Fi Global’s in-person events and digital platforms will bring together over 250,000 ingredient buyers and suppliers throughout 2022
This year, Fi Global will once again be taking centre stage to bring together international ingredient buyers and suppliers, and connecting the food and beverage community through a series of online and in-person events.
During the year, there will be 11 live events throughout the Americas, Asia and EMEA, and all featuring exhibitors from around the world. These events will cover the industry’s hottest topics, including the ever-growing global trend for plant-based products. Hi and Fi China, for example, is set to launch a plant-based Expo, and Fi Asia is shining the spotlight on plant-based ingredients with a sensory tasting bar and start-up competition, along with other meat-alternative initiatives and opportunities.
Meanwhile, Fi & Hi Europe will once again take place as a digitally enabled event this year. The online show will be delivered in conjunction with the in-person event, offering attendees the best of both worlds, and numerous opportunities to source, connect and innovate. The in-person event will be held for the first time at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in the city centre of Paris. This impressive venue is within walking distance of many hotels, restaurants and bars – bringing back a touch of Parisian panache and making the event more convenient than ever before.
Deep dive webinar series
In terms of online content, this year’s new Fi Webinar Series focusses on increasingly popular market segments, from Protein, Dairy & Dairy Alternatives, to Snacks & Bakery, Plant-based and Beverages. These free sessions are complemented by Fi Global Insights, a digital platform hosting new and exciting content, from latest trends and insights, to industry reports, interviews with thought leaders and much more.
Another key feature of the Fi Global portfolio is its marketplace solution, Ingredients Network – the leading food ingredients marketplace and directory in the global food ingredients industry, where F&B buyers can find suppliers and do business online.
The Fi Global portfolio is supported by global partners including Innova Market Insights, Mintel and FMCG Gurus, all of whom have unrivalled industry expertise and analysis, and their finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to current and future trends.
Marketing services
Fi Global’s marketing services help ingredients suppliers boost their online performance though effective digital marketing solutions with measurable ROI. They help suppliers of food ingredients to reach their specific business objectives such as lead generation, brand awareness and thought leadership, through specific tailor-made digital solutions.
“More than ever before, the Fi Global portfolio connects the ingredient industry through a number of physical and online offerings, with supporting digital platforms and solutions,” says Julien Bonvallet, Fi Global Brand Director. “All of our offerings allow buyers and sellers of food ingredients to come together to connect, learn and do better business. We believe that close cooperation within the global food ingredients community has the power to positively impact wellbeing, health and the environment.”
Across all age groups, strawberry consistently ranks among the top fruits consumed around the world. It forms an ubiquitous ingredient in applications ranging from beverages, baked goods, cereals, confections, dairy foods, and plant-based products to consumer health products for sports nutrition and dietary supplementation. To help meet this demand, Symrise has developed a broad diana food™ portfolio of strawberry ingredients that includes powders, flakes, crunchies, and crunch’flakes.
To reliably deliver such a broad portfolio of high-quality strawberry ingredients, Symrise has built a worldwide network of sourcing capabilities. Today, the company responsibly sources strawberries from Chile, Morocco, Spain, and Italy. This global strategy enables Symrise to provide a broad range of strawberry ingredients meeting different features whether it relates to competitiveness, a specific quality such as Baby Food, a specific certification such as organic, a composition up to 100% from fruit or diverse organoleptic properties. It also ensures a reliable supply chain all year long. Our long-term relationships with farmers, supported by regular visits and audits from our in-house agronomists, guarantee the high quality of the selected fruit, the full traceability of agricultural practices, and the ability to supply certified ingredients that meet the client’s specific needs.
According to Aurélie Pellé, Global Fruit Product Line Director at Naturals Business Unit, Symrise Food & Beverage: “As a customer-driven organization, we offer the ideal solution with year-round availability whatever application and product form requirement our customers may address.”
To assist global customers in choosing the most appropriate strawberry reference for their application needs, Symrise has created a new product brochure for the diana food™ portfolio specifically designed to guide them through the company’s comprehensive strawberry offerings. With this resource, customers’ product development teams can more easily identify the strawberry ingredient that best suits their functional and sensorial requirements.
