Britvic, one of the largest companies in the world in the non-alcoholic beverage sector, announces the adoption of SIG’s PAC.TRUST solution for the digitisation of its laboratory analysis processes at its operations in the Brazilian states of Ceará and Minas Gerais. Britvic will adopt the Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and Digitalisation modules of the PAC.TRUST solution, enabling traceability of internal processes in minutes.
The solution is a tool to digitise monitoring and quality records at the three plants of the Britvic group in Brazil, located in Astolfo Dutra and Araguari (MG), as well as Aracati (CE). With PAC.TRUST in operation, Britvic strengthens and brings more agility to its quality control processes, eliminating the need to convert physical records to multiple spreadsheets, and providing more security to information within the respective plants. This digitisation minimises errors and deviations due to incorrect records caused by duplicate data entries. PAC.TRUST also allows Britvic to reduce the time in simulations and effective traceability actions, to simplify audits, and to bring even more reliability to all processes involved in the supply chain, reinforcing its commitment to product quality and its growth strategy.
SIG’s modularised PAC.TRUST solution helps SIG customers to have complete visibility of the production chain per package. For Britvic, SIG used two modules of the PAC.TRUST solution, LIMS and Digitalização (Digitisation). The solution was installed in 2022 and has already brought several benefits to the company, such as a 40 % reduction in quality data analysis time, an increase in the level of information security with data storage redundancy, a 75 % reduction in weekly record checking time and 8x faster traceability, providing a digital and integrated operation at corporate level.
PepsiCo, Inc. announced the establishment of the company’s first two Digital Hubs in North America and Europe, with plans to expand to more locations in the future. These Hubs, located in Dallas and Barcelona, are expected to create more than 500 new, high-caliber data and digital jobs over the next three years, bringing additional opportunity to the regions. By creating state-of-the-art spaces designed for real-time collaboration, the talent and capabilities housed in these Digital Hubs will drive PepsiCo’s digitalization agenda and create a strong, global digital delivery network.
As one of the first major consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to establish a robust Digital Hub in North America, the Dallas-based Hub will support the development of global solutions with a primary focus on meeting the needs of the company’s North America-based businesses: PepsiCo Foods North America and PepsiCo Beverages North America. The Hub in Barcelona will serve as a Center of Excellence for PepsiCo Global Digitalization priority programs. Together, the Hubs will accelerate the way PepsiCo develops, centralizes and deploys critical digital capabilities, such as near instant, holistic, predictive analytics and ecosystem engagement across our global operations.
“Our Digital Hubs will support PepsiCo’s efforts to be an even Faster, Stronger and Better Company,” said Athina Kanioura, Chief Strategy & Transformation Officer, PepsiCo. “By creating an agile and dedicated environment where innovation will thrive, our talent will have the opportunity to lead work that will reach global scale and have a significant impact for PepsiCo for many years to come.”
These capabilities move the company closer to a future vision where customers will have improved access to real-time sales and inventory data; consumers will benefit from consistent product availability at the right place, right time and right price; and employees will utilize predictive decision-making tools, giving them the ability to manage more complexity with enhanced efficiency.
From leveraging AI to ensure perfectly consistent Cheetos every time to optimizing water consumption and preventing leaks in manufacturing facilities, PepsiCo has been at the forefront of digital innovation across its global operations. PepsiCo’s Digital Hubs will greatly influence the way the organization reinvents planning, making, moving, selling and delivering products.
Kanioura added, “We strategically chose Barcelona and Dallas because they are truly innovative cities with topnotch talent, world-class education systems and fully-developed regional infrastructures. Coming into PepsiCo one year ago, I was extremely impressed with the caliber of existing data and digital talent within a CPG, and I’m excited to harness that power to grow our teams in North America and Europe.”
The global variety of organic food and natural and organic personal care products will be on show at BIOFACH, the World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food Products, and VIVANESS, the International Trade Fair for Natural and Organic Personal Care, between 17 and 19 February 2021. This time, however, instead of taking place in the exhibition halls in Nuremberg, the international class meeting for the sector will be held in purely digital form. A total of 1,443 exhibitors at the BIOFACH/VIVANESS eSPECIAL, 102 of them representing VIVANESS/ natural personal care products and services, will actively contribute to the format of the event by offering digital tasting sessions and product presentations, for example. Sector representatives can look forward to three days full of company and product presentations, knowledge sharing, matchmaking and networking. Of course, the BIOFACH and VIVANESS CONGRESS is an integral part of the eSPECIAL, and participants will be able to experience the digital New Products Stand with its product innovations and trends, in addition to many other highlights. Trends at BIOFACH this year: plant-based products, low- sugar and sugar-free products, functional food, sustainability and social responsibility; and those at VIVANESS: solid cosmetics, me time & comfort, safe beauty und circular beauty.
“In recent months we’ve been working hard on the BIOFACH/VIVANESS 2021 eSPECIAL, and are looking forward to these three days when all the participants will get to know our business platform and use it to interact, make new contacts, do business, and learn about the latest sector developments and trends,” comments Petra Wolf, Member of the Management Board of NürnbergMesse. “The organic food and natural and organic personal care community can look forward to a fascinating, top-quality digital event.”
