KHS plans to build a new plant and service center in Kunshan, China. VIP guests from the local government and KHS Group attended the groundbreaking ceremony. The Kunshan plant project is a clear statement of the company’s commitment to China and its Chinese customers.

As one of the leading global manufacturers of filling and packaging systems, KHS has been serving the Chinese beverage industry since 1904. In 2008, KHS entered the China market with its first representative office in Beijing. Following the opening of its headquarters in Shanghai in 2014, KHS now intends to build a new plant and service center in Kunshan, enabling the company to respond more quickly to the local market.

Kunshan’s deputy city mayor, party secretary and head of Zhangpu attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the KHS Kunshan plant on October 17, 2019. The executive management board of KHS GmbH and CFO Mr. Martin Resch, Managing Director Mr. Thomas Karell from KHS Corpoplast GmbH as well as William Wu, KHS China CEO, were present and gave speeches during this milestone event.

Strategic partnership for a lasting win-win situation

With a total investment of around €10m, the new around 10.000 m² large factory will make engineering, production, logistics and service more efficient. KHS will be an important partner for the city of Kunshan and offer greatly enhanced support in the further development of the regional industry. Furthermore, the broad-scale plant will also help KHS expand its business within Asia as a whole. A continuous win-win situation can be expected for both sides involved.

“Kunshan is an attractive city for the beverage industry with skilled workers, well-developed infrastructure and widespread logistics networks for this kind of project,” said Mr. Martin Resch with great thanks to the deputy city mayor of Kunshan, Li Hui. “We are now able to produce a larger product portfolio including single blow molders, fillers, and labelers as well as in various block versions, increasing the expertise in handling entire line projects,” claimed Mr. Resch. “With our product range, KHS maintains its position as one of the global market leaders and a pioneer of filling and packaging technology. This also says a great deal about the innovative strength of the team in China.”

Innovative German technology, efficient local manufacturing

Mr. Thomas Karell with the representative of the management board of KHS China expressed great delight at launching the new factory at the ceremony: “All of the KHS Group’s knowledge and capabilities will be on show at our new location in Kunshan. Thanks to the use of innovative technologies, the production system being established will set new standards for productivity and sustainability.”

“Our goal is to improve the production efficiency of our customers throughout the entire life cycle of their engineering, providing state-of-the-art technology and services,” stated Mr. Karell. “The new plant in Kunshan establishes an important local basis to meet this goal, focused on our Chinese customers.”

Sustainable economic benefits, greater social influence

Based on more than 150 years of experience and a constant focus on core expertise, KHS is able to help customers achieve long-term social and ecological responsibility goals. Willian Wu is full of expectations for the future of the Kunshan plant and KHS China: “We will combine economic success with socially and ecologically responsible behavior. Along with top technical performance, maximum sustainability is particularly close to our hearts.” He also indicated that KHS China is respected not only for its highly efficient products and systems, but also for its round-the-clock, local and on-site service which extends far beyond the commissioning of systems.

“KHS China now assumes technological and environmental leadership with solid and innovative German technology for optimum products and solutions,” emphasized Mr. William Wu. Looking to the future, KHS China will constantly strive to realize superior quality and ensure sustainable development in the Chinese market.

Experts will discuss both current and future opportunities for the food industry

Fi Europe & Ni is not only the most important trade show for food and beverage ingredients, it’s also the largest industry platform for information and education. These two events offer the chance to network with the best minds in the industry, explore new market potentials and catch up with the most current industry innovations: The Future of Nutrition Summit will offer the opportunity to network, engage in debate and be inspired by pioneers from within and beyond the F&B industry on 2 December. During the exhibition on 3 and 4 December, the Fi Conference agenda provides a top-class programme exploring cutting-edge innovations and the most current industry solutions.

More than 300 thought leaders and experts from industry, market research and academia will share their knowledge and discuss current topics at the Fi Conferences.

The Future of Nutrition Summit will take place at the Novotel Roissy, the day before the show opens, and is aimed at decision makers from R&D, marketing, brand management, retail and public healthcare. The main focus will be on developments that will shape the industry during the next five years and beyond. After “Open Innovation: Reshaping the Food Systems of Tomorrow,” the afternoon will offer attendees the choice between a stream on sustainable food systems and one providing insights into new food technologies. The speakers will include

• Albert Meige, CEO of the open innovation platform Presans: “Get Ready to Sail The Winds of Disruption”
• Prof. Dr Alexandre Mathys, Sustainable Food Processing, ETH Zurich: “In Search of a Circular Economy: Novel Protein Sources to Tackle Food System Challenges”
• Udi Lazimy, Global Sourcing and Sustainability Director, JUST: “Food Innovation Begins with Breakfast”

The Fi Conference takes place during the first two days of the show and is dedicated to tackling current challenges and identifying immediate opportunities for the F&B industry. In the Discovery Theatre on the exhibition floor, keynote presentations, lectures and discussions on clean label, plant-based ingredients, healthy and functional ingredients, as well as reduction and reformulation, are on the agenda. At the same time, four master classes will concentrate on dairy, beverages, bread & bakery, and confectionery & snacks. Speakers include

• Dr. Emilia Nordlund, Research Leader VTT: Hybrid Ingredients with High Functionality for Plant-based Foods
• Eran Blachinsky, CEO, Better Juice: Better Juice: Naturally Reducing Sugar from 100 % Fruit Juices
• Christian Kalk, Founder of Life Science-Based Innovations: Is it Safe? Regulatory Clearance of Innovative Foods and Ingredients”

More information and tickets for the Future of Nutrition Summit and the Fi Conference: www.figlobal.com/fieurope/conferences.

SIG is once again leading the industry on sustainable innovation by being the first to offer beverage cartons made with recycled polymers produced from post-consumer plastic waste.

SIG customers will be able to respond to consumer demand for packaging made with recycled plastics by choosing SIG cartons made with certified circular polymers. This innovation reinforces SIG’s contribution to the circular economy by making use of low quality, mixed plastic waste that would otherwise be incinerated or sent to landfill. The mixed plastic waste that is collected is treated in a process that enhances the material and transforms it into a high-quality food grade material.

Made primarily from renewable, FSCTM-certified paper board, SIG’s beverage cartons already support the circular economy by promoting the regeneration of vital natural resources in responsibly-managed forests.

Pioneering partnership

SIG is among a select group of companies – and the first in the beverage carton industry – to partner in the foundation stage of development of recycled polymers from post-consumer waste by its supplier, SABIC. This pioneering partnership highlights SIG’s commitment to a more sustainable future through new solutions that support a circular economy.

The recycled polymers offer the same high quality and have the same properties as polymers made entirely from virgin raw materials. Any contaminants are eliminated during processing, making the recycled content completely safe for food packaging.

Certified circular polymers

The recycled polymers offered by SIG will be certified to the ISCC PLUS standard to enable customers to trace recycled content throughout the value chain from post-consumer waste streams to processing and use in the production of new cartons.

SIG’s commitment to sourcing certified sustainable materials is part of its ambition to go Way Beyond Good by putting more into the environment and society than it takes out.

Current trends, the latest innovations and visionary concepts for the food of the future were under focus more than ever at Anuga from 5 to 9 October 2019. The world’s largest trade fair for food and beverages demonstrated once again that it is the industry’s no. 1 global event. With over 170,000 trade visitors (plus 3 percent compared to 2017) from 201 countries and around 7,500 exhibitors (7,405 in 2017) from 106 countries, the trade fair set new records. The share of foreign exhibitors was almost 90 percent and the share of foreign visitors was 75 percent. Exhibitors from all over the world presented the entire spectrum of global products in ten trade shows under one roof. “The continual growth in the number of trade visitors and exhibitors confirms the excellent international standing of Anuga as the industry’s most important business platform. This record result means we are continuing to write the success story of Anuga in its 100th anniversary year. No other event brings supply and demand together so effectively at such a high level of quality as here in Cologne. However, Anuga 2019 fulfilled the function as a window to the future more pronouncedly than ever as well. Strategic decisions for the entire food industry were discussed here, new solutions and concepts for the big challenges of the global food industry were presented too,” stated Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse GmbH.

Paraguay’s Minister for Trade and Industry, Liz Cramer, held the opening speech for the partner country. She was particularly delighted about the friendly reception at the trade fair and the keen interest of the trade visitors in her own country: “We are convinced in Paraguay that a free and fair world trade is a source of further development and that it can lead to a more efficient usage of the globally available resources. Our exhibitors from the food industry, who have taken part in Anuga, are reporting about a high number of meetings with potential partners and are thus expecting to experience a growing demand for food from Paraguay. Furthermore, we have learned a great deal about the expectations of today’s consumers at the trade fair. I am convinced that in the face of the excellent outcome of our participation this year, Anuga will remain to be an overriding event for the development of the Paraguayan food sector in the coming years, with a significant presence of companies and representatives from the public sector of our country.”

Friedhelm Dornseifer, President of the German Association of the Retail Grocery Trade (BVLH) was also very satisfied: “Anuga has once again succeeded in presenting the diversity of the food industry in an impressive way. Whereby the trade fair has also succeeded in linking up the future themes of the industry with the current political debate about which influence the production, processing and marketing of food has on the environment and climate change. In its 100th anniversary year, Anuga is thus presenting itself as extremely topical and well-equipped for future challenges. In spite of the high importance of social responsibility and sustainability that goes hand in hand with the manufacturing and sales of food, with its wide variety of new products Anuga 2019 demonstrated impressively that the appreciation of food is above all a matter of taste. Offering products that comply with the ethical needs of the consumers that also provide them with the highest possible degree of enjoyment is a big challenge for food manufacturers and distributors. There is tough competition in this sector. They bear the entrepreneurial risk and thus deserve more political support to reconcile sustainability, profitability and the customers’ requirements.”

Christoph Minhoff, Chief Executive Director of the Federation of German Food and Drinks Industries (BVE), also drew a positive balance. “As the world’s largest and most important trade fair for food and beverages, Anuga is not only a platform for the export business of the German food industry, but also the leading global trade fair for innovations and trends within the food market. We are more innovative than any other branch of industry: Every year over 40,000 new products are introduced onto the market in Germany alone. The German food manufacturers were once again this year able to impressively demonstrate that they can already provide answers today as to how the future is going to taste. Here trends like “healthy and sustainable food” are not only further establishing themselves, sustainability is actually taking on a new dimension among foodstuffs. If the politicians want to support the industry with this development, they have to solve the existing, conflicting goals between the reduction of packing, fighting food waste and food safety instead of dictating agreements.”

Guido Zöllick, President of the DEHOGA German Association, continued: “In times that are exciting and challenging for the food service business, Anuga 2019 convinced with a unique mixture of exhibitors, valuable first-hand information, exciting trend analyses from all over the globe and an extensive, industry-relevant event programme on topical themes. True added value for the entrepreneurial success of today and tomorrow for a strong industry with an annual net turnover of almost Euro 90 billion. The DEHOGA Food Service Marketplace was once again the central meeting point for brand-name restaurant owners and medium-sized hospitality companies from Germany and Europe. Industry highlights additionally included the premiere of the dehogadigitalday, the 29th Professional Food Service Forum as well as the starting signal for the competition “Distinguished! The best German children’s menus” together with the Federal Minister of Food, Julia Klöckner. The successful outcome of the trade fair is further evidence of the high significance and great appeal of Anuga for the hospitality industry.”

Top buyers on board

The exhibitors were particularly impressed by the quality of the visitors. Countless buyers with high decision-making competence from the trade and food service attend the trade fair in Cologne. All of the important players of the TOP 10 food dealers in the world and the TOP 12 from Germany were represented. These included among others Walmart, Costco Wholesale, The Kroger Co., Metro AG, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., Edeka, Rewe Group, Penny, Lidl and Kaufland (Schwarz Group). Important online dealers like Amazon, LSG Group, E.Leclerc, Mercadona, Migros and SPC Groups were also present. In terms of the number of trade visitors, increases for Europe were particularly recorded from Great Britain, the Netherlands, Poland and the Ukraine. Significant increases from non-European countries were predominantly registered from Brazil, Japan, the USA and Russia.

More than just business

Anuga is not only the gate to the worldwide food and beverage world. With a diversified event and congress programme or special events like the Anuga Horizon 2050, this year the trade fair additionally set new impulses for the food industry of tomorrow more than ever before. The congress trio NEWTRITION X, E-Grocery Congress @Anuga and the Innovation Food Conference (iFood) featuring top international speakers offered an extensive pool of new information on trends, market opportunities, new technologies and the digitalisation of the industry. Furthermore, as a provider of knowledge and know-how, Anuga presented new and ongoing trends. These included for instance plant-based meat substitute products, alternative protein products based on peas, fava beans or insects and newly-interpreted product variants made of hemp. Beyond this, themes such as free-from, convenience, vegan, bio, halal and kosher also played an important role.

The next Anuga will take place from October 9 to 13, 2021.

As one of the only industries that can connect environment at a personal level to the individual, by also talking about health, Food and Beverage brands have an opportunity to drive change through the way they communicate with consumers on these converging topics, to meet this growing and pressing need.

This year’s global research study conducted by Tetra Pak, in partnership with Ipsos, investigates the convergence of health and environment and reveals six new segments of consumers. Each group has unique attitudes around both health and environment, which present clear opportunities for targeted products and messaging for Food and Beverage brands.

