Officially launched and available for purchase online, BRÈINFÚEL (Breinfuel) evolves from coffees, energy drinks, and nootropics to help the brain respond with focus, alertness, and productivity.

Developed by Dr. Gerald Horn, a Lasik surgeon with a background in pharmaceutical science and disruptive drug development, Breinfuel combines highly researched ingredients with an extended release that is designed to support performance and wellbeing.

“Endurance means so many different things to people with various lifestyles, occupations and interests. Yet, the common desired effect is not the jolt offered by traditional caffeinated beverages, but rather sustainable cerebral stamina and high-performance energy,” noted Dr. Horn. “Whether you’re a competitive bodybuilder, a frontline medical worker, or a stay-at-home mom of zoom-schooled children, our mental health is being zapped by today’s challenges and demands. Consumers need a beverage that incorporates more functional benefits that enhance productivity and well-being.”

Breinfuel comes in four palate-pleasing flavours including Thrive Ice, Victory Bliss, Alpha Punch and Limitless Berry. Dr. Horn combined four uniquely differentiated ingredient blends for Breinfuel’s multifaceted effects. The Caffeine Blend, according to Dr. Horn, is “the secret sauce” of Breinfuel, with the best of what’s in coffee without the coffee base. It is derived from green tea and green coffee beans without the toxicity and loss of potency from the roast.

The Fuel Blend includes four grams of low-glycemic sugar, five grams of easily digestible collagen protein, and MCT’s which are a great source of prolonged energy. The Antioxidant blend offers potential added benefits from vitamin C, vitamin E and beet root, all designed to reduce the brain’s known sensitivity to accelerated metabolism. The Brain-Booster blend features zinc, creatine, glycine (from collagen), and L-theanine, all individually shown to support brain health.

“Putting caffeine in water alone can create a toxic jolt to our system, which has contributed to caffeine’s checkered past,” noted Dr. Horn. “Since caffeine is not energy or fuel, but rather a stimulant, it needs to be supported like one. Breinfuel’s attention to these key principles resulted in four targeted blends that, for many, may redefine the caffeine experience.”

The inception of Breinfuel began as part of Dr. Horn’s goal to optimize his nutritional consumption, lifestyle/productivity, and personal health.

“This began as a personal quest to solve the problem of unsupported caffeine in the marketplace, such as in caffeinated drinks with zero calories or high-fructose carbohydrates,” noted Dr. Horn. “Once I and some colleagues began to experience caffeine in a new and better way, I knew it was the right time to bring Breinfuel to market.”

ABOUT BRÈINFÚEL 
Developed by Dr. Gerald Horn, a Lasik surgeon with a background in pharmaceutical science and disruptive drug development, Breinfuel combines highly researched ingredients with an extended release that is designed to support performance and wellbeing. Breinfuel is sold online and comes in four delicious flavours including Thrive Ice, Victory Bliss, Alpha Punch and Limitless Berry. Each bottle of Breinfuel features a proprietary blend of effective ingredients, including: natural caffeine from GCBE and green tea (along with their extracts), D-ribose sugar, collagen protein, MCT’s, vitamin C, vitamin E, beet root, L-theanine, creatine, and zinc.

ACE, the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, is pleased to announce that the recycling rate for beverage cartons in the EU28¹ rose to 51 % in 2019. This represents a continued year-on-year increase in the EU beverage carton recycling rate.

“We are pleased that the steady annual increase of the recycling rate for beverage cartons in 2019 surpassed 50 %,” said Annick Carpentier, Director General of ACE. “This is proof of our industry’s efforts and enhances the message that beverage cartons are recyclable and are being recycled at scale in Europe.”

Beverage cartons, made largely from renewable materials, contribute positively to a low carbon circular economy. The industry is driving beverage carton recycling across Europe, committed to efforts that support the increase of the recycling rate in all EU Member States. The industry calls on policymakers at the European and national levels to assure that beverage cartons are collected for recycling separately, and to support a collection target to ensure beverage cartons are collected for recycling.

“With an upcoming EU legislative agenda towards more sustainable packaging, the beverage carton is well positioned with a 51 % recycling rate. This is an opportunity to inform policy- makers at all levels that beverage cartons are a safe, circular and sustainable packaging solution with a low carbon footprint, and how the beverage carton you use at your table can be easily collected and recycled,” continued Ms. Carpentier.

¹Data includes information from the United Kingdom, which at that time was still an EU Member State.

Completition of wind power transition advances Company’s global operations to 27.5 % renewable electricity, aligns with Twentyby30 and RE100 commitments

Crown Holdings, Inc. is now operating all 14 of its beverage can plants in the U.S. and Canada on renewable energy. It is the first metal packaging manufacturer to achieve this milestone, which is the result of a 15-year wind power Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Longroad Energy. With the VPPA in effect and all of Crown’s manufacturing facilities in the U.K. already completing a similar transition, 27.5 % of the Company’s global operations are now using renewable electricity.

This accelerated usage of alternative power sources serves as a major step in Crown’s plan to employ 60 % renewable electricity by 2030, 90 % by 2040 and 100 % by 2050—targets established in Crown’s Twentyby30 initiative, a comprehensive sustainability program that addresses climate issues among other areas of urgent global concern. The action also supports Crown’s Twentyby30 goal to decrease Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within its global operations, targeting a 50 % combined reduction in absolute Scope 1 (fuel) and Scope 2 (electricity) emissions. The transition reflects Crown’s commitment to the RE100, which is led by The Climate Group and CDP and focuses on accelerating the transition to zero carbon grids at global scale.

Relying on a Texas-based wind farm, the VPPA generates more than 440,000 MWhs of electricity, helping prevent over 310,000 metric tons of carbon emissions each year—the equivalent to taking at least 67,000 passenger vehicles off the road for one year. The renewable power offsets 100 % of the energy usage within Crown’s U.S. and Canadian beverage plants, which account for over 20 % of the Company’s global Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions.

Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announced that Victoria Spadaro Grant has joined the Company as its new President, Innovation and Commercial Development. Victoria will also be a member of Tate & Lyle’s Executive Committee.

Victoria will lead Tate & Lyle’s global approach to product application and technical services, and scientific, nutrition and regulatory affairs, as well as delivering the company’s R&D strategy in partnership with global business divisions and external innovation partners.

Victoria joins Tate & Lyle from Barilla, the Italian multinational food company, where she has been Chief Global Research Development and Quality Officer since 2014. During her career, Victoria has held senior R&D roles with leading food and beverage brands including Mars Chocolate, Kraft Heinz and PepsiCo.

Victoria takes on this role from Andrew Taylor who is now leading Tate & Lyle’s new region of Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

myBeviale.com, the digital dialogue platform for the beverage industry’s regular gathering, is now online. Whether you want to network, make new contacts, or exchange knowledge and ideas, you’ll be able to do all this and more on myBeviale.com all year round and free of charge, no matter where you are. As a complement to the Beviale Family, which also includes BrauBeviale, the new platform is open 365 days a year, allowing dialogue and knowledge-sharing during and beyond the trade fair as such. During the Launch Days from 10 to 12 November, myBeviale.com will also be the virtual venue for the programme originally planned for the BrauBeviale Special Edition. The three-day programme will feature around 100 live talks, presentations and sessions, and is set to attract beverage industry enthusiasts, experts and executives alike to the new platform.

The new digital dialogue platform makes it even easier to interact with members of the beverage community, find suitable specialists and work together to resolve challenges. All year round, myBeviale.com will offer information on the products and solutions of participating suppliers, virtual presentations, workshops and discussion panels, industry news and specialist publications by the various companies. One of the core elements of myBeviale.com is a targeted networking function that allows all participants in the platform to enter a dialogue with one another. Registration is free of charge.

Beverage expertise in five segments

The platform is subdivided into five different zones. Following registration, users will have access to all functions and content. In Products & Solutions, you can access a comprehensive database of solutions for the beverage industry, covering aspects like manufacturing, bottling, packaging or marketing. Using the filters provided, you can quickly locate the most relevant suppliers for your specific challenge. Then simply click to arrange an appointment. Under Companies, you will find extensive information on companies and organisations from the sector, including start-ups, associations and major players, as well as details of the respective contacts. Go to the Community zone to enjoy informal exchanges between colleagues, experts and other beverage industry professionals. Here too, it is easy to arrange to talk to interesting contacts at any time via chat or video call. Stories is the magazine section of myBeviale.com and brings together industry news, user reports, white papers and company news from the drinks manufacturing environment. Readers can browse through the articles and get information and inspiration. If you are looking for knowledge and interesting presentations, head for the Action Area, where all year round you can discover current and archived presentations or discussion panels. During the Launch Days from 10 to 12 November, the Action Area will offer a packed agenda. Six thematic streams within the extensive BrauBeviale@stage programme ensure knowledge transfer and lots of light bulb moments, (almost) as close as it gets to the on-site experience in Nuremberg.

Experience the trade fair forum programme at the myBeviale.com Launch Days

From 10 to 12 November 2020, the new myBeviale.com platform will play a rather special role as the virtual venue for the forum programme BrauBeviale@stage, which was originally planned for the on-site event in Nuremberg. The highlights from the scheduled on-site programme – presentations, discussions panels and award ceremonies – are now available on the digital dialogue platform, so that the entire beverage community can attend them virtually.

For example, you’ll be able to join in the celebrations at the award ceremony for the European Beer Star, one of the most prestigious beer competitions worldwide, as the winner will be announced live on the platform. And even in this year’s exceptional circumstances, visitors don’t have to miss out on the popular tastings of the latest beverage trends in the Craft Drinks Area, as selected specialities are available for home delivery. The matching explanations by a sommelier can then be accessed at any time on myBeviale.com, even when the Launch Days are over.

The presentations also cover a wide range of topics. Many items on the agenda focus on the issue of the future viability of the sector. Our event partners include Private Brauereien Bayern (Bavarian Association of Private Breweries), the honorary sponsor of BrauBeviale, VLB – the Berlin-based research and teaching institute for brewing, Doemens Academy, Bayern Design, BV-BFGH (Association of German Beverage Wholesalers), the World Packaging Organisation, BVE (Federation of German Food and Drink Industries), SGS Fresenius and many more.

Simply register for free now!

The complete programme for the Launch Days from 10 to 12 November 2020 is available at www.mybeviale.com. This is also where you can register and discover the functions, content and community of myBeviale.com.

Revolutionised process treats beverages in two separate streams using a combination of Pasteurization, Filtration, and UV technology

Tetra Pak launched a new, first-of-its-kind low-energy processing line for juice, nectar and still drinks (JNSD) to take beverage processing to a new level of efficiency. Innovatively using a unique combination of Pasteurization, Filtration and UV Light technology to treat beverages in two separate streams, which are aseptically blended together into the final beverage.

Instead of pasteurizing the whole volume of the product, the new production line separates out water and pasteurizes only the concentrate. Water is treated separately with Filtration and UV Light which requires a lot less energy. In the new JNSD line customers reduce energy consumption up to 67 % and water consumption used for cleaning-in-place, sterilisation and product change-over is cut up to 50 %.

Maria Norlin, Subcategory Manager JNSD & Other Beverages, Tetra Pak said: “We realised that we needed to rethink JNSD processing and find a more sustainable solution, that at the same time still provides a high level of food safety & quality assurance for our customers. The launch of our new low-energy JNSD processing line, ‘Best Practice Line for JNSD with Aseptic Blending’, illustrates how we are innovating with traditional processing methods in pursuit of more sustainable and efficient solutions. Our decision to split the existing JNSD line into two separate processing streams for treatment allows us to offer our customers processing options that can help them achieve their climate goals, and enables the industry to contribute towards global sustainability efforts.”

Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading supplier of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces a set of ambitious new environmental targets and commitments. These targets are aligned to the delivery of Tate & Lyle’s purpose, Improving Lives for Generations, a key pillar of which is to care for our planet and protect its natural resources for the benefit of future generations.

Tate & Lyle’s new environmental targets are, by 2030, to deliver:

• 30 % absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 CO₂e emissions, with an ambition to reach 20 % reduction by 2025.
• 15 % absolute reduction in Scope 3 CO₂e emissions.
• 100 % of its waste to be beneficially used, with an ambition to reach 75 % by 2025.
• 15 % reduction in water use.
• In adopting these targets, Tate & Lyle commits to:
• Eliminate use of coal from its operations by 2025.
• Establish its Scope 1, 2 and 3 CO₂e emissions reductions as Science-Based Targets.

Maintain sustainable acreage equivalent to the volume of corn Tate & Lyle buys globally each year, currently 1.5 million acres, and through partnerships accelerate the adoption of conservation practices.

These new targets and commitments build on the steps already taken to enhance Tate & Lyle’s sustainability across its entire value chain. For example, in September Tate & Lyle announced a landmark sustainable agriculture programme in partnership with Truterra^TM (formerly Land O’Lakes SUSTAINTM) to help growers in the US Midwest understand the impact sustainable practices can have on their crops and their profitability, and to adopt them.

To demonstrate its commitment to the new environmental targets, Tate & Lyle has linked the pricing of its US$800 million revolving credit facility, extended in May 2020, to the delivery of its new Scope 1 and 2 CO₂e emissions, beneficial waste and water reduction targets.

Nick Hampton, Chief Executive at Tate & Lyle, said: “There has never been a greater need for businesses to address the climate change crisis. One of the key pillars of our purpose of Improving Lives for Generations is to care for our planet and with our new environmental targets and commitments we are taking decisive action to protect our planet’s natural resources for the benefit of future generations.”

Anna Pierce, Director of Sustainability at Tate & Lyle, added: “These stretching new targets demonstrate our steadfast commitment to integrate sustainability into our day-to-day business activities, processes and culture.”

Cibus has been postponed to next year from 4 to 7 May 2021 in Parma – Meanwhile Fiere di Parma and Federalimentare have announced an international Forum on 2-3 September 2020 in Parma addressing the restart of the agri-food sector – The innovative online platform “My Business Cibus” designed for international operators to facilitate the matching between trade operators and the Authentic Italian Food is ready to go

The 20th edition of Cibus, the International Food Exhibition, has been rescheduled for next year, from 4 to 7 May 2021. The decision, taken by Fiere di Parma and Federalimentare, has been mutually agreed with ITA – Italian Trade Agency and the businesses of the Italian agri-food supply chain. An international forum entitled “CIBUS FORUM – FOOD&BEVERAGE SECTOR AND COVID: FROM TRANSITION TO TRANSFORMATION” will be held in Parma in September, later this year. While in the next few days, an innovative digital Sourcing and Business Matching platform, called “My Business Cibus” will be launched.

Regarding Cibus, initially rescheduled for September 2020, we recognized the absence of the necessary conditions able to guarantee the qualitative and quantitative outcome of the incoming program, especially in terms of international trade operators, and as a consequence to meet the expectations of our exhibitors, stakeholders, and institutional partners. Considering the role of Cibus as the reference event for the promotion of the “Authentic Italian Food&Beverage” in the eyes of the international community of agri-food players, a downsized edition of the 20th International Food Exhibition does not seem an acceptable solution.

“CIBUS FORUM – FOOD&BEVERAGE SECTOR AND COVID: FROM TRANSITION TO TRANSFORMATION” will take place in Parma from 2 to 3 September 2020. To what extent have consumer behaviors changed since the COVID-19 emergency? How will the labor market be reorganized? What actions will need to be put in place to recover production and export of the agri-food sector? Industry stakeholders and national and international experts will meet for a collaborative consultation on future scenarios.The Forum will be held at the Fiere di Parma exhibition centre, in a pavilion that in light of Covid-19 has been restructured specifically to host a limited number of guests and key speakers in a safe way and in compliance with the most advanced safety & security standards. Cibus Forum will also be streamed live.

While waiting for the next edition of Cibus, Fiere di Parma together with Federalimentare, have set up an innovative online platform, “My Business Cibus”, which will allow commercial operators to carry out thorough searches and select all Cibus exhibitors’ products, including the latest innovations. All the products that the companies publish on their websites have been indexed and grouped. This will give national and international buyers the possibility of choosing, in an easy and quick way, from amongst almost 200,000 products offered by 3,000 companies. The online tool will be operational from 12 May 2020 (www.mybusiness.cibus.it).

Tetra Pak unveiled the food and beverage (F&B) industry’s first full-scale virtual marketplace. The new platform, created using Mirakl SaaS Marketplace solutions, will bring convenience and ease to the industry by making purchasing of products faster, more convenient and simpler for producers.

The collaboration is the first time Mirakl will work within the F&B sector, providing a service that will change how buyers and sellers operate. The marketplace will initially host more than 300,000 spare parts and consumables from Tetra Pak, adding an additional 200,000 products for maintenance, repair and operations from vetted sellers, providing customers with access to a large variety of products.

The launch dramatically expands what Tetra Pak offers to its customers. The marketplace, available 24/7, will host several vendors selling products within Safety & Security, Industrial Supplies, Cleaning Solutions and other vital areas for F&B production. The number and variety of products will continue to grow as more vendors join the marketplace.

About Mirakl

Mirakl is powering the platform economy by providing the technology, expertise, and partner ecosystem needed to launch an eCommerce marketplace. With the Mirakl Marketplace Platform, both B2B and B2C businesses can offer more, learn more and sell more: increase the number of products available for buyers, grow the lifetime value of customers, and anticipate buyer needs and preferences.

Admir Dobraca has taken over management of Kautex Machines in USA. He succeeds Bill Farrant, who successfully managed and developed Kautex Maschinenbau’s North American site for a decade.

Dobraca has many years of experience in the plastics industry and is a proven packaging specialist. Most recently, he worked for Retal PA LLC, a supplier of packaging products and solutions to the food and beverage industry. He began his career in the plastics industry at Husky Injection Molding Systems in 2002. He held various different positions there, with placements in North America and Europe, until 2016.

With Dobraca in the lead, Kautex aims to strengthen its strong market position in the North American packaging segment and expand into new markets. To achieve this, the company will improve its product and service offerings for current and future customers.

Ball Corporation announced that it has earned the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certification for all 23 of its Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) beverage can plants. This accomplishment is a major sustainability milestone for the company and Ball is the first beverage can manufacturer to meet ASI’s environmental, social and governance principles.

The certification accompanies a commitment to significant carbon reductions by Ball, which is now covering all of its operations in the European Union, Serbia and the UK with renewable energy. Ball previously announced agreements for 100 % renewable energy covering all of its North America operations by 2021.

“We’re extremely proud to be the first aluminium beverage can manufacturer to achieve ASI certification,” said Ron Lewis, President, Ball Beverage Packaging, EMEA. “With their infinite recyclability, aluminium cans are the fastest growing beverage packaging type in Europe. As consumers seek more environmentally friendly products, they can have confidence in aluminium’s strong sustainability credentials such as responsible sourcing. The certification, combined with our renewable energy investments, demonstrates Ball’s commitment to a low-carbon, sustainable economy.”

ASI is a multi-stakeholder initiative that provides assurance of responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of aluminium throughout its value chain. As consumers demand greater sustainability across packaged goods, the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative’s scheme aims to do for aluminium what the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) did for paper and wood, making sustainability performance a mainstream, visible issue.

Ball has achieved both ASI’s Performance, and Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard certifications.

The ASI Performance Standard is a measure of how much effort Ball is making across its plants to assess, manage and disclose its environmental, social and governance impacts. These include issues such as life-cycle thinking, recycling, greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste management, biodiversity, business integrity and the human rights of both workers and local communities.

The ASI CoC Standard sets out requirements for the creation of a Chain of Custody for material that is produced and processed through the value chain. In Ball’s case, it links verified practices – certified under the ASI Performance Standard – from mining and remelting to casting, rolling, can manufacturing and filling.

“We’re responding to a greater desire from consumers, across Europe and around the world, for genuinely sustainable and infinitely recyclable packaging solutions,” said Kathleen Pitre, Chief Commercial and Sustainability Officer, Ball Corporation. “We’re working closely with our beverage customers to help them deliver on their sustainability commitments including on responsible sourcing practices. Ball is proud of our achievements in getting certified.”

“We are very pleased to award ASI Certification to, Ball Corporation, the world’s largest aluminium can maker and the first in its sector to have achieved this,” said Dr. Fiona Solomon, Chief Executive Officer, Aluminium Stewardship Initiative. “The ASI’s Performance Standard covers critical issues for the entire aluminium value chain. The programme is focused on responsible production, sourcing and stewardship of this important industrial metal. ASI Certification enables the aluminium industry to demonstrate responsibility and provide independent and credible assurance of performance. Supply-chain certification programs like ASI are becoming increasingly important for customers and stakeholders, who seek assurance that companies’ sustainability practices are genuine.”

With 75 % of aluminium ever produced still in use today around the world, the metal has a vital role to play in creating a truly circular economy. Ball is taking a lead on industry efforts to significantly increase the European recycling rate of aluminium beverage cans, currently at 75 %. Recycling aluminium saves 95 % of the energy required for the production of virgin aluminium, and so helps the global community to meet urgent carbon reduction targets.

ACE supports the European Commission proposal on the EU Climate Law aimed at reaching climate neutrality by 2050.

“We fully endorse the European Commission’s objective to make the EU climate neutral by 2050. Today, the EU demonstrates their leadership on climate change, and presents another opportunity to foster greater innovation, green jobs and reduce harmful emissions that negatively impact our society” said Annick Carpentier, Director General of ACE. “We now encourage the EU-co-legislators to go a step further and increase the ambition of this proposal by addressing the climate impact of materials and to strengthen the link between climate, the circular economy and the bioeconomy. Several reports acknowledge that production and use of materials account for a substantive share of greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why the substitution of high carbon materials with low carbon materials, such as sustainably-sourced renewables, is key to reach climate neutrality and reduce the need for fossil-based resources. We look forward to working constructively with the EU institutions to have this more clearly reflected in the Climate Law.”

By using recognised science-based targets, sustainably sourced materials, internationally recognized standards, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®), the members of ACE remain committed to contributing to a low carbon circular economy.

2020 will be a period of ground-breaking innovations in the food and beverage (F&B) sector, with a focus on health and sustainability, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Hakan Demirci, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Over the last couple of years, we have seen vast strides in the development of technology for the F&B sector. This year is set to become a watershed year as these technological innovations experience an expansion in their application across the industry.”

With the year promising a flurry of innovations in the industry – from personalized nutrition to alternative proteins, GlobalData lists five of the top F&B trends to watch out for in 2020, ranked:

5) Personalized Nutrition:

“Personalized nutrition will aim to revolutionize consumption habits among health-conscious consumers using nutrigenomics. The future will see targeted nutrition accounting for both genetic and environmental factors, to maximize the nutritional value of certain diets for consumers.

“One example of this is a company called Sun Genomics, who are currently testing tailored probiotics by sequencing the human gut and analyzing the distribution of the different types of microbes.”

4) 3D Printed Food:

“While 3D-printed food has been around for quite some time, it is an expensive and time-intensive method of producing food. Nevertheless, in 2019, 3D printing of plant-based meat received heavy investment due to its efficiency in comparison to current methods of extrusion, and for its ability to replicate the texture of meat.