More than 1,400 exhibitors on board
Among the total of 1,443 exhibitors, BIOFACH accounts for 1,341 and VIVANESS the remaining 102. The international make-up of the event is strong once again, at more than 75 %, with exhibitors this year representing 82 countries from every continent. The top countries by exhibitor numbers, after Germany (365), are Italy (176), France (70), the Netherlands (52), Spain (52), Belgium (48) and Austria (39).
The product areas of “milk substitutes” and “meat substitutes”, in particular, are strongly represented among the exhibitors at BIOFACH. Many exhibitors from the field of “frozen products”, especially fish and seafood, and also ice cream, have also registered. There is also a noticeable tendency for the sector to pay more and more attention to particular product characteristics such as “fair”, “regionally sourced”, “vegan” and “gluten and lactose-free”. One growth segment at VIVANESS is “decorative cosmetics”. Many exhibitors in the areas of “hair care”, “special cosmetics/care”, with particular reference to “shaving aids and beard care”, “chemist articles” and “contract manufacturing, packaging”, and the “oral and dental care” product group are also represented.
The 1,443 exhibitors also include the 15 exclusive partners to the BIOFACH/VIVANESS eSPECIAL: Biokreis e.V.; Bioland e.V.; Bio Austria, Consorzio il Biologico Soc.Coop.; Cultivator Natural Products Pvt. Ltd.; Demeter e.V.; dennree GmbH; GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation), Import Promotion Desk (IPD) and partners on behalf of the BMZ (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development); GLS Bank; Lebensbaum; Litfood – Lithuanian National Pavilion; Naturland Zeichen GmbH; Officina naturae S.R.L.; Ukrainian National Pavilion; Organic Ukraine Business Hub and Vietnam Organic Agriculture Association.
Inspiration and stimuli: New developments and trends, start-ups and awards
The digital version of the trade fair pairing of BIOFACH and VIVANESS will still include a New Products Stand. In total, almost 500 new products have been submitted by the various exhibitors, including about 350 new product developments in the organic foodstuffs field and 140 for natural and organic cosmetics. And once again, the items considered most exciting and most innovative by the participants will win the coveted Best New Product Award. In addition to the Best New Product Award, the “BioThesis” Organic Food Industry Research Award will also be presented. This is given to theses with an environmental and sustainable focus.
Based on the registered new products, the trend jury has once again developed a list of the current industry trends for the BIOFACH/VIVANESS 2021 eSPECIAL. The trends at BIOFACH this year are plant-based products, low-sugar and sugar-free products, functional food, and sustainability and social responsibility, while those for VIVANESS are waterless beauty/solid cosmetics, me time & comfort, safe beauty/healthbooster, and circular beauty/economy.
There will also be a Start-up-Area this year. The Startups@BIOFACH/VIVANESS will introduce themselves and their products in a number of brief sessions/10-minute pitches in the exhibitors’ forum.
Networking made easy
The objective of the BIOFACH/VIVANESS eSPECIAL is to make it as easy as possible to establish and nurture business contacts using a range of communication tools such as chats and video calls, which enable all participants to get in touch with each other or arrange appointments, quickly and without complications. A special highlight of the business platform is the integrated Matchmaking Tool, which uses a search and offer process to show participants the best matches, i.e. their ideal contacts.
Comprehensive and fascinating programme at the BIOFACH and VIVANESS Congress
All in all, the congress programme comprises 70 individual sessions spread across six forums (the BIOFACH Forum, specialist retail, sustainability, politics, science, and VIVANESS Congress) covering all aspects of trends, numbers, data and facts on the global market for organic food products and natural and organic cosmetics. Of course, there will also be presentations on top themes such as “packaged/unpackaged” and special sessions on all aspects of the main congress theme, “Shaping Transformation. Stronger. Together”. Among the other highlights will be the trend tours on the highlighted BIOFACH and VIVANESS trends. Interested parties can find the entire programme here:
The congress will be live-streamed, and will subsequently be available on demand for another six months or so, which means participants will not have to choose between two presentations or a customer appointment.
STADTLANDBIO Congress
In parallel with the BIOFACH/VIVANESS eSPECIAL, the STADTLANDBIO Congress 2021 will also be held in purely digital form on 18 February. Its focus is the EU’s “Farm-to-Fork” strategy, which represents a sustainable agricultural system for the EU to create greener and healthier foodstuffs. The aim is to increase the share represented by environmentally friendly agriculture in the EU to 25 % by 2030. Participants in the congress will discuss the opportunities and benefits the strategy offers at a city, community and district level, and also how better collaboration can be achieved at an EU and municipal level.
The congress is aimed at decision-makers and professionals in authorities, organizations and businesses. Interested parties can find the entire programme here: www.stadtlandbio.de/programm.
ADM Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of ADM (NYSE: ADM), announced its investment in Seventure’s Health For Life Capital (HFLC) Fund II. HFLC, based in Paris, is a leading venture capital fund dedicated to health, nutrition, microbiota and digital health.