Please read and download the full study under https://bit.ly/35ivkAR

New culture improves product quality and extends shelf-life and reduces waste

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has announced a new ingredient – HOLDBAC^® YM VEGE – as the latest addition to the DuPont^™ Danisco^® HOLDBAC^® line of protective cultures, known for their ability to extend shelf-life and secure the quality of products by holding off yeast and mold spoilage – all without use of synthetic preservatives. Now, HOLDBAC^® YM VEGE brings this effective and label-friendly spoilage prevention to plant-based, fermented foods and beverages, at a time when customer demand in this space has never been higher.

“The industry has seen enormous growth for fermented plant-based products in recent years, driven by higher numbers of flexitarian, vegetarian or vegan consumers around the world. These shifts in diets are driven by a number of factors, including a search for improved health that comes with a plant-based diet, ethical choices toward foods with lower environmental impact and which are deemed better for animal welfare, and switching to dairy alternatives for lactose-intolerant consumers,” said Eve Martinet-Bareau, Global Product Manager, Cultures for plant-based fermented food and beverages.

“DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has been working with customers for decades as consumer demands for plant-based options have increased, and we are constantly looking for ways to innovate in this space,” added Martinet-Bareau. “For example, in May 2018, we launched a new cultures line – Danisco^® VEGE Cultures – especially designed for fermented plant-based products, helping customers attain desired taste and texture profiles in a wide variety of plant-based dairy alternatives and beverages.”

However, with that demand came certain challenges for producers of fermented goods, including the need to:

• Gain market share in the fast-growing plant-based food sector;
• consistently ensure high-quality products with the desired taste and texture, particularly across regions with differing consumer preferences;
• secure that quality throughout a product’s shelf-life;
• address the fast-growing demand for friendly labeled consumer products;
• make a substantial contribution to the sustainability of the food and beverage sector; and
• provide consumers with products that improve their health and wellbeing.

“As more consumers look for fermented food and drinks, our HOLDBAC^® YM VEGE cultures will help our customers meet that demand.”

This innovative new ingredient also offers customers the ability to make a significant difference in terms of environmental and social impact through reduced food waste and plant-based alternatives. The potential impact is massive: DuPont has estimated that if just 5 percent of the global yogurt market is replaced with plant-based alternatives made with Danisco^® VEGE and HOLDBAC^® YM VEGE cultures, the carbon dioxide emission saving would theoretically be as high as 3,000,000 tons CO₂ annually. This would be roughly equivalent to 1,700,000 EU-based cars off the roads.

“We are thrilled to add HOLDBAC^® YM VEGE to our range of plant-based and sustainable offerings,” said Mikkel Thrane, Global Sustainability Lead for DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences. “We look at our environmental footprint through the lens of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and we are proud to say that this culture supports at least three – SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). HOLDBAC^® YM VEGE is helping us facilitate the transition to a healthier and more environmental-friendly diet.”

Premiumization has developed as an excellent way forward for the brands to make consumers feel valued and special in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region as the consumers are preferring and consuming high value products, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Across the FMCG sector, be it food, or beverages, the brands are releasing new premium products along with exclusive offerings that elevate them above the national mass brands and compete as recognized premium products.

With the socio-eco diversification, the purchasing behavior of consumer has totally altered in different countries of the same continent. For instance, 76 % of consumers in China typically relish the opportunity to consume the highest-quality food & drink, often justifying a higher price point.

Shagun Sachdeva, Consumer Insights Analyst at GlobalData, says: “Asia-Pacific region has huge potential for growth due to population growth, rapid urbanization and rising disposable incomes in its emerging economies. High on the list of consumer preferences are high quality products with a luxurious feel and the products that offer greater convenience. The consumers also prefer to have products that pass stringent safety standards and are produced with environmentally sustainable practices.

Adapting to the changing demands and values of today’s modern shoppers, brands have realized the need to upgrade to premium offerings. Manufacturers have their eyes set on the premium market and targeting the middle-to-high income segment through host of value-adds to lure people to upgrade.”

At this year’s Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai, Hydrosol is focusing on sugar-reduced milk beverages.

Less sugar, same enjoyment

Given the worrying increase in obesity around the globe, reducing the amount of sugar in foods and beverages is a major issue worldwide. More and more governments are demanding low sugar products or introducing sugar taxes. But sugar isn’t just a matter of taste. It also gives products body, texture and a pleasant mouth feel. These are the effects that Hydrosol’s individual stabilising and texturing systems address. They are suitable for many different applications – yogurt, drinking yogurt, pudding, refreshing fruity drinks, energy drinks, ketchup, whippable plant cream with reduced sugar content, and more. Natural flavourings round out the flavour profile. Hydrosol’s sister company OlbrichtArom, also exhibiting at Gulfood, offers its SugarBooster for reduced-sugar products. This natural flavouring amplifies the delicate taste profile of the final product without influencing its characteristic flavour.

New to the product range are stabilising systems for very diverse milk mixed beverages, from conventional varieties like cocoa, vanilla and strawberry to trendy flavours like cappuccino, walnut and pistacio. These proven systems are offered in a carrageenan version, which enables stable products without high-pressure homogenisation, as well as in an alternative version with gellan. This lets milk beverages be filled at high temperatures, up to 40°C. The stabilising systems in the Stabiprime MFD Range are soluble in water as well as in sweet whey. They can be used for the manufacture of sugar-reduced as well as low-fat or lactose-free milk beverages. High-protein milk drinks are also possible.

For the first time in its corporate history, Symrise is setting up its own application labs in Nigeria. The global fragrance and flavoring manufacturer based in Germany will open the new facilities in Lagos, the largest city in the West African country, on September 4, 2019. “This will strengthen our presence and underpin our growth goals in the region,” says Rudy McLean, managing director at Symrise South Africa, building on the current sales office in Nigeria.

In the labs, local Symrise experts will work on flavors for various application areas, in particular for beverages, sweet applications and savory foods, as well as fragrances and cosmetic ingredients. The company wants to meet the preferences of regional customers as closely as possible with this local expansion. “With these application labs, we can create products in the market for the market,” says McLean. “We can deepen our understanding of the preferences and needs of local people and – where possible – use local raw materials.”

The history of Symrise is closely connected with Nigeria. With its Scent & Care and Flavor & Nutrition segments, the company has been active in the African country for more than 30 years. During this time, Symrise has worked intensively to familiarize itself with the local markets. Beyond this, the local team has built close and lasting relationships with customers. The goal of the new application labs is to incorporate customer preferences and market requirements in product development locally and with speed. To achieve this, Symrise will employ three new lab specialists in Nigeria.

With more than 190 million inhabitants, Nigeria is by far the most populous African nation and a key regional economy. “With this new investment, we are enhancing our local footprint and intensifying our long-term commitment to Nigeria and the region,” says McLean.

The industry is being disrupted by significant trends with consumers, products, brands, and distribution. As niche players eat up more of the market share, established companies must evolve to stay competitive.

From the traditional powerhouses to new entrepreneurial start-ups, non-alcoholic beverage companies are operating in a whole new world as the industry is undergoing monumental shifts. For example, with an eye on health-conscious consumers, PepsiCo purchased the sparkling water company SodaStream in 2018, and after Coca-Cola moved into the tea market a decade ago with its organic, fair-trade Honest Tea subsidiary, the company is dipping its toe in the rapidly growing coffee segment by buying Costa Coffee in 2019. Meanwhile, new entrant Boxed Water is nudging plastic bottles off the shelves with its paper-based packaging.

With today’s consumers thirsty for healthy and eco-friendly options, massive changes are coming. …

Please download the full article as pdf-file under https://bit.ly/2z2bOKc.

Demand for flavoured milk beverages is seeing steady growth worldwide, and the product variety in the markets is correspondingly large. There are trendy flavours like cappuccino, coconut and walnut that also appeal to adults, plus the classic cocoa beverages and milk drinks with vanilla, strawberry or banana flavour. In addition to tasting good, they address a wide range of consumer wishes, from low fat and reduced sugar to lactose free to high protein. With the new Stabiprime MFD range from Hydrosol, it’s easy to make all kinds of milk beverages.

Stabiprime MFD consists of carefully selected hydrocolloids. These stabilising systems are soluble in water as well as in sweet whey. They are easy to use, and make it economical to produce milk mixed beverages. In addition to the proven system with carrageenan, Hydrosol also offers a gellan alternative, Stabiprime MFDG. Its advantage is that it enables milk beverage filling even at high temperatures, up to 40°C. The main property of Stabiprime MFDC with carrageenan is that it lets manufacturers make stable products without high-pressure homogenisation, preventing sedimentation even with cocoa. Thanks to the special combination of hydrocolloids in both Stabiprime MFD versions, producers can make high-quality milk beverages easily and profit from the worldwide growth in this category.

The Beviale Family, the NürnbergMesse Group’s global network for the beverage industry, is adding another event to its portfolio. Beviale Mexico will open its doors in Mexico City’s Centro Citibanamex for the first time from 29 to 31 July 2020. Beviale events feature a specialised programme spanning the entire process chain for beverage production, from raw materials and technologies to components and logistics as well as marketing ideas. The programme also covers all segments – alcohol- free and alcoholic beverages and liquid milk products: water, soft drinks, juice, beer, wine and spirits, such as the Mexican specialties tequila and mezcal. Mexico City will have lots to offer the world of beverages in 2020: A congress will begin the day before the exhibition, although the real kick- off will happen in April when ACERMEX (Asociación de Cerveceros Artesanales de México) stages a beer festival. The Mexican craft beer association is a partner of Beviale Mexico.

“We are very pleased to be able to offer another comprehensive beverage exhibition in our international portfolio by adding Beviale Mexico,” notes Andrea Kalrait, who is in charge of the Beviale Family. “More than 124 million residents and good consumer trends make this market appealing to beverage manufacturers. We cannot wait for the first Beviale event in the Americas.”

Mexico is an attractive economic market with stable growth in key industries, including beverages and packaging. The food industry is among the country’s fastest growers. According to the Mexican Chamber of Commerce, Mexico’s beverage sector breaks down into 60 per cent alcoholic and 40 per cent alcohol-free beverages. Soft drinks, water and beer are the main revenue earners. Mexican families spend about four per cent of their money on alcoholic drinks. Seventy per cent of families prefer to drink beer, but national and international spirits are also popular. For instance, tequila revenues jumped 15.7 per cent in the first half of 2018 alone compared with the same stretch in 2017, according to the industry information service Información Sistematizada de Canales y Mercados (ISCAM). Developments in the Mexican craft beverages segment are following the global trend, which is clearly reflected in the growth posted by smaller breweries but also by spirits makers. According to ACERMEX, Mexico had 1,400 breweries in 2018 – and this number is rising. From a global standpoint, Mexico is also in the premier league when it comes to beverages: Mexico is the world’s fourth-largest beer producer with beer production of 110 million hl (2017), coming after China, the US and Brazil. Mexico even takes first place globally when it comes to bottled water with per capita consumption of 254 litres, ahead of Thailand and Italy (International Bottled Water Association).

The focus is on Central and Latin America

The steadily growing beverage market is creating stronger demand for beverage equipment. Beviale Mexico views itself as an intermediary between national and international beverage manufacturers and suppliers to the beverage industry. Kalrait feels that significant opportunities exist for international exhibitors in particular: “The political climate and still low exchange rates lead us to believe that beverage production will continue to grow in Mexico. Another factor that is certainly interesting for equipment suppliers is that engineering is not very developed at all in the country and beverage manufacturers import nearly all of their equipment. With Beviale Mexico, we are offering the industry a promising platform to reap the rewards of growing consumer spending and to find partners to ensure that technology and components are produced in the country.”

More information can soon be found at: www.beviale-mexico.com

At this year’s Food ingredients Europe & Ni, trade show organiser Fi Global will highlight the most exciting new F&B startups  in the Startup Innovation Challenge. Entrants to the competition are invited to apply now, with the winners receiving business advice and coaching from top industry experts.

Innovation is the secret of success in the F&B industry, and nowhere is that more evident than at Fi Europe & Ni. Yet not all startups, no matter how good their offering, have the resources to make a significant impact on the market.

That’s why the Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge aims to provide budding entrepreneurs with a springboard to success by showcasing their innovations, bringing them to the attention of ingredient professionals and potential investors.

Fi Europe & Ni 2019 will welcome more than 30,000 visitors and over 1,700 exhibitors, making it a must-attend trade event for sourcing food ingredients.

All shortlisted young enterprises will have access to a Startup Lounge, situated in the heart of the exhibition. This will give them the chance to network and demonstrate their offering. They will also be invited to pitch their innovation live on 2 December to the expert jury and on 3 December to Fi Europe visitors at Fi Europe’s Industry Insights Theatre.

Top prizes include a fully equipped stand at Fi Europe 2020, a marketing campaign within “Ingredients Network” or access to the “Conciergerie” innovation platform from Startup Challenge Partner Presans.

Startups wishing to enter the competition should be less than 5 years old, have a solid business plan and innovations targeting the food and drink sector, with a focus on ingredients or additives that improve taste, texture, appearance and/or nutritional value, or technologies and/or services that support the sector.

