulfield and NASUWT, the teachers union.

Grimwade adds, „Retailers and energy drinks producers are also likely to suffer from the introduction of the sugar tax in the UK from 8th April 2018. The vast majority of energy drinks brands rely on sugar, as well as caffeine and other additives, to allow them to give the consumer the energy rush their brand depends on. This means that they will be unable to reduce sugar content and their prices in independent retailers still selling them to under 16’s will be forced upwards, compounding the effect of the supermarkets ban.“

Tetra Pak has launched a suite of new packaging material effects, known as Tetra Pak^® Artistry, to help food and beverage producers revitalise the look and feel of their products.

These effects help brands attract shoppers’ attention without the need for the manufacturer to switch to a new packaging format or invest in new equipment.

Charles Brand, Executive VP, Product Management and Commercial Operations at Tetra Pak said, “In a world where almost everything needs to be ‘personalisable’, we want to provide customers with something unique to help their brands rise above the noise and reach the shopper. The new suite of effects and expressions will help our customers enhance their brand at no additional investment, making it a cost-effective solution to their needs.”

Tetra Pak’s current offerings of packaging material effects include:

• Tetra Pak^® Reflect: to incorporate holographic effects onto the package
• Tetra Pak^® Metallized: to create a metallic effect
• Tetra Pak^® Craft: to give the package the natural look of bare paperboard with wood fibres

More offerings are in the pipeline, including Tetra Pak^® Sculpt, an embossed surface texture for an innovative consumer experience.

The whole range of effects will be available for the majority of Tetra Pak package formats and offered to customers worldwide.

The leading international supplier trade fair of the food and beverage industry is continuing to write its success story. After already registering a growth in exhibition space and a two-digit increase in the number of exhibitors (+13 percent) in the run-up to the event, Anuga FoodTec 2018 was also able to achieve a significant rise in the number of visitors: More than 50,000 experts from the food industry informed themselves about the innovations and further developments of the supplier industry from 20 to 23 March. Hence, the number of visitors increased by just under 11 percent in comparison to the previous event. Anuga FoodTec also further increased its level of internationality too. Visitors from 152 countries (+15 countries in comparison to the previous event) impressively underpin its position as the leading international supplier fair for the food and beverage industry.The specialised programme organised by the DLG (German Agricultural Society) which included numerous conferences, guided tours and lectures, perfectly enhanced Anuga FoodTec 2018. The organiser of Anuga FoodTec is Koelnmesse. The professional and industry sponsor of Anuga FoodTec is the DLG.

Strong concept: Food technology at the highest level

ONE FOR ALL. ALL IN ONE. Once again this year the visitors of Anuga FoodTec experienced the entire production cycle and in the course of which were able to experience live both individual solutions as well as holistic, cross-process concepts across all production stages and food industries. In all five exhibition segments – Food Packaging, Safety & Analytics, Food Processing, Food Ingredients as well as Services & Solutions – the companies presented a cross-industry and cross-production range of exhibition offers. The key topic resource efficiency was one of the omnipresent top themes. From Lotus effect packing that reduces the loss of foodstuffs, to saving raw materials such as water or energy in the production process for example, through to production lines with modular parts for individual products: Anuga FoodTec was once again the innovation hub of the supplier industry. The large variety of offers and impressive exhibitor presences attracted the top decision-makers to Cologne. The exhibitors were impressed by the high quality and professionalism as well as by the internationality of the trade visitors and reported about very good discussions with top-ranking decision-makers. All of the leading food producers worldwide came to Anuga FoodTec.

Well-informed: The event and congress programme

The product show at Anuga FoodTec was perfectly enhanced by a comprehensive event and congress programme, which was organised by the DLG. All of the guided tours were fully booked. The Speakers Corner and the forums also met with high interest among the visitors. Furthermore, the opening conference on the first day of the trade fair, which focused on the leading theme resource efficiency – the opportunities and risks for the food and beverage industry – celebrated a successful premiere.

The next Anuga FoodTec will take place from 23 to 26 March 2021 in Cologne.

After decreasing in the first fortnight of March, tahiti lime supply increased in the second half of the month in São Paulo State. Although the crop peak has already finished, harvesting of the fruits from the second flowering event increased the volume available in the in natura market. According to agents consulted by Cepea, this second crop had a satisfactory development, due to humid weather in the first months of the year, but supply should not surpass that in the first bimester.

Cepea collaborators estimate the second crop harvesting to step up in April, since the maturation stage of the fruits allowed them to stay on trees last month. Thus, farmers slowed down the harvesting pace in order to avoid significant price losses.

In April, therefore, higher availability may press down quotes if the demand from processors, which was firm in the first quarter of the year, starts to move down. So far, purchases from processors have controlled supply in the in natura market. In March, the average tahiti lime price, at 13.86 BRL per 27-kilo box, harvested, was 2.7% above that in February, crop peak period in São Paulo.

Exportations

Tahiti lime shipments were slow in March, according to exporters. Besides the low price levels in the international market, record amounts of the fruit were sent to the European Union in the first bimester, according to Secex.
In the first two months of 2018, exportations totaled 20.9 thousand tons, 14.3% higher than in the same period last crop and a record for the season, according to Secex. In March, however, the cold weather in Europe (the world’s biggest tahiti lime importer) weakened consumption.

Brazilian market

Low supply of good quality fruits pushed up quotes of early pear oranges, as well as of late oranges, from the 2017/18 season – scenario observed since the second fortnight of February. In March, pear orange prices averaged 29.02 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, on tree, 28.9% up compared to that in February.

New IFU Recommendation (#13)

The IFU methods of analysis commission has approved a new recommendation, authored by Dr. David Hammond, on the use of DNA methods for the authenticity analysis of juices.

The juice analyst has a number of conventional methods available to check if a product has been prepared from a mixture of fruits. These include the use of HPLC for the pattern of anthocyanins in red/black juices (IFU 71, flavonoid glucosides in citrus juices (IFU 58), or generalised polyphenol screening (IFU Rec. 11). With the introduction of the 1H-NMR profiling method a few years ago this has offered another rapid and modern approach to look for mixtures of fruits.

Procedures to check for the presence of one fruit in another often target a specific component that would not normally be seen in the labelled fruit. Typical examples of this would be sorbitol (IFU 79), to check for apple and/or pear addition in a non-sorbitol containing fruit, such as strawberry or raspberry, or tartaric acid (IFU 65) for grape addition to another juice. Although these markers provide very good approaches for these specific types of addition they do not answer all questions, which means that there is still a need to develop more specific procedures for other fruits.

Nature has provided us with perhaps the ultimate marker for a particular fruit species, its DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). An early and on-going major application of DNA based analysis is in criminal investigations. This was introduced around 30 years ago and has been significantly developed and improved over the intervening period.

This new recommendation gives an up to date overview of the analysis and how it can be applied to the field of authenticity.

In addition to the core range of Fanta Orange, Zero Orange, Grape, Raspberry, Blueberry, Sour Watermelon and Strawberry Sherbet, Fanta has launched multi-sensory products that are as much about touch, sound, sight, and smell as they are about taste.