“We view Seventure as the premier investor in microbiome startups focused on human health and nutrition, and since 2018, ADM has worked closely with the Seventure team to identify opportunities with microbiome solutions that can ultimately help with dietary supplements and food and beverage applications to serve as functional or proactive solutions,” said Darren Streiler, managing director of ADM Ventures. “We believe Seventure can help meet the long-term demand we see as the result of the convergence of food and pharmaceuticals and consumers looking more towards bioactives and nutrition for wellness solutions.”
The microbiome consists of trillions of micro-organisms that reside on or inside the human body. ADM’s primary interest is the vast, complex bacterial ecosystem that lives within the digestive tract and constitutes the majority of every individual’s unique microbiome.
“With a better understanding of how the microbiome ecosystem works, we can develop functional ingredients for dietary supplements and food and beverage solutions targeted to help improve overall health,” Streiler said. “We are focused on looking at new, innovative solutions that can lead to a more balanced bacterial system in your digestive tract, otherwise known as a healthy gut, and can help lead to better health.”
ADM is committed to discovering and leveraging nutritional ingredients that can be used for preventative health, as well as for treating common ailments or even chronic diseases in both humans and animals. The company’s new probiotics production facility in Valencia, Spain – which will significantly increase its post- and prebiotic production capacity – is planned to be online in 2022.
ADM is an established market leader for microbiome solutions, with an award-winning portfolio of products and ingredients, including NutraIngredients’ 2020 ‘Probiotic Product of the Year’, ADM’s Bio-Kult Migréa®; 2020 Ingredient of the Year in the Weight Management category, ADM’s Bifidobacterium lactis BPL1; and the 2020 Editor’s Award winner for Functional Food Innovation, ADM’s Bacillus subtilis PXN®21®, a live microbial strain shown to reduce the aggregation of α-synuclein, paving the way for future research in Parkinson’s disease.
Purpose built and designed with significantly more capacity, efficiency and data harvesting to drive growth
Treatt, an ingredients manufacturer and solutions provider to the global flavour, fragrance and consumer goods markets, has partnered with Siemens Digital Industries (DI) to build a world class digital manufacturing facility at its £41m new global headquarters.
Treatt’s purpose-built site in Bury St Edmunds replaces the existing complex in the town which has served as the company’s headquarters since 1971.
The new facility will bring together, under one roof, over 200 people in its science led distillation, manufacturing, logistics, technical and office-based functions in a once in a generation relocation upgrade to provide the scalable platform for further growth.
The factory will be controlled by Siemens SIMATIC PCS 7 system which will offer Treatt more data, flexibility, scalability, availability, safety, and security in its production process.
Crucially it will automate its entire production process, enabling Treatt to increase efficiency and productivity, consistency, reliability, throughput, and repeatability.
The new factory is built and designed to have significantly more operational capacity in an optimally designed production space.
Mark Higham, General Manager, Process Automation, Siemens DI, said, “It is important for us to work very closely with Treatt to ensure we deliver the best solutions for their new headquarters.”
Siemens SIMATIC PCS 7 distributed control system is a flexible and scalable platform which addresses the wide-ranging needs of the process industries. It has an open system architecture covering the entire production process ensuring the efficient interaction of all automation components in the factory.
Higham added, “Considering that Treatt is bringing all its functions of distillation, manufacturing and logistics operations under one roof then SIMATIC PCS 7 was a perfect fit.”
Some of the features of SIMATIC PCS 7 are its consistent approach to data management, the application of global standards, powerful and compact hardware and proven software libraries. These common features minimise the engineering overheads, reduce costs, shorten time to market and increase the flexibility of the plant.
Daemmon Reeve, Group CEO of Treatt said “As a science led innovator of ingredients designed to enable our customers to differentiate in the marketplace, we are excited to work with Siemens to drive a wide range of benefits into our world class manufacturing business.”
“Treatt sources a wide range of natural raw materials from supply partners around the world. As expected, nature provides variation in flavour profile from season to season and our job is to ensure consistency in the wide-ranging extracts we create for customers through complex distillation and extraction processes, so their beverages have the critical consistency in flavour profile.”
Treatt has a bespoke and dedicated analysis system which is now aligned and fully integrated with the Siemens SIMATIC PCS 7 system to capture the results and data for future use as the company drives into further areas of digitalisation for the business.
In addition, Siemens has won a three-year service contract to support the new production facility.
Bruce Sinclair, Engineering & Site Services Manager, Treatt commented “The three-year service support contract is necessary as our operations team will be reliant on the new control systems for increased and efficient productivity. It is essential for us that maintenance of the new systems remain at a high standard set by the suppliers of the technology for longevity and competence.”
Siemens has already begun providing support with upskilling Treatt’s employees to use the new systems and their instrumentation engineer has completed a two-week training course at a Siemens site.
“Moving to the new site will be beneficial for our operation and our customers will see very clearly how our science led, customer partnership model is transforming Treatt into a crucial partner for those customers wanting true authenticity in natural extracts to enable them to win, that is what motivates us” says Reeve.