This year’s categories (competitors can enter more than one) are:

1. Most Innovative Food or Beverage Ingredient
2. Most Innovative Plant- or Cereal-based Food or Beverage Ingredient
3. Most Innovative Alternative Food or Beverage Ingredient
4. Most Innovative Process, Technology or Service Supporting F&B

The judging panel will be comprised of industry experts, investors and company representatives from the food ingredients industry.

Entries must be received by 20 September. Find out more about entering the Startup Innovation Challenge here:
www.figlobal.com/fieurope/startup-innovation-challenge.

Facility expansion is part of a $100M Investment to enhance the delivery of essential health innovations to consumers

DuPont announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art probiotics fermentation unit at its Rochester, New York (USA), facility. Construction of the unit was completed in March as part of an overall $100MM investment to expand probiotics capacity. The facility is now producing high-quality probiotics for the dietary supplement and food and beverage industries, which have the potential to provide health benefits to consumers of all ages.

The state-of-the-art facility incorporates several new production innovations, including:

• The world’s largest fermenter for probiotics production and its downstream processing.
• A built-in, fully automated system of sensors and monitors that helps maintain optimal growing conditions, removing the need to take traditional manual samples.
• Pressurized air technology to mix fermenting solutions, replacing traditional pumps and mixing blades that can damage bacteria.
• New bacteria freezing technology for safe storage of the probiotics that significantly increases efficiency.

DuPont develops and produces a wide range of clinically-documented probiotic strains for products sold globally. In the United States alone, more than 16 million U.S. households are purchasing probiotics, which deliver a variety of functional health benefits – from digestive and immune health to promising advancements in weight management and even cognitive health. Specifically, HOWARU^® Shape – which is part of the DuPont^™ Danisco^® portfolio – most recently won “Ingredient of the Year for Weight Management” at the NutraIngredients Asia Awards.

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences announced the debut of naturally sourced GRINDSTED^® Gellan VEG 200 stabilizer, enabling high performance results of innovative plant-based and vegan beverages.

Since 2014, the number of new vegan products increased by 35 percent, with beverages as one of the highest growing categories globally. With 6 out of 10 U.S. consumers increasing their consumption of plant-based foods and beverages in their daily diet, so called “alternatives” are becoming mainstream.

Dietary preferences shifting towards plant-based options is becoming more prevalent, and personal health is the key driver of change. In the DuPont-sponsored study conducted by HealthFocus, 42 percent of respondents said that they prefer more plant-based foods in their daily diet and more than half of all consumers said that it “makes me feel healthier.” Also, the environmental component of this dietary shift is not negligible, as 3 out of 4 Millennials are willing to spend more on ethical products.

GRINDSTED^® Gellan VEG 200 – advances plant-based and vegan beverages to fit the most demanding consumer expectations. Plant-based/vegan claim, health profile, clean label, premium taste and texture are the most desired features of innovative products in this category.

“Produced by bacteria during fermentation of renewable, bio-based raw materials, Gellan VEG 200 is a purely natural solution. It provides excellent stability and particle suspension and minimal contribution to mouthfeel,” said Lise Stouby, Senior Scientist, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.

GRINDSTED^® Gellan VEG 200 is suitable for a wide range of plant-sourced raw materials, has low protein reactivity and high performance across a broad pH range. Added directly into the mix, Gellan VEG 200 delivers a stabilizing network throughout the shelf life to maintain a homogenous and stable final product.

“We are proud to launch a product that answers critical manufacturers’ needs – ease of formulation and production. Starting today, it’s available worldwide,” said Kirsten Braüner Nygaard, Business Development Manager, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences.

The beverage sector has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade in line with changing consumer preferences.

Sumit Chopra, Consumer Research Director at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, highlights six major innovation trends that are set to impact the production, marketing and sales of the beverage sector in Asia-Pacific (APAC) in 2019.

Unusual ingredients and featured flavors

GlobalData’s 2018 Q4 Consumer Survey found that 17 % of consumers in APAC often like to experiment with novel ingredients, creating opportunities for manufacturers. For instance, India-based urban lifestyle beverage brand Zago launched Iced Masala Chai, which offers a ‘refreshing’ twist to traditional ready to drink teas infused with traditional aromatic flavors such as cardamom and ginger.

Authentically indulged

According to GlobalData’s 2018 Q4 Consumer Survey, around 40 % of APAC consumers are willing to pay more for better quality beverages. Against this backdrop, beverage manufacturers are aiming to create an authentic brand image to foster consumer trust and loyalty. In Australia, Podpac is offering new coffee pods under the Baileys trademark in order to give coffee drinkers a premium indulgence that is marketed under an alcohol brand name.

Revitalized & balanced

GlobalData’s 2018 Q4 Consumer Survey highlights that 65 % of consumers in APAC are always or often influenced by how a product impacts their health and wellbeing while making their consumption choices. Against this backdrop, beverage companies are mapping out the wellness considerations for the products they are offering to attract a niche market of specialists such as sports enthusiast and athletes, whilst also appealing to the mainstream of active lifestylers. For example, Applelachia launched a sparkling apple cider drinks range that incorporates foreign ingredients like Yuzu, a citrus fruit used as a tonic by samurais to boost their immune system, in Australia.

Packaging formats

GlobalData’s research reveals that APAC consumers prefer small single-serve pack sizes and seek out new products packed in PET and small metal cans, reflecting the overall emerging trend in the region towards on-the-go consumption. For instance, Locally Merci Buco 100 % organic coconut water in a 330 ml tetra pack variant bagged a packaging excellence award for an innovative PET squeezable bottle in 2019 in the Philippines, as it catered to the strong association between energy drinks and on-the-go consumption.

Sugar war raging

Beverage companies need to be ready for the likelihood of stringent regulations, as the governments across the region are exercising more power, particularly around issues such as obesity and consumer welfare. Malaysia’s Ministry of Health is all set to impose a sugar tax on sugar-sweetened beverages from 1 July 2019. Against this backdrop, key beverage brands are reformulating their portfolios. For instance, Malaysia-based Fraser & Neave (F&N) Holdings Bhd is looking to reformulate 70 % of its products to mitigate the sugar tax impact.

Moderation & avoidance

Consumers are increasingly becoming health-conscious and proactively addressing their health issues by curbing alcohol indulgence. Manufacturers are therefore striving towards offering zero alcohol beverages with healthy ingredients. Heineken’s launch of new zero-alcohol beer Heineken 0.0 in Singapore fulfills the growing demand for non-alcoholic alternatives for evolving customers.

Free From Functional & Health Ingredients (FFF&HI) broke records when it welcomed more than 7,800 key buyers and decision makers from the free from food, drink and sustainable packaging industries through its doors in Barcelona from 28 – 29 May. Now in its seventh year, this staggering 52 % increase on visitor numbers reflects the dynamic growth and development of the global free from market and cements the show as Europe’s leading platform for the free from industries.

Visitors took advantage of the unique platform the show provides, informing and inspiring decision makers from the world of retail, ingredients, wholesale, distribution and foodservice with a packed schedule of conference sessions, pioneering brands and products plus multiple networking opportunities.

Leading the field

Five core areas of the free from market; free from, vegan, natural and organic, functional and health ingredients were represented across four conference stages with insights from key speakers.

Highlights from the packed conference schedule revealed the latest data covering key areas including the 11.5 % increase in sales of free from foods across Europe in the past year¹ and the 133 % growth of the UK free from market since FFF&HI began in 2013.²

Show partners, ProVeg International hosted a dedicated vegan area and a series of seminars at the vegan conference stage. Verena Wiederkehr, International Head of Food Industry and Retail at ProVeg International revealed the most prominent trends driving the sector including sensory experiences, clean-label products and raw materials, explaining the opportunities for businesses who tap into this buoyant sector.

Pioneering exhibitors

FFF&HI was the platform for new brands and product launches from those shaping the organic, vegan, functional foods and ingredients markets.

On the first day, FFF&HI unveiled the winner of its Product of the Year Awards – a celebration of the most cutting-edge free from food and drink products launched in the past year. Manufacturers and producers put their best innovations for contention to be crowned winner and runner up across three categories, Product of the Year, Best New Brand, Free From Plastics.
Product of the Year Award

• Winner: Qwrkee Foods – Pea M’LK
• Runner-up: Ambrosiae
• Runner-up: Pizza Mi – gluten free pizza bases

Best New Brand

• Winner: I am Bart’s – Vegan Nutrition Bites
• Runner-up: Juustoportti – Organic and Gluten free Oat Drinks made from Finnish Premium Oats

Free From Plastics Packaging

Winner: EncajaBio – Packaging system and cellulose film which sustainably reduces the carbon footprint

The lifetime achievement award was given to Molino Nicoli, European leaders in gluten free cereal-based production, who have exhibited at FFF&HI since the first show in 2013.

I Am Bart’s launched a range organic snack bars made with vegetables, fruit and seeds without preservatives and added sugars. Commenting on winning Best New Brand, Founder, Bart Veldkamp said: “We are delighted to have won an award, especially as it’s our first time exhibiting at a trade show. We’ve been impressed with this dynamic show and the high quality of the visitors. The team has worked very hard and we are very proud of this win. It’s great to be recognised as we’re in the company of such interesting brands showcasing fantastic products – I’m very proud to be surrounded by such great innovators!”

FFF&HI Exhibition Director, Ronald Holman commented: “It was fantastic to return to Barcelona and we are absolutely delighted with the number of visitors that came to discover what’s happening at the forefront of the free from industry. It’s great to see returning exhibitors and new ones coming to showcase such a diverse range of products and the industry leading experts who drive the market forward.

We’ve received a fantastic response from show visitors and exhibitors alike. We’re looking forward to hearing about the outcomes for our exhibitors this year and seeing what the show will bring in 2020.”

FFF&HI will return for its eighth edition in Amsterdam from 23-24 June, 2020.

¹https://www.statista.com/topics/3285/free-from-foods-in-europe/
²Mintel UK Free From Food Market Report – UK – December 2018

Celebrating 30 years of growth in Turkey, Firmenich is proud to announce its new and expanded facility in Istanbul, strategically located to serve the dynamic Turkish market, as well as Europe and the Middle-East. With state-of-the-art laboratories for enhanced creativity and fast speed-to-market, this facility is designed according to the WELL Building Standard™, the global benchmark for employee wellbeing in the workplace.

“Following three decades of solid growth in Turkey, this strategic investment reinforces Firmenich’s commitment to this dynamic market,” said Gilbert Ghostine, CEO, Firmenich. “With this new creative center in Istanbul, we are set up to deliver winning scent and taste innovation to our customers with greater speed-to-market.”

“Today’s opening is in line with our ambitious growth plans in Turkey and beyond”, said Dilek Arvas, Director & General Manager, Firmenich Turkey. “With our people at the heart of everything we do, we designed this new facility with our colleagues’ wellbeing top of mind, to offer an optimal working and creative environment where everyone can thrive.”

Building on its unique legacy of responsible business, Firmenich operates an inclusive capitalism business model based on delivering positive value for all its stakeholders, including people, planet and society. Putting people first, Firmenich is one of only seven companies worldwide, and the first ever in Turkey, to be globally certified as a gender equal employer by EDGE, the gold standard for workplace equality.

Another key pillar of its inclusive capitalism business model is the Group’s commitment to preserving the planet, by leading the most traceable, ethical and sustainable value chain for its natural ingredients. For instance in Turkey, Firmenich works hand-in-hand with producers in the Isparta region, in mid-Anatolia, to harvest Turkish Roses, known for their beauty and delicacy, in the most sustainable way possible.

When it comes to society, as leaders in the Science of Taste, Firmenich plays a key role in addressing today’s malnutrition crisis, by making healthier food and drink options taste delicious for all. For example, its latest technology TastePRINT™ can reduce up to 100% of added sugar naturally without compromising on taste. Last year alone it removed 150 metric tons of sugar from products that people love, removing 600 billion calories from their diets.

There has been a 14 % average annual growth in food and beverage launches with a snacking claim (Global, CAGR 2014 – 2018), according to Innova Market Insights. For most consumers, snacking is a part of daily life and always has been. What is changing is the way people think about snacking and what is considered to be a snack.

“Fundamental changes in eating patterns largely driven by increasingly busy lifestyles mean that the traditional pattern of three meals a day has been giving way over some years to a less formal eating pattern,” says Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights. “This is shifting to a more fragmented and flexible eating style, encompassing multiple small meals or snacks, often eaten alone or on the go,” she adds.

This rise in the so-called “fourth meal” culture has increased demand for quick and convenient yet healthy solutions for busy consumers. This is creating opportunities for wholesome, satisfying and sustaining snacks to fulfill the role of mini meals and play a more meaningful role in contributing to refueling and nutritional needs throughout the day.

Healthy snacking choices are seeing the fastest growth rates for NPD overall, with nutritious options gaining ground. This is led by vegetable-based snacks, with an increasingly high profile for on-trend ingredients such as more unusual nuts, ancient grains, hummus, avocado, seaweed, hemp and baobab, for example. On the go and lighter options such as miniatures, bites and puffs are also increasingly in evidence, as is the search for the right balance between health and indulgence.

There are also regional differences in preferred snack types, with Innova Market Insights consumer research indicating that nuts & seeds, chocolate and yogurt/drinking yogurt are the top three choices in the US, for example, while chocolate leads from potato-based snacks and sweet biscuits/cookies in the UK.