“Innovations in 3D-printing technology throughout 2020 will see an increase in speed to delivery, a reduction in costs and an expansion of the types of products that can be created using 3D printing.”

3) Alternative Proteins:

“As veganism continues to become mainstream, so too will efforts in replicating certain animal proteins. This will range from the development of egg white cell cultures to lab grown cultured meat – bypassing the impact on sentient animals.

“Throughout the year, we will see these methods replicating a more diverse and niche variety of meats. For example, Impossible Burgers released their first vegan pork in early January 2020.

“Moreover, investment in this sector will flourish in 2020 as a growing coterie of fast-food conglomerates pour funds into the research and development (R&D) of vegan alternatives to their own meat-based products.”

2) Traceability:

“The next decade will see the transparent documentation of a product’s life cycle. This will improve food safety, as potential bacteria-related hazards can be pinpointed for detection and eliminated with ease and speed. This will be achieved as technological innovations such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and blockchain improves in application and efficiency.

“For example, blockchain can map a products lifespan on the chain, providing a transparent chain of ownership for a particular asset. These records cannot be erased or altered, ensuring accountability throughout the whole process, an important aspect of transparency.”

1) Biotechnology:

“The advent of biomolecular sciences and improvements in genetic editing and sequencing will aid in the development of highly nutritious crops, with extended expiration dates and improving resistance against genetic and environmental diseases and infections.

“For example, a current innovation underway aims to improve the shelf life of melons with a non-GMO molecular breeding technique, seeking to halt the ripening process after cultivation whilst simultaneously preventing this from negatively impacting upon the taste of the final product.”

The global apple concentrate market witnessed substantial growth in the past few years, and this growth is expected to continue throughout the forecast period of 2019 – 2029. Towards the end of forecast period, the sales of apple concentrate will translate into revenues exceeding US$ 5 Bn, as per the projections of a new study.

The shelf life of apple concentrate ranges from months to several years, depending on the strength and type of concentrate, as compared to the significantly shorter shelf life of fresh juices. Thus, finished products such as apple juice, sparkling drinks, and soft drinks made from apple concentrate have a longer shelf life than those made from fresh fruit juices.

Longer shelf life of products made from apple concentrate reduces transportation costs and enables manufacturers to export their products and expand their geographical reach. It also allows manufacturers to offer specialized products for the military and astronauts. These products have a longer shelf life than the products made from apple concentrates for civilians.

Key takeaways – Apple concentrate market study

• Liquid concentrates hold the largest share in the global apple concentrate market by form. Powdered concentrates are expected to witness a slower adoption, owing to its high cost of production.
• China accounts for the largest share in the global apple concentrate market as it is the largest producer and exporter of apples and apple concentrate offerings in the global market.
• The beverage industry accounts for the largest share among all segments by application in the apple concentrate market and is expected to grow at the fastest rate during the forecast period.

Manufacturers can gain significant profits from focusing on the B2C channel, which has a limited number of market players.

Apple concentrate market: Competitive landscape

Key players in the global apple concentrate market strive to increase their production capacity by focusing on acquisitions, mergers, and expansion of their own production units. Such investments are also helping manufacturers to expand their geographical reach and penetrate more markets across the globe. Manufacturers are also investing in product innovation and developments for cost-effective processing methods for production of apple concentrate.

For instance, In July 2015, Britvic PLC acquired Empresa Brasileira de Bebidas e Alimentos SA (“ebba”) with an investment of US$ 174.9 Mn.

These insights are based on a report on Apple Concentrate Market by Persistence Market Research.

Fi Europe & Ni 2019: the most successful edition of the world’s leading trade show in France to date

With an enormous thematic and geographical scope – exhibitors from 74 countries and visitors from 173 countries – Fi Europe & Ni once again proved that it is the trusted and chosen meeting place for the international food and beverage industry. The three-day event attracted almost 25.000 visitors at the beginning of December – despite the all-out strike on the third day of the show.

In the 33rd year of Fi Europe & Ni, 1,700 exhibitors presented more than 15,000 ingredients and a wide range of related services – from processing and packaging technology to contract manufacturing. To provide a platform for the growing globalisation of the industry, Fi Europe & Ni this year welcomed 26 country pavilions, including six new ones for suppliers from Japan, India, Georgia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Peru. For the next event in Frankfurt, 84 per cent of the available exhibition space has already been booked. This high number of stand reservations for 2020 is once again a proof that Fi Europe & Ni remains a successful and respected business platform for exhibitors.

With 24.415 attendees, this edition of Fi Europe & Ni was the most successful one in France so far. Recent analyses show that mainly representatives of sales, procurement and purchasing, general management and R&D attended the show at Parc des Expositions Paris Nord, Villepinte. 33 per cent of the visitors were managers at C-level or higher, and 71 per cent had budget responsibility.

Rüdiger Schock, Director, Innovation Acceleration EMEA at Ingredion, commented: “We have been exhibiting our innovative ingredient portfolio at Fi Europe & Ni for more than 20 years, and we will definitely be back. 2019 was another very successful fair for us. It was a great opportunity to meet with customers old and new to discuss global key trends such as clean label, protein enrichment, sugar reduction and plant-based ingredients, and the solutions we have to support them.”

Continuous development

Since its launch in 1986, the event has always had its finger on the industry pulse and has continually expanded. First, Ni (Natural ingredients) joined the exhibition and has established itself as a forum for future-oriented natural ingredients. In addition, an extensive conference and educational programme has been added and this year attracted more than 300 delegates, offering in-depth insights into key trends such as “Healthy & Functional”, “Plant-derived Ingredients”, “Clean Label” and “Reduction & Reformulation”. The Future of Nutrition Summit on the day before the fair proved highly successful, attracting more than 100 participants and showcasing outstanding and game-changing innovations, with a focus on sustainable food systems and new food technologies.

Firmenich’s Global Director Marketing and Communication Ingredients, Virginie Gervason, stated: “As we are involved in flavour ingredients and flavour solutions, Fi Europe & Ni is the best place for us to showcase our innovations and insights, and demonstrate the best use of these solutions. It’s a good opportunity to show the versatility of Firmenich, and how our ingredients embody our purpose ‘For Good Naturally’.”

Within the Expo FoodTec, which was added to the Fi Europe & Ni line-up to mirror the interplay between ingredients and technology, the Expo FoodTec Content Hub presented valuable advice, especially in the field of food safety. In a time where flexitarian and vegan consumers fuel the market, the new Plant-based Experience showed, through panel discussions, how to strike the balance between consumer-expected low price and high quality.

A New Gen trade show: Fi and Hi co-located under one roof

2020 in Frankfurt, Fi Europe and Hi Europe will join forces for the first time. This co-location is a strategic response to the fact that the health and nutrition economic sectors are merging at a fast pace. Consequently, the boundaries between standard ingredients, functional ingredients with added health benefits, and dietary supplements are blurring.

As many companies also have much shorter innovation cycles than a few years ago, Fi Europe and Hi Europe will take place annually starting next year. Messe Frankfurt will be first to host the largest trade show for the food and beverage industry, from 1 to 3 December.

From a visitor’s point of view, the show is still highly relevant in a digital age: “It’s difficult sometimes when you’re trying to source a new ingredient – yes, you can do a Google search to find the data, but you don’t get that full insight into what each supplier is doing. So this show really brings it all together under one roof,” said Suzanne Salt, Procurement Manager, Symingtons Ltd.

Fi Europe Brand Director Julien Bonvallet was delighted with this year’s event: “Thirty-three years of Fi Europe & Ni are a reason to celebrate! We are grateful that so many visitors made their way to Paris despite the strike warning. But it also shows that Fi Europe & Ni is simply the place to be for the industry’s thought leaders. I am now looking forward to this great new development and can already promise many exciting inclusions for the show in 2020.”

As experts in what consumers want and why Mintel is best suited to accurately predict the future of consumer behaviour and what that means for companies and brands. Announced early in November, Mintel is taking a bold approach with its predictions about the future of global consumer markets by incorporating seven key factors that drive consumer spending decisions:

• Wellbeing: Seeking physical and mental wellness.
• Surroundings: Feeling connected to the external environment.
• Technology: Finding solutions through technology in the physical and digital worlds.
• Rights: Feeling respected, protected, and supported.
• Identity: Understanding and expressing oneself and one’s place in society.
• Value: Finding tangible, measurable benefits from investments.
• Experiences: Seeking and discovering stimulation.

Here, Matthew Crabbe, Director of Mintel Trends, APAC, explores the seven drivers and how they will impact markets, brands and consumers over the next decade.

Wellbeing

“Wellbeing is no longer about simply wanting to look after oneself in broad terms, nor is it about the extremes of a total lifestyle change. Instead, a holistic approach is becoming a key motivator of consumer behaviour, underpinned by convenience, transparency, and value. Over the coming 10 years, there will be opportunities for brands to become wellbeing partners with customers. While the mass-market and ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach will still have value, we will see further adoption of bespoke solutions. Clean air and water will become selling points, while conscious movement and mindful exercise will become as important as physical fitness.”

Surroundings

“The increased global population and climate crisis are forcing people to reduce their consumption, waste, and energy use. They are learning to share limited space more efficiently and to work more collaboratively. Better and more affordable telecommunication technology allows for flexible work conditions, as consumers increasingly become digital nomads. Over the next 10 years, social tensions will increase as competition for resources rises. This could result in greater stratification of society and failure to tackle the need for more efficient use of resources and better urban planning. There will be greater pressure on cities to continue to expand, encroaching into remaining wildernesses and rural farming areas, exacerbating the cost of producing food – making even basic products more expensive for most people.”

Technology

“Mobile technology continues to blur the lines between time, travel, and location for work, learning, and leisure. Elements of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) will revolutionise industries like tourism and entertainment, while virtual esports will rival physical sports in popularity. Over the coming decade, consumers will push back against cashless payments and fully unmanned stores, demanding more privacy and seeking more ‘human’ interaction. We’ll also see technologies developed to mitigate the effects of climate migration and displacement, amidst the broader challenges of economic inequality and an ageing society.”

Rights

“‘Cancel culture’ is growing as consumers feel increasingly empowered to call out companies, brands, and people they disagree with, greatly shifting influence into the hands of the collective consumer. Youth activism will take the lead in drawing public awareness of causes and will push legislative leaders to develop and enact ideas to make real change. Meanwhile, a more human-centric approach to data is emerging, empowering people to control how their personal data is collected and shared. Consumers are beginning to realise the true value of this data and they are demanding more for it. Looking ahead, blockchain technology will change data ownership, empowering consumers to put the control back in their hands by determining who has access to their information online.”

Identity

“Consumers are moving away from the rigid definitions of race, gender, and sexuality, and a movement is emerging toward more fluid, self-selected identities. But as the movement grows, rising feelings of loneliness and isolation are making people feel like they are, in fact, losing their identity. While people are more connected today than ever before, feelings of loneliness and isolation are on the rise and will reach epidemic proportions by 2030. Expect to see companies, brands, social organisations, and governments create technology-based solutions to help combat this. And as identities change, so too will socialising. In the future, people will increasingly be living with members of their ‘tribe’ – dictated by their mindsets and hobbies – rather than their family.”

Value

“The current era is one of excessive and unsustainable consumption. Social media’s ‘swipe up’ culture has perpetuated the chase for buying more and buying better. However, with climate change as one of the defining issues of modern society, consumers are taking a closer look at their own consumption habits. While consumers are in search of a more mindful approach to their spending, they also desire something that is authentic and unique to them. Expect to see a move towards slower, minimal consumerism that emphasises durability and functionality. Rapid urbanisation will shrink available space in the home, office, and shared environments, demanding consumers buy less ‘stuff’.”