Arla Foods Ingredients’ Novel food application for its BLG (Beta-lactoglobulin) ingredient, Lacprodan® BLG-100, has received a positive EFSA opinion.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published an opinion that BLG is safe and suitable for use in food products in the EU. It has submitted its findings to the European Commission, which is expected to grant final authorisation later in the year.
When this process is complete, Lacprodan® BLG-100 will become Arla Foods Ingredients’ first product approved under the new Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. It will be able to be used in categories including sports nutrition,health foods, and foods for special medical purposes.
In October 2021 Arla Foods Ingredients became the first supplier with the capacity for commercial production of pure BLG. Lacprodan® BLG-100 contains 45 % more leucine than commercially available whey protein isolates.1 This, coupled with its palatability, makes it an ideal solution for medical nutrition applications, where it can help minimise the loss of muscle mass and maintain mobility.
Lacprodan® BLG-100 also provides 26 % more essential amino acids and 40 % more branched-chain amino acids than commercially available whey protein. This opens up new opportunities in sports nutrition applications, in particular clear ready-to-drink beverages and powder shakes.
Niels Østergaard, Vice President, Innovation at Arla Foods Ingredients,said: “BLG is unique – in fact it’s basically a whole new protein category. Its combination of purity, amazing nutritional quality and appealing taste will create a world of new opportunities in medical and sports nutrition. We’re delighted by this decision, and proud to have led the way in the development of a game-changing new ingredient.”
1Gorissen et al 2018
Fooditive, a pioneer in developing plant-based ingredients, is gearing up for a game-changer in the industry: a Novel Food licence from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for its sweetener. The Dutch company has developed from a concept to a company worth of 26 million euros in 2022 and is making significant progress. Founded on the belief that sustainability is more than a trend, Fooditive provides innovative and natural ingredients to food and beverage manufacturers.
The company’s unique process allows them to develop a remarkable sweetener, made from side streams of apples and pears. The production process has been enhanced and evolved from batch to continuous fermentation, to be able to deliver on the high demand from the food industry by producing up to 30 tonnes of sweetener per week. For this purpose, 83 tonnes of apples and pears are being upcycled, raw material that is considered as side streams, third-grade by juice manufacturers or simply the “ugly fruit”.
The sweetener – the first of Fooditive’s cutting-edge products – sparked a sugar-free, plant-based revolution. The company hopes to make a ground-breaking step towards establishing the sweetener in the market by forming a successful collaboration with a production partner in the Netherlands.
Fooditive has already been offering the sweetener for research and development purposes to players in the food industry to determine which applications their sweetener performs best in. After three years’ worth of learning and development, feedback, and support from the food industry, the company will submit the sweetener as 5-D-Keto-Fructose in the process of applying for Novel Food certification from the European Food Safety Authority.
Global competitor
Following the recent study by ReportLinker, Fooditive is the only start-up and Dutch company that is considered as one of the global competitors for food sweeteners in the industry competing alongside with several of the leading ingredient market vendors. Fooditive provides an innovative sweetener to companies, for different product applications where it can deliver not only the sweet taste but also the functions of sugar.
The sweetener is developed from the extraction of fructose through fermentation and its conversion to 5-D-Keto-Fructose through bio-refining techniques. Fooditive has accomplished this through its innovative approach to offer solutions by valorizing side-streams and starting from different raw materials, including cherries and bananas, to transform them into valuable, healthy ingredients.
Exciting journey
The Fooditive team is aware that the road ahead will be long and challenging. However, they know that completing its goal of securing EFSA approval for such a unique ingredient comes with a slew of benefits. Investors, venture capitalists, food attorneys, and consultants are invited to join the company’s journey on this effort to deliver this game-changer to the market.
One of the circular economy agriculture leaders Alvinesa Natural Ingredients has announced the acquisition of Cades Penedes, a leading Catalonian manufacturer of grape-derived sustainable ingredients. The company is based in Penedes, one of Spain’s best wine-producing regions and among the most ancient viticultural areas in Europe.