Higham, added, “I am delighted that our projects team are partnering with Treatt to deliver this advanced control system which will provide the backbone for their production processes and support their digitalisation journey.
“With digitalisation, we help manufacturers become more agile, and provide tools for reducing operations costs whilst increasing efficiency and reducing time to market. In addition, our fully integrated safety and security concepts ascertain a safe production environment for employees and the facilities where they are deployed.”
Siemens has teamed up with a fully certified Process Instrumentation Approved Partner for the deployment of the full range of its instrumentation portfolio across all lines of production at the plant.
Jon Tayler, Director at Process Instrument Sales Ltd, commented: “Our strategy for Treatt was to provide a technically correct and commercially effective solution for the instrumentation requirements of the demanding process systems, whilst ensuring efficiencies, safe working practices and environmental criteria.
“Our long-standing relationship with Treatt, as their approved partner, meant that we are able to be an essential element of the Total Integrated Solution that Siemens promotes for seamless process control and monitoring, which is what the engineering team at Treatt have set out to achieve.”
As well as its UK operation Treatt has a manufacturing site in the USA and a sales office in China, with a network of agents throughout the world.
myBeviale.com, the digital dialogue platform for the beverage industry’s regular gathering, is now online. Whether you want to network, make new contacts, or exchange knowledge and ideas, you’ll be able to do all this and more on myBeviale.com all year round and free of charge, no matter where you are. As a complement to the Beviale Family, which also includes BrauBeviale, the new platform is open 365 days a year, allowing dialogue and knowledge-sharing during and beyond the trade fair as such. During the Launch Days from 10 to 12 November, myBeviale.com will also be the virtual venue for the programme originally planned for the BrauBeviale Special Edition. The three-day programme will feature around 100 live talks, presentations and sessions, and is set to attract beverage industry enthusiasts, experts and executives alike to the new platform.
The new digital dialogue platform makes it even easier to interact with members of the beverage community, find suitable specialists and work together to resolve challenges. All year round, myBeviale.com will offer information on the products and solutions of participating suppliers, virtual presentations, workshops and discussion panels, industry news and specialist publications by the various companies. One of the core elements of myBeviale.com is a targeted networking function that allows all participants in the platform to enter a dialogue with one another. Registration is free of charge.
Beverage expertise in five segments
The platform is subdivided into five different zones. Following registration, users will have access to all functions and content. In Products & Solutions, you can access a comprehensive database of solutions for the beverage industry, covering aspects like manufacturing, bottling, packaging or marketing. Using the filters provided, you can quickly locate the most relevant suppliers for your specific challenge. Then simply click to arrange an appointment. Under Companies, you will find extensive information on companies and organisations from the sector, including start-ups, associations and major players, as well as details of the respective contacts. Go to the Community zone to enjoy informal exchanges between colleagues, experts and other beverage industry professionals. Here too, it is easy to arrange to talk to interesting contacts at any time via chat or video call. Stories is the magazine section of myBeviale.com and brings together industry news, user reports, white papers and company news from the drinks manufacturing environment. Readers can browse through the articles and get information and inspiration. If you are looking for knowledge and interesting presentations, head for the Action Area, where all year round you can discover current and archived presentations or discussion panels. During the Launch Days from 10 to 12 November, the Action Area will offer a packed agenda. Six thematic streams within the extensive BrauBeviale@stage programme ensure knowledge transfer and lots of light bulb moments, (almost) as close as it gets to the on-site experience in Nuremberg.
Experience the trade fair forum programme at the myBeviale.com Launch Days
From 10 to 12 November 2020, the new myBeviale.com platform will play a rather special role as the virtual venue for the forum programme BrauBeviale@stage, which was originally planned for the on-site event in Nuremberg. The highlights from the scheduled on-site programme – presentations, discussions panels and award ceremonies – are now available on the digital dialogue platform, so that the entire beverage community can attend them virtually.
For example, you’ll be able to join in the celebrations at the award ceremony for the European Beer Star, one of the most prestigious beer competitions worldwide, as the winner will be announced live on the platform. And even in this year’s exceptional circumstances, visitors don’t have to miss out on the popular tastings of the latest beverage trends in the Craft Drinks Area, as selected specialities are available for home delivery. The matching explanations by a sommelier can then be accessed at any time on myBeviale.com, even when the Launch Days are over.
The presentations also cover a wide range of topics. Many items on the agenda focus on the issue of the future viability of the sector. Our event partners include Private Brauereien Bayern (Bavarian Association of Private Breweries), the honorary sponsor of BrauBeviale, VLB – the Berlin-based research and teaching institute for brewing, Doemens Academy, Bayern Design, BV-BFGH (Association of German Beverage Wholesalers), the World Packaging Organisation, BVE (Federation of German Food and Drink Industries), SGS Fresenius and many more.
Simply register for free now!
The complete programme for the Launch Days from 10 to 12 November 2020 is available at www.mybeviale.com. This is also where you can register and discover the functions, content and community of myBeviale.com.