“People really love the flavours but we wanted to up the ante and bring out something totally unique and different to everything else in the soft drink category, to create new experiences for Kiwis to try when they want the occasional treat,” says Fanta Brand Manager Gina Beck.

“We talk about teens wanting ‘omni sensorial’ experiences, which is where they’re looking for something that’s going to awaken all the different types of senses. Early adopters want to experience something new and this range really delivers on this,” she says.

The first entries into the sensory range are Jelly Fizz which come in both orange and raspberry flavours.

To enjoy the omnisensorial experience of Jelly Fizz, for instance, consumers need to shake the can 10 times to activate an almost indescribable, well, jelly fizziness.

“It’s like a delicious, liquid jelly – a soft drink blended with juicy liquid jelly pieces. You can’t really explain it to someone, they have to try it for themselves,” says Gina.

The original Jelly Fizz concept was launched in Japan and Hong Kong about five years ago (known as Furu Furu Shaker) and the local Coca-Cola team felt they could replicate its incredible popularity here in New Zealand.

“The challenge has been how to Westernise the concept of what is a really cool but very different drinking experience,” says Gina.

“We needed to educate teens that it’s okay to shake the can without it exploding, despite it going against everything they’ve ever known about soft drinks.”

While Fanta will no doubt continue its history of innovation, there’s one thing that won’t change: the iconic taste of Fanta Orange.

“Fanta Orange is a really big part of our portfolio,” says Gina. “It has a loyal fan base and that is incredibly important to us.”

Jelly Fizz is available in both orange and raspberry flavours – for a limited time.

The international organic sector will meet for the 12th edition of BIOFACH CHINA from 24 to 26 May 2018 at the Shanghai World EXPO Exhibition & Convention Center (SWEECC). About 480 exhibitors and about 18,000 visitors are expected from all around the world.

BIOFACH CHINA will have an extremely international and varied flavour this year, with separate pavilions from China, Taiwan, Denmark and New Zealand. Following a successful launch, the exhibition will once again introduce a “country of the year” in 2018, the focus this year being on New Zealand.

The event highlights will also include the online “China Organic Product Directory”, the special “Innovative Product Launch Zone” show containing the most interesting organic innovations of the year, and the “Organic Tea Competition”, offering an opportunity to vote and to network.

For more information please visit www.biofachchina.com.

Refresco, an independent bottler of beverages for retailers and A-brands in Europe and North America, today announces that the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has given the green light for the integration of Cott’s bottling activities in the UK. The CMA’s approval follows the sale of the Aseptic PET facility at Cott’s Nelson site to Sunmagic Juice Limited.Refresco completed the acquisition of Cott’s b

ottling activities on 30 January 2018 and integration of the two businesses began immediately in North America. Today’s announcement enables the start of the integration into one organization in the UK as well. As a result, Refresco can now truly operate as one integrated company and moves forward as the world’s largest independent bottler for retailers and A-brands.

Creating clear market leadership in natural extracts and ingredients

As part of its 2020 strategy to strengthen its capabilities in natural flavour solutions for its customers, Givaudan announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 40.6% of the shares of Naturex, a French public listed company, for EUR 135 per share and a total consideration of EUR 522 million. This agreement is subject to all of the appropriate regulatory approvals.

Givaudan intends to launch a mandatory cash tender offer for all remaining outstanding shares of Naturex, at a price of EUR 135 per share. The Board of Directors and Management of Naturex are fully supportive of the transaction.

Naturex is an international leader in plant extraction and the development of natural ingredients and solutions for the food, health and beauty sectors. Naturex is headquartered in Avignon, France and reported sales of EUR 405 million in 2017, operates from 16 production sites around the world and employs 1,700 people.

Gilles Andrier, CEO of Givaudan said: “The acquisition of a significant shareholding in Naturex fits fully with our 2020 strategy to expand our offering to deliver natural products to our customers. Givaudan is the global leader in the space of natural flavours and Naturex further complements our capabilities with its strong portfolio of plant extracts and natural ingredients across the food and beverage, nutrition and health and personal care sectors. We look forward to working with the management and shareholders of Naturex in the coming months to secure their support for the acquisition.”

Louie D’Amico, President Designate of Givaudan’s Flavour Division said: “Consumers around the world are increasingly demanding more natural and organic products from food and beverage companies. Naturex will be extremely complimentary to the acquisitions we have announced in this space over the last few years, namely Spicetec, Activ International, Vika and Centroflora Nutra.”

Texture continues its rise to becoming a central feature of food and drink innovation. According to new research from Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), 20 % of food and drink launches in Europe in 2017 had a texture description, up from 17 % the previous year. This further cements the continent’s lead in usage of texture claims: Europe featured the largest share of global food and drink launches with texture descriptions since January 2016. Even the innovative markets in Asia Pacific saw less food and drink launches with texture descriptions, accounting for 14 % of global new food and drink products with texture claims in 2017.

Katya Witham, Global Food & Drink analyst at Mintel, explained the texture trend at Anuga FoodTec in Cologne:
“As the 2018 Mintel Global Food & Drink Trend ‘New Sensations’ describes, texture has a particular opportunity to follow the lead of colour, which has become an increasingly popular feature in food and drink formulations that aim to allure more of the senses. Food and drink products have used ingredients such as turmeric, matcha, and even activated charcoal to create vibrantly hued products that look particularly good in social media. While colour will continue to be important, texture is the next facet of formulation that provides consumers with interactive and social media worthy experiences.”

And interest in such products is evident across Europe. A sizable proportion of European consumers is open to trying unusual textures: 37 % of Spanish, 36 % of Polish, 26 % of French and 22 % of German and Italian (respectively) consumers say they would like to try food and drink products with unusual textures.

In Germany, interest is especially high in certain product categories. Three quarters (75 %) of German consumers are, for example, interested in sweet or savoury spreads with unusual or interesting textures. At the same time, 40 % of Germans would be interested in cooking sauces that bring different textures to a meal. Chocolate appears to be both especially prone to experimentation with texture and successful with this approach in Germany. Nearly half of Germans (48 %) have already tried chocolate with added texture and would be interested in trying it again, with consumers aged 16-24 even more convinced of the idea; 60 % have tried and would like to try textured chocolate again.

Katya closes:
“Texture will only become a more prominent feature in food and drink innovation in Europe. It is an especially important component for consumers who want a more tangible and interactive consumption experience. Products that appeal to multiple senses can provide consumers with escapes from the routine and stress of life, opportunities to make memories and generate share-worthy social media posts. The sound, feel and satisfaction provided by texture make it a trend to watch in 2018 and beyond.”

UK consumption of water drinks rose 7 % in 2017 to nearly 4,000 million litres, with a retail value of £3.1 billion, according to a new report from global food and drink experts Zenith.

Sales of plain bottled water in retail packs increased by 8 % to over 3,100 million litres, while volume through bottled water coolers grew a more modest 2 % to 310 million litres. This marks a slowdown in growth from the preceding four years, partly as a result of poor summer weather. Conversely, sales of flavoured, functional and juicy waters, which increased by 2 % in 2016, advanced by 5 % in 2017, after more strong branded players entered the market.