“As traditional meal times and occasions disintegrate and people seek quick, convenient, yet healthy solutions for busy lifestyles,” Williams notes. “We are continuing to move away from the traditional three-meals-a-day norm,” she concludes.

The value of the sports nutrition market is set to grow by around 8 % per year to reach over US$17bn globally in 2021, according to Innova Market Insights’ forecasts. The mainstreaming of the market has led to a surge in interest in plant-based alternatives with the traditional dominance of whey and other dairy proteins now being challenged. In fact, over 40 % growth has been reported in new sports nutrition launches with a plant-based claim (Global, 2014-2018).

Vegan-friendly positionings were used for 6 % of global food and beverage launches recorded by Innova Market Insights in 2018, however, this rises to 14 % for sports nutrition. RTD sports drinks have an even higher level of prevalence for these positionings at 18 %.

Some of the fastest-growing plant-based proteins include soy protein isolate, pea protein, and rice protein. Moving beyond the protein arena there is also increasing use of other plant-based ingredients in sports nutrition NPD. This is led by nuts and seeds, many of which already carry an inherently healthy and nutritious image. In Europe, for example, sports nutrition launches with nuts and seeds had a CAGR of 23 % over the 2014 to 2018 period, with 2018 activity led by almonds, peanuts, and sunflower seeds.

More specialist vegan sports nutrition ranges are starting to appear, while more mainstream companies and brands are greening up their portfolios to attract those increasingly wanting to add more plant-based options to their diets.

As demand for sports nutrition products continues to soar globally, the market has become increasingly mainstream. The concept of active nutrition is developing more widely as interest spreads beyond the traditional core base of bodybuilders, endurance athletes and high- level sportsmen. The focus is increasingly shifting towards everyday health and fitness as a lifestyle choice.

Innova Market Insights data also indicates that global launch activity in sports nutrition has risen particularly strongly over the past three years, reflecting this broadening out of appeal.
Sports nutrition has always had a strong focus on protein content and this has probably grown even stronger as interest has spread into the mainstream food and beverage market. “One of the most interesting developments in protein use in recent years,” according to Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights, “has been the move to alternative protein sources, with the traditional dominance of whey and other dairy proteins now being challenged by plant-based products.”

In general, the sports nutrition sector continues to develop and diversify, particularly in terms of target market, with an increasingly wide range of consumers now in its sights, including those interested in different sports, exercise regimes and levels of activity. Growing consumer interest in health, sustainability, and ethics have made plant- derived ingredients and products more popular in sports nutrition in line with the food and drinks market as a whole.

Scientifically formulated range that replenishes nutrients and minerals lost during partying, travelling and exercising

HangZing is an innovative business founded by a British Chemical Engineer and is committed to using ground-breaking technology to create radical food and drink products.

HangZing produces a revolutionary range of drinks designed to give a natural pick-me-up for people that work hard and play hard. The drinks are scientifically formulated using a blend of naturally-functional ingredients to fight the after-effects of alcohol consumption and to replenish the nutrients and minerals lost during partying, traveling and exercising.

Available in two innovative varieties, Lychee & Lemongrass and Garden Mint, every convenient 100 ml bottle is made by combining herbs, electrolytes and vitamins. The range is sweetened naturally from pure Canadian maple syrup and is free from added sugar, sweeteners and is suitable for vegans.

HangZing helps individuals reboot and get the most from their day and provides a natural alternative to unhealthy “morning after” remedies, including pain killers and junk food.

Product Functionality and Usage

As the liver metabolizes alcohol, a compound called Acetaldehyde is produced as a by-product. Acetaldehyde is a harmful, toxic compound for the human body. It is this that causes the headaches, nausea, muscle aches, fatigue, increased sensitivity to light and facial flushing associated with too much drinking.

HangZing works in three ways. First, it harnesses the powers of the hepatoprotective herbs Hovenia Dulcis, Milk Thistle, Nopal Cactus and Siberian Ginseng, which may facilitate the breakdown of the by-product Acetaldehyde into smaller components which can then be passed through the system.

Aloe Vera, Turmeric and Vitamin C work together to reduce the inflammation and neutralize the acidity in the stomach to ease discomfort, along with boosting the immune system. Finally, electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamin B complex (B1, B3, B6, B5, B12, B9) replenish the minerals and nutrients lost from drinking.

Many variables including age, weight, sex and ethnicity affect how individuals are able to detoxify alcohol in their system. To address this diversity, HangZing’s research and development involved creating a proprietary formula in a bottling laboratory through an iterative approach of testing different quantities of each ingredient on hundreds of people over a period of time.

“Extensive research has shown that dihydromyricetin (DHM), a compound in hovenia dulcis, boosts the ability of the enzymes ADH and ALDH to break down both alcohol and acetaldehyde. The research concludes that DHM can, therefore, speed up the process with which the liver breaks down acetaldehyde into smaller compounds, such as acetate, carbon dioxide and water, which can then be expelled through breathing, sweat and urine.” ^*(Chen et al., 2006)

HangZing is designed for anyone who wants to get the most out of the day after a heavy evening the night before, from busy professionals to those marking a special occasion. Packaged in a box of six 100 ml bottles, HangZing works best when consumed just before bed with plenty of water.

HangZing is available via Amazon Prime and the brand’s website: www.hangzing.com in two varieties, Lychee and Lemongrass and Garden Mint, for $28.99 per box (6 x 100 ml bottles).

^*Chen, S., Li, A., Li, S., Wu, L. and Zhong, G. (2006). Influence of Hovenia dulcis on alcohol concentration in blood and activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) of animals after drinking. China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, 31(13), pp. 1094-1096.

Two out of three US consumers “love to discover new flavors’, while the same proportion say that ‘going out for dinner inspires their home cooking” (Innova Market Insights consumer survey 2018). Adventurous, daring and re-imagined flavors are emerging to entice trend-conscious consumers, who enjoy an element of the unexpected on their palates.

Flavor remains the number one factor of importance when buying food and beverages. An increasingly adventurous consumer creates opportunities for bolder, unconventional flavors and novel varieties that bring an element of surprise and the potential to create a social media buzz. Millennials and Gen Z in particular drive the trend of novel, creative, impactful foods with funky colors, shapes and flavors that are exciting to share through social media.

Globalization has sparked the curiosity of consumers to discover new food and beverage, with Innova Market Insights research indicating that three in ten US consumers ‘love to discover flavors of other cultures’.

Food and flavor trends are traveling faster than ever in today’s connected world. Consumers love to explore new flavors from different countries with and increasing range of ethnic flavors appearing across the board to satisfy culinary adventurers. Ethnic flavors proliferate, with sixty five percent growth in food and beverage launches with an ethnic flavor (Global, 2018 vs. 2014). Mediterranean and Far Eastern flavors are seeing the biggest growth in launch activity, with meat, fish and eggs and sauces and seasonings the leading categories.

People now travel the world and are connected online more than ever, getting increasingly familiar with other food cultures, flavors and experiences. To drive deeper connections with the adventurous consumer, brands satisfy their curiosity not only through exotic world flavors, but also new food experiences and telling the story behind the product. Consumers are increasingly engaged by interactive devices such as voting for favorite flavors, submitting their own flavor ideas and sharing flavor experiences with friends and/or online.

Brands also engage with consumers by telling the unique stories behind them, including greater transparency about the source and nature of their ingredients, recipes and processing. There is also rising use of limited editions to create a temporary buzz around brands, via novel and exciting flavors, shapes and concepts.

As part of its 2020 strategy to strengthen its naturals capabilities and its presence in the high growth markets of Asia Pacific, Givaudan announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Golden Frog, a Vietnamese flavour company.

Golden Frog manufactures natural flavours, extracts and essential oils for the food and beverage industry. It offers a wide range of natural ingredients including herbs, spices, fruit and vegetable extracts and essential oils from the great biodiversity of Vietnam. With headquarters and manufacturing facilities in the Ho Chi Minh area, Golden Frog employs 156 people and caters to the needs of the ASEAN markets.

While terms of the deal have not been disclosed, Golden Frog’s business would have represented approximately CHF 10 million of incremental sales to Givaudan’s results in 2018 on a proforma basis. Givaudan plans to fund the transaction from existing resources and is expected to close in the second half of 2019.

Symrise has announced the company’s investment in and the creation of a strategic partnership with Califormulations, LLC, a unique platform designed to deliver end-to-end beverage innovation to consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and their brands. Califormulations, LLC combines the expertise of Symrise, including its Beverage Innovation Centers in Laguna Beach and Teterboro, with the offering of The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TGOD).

Paul Graham, President, Symrise Flavor North America, stated, “Major packaged goods companies put their focus on agile innovation to help fuel growth around their core brands. Agile venturing and creative innovation sprints will replace the traditional and often time-consuming ‘stage gate’ innovation funnel and are changing innovation sustainably.”

Califormulations, LLC fully embraces this approach. The company is run by an industry experienced management team and built on a business model that is designed for speed, agility, flexibility and focused innovation, with each investor harnessing specialized expertise.

The new platform combines beverage expertise and innovation capabilities with the ability to quickly develop shelf-ready, scalable products. Customers will have access to the expertise located at three locations: the newly formed Califormulations, LLC location in Columbus, Georgia, with 100,000 sq ft for beverage development, multi-purpose production, pilot scale flexible bottling and shelf-ready, scalable packaging; Symrise’s regional headquarters in Teterboro, New Jersey, providing global expertise in flavor solutions, including taste for sugar reduced products; and the specialized Symrise Beverage Center in Laguna Beach, California, to inspire creativity in beverage product concepts.

Utilizing the expertise located at these three locations, Califormulations, LLC in cooperation with Symrise will deliver a rapid innovation approach composed of four integrated parts: Insights & Design, Prototyping & Evaluation, Development & Production and the Activation Ecosystem.

The Symrise team brings a proven reputation in beverage innovation and incubation, a comprehensive portfolio of consumer insights, a strong footprint in beverage and CPG accounts including core listings with global brands. TGOD adds a new element to the business through their expertise in producing premium organic cannabinoids. Using sustainable growing practices, TGOD offers organic CBD and other organic cannabinoids where allowed by local laws and regulations. The end result is a unique, agile, end-to-end approach to innovation with full project management across every step.

Paul Graham concluded, “The complementary capabilities of Califormulations, LLC will foster innovation and scale new, successful brands quickly.”

The range, which now includes DuPont^™ HOWARU^® premium probiotics, is specially designed for fermented plant-based products, responding to key health, wellness and taste and texture trends

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences (DuPont) announced a new cultures line that contains its premium HOWARU^® probiotics which are specially designed for fermented plant-based products to deliver clinically backed health benefits. The DuPont^™ Danisco^® VEGE cultures range offers desired taste and texture profiles in non-dairy applications. New additions to this range – HOWARU^® Dophilus VG, which contains Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM^® and HOWARU^® Bifido VG, which contains Bifidobacterium lactis HN019^™ – have highly documented, positive results in human studies for digestive health and well-being.

Available in single strain form, this range is non-dairy, non-animal, non-allergen, non-GMO, and is suitable for vegan diets. It also is easy to integrate with existing cultures used in plant-based fermented food and beverage formulations.

“Digestive wellness is one of the top global trends for 2019. As consumers continue to make health and wellness part of their daily routines, they’re looking for benefit-focused options,” said Sonia Huppert, Global Product Leader, Plant-Based Products, DuPont. “Digestive health is an area where consumers can feel the benefits immediately. Symptoms like bloating and irregularity are treated with diet changes and with new products. Innovations in fermentation and probiotics can truly deliver solutions in this area.”

DuPont conducted a research study with Global Data Insights to ascertain consumer perception of probiotics. When asked the impact respondents believe that probiotics have on health and wellness, 46 percent of the nearly 12,000 respondents in Europe said probiotics had a positive effect, and 65 percent of respondents in the United States responded positively.

Validated by robust clinical trials, the HOWARU^® brand is a high activity, premium probiotic product with high performance, high stability and high functionality as its hallmark traits.

These cultures not only respond to important wellness trends, but also to the increased demand for plant-based foods and the constant desire for great taste and texture. DuPont^™ Danisco^® VEGE cultures were developed for a wide-ranging variety of plant-based raw materials, such as soy, peas, coconut, almond, nuts, oat, maize, rice, fruits and vegetables, to satisfy consumer taste and texture expectations – from typical and appealing fresh, clean and mild flavors to new, pleasant unexpected flavors.

“We have the broadest portfolio for plant-based fermented foods and beverages and a deep passion to not only help deliver the food experience consumers desire, but also to bring the health benefits they’re continually seeking,” said Didier Carcano, Global Marketing Leader, Cultures, DuPont. “We aim to continue investing in this area, growing our probiotics expansion efforts and working with our customers to create essential health solutions for growth opportunities across the globe.”

Following a stellar 2018, in which BeatBox Beverages, LLC showed YOY growth of 108.5 percent in revenue, 310.7 percent in depletions and 446.7 percent in points of distribution, the company is adding Fresh Watermelon to its Party Punch range, joining Pink Lemonade, Fruit Punch, and Blue Razzberry.