Alvinesa Natural Ingredients upcycles and transforms plant-based coproducts into valuable natural ingredients that promote healthy living. Alvinesa sells an extensive range of natural ingredients made from wine grape pomace for use in the food, beverage, nutrition, animal nutrition and wine-making industries. The acquisition of Cades Penedes provides Alvinesa access to an excellent source of grape-based raw material that is organic produced and contains higher than average levels of polyphenols (micronutrients with antioxidant activity). These ingredient characteristics are in high demand from dietary supplement, food and beverage consumer product-makers.
Alvinesa controls a sustainable, traceable, and waste prevention supply chain. Cades Penedes will provide important supply chain diversification for Alvinesa, complementing the grape coproducts currently sourced from Spain’s abundant Castilla-La Mancha wine region. With its excellent “terroir” and conducive climate, the Penedes region produces wine grapes of outstanding quality that require little to no use of pesticides. Penedes is better-known for its Cava (sparkling wine) production and while white grape varieties predominate, the region also produces some highly regarded oak-aged red wines. Cades Penedes has supply agreements with bodegas (wineries) across the region, and its manufacturing facility will increase Alvinesa’s production capacity by up to 20 %. This will reinforce Alvinesa’s industry-leading ability to scale production to meet the growth requirements of customers.
Oterra, one of the world’s leading suppliers of natural colours, with one of the widest portfolios in the industry, announced the launch of the industry’s best natural alternative to Red40/Allura Red for beverage – Hansen Sweet Potato FruitMax® Red 116 WS.
In 2019, Oterra, at that time known as Chr. Hansen Natural Colors, launched its Hansen Sweet Potato™ range. The result of nearly a decade of ground-breaking research and development, the range quickly became an award-winning industry favourite, scooping up prizes in three continents: Europe, North America, and South America. The new vegetable variety was an instant hit for its stable, vibrant, and natural red alternative.
Driven by innovation and the desire to provide exceptional solutions for the industry, Oterra’s scientists went back to work after launching the original range to develop the next must-have solution for the beverage market. The result, FruitMax® Red 116 WS, is designed specifically for beverage manufacturers. It addresses the high complexity this industry faces when using anthocyanins, including fortification, high water-activity, carbonisation, off-flavour, and colour stability.
FruitMax® Red 116 WS provides manufacturers with a unique clean label, minimally processed, and GMO-free fire-engine red shade for beverage, making it the industry’s best natural alternative to RED40 or Allura Red.
FruitMax® Red 116 WS is recommended for alcoholic beverages, carbonated soft drinks, cordials, energy drinks, juice-based drinks and near waters.
Tate & Lyle expands partnership into Greece, Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia
Tate & Lyle PLC, one of the leading global providers of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, is expanding its successful partnership with distributor Azelis in Europe into three new countries, Greece, Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia, from early 2022.
This means Azelis will now be the distributor of Tate & Lyle’s broad portfolio of ingredients and solutions, including its PROMITOR® Soluble Fibres, CLARIA® Clean Label Starches and Stevia sweeteners, to customers in 17 countries.
Azelis is already Tate & Lyle’s biggest distribution partner in Europe and have worked together since 2003. The strengthening of this partnership will allow Tate & Lyle’s customers in Greece, Bulgaria and North Macedonia to benefit from Azelis’ extensive capabilities in solution selling, application and technical services, as well as their market knowledge and supply chain excellence.
Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe: 3 days live, 2 weeks online, 710 exhibitors and 115 content sessions
Three days of Fi Europe, co-located with Hi Europe in Frankfurt, proved that for many professionals, face-to-face trade shows are still the unrivalled networking format. Amidst challenging circumstances, participants from a wide range of countries attended the world’s leading food and beverage ingredients show to discover industry innovations and meet customers and partners. Those who were unable to attend in-person had the opportunity to connect, network and watch all content sessions online.
Thanks to the Informa AllSecure Health & Safety Standard, Fi and Hi Europe serves as a prototype for successful and safe in-person events at the Messe Frankfurt.
On the exhibitor side, 710 companies from all over the world were present. More than 10,600 products were showcased at the booths spread across three exhibition halls, and on the online platform. The fact that Fi and Hi Europe is the central hub of the ingredients industry worldwide, was demonstrated by the international spectrum of attendees on site: professionals from 106 countries attended the in-person event. In total, more than 13,000 attendees participated online and in-person.