Plain bottled water, with average annual consumption of 54 litres per person, strengthened its market dominance in 2017 to account for 87% of total sales. Flavoured water’s share of the market fell to 11 % volume share, with juicy and functional water making up the remaining 2 %. In terms of water types, still water drinks accounted for 83 % of total volume in 2017, with sparkling water drinks contributing 17 %.

The top 5 UK plain water brands – Highland Spring, Evian, Buxton, Nestlé Pure Life and Volvic – are collectively responsible for 30 % of total water drinks sales, whilst the top 5 water plus brands – Volvic Touch of Fruit, Calypso Clear, Trederwen Essence, Drench Juicy and Perfectly Clear – account for 5 %.

Zenith forecasts that, by 2022, the total market for UK water drinks will reach 5.3 billion litres, 32 % above 2017 levels. Plain bottled water is set to lead this advance, with average growth of 6 % per year. Flavoured, functional and juicy waters are forecast to expand more slowly.

Krones, the world’s leading manufacturer of filling and packaging technology, released its annual report for the financial year 2017 today. The company continued its stable, profitable growth and intends to give shareholders an appropriate share in its success.

Krones’ revenue grew 8.8 %

Krones’ revenue increased 8.8 % year-on-year to €3,691.4 million. Adjusted for acquisitions, revenue was up 7.2 %. Krones’ broad international diversification and comprehensive portfolio of products and services served the company well in 2017. The highest percentage revenue growth came in the South America/Mexico, Asia-Pacific, and Western Europe sales regions.

Order intake improved by 10.0 % year-on-year to €3,786.8 million in 2017. Adjusted for acquisitions, the increase was 7.1 %. While order intake in the Asia-Pacific and North America regions rose more than that, ordering activity was somewhat slower in China and the Middle East/Africa. At the end of 2017, Krones had orders on hand totalling €1,240.1 million, which is up 8.3 % year-on-year. The comfortable orders backlog provides a good basis for continued revenue growth. …

Please download the complete text under: www.krones.com

Brand launches line of organic premium juice drinks for kids, plus a new drink featuring juice & coconut water

With more than 70 years of innovation under its belt, leading juice company Tropicana continues to evolve to meet consumer demand. Today, the brand is announcing its newest product offerings: Tropicana Kids and Tropicana Coco Blends.

Tropicana Kids is an all-new line of certified USDA Organic premium fruit juice drinks offering delicious taste for kids with nutrition parents expect. Available in three flavors—Fruit Punch, Mixed Berry and Watermelon—Tropicana Kids is made with 45 % real fruit juice and mixed with filtered water, with no added sweeteners, no artificial flavors and is an excellent source of vitamin C. Plus, the packaging features a clear panel so moms and dads can see the goodness inside, and feel good about serving Tropicana Kids to their children.

Tropicana Coco Blends is a tasty Tropicana juice drink featuring a splash of coconut water providing consumers a delicious way to enjoy the coconut water trend. Available in two fun flavors—Pineapple with Coconut Water and Peach Passion Fruit with Coconut Water—Tropicana Coco Blends offer a refreshing twist to great-tasting Tropicana juice with no artificial sweeteners, no artificial flavors and 10 % coconut water.

Both Tropicana Kids and Tropicana Coco Blends are available in early 2018. You can find Tropicana Kids in multi-packs in the juice box aisle at select retailers in the USA and through online retailers. Tropicana Coco Blends can be found in multi- and single-serve sizes with other chilled juices at select retailers nationwide.

In Spring Statement the Chancellor, Philip Hammond, announced a call for evidence on using the tax system or charges to address single-use plastic waste in the UK.

The review will look broadly across the whole supply chain, from production and retail to consumption and disposal.

In his speech, Philip Hammond insisted that any measures will seek to change behaviour and encourage innovation, rather than raise revenue. Any such revenue raised will be invested into developing “new greener products and processes” and to kick-start this Government is committing £20 million now from existing budgets to “businesses and universities to help stimulate new thinking and rapid solutions in this area.”

Responding to the announcement, BSDA’s Director General Gavin Partington (British Soft Drinks Association) said:

“As an industry we recognise that more can be done to reduce litter and increase recycling rates and so we welcome the launch of the innovation fund to develop new greener products and processes.

“The ambition is for all our packaging in the UK to be 100 % recyclable, that consumers recycle and that drinks containers do not end up as litter in our towns, countryside, rivers and oceans.

“We have long believed that reform of the current compliance system would create greater transparency, and lead to increased investment in UK recycling infrastructure, more so than a tax on a single material.

“We believe that by working together with governments, NGO’s and other stakeholders real progress can be achieved to make the UK the world leader in creating a truly circular economy.”

European producers, emerging Mediterranean countries and large-scale retailers will meet to discuss one of the top fruit and vegetable products of the summer

With its production of peaches and nectarines of approximately 1,360,000 tonnes, Italy is now a leading European producer in the sector along with Spain. Consequently, a convention on peaches and nectarines will be held on the occasion of the 35th edition of Macfrut, to be held in Rimini from 9 to 11 May, promoted by the Macfrut trade fair and CSO Italy. On 9 May, the opening day of Macfrut, the European production forecasts for 2018 will be presented at a meeting with experts in the sector from leading producer countries in Europe – first and foremost Italy, Spain and Greece – and from emerging countries in the Mediterranean basin, with the participation of European large-scale retailers.

According to the data collected by CSO Italy, if we take a look at European production from 2000 to the present day, especially in the years marked by major crises in the industry, such as in the 2004-2005 period, it is evident that the production of peaches, clingstone peaches and nectarines in Europe had reached 4 million tonnes. Later, the European supply averaged around 3.6 million tonnes, with lows of 3.4 million tonnes, such as in 2016. As far as the Italian supply is concerned, the production of peaches for fresh consumption was + 10 % compared to 2016, at approximately 590,000 tonnes, whereas clingstone peaches showed + 24 % at almost 85,000 tonnes and +5 % was recorded for nectarines at about 690,000 tonnes. Following the trend of the other major producing countries in Europe, production in Spain increased by 9 %, France showed + 3 %, whereas Greece recorded a high percentage increase of + 53 % compared to its particularly poor production in 2016. In all major European countries, the expected supply for 2017 exceeded the previous year’s production by 16 %.

This year, for the first time since 2007, the production of peaches, nectarines and clingstone peaches reached 3.9 million tonnes, of which peaches and nectarines alone were equal to 3 million tonnes against 2.9 million tonnes in previous years. Spain played a major role in this rise: after producing a maximum capacity of about 1.2 million tonnes, it is now capable of producing 1.5 million tonnes. In fact, this significant increase is continuing, especially for doughnut peaches, which account for 50 % of total production in Spain. By contrast, in Italy the supply has dropped from 1.7 million tonnes to about 1.3 million tonnes due to the widespread removal of plants over the years, mainly in northern regions.
This is the issue at the heart of the recent peach crisis that has affected all of Europe.