Experiences

“While the demand for stimulation is not new, the role it plays in consumer decision-making is evolving. No longer should ‘the experiential’ be diminished as a mere marketing tool or a fad; instead, consumers are experiencing powerful emotional connections to brands that are creating a point of differentiation. Technology is driving experiences, but the constant connectivity is also causing demand for offline interactions to become more extreme and boundary-pushing. Looking ahead, collective experiences will gain more and more popularity. People will start to redefine what experiences they want as individuals. This will include the experience of doing nothing as people make more mindful decisions about what to do with their time.”

ACE announces that the recycling rate for beverage cartons in the EU28 rose to 49 % in 2018. This is a small (1 %), but steady increase in the EU beverage carton recycling rate from the previous year.

“We are pleased to see that the beverage carton recycling rate continues to increase throughout the EU. The year-on-year increase underscores the efforts made towards recycling beverage cartons,” said Annick Carpentier, Director General of ACE.

Some Member States reach rates above 70 %, while there is still room for increased recycling participation in other Member States.

“This is not enough if the EU wants to reach a low carbon circular economy. We call for the ambitious implementation of EU waste legislation at national level to ensure all beverage cartons are collected and recycled. We believe that the recycling rate will continue to increase thanks to our industry’s commitment to support beverage cartons being recycled, including the non-fibre components,” said Ms. Carpentier

In addition, ACE has launched a four-month campaign, “We’re not just square, we’re circular,” to raise awareness and build understanding that beverage cartons are recyclable and being recycled at scale in Europe. The campaign also aims to highlight the low carbon footprint of beverage cartons due to the renewability of materials used.

“Beverage cartons provide a double circularity, at sourcing thanks to the renewability of their main components and at end-of-life through recycling. This double circularity helps ensure that beverage cartons play a role in helping achieve a low carbon circular economy,” continued Ms. Carpentier.

The campaign website can be accessed here, from ACE’s main homepage (www.ace.be) and from the secretariat’s social media channels.

The new updated edition of Birkner’s Beverage World 2019/2020 provides in reliable manner professional company and trade information with regard to companies of the international beverage industry.

In structured manner you will find 20.000 company profiles from 197 countries with more than 5.400 breweries, 5.500 producers of mineral water, juices and soft drinks, 2.400 distilleries, 1.300 hop, malt and raw material suppliers, 6.200 suppliers und 480 associations and institutions. Apart from names and addresses including websites the new edition also offers infomation regarding management, services, products and brands, machines and capacities, capital and turnover.

With the updated book edition and the internet database www.beverage-world.com you have at your disposal two indispensable sources of information to successfully follow your business interests against the backdrop of the current market situation.

The access to the complete internet database is available at a price of 336,- € p.a., the book is available at a price of 295,- € and the combination of both media costs 499,- – directly from the publishing house at the following address: info@beverage-world.com.

Tate & Lyle, a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces that effective October 1, 2019 or as contracts allow, the Food & Beverage Solutions business in North America will implement price increases of up to 12 % on specialty food starches, fibres, specialty and high intensity sweeteners, and stabilization and functional systems.

These adjustments are required following increase in costs to produce the affected products.

Customers will be offered a broad Cargill range of food ingredients and solutions for various applications to make their business a success

Caldic and Cargill have reached an agreement making Caldic Ingredients Deutschland GmbH the exclusive distribution partner for Cargill’s starches, sweeteners and texturizers for food applications in Germany and Austria. The collaboration with Cargill will expand Caldic’s offering to customers in food markets such as bakery, convenience, confectionery, dairy and beverage.

Caldic Ingredients Deutschland GmbH is part of the Caldic Group, serving the Food segment, as well as Life Science and Industrial applications. In recent years, Caldic and Cargill have successfully developed customer relationships and enabled food manufacturers to win in their markets in various other European countries.

reasons to initiate this partnership. “We are very pleased with this agreement, because Cargill and Caldic are both aiming for leadership positions in their chosen market segments”, says Stephan Neis, Managing Director of Caldic Ingredients Deutschland GmbH. “When it comes to developing innovative solutions with a service-oriented character, we are clearly aligned with Cargill. With an extended on-trend product portfolio, tailored manufacturing and state-of-the-art application services there is no doubt we will take our full-service distribution model to the next level.”

Alain Dufait, Managing Director for Cargill Starches, Sweeteners & Texturizers business in Europe, adds: “Caldic has an excellent customer approach and a strong organization in Germany. We have been impressed by Caldic’s way of developing solutions for their customers and their entrepreneurial spirit. We are enthusiastic about this partnership, because it will allow us to expand our solutions to the German and Austrian food market.”

SIG set for growth with new state-of-the-art production plant in China

As the Asia-Pacific region continues to be one of the major growth engines for aseptic carton packaging, SIG has announced investment in the region with the construction of a second production plant in Suzhou, China.

To meet current and future customer demand, the new 120,000 square meter plant is expected to be operational in early 2021 and will be situated at the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), close to the company’s existing production facility and Tech Centre. With a total investment of EUR 180 million, the new plant will ensure exceptional delivery on outstanding opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region, where most countries continue to grow significantly. The plant is expected to achieve world-class environmental, safety and operational performance right from the start.

The new production facility is testament to SIG’s strong partnership with SIP and the local government, as well as its unparalleled commitment to deliver world-class packaging, service and the most modern solutions to the rapidly growing Asian markets and to China in particular. SIG’s recently opened cutting-edge Tech Centre in Suzhou supports customer collaboration in the development and implementation of innovative product concepts and market-ready packaging solutions.

Across Asia, millions of people are only now starting to consume packaged food and beverages. The rise of new consumers, driven by increasing income, changing lifestyles and new consumption habits, represents a huge opportunity for aseptic carton packaging with its long shelf life without the need of a cooling chain.

At the same time, young and growing populations are adopting modern lifestyles in urban areas, with more on-the-go consumption, an increasing awareness of health and wellness, and a growing demand for high-quality nutritional food and beverage products.

Clean and clear labeling concerns are now well established in the food and beverage industry, having featured as a key and running theme through all Innova Market Insights’ Top Trends forecasts in recent years. More than ten years ago ‘Go Natural’ led the Company’s annual top trends listing and since then clean label claims have developed and featured each year in different forms, increasingly weaving throughout the entire trends listings until they are now regarded as a given.

The term ‘clear labeling,’ which Innova Market Insights coined for its 2015 trends listing, has now fully entered industry parlance, being used in several company marketing campaigns, with new commitments on a clean or clear platform regularly.

Its increasingly mainstream status is illustrated in the fact that nearly 28 % of global food and beverage launches recorded by Innova Market Insights in 2018 used one or more clean label claims (natural, organic, no additives/preservatives and GMO-free), rising to nearly 39 % in the US.

There have also been associated rises in interest in related clean label areas such as vegan-friendly, raw and paleo diets, and also in the focus on minimal processing, including the use of techniques such as cold-pressing and high-pressure treatment. This is running alongside increasingly wide ethical concerns, including fair trade and sustainability, packaging, the environment, and animal welfare.

No additives/preservatives claims continue to feature most strongly, used for just over 15 % of global launches in 2018, rising to over 20 % in the US. The US generally sees higher levels of use of all types of clean label positionings and is also particularly notable for the strong position of GMO-free labeling. This featured on 17.8 % of launches, compared with under 6 % globally and was also the number two clean label claim in the US overall, well ahead of both organic on just over 13 % and natural on just over 8 %.

Flavor is still the number one factor influencing purchasing decisions, reports Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights. “But it is clear that in recent years, the clean label trend has broadened out into a wider movement, focusing on an increasingly mindful consumer trying to make responsible food choices that are not only tasty and healthy but also sustainable and ethical.”

While interest in clean label has kept organic and GMO free claims in the spotlight in many countries, rising levels of competition mean that product offerings have had to become much more sophisticated, focusing more on value-added products and combining both specialist organic brands and organic and GMO free variants in existing conventional ranges.

Organic or GMO claims alone may not now be enough and companies are focusing on additional benefits including other related clean-label areas such as vegan-friendly, raw, and paleo diets, as well as local ingredients and sourcing, minimal processing and unusual and premium-style recipes and flavors, including the use of seasonal and limited editions.

Company will put its paper straw innovations into the public domain to encourage industry collaboration, and will also explore bio-degradable materials

Tetra Pak has today announced that customers have started field testing its paper straws for beverage products in Europe. The move means Tetra Pak is the first carton packaging company to provide such straws for beverage cartons in the region.

The company also announced its intention to publish and share its innovations on paper straw developments to support industrial collaboration on the alternatives to single use plastic straws for beverage cartons.

Adolfo Orive, President and CEO, Tetra Pak said: “We are pleased to have developed a paper straw that is fully functional and meets internationally recognised food safety standards. This is an important step in our vision to deliver a package made entirely from plant-based packaging materials, contributing to a low-carbon circular economy.

“We have decided not to apply for patent protection on the numerous technical improvements we have made on the equipment and the materials, and instead put our innovations into the public domain. For the industry to achieve its common goal of driving towards a low-carbon circular economy, the entire supply base for paper straws must expand and grow quickly. We invite all suppliers and customers to use our knowledge and join forces with us to ramp up production as quickly as possible.”

Made from FSC^™ certified paper and recyclable with the rest of the package, the new paper straw will be available initially for two small size carton packages commonly used for dairy and beverage products for children: Tetra Brik^® Aseptic 200 Base and Tetra Brik^® Aseptic 200 Base Crystal.

The field testing of the paper straw is beginning with limited volumes while the company increases production capacity at its straw plant in Lisbon, Portugal.

The company also announced that it has been assessing technical advancements and working with a number of technology leaders to explore biodegradable options, such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), a polymer derived from plant-based materials which is also biodegradable.

Other sustainable drink-from development projects in Tetra Pak’s pipeline include tethered caps and integrated drink-from systems. The company has mobilised development and supply chain teams, securing extra resources to advance these priority plans.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture has awarded $1.8 million to two Cornell food science research projects.

One project improves the commercial viability of a new food packaging material that actively reduces the need for preservatives, while decreasing food waste; the other project improves juice and beverage production to keep the fresh taste in concentrates.

Ever-increasing food waste represents an emerging threat to the economic and environmental sustainability of the U.S. food system, said Julie M. Goddard, associate professor of food science. Preservatives are added to foods to retain quality with a longer shelf life, but consumers are demanding a reduction in additives.

However, this consumer movement leads to unintended results: food that spoils more quickly, which could cause a surge in food waste.

“We’ve shown that you can introduce preservative functionality into packaging materials, so that we can reduce the additives in foods and beverages without losing product quality,” Goddard said. These “active packaging” materials are a promising new technology, but technological hurdles and consumer-mindsets have so far prevented their successful commercial translation, she added.

Removing the preservatives in food products – such as sauces, mayonnaise or salad dressing – would severely diminish shelf life, even with refrigeration. But by adding chelating agents – compounds that can sequester metal ions – to the jar or bottle itself, the food can last much longer without the additives seeping into the food.

“There is a lot of benefit in having fewer additives but gaining the preservative quality built-in to the package so they don’t migrate to the food,” she said.

During the research phase, the researchers will work directly with consumers and producers to ensure that the packaging material meets food-production, supply chain needs and that consumers are more likely to accept this new technology.

Joining Goddard on this project will be co-principal investigators Randy Worobo, professor of food science, and Motoko Mukai, assistant professor of food science; David Just, professor of applied economics at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management; and Chris Ober, professor of materials science and engineering.