Julien Bonvallet, Fi Europe Brand Director, says: “I am happy that despite the travel restrictions, we saw high quality visitors at the event. 73 per cent had budget responsibility, and more than 36 per cent were in top management (C-level). By the end of the second day, 67 % of the 2022 floorplan for Fi & Hi Europe in Paris was booked – confirmation of just how much companies trust and value the event.”
Highlights of the three-day trade show included the live presentation of the Fi Europe Innovation Awards and the Startup Innovation Challenge, the New Product Zone, in partnership with Innova Market Insights, and a broad programme of presentations and trend analyses streamed live. The show was supported by an online platform that will remain open until 31 December 2021, allowing visitors to network and learn more about the latest industry highlights.
“The future of events is definitely hybrid. Thanks to the online element of Fi Europe, we were able to reach even more leads this year,” says Natalie Meijers, Marketing Communications Manager at FrieslandCampina Ingredients. Monique Hartog, Brand & Marketing Manager at Bunge Loders Croklaan, adds: “A packed booth, many good talks and one shiny Innovation Award! It was a great show for us.” Bart Piscaer, Senior Account Manager, Avebe, commented: “I’m very happy that the show is taking place in person because it’s still very valuable to meet people face to face.”
At Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe, the Informa AllSecure Health & Safety Standard again proved its value. Julien Bonvallet: “With 2G and our AllSecure Standard’s 10-point set of measures, we laid the groundwork for attendees to participate with confidence. During many conversations with customers and visitors on-site, I received confirmation that they felt safe and comfortable conducting face-to-face business.” Michael Biwer, Vice President Guest Events at Messe Frankfurt, adds: “Under the 2G rule, visitors were able to engage in a productive exchange about the latest topics in the food industry in a safe, controlled environment.”
Next year, Fi Europe, again co-located with Hi Europe, will be digitally smarter and offer even more on-site opportunities. The show will take place at Porte de Versailles in Paris, a new venue for the event that was chosen by the Fi Europe team as a result of feedback received by clients and partners. This location is both central and easily accessible, and also allows visitors the opportunity to enjoy the delights of Paris, and all it has to offer. The online version will start on 28 November 2022, while the in-person event will open its doors from 6 to 8 December 2022.
The world’s leading trade show for food ingredients will open its doors to vaccinated and recovered attendees
Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe, which will be held in-person in Frankfurt from November 30 to December 2, will implement the so-called 2G rule to ensure maximum levels of safety for all. Additionally, the Informa AllSecure Health & Safety Standard promises full hygiene and protection in the exhibition halls thanks to a comprehensive number of measures. This means that attendees can network and learn all about the latest food and beverage industry innovations under optimal conditions.
The 2G rule requires attendees to provide a digital EU-approved COVID certificate proving that they are fully vaccinated, or have recovered from COVID-19 within the last six months.
Formnext, the first trade show held under 2G at the Messe Frankfurt venue, took place a few days ago with highly satisfactory results. Wolfgang Marzin, President & CEO of Messe Frankfurt, said: “It is fantastic to have tradeshows taking place again and for us it is important, and encouraging, to see that the 2G protocol works. Spirits are high, attendees feel safe and seem to really take full advantage of what the show has to offer. We are also seeing an increased proportion of decision-makers attending, something I have heard other event organisers are also experiencing.”
For trade fair organizer Informa Markets, it is clear that 2G in combination with high security standards will prove invaluable. Julien Bonvallet, Brand Director at Informa Markets, comments: “To have our attendees feel safe and comfortable while doing business has been a top priority for us at Informa in the last few months. Thanks to the Informa AllSecure Standards, we have recently run a lot of successful events where we saw confidence scores above 96 %.Given the current situation, it was important to make the event even safer and we have therefore opted for the 2G option last week. Meanwhile, the state of Hesse proclaimed the 2G rule as mandatory. We’re incredibly pleased to be back in Frankfurt, and I am confident that this year’s event will once again be all about business, inspiration and, of course, plenty of highly anticipated face-to-face networking.”
IFF announced today that the Company invested a total of USD 87 million in their newly extended flavors manufacturing facility in Karawang, Indonesia during the site’s virtual opening. The facility, located in Karawang International Industrial City, first started operations in 2015 to address the fast-growing demand for flavour technology in the region. Today, as IFF’s largest manufacturing facility in Greater Asia, Karawang houses full manufacturing capabilities, from liquid compounds to powder, emulsions, and spray dry technology, warehousing and quality control.