Available now for order in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Texas, BeatBox Beverages President Mark King anticipates shelf-presence this month. Trademarked “The World’s Tastiest Portable Party Punch,” the flavored, wine-based Fresh Watermelon Party Punch is offered in a 500 mL single-serve resealable Tetra Pak (SRP: $3.99; 12 per case; ABV 11.1 percent). In 2018, Tetra Pak sales were up 14.2 percent, with volumes up 13.2 percent (Wine & Spirits Daily), and both RTD and single-serve buying trends grew by more than 20 percent each.

About BeatBox Beverages, LLC
United through a love of music and inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of Austin, Texas, in 2013 the founders of BeatBox Beverages set out to create something that could help everyone #PartyBetter. By 2014, they ended up on Shark Tank with their Party Punch, walking away with a million-dollar investment from Mark Cuban, the biggest investment the show had ever made. With a proven track record and ongoing mission of creating products that drive incremental profit in high-growth categories – and a team of industry veterans with experience in developing, launching and quickly growing brands – BeatBox Beverages is broadening its portfolio across brands and categories at a steady rate.

Novozymes: Full-year earnings outlook maintained after early-April upgrade. Narrowed sales growth guidance following weakness in US bioethanol.

Novozymes announced its results for the first three months of 2019. All businesses developed roughly as expected except for a weaker US bioethanol industry. Organic sales growth of -4 %: Household Care -3 %, Food & Beverages -2 %, Bioenergy -8 %, Agriculture & Feed -6 %, Technical & Pharma +5 %. EBIT margin 25.7 %. Net profit 14 % lower year on-year (y/y). Free cash flow before acquisitions DKK 0.4 billion.

Peder Holk Nielsen, President & CEO: “The first – quarter decline in sales was no surprise – we communicated this back in January. We also expected US bioethanol to be down, but the decline was larger than we ha d foreseen. The flood s in the Midwest have made it tougher for our customers. With the problems continuing in to April, it will be difficult to reach the top end of the guided organic sales growth range , and we adjust our outlook to 3 – 5 %. We’ re confident sales growth will increase during the year as innovations, the freshness platform, BioAg seasonality and Bioenergy all step up, and the Middle East comparison gets easier.”

Highlights Q1 2019:

• All businesses roughly as expected except for Bioenergy. A declining US bioethanol market has been further impacted by the Midwest flooding since mid-March
• As expected, negative impact from the Middle East, feed enzymes and the planned price reductions in US baking enzymes
• Developed markets flat; 10 % organic sales decline in emerging markets, with the Middle East as the main drag
• EBIT margin soft but as expected at 25.7 %, mainly due to lower gross margin from lower sales and a planned increase in sales and distribution costs
• Net profit down 14 % y/y due to lower EBIT and hedging losses
• Free cash flow before acquisitions DKK 0.4 billion; net investments DKK 0.1 billion

2019 outlook: Organic sales growth 3 – 5 %; an expected 1 %-point added to growth in DKK. US bioethanol production in Q1 was more negative than expected, especially in the wake of flooding in the Midwest in March, continuing into April. The 3 – 5 % range reflects both strong new product performance and geopolitical uncertainty. Stronger growth in 2H vs. 1H y/y for multiple reasons. EBIT margin at 29 – 30 % supported by solid productivity gains and release of full deferred income as communicated on April 4 following the new BioAg setup. Net profit growth of 5 – 10 %. CAPEX at DKK 1.0-1.3 billion. FCF bef. acq. at DKK 2.0-2.4 billion. ROIC expected at ~24 % (~25 % excl. IFRS 16 Leases). Stock buyback program of up to DKK 2bn to be initiated April 25, 2019.

The entire earnings report can be downloaded at novozymes.com.

The Coca-Cola Company reported a solid start to 2019, with continued momentum that included gaining global value share. Reported net revenues grew 5 % in the first quarter, and organic revenues (non-GAAP) grew 6 %, with positive performance across all operating groups, in addition to a benefit from timing.

“We’re encouraged by our first quarter results as our disciplined growth strategies continue to deliver strong underlying performance,” said James Quincey, CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “We remain confident in our full year guidance as we continue to make progress on our transformation as a consumer-centric total beverage company.”

Highlights

Quarterly Performance

• Revenues: Net revenues grew 5% to $8.0 billion. Organic revenues (non-GAAP) grew 6 %. An estimated 2 points of revenue growth was attributable to timing, primarily related to bottler inventory build in order to manage uncertainty related to Brexit. Additionally, the quarter included one less day, which resulted in an approximate 1-point headwind to revenue growth.
• Margin: Operating margin for the quarter, which included items impacting comparability, was 29.1 % versus 23.7 % in the prior year. Comparable operating margin (non-GAAP) was 30.5 % versus 30.7 % in the prior year. Strong underlying margin (non-GAAP) expansion was offset by an approximate 260 basis point negative impact from currency headwinds and net acquisitions.
• Earnings per share: EPS from continuing operations grew 24 % to $0.38. Comparable EPS from continuing operations (non-GAAP) grew 2 % to $0.48, despite an 11-point currency headwind. EPS included an estimated 2 cent benefit from timing, primarily from the bottler inventory build related to Brexit.
• Market share: The company continued to gain value share in total nonalcoholic ready-to-drink (NARTD) beverages.
• Cash flow: Cash from operations was $699 million, up 14 %. Free cash flow (non-GAAP) was $335 million, down 1 % as strong underlying cash generation was offset by currency headwinds along with an increase in capital expenditures and cash tax payments.
• Share repurchases: Purchases of stock for treasury were $397 million. Net share repurchases (non-GAAP) totaled $243 million.

Company Updates

• Chairman transition and an evolving growth culture: Following the company’s annual meeting on April 24, James Quincey will become the 14th chairman of The Coca-Cola Company, contingent upon his reelection as a director. Quincey succeeds Muhtar Kent, who is retiring after a Coca-Cola system career that started in 1978. Kent served as chairman and CEO from 2009 until 2017 and then as chairman after Quincey became CEO. Quincey intends to build on the strong foundation Kent has established within the system, including a focus on fostering a growth-oriented culture.
• Pursuing the company’s World Without Waste goals: Supporting its commitment to the World Without Waste initiative and improved transparency, the company issued its annual progress report, which cited continued progress globally on design, collect and partner efforts. For example, the company, along with its bottling partners, now has 100 % recycled PET bottles in multiple markets and will have them in more than a dozen markets by the end of 2019, driving successful circular solutions for packaging. Much of the system’s Latin America business is engaged in a multi-country project to significantly increase the use of refillable packaging, and markets globally are assessing ways to move toward more diverse business models for product delivery.
• Broadening a consumer-centric portfolio: During the quarter, the company completed its acquisition of Costa Ltd., which gives Coca-Cola a significant entry point into hot beverages and a global platform in coffee. In the second quarter, the company will begin to leverage Costa’s scalable platform across formats and channels with the introduction of Costa ready-to-drink products. Coca-Cola also closed its acquisition of CHI Ltd., an innovative, fast-growing leader in expanding beverage categories in West Africa, including juices, value-added dairy and iced tea.
• Driving profitable growth under the Leader, Challenger, Explorer framework: Strong innovation within Leader brands included double-digit growth for Coca-Cola Zero Sugar globally for the sixth consecutive quarter. Within the U.S., the company showed strong performance for Orange Vanilla Coke and Orange Vanilla Coke Zero Sugar, which helped drive 6 % retail value growth for brand Coca-Cola. The company also launched Simply smoothies in the U.S., while innocent, the company’s leading juice brand in Europe, expanded into plant-based beverages. As a Challenger brand, smartwater continues to innovate through the successful rollout of smartwater antioxidant and smartwater alkaline in the U.S. Within Explorer brands, the company continued to capitalize on brands with edge, including Aquarius GlucoCharge, which has shown early signs of success in the fast-growing enhanced hydration category in India.
• Aligned and engaged system investing for growth: The company has established a sustained platform for performance that is focused on disciplined portfolio growth through an aligned and engaged system. Across the bottling system, the company is seeing the right strategic investments in supply chain, cold-drink equipment and sales force capabilities to drive accelerated results. These investments are creating a winning strategy in the marketplace, centered around improved execution that is committed to increasing the availability of core products, in addition to expanding the total portfolio.

Download the full earnings release (PDF)

drink technology India South (dti-South), which took place for the first time in Bengaluru from April 10 to 12, has established a strong position on the South Indian market. With more than 90 brands, 6,481 visitors and an extensive supporting program, the dti family further expands its footprint to the southern region of India.

“We are delighted that the first edition of dti-South in Bengaluru was so compelling. With it we have created an especially customized platform best suited to address the needs of our participants with even better networking opportunities with relevant buyers of the region.,” says Petra Westphal, Exhibition Group Director of Messe München. The local approach is intended in particular to address those sectors that are represented locally. Bhupinder Singh, CEO of Messe Muenchen India, explains: “In this region of India, non alcoholic beverages as well as beer are predominant segments. Key exhibitors addressing these sectors, such as Ambicon Breweries, DVKSP, Goma Engineering and Hilden Packaging, presented their solutions and were able to get the most out of the visitor potential in the metropolitan region.” This is also reflected by the positive response of the exhibitors as expressed by Mr. Jeetendra C Rane, Aquapuro Equipment Pvt. Ltd.: “For the first time we are targeting the South Region and the idea behind participating in dti-South was to target the Bengaluru and South Market: We are not only happy with the number but also with the quality of visitors. We will be participating in all the upcoming editions of drink technology India.”

Supporting program: Buyer-Seller Meetings and beer trends

With over 500 meetings, the Buyer-Seller forum was very well received. Prior to the trade fair, potential customers were able to register for the meetings in order to meet specific exhibitors and initiate new business relationships. These included Amrut Distilleries, Hindustan Coca Cola, John Distilleries, Kaveri Industries,Marico Limited, Mondelez International, Mother Dairy, Pepsi, Pernod Ricard, and United Breweries, to name a few. Vijaya Kumar, Team Leader- Quality Assurance, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. one of the key buyer quoted: “The purpose of our visit to drink technology India-South was to understand the new technologies in the market. This event was organized very well. We were able to sense some of the new technologies which we can engage in our organization and we would like to thank the organizers for this beautiful event. The quality of the meetings were very good at the buyer seller forum.”

From trends and ingredients for brewing to craft beer variations: In addition to the Buyer-Seller Meetings, the place2beer and the Brewer World Seminars provided insights into future topics of the industry. Representatives of microbreweries, medium-sized and industrial breweries as well as suppliers for the brewing industry used the place2beer for networking and knowledge exchange. In addition to this platform, where even Indian beer was tasted, the Brewer World Seminars took place on the first and second days of the trade fair. There, experts discussed topics such as quality assurance of raw materials and ingredients and global trends in beer brewing.

dti-North

dti-North will take place in New Delhi in December of this year in conjunction with pacprocess and food pex India from Messe Düsseldorf India. “We are pleased to host the trade fairs at Pragati Maidan from December 12 to 14, 2019,” says Mr. Singh. In North India, the focus is on dairy, soft drinks and beer.

drink technology India continues to be the international hub for beverages, dairy and liquid food industry in India. The next event will take place from December 9 to 11, 2020 in Mumbai.

What started out small 40 years ago today has in the meantime grown significantly – and has long since developed into one of the world’s leading manufacturer of innovative checking, inspection, rejection and labelling systems for a continuous in-line quality assurance when filling and packaging beverages, food and pharmaceuticals: HEUFT SYSTEMTECHNIK GMBH was founded on 1 April 1979!

Bernhard Heuft started the company back then in Burgbrohl in the Volcanic Eifel (Germany) with just twelve skilled people he knew. The fact that the strength of his highly motivated team has increased a hundredfold over the past 40 years to over 1,200 employees worldwide impressively illustrates that this was the right decision at that time for putting the young family business on the road to sustainable success.

In fact in the truest sense: HEUFT received the first patent for a truly ingenious invention by the company founder which still defines the state of the art today regarding the accurate upright high-speed rejection of faulty empty and full containers – the HEUFT DELTA-FW multi-segment flow rejector.

Over 500 further patents have been added since then – and therefore genuine unique technological features which not only optimise in-line quality assurance when filling and packaging beverages, food and pharmaceuticals sustainably but also the efficiency of complete lines.

From the first optical fill level detection to the fill management system with multi-processing capabilities, from the first empty bottle inspector in an efficient straight-through system to the all-surface empty container inspection on less than one square metre of floor space, from the unique pulsed X-rays to the company’s own real-time image processing system, from clean labelling to the precise marking inspection, from the harmonious conveyor control system to the comprehensive line analysis: a wide range of innovative technologies from the modular HEUFT system has been setting the standards for efficient in-line quality assurance for 40 years.

Basic research and the development of solutions not only focused on maximum automation during precise product tracking, reliable fault detection and specific fault rejection but also consistent user support from the start. In this way HEUFT introduced the very first systems with a monitor into the bottling hall for a simply better overview. The company’s own graphical user interface was soon to follow, then the audiovisual HEUFT NaVi user guidance and most recently even real voice control for full operational reliability and productivity.

It is not only innovative striving forward with countless technological pioneering achievements over the past 40 years which has set the medium-sized family business on a sustainable course for success but also the resulting continuous growth regarding company premises, international sales and service locations as well as competent employees i.e. in research and development, production, project planning and support.