Along with the increase in production in Europe, which leads to an imbalance between supply and demand, in the years when production is approaching its full potential, other factors are contributing to the crisis in this market: major unbundling of supply, high production costs, new competitors entering the market, competitive new products on the market and the ongoing Russian embargo. Last but not least, the economic problems linked to climate change, which for products such as peaches and nectarines – not intended to have a long shelf life – can significantly affect market trends.

All these themes will be discussed at the convention to be held at the Macfrut event, which will focus on current production trends in 2018. The availability of forecast data prior to harvesting is essential to peach production so that any necessary corrective measures can then be implemented.

The Technical Workshop has become an annual tradition for everybody working in technical fields in the juice industry, from quality managers to R&D people to staff working in the laboratory. With very low registration fees, compared to “regular” conferences in the industry, it should also give the employees that normally don`t go to conferences the chance to learn about new developments, discuss relevant topics and establish networking with fellow col- leagues.

The IFU Technical Workshop 2018 will be held on Monday, March 19th, in Cologne – just one day before Anuga FoodTec.

Social responsibility has been a growing trend in the FMCG market in recent years as manufacturers, suppliers, brands and consumers strive to limit the negative economic, social and political effects caused by their actions. It is increasingly driven by consumers’ desire to live a more ethical lifestyle that they believe benefits their personal wellbeing, says leading data and analytics company, GlobalData.

The company, in its report ‘TrendSights Analysis: Social Responsibility; Understanding the issues and impacts of socially responsible consumption’ has revealed that interest among consumers in products supporting environmental causes is increasing across the globe.

According to the survey, 59 % of consumers globally said they would consider buying products associated with environmental protection. Brands or products that support poverty, animal welfare, Fairtrade, or gender equality are also likely to be well received by consumers.

Matthew Perry, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, says: “While interest in products that support environmental protection appears to extend across all generations, Millennials – those born in 1981-1999 inclusive – are driving interest in products that support poverty, animal welfare, and gender equality.

“Meanwhile, older generations show greater interest in Fairtrade products. Producers should consider the varying interest in ethical causes when initiating such projects and target campaigns accordingly in order to maximize their impact and success.”

SIG and ProLeiT offer integrated solutions for smart and automated factories

SIG has partnered with ProLeiT, a leading provider of automation and process control systems, to co-create innovative manufacturing solutions for food, beverage and dairy producers.

SIG is one of the world’s leading solution providers for the food and beverage industry within the field of carton packs and filling technology, and with its new partnership with ProLeiT will be able to offer producers advanced production technology and integrated software solutions.

ProLeiT is an expert within the field of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), enabling manufacturers to automate and control their production processes. This new partnership will allow both companies to combine their expertise for the joint development of innovative MES products for the food and beverage industry.

SIG’s new strategic collaboration supports its commitment to build smarter, more automated plants as part of its Smart Factory segment. This solution-driven and value-added platform is helping SIG to deliver IoT-enabled systems and technical services that transform filling plants into connected factories securing the highest efficiency, flexibility and quality.

World’s first fully renewable package featured in new display at the Museum of Brands

Tetra Pak has now delivered more than half a billion packs of Tetra Rex^® Bio-based, the world’s first beverage carton to be manufactured entirely from renewable materials. The landmark event was announced at the Museum of Brands, in London, where the package, is featured in a new sustainability display, opened to the public end of February.

Tetra Rex^® Bio-based, which was launched in October 2014, is manufactured solely from Forest Stewardship Council^™ (FSC^™) certified and controlled sources paperboard, together with plastics derived from sugar cane, all traceable to their origins.

Packages made from renewable materials are essential for preserving the environment for future generations. Renewable resources can be replenished naturally over time and enable a move away from fossil fuel-based materials, reducing the environmental impact as well as improving resource efficiency.

The Sustainable Packaging display opened at the Museum of Brands, and will be showing a selection of initiatives that help reduce the burden of packaging on the environment.

The Commission has published a new Regulation that significantly tightens the restrictions on the use of BPA in food contact materials. It lowers the regulatory limit (specific migration limit or ‘SML’), which is the amount allowed to migrate from the plastic material into food while keeping it safe, and extends this restriction to coating materials, which are used to line food and drink cans. The new Regulation also extends the ban from 2011 on the use of BPA in baby bottles by prohibiting the use of BPA to manufacture infant ‘sippy’ cups as well as the migration of BPA from coated materials containing food intended for infants and children 0–3 year olds. The new Regulation will apply from 6 September 2018.

For further information: Questions & Answers on BPA

As competition for consumer attention and loyalty intensifies, brands are increasingly turning to packaging to achieve differentiation on retail shelves and enhance engagement. To deliver an interactive experience to consumers before, during and after consumption, Coca-Cola has rolled out cans of Coke, Coke Zero, Fanta and Sprite in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia featuring Reveal temperature sensitive inks.

The result of collaboration between Crown Bevcan Europe & Middle East and Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI), Reveal inks allow graphics to change to ‘reveal’ specific imagery and messaging during consumption. Two thermochromic inks appear at the same time when the can is cold, but as the cold product is consumed, one ink disappears. This technology provides one ambient ‘original’ image, one ‘cold’ image and as the consumer drinks the contents of the can, a third image appears, offering the perfect vehicle to hide a message.

Coca-Cola featured four specific messages – one per brand – to engage with its customers in a fun, unique manner. Cans are decorated to include either a person or cartoon-style animal, from which a speech bubble emanates to hold the thermochromic messaging which appears when the can is chilled. An interactive quick response (QR) code beneath the image links to exclusive video content, driving traffic to the brand’s website.

The application represents the first commercial use of Reveal inks.

What will be the next hype after the turmeric latte?

Turmeric latte, or “golden milk”, was 2017’s dairy-based sensation. The golden-hued drink featured on menus of trendy cafés, and also emerged in chilled packaged formats. According to Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), hot beverage launches in Europe containing turmeric have more than quadrupled since 2013, growing by 359 % between 2013 and 2017.

Julia Büch, Food & Drink Analyst at Mintel, explains the trend:
“The turmeric latte is inspired by a traditional Indian remedy based on hot milk and turmeric infused with spices such as pepper, cinnamon and ginger. The drink has purported health benefits, but equally, its appeal comes from the photogenic and intense, social media-friendly colour. Milk has not traditionally been a trendy or social media-worthy drink, but colourful, flavourful offerings such as the turmeric latte could change that.”

And there is clear consumer interest in such beverages: 35 % of Germans aged 16-34 would like to see more flavoured milk launches, such as chocolate or spices. Even 77 % of German consumers aged between 35 and 54 say that they like to explore new flavours. The near future will see dairy brands looking to other new colours and textures to create the next trendy, attention- getting and ‘social media-worthy’ dairy drink.

Julia elaborates:

“Future formulations could include fizzy milk, new colors and new textures. Fizzy milk, for example, is already a popular concept in China and other parts of Asia. Colourful  matcha or spirulina could be the next buzz-worthy ingredient in the West, where they are currently less known. As Mintel’s 2018 Global Food and Drink Trend ‘New Sensations’ explains, the next evolution will bring texture into the limelight. Already, we can see new foaming ingredients that infuse drinks with an unexpected texture such as the tea macchiato from China – a drink that blends tea with whipped cream cheese.”