The newly extended 12,800m2 state-of-the-art facility is equipped with modern infrastructure and technology to ensure efficiency, safety, quality, and traceability. In line with the Company’s dedication to drive sustainability, the site initiatives range from zero waste to landfill, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water, and hazardous waste. The expansion and increased capacity services customers in South East Asia and North Asia. This investment is consistent with IFF’s strategy to capture the growth potential of emerging markets in Asia.
The traditionally popular flavours of cola, lemon-lime and pepper saw a combined 4.3 % volume decrease in 2020, according to GlobalData. While these flavours will remain dominant, one of the leading data and analytics companies says that leading drinks brands are making room to experiment with unique, limited-time-only flavours that entice a young generation that is fuelled by a fear of missing out (FOMO).
George Shaw, Beverages Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “These shock factor, experimental beverages tug on the ‘FOMO’ strings – especially when a lot of buzz is generated across different social platforms. Capturing the attention of online influencers is key as they could share the ‘crazy concoctions’ to their social feeds. Further, curiosity is a powerful drive. According to GlobalData’s Q2 2021 consumer survey, around a third* of US consumers purchase new varieties of soft drinks out of curiosity.”
GlobalData notes that some of the more unusual ingredients that have grown in popularity in the past year include floral flavours, such as rose, violet and elderflower*. Further, the analytics company expects to see brands experiment with spice flavours in the coming colder months. Coca Cola cinnamon is an example of an industry leading company experimenting with unusual ingredients, which sets a good example for other companies to follow suit.
Soft drinks flavours were taken to a new level in August, with PepsiCo’s release of its ‘Flamin Hot Mountain Dew’. The company released the teen gamer’s ‘dream drink’*as it combined the Cheetos flamin hot flavour with energy drink. The product* was released through its online store and used twitter to promote.
Shaw continues: “Flamin Hot Mountain Dew was both a limited edition, as well as limited to two six-can cases per order – creating an air of exclusivity and leveraging FOMO.”
This is not the first time PepsiCo has experimented with ‘unusual’ flavours.
PepsiCo’s collaboration with Peeps in March saw it release a marshmallow soda, which was only available to participants that shared a tweet enjoying springtime activities – tagging Pepsi and using a hashtag. Rather than being a catalyst for sales, this was a fun promotional campaign wherein PepsiCo increased consumer and brand interaction.
Shaw adds: “People spend a lot on fizzy drinks – as admitted by 34 %* of US consumers in GlobalData’s survey. Successful collaborations and innovations from PepsiCo will pave the way for the continuation of innovative flavours across the soft drinks landscape in the future.”
*GlobalData’s Consumer Survey Results – Q2 21 US. 35 % of ‘Often’ and ‘Sometimes’ responses combined **GlobalData’s 2021 Global Consumer Survey – Ingredients & Flavours
Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of food and beverage solutions and ingredients, announced the appointment of William Magee as President, North America, Food & Beverage Solutions, and as a member of Tate & Lyle’s Executive Committee, with effect from 1 October 2021.
William Magee joined Tate & Lyle in April 2018 as Commercial Vice President, North America, Food & Beverage Solutions, before being promoted to Senior Vice President and General Manager, North America, Food & Beverage Solutions later that year. In these positions, he has been instrumental in leading the Company’s growth transformation in the region over the last three years. Prior to joining Tate & Lyle, Bill held senior leadership roles with Rohm & Haas, H.B Fuller and Michelman.
Diana Food (part of the Symrise Group), a leader in natural ingredients for Food & Beverages, announces that the company has organized and instituted on June 24 a new training session specifically for farmers located in the French Alps who supply fruits for baby food.
The program, which focuses on best practices for soil biodiversity, is designed to improve the quality and yield of the key crops used in baby foods.
Many farmers follow traditional agronomy practices passed down from previous generations, with limited awareness of how a deeper understanding of the nature of their soil can improve output. With this training, Diana Food agronomists are able to show farmers the role soil plays in producing fruits and vegetables that capture all the inherent goodness of their terroir. By combining this new technical knowledge with the farmers’ traditional methods, yield quality is very high.