For the other project, Carmen Moraru and Olga Padilla-Zakour, both professors of food science, will lead research on using reverse and forward osmosis filtration and other cold processes to create nutritious, high-quality and tasty juices and beverages in an energy-efficient way. Collaborators include Miguel Gomez, associate professor of applied economics at Dyson, and Robin Dando, associate professor of food science.

Currently, juice processors use heat to create juice concentrate, but heat changes the product’s nutritional and sensory profiles.

“Our combination nonthermal process maintains product quality and makes the juice concentrate taste like it is fresh,” Moraru said.

Also, juice concentration consumes energy. “With this cold process technology, we can save energy and conduct the concentration at a fraction of the thermal evaporation cost,” she said.

The researchers will examine different filtration conditions for specific juices and other beverages. In addition to New York state fruit juices like apple and grape juice, the researchers will also examine concentration of cold-brew coffee and tea.

Juice and beverage concentrates make sense from a financial perspective, Moraru said.

“For commercial purposes,” she said, “it is more economical to transport concentrate rather than move the added weight of water. Concentrate is economical and stable, while water makes juices more prone to degradation.”

The developed processes will be transferred to industry stakeholders. Said Moraru: “Ultimately, this work will benefit consumers and will help boost the competitiveness and sustainability of the U.S. food sector by reducing the energy in food processing.”

These new projects add to the department’s growing research output in improving environmental sustainability in the U.S. and global food production by reducing food waste while improving energy efficiency.

Ardagh Group’s Nitro Can has been adopted by the UK’s number one cocktail mixer company Funkin Cocktails in a collaboration that sees the first-ever range of ready-to-drink nitro canned cocktails hit the shelves. With premium cocktails increasing in popularity, but traditionally demanding time and skill to serve to customers, Funkin have opted for Ardagh’s Nitro Can to deliver their ground-breaking range of canned cocktails. The slim aluminium can features a fixed nitrogen-infused widget that mixes the cocktail instantly, ensuring maximum product quality and consistency and producing an unrivalled multisensory experience for the consumer.

The Nitro Can technology was devised by Ardagh in 2016 to capitalise on the trend for nitro coffee, and with Funkin’s new range it now enters the fast-growing RTD alcoholic beverage market. Nitro Can’s innovative design makes the indulgent pleasure of a hand-mixed cocktail readily accessible in a convenient format. Upon opening the tab, the widget is activated, triggering an attention-grabbing ‘whoosh’ sound as micro-bubbles of nitrogen are released through the product. All the scents, flavours and colours of a bar-made cocktail are retained during the cascading pour, resulting in the instant delivery of an attractive beverage with a long-lasting foam head and the smooth, velvety sensation that is normally only achieved in a traditional cocktail shaker.

Not only does the Nitro Can offer an engaging consumer experience, its stable in-can environment is the perfect packaging solution to protect Funkin Cocktails’ quality ingredients. The 200 ml range contains real fruit, which makes retaining the integrity of product flavour and safety essential, and the can guarantees shelf stability both in refrigerated and ambient temperatures.

Consumers can enjoy Funkin’s four great flavours – Espresso Martini, Passion fruit Martini, Amaretto Sour and the on-trend Pink Gin Fizz – at home, out-and-about or in busy commercial environments previously unable to meet demand for quality mixology, such as restaurants and festival bars. The eye-catching cans feature Funkin’s brand new livery, a silver theme with bold graphics depicting the flavour varietals.

Funkin’s range is now available in the UK market.

The production of food processing and packaging machinery rose by 8 percent in 2018. This was not only a record figure, but also the highest growth rate in the current decade.

The past year was very successful for the manufacturers of food processing and packaging machinery: production rose by 8 percent to just under 15.2 billion euros.
“Many manufacturers started 2018 with a very high order backlog, which was gradually converted into sales in the first half of the year. This, too, explains the very high growth rate of 8 percent for the year as a whole,” says Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association.

The Packaging Machinery Industry grew by a total of 8 percent to 7.1 billion euros. The “Other Packaging Machinery” segment increased by almost 12 percent to 4.9 billion euros, while the Beverage Packaging Machinery segment increased by 1 percent and reached 2.2 billion euros, only slightly above the previous year’s level.

Where Food Processing Machinery is concerned, the degrees of the growth rates in the individual sub-areas do vary somewhat – but all are positive: The production of meat processing machinery grew by 7.6 percent to 1.2 billion euros. The production of bakery machinery increased by 9 percent to 667 million Euro. The confectionery machinery manufacturers recorded growth of 16 percent reaching 360 million euros and the production of beverage production machines grew by 7 percent to 552 million euros.

Exports and investment climate remain strong in Germany

In 2018, exports of Food Processing and Packaging Machinery rose by 6.1 percent to over 9 billion euros. Deliveries to the industry’s most important sales region, the EU-28, rose by 9 percent. Demand from the USA – the most important foreign market – remained high. Exports to China and Russia showed double-digit growth rates. Clear impulses came from many other markets, including Brazil, Japan, the Republic of Korea and India.

Domestic business, too, continued to be an important pillar of the positive business development in 2018. In some food sectors, substantial investments were made in order to expand capacity and to expedite modernisation projects. Also, the shortage of personnel in the processing plants led to further investments in machinery and equipment.

The outlook for 2019 is subject to uncertainties

Generally, the prospects for the Food Processing Machinery and Packaging Machinery sector seem good, as the industry continues to benefit from the rising global demand for processed and packaged food and beverages as well as pharmaceutical products. However, against the background of the exceptionally strong growth last year, only moderate growth of at most 2 percent is likely to happen in 2019.

“Although sales in the first four months of 2019 were higher than in the same period of the previous year, the sales growth is expected to be only moderate at 2 percent. However, incoming orders in the first four months clearly fell short of the previous year’s level. Uncertainties due to ongoing trade disputes, but also many regional political crises, are causing investors to hold back with new orders,” Clemens comments on the business outlook for 2019.

Tate & Lyle PLC announces that Kimberly (Kim) Nelson will join the Board as a non-executive director and a member of the Audit and Nominations Committees on 1 July 2019. Kim brings extensive experience and knowledge of the food and beverage industry to the Board having worked for General Mills Inc. for nearly 30 years. During her career at General Mills, she held a number of senior brand and general management roles before becoming Senior Vice President, External Relations in 2010. Kim retired from General Mills Inc. in 2018. She is a US citizen.

The following changes to the Board and Board Committees will take effect at the conclusion of the Company’s AGM on 25 July 2019:

Board

• Douglas Hurt will retire from the Board, having served as a non-executive director since March 2010, as the Chair of the Audit Committee since March 2015 and as Senior Independent Director since January 2017.
• Warren Tucker is appointed as Chair of the Audit Committee.
• Paul Forman is appointed as Senior Independent Director.

Board Committees

• Dr Ajai Puri will step down from the Remuneration Committee and join the Audit Committee.
• Sybella Stanley will step down from the Audit Committee and join the Remuneration Committee.
• Paul Forman will step down from the Remuneration Committee.

Dr Gerry Murphy, Chairman of Tate & Lyle, said: “I am delighted that Kim has agreed to join the Board. Her appointment recognises the importance of the US to Tate & Lyle, in terms of our customers, operations and employees. Her substantial experience in the food and beverage industry will be of significant benefit to the Board.”

“I would like to thank Douglas Hurt for his nine years of outstanding service and significant contribution to the Board and, in particular, for his time served as Chairman of the Audit Committee and as Senior Independent Director.”

There are no further disclosures to be made in connection with Ms Nelson’s appointment pursuant to paragraph 9.6.13 of the Financial Conduct Authority’s Listing Rules.

World’s largest probiotics fermentation unit is operational at the DuPont Rochester facility 

DuPont announced it has completed construction on a new, state-of-the art probiotics fermentation unit at its Rochester, New York, facility. The unit, now largest in the world, is part of a multiphase nearly $100 million investment to expand probiotics capacity and enhance the company’s leadership in delivering high-quality, clinically documented probiotics to dietary supplement and food and beverage manufacturers.

The fermentation unit is fully operational and will serve as a crucial resource in propagating bacteria and enabling high potency, stability and efficacy of probiotics. Quality is extremely important in probiotic production, and the fermentation unit will also optimize DuPont’s production capability, enabling the company to increase the pace of delivery to customers and the market.

DuPont also completed a probiotics capacity expansion at its Madison, Wisconsin, facility in late 2018. The investment was used to upgrade equipment and increase the pace of new product development and significantly improved delivery times on pilot material for clinical trials and customer evaluations.

The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE), representing the European beverage carton industry, applauded the recent progress report on the European Forest Strategy.

Annick Carpentier, ACE Director General, acknowledged the strides forward highlighted in the progress report, and added: “We are pleased to see the European Commission’s emphasis on the role of sustainable forest management in achieving a sustainable economic growth, while protecting biodiversity. This is a priority we share.”

ACE members have long been committed to promoting sustainability in forest management. Beverage cartons they produce only use wood fibres that are fully traceable and sourced sustainably, allowing for biodiversity to restore. To move the value chain closer to achieving sound environmental management, the beverage carton industry sees the need to strengthen the link between sustainable forest management practices and life-cycle assessments (LCAs).

As proof of this commitment, ACE was pleased to facilitate a novel process gathering experts from different fields to discuss how LCA can better assess and safeguard biodiversity. Organised together with the UN Environment and the WWF in the surroundings of a sustainably managed Nordic forest, a workshop culminated in a concrete set of recommendations, ‘the Gimo Recommendations’, that help bridge the current gap between sustainable forest management and LCAs.

The three-pronged approach outlined in the recommendations demonstrates how it can actively contribute to the protection of life on land (SDG15). Commenting on the future needs, Carpentier added: “It is the responsibility of all of us to protect our ecosystems and for our industry enhancing sustainable forestry is a way to go. Sound LCAs have a potential to guide decisions across value chains and contribute to this objective.”

• 51 % of Canadians want healthy snacks packaged to eat on the go. (Read more)
• 3 in 10 consumers are interested in snacks made with plant-based protein. (Read more)
• 41 % of consumers trust health claims on food and beverage packaging. (Read more)

It seems the traditional three meals a day are facing an evolution in Canada, as new research from Mintel reveals that nearly half (46 %) of better-for-you (BFY) snackers^* feel that it is healthier to snack throughout the day than to eat three large meals. In need of constant fuel, many Canadians have snacks at the ready with two-thirds (65 %) of BFY snackers believing it’s important to always keep healthy snacks on hand.

Keeping up with their interest in snacking throughout the day, more than half (51 %) of Canadians agree that they’d like to see more healthy snacks packaged for eating on the go. What’s more, it seems there’s potential for anything to be considered a snack among younger consumers, as 45 % of Canadians aged 18-24 are interested in snack-sized portions of regular foods as compared to 31 % overall.

“Snackers today are looking for ways to satisfy cravings that fit in easily with an increasingly on-the-go lifestyle. The good news is food manufacturers and foodservice providers need not start from scratch. As many consumers have adopted the notion that anything can be a snack, companies can appeal to those looking for better-for-you snacks by rethinking packaging to make items more portable rather than reinventing the wheel. This is especially crucial for foodservice vendors in particular as consumers aged 18-24 are the most likely to dine out, yet also feel the financial impact of it. This highlights an opportunity to offer smaller serving sizes of their dishes at lower price points to appeal to this group,” said Carol Wong-Li, Associate Director, Lifestyles and Leisure Reports, at Mintel.