Indeed, although matcha has been around for centuries, it is only now booming in Europe. Hot beverage launches containing matcha have increased more than tenfold in Europe between 2014 and 2017 and its vibrant green colour is already finding use in eye-catching matcha lattes. Spirulina is one of Mintel’s Trend ingredients for 2018, and is quickly becoming a trendy ingredient in the food service industry and  with blue ‘mermaid lattes’ appearing across Instagram feeds.

Global launches of carbonated soft drinks with dairy ingredients, or ‘fizzy milk’, have also grown over the past five years, albeit from a small base. Asia Pacific currently accounts for 86 % of fizzy milk launched in 2017. The combination of carbonation and dairy can create a creamy texture that is rare in carbonated drinks. This novel texture innovation is primed to be ‘the next big thing’ according to Mintel research’.

Greater differentiation and added value in the Japanese aseptic carton market

Tokyo-based Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd. (DNP) and SIG have signed a joint venture agreement which will bring new value added carton packaging and filling technology solutions to the Japanese food and beverage industry. The 50-50 joint venture will be established as of April 1, 2018, under the name of DNP • SIG Combibloc Co., Ltd., located in Tokyo.

More differentiation

The main focus of the partnership is to provide greater differentiation and added value in the field of carton packaging, technology and services for the food and beverages industry in Japan.

Souichiro Nishitani, Corporate Officer and General Manager of Packaging Operations at DNP said: “The huge variety offered by the packaging system from SIG will enrich the Japanese market and offer clear added value for beverage manufacturers and consumers alike. The aim of our joint venture is to be Japan’s number 2 in aseptic carton packs by 2022.”

Rolf Stangl, Chief Executive Officer at SIG added: “It is an exciting moment in our company’s history. For many years we’ve looked into entering this big and promising market together with a perfect partner. We’ve now found this with DNP. Together with DNP, we are bringing innovative solutions to the food and beverage industry in Japan for current and next generation products.”

Throughout its history DNP, one of the world’s largest printing industry manufacturers, has successfully established a multitude of business operations. For example, DNP has been developing and marketing carton packs and filling systems for alcoholic beverages and soft drinks in Japan since 1978. Many food and beverage manufacturers are also using DNP’s aseptic PET filling system. The company is ideally positioned in Japan, with substantial experience in the field of aseptic technology through its network of highly-qualified service technicians and established connections with all major companies in the food and beverage industry.

New estimates for the 2017/18 orange production in the citrus belt (São Paulo and Triângulo Mineiro) may affect ending stocks of the season, on June 30, 2018. Data released by CitrusBR (Brazilian Association of Citrus Exporters) indicate that the larger orange harvest may more than double the juice volume held by processing companies in São Paulo, compared to the same period last season.

The Association says that the season may finish with juice inventories at 254.2 thousand tons (equivalent to concentrate juice), which represents 12 weeks of consumption. This figure is 22 % higher than that estimated in August 2017; however, it is still the fourth lowest over the last 20 years.

Although still uncertain, initial expectations indicate that the 2018/19 orange production will be smaller than in the current season, except in southwestern São Paulo (Avaré and surroundings), where the weather may allow production similar to that in 2017/18. Therefore, there is nothing indicating orange juice surplus, also based on the good performance of exportations.

The recovery of inventories compared to the CitrusBR projection released in August was already expected by the sector, given that estimates for the orange crop, performed by Fundecitrus (Citrus Defense Fund), has already been reviewed upwards three times since the first release of CitrusBR. In the first estimate (May/17), Fundecitrus forecast 364.5 million 40.8-kilo boxes in São Paulo and Triângulo Mineiro; however, due to favorable weather conditions during the season and better cultural practices, that estimate was revised up to 397.27 million boxes on the projection released on February, 15.

The good rainfall, on the other hand, may affect industrial revenue (number of necessary orange boxes to produce one ton of concentrate juice). CitrusBR data indicate that, on the average of the season, 282.49 orange boxes may be necessary for each juice ton, 5.7 % more compared to the previous estimate (August).

2017/18 CROP – According to Fundecitrus data released on February 15, the citrus belt (São Paulo and Triângulo Mineiro) may produce 397.27 million 40.8-kilo boxes of oranges in the 2017/18 season, 62 % more than in the 2016/17 season (245.3 million boxes) and 3.13 % higher in relation to December forecasts. Fundecitrus says that, considering all varieties, 97 % of the total of the crop has already been harvested.

Global consumption of ready-to-drink coffee reached 5,500 million litres in 2017, a 19 % increase since 2012, according to a new report from global food and drink experts Zenith. Further growth is forecast, with sales expected to exceed 6,600 million litres in 2022.

“Japan is by far the biggest market, with 55 % of global volume, and is relatively mature with a significant proportion heated in vending machines,” commented Zenith Chairman Richard Hall.

“Much of the dynamism is coming from North America, with annual growth of 13 % and the introduction of many new trends such as cold brew, nitrogen infusion, carbonation and black coffees,” he continued. “Iced coffees are also gaining ground worldwide from low levels because of their taste, refreshment, convenience and quality.”

In terms of regional shares, Asia Pacific leads with 83 % of total volume, followed by North America and Europe with 10 % and 3 % respectively. Consumption has increased across all regions since 2012, spurred by new product development and increasing interest in healthier beverage choices.

New product helps food manufacturers ensure premium quality, reduced sugar fruit spreads meeting clean label requirements and capitalizing on the healthy living trend

Capitalizing on the low-sugar trend, DuPont Nutrition & Health has developed GRINDSTED^® Pectin PRIME 541, a new product that will allow food manufacturers to formulate new appealing reduced sugar fruit spreads recipes faster than ever and without processing hurdles.

GRINDSTED^® Pectin PRIME 541 is designed to increase flexibility: it doesn’t require calcium addition, has an improved tolerance to heat and can work in a wide range of fruit types, sugar levels and fruit levels.

“This product was developed in response to customer requests,” said Eva Lynenskjold, principal application specialist, Fruit Application, DuPont Nutrition & Health. “The improved formulation and process flexibility makes it possible, in a minimum amount of time, to develop and produce reduced sugar fruit spreads with outstanding quality, and at the same time reduce the number of pectin SKU’s needed.”

Increased consumer awareness of healthier diets makes sugar reduction a focal point for fruit spread manufacturers. As the premium fruit spread market makes new gains, continuously improving today’s standards, it is essential that sugar reduction does not negatively impact product quality. Prime 541 allows food manufacturers to meet the quality demands on appearance, texture and flavor for reduced sugar fruit spreads while also meeting clean label requirements.⁽¹⁾

GRINDSTED^® Pectin PRIME 541 provides maximum functional performance based on sustainable raw materials and processes. With unparalleled application knowledge from DuPont, it ensures food manufacturers’ solutions enter the market rapidly with minimum impact on their development time and cost.