In 2021 BIOFACH and VIVANESS will take place as a purely digital format. The World’s Leading Trade Fair for Organic Food and the International Trade Fair for Natural and Organic Personal Care will be held as a BIOFACH / VIVANESS eSpecial. In making this decision, organiser NürnbergMesse is responding to the altered circumstances of the dynamically evolving pandemic and its effects on the global organic food and natural and organic cosmetics community. At the same time, this move will allow secure planning for the entire globally connected sector. The dates for the BIOFACH / VIVANESS 2021 eSpecial are 17-19 February.
Petra Wolf, member of the NürnbergMesse management board, had this to say: “The numerous conversations and in-depth dialogue we have had in recent weeks and months have made one thing clear to us. Within the organic food and natural and organic cosmetics sector the desire for interaction, networking and knowledge transfer with experts, and to discover trends and innovations, remains huge and unabated, especially in these exceptional times. Even in this era of coronavirus, the entire sector is absolutely determined to come together to discuss the latest issues, even if only in the digital sphere. However, in the light of the pandemic and based on our ongoing dialogue with the community and a comprehensive survey of exhibitors and visitors, we trust that our decision to host a digital event will now enable all players from the sector to plan ahead in good time. I very much regret that the physical trade fair cannot take place and stress that this decision was an extremely difficult one for all of us. However, before we all meet again on site in Nuremberg in 2022, the BIOFACH / VIVANESS eSpecial will offer an ideal platform for professional dialogue in 2021.”
Exhibitor presentations – networking – congress
The BIOFACH / VIVANESS 2021 eSpecial provides a comprehensive range of innovative options such as corporate and product presentations, discussion and dialogue formats like round tables, and other formats for networking with industry experts. Sophisticated matchmaking functions that help interested parties to find the right exhibitors and vice versa are another integral part of the eSpecial format. BIOFACH and VIVANESS 2021 also offers the organic food and natural and organic cosmetics community extensive access to knowledge transfer at the BIOFACH and VIVANESS Congress, which has a global reach. The main congress theme in 2021 will be: Shaping Transformation. Stronger. Together.
Following extensive discussions and critical observation of the current situation, NürnbergMesse, in close cooperation with customers and partners, has decided not to hold the physical BrauBeviale 2020 Special Edition trade fair as planned and to move the program exclusively to the digital world. The reasons for this are the current national and global developments of the corona pandemic, the rapidly increasing number of infections, and the associated massive restrictions on business travel in companies. Exhibitors and visitors will be able to meet virtually all year round on the digital dialog platform myBeviale.com, where the extensive supporting program BrauBeviale@stage will be online from 10 – 12 November 2020. The next BrauBeviale will take place again in 2022 at Messe Nuremberg.
With BrauBeviale 2020 Special Edition, NürnbergMesse aimed to fulfil the beverage industry’s desire to finally meet and exchange ideas in person again. Numerous intensive discussions with exhibitors, partners, and visitors have led to this decision. In coordination with the responsible authorities, safety and hygiene protection concepts were developed to ensure smooth and safe participation in the trade fair for all. Right up to the end, the BrauBeviale Special Edition has received a lot of encouragement and support from the industry. “We had a lot of patience and would have maintained this patience until November – for our exhibitors, visitors, and partners. Unfortunately, the industry is now being deprived of the last opportunity for a physical meeting this year,” regrets Andrea Kalrait, Executive Director BrauBeviale at NürnbergMesse. “However, despite all our commitment, we obviously cannot close our eyes to the latest developments.
We owe this to our customers and partners. We were well prepared, but must be realistic about the current situation. In this respect, we are now continuing to work at full speed on our online offering and are delighted to unite the beverage industry virtually on our digital dialog platform myBeviale.com starting in November.”
The beverage industry meets digitally: myBeviale.com
Coming together, sharing knowledge, taking ideas with you: This is what exhibitors and visitors expect from BrauBeviale. In order to strengthen the dialog in the beverage industry, the digital dialog platform myBeviale.com will be launched in early November. A more comprehensive supporting program than ever before had already been planned for the physical event. BrauBeviale@stage, with six theme stages, will also be available online. Andrea Kalrait would like to thank all customers who have supported BrauBeviale, also as a Special Edition: “Strong partners in difficult times are irreplaceable. We are continuing to work together with equal commitment to provide the international beverage industry with a virtual and year-round platform. We look forward to seeing you again online and, at the latest, in 2022 again at Messe Nuremberg!”
Interpoma 2020, the international fair dedicated to the world of apples planned for the coming November in Bolzano will be presented in a new hybrid format, which will see events both in digital format and in physical presence. “Interpoma Connects 2020: Digital Days for the Apple Economy”, which is the name of the appointment, will take place 19 and 20 November, while the traditional physical exhibition will be moved to 2021. The decision was made by the Board of Directors of Fiera Bolzano after having conducted a survey among the international public and was of the opinion that the distinctive international character of Interpoma was therefore potentially compromised due to the present and future international travel restrictions.