Younger consumers prioritize protein

As consumers look to make better choices for themselves, it seems fresh and less processed snacks are coming out on top as fresh fruit and vegetables (84 %) are the nation’s top better-for-you snack of choice, followed by cheese (79 %), nuts (69 %) and popcorn (60 %). In fact, Mintel research shows the snack innovation that consumers are most likely to say they would like to see more of is products made from fresh ingredients (55 %).

While fresh snacks are winning out, younger consumers are placing power in protein to keep them full. Three in 10 (30 %) consumers say they eat meat snacks, with younger snackers aged 18-34 the most likely age group to agree (41 %). Although just 16 % of consumers say they are interested in snack bars made with meat, one third (32 %) of men aged 18-34 are keen to see more of this type of offering.

Following the growing flexitarian movement, it seems that plant-based has potential when it comes to better-for-you snacking as three in 10 (29 %) consumers say they are interested in snacks made with plant-based protein, rising to four in 10 (39 %) among women aged 18-34.

“Protein is a key area of interest for younger Canadians when it comes to innovations in healthy snacks, but men and women differ when it comes to the actual source of protein they prefer. While young women show interest in plant-based proteins, men are more likely to turn to meat. This may stem, in part, to the different approaches taken to snacking. Younger women tend to snack because they are too busy to eat meals, whereas young men usually do so as a way to refuel after exercise. Marketers looking to promote plant-based proteins will see success by focusing on how these ingredients work to keep consumers fuller longer, while brands promoting meat can focus on how the quality of the meat protein contributes to muscle building, recovery and/or development,” said Wong-Li.

Healthfulness of BFY snacks comes into question

While Canadians are keen to enjoy healthy snacks, there are significant concerns. Nearly three-quarters (73 %) of BFY snackers believe that many snacks marketed as healthy are not actually healthy, with just 41 % saying they trust the health claims on food and beverage packaging. And for many, there’s confusion when it comes to making a healthy snack choice, as half (49 %) say it is hard to tell if a snack is healthy.

“Many consumers today have difficulty determining the healthfulness of snacks and hold a general distrust of claims on food and beverage packaging. This may be drawing them toward choosing fresh and less processed snacks, rather than processed and/or packaged ones. Marketers can boost perceptions of healthfulness of their products by highlighting whole and/or fresh ingredients the products include and featuring clear packaging to both showcase the ingredients and offer transparency,” concluded Wong-Li.

^*Base: 1,959 internet users aged 18+ who have eaten better-for-you snacks in the past 3 months leading to July 2018.

Nestlé announced the creation of the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences, dedicated to the discovery and development of functional, safe and environmentally friendly packaging solutions. This is a step further to achieve the Company’s commitment to make 100 % of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider said, “We want to be a leader in developing the most sustainable packaging solutions for our food and beverage products. To achieve this, we are enhancing our research capabilities to develop new packaging materials and solutions. Through this, we hope to address the growing packaging waste problem, in particular plastics. We aim to minimize our impact on the natural environment while safely delivering to our consumers healthier and tastier products.”

The Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences, which is part of Nestlé’s global research organization, will be located in Lausanne, Switzerland. It will employ around 50 people and include a state-of-the-art laboratory complex as well as facilities for rapid prototyping.

In close collaboration with the Company’s global R&D network, academic partners, suppliers and start-ups, the institute will evaluate the safety and functionality of various sustainable packaging materials. Research focus areas will include recyclable, biodegradable or compostable polymers, functional paper, as well as new packaging concepts and technologies to increase the recyclability of plastic packaging. The new solutions will be tested in various product categories, before they are rolled out across Nestlé’s global portfolio.

Nestlé Chief Technology Officer Stefan Palzer said, “Packaging plays a crucial role in helping us deliver safe and nutritious products to our consumers. The new Institute of Packaging Sciences will enable us to accelerate the redesign of our packaging solutions. Cutting-edge science as well as a close collaboration with globally leading academic institutions and industrial partners will deliver a pipeline of highly performing environmentally friendly packaging solutions.”

Jonathan Davison, Beverage Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, identifies the defining beverage market trends in 2018:

1. Company diversification:

Responding to a game-changing shift in consumer attitudes towards health and wellness, carbonated soft drinks giants looked to protect their volume and value sales through category diversification. Delivering on its promise to become a “total beverage company”, Coca-Cola led this trend through a wave of acquisitions across multiple industry sectors, as well as revamping the marketing of Diet Coke and Zero Sugar.

The company also expanded into other categories such as dairy alternatives, increased its energy and juice drinks portfolios and made its presence felt in Foodservice with the £3.9bn acquisition of Costa Coffee.

2. Combatting packaging waste:

The strength of consumer demand for sustainable packaging solutions is driven by industry collaboration and company innovation.

Over 106 brands signed up to the UK’s ‘Plastic Pact’, while PepsiCo joined Nestle, Danone and Origin Materials in the NaturALL Bottle Alliance. When asked about the effect of a tax on plastic products, ^*79 % of global consumers indicated their shopping behaviour would change. In the UK, Government and industry have reflected this sentiment in a number of actions this year.

The Gov’t continues its consultation on a UK wide deposit return scheme (DSR) for drinks containers. Starbucks introduced a ‘latte levy’ of 5p on single-use paper cups, Carlsberg launched its pioneering ‘snap packs’ solution to bond packs of multiple cans together without using plastic rings and a number of resealable and recyclable can innovations have been launched.

3. Cannabis-infused drinks:

Functional beverages continue to play an important role in the beverages market with the perceived health benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) driving a surge of interest amongst young consumers in 2018.

This emerging sub-category has caught the attention of the biggest players in the market. Constellation Brands and Molson Coors made significant investments in August and both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are keeping a watching brief on developments.

4. Blossoming plant-based sub-category:

Vegans and vegetarians make up just ^*7% of the world’s population so it is significant that attitudes to plant-based drinks from non-vegetarians shifted markedly in 2018, as the multi-layered benefits of these drinks became more apparent. The growing consumer interest in this sub-category has taken it mainstream, with market volumes set to increase by ^**5% in 2018.

Key developments in 2018 included Coca-Cola’s relaunch of its dairy-free smoothie brand AdeZ and the introduction of a range of plant-based milks under its Innocent brand, together with new launches from Starbucks and PepsiCo.

5. Individualism and self-tailoring:

GlobalData’s latest report, ‘‘TrendSights Overview: Individualism & Expression – Exploring the impact the Individualism & Expression mega-trend has on innovation across the FMCG space, 2018”, reveals that consumers are looking for more bespoke, individual experiences, with 61 % of global consumers expressing an interest in creating their own products.

In the crisps market, Walkers’ ‘Salt ‘n’ Shake’ provides a good example of how well this concept can work and some soft drinks brands are now including similar options for customization. Kolibri Drinks launched of a range of botanical products this year which allow consumers to tailor the flavour and sugar content themselves, by using a syrup-based sweetener stored in the cap. This concept could be widely adopted by ready-to-drink (RTD) formats, providing consumers with more choice by offering customisation with convenience.

^*Source: GlobalData 2018 Q3 global consumer survey
^**Source: GlobalData

Growth in the global food and beverage processing and packaging equipment market looks promising over the next four years. Frost & Sullivan’s latest analysis reveals that improved economic conditions in emerging nations, changing dietary preferences globally, and a rising demand for nutritious and ready-to-eat food products are driving demand for food processors and boosting growth in the packaging equipment market. The global food and beverages processing and packaging equipment market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.1 % from 2017 until 2022 and reach $78.6 billion.

“With increasing food and beverages product demand and a growing emphasis on food safety, food processors are reliant on equipment manufacturers to provide processing and packaging equipment that is agile and utilizes advanced technologies to minimize energy usage, operate at a higher efficiency, and improve yield,” said Arun Ramesh, Team Lead, Agriculture and Nutrition, Visionary Science, Frost & Sullivan.

The global demand for food products has led equipment manufacturers to acquire, merge, and partner with companies to leverage technology innovation. To remain competitive in an evolving market, Ramesh recommends that players create smarter products by investing in new capabilities such as advanced data and analytics, robotics and automation, and extend their capabilities to offer full solutions, including installation, monitoring, services, and integration. Additional factors imperative to growth include:

• Equipment manufacturers upgrading to advanced machinery for processing and packaging to cater to changing consumer preferences and consumption patterns
• Using machine learning and other tools to predict process delays, make improvements to engineering and optimize equipment design
• Refreshing operating models with an emphasis on enhanced after-sales and growth-focused strategies

“Machine downtime is still a major concern in the industry, and there is room for further investment in research and development among equipment manufacturers to develop equipment that is flexible and modular and customized to fit different products and customer needs while optimizing total cost of ownership,” noted Ramesh.

Global Food and Beverages Processing and Packaging Equipment Market, Forecast to 2022 market intelligence examines global growth opportunities in the food and beverages processing and packaging equipment market in detail with an emphasis on key growth factors across end-application segments, global and regional market trends, technologies, and product innovations.

Global Food and Beverages Processing and Packaging Equipment Market, Forecast to 2022 is the latest addition to Frost & Sullivan’s Visionary Science research and analysis available through the Frost & Sullivan Leadership Council, which helps organizations identify a continuous flow of growth opportunities to succeed in an unpredictable future.

After three successful days, BrauBeviale is closing its doors on a record high note. Over 40,000 trade visitors (2016: 37,923) – over 18,000 of them international – travelled to Nuremberg to attend this year’s most important capital goods exhibition for the beverage industry from 13 to 15 November 2018. While there, 1,094 exhibitors – 53 percent of them international – presented their products and solutions related to the entire beverage production process chain, with offerings ranging from raw materials to technologies and components all the way to packaging, as well as accessories and marketing ideas. A varied supporting programme rounded out the three days.

“This BrauBeviale has exceeded our expectations,” beamed Andrea Kalrait, Show Director BrauBeviale, as she heard the numbers. “We’ve been told that several contracts were signed right at the exhibition. It seems the beverage industry couldn’t wait to get back to Nuremberg. We’ve very proud of that.” The exhibition team is also happy about the positive feedback from the exhibitors’ advisory board: “BrauBeviale has become a cool exhibition.” – “The exhibition has succeeded in becoming the place where different mindsets and cultures meet.” – “We were overwhelmed on the very first day; that’s never happened.” – “The quality of the discussions was outstanding.” – “The truly important decision-makers were there.”

Highly-qualified trade visitors from Germany and abroad

Those statements confirm the results of a survey by an independent institute: some 90 percent of visitors are involved in their companies’ investment decisions. The trade visitors came from many different parts of the beverage industry: breweries; malthouses; the areas of mineral springs, soft drinks, juice, and wine; and mechanical engineering and plant construction, as well as the trade and catering. Attendees travelled in from Germany and other countries, primarily Italy, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria, the UK, Russia, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Some 98 percent of the surveyed trade visitors were satisfied with what they found at the exhibition. And 95 percent said they would also like to return to BrauBeviale next year.

Save the dates!

• BrauBeviale 2019: 12-14 November 2019
• BrauBeviale 2020: 10-12 November 2020

Berlin startup share is the first beverage producer in Germany to sell its water in PET bottles made of 100 % recyclate. With its expertise from the Bottles & Shapes™ consultancy program the KHS group supported the company by helping to design and develop the bottle in a very short time indeed.