⁽¹⁾ The clean label advantage with using GRINDSTED^® Pectin PRIME 541 is that calcium salts are not required, however, the pectin itself must be declared in the ingredients list of the final consumer product.

PET beverage bottles already meet the key requirements in the current debate on plastic recycling. Germany’s firmly established recycling system from manufacturing to recycling PET bottles has played a decisive role, placing the German PET market ahead of the EU plastic strategy just published. This eliminates the issue of export restrictions applicable to plastic waste via China in PET bottle disposal.

Photos of PET bottles floating around the oceans have coloured our perception of what’s actually happening in Germany regarding PET bottles according to Dr. Isabell Schmidt, consultant for Environment and Sustainability at the IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen, the German Association for Plastics Packaging and Films, and responsible for the PET forum: “PET beverage bottle recycling in Germany is a perfect example of efficient recycling management.”

98 percent of disposable PET bottles are recycled

Almost ninety-nine percent of mandatory PET deposit bottles are collected for recycling in Germany according to the latest study, Aufkommen und Wiederverwertung von PET-Getränkeverpackungen in Deutschland (PET beverage packaging volume and recycling in Germany) published in 2016 by the German Society for Packaging Market Research (GVM); 93.5 % of disposable and reusable bottles collected are recycled – and up to 98 % for disposable deposit bottles. “The disposal bottle deposit in Germany has secured these high quotas,” according to Schmidt. This has proven to be a successful strategy in the fifteen years after its introduction.

Recycling takes priority with PET – 34 % of the recycled material is processed into new PET bottles according to the GVM study. Other users include the film industry (27 %), textile fibre manufacturers (23 %) and other applications such as tape and cleaning agent container production (16 %). Eighty percent is recycled within Germany, and the rest is mostly exported to destinations near Germany’s borders. PET material exports to China have seen a steady decrease, so restrictions on plastic waste exports from Germany to China only apply to a limited extent in the German PET industry.

Extensive recycling capacity already available

More to the point, separate waste collection has kept the European recycling industry growing in recent years, especially with regard to the recycling capacity available for PET. “PET is a high-demand recycled material,” says Schmidt. Further investment in developing the sorting and recycling infrastructure – a key requirement in the new EU-plastic strategy – had already been in the works by the time the German Packaging Act was passed at federal level in 2017. PET packaging from the recycling bag or bin should see even more recycling as a result.

The German PET industry has been practising cooperation along the entire value-added chain for years as now required by the EU Plastics Strategy. Founded in 2014, the RAL quality-control association for PET beverage packaging has seen manufacturers, bottlers and recyclers working together on closed recycling loops. The industry promotes processing recycled PET into new beverage bottles – “Bottle-to-bottle recycling is one of the most important topics in sustainable use of recycled PET,” according to Schmidt. The quality-control association is mainly committed to increasing the amounts of recycled materials used in new packaging.

The survey conducted by independent auditing firms with each of CitrusBR associate member companies and consolidated by external auditing ascertained that global inventories of Brazilian orange juice, converted into Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice Equivalent (FCOJ  66° Brix)  at CitrusBR associate members’ facilities on December 31, 2017, amounted to 702,981 tons.

This volume indicates an increase of 205,598 tons or 41.3% when compared to the 497,383 tons existing 12 months before on December 31, 2016. The same survey indicates that on June 30th, 2018, the global inventories of Brazilian Orange Juice are anticipated to be 254.2 thousand tons of FCOJ Equivalent 66° Brix.

This projection, if confirmed, will represent an increase of 146,813 tons as compared to the 107,387 tons which were existing at all CitrusBR members’ facilities on June 30th, 2017, as previously informed to the market. …

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Individual solutions, healthy added value and unique Multi-Sensory Experiences^®

Whether for children, adults, health-conscious consumers or the generation of “foodies”, at Biofach in Nuremberg, Doehler will present innovative products and product applications that are explicitly tailored to the individual needs of the various consumer groups for the first time.

Organic products for the whole family

Many consumers increasingly expect that products should be sustainable, fair trade or organic and these factors strongly influence their purchasing decisions. At Biofach 2018, Doehler will present a diverse range of concepts for the entire family which are in line with this trend. These include delicious smoothies made from high-quality fruits and vegetables and fruit nectars without added sugar which are particularly suitable for children, or fruity NFC juices and refreshing fruit splashes. In addition to high-quality conventional ingredients, the company produces a comprehensive portfolio of certified organic ingredients at 14 sites worldwide. In this context, Doehler benefits from its vertical integration comprising a worldwide network of raw materials, its own fruit and vegetable processing in the growing regions and agro-sustainability programmes around the globe. Doehler’s portfolio also includes a broad variety of SAI FSA-verified as well as Rainforest Alliance, UTZ and Fairtrade-certified raw materials.

Naturally healthy – organic products with functional added value

“Superfoods” are literally on everyone’s lips. At Biofach, Doehler will display innovative product concepts that combine pure indulgence and functional added value, such as a delicious apple acai ginger “Juice Shot” for a healthy boost on the go or a fruity-fresh chia smoothie that creates unique Multi-Sensory Experiences^® with the extra-crunchy chia seeds. The “Savoury Snack Drink” is also full of valuable vitamins and nutrients. With various vegetables and a refreshing note of mint, this savoury snack makes a healthy meal when you’re on the road.

Greater variety and new taste experiences for organic products

Doehler is an expert for entirely new taste experiences based on innovative food and beverage concepts. Thanks to its integrated approach, the company provides everything from a single source – from the field to the supermarket shelf. At Biofach, Doehler will present a varied ingredient portfolio and innovative concepts which breathe new life into organic products.

Doehler will display fascinating concepts which meet adult consumers’ wishes for diverse and more natural soft drinks with less sweetness. The organic tea beverage “Peach-Lemon Black Tea”, for example, wins over consumers with its authentic “freshly brewed tea” taste. To meet the growing demand for beverages tailored to an adult taste profile, Doehler offers a wide range of herb and spice extracts such as ginger, cardamom, lavender or peppermint which create a unique signature taste. Doehler also has access to unique and tailored raw materials, which allows for traceability throughout the entire supply chain.

Coffee remains among the most popular beverages for adults and Cold Brew Coffee is one of the growing trends in this segment. Whether enjoyed pure or mixed with milk – cold brew coffee is much less bitter and acidic than the hot version and is characterised by fruity, caramel and chocolate flavours since it is prepared in a gentle process with no heat at all. Doehler has developed a unique process to capture the special flavours of cold brew coffee, which protects the entire flavour profile and makes it possible to create particularly authentic beverage and food concepts.

In Nuremberg, Doehler will also be presenting its comprehensive portfolio of organic fruit and vegetable ingredients, which can be used for many other creative food and beverage compositions. The company’s range of certified organic ingredients includes NFC juices, juice concentrates and purées in traditional flavours such as apple, sour cherry or blackcurrant as well as more exotic flavours such as white guava, grapefruit or mango, which create new taste experiences for organic products.