Interpoma 2020 will be changing look and become “Interpoma Connects 2020: Digital Days for the Apple Economy”, two days of events and webinar. The new format which will replace the “traditional” fair the 19 and 20 coming November foresees the traditional international Congress “Interpoma Congress” available both online and in person, “Interpoma Future Hub”, a digital platform for the promotion of international start- and scaleups, and new events as “Interpoma Business Match”, a virtual matchmaking platform for companies and customers in collaboration with EEN (European Enterprise Network) and the Chamber of Commerce of Bolzano. The “traditional” fair, with the exhibits will be held next year, from 4 to 6 November 2021.
In the last few years Fiera Bolzano, along with the collaboration of customers and partners, has invested a great deal in the internationalization of Interpoma reaching during the 2018 edition, 20,000 visitors and 460 exhibitors from 74 and 24 countries worldwide. This is precisely what led to the decision of transforming the 2020 format and moving the “Classical” fair to 2021 so as not to compromise this important and essential component of internationalization of the event due to the many widespread international travel restrictions.
“Over the years we have done everything possible to give Interpoma an international aspect together with our partners and customers. At the end of the day this element is crucial. However, the international character of Interpoma is also essential in the world of apples where South Tyrol is a leader on the world market. Hence the decision for a new, internationally accessible digital format” – states Armin Hilpold, President of Fiera Bolzano.
“The Covid-crisis has proved that nothing can replace physical encounters when it comes to business relationships. However, it is in these particular times that our new concept hybrid event formats enable us to remain active in the international business community and to connect our exhibitors with their clients” – concludes Armin Hilpold.
The appointment therefore is online the 19 and 20 November 2020 with “Interpoma Connects 2020: Digital Days for the Apple Economy”, and, for those who wish also at Fiera Bolzano for “Interpoma Congress”.
The Digital trade fair for the fresh produce industry, a three-day event for professionals with B2B meetings and buyers from all over the world, will take place from 8 to 10 September 2020, hosted by the Natlive platform. An absolute novelty in the trade fair scene of the industry.
Macfrut 2020 goes Digital. From 8 to 10 September 2020, Italy’s international showcase for the fresh produce industry will offer business opportunities through a digital platform that will bring together buyers from all over the world, opening up new international markets for the sector. This innovative project makes Macfrut the first digital trade fair for the fruit and vegetable industry.
The uncertainty surrounding the current health emergency has made it difficult to organise the traditional trade fair, now in its 37th edition, in the usual way. Italy is striving to reaffirm its leading position in the sector, and this approach is in line with the current possibilities offered by state-of-the-art technology, which provides a unique opportunity for the fruit and vegetable sector.
Hence the launch of Macfrut Digital, a professional, simple and effective virtual trade fair for the fruit and vegetable sector, which will be fully online. This virtual event will not replace the physical one, but given the current situation it is intended to give all professionals involved the opportunity to do business in the global market. Thanks to this interactive platform, exhibitors will be able to interact with the buyers and sector professionals who will “participate” in this three-day virtual event.
How Macfrut Digital will take place
All visitors, from all across Italy and from all over the world, will be able to access and participate in this three-day virtual trade fair by using a personal device (PC, tablet or smartphone).
This system has three strengths: it is effective, since it allows participants to reach out to a large number of customers and markets directly from their workstation; it is simple, since it uses a platform that has been designed also for computer illiterate people; and it is inexpensive, free of charge for visitors and affordable for exhibitors.
But let’s go into detail. Macfrut Digital will consist of two areas: the Exhibition and the Forum. To log in, please register on macfrutdigital.com (registration is free of charge). Once logged in, visitors will be able to view an interactive map broken down by product sector and explore all the virtual “stands” to find out more about an exhibitor’s product range, request information, and hold and live stream B2B meetings.
There are plenty of advantages for exhibitors: an agenda of scheduled meetings with buyers and the opportunity to interact, also face-to-face with live streaming, with professionals from all over the world.
More than 500 buyers, invited by the organisers, will be selected in collaboration with the ICE-Agency (Italian Trade Agency), with which Macfrut has been working together with excellent results for many years through its well-established network of foreign sales agents.
Buyers and business meetings are therefore at the heart of Macfrut Digital. Moreover, the costs for exhibitors are rather low: a virtual stand costs from 1,000 euros (the package includes a video presentation, a multimedia brochure, B2B live streaming, and an agenda of meetings with buyers).
In addition to covering the business side, Macfrut Digital will host Technical Forums. The international trade fair for the fruit and vegetable sector has always been an event rich in content and technical insights on key topics in the industry. As part of this long-standing commitment, during these three days Macfrut Digital will host a series of live-streamed conferences, which can be viewed on the Natlive platform, after registering free of charge. The topics covered will include innovations in horticulture, innovations in the greenhouse sector, Acquacampus and innovations in irrigation, and the Biostimulant Forum. The platform will also be available to exhibitors for dedicated events.