The plans are ambitious: in 2019 share wants to fill water into about a million bottles a month made entirely of recycled PET and thus save over 200 metric tons of plastic waste a year, according to the company. For several weeks now the product has been on sale at Germany’s supermarket chain REWE and drug store dm and has caused quite a stir in the media. “It took a long time for the original idea to be implemented,” says Iris Braun, head of Product and Social Projects at share. “Finalizing the technology and obtaining certification are both lengthy processes. Your partners are thus crucial.” Besides the two aforementioned retailers share’s other partners are bottler Mineralbrunnen Allgäuer Alpenwasser and preform manufacturer Plastipack, which is also the world’s biggest converter. KHS Corpoplast was also largely instrumental in the implementation of the project.

Experience from over 4,000 realized bottle designs

The German engineering company supported the startup in several ways, including in the development of the recyclate bottle design, states Marc Eysel, who is responsible for sales in Northern Europe at KHS Corpoplast. “We implemented the development very quickly and worked on a suitable design together,” he says. Thanks to its holistic Bottles & Shapes™ consultancy program the systems supplier was able to contribute to the share project experience drawn from over 4,000 designed bottles. “KHS developed the bottle very quickly for us which was enormously helpful,” says Braun. Eysel states that there were no unusual hurdles or challenges to be overcome through the use of 100 % recyclate. “Manufacture is actually simpler as the material’s darker color makes the preforms easier to heat than PET bottles made of virgin material.” Besides providing advice on the bottle design KHS also helps with production. share’s still and carbonated water is bottled at the Allgäuer Alpenwasser bottling plant in Oberstaufen using KHS technology. The bottles are blown on an InnoPET Blomax stretch blow molder, with no special adaptations to the system necessary, according to Eysel.

Following the market launch of the recyclate bottle, interest is now also growing among other beverage producers, emphasize Braun and Eysel. “A number of bottlers wishing to increase the amount of recycled PET they use have now contacted us,” claims Eysel. “The protection of the environment also plays an important role at KHS. We support this by providing resource-saving plant engineering and also by developing sustainable PET bottles.” share hopes that it has provided the right incentives for more sustainability, states Braun. “In the end it’s the consumer who decides.”

One of the major trends in Asia’s beverage and liquid food market is: “quality, not quantity.” As incomes rise, people prefer to consume better products instead of more products. At the same time, demand for production systems and machines remains high. As the leading trade fair for the industry, CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE (CBB) provided a far- reaching overview of the market with the exhibitors’ presentations and its comprehensive supporting program. The CBB showed what is driving the industry today and will drive it tomorrow. In the process, it underscored its position in Asia.

Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy CEO of Messe München, is extremely satisfied with the results of CBB: “We are following up on the successes of the last event: We had a total of 869 exhibitors, an increase of nine percent. The trade fair used eight halls, including two that were used by 256 international exhibitors. That represents a growth rate of six percent. CBB is thus enhancing its importance as the leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry in the Asia-Pacific region.” The chief executives of international market leaders praised the large number of visitors from such Asian countries as Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam who visited their stands.

Hong Shen, General Manager at Zhongqing Heli International Exhibition Co., Ltd., organizer of CBB, highlights the event’s added value: “CBB is the only trade fair in Asia that showcases the entire process chain for all areas of the beverage and liquid food industry and presents new generations of machines. This was also acknowledged by the approximately 56,000 participants in the eight fully booked halls.”

Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, believes CBB is crucial for international companies to successfully gain a foothold in the Chinese market. “Closeness to customers is vital for developing and implementing tailored solutions, as well as for providing ideal after-sales service. CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE is the most important trade fair – not only in China, but for Southeast Asia as a whole,” is Clemens’ assessment.

CBB Forum with the key issues of sustainability and digitalization

The beverage industry is undergoing a shake-up in the wake of digitalization. The CBB Forum’s program included a presentation by Professor Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University, Halifax, on how blockchain technologies “can help many companies protect their brand equity.” Use of the technology in the beverage industry is still at the beginning, but he recommends “companies should see that as an opportunity and address the issue early on.” In the view of the VDMA, Chinese consumers in particular are very open to digital solutions.

That also harbors potential for companies from the beverage industry. That is because “customized premium products that can be configured and ordered online have far greater growth potential than in Europe,” says Clemens.

The industry also discussed the issue of sustainability intensively. For example, Professor William Chen, from the School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and Director of the NTU Food Science & Technology Program at Nanyang Technological University, believes that sustainable beer brewing offers advantages for companies and consumers alike: “Sustainable brewing processes and upcycling of waste and by-products, such as to make biodegradable packaging, deliver enormous benefit for the industry. At the end of the day, that might also be reflected in lower product prices for consumers,” states the scientist.

Visitors and exhibitors were inspired by the CBB Forum and the wealth of information. CBB plays a major role in helping information be shared within the industry and enables an extensive overview of the beverage and liquid food market.

Successful premiere for the Round Table Talks

Apart from sustainability and digitalization, the future of the PET segment was also a hotly debated topic. The newly introduced Round Table Talks gave visitors the chance to learn more about this and other issues in the beer and beverage market. What are key concerns in the industry now and in the future? Industry experts from companies such as AB InBev, Snow, Suntyech Process Engineering, Tsingtao and Voss (Hubei) Water & Beverage provided insights. The other items on the agenda, such as the International Beer Smart Factory & Brewing Technology Forum or the Exhibitor Technology Seminar, were also very popular among visitors.

SIG offers manufactures a new remote services solution to maximise filling line uptime

As part of its expanding Digital Service portfolio for customers, SIG has launched Remote Services, offering food and beverage manufacturers a smarter way to service their filling machines and to generate more filling line uptime.

Remote Services from SIG is a new digital service that can instantly connect a customer or service engineer to an SIG service expert from anywhere in the world. By using video-enabled smart glasses, SIG can provide a secure live-feed to an SIG expert who can guide users through solving any fault or issue.

SIG developed Remote Services in response to new customer challenges and demands. With the food and beverage industry facing higher competitive pressures, operational complexity and shorter production cycles, manufacturers can no longer afford long waiting times for support and the risk of downtime.

Remote Services ensures SIG’s customers receive fast response times, an improved first-time fix rate, more data insights and analysis, and ultimately more filling line uptime. In addition, Remote Services can help reduce costly travel times, expenses and CO₂ emissions.

Remote Services is part of SIG’s value-adding Smart Factory platform – a commitment to deliver smarter filling line solutions and technical services that help transform customer filling plants into intelligent and connected factories.

As part of the Remote Services solution, SIG smart glasses provide a live-feed from the customer plant to an SIG Remote Services expert. This remote service creates a secure data connection and enables the SIG expert to see exactly what the onsite customer or service engineer sees. The Remote Services expert can then send detailed instructions or technical drawings and guide them through resolving the issue. At the same time, the Remote Services expert can identify any parts that need replacing and order them for fast delivery and repair.

CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE (CBB) draws on the success of 2016: Just under three weeks before the beginning of the exhibition, the halls of the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre (SNIEC) are almost fully booked. The exhibition space of the international companies is once again increasing. This underlines the importance of the event as an international trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry. The extensive supporting program, including the CBB Forum, Round Table Talks and the International Beer Smart Factory & Brewing Technology Forum, will additionally shed light on what is moving the industry today and tomorrow.

CBB, which takes place from October 23 to 26, is the most important meeting point for the beverage and liquid food industry in Asia. Thanks to its wealth of topics and offerings, it provides visitors comprehensive insights into trends and developments. “As a leading technology platform, CBB promotes the exchange of information within the industry. The presentations of the exhibitors on the one hand and our supporting program on the other provide for a complete and forward-looking overview of the beverage and liquid food market”, said Petra Westphal, Project Group Leader Messe München.

Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, also underlines the importance of the event: “The Chinese beverage market is continuing to grow. Over the next five years, a further annual growth of nine percent is expected. Therefore, we expect CBB to provide considerable impetus for the industry.”

More than 860 exhibitors have already registered. Among them are national and international industry leaders such as Alfa Laval, GEA, Husky, KHS, Krones, SACMI, Sidel and Siemens located in the international exhibition halls. And GDXL, HGM, Lehui, Newamstar, Tech-Long and Zhongya in the national exhibition halls.

The CBB supporting program: Key issues of sustainability and digitization

In addition to industry solutions from exhibitors, attendees can look forward to the unique CBB supporting program. This year, the CBB Forum will focus on the topics of sustainability and digitization. First-class speakers will provide insights and outlooks, including Dr. Ning Ding, General Manager of the Food & Beverage Division at Siemens. In his presentation, the expert will show how digital twins support the digital transformation of the food and beverage production. Another presentation on digitization comes from Sylvain Charlebois, Dean of the Faculty of Management at Dalhousie University. Charlebois will address crypto currencies and blockchain technologies that offer huge potential for the agricultural and food sector. He will raise the question: “To address lurking food safety and fraud concerns, can blockchain technologies be the answer? ”

Prof. William Chen, Director of the Food Science and Technology Programme at Nanyang Technological University Singapore is going to deal with sustainability. The title of his presentation is: “Fermentation for Upcycling of Brewer’s Spent Grains: Potential for Zero Waste Food Processing and Circular Economy.” Further presentations on digitization and sustainability will be given by Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, and Winston Boyd, Technical Director at Gold Coast Ingredients Inc.

Another highlight of the supporting program are the newly introduced Round Table Talks. Here, industry experts will discuss important topics relating to PET and the developments on the Chinese beer and beverage market today and in the future. Representatives of companies like AB InBev, Snow, Suntyech Process Engineering, Tsingtao and Voss (Hubei) Water & Beverage will talk about dairy trends, innovative product concepts as well as opportunities and challenges regarding packaging and beer trends and many other topics.

For further information about the exhibition, please visit www.cbb.drinktec.com.

Acquisition of W.M. Sprinkman Corporation

Krones, the world’s leading manufacturer of filling and packaging technology, has completed the acquisition of W.M. Sprinkman Corporation, Wisconsin, US. Founded in 1929, Sprinkman provides engineered food and beverage processing equipment, specializing in the dairy and brewing industries. Employing over 125 employees at its Waukesha and Elroy, Wisconsin locations, the company serves customers ranging from start-up microbreweries to large multi-national food and beverage producers. Sprinkman generates approximately $35 millions in revenues.

By acquiring Sprinkman, Krones and its other recent acquisitions enhance the capabilities of the “House of Krones” product portfolio in North America, ranging from process technology solutions and bottling and packaging equipment to intralogistics, IT solutions, plastics recycling, and entire lifecycle service support – thereby supporting the entire production supply chain for customers. Sprinkman’s headquarter and management will remain in Waukesha, Wis., with a production facility in Elroy, Wis.

Following Tuesday’s (21 August 2018) launch by Coca-Cola of a £5m campaign to promote a new unified packaging redesign for its original and Zero Sugar variants, 
Jonathan Davison, Beverage Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view on this latest development:

“Coca-Cola’s Zero Sugar variant has achieved substantial gains across the UK in recent years, most notably a 29 % increase in 2017, so this move to unify its packaging design with the main brand will only strengthen the brand’s sales still further.

“A core brand packaging revamp like this will have been long in the planning, but the timing of Coca-Cola’s announcement provides the most compelling evidence yet that it is keeping a close watch on the progress of closest challenger PepsiCo.

“The unveiling of the new-look designs could well have been brought forward to counter the news of PepsiCo’s SodaStream acquisition, barely 24 hours after the latter featured heavily in mainstream global media. This, in turn, came days after Coca-Cola revealed plans to invest in sports drinks brand BodyArmor.

‘‘With virtually each passing day this decades-old rivalry between the two beverage giants intensifies further, and it is showing no signs of letting up any time soon.’’