Novozymes announced its results for 2017. Solid year with 4 % organic sales growth (Q4: + 4 %): Household Care + 1 %, Food & Beverages + 9 %, Bioenergy + 11 %, Agriculture & Feed – 3 %, Technical & Pharma + 2 %. EBIT margin at 27.9 % (around 29 % excl. one-time costs). FCF before acquisitions DKK 2.4 billion.

Regarding the 2018 outlook, with good momentum in the business and a strong pipeline of products and opportunities, we see organic sales growth of 4 – 6 % and an EBIT margin of ~28 %.

Peder Holk Nielsen, President & CEO of Novozymes:
“2017 was satisfactory with solid growth and margins. Similar to other years, 2017 saw differences in divisional growth rates, but serving more than 40 industries with enzymes and microbes provides robustness. Our key priorities for 2018 are to increase our presence with new and existing customers, especially in emerging markets, and ensure we cater for individual customer needs with impactful innovation. And although uncertainties exist, with good momentum, a strong product pipeline and increased commercial activities, we see a promising outlook with accelerating growth for 2018 and beyond.”

Highlights:

• Organic sales growth of 4 % (Q4: + 4 %) and 3 % in DKK (Q4: – 1 %)
• 4 out of 5 areas grew; Food & Beverages and Bioenergy performed very well
• Agriculture & Feed lower, mainly due to poor agriculture markets
• 4 transformative innovations launched of the targeted 10 by 2020
• Reported EBIT margin of 27.9 % (2016: 27.9 %). Q4 2017: 27.6 % (Q4 2016: 28.6 %)
• Albumedix (non-core pharma) divested late 2017. DKK 66m negative Q4 EBIT charge
• M&G financial asset write-down of remaining DKK 60m (DKK 47m post-tax) in Q4
• Lower year-on-year tax rate despite one-off US tax charge of DKK ~30m in Q4
• Free cash flow before acquisitions solid at DKK 2.4 billion; higher investments as expected
• Proposed dividend payout of DKK 4.50/share. Dividend growth of 13 %. 42 % payout ratio
• Full-year 2018 outlook: Organic sales growth 4 – 6 % (growth relatively stronger in 2H y/y), EBIT margin ~28 %, FCF before acquisitions DKK 2.3-2.6 billion, ROIC 24 – 25 %. Stock buyback program of up to DKK 2 billion. Long-term dividend payout ratio upped from ~40 % to ~50 % of net profit

Frost protection, multiple-risk insurance, new regulations on agriculture, and the abrogation of the spirits monopoly. Currently: fruit growers, agronomists and distillers all over Europe have a lot to talk about. From February 23 to 25, 2018, Fruchtwelt Bodensee will give visitors a glimpse of a wide range of approaches to current problems and answers to the industry’s pressing questions. Experts will be on hand to offer overviews of the latest developments in methods, trends and technologies for the global fruit-growing market. A first-class program of events to accompany both the fruit-growing exhibition and the international distillery day will provide in-depth examinations of current issues in the industries. Other topics that will be spotlighted include direct marketing and agrotourism.

“In times of market turbulence, it becomes all the more important to stay informed and exchange ideas and information. Fruchtwelt Bodensee provides an outstanding platform for that purpose, and it comes at just the right point in time,” says Messe Friedrichshafen CEO Klaus Wellmann. He is convinced that “this event will chart the course for the coming season.”  Fruchtwelt Bodensee has undergone significant development, combining a comprehensive array of products on offer with a quality conference program, and early signs indicate that the next edition will be a great success. “Compared to the same stage in organizing the 2015 event, this time we have 20 percent more registrations, meaning we’re expecting around 370 exhibitors to attend the eighth edition of Fruchtwelt Bodensee,” reported project manager Petra Rathgeber. One topic that the exhibition will spotlight is direct marketing, she announced. “The new area, “My Farm Shop”, is off to a good start, with numerous exhibitors to present solutions for shop construction and fittings, vending machines, and products for farm shops.” Furthermore, various presentations on the topic are in planning.

Current Affairs: The 38th Bodensee Obstbautage Fruit-growing Conference at Lake Constance

For fruit-growing specialists, the highlight of the event will be the 38th Bodensee Obstbautage. The West Foyer and the Conference Center will be devoted to a variety of technical presentations and discussions. “The topics of this year’s Bodensee Obstbautage are directly on point with regard to the developments currently occupying fruit growers, producers and marketers alike, namely protecting cultures from undesirable weather effects and taking precautions to safeguard their companies’ financial security,” explained the organizers of the event, Eugen Setz of the Obst vom Bodensee regional marketing association, Dr. Egon Treyer of the Bodenseeobst growers’ organization, and Dr. Manfred Büchele of the KOB Bavendorf (Lake Constance Competence Center for Fruit Growing).

Big Picture: Climate Change and Its Consequences

Following heavy losses due to frost in early 2017, the subject of climate change has taken center stage at the Bodensee Obstbautage conference. At the top of the agenda: political demands, suitable models for multiple-risk insurance, and a tax-free risk balancing reserve. The minister of agriculture of the state of Baden-Württemberg, Peter Hauk, will be in attendance at the opening of the exhibition on Friday to offer remarks on some of the most urgent initiatives coming from the industry. Dr. Matthias Görgens of the Obstbauversuchsanstalt (fruit-growing research center) in Jork, who has been examining the effects of climate change for many years, will open the event with a presentation on this crucial subject. Models for multiple-risk insurance will be presented by Michael Lösche of the insurance agency Vereinigte Hagelversicherung and by Klaus Mugele, vice president of the farmers’ association of Baden-Württemberg. And Heinrich Huber, director of the Hagelschutzkonsortium insurance agency of South Tyrol, will share some insights into the workings of his agency and its past experiences with multiple-risk insurance. Talks by Dr. Gianni Chiogna from Bolzano, Italy, and Marc Sellwig of the KOB Bavendorf will discuss the technical details of using water sprinklers for freeze protection as well as alternative freeze protection techniques.

Enriching: Vacationing on Farms

The topic of vacationing on farms will be given its own series of talks. On the Saturday and Sunday of the exhibition, an extensive body of information on developing this alternative source of income will be made available to interested visitors. Dr. Hermann Gabele from the District Office of Bodenseekreis district will kick off the series with a presentation on “Farm Vacations: A Method of Reducing Financial Risk for Agricultural Businesses?” Then Irmgard Hofmann, also of the local District Office, will lay out the roadmap: from the initial idea through the planning and financing stage to the implementation. The talk after that will handle the aspects of marketing, quality assurance, and networking in the agrotourism segment. Further presentations will handle tax issues as well as the topic of how to make a farm a safe environment for children.

Landmark: Introduction of Transborder Projects

The KOB Bavendorf will be on hand to provide visitors to Fruchtwelt Bodensee with information on four projects that it is currently working on in cooperation with partners from other fruit-growing regions of Europe. Dr. Christian Scheer, an expert on plant protection from the KOB, will present on “Low-residue Production: Model Sites for Advancing Integrated Plant Protection Strategies”, while Dr. Lars Lehmberg will report the latest results in the project to prevent losses due to drosophila suzukii (commonly called the spotted wing fruit fly). In addition, the KOB will give a talk on direct and indirect strategies for combating Marssonina leaf blotch, a fungal disease which defoliates apple trees.