Watch the interview with Renzo Piraccini, President of Macfrut, where he presents the Digital Trade Fair:
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Tetra Pak unveiled the food and beverage (F&B) industry’s first full-scale virtual marketplace. The new platform, created using Mirakl SaaS Marketplace solutions, will bring convenience and ease to the industry by making purchasing of products faster, more convenient and simpler for producers.
The collaboration is the first time Mirakl will work within the F&B sector, providing a service that will change how buyers and sellers operate. The marketplace will initially host more than 300,000 spare parts and consumables from Tetra Pak, adding an additional 200,000 products for maintenance, repair and operations from vetted sellers, providing customers with access to a large variety of products.
The launch dramatically expands what Tetra Pak offers to its customers. The marketplace, available 24/7, will host several vendors selling products within Safety & Security, Industrial Supplies, Cleaning Solutions and other vital areas for F&B production. The number and variety of products will continue to grow as more vendors join the marketplace.
About Mirakl Mirakl is powering the platform economy by providing the technology, expertise, and partner ecosystem needed to launch an eCommerce marketplace. With the Mirakl Marketplace Platform, both B2B and B2C businesses can offer more, learn more and sell more: increase the number of products available for buyers, grow the lifetime value of customers, and anticipate buyer needs and preferences.
BillerudKorsnäs invests in the area of recycling as it acquires a minority holding in the innovative company Recycl3R. The company has developed a digital solution to increase recycling rates of single use packaging. A product that can be used globally.
The investment is made by BillerudKorsnäs’ wholly owned subsidiary BillerudKorsnäs Venture AB, which invests in young and innovative companies with solutions that will influence the future for packaging.
Waste production is one of the largest environmental problems that society faces today, and solving it is a big challenge. In Europe alone we produce 240 million tons of waste, and only 44 % is recycled. BillerudKorsnäs shares our vision of solving this global challenge and is an excellent partner and investor for Recycl3R, says Ivan Gonzalez, environmental lawyer and Co-founder of Recycl3R.
Recycl3R builds a database with information about what packaging material different consumer products consist of. They also understand the different recycling regulations and requirements around the world. This knowledge is used to guide consumers to the nearest recycling station and help them recycle correctly. The solution also makes it possible for producers and distributors to give consumers incentive to recycle more with gamification and by connecting value such as deposits or loyalty points to the different packaging materials.
The team behind Recycl3R has a background in environmental consulting, and the system was developed partly within the European “TagitSmart” project. It has caught the interest of international retailers and brands with a mission to get more material back into recycling streams. Carrefour Spain has successfully implemented the solution and more customers and markets are in the pipeline.
Packaging recycling is an area that we believe will be increasingly important in order to solve the environmental challenges ahead. Sustainability and digitalization connected to packaging are strategic focus-areas for BillerudKorsnäs Venture, and Recyc3R presents a very interesting opportunity based on their combined expertise in both areas, says Martin Neselius, Venture Manager at BillerudKorsnäs Venture.
There are already steps taken towards more legislation and restrictions regarding single use products, and we believe this development will continue. There is still a lot of work to do in order to ensure that more packaging enters the recycling stream and is recycled into new products. Recycl3R’s product supports increased and cleaner recycling streams for this purpose”, says Martin Neselius.
2018 was a banner year for social commerce with the public listing of major players in the industry. In fact, social commerce has indeed assumed a crucial role in digital retailing as latest research from Mintel reveals that a whopping 87 % of urban Chinese consumers* have bought, sold or shared information on products or services through social commerce platforms.
Currently, preference for shopping via social commerce channels equals that of traditional ecommerce platforms (39 % vs 41 % respectively). Mintel research indicates an even more optimistic outlook for social commerce in the days ahead – as 45 % of Chinese consumers would like to use social commerce platforms more in the future, as compared to the 32 % who say the same of traditional ecommerce channels. In addition, over half (51 %) of China’s post-90s generation intend to use social commerce platforms more in the future; while just under a third (31 %) intend to shop on traditional ecommerce platforms.
Cici Wu, Research Analyst, Mintel China reports, said:
“Social commerce is playing a crucial role in the digital retailing industry, especially with the public listing of major players in the market in recent months. Essentially everyone in China is jumping on the social commerce bandwagon and showing great enthusiasm for the platforms by engaging in a variety of social commerce activities. Although more consumers today still prefer traditional ecommerce than social commerce channels, their expectations for the latter are more optimistic. Our research shows that consumers who are the future of China’s economy, specifically the post-90s generation, favour social commerce over traditional ecommerce platforms.”
Seizing the ‘He’ economy
Men appear particularly engaged in social commerce, a growing trend that brands in the space could play into. Indeed, Mintel research reveals that over half (52 %) of consumers who engage in selling activities on social media platforms are male, compared with 48 % of females.
Men demonstrate stronger purchase power in the categories of personal electronics (eg smartphones, gaming devices) (41 % male vs 25 % female), household appliances (eg rice cooker, vacuum machines) (34 % vs 28 %), health supplements (30 % vs 28 %) and virtual services (eg online course, financial services) (21 % vs 18 %).