According to Aurélie Pellé, Global Fruit Product Line Director at Diana Food, “Consumers are looking for products for their babies that are as close as possible to homemade. They want baby foods that are natural, clean, and simple with no added flavours, colours, or preservatives. This is why agronomy is so important to the category. Growing the best, cleanest fruits and vegetables allows minimal processing and an end product that is very close to what nature intended.”
Diana Food offers a large range of baby food ingredients that support the specific nutritional needs of children in the age groups of 6 months to 3 years, beginning with the introduction of solid foods into the diet. Fruit product streams include banana, apple, and strawberry; vegetable streams include carrot, tomato, and spinach. Diana Food production sites are FSC 22000 certified, which enables the company to provide ingredients that meet the health and safety standards this category demands: very low levels of contaminants, low microbiology levels, and low levels of chemical contaminants and foreign bodies.
Consumer demand for organic ingredients is extremely high in the baby food category, with organic products more prevalent in the market than any other category. The Diana Food Baby Food portfolio meets this demand, with organic certification compliant with the European, American and Chinese markets.
Excellence in agronomy is at the foundation of Diana Food’s value proposition. Thanks to the company’s historical know-how, expertise and global network of agronomic experts, Diana Food is able to select the best varieties and the best growing conditions in order to maximize the potential of the species. With proximity to farmers and producers, Diana Food agronomists are fully involved in the cultivation cycle, guaranteeing traceability, transparency, and sustainability of agricultural practices. This expertise and experience from farm to fark makes Diana Food a trusted partner for developing wining solutions for Baby Food manufacturers.
Expanding its global distribution presence, Prinova Group LLC, a NAGASE Group Company, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire industry expert The Ingredient House, LLC (“TIH”). TIH has a significant presence in the sweetener, polyol and specialty ingredient sectors both in the U.S. and internationally. This purchase represents another stride forward in Prinova’s long history of growth in the ingredient distribution space.
Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, The Ingredient House is a quality-focused supplier of ingredients to the global food and beverage industry. TIH has experienced substantial growth since its inception through strategic partnerships with global branded customers and offshore manufacturers. Key to TIH’s success is its implementation of and adherence to improved quality standards to consistently deliver the global supply chain needs of its food and beverage customers.
Headquartered Carol Stream, IL and privately owned for 40 years, Prinova was acquired by Nagase & Co., Ltd., based in Tokyo, in 2019. Since then, Prinova has experienced substantial growth in flavour manufacturing, premix manufacturing, and its flagship ingredient distribution offering. This acquisition is an opportunity for Prinova to further leverage industry relationships and integrate The Ingredient House’s unique supply chain advantages into its existing business.
About The Ingredient House, LLC Founded in 2006, The Ingredient House, LLC is a global supplier of high-quality polyols, high intensity sweeteners, and other specialty ingredients for the food & beverage industry. Utilizing a unique, solutions-oriented business model, TIH is a trusted strategic sales, marketing, and quality partner to its global ingredient manufacturing relationships and world-class customer base. TIH has earned a reputation for its ability to deliver creative solutions to supply chain challenges while offering best-in-class quality and customer service.
About Prinova Group LLC and Nagase & Co. Ltd. Headquartered Carol Stream, IL, Prinova has been providing high-quality ingredients, flavors, nutrient premixes, and value-added solutions to the food, beverage and nutrition industries for over 40 years. As a world-leading distributor of functional ingredients, Prinova utilizes a global network to help its customers gain the strategic advantage they need to drive their business forward. Prinova was acquired by Nagase & Co., Ltd. (“Nagase”) in 2019. Founded in 1832, Nagase offers global trading services of chemicals, plastics, electronics materials, cosmetics, and food ingredients. With more than 100 Group companies in 30 countries and regions, Nagase offers unique values to customers by combining group functions of manufacturing, processing, and R&D.