State-of-the-art facility to support development of innovative, on-trend, nutritious products to meet growing food and beverage demand in Asia-Pacific

Archer Daniels Midland Company celebrated the opening of its new regional office and state-of-the-art flavor and ingredient creation, application, development and customer innovation center in Shanghai, China. The opening of the space was announced at a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“With today’s busy lifestyles, people are turning to healthier eating habits, accelerating changes in consumer tastes and preferences at an unprecedented rate. For ADM, Shanghai has played a critical role in our continued growth and innovation. To help Asia-Pacific food and beverage customers remain a step ahead, we’re excited to leverage our technology, expertise and global scale,” said Donald Chen, ADM’s president, Asia.

Shanghai’s technical innovation center will enable ADM to work closely with customers to create complete flavor and specialty ingredient solutions. It will be staffed by a team of food scientists, flavorists and applications experts, along with sales, marketing and regulatory personnel. The new Shanghai facility joins our recently opened Singapore Innovation Center in helping ADM meet growing demand in the region.

“Around the world, ADM continues to invest to ensure that we are the go-to solution providers for clean label, sustainable ingredients and great taste,” said Vince Macciocchi, president of ADM’s Nutrition business. “This new facility enhances our portfolio and capabilities ensuring our customers meet consumer demands for new, innovative food and beverages.”

The new innovation center features a wide range of capabilities, including a food and flavor analytic lab; beverage and dairy applications labs and pilot plants; a bakery lab; a confectionery and personal care lab; a culinary kitchen; flavor creation labs; sensory evaluation facilities; and a customer innovation center.

China is home to approximately 675 ADM employees, with application labs in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou; a flavor production facility in Beijing; sweeteners and soluble fiber complex in Tianjin; animal nutrition facilities in Dalian, Tianjin, Nanjing, Zhangzhou and Xiangtan. ADM has more than 1,000 employees throughout the wider Asia-Pacific region, where the company operates a wide range of processing facilities, including several animal feed facilities; a flavor and ingredient facility; food and flavor labs in Japan, Singapore and Australia; and sales offices in every major market in the region.

Cold-pressed juice brand Evolution Fresh announced it will expand its functional beverage portfolio by entering the $1.2^* billion refrigerated tea category with the launch of new bottled Evolution Fresh Organic Kombucha across seven major U.S. cities from coast to coast. Available in six delicious flavors – Ginger Lemon Honeycrisp, Mango Pineapple, Ginger Greens, Spicy Greens, Pink Grapefruit, and Turmeric Pineapple Coconut – the beverages have started to ship to grocery and natural retailers in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and New York City, with plans to roll-out to additional cities this fall and next spring. Evolution Fresh Organic Kombuchas feature the company’s cold-pressed juices and will be available in 15.2 fluid ounce glass bottles. Customer interest in kombucha and fermented beverages is on the rise with the category growing 36 percent in 2017 according to IRI data.^**

To create its kombucha, Evolution Fresh starts with carefully selected artisanal teas—Congou black tea, Yerba Matè tea, pu’erh black tea, green tea and matcha. The teas are fermented and paired with cold-pressed Evolution Fresh juice. Leading with flavor, these recipes leverage the brand’s culinary expertise rooted in authentic taste and quality since 1992 to delight the palate and create the perfect combination in every bottle.

Evolution Fresh Organic Kombucha is available in six flavors and is certified USDA Organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, and Kosher:

• Ginger Lemon Honeycrisp: This invigorating elixir has complexity, leading with Congou black tea that lives in harmony with cold-pressed honeycrisp apple, tart lemon and a kick of ginger.
• Mango Pineapple: Congou black tea strikes a down-to-earth balance with vibrant, cold-pressed oranges, mangos and pineapples to bring a juicy-sweet edge to every lively sip.
• Ginger Greens: At the heart of this feel-good elixir is effervescent Yerba Matè tea, its notes deliciously pair with Evolution Fresh’s signature cold-pressed leafy greens, bright lemon and zingy ginger.
• Spicy Greens: Light-bodied yet full of character, green tea and matcha lift Evolution Fresh’s signature cold-pressed greens, pineapple and jalapeño. A refreshing blend with just a hint of heat, accented by the jalapeno’s rich flavor.
• Pink Grapefruit: This celebrated, complex pu’erh black tea is brightened with a sweet splash of cold-pressed pink grapefruit.
• Turmeric Pineapple Coconut: This spirited blend features bright Yerba Matè tea – made extra-special with savory turmeric and bright cold-pressed pineapple.

*IRI US MULO 52 WE 12/31/17
**IRI US MULO L52 Wks ending 7/30/17 & SPINS – Natural Channel L52 Wks ending 7/16/17 and NSS / Nielson Whole Foods report 8/9/17.

The technology facilitates greater brands transparency and consumer interaction

In a first for the beverage industry, Crown Bevcan Europe & Middle East, a business unit of Crown Holdings is launching its CrownConnect^™ technology in conjunction with FACT – an all-natural sparkling drink. Each can will be marked with a 2D unique scannable code, making FACT beverage cans the first ever to be produced with a unique digital identity.

To this end, Crown has partnered with tech-savvy entrepreneur Olly Bolton, to launch Almond, a blockchain platform that allows consumers to scan a unique hidden product code and rewards them by unlocking tokens that are redeemable for cash. The platform, launched in June of this year, will also unlock details of FACT Water’s story, giving unprecedented access to supply chain information and building deeper, trusting relationships with consumers that will ultimately foster brand loyalty.

Crown’s involvement in the project is very much as an enabler of the technology. As well as producing the physical beverage can for FACT Water, on which Almond will be launched, its CrownConnect^™ technology provides the 2D codes beneath the tab of the beverage can that facilitate the engagement between consumer (via a scanning application) and brand. The platform, developed in partnership with IoT company EVRYTHNG then comes into effect, intuitively generating rewards and offers based on previous purchases and offering discounts and rewards to users based on their habits and the products they buy.

“The Internet of Things, and specifically blockchain technologies, will continue to drive the way brands interact with consumers and Almond is a very exciting step into this area for the beverage industry”, commented Matt Twiss, Marketing and Business Development Director at Crown. “From a brand’s perspective, the value lies in the ability to capture valuable data about when and where customers consume their products. CrownConnect^™ technology has been designed specifically to facilitate this level of interaction between brand and consumer. The company is proud to be working with innovators such as Olly Bolton and EVRYTHNG to make beverage packaging more interactive and value-added than ever.”

Olly Bolton, Founder of Almond added: “The Almond app will allow users to interact with brands in a new completely way, directly reaping the rewards of their use of the app and pledging their allegiance to brands based on the way they approach transparency and their supply chain. Almond establishes a new type of relationship between brands and consumers: one that is symbiotic and mutually beneficial, giving consumers control and autonomy over the type of brands they buy, while also rewarding their loyalty.”

Almond-enabled cans of FACT Water will be available to buy in the U.K. and selected European countries from the end of June.

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.

Canvas is the first sustainable, plant-based beverage made from ‘saved grain’. Our dream is to bring better nutrition to everyone.

In the wonderful process of brewing, the starch from the barley grain goes into making beer. The leftover fiber and protein is called “spent grain” and billions of pounds of it are produced around the world every year

The challenge is, spent grain is highly perishable.

The Canvas founders, Sarah Pool and Jason Stamm asked themselves, “What if we could find a way to save the grain and turn it into something awesome?”.

Canvas is a sustainable, plant-based barley beverage made from saved grain. Each bottle provides a rich and convenient source of dietary fiber, complete plant protein, medium-chain fatty acids (from coconut), and a blend of delicious ingredients.

Designed to offer balanced nourishment for a health-conscious lifestyle, Canvas comes in one convenient, ready-to-drink size (12 fl oz) and five incredible flavors: Original, Cocoa, Cold Brew Latte, Matcha, and Turmeric Chai.

It is 100 % plant-based (dairy free), contains no refined sugars, no artificial ingredients, and no gimmicks. It’s just good.

In using saved grain in the creation of Canvas beverages, the vision is to upcycle millions of tons of spent grain into saved grain and bring better nutrition to everyone. Canvas Barley Milk is the first step in fulfilling this mission.

Many consumers want unique and premium-quality products which complement their modern lifestyle and mindful approach to eating. They prefer foods and beverages that are rich in fruit, delicious, and offer variety. WILD Flavors & Specialty Ingredients (WFSI), a business unit of Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), has developed new attention-generating concepts for still drinks and juices. They feature different juice contents and distinctive blends of fruits and vegetables, customized to specific target groups and consumption situations.

Many people are paying more and more attention to what they eat and what enhances their well-being. They spend more time reading about both positive and negative product characteristics, and their goal is a conscientious and healthy diet. On the one hand, they want foods that are delicious and feel familiar, and on the other hand, they are increasingly open to new taste experiences beyond the tried.and-true classics.

Vegetables are growing in popularity – both at home and on the go
According to the Mintel market-research institute, over the past five years new product launches with fruits and vegetables have nearly quintupled in the European juice sector. Whereas there were 62 new products in 2011, in 2015 the number had grown to 296 fruit and vegetable blends on the shelves. Great Britain, Germany, and Poland are leading the way. In addition to beverages with carrot, which has been popular for years, more and more modern kinds of vegetables have established themselves and given fruit juices new flavor profiles: examples include beet, cucumber and pumpkin.

WFSI has been focusing on fruit-and-vegetable combinations for many years now: this ADM business unit developed the first multivitamin ACE drink nearly 20 years ago, has been intimately familiar with the juice segment for decades, and creates new trends and standards on a regular basis. Its “Fruit&Veggie” product portfolio combines the very best that vegetables and fruits have to offer: healthy ingredients and beautifully balanced flavors. WFSI has now composed several new “Fruit&Veggie” concepts for still drinks as well as beverages with a high juice content. All of these innovations have a great flavor, combine the classic and the new, and are compelling in their distinctiveness. This gives manufacturers a way to distinguish themselves from their competitors and appeal to a large target group.

Still drinks: juicy, fruity, refreshing
For those who want an exciting non-carbonated drink with an assortment of additional flavor notes, the current portfolio of WFSI’s Fruit&Veggie concepts has plenty to offer. These beverages are delicious, full of fruit and have a subtle hint of vegetable that will stir up people’s curiosity. They have a fruit content of 27 % and 3 % vegetable, and the options available include for example orange, pumpkin and ginger, as well as beet with strawberry. The fruits are harmoniously complemented by the right kind of vegetable, creating a fruity non-carbonated beverage with a touch of vegetable. The concept also provides other appealing choices, such as integrating the ever-popular flavor of ginger or a refreshing hint of mint. The product range is also available as a low-calorie option with steviol glycosides derived from the stevia plant. This satisfies consumers’ desire for lower-calorie products and a focus on naturalness with a sweetener from a plant source. The phrases “natural” and “no artificial flavors and colors added” can be stated on the product label. These drinks can also be enriched with vitamins.

Juice: endless opportunities to customize products
WFSI’s product palette has new brilliantly-colored concepts for everyone who enjoys juice often and wants to try innovative new flavors. The company’s selection of beverages with a high juice content is diverse and combines several different kinds of fruits and vegetables in green, red, purple, yellow and orange. Consumers can select blends made of concentrates or not-from-concentrate juices with options such as cucumber, kiwi and spinach, or apple, beet and black currant. The vegetable content ranges from 10-38 %. If the drink profile is supposed to be more “vegetable-y,” WFSI also has juice concepts with 50 % fruit and 50 % vegetables. The product range includes delicious choices such as apple, pear, parsnip and yellow carrot or beet, black currant and chili. Certain product options can highlight a special added touch, such as a hint of chili or a peppery note. The bonus feature for the product label: each portion can be counted towards the “five a day” recommendation about fruits and vegetables, thus irrefutably making it part of a balanced diet.