Further showcasing the potential in tapping into the ‘He’ economy, Mintel research reveals that a sizable proportion of men are purchasing in categories that are traditionally female-led in terms of consumption; as many as three in five (61 %) male consumers purchase clothing, shoes and accessories from social commerce platforms, as compared to 68 % of female consumers. Meanwhile, 46 % of male consumers purchase household cleaning products, in comparison to 48 % of female consumers. When it comes to beauty items, over a third (35 %) of male consumers say that they buy beauty and personal care products, while 62 % of females say the same.
“Making profits from the pockets of women and kids is a business practice that many have left behind in recent years. A more free and fluid market has helped unlock the spending potential and consumption desires of male consumers. Men’s shopping carts are no longer filled with just electronics, sports or game gadgets, but also include beauty products, groceries and cleaning products—categories that have been traditionally consumed by women. To tap into the ‘He’ economy, brands need to understand the change in men’s consumption habits for further growth. They also need to show an unbiased attitude towards this change and, at the same time, bear in mind their concerns and desires as individuals as well as other roles they assume like a father or husband.” Cici continued.
Fashion and beauty embrace social commerce
According to Mintel research, clothing, shoes and accessories is the most consumed category via social commerce platforms with two-thirds (64 %) of social commerce consumers having purchased these products in the past year*. This is followed by beauty and personal care products (48 %), food and drink products (48 %), and household cleaning products (47 %).
“As two of the most dynamic categories in the social commerce world, the development of the fashion and beauty industries are being driven by fashion and beauty influencers, or KOLs (key opinion leaders). Some of these KOLs have teams who produce high quality content as well as facilitate collaborations between the KOL and the brand. However, as it is becoming expensive to collaborate with top-tier influencers, micro influencers who engage in social commerce activities to communicate with like-minded people may be the way to go.
“Collaborating with micro influencers could open up more possibilities for fashion and beauty brands to increase brand awareness and preference, particularly as their interests go beyond financial returns, and instead, are driven by their own passion. That said, rather than solely revolving around the use of KOLs, marketing strategies that are theme driven or carried out in coordination with other marketing approaches, will work to a brand’s advantage in the long run.” Cici concluded.
*3,000 internet users aged 20-49, October 2018
Cartons will become full-scale data carriers and digital tools
Tetra Pak announced the launch of its connected packaging platform, which will transform milk and juice cartons into interactive information channels, full-scale data carriers and digital tools.
Driven by the trends behind Industry 4.0, and with code generation, digital printing and data management at its core, the connected packaging platform will bring new benefits to food producers, retailers and shoppers.
For producers, the new packaging platform will offer end-to-end traceability to improve the production of the product, quality control and supply chain transparency. It will have the ability to track and trace the history or location of any product, making it possible to monitor for market performance and any potential issues.
For retailers, it will offer greater supply chain visibility and real-time insights, enabling distributors to track stock movements, be alerted when issues occur, and monitor for delivery performance.
For shoppers, it will mean the ability to access vast amounts of information such as where the product was made, the farm that the ingredients came from and where the package can be recycled.
Ivan Nesterenko, Vice President, Cross Portfolio at Tetra Pak said: “We are unlocking new opportunities for our customers to get more value from packaging than even before. No longer is it only about product protection and functionality, it is about connectivity. The future of packaging is undoubtedly digital: this launch is a step towards a truly intelligent package, and we are excited to collaborate with our customers on this journey.”
Tetra Pak has successfully completed pilots with its customers to test the new connected package and its performance in retail in Spain, Russia, China, the Dominican Republic and India, working with beverage, juice and milk producers. In Spain a customer increased their sales by 16% through the scan and win campaign.
SIG offers manufactures a new remote services solution to maximise filling line uptime
As part of its expanding Digital Service portfolio for customers, SIG has launched Remote Services, offering food and beverage manufacturers a smarter way to service their filling machines and to generate more filling line uptime.
Remote Services from SIG is a new digital service that can instantly connect a customer or service engineer to an SIG service expert from anywhere in the world. By using video-enabled smart glasses, SIG can provide a secure live-feed to an SIG expert who can guide users through solving any fault or issue.
SIG developed Remote Services in response to new customer challenges and demands. With the food and beverage industry facing higher competitive pressures, operational complexity and shorter production cycles, manufacturers can no longer afford long waiting times for support and the risk of downtime.
Remote Services ensures SIG’s customers receive fast response times, an improved first-time fix rate, more data insights and analysis, and ultimately more filling line uptime. In addition, Remote Services can help reduce costly travel times, expenses and CO2 emissions.
Remote Services is part of SIG’s value-adding Smart Factory platform – a commitment to deliver smarter filling line solutions and technical services that help transform customer filling plants into intelligent and connected factories.
As part of the Remote Services solution, SIG smart glasses provide a live-feed from the customer plant to an SIG Remote Services expert. This remote service creates a secure data connection and enables the SIG expert to see exactly what the onsite customer or service engineer sees. The Remote Services expert can then send detailed instructions or technical drawings and guide them through resolving the issue. At the same time, the Remote Services expert can identify any parts that need replacing and order them for fast delivery and repair.