Tate & Lyle, a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces it has reached agreement to sell its oat ingredients business, based in Kimstad, Sweden, to Swedish agricultural cooperative Lantmännen. Completion of the transaction will take place on 29 March 2019.

Joan Braca, President, Food & Beverage Solutions, Tate & Lyle said: “We are pleased to reach this agreement with Lantmännen which represents a good outcome for our oat ingredient employees and customers, and enables us to focus our business on serving our customers in our main food and beverage categories. We wish Lantmännen and its employees every success for the future.”

Combined product portfolio and manufacturing capabilities create unique botanical platform in North America

The Martin Bauer Group is excited to announce the acquisition of BI Nutraceuticals, a leading full-service manufacturer and supplier of plant-based ingredients in the United States. The acquisition creates an extensive portfolio of botanical ingredients and a versatile manufacturing hub servicing the U.S. Tea, Beverage, Food and Dietary Supplements industries.

The investment in BI Nutraceuticals will build on Martin Bauer Group’s local capabilities including R&D, formulations and manufacturing, in support of the Group’s strategy to foster accelerated growth in North America. A distinction of Martin Bauer Group’s portfolio is the responsible and vastly diversified sourcing of raw materials, with quality standards and controls in place starting at source and continuing throughout the procurement and manufacturing processes. “The addition of BI Nutraceuticals to our Group buttresses our commitment to reliable, quality, safe and clean label raw materials, meeting an increasing demand from our customers and consumers,” stated Ennio Ranaboldo, CEO of Martin Bauer Group in North America. The two companies will continue to operate independently, and further communications will be issued to ensure seamless integration both internally and for all customers.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the nature network® and the Martin Bauer Group,” said George Pontiakos, President and CEO of BI Nutraceuticals. “This represents a significant move forward for us and our combined customer base. The Martin Bauer Group is a family-owned international company with a long history as a manufacturer and supplier of teas, extracts and botanical products going back more than 135 years. BI Nutraceuticals will now have access to the global resources of the Martin Bauer Group in the areas of raw materials sourcing, processing technology, liquid extract production and research and development. As part of the Martin Bauer Group, we become a true single source solution provider. Our customers can be even more confident in our long-standing commitment to safety, quality, service and innovation.”

The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade and it continues to evolve.

Sumit Chopra, Consumer Research Director at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, highlights top five innovation trends that are going to impact the production, marketing and sales of consumer goods in Asia-Pacific (APAC) in 2019.

Fat gets thumbs up

“The consumer sentiment towards fats is evolving. Perceptions such as ‘Not all fat is bad’ and ‘fat is prosperity’ have started picking up in recent years. In an era of personalized nutrition, interest in specialty diet trends such as Keto, Paleo or Whole30 will continue to grow as consumers are questioning the role of sugar weight management, thus, adding more protein and fats to their diets. As specialty diets which rely more on fats move into mainstream, food and beverage makers are capitalizing on the opportunity to deliver low-carb and high-fat products. Buoyed by the unexpected success of high-fat, moderate protein and low-carb keto diet, companies such as US-based Just Inc are exploring Asia’s market to launch their products.

‘Better-for-you’ alcoholic beverages

“Consumers are gravitating towards lighter, less caloric, flavored alcoholic drinks, creating opportunities for manufacturers. Liquor manufacturers are paying close attention to nutrients, calorie counts and healthful ingredients while incorporating ‘better for you’ ingredients such as fruit juice, water and tea. The ‘better-for-you’ alcohol trend is graduating from niche status to a broader market sufficient in size and scope to interest alcohol manufacturers at the global level. Manufacturers in APAC are already keeping a close eye on this space. The Cannabis Co launched The Myrcene Hemp Gin, claimed to be the world’s first cannabis-infused gin that has value as a ‘dietary health and wellness supplement’ in Australia. In the first phase of ‘better-for-you’ alcoholic beverage revolution, we will see alcohol companies find even more ingenious ways to reach out to health-oriented consumers and more product launches in the flavored alcohol category are expected this year.”

360-degree wellness

“According to GlobalData’s 2018 Q3 Consumer Survey, 64 % of consumers in APAC are always or often influenced by how a product impacts their health & wellbeing while making their food choices. Against this back drop, FMCG companies will map out the wellness considerations for the products they offer and position them positive to consumers of all ages to leverage on growing consumer interest in healthy eating, local flavors, and personalization. In the wake of the health & wellness trend, Nestle forayed into the breakfast cereal category with Nesplus to offer healthy breakfast options to Indian consumers. In the non-alcoholic beverage category, Kombucha, turmeric latte or kefir will remain very much on-trend to attract interest from major soft drink manufacturers.

Changing regulatory landscape

“FMCG companies need to be ready for the likelihood of increased regulation of specific products, markets and packaging as governments across the world are exercising more power, particularly around issues such as obesity, consumer welfare and plastic pollution. The Indian government is exploring frameworks to ensure GST rate cut benefits to reach consumers along with proposing new packaged food labeling rules while food and beverage manufacturers in China are required to use a new set of quality and safety standards and have a food production license for all food categories.

Halo effect of plants

“Plant-based ingredients are seen as safer, more natural and better for the environment than ingredients from other sources. As a result, FMCG companies in Asia are beginning to add plant-based ingredients to their products, rebranding them as sustainable and environmentally friendly. Unilever’s move to launch vegan ice-cream in New Zealand under its Magnum brand is an example of major companies getting creative with iconic food ingredients in the region. We will be seeing more launches similar to PepsiCo India’s new packaging format made from 100 % compostable plant-based material for Lay’s and Kurkure snacks products. FMCG non-food makers are also turning to plant-based ingredients.”

At Vitafoods Europe, health-promoting natural ingredients expert Taiyo will present brand new innovations that address consumer trends such as veganism, sports nutrition and weight management.

Product developers and buyers looking for innovative ingredients with health-promoting properties in Geneva should head to Taiyo’s stand. The natural-source functional ingredients company will showcase several new products that may prove to be game changers. Taiyo’s Moringa Extract S contains the glucosinolate glucomoringin (GMG); this so-called genetic switch exerts its effect on the human body by activating natural physiological mechanisms to produce more energy. The positive effects of GMG — such as inhibiting inflammation and protecting against neurodegenerative disorders — have already been proven in numerous studies.

Chia seeds have become a popular omega-3 source in recent years. Not widely known is that these small seeds are also an excellent protein source and offer all the amino acids that an adult needs every day, making it particularly interesting as an alternative source of protein for sports nutrition. Taiyo now presents XiaPure^® Chia Protein, a finely milled high-quality vegan protein powder from Chile. This protein-rich source — produced from hand-grown plants and specially selected, purified seeds — contains high levels of protein (40 %) and dietary fibre (38 %), as well as antioxidants and minerals that have a positive effect on muscle mass, weight management and energy levels. The ingredient is perfectly suited for ready-to-drink shakes, milk and sticks, as well as protein-enriched buiscuits or bakery premixes, for example.

The third innovation also addresses a market segment that has been growing steadily for years: weight management. Taiyo’s solution is a tasty and satisfying vegan protein shake concept that contains health-promoting natural ingredients: XiaPure^® Chia Protein powder (an excellent plant-based protein source), Sunfiber^® (low FODMAP dietary fiber), whole green coffee powder (WGCP^™) and SunActive^® Q-10E. It also comprises a delivery system consisting of micronized and micro-encapsulated Coenzyme Q10 to enhance the bioavailability of the micronutrient. Hence, Taiyo’s new organic, non-allergic vegan protein shake concept combines everything that health- and weight-conscious people like and need: ingredients that deliver high-quality micro- and macronutrients, the performance-enhancing Q10 source, an extended feeling of satiety, thanks to the highly digestible fiber, a slow but long-lasting release of natural caffeine and a great cappucino taste.

An exciting novelty regarding the active substances omega-3 and ALA (alpha linolenic acid) is Taiyo’s SunActive^® Chia Oil Powder. ALA is nutritionally important for maintaining a healthy blood cholesterol level. The substance is not spray-dried, but produced using an extremely gentle process that preserves a significantly higher yield of the health-promoting, sensitive ingredients. The powder is 100 % self-emulsifying in cold water and has been specially developed for use in products such as shakes, sticks, sachets and instant beverage supplements.

Rolf Stangl, CEO of SIG, said: “In 2018 we successfully continued our growth strategy and achieved core revenue growth of 6.4 % at constant currencies, slightly exceeding our target range of 4 – 6 %. We saw growth across our global footprint and are reaping the rewards of our steady expansion into markets outside Europe, where growth in aseptic carton packaging is being driven by mega-trends including demographics, rising disposable income and urbanisation. The Asia Pacific region in particular delivered a strong performance during the year, with robust growth in the liquid dairy segment and growing demand for premium products.

“Our broad international presence continues to provide us with promising growth opportunities. These opportunities come with exposure to currency fluctuations, which in 2018 dampened growth in adjusted EBITDA. At constant currencies, adjusted EBITDA increased by 8 %. The adjusted EBITDA margin increased to 27.5 %, reflecting a positive business mix and ongoing cost efficiency measures. We achieved a significant increase in adjusted free cash flow, while continuing to expand our filler base in growth markets. The cash generative nature of our business underpins our intended mid-term dividend payout ratio of 50 – 60 % of adjusted net income. For 2018, we are proposing a Swiss franc dividend payout in 2019 equivalent to around €100m.”

2018 Annual Report

SIG has published its 2018 Annual Report, which includes the Group’s operating and financial results accompanied by SIG’s audited consolidated and statutory annual financial statements, the Compensation Report outlining the compensation policies of the Group and the Corporate Governance Report. All publications are available for download at https://investor.sig.biz/en-gb/home/.

SIG has opened a new Tech Centre, close to its packaging plant in Suzhou in China, which will bring a new dimension in supporting customers with the development and implementation of new product concepts and market-ready packaging solutions.

In the 17,500 square meter building, a team of SIG experts will develop and manufacture filling technology, conduct filling tests for customers and offer training. By focusing on product innovation and differentiation, the new Tech Centre fits in perfectly with SIG’s Value Proposition, which aims to create added value for customers and consumers alike.

SIG’s Tech Centre accommodates a state-of-the-art test and training centre, with the latest filling machines, upstream food processing equipment and UHT systems, which can process products with a wide range of viscosities and pieces. SIG will work closely with customers and offer professional support on aseptic filling tests and product concepts. The Training Centre is the second largest worldwide for SIG and is suited to both internal and external technical training on aseptic filling machines and downstream lines. The Tech Centre also hosts SIG’s Asian filler and applicator assembly operation and two Global Technology departments: Research & Development and Engineering & Application.

SIG’s Tech Centre has the highest standard as a green building and SIG is only the ninth industrial company with onsite manufacturing in China to earn the LEED Platinum standard with a total of 83 points – the second highest score in the entire country.

As manufacturers in Asia-Pacific (APAC) are embarking on a growing trend of adding liquid nitrogen to beverages to create a unique consumption experience for consumers, especially millennials, who are open to experimenting with new and innovative offerings.

Shagun Sachdeva, Consumer Insights Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers her views on the potential opportunities in the nitrogen infused food and beverages (F&B) sector:

“Curiosity has emerged as the key driver of appetite for nitrogen-infused beverages, further fed by higher exposure to social media in APAC. Millennials, who are tech-savvy and experimental, appreciate products which deliver an element of surprise. This willingness and desire to experiment creates opportunities for brands to ‘premiumize’ by offering unusual and innovative products, which consumers are often ready to pay a premium price for.

“The use of liquid nitrogen in beverages has not only augmented the ability of beverage-makers to amaze and inspire consumers but also opened up revenue generating possibilities for foodservice outlets such as coffee shops and cafes. Coffee brewers are replacing dairy ingredients with nitrogen gas as it mimics the mouth feel that dairy ingredients can provide. Whereas, in ready-to-drink coffee category, nitrogen gas offers creamy taste without adding calories or animal-based ingredients, making products appropriate for consumers pursuing a vegan diet.

“For instance, companies such as Imbibe are using nitrogen to elevate the flavor profile of its beverages like tea, coffee and beers as consumers are getting intrigued by the velvety and luxurious texture that nitrogen infusions provide in beverages. In May 2018, the company collaborated with Ball Corporation to use its Widget Inside can technology in developing innovative nitrogen-infused beverages. In June 2018, Starbucks Thailand unveiled its first Asian four-tap draft nitro coffee system, which delivers Starbucks Cold Brew and nitrogen-infused Starbucks Cold Brew, tea and milk.

“Manufacturers are executing distribution and partnership agreements with local companies in APAC to address market demand for nitrogen-infused beverages in the region. However, nitrogenation is an expensive process and liquid nitrogen is a tricky ingredient to work with as unlike most food ingredients, it poses significant health risks if not handled with care and consumed carefully. In addition, the regulatory language of using liquid nitrogen in F&B sector is ambiguous and liquid nitrogen has run into issues in the beverage market in the past. Therefore, it is imperative for the makers of beverages infused with liquid nitrogen to find ways to prevent such outcomes with products that are safe and sustainable.”

The calamondin is one of the most exciting new discoveries that tropextrakt has in store for its customers in 2019. Although it sounds like an exotic, unknown fruit right now, it has the potential to start a new taste trend in foods and beverages that can already be seen in the USA, for example. The calamondin, with its scientific name of “Citrofortunella microcarpa”, conceals powerful potential under its delicate peel with a great variety of flavours: sweet-sour and refreshing, it is reminiscent of mandarin orange, bitter orange, lime and pink grapefruit.