Pioneering: Project to Prevent Damage to Fruit During Storage

Storage damage can lead to considerable losses after the fruit has been picked. Greater knowledge of the causes of the damage and the proper handling of fruit during harvesting and storage can help significantly reduce these losses. KOB expert Dr. Daniel Neuwald will report on a project to communicate sustainable strategies to eliminate sources of damage. The approach involves developing a practical multimedia system to make the accumulated body of knowledge available via an online platform and an app. The database will be accessible free of charge starting around the middle of 2018.

High-proof: Heady Questions at the International Distillery Day

There will be a lot to talk about at the 2018 International Distillery Day, which will be held during Fruchtwelt Bodensee. The focus will be on two urgent topics: the new alcohol tax law, which will go into effect at the beginning of 2018 and abrogate the spirits monopoly, and the planned revision of the EC regulation on spirits. This dual focus will be reflected in the program, with Werner Albrecht of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture illuminating national and EU-wide spirits regulations while Klaus Lindenmann, managing director of the distillers’ association of the state of Baden, will provide information on the new regulatory provisions affecting distilleries starting in 2018. However, other subjects will be handled, as well, for example in Jürgen Friz’s seminar on calculating fire costs for indemnity purposes and in Ulrich Jakob Zeni’s talk on modern presentation of fruit brandies. In Hall B2, exhibitors will be showing off the latest products relating to distilling and distilleries.

Opportunities: Digital Networking in Agriculture

Digital networking is steadily advancing and promises to become a major topic in agriculture, too. At their exhibition stand, representatives of the machinery syndicates in Tettnang, Linzgau, and Lindau will be showing potential opportunities in the area of “smart farming”, both in the future and those already available today, as well as the requirements for agricultural entrepreneurs of the future. Questions of labor law are also on the agenda, with presentations on regulations on road haulage and its effects on agriculture as well as risk assessment with regard to workplace safety and occupational health.

Ticket prices and opening hours

Fruchtwelt Bodensee will take place from Thursday, February 23, to Sunday, February 25, 2018. Opening hours will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Day tickets cost 11 euro. For more information and an overview of the program of talks, visit: www.fruchtwelt-bodensee.de

Hydrosol now offering trend-forward concepts for fruity refreshment drinks

The market for refreshing beverages is growing around the world. The main drivers in the category are fruit juices and fruit juice drinks, which are seeing disproportionate growth. Hydrosol’s new all-in compounds let beverage manufacturers as well as dairies benefit from this growing demand. Its Stabifruit functional systems contain all the important components for making refreshing fruity drinks, and offer many advantages over concentrates.

Fruit juices and refreshing fruity drinks have a very positive image with consumers. According to research by Innova Market Insights, flavour and health benefits are the most important sales arguments from consumers’ point of view. Fruit juice manufacturers must meet increasing consumer demands while at the same time addressing various production challenges, from growing cost pressure to requirements placed on storage of concentrations, to guaranteeing the optimum product quality. There are also regulations concerning enrichment with vitamins and minerals, as well as the increasingly frequent calls to reduce sugar content, which negatively impacts the mouth feel and viscosity of drinks.

With its Stabifruit line of all-in compounds, Hydrosol offers an attractive solution. Since these functional systems are in powder form, they have high storage stability along with optimum logistics. Unlike with fruit juice concentrates, there are no expiration date issues. Water-free formulations are microbiologically safer than juices or concentrates. In addition, with no water there is less weight to transport. These are measurable cost benefits for users. In addition, these powdered products can be used by manufacturers who were previously not part of the fruit juice industry, and so do not have the specific machinery park.

Naturally the compounds are free of preservatives. They are easy to use, and with just small dosages give refreshing fruity drinks with appealing mouth feel, colour, flavour and viscosity. Individual components can be used flexibly depending on customer wishes. The fruit content is variable. Sugar content can also be reduced without impacting the quality of the beverage. Cloudiness stability is also important, i.e. keeping particles suspended in cloudy drinks. The unusual cloudiness stability of Hydrosol’s formulations has been demonstrated in scientific testing. Hydrosol’s close collaboration with its sister company SternVitamin is an advantage for customers, since it makes it possible to enrich the all-in compounds individually with vitamins and minerals. This gives manufacturers a custom beverage concept from a single source.

A wide portfolio of fruit flavours is available, including favourites like orange, peach and mango as well as special flavours like raspberry, banana and currant. That means that the new Stabifruit line of all-in compounds provides the basis for a wide range of fruit drinks whose mouth feel, colour, taste and viscosity leave nothing to be desired, while offering substantial economic, logistical and production benefits.

Tate & Lyle issues the following trading statement for the three months ended 31 December 2017.

The Group saw volume momentum in its Speciality Food Ingredients and Bulk Ingredients divisions and remains on track to deliver progress in adjusted profit before tax in constant currency for the year ending 31 March 2018, in line with guidance.

In Speciality Food Ingredients, the core business delivered good volume growth, including a continuation of modest volume growth in North America.  In Food Systems, profit improved although volume was lower.  SPLENDA^® Sucralose performed as anticipated with profit in line with the comparative period.  In the division overall, decisions taken in the first half, particularly to invest behind the longer term development of the business, will moderate profit growth in the second half.

In Bulk Ingredients, sweetener volume in North America grew and profit growth is currently expected to be robust for the financial year ending 31 March 2018.  The 2018 calendar year bulk sweetener pricing round is now substantially complete with margins broadly in line with the previous year.

Orange growers from São Paulo expect the rains observed in the state in January to favor a new blossoming in the upcoming weeks, as trees of some orchards were budding. In mid-January, growers from eastern SP already observed new blossoming, which may originate the 2018/19 pear oranges out of the desirable period. Moreover, in the current developmental stage of the plants, rains also favor the settling of second or third blossoming, observed in some orchards in São Paulo between October and December.

On the other hand, humidity concerns citrus growers regarding diseases, such as “estrelinha” (blossom-end-rot), which may hit open flowers. Therefore, producers adopted preventive measures to avoid new losses. Besides high moisture, another aspect that may limit the 2018/19 crop volume is the larger production in the current season (2017/18), which reduced the plant vigor last year. The 2017/18 season is almost 57 % higher than the previous one.

PRICES – The availability of high quality oranges was limited in São Paulo State in January, increasing the supply of low quality fruits and pressing down quotes. Moreover, rains lowered the demand for citrus fruits in that period. In January, pear orange quotes averaged 20.00 BRL per 40.8-kilo box, on tree, 46.7 % lower than in January/17, but still 0.3 % higher than in December/17. As for tahiti lime, high supply and the weak pace of trades (domestic and international) pressed down values last month. On the other hand, demand was heated, due to the big size of the fruits and the intensification of crushing. In January, tahiti lime quotes averaged 20.50 BRL per 27-kilo box, harvested, 50.1 % down compared to that in December/17.