Geneva, Vitafoods Expo 5 – 7 October 2021, booth J291: Allmicroalgae will introduce its portfolio of nutrient-rich, sustainable and vegan-friendly microalgae ingredients
At Vitafoods Expo, Allmicroalgae will showcase its new organic ‘spirulina’ range. Derived from the microalgae Arthrospira platensis, the sun- or spray-dried ingredients are available in paste, powder, nibs and flakes format. They are rich in protein and dietary fibre, and contain all the essential amino acids, as well as antioxidant phycocyanin, iron, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. The combination of valuable plant proteins, iron and vitamin B12 make spirulina-based ingredients a perfect fit for vegan food and supplement concepts, supporting a balanced, plant-based diet. Thanks to their mild flavour, they can easily be incorporated into a wide variety of food and drink products, such as baked goods, pasta, juices, smoothies and fermented beverages. The nibs are a perfect topping for ice cream, yogurt, salad and cheese. Visitors to the booth can learn about the complete range of microalgae-based ingredients, including the organic autotrophic Chlorella vulgaris and the organoleptically improved heterotrophic Smooth, Yellow and White Chlorella vulgaris, all of which combine sustainable processing with a full nutritional load.
According to Allied Market Research, the growing global spirulina market is predicted to reach nearly 900 m USD by 2027, with a CAGR of 10.5 percent (2020-2027).1 Recognising this development, Allmicroalgae has installed a production line for spirulina ingredients and plans to further extend annual production capacity from 4 – 6 tons to 20 tons in 2022, with the addition of two more raceways. Joana Laranjeira Silva, Plant and R&D Manager at Allmicroalgae, says: “Spirulina has a long history, with proven evidence that the Aztecs consumed the microalgae. With its unique nutritional profile and low-resource cultivation, this ancient superfood is an innovative solution to the modern-day challenge of making our diets more sustainable while maintaining a nutritional profile that contains all of the required nutrients.”
At its production site in Leiria, spirulina ingredients are processed combining an artisanal approach with state-of-the-art technology, and can be manufactured according to EU organic standards (PT-BIO-03 EU Agriculture certificate). The company is the first supplier to make the microalgae widely available as a paste. This form is the result of a concentration step that allows the formation of a spirulina cake, which is the final base for the conventional ingredients in the form of powder and nibs. The advantage of the paste format is minimal processing, unique freshness and a natural texture. It offers advantages for the production of refrigerated and frozen food, such as dairy fermented products, juices, ice cream and sauces.
For the production of powders and nibs, the company is investing in gentle solar drying to maintain the valuable nutritional profile, and its bioactive properties. The latter are related to anti-fatigue effects and support type 2 diabetes treatments, anaemia, pulmonary diseases, muscle and skeletal health. In children, an improvement of fine motor skills, concentration and cognition can also be expected.
Increasing demand for microalgae
With the alternative protein market sky-rocketing, Allmicroalgae has been continuously expanding its capacities and is equipped to achieve a potential annual output of around 100 tons of dried biomass. Its production system covers more than 2,000 cubic metres, 1,300 of which house photobioreactors and fermenters. A further 700 cubic metres of covered raceways were recently installed for the production of spirulina.
Having become a European leader in Organic Chlorella vulgaris production, visitors to the Allmicroalgae booth (J291) discover more about their Organic Chlorella range as well as its innovative light-coloured Chlorella ingredients (White, Smooth and Yellow Chlorella vulgaris) with improved organoleptic profile. These ingredients are available as paste and powder. The company also offers capsules and tablets and in this field a real USP: By reverting to organic carriers and excipients, 100 % organic products can come to life when using Organic Chlorella vulgaris.
All the ingredients are classified as food by EFSA and FDA, and are produced in line with Halal, Kosher and GMP requirements. Furthermore, they are free from gluten, lactose, nuts, additives, soy and GMO, perchlorates and pathogenic flora such as Bacillus cereus, and processed without the use of fertilisers, pesticides and irradiation.
The non-alcoholic drinks sector recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.9 %* between 2015 and 2020. Producers have seen a challenging landscape in recent years, battling rising costs, sugar taxes, packaging legislations and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in global efforts to reduce calorie and sugar content in product ranges, as well as develop ‘novel’ flavors, to attract consumer attention, writes GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Holly Inglis, Beverages Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Beverage flavors are arguably the most important factor in determining consumer purchasing decisions, with 29 %** of global consumers stating they would happily try a new drink flavor out of simple curiosity. This highlights huge