A wide variety of flavours for the food and beverage industry

“The unique flavour of the calamondin is perfect for exotic taste experiences and can make a subtle difference in many foods and beverages”, explains Ingo Kniepert, Managing Director of tropextrakt. “The calamondin, for example, corresponds perfectly with familiar ingredients like orange juice or vanilla.” The refreshing and sweet-sour nuances also develop very well in combination with grapefruit in soft drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beers and many other drinks, including milkshakes. The juice is also suitable for fruity blends in dairy products, ice cream, marmalades, jams, fruit sauces and sweets. Its taste components also come into their own in dressings, chutneys and desserts. The calamondin harmonises well with apple, mirabelle and blackcurrant, and herbs and spices including cinnamon, peppermint and vanilla. Tropextrakt has tested these and other combinations in its own application lab, where special applications for customers in the food and beverage industry can be developed on request.

Year-round harvest – transparent production

The calamondin, a particularly small type of citrus fruit, is a hybrid between the mandarin orange and the oval kumquat. Externally, it resembles a lime, but is much smaller. Unlike other citrus fruits, the calamondin has a thin, delicate peel, which is why the fruit has to be cut from the tree by hand. tropextrakt obtains the unadulterated calamondin juice from Vietnam, where the fruits grow, are harvested and processed into pure calamondin juice in NFC quality all year round. “It’s very important to us that our products are left in their natural state, thus complying with the Clean Label standard”, says Kniepert. tropextrakt imports its raw materials from the producers themselves in order to be able to influence the corresponding quality and hygiene standards on site. Every batch can be traced back directly to one of the 500 family businesses with calamondin plantations. Additionally, the producer guarantees the fruit will be processed in accordance with ISO 2000 and the BRC Food and HACCP standards. Both the Vietnamese producer and tropextrakt are Sedex-certified and have made a commitment to sustainable supply chains. In doing so, tropextrakt also makes a contribution to the small plantations in Vietnam, where calamondin cultivation with controlled labour conditions helps in the fight against poverty.

Mountain Dew, a PepsiCo International brand, has launched a special edition 33cl package featuring fluorescent inks in the Middle East. Designed to attract consumer attention and boost sales in the hot summer season, the ultra-bright green colour on the can accentuates the bold Mountain Dew logo and reinforces the brand’s image.

The neon colour glows in the dark, adding the elements of fun, surprise and interactivity to the packaging for this iconic brand. The inks were applied to beverage cans manufactured at Crown’s facilities in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan at full line speed, ensuring productivity levels were optimized. Crown also worked closely with PepsiCo and ink supplier INX to secure the necessary regulatory approvals. The neon cans were sold in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Lebanon, Qatar and Jordan markets from August 2018 until.

Metal has impeccable sustainability credentials – cans are 100% and infinitely recyclable – with no loss of properties, making it an important contributor to the circular economy. Once the containers enter the material-to-material loop, where they get recycled again and again, they can return to store shelves as new beverage cans in as little as 60 days.

Stora Enso and Sulapac continue to combat the global problem of plastic waste by introducing a demo of a sustainable straw at Slush 2018, a global leading startup event gathering of 20,000 tech enthusiasts. The demo, targeting industrial scale production, is designed to replace traditional plastic straws with renewable ones. The straws are based on Sulapac’s biocomposite material – made of wood and natural binders – designed to be recycled via industrial composting and biodegrade in marine environment.

“This is an important step for Stora Enso and showcases our long-term commitment to gradually replacing fossil-based materials with renewable solutions. Our collaboration with Sulapac is a great example of what we can achieve through partnership in terms of driving innovation to create sustainable solutions within the bioeconomy,” says Annica Bresky, EVP, Consumer Board division.

Stora Enso signed a joint development agreement with Sulapac in May 2018 to license its materials and technology. The development of the demo straw is a joint collaboration between Stora Enso and Sulapac – a cooperation which complements Stora Enso’s extensive biocomposite portfolio.

“Eco-awareness is a strong driver for consumer demand, and our customers want help in replacing non-renewable materials. Different biocomposite solutions, such as renewable caps and closures and straws will be add-ons and a complement to our own consumer board portfolio, bringing additional value to our customers,” says Hannu Kasurinen, SVP Head of Liquid Packaging and Carton Board.

Sulapac’s material works in existing extrusion lines and the target is to have the straws commercially available in Q2 2019.

“Today, we proudly announce that we are launching a demo for a recyclable, microplastic-free and marine biodegradable straw. This is the world’s most sustainable straw that can be produced on an industrial scale and we have jointly developed it with Stora Enso. Billions of plastic straws are produced and used every week. This straw has the potential to be a true game changer,” says Sulapac’s founder and CEO Suvi Haimi.

Tetra Pak has joined forces with global resource management company Veolia in a game-changing partnership that will enable all components of used beverage cartons collected within the European Union to be recycled by 2025.

The average beverage carton comprises around 75 % paperboard, 20 % plastic and 5 % aluminium foil. But while the fibres recovered during recycling have a healthy market when converted into high-quality paper pulp for use in both industrial and consumer products, the same is not true for the recovered polymer and aluminium (PolyAl) mix.

Within the scope of the new partnership, the extracted PolyAl will be processed at dedicated facilities and converted into raw materials for applications within the plastic industry. In this way, the overall value of used beverage cartons is expected to double, making the value chain for collection and recycling more efficient and viable.

The Tetra Pak and Veolia partnership will start in the EU and expand to more markets around the world.

Judges selected the most promising start-ups – Winners will be announced on 27 November at Hi Europe & Ni

For the third time, trade show organiser UBM is providing a platform for forward-looking industry startups. During Hi Europe & Ni, the Startup Innovation Challenge enables newcomers to present their solutions to a professional audience. If they win, they will receive comprehensive expert coaching and marketing support. This year’s 13 shortlisted companies have now been announced.

The companies will pitch live between 15.45 and 17.30 on Tuesday 27 November 2018, the first day of the show, at the Industry Insights Theatre. The winners of the three categories will receive their awards following the live pitches.

Shortlisted for the category “Most Innovative Healthy Food or Beverage Ingredient”:

• FunGeneX/The Netherlands has developed a technology to produce egg white proteins based on sugar from sugar beet. These products fulfill the need for binding proteins that are neutral in colour, taste and smell for vegan applications, while contributing to reduced global warming and animal suffering.
• GNUBiotics/Switzerland is a biotech startup active in R&D to reproduce the diversity and complexity of unique structures found in mothers’ milk. It is developing a novel platform for selective microbiota modulation via next generation Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMOs) using up to 130 Microbiota Accessible Carbohydrates (MACs) structures.
• Magellan Life Sciences/UK is a synthetic biology company creating novel platforms to produce plant-inspired molecules, such as a natural non-caloric protein sweetener called Brazzein that is inspired by the West African fruit Oubli.
• Renewal Mill/USA is upcycling by-products from food manufacturing into high-quality ingredients and finished products. The pilot project is using okara, the soybean pulp generated during soymilk production to create an organic, non-GMO, low-carb flour.
• Planetarians/USA makes high protein ingredients from upcycled by-products using patent-pending technology. They add value to overlooked ingredients such as defatted seeds by converting them into a high-protein, high-fibre ingredient, allowing manufacturers to fortify foods. The company’s first product is sunflower chips with more protein and fibre, and less fat than typical potato chips.

Shortlisted for “Most Innovative Plant-Based Finished Product”:

• Green Banana Food/The Netherlands produces foodstuffs and ingredients from the native cooking green banana, such as a flour that can be used to create high nutrient, low carb, gluten free & high dietary fibre food solutions such as Gabanna pasta.
• Jet-Eat Printed Food/Israel is currently developing an animal-free meat with the same appearance, texture, flavour and cooking properties of animal meat, from natural, sustainable and healthy ingredients. Based on 3D printing technology, the company creates meat products with 95 % less environmental impact compared to beef, with zero cholesterol and a lower cost.
• Shileo/Germany is an online food start-up that sells konjac rice and pasta meals. These low-cal and low-carb alternatives to normal pasta and rice are suitable for vegans, high in soluble fibre and can help with weight loss.

Shortlisted for “Most Innovative Technology or Service Supporting F&B”:

• Ambrosus/Switzerland is a blockchain-powered Internet of Things network for food and pharmaceutical enterprises, enabling secure and frictionless dialogue between sensors, ledgers and databases to optimise supply-chain visibility and quality assurance.
• Aryballe/France develops and manufactures bio-inspired odour sensors which detect and identify odours in less than 15 seconds, allowing the food industry to quickly assess the olfactive qualities of materials.
• Better Juice/Israel has created a solution for reducing natural sugars in fruit juices. The patent-pending technology harnesses the activity of non-GMO microorganisms to bio-convert sugars to dietary fibres and non-digestible natural molecules.
• Embion/Switzerland produces new prebiotic solutions for human, animal and soil microbiome nutrition from agricultural and food processing side-streams. A novel processing technology targets and extracts natural prebiotic ingredients from biomass with lower production costs, higher yield and processing speed than usual.
• Nucaps/Spain developed a new nanoencapsulation technology for nutraceutical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses. This encapsulation process, designed for oral delivery and controlled release of bioactives and microorganisms, is based on the use of food proteins such as casein, zein or soya.

Rahul Shinde, Director of Global Open Innovation at Naturex Ingenium, sponsor of the competition, is on the advisory board at the Startup Innovation Challenge. He says: “Through our partnerships we are hoping to provide additional support, guidance, access and resources that can enable these start-ups to succeed. But, ultimately, it’s their product and their vision that will prevail. We really value their time, commitment and desire to bring innovative solutions to the marketplace, and especially innovations focused on plant-based solutions.“

The three winners will get individual advice from one of the judges. In addition, the successful nominees can choose from various special prizes – from a fully equipped stand at Hi Europe or Fi Europe; a marketing campaign within the Ingredients Network; access to the “Conciergerie” innovation platform from Presans; or intensive consultation with Wageningen University & Research. In addition, one startup will be selected by Naturex Ingenium as their special prize winner. This startup will win €10,000 plus a three month business mentorship with the Naturex Ingenium Open Innovation team.

The success of the most important event for India’s beverage industry remains unchecked: The trade fair alliance consisting of drink technology India (dti), organized by Messe Muenchen, and indiapack pacprocess and food pex India, organized by Messe Duesseldorf, recorded higher numbers of exhibitors and occupied more exhibition space. The number of visitors remained at a very high level as well. The fair’s further growth reflects the dynamic development of the Indian beverage and liquid food market, in which high growth rates are again forecast to climb.

“The figures speak for themselves: 201 exhibitors from 17 countries presented their products and solutions at dti. They occupied around 23 percent more net exhibition area than at the last event in Mumbai,” Georg Moller, head of the business division at Messe Muenchen, said in describing the fair’s success. Bhupinder Singh, the CEO of Messe Muenchen India, was also pleased by the continued growth: “It underscores the huge meaning of dti for the Indian market.”

Together with indiapack pacprocess and food pex India, 343 exhibitors presented themselves on an area of around 16,500 square meters from October 24 through 26. Moller pointed in particular to the very professional cooperation with the partner Messe Duesseldorf: “Joint staging of the fairs is not only a big gain for us. As a result, visitors obtain a comprehensive overview of all areas of the beverage and packaging industry.” This offer was widely used by visitors, as for example Partho Ghosh, Executive Vice President bei KHS Filling & Packaging Worldwide says: “We had many talks with visitors and have received new leads this year. The Indian beverage industry is looking for innovations which will bring the development of the industry a big step forward.”

Together with indiapack pacprocess and food pex India, 343 exhibitors presented themselves on an area of around 16,500 square meters from October 24 through 26. Moller pointed in particular to the very professional cooperation with the partner Messe Du?sseldorf: “Joint staging of the fairs is not only a big gain for us. As a result, visitors obtain a comprehensive overview of all areas of the beverage and packaging industry.” This offer was widely used by visitors, as for example Partho Ghosh, Executive Vice President bei KHS Filling & Packaging Worldwide says: “We had many talks with visitors and have received new leads this year. The Indian beverage industry is looking for innovations which will bring the development of the industry a big step forward.”

Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association, also described dti as an important driving force for the industry: “For companies that produce machines to make, process and package beverages and liquid-food products, India is one of the major sales markets in Asia.” The outlook for the market is consistently positive. In the process, the important role played by dti will continue to grow.

Further training and networking: Supporting program of unprecedented breadth

dti’s supporting program was highly popular among visitors and very well attended on all three days. Day two of the Round Table Talks revolved around beer, wine and spirits. According to the VDMA, India ranks ninth among the top ten sales countries for alcoholic drinks. Beer is the top-selling alcoholic beverage in India. The experts generally agree that demand for high-quality beers and for wine and spirits will grow as the population’s income rises.

Visitors were able to try Indian beer variations at the new place2beer. The focus at the platform was not only on beer tastings, but above all on networking and sharing knowledge among representatives from microbreweries, medium-sized and industrial breweries, and brewing suppliers. In the Craft Beer Seminars, experts from the scene demonstrated what impact microbreweries are having on beer brewing and what trends are influencing the craft beer sector. Bruno Bonacchelli, brew master at Castle Malting Belgium and one of the speakers at the seminar, was enthusiastic: “I’m impressed by the high technical standards in the Indian craft beer market and about how quickly the latest methods and technologies are adapted.” Further talks were given by representatives from Brewbot Mumbai, Gateway Brewing Mumbai and White Owl.

The focus of the buyer-seller meetings was networking and initiation of new business relationships. About 430 discussions between exhibitors and potential customers were held, a clear indication of the concept’s popularity. The customers who made a special point of attending the trade fair to create new business relationships with exhibitors included Bohemian Beer, Good Drop Wine Cellars, Hindustan Coca Cola, Jyanti Beverages and Parle Agro.

Two new additions to the supporting program of dti in Mumbai were the seminar of the Oil Technologists’ Association of India (OTAI) and the seminar of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The OTAI Seminar addressed the growing importance of oils and fats in the Indian market and in particular challenges in packaging edible oils. The FSSAI Seminar provided insights into the regulations on and regulatory framework for beverages in India.

All items on the supporting program went down very well with visitors. The seats at the forum were always full. With the supporting program, dti once again proves that it gives key boosts and stimuli to the beverage and liquid food industry in India.

dti, indiapack pacprocess and food pex India

drink technology India is staged in conjunction with indiapack pacprocess and food pex India of Messe Du?sseldorf. This combination of four trade fairs covers the topics of drink technology, dairy and liquid food together with those of the related packaging industry (drink technology India), packaging and related processes (pacprocess India), packaging materials and aids as well as machines and technology for the production of packaging materials and aids (indiapack) and also food and confectionery processing and packaging (food pex India) all under one roof and is unrivaled in the region.

The next dti in Mumbai will be held from December 9 to 11, 2020. In 2019, dti will be held in Bengaluru for the first time. It is scheduled for February 28 to March 2. As part of the trade fair alliance, the event will also be held next year once again – from December 5 to 7 in New Delhi.

Together with its affiliate Stern Ingredients México, the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe based in Hamburg celebrated the enlargement of its production plant in Mexico City and is intensifying product development at the adjoining Technology Centre. The research facility will in future focus on dairy products, beverages and deli foods, too. The plant has two new production lines for food ingredients, and with 4,000 tonnes additional production capacity it will contribute to the group’s success in Latin America. After the facility in Malaysia, this is the second plant to be opened by the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe this year.

By placing greater emphasis on the development of applications in the field of dairy products, deli foods and soft drinks such as juices, nectars and concentrates, Stern Ingredients México, an affiliate of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, is now consolidating its position as an ingredients expert for the food industries of the Americas. The new focus of the long-established facility in Mexico will complement the already successful development of enzyme systems under the trade name SternEnzym, stabilizing systems (Hydrosol), vitamin and mineral complexes (SternVitamin) and flour and bakery applications under the brands Mühlenchemie and DeutscheBack – the latter specializing in typical regional products based on maize and wheat. Following the “custom fit” approach of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, leading food technologists develop the above functional systems for dairy products and beverages at this state-of-the-art applications laboratory. Furthermore, the owner-managed family business from Hamburg regards the generation of new information on applications at the research centre in Mexico as an opportunity to extend its technical services to North, Central and South America. It has also invested in the plant’s QM laboratory in order to conduct microbiological analyses, heavy-metal detection and a wide range of trial applications according to the latest scientific standards.

With around 100 employees and a total annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes of food ingredients, Stern Ingredients México is the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe’s biggest plant outside Germany. On the one hand, the additional production capacity of 4,000 tonnes will help to meet Mexico’s increasing home demand, and on the other it will open up new export markets.

Hi Europe & Ni 2018 achieves new exhibitor record for manufacturers of natural and organic ingredients

High consumer demand for organic products and foods with natural ingredients is reflected in the wide range of offerings from Health ingredients Europe & Natural ingredients this year. Under the claim “Natural & Organic”, more than 100 exhibitors will present their new developments – from superfoods and natural flavours and extracts to plant-based finished products. From 27 to 29 November in Frankfurt, trade visitors will be given a comprehensive overview of these categories across 4,000 sqm, and will benefit from a wide range of further educational and networking opportunities.

Nowadays, consumers expect much more from functional foods than a few years ago: Besides a health benefit, a natural origin or even organic cultivation, sustainability and ethical qualities are also much in demand. With a wide range of exhibitors offering such ingredients – including Agrana, KSM66-Ashwaganda and Plantex – and an extensive educational programme, Hi Europe & Ni is a valuable source of inspiration for trade visitors from the health and nutrition industry.

Natural ingredients in demand

According to a survey conducted by Mintel last year, around 70 per cent of people interviewed prefer foods with natural ingredients. Manufacturers have recognised this request by offering a constantly growing variety of new and innovative products. Compared to Hi Europe & Ni 2016, the number of exhibitors within the “Natural Ingredients Pavilion” has consequently doubled this year.

Numerous expert lectures will provide insights to challenges and solutions relating to natural alternatives: Leonhard Thunn-Hohenstein, Key Account Manager at AstaReal, for example, speaks in the Supplier Solutions Theatre’s free-to-attend programme about natural astaxanthin from algae to improve eye health. During the two-day Hi Conference, Grégory Dubourg, CEO of Nutrikéo, will explore some of the naturally functional ingredients that are hitting the spotlight like turmeric, ashwagandha and spirulina in his session: “Developing products with naturally functional ingredients”.
At the Plant-based Experience visitors will be able to inform themselves about current trends and experience the growing variety of plant-based products in association with ProVeg International, who will also be organising a Plant-based Innovation Tour featuring exhibitors with new plant-based solutions. In addition, exhibitors with natural solutions will be part of the Innovation Tour on Clean label, trust and transparency by Nutrimarketing.

Organic quality: What do consumers want, what do manufacturers need?

This year, show organiser UBM had to enlarge the “Organic Pavilion” by more than 60 per cent due to the enormous number of enquiries from exhibitors. For Amishi Takalkar, CEO of Nailbiter, an organic certificate has now become a quality feature of many companies’ products “We are starting to see that organic is going mainstream, just like natural. More large CPG companies are launching their organic brands or labels. Organic, in my opinion, is almost turning into table stakes for brands that want to be taken seriously, and perceived as being healthy or ‘better for you’.”

Within the free-to-attend “Organic Spotlight“ at the Industry Insights Theatre, Takalkar will present the organic trend from the consumer’s point of view. Marlene Milan, Research Associate at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), will also be providing information on the standards that companies have to meet if they want to offer ingredients of organic quality in the EU, and especially on the German market. She is convinced that consumers do not turn to organic products on a temporary basis: “Once a mainstream shopper goes organic, it’s very hard to bring them back to mainstream. A lot of shoppers go in and buy the brands they know they like, but if I am in that store and see something that looks better or healthier and then I try it and like it, chances are I may not go back.”

Stern-Wywiol Gruppe from Hamburg is adding to its production and sales network in south-east Asia by establishing a new production facility for its subsidiary, SternMaid Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, in the Iskandar economic zone, Malaysia. After the plants in Suzhou (China) and Mumbai, this is the third food industry facility that the family enterprise has opened in Asia and its sixth outside Germany. Clients in the ASEAN region will in future benefit from more rapid deliveries, secure supply chains and applications advice from a consultant nearby.

The state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to the development and production of food ingredient systems to improve the functional qualities of food. The facility has three completely separate production lines; initially work will focus on enzyme-based ingredients systems for bakers and millers plus micronutrient mixes to fortify a wide variety of foods and beverages.

As a global leader in the nutrition industry, Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) is continually working on optimizing its performance and aligning it to future market requirements. This year, for example, this has included investing in state-of-the art technologies and establishing modern, interdisciplinary organizational units and additional routes to ensure greater customer proximity. Here are a few new developments:

ADM Strengthens Presence in Africa

In addition to its existing office in Nairobi, Kenya, ADM opened another location in Africa at the beginning of 2018. The new office in Lagos, Nigeria, is a key contact point for customers on the North/West African market, and provides them with fast, direct access to the consulting and other services of ADM experts. A qualified team with extensive knowledge of the industry, operational expertise and regional experience is available to current and potential customers. The team provides advice for all issues relating to production – from new plants or processes through to ingredients. Their broad knowledge makes the ADM team in Lagos reliable partners who can support manufacturers with a view of the whole picture.

New Production Plant for Colors in Berlin

As a result of further increasing demand for foods and beverages with natural ingredients, ADM has increased its production capacity for WILD coloring foodstuffs and WILD Colors from Nature^® at the company’s Berlin site. One of the two new production lines is designed for water-soluble products, the other for emulsions. The colors are used in flavor systems and fruit preparations, and also sold as single ingredients. Moreover, in the summer of 2018, the company started up a sampling plant for color samples. The same technology enables a scale-up process for the production plants. Sample units are available in quantities of 1 to 20 kilograms.

Chocolate Center: Efficient and Customer-Oriented

Almost no category hold as much potential for new creative product developments as food containing chocolate. This is reason enough for ADM to establish a new Chocolate Center in Berlin. Since September, several teams of experts from relevant specialist fields have been working here together with customers to develop innovative products. The customers benefit from this in two ways: they can outsource large parts of the time-consuming and production-intensive product development, and they remain actively involved in decisive creative steps.

Doehler Group and Nutrafood S.r.l. have reached an agreement on a strategic partnership.

This transaction further complements Doehler’s range in the area of plant-based food and beverages, where the company currently provides its customers with solutions from smoothies to spoonables to beverages which enable the development of natural nutrition concepts that provide Multi-Sensory Experiences^®. The portfolio of pulses, cereal bases and low-calorie bases, such as veggie NFCs, coconut water etc., is now supplemented by nut products. Nutrafood’s extensive expertise and ability to provide plant-based ingredients for food and beverages, combined with the broad product portfolio and the comprehensive industry knowledge of the Doehler Group, will create unique synergy effects. Customers will be able to benefit from a more complete product range and improved efficiency of the two businesses in a global market with regard to customised all-in-one solutions.

Doehler Group and Nutrafood are convinced that this step is a milestone on the path towards a leading position in the plant-based nutrition segment, while simultaneously strengthening their respective positions.

Nutrafood will continue and enhance its core business of plant-based foods and beverages. Both companies will join forces to drive innovative products and solutions that are in line with current consumer trends.

Closure Systems International (CSI) and Talkin’ Things^®, the leading innovator in product communication platforms, have collaborated to integrate smart packaging technology into CSI’s global platform of closures. CSI and Talkin’ Things have developed a new packaging solution named Talkin’ Cap, which uses embedded Near Field Communication (NFC) tags, for application on the inside of closures. This technology introduces a powerful platform to support a brand owner’s mobile marketing activities right from the package itself…with just a simple tap.

Brand trustworthiness and product reliability are paramount for consumer loyalty. Talkin’ Caps ensure product safety and reduce brand owners’ liability by protecting against counterfeiting and “gray market” activities throughout the distribution stream.

CSI’s Talkin’ Caps allow for real-time consumer interconnectivity at the point of consumption, giving brand owners the unique ability to have dynamic interaction and gather actionable insights based on consumer location and usage history.

With 90 % of consumers using their smartphone to help make purchase decisions in a brick and mortar setting¹, Talkin’ Caps are an app-less way to drive marketing content, brand and product information, gamification, loyalty programs, awards and coupons to connected consumers.

¹https://www.fastcompany.com/3007362/customers-dont-want-ads-they-want-conversation

Biggest privately financed rooftop solar panel on the east coast of Thailand

It is one of the biggest and most impressive innovations in Eastern Seaboard Industrial Park. The gigantic rooftop solar panel on the SIG packaging plant in Rayong, Thailand, is the largest of its kind in the entire region and has now been officially opened.

According to its Power Development Plan, Thailand wants to cover 40 % of its electricity requirements from renewable energy sources by 2036 – a goal that SIG has already achieved. All SIG production plants worldwide are already powered by green electricity. In order to produce some of this itself, the Rayong packaging plant built its own photovoltaic system in cooperation with Symbior Solar.

Solar cells are one of the most environmentally friendly energy sources. To install this huge solar roof supports SIG’s commitment to becoming a net-positive company by contributing more to the society and the environment than it takes out across the value chain.

The installation of the solar roof on the SIG production plant is a result of the close cooperation between SIG and Symbior Solar, who designed and installed an effective solar photovoltaic (PV) system at the roof the SIG production plant in Rayong. Covering an area of 17,664 sqm, this solar project with 9,048 solar panels can produce up to 4,431 megawatt hours of electricity per year which in turn reduces CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) emissions by up to 90 %, whilst also saving electricity cost. SIG packaging plant in Rayong can now proudly claim the title of being the biggest solar PV installation in the entire Eastern Seaboard Industrial Park. It is thus the largest privately financed photovoltaic system on an industrial site on the entire east coast of Thailand.

Some key facts:

• The production plant in Rayong is the first in the world of our SIG production plants to use a solar roof to generate energy.
• Installation Capacity: 3.3 MW
• Power generation 4,431 MWh/year
• CO₂ reduction: 2,242 tons/year (0.506 kg/kWh)
• Total solar cells: 9,048 panels installed
• The solar PV module covers 17,664 sqm on SIG Rayong plant’s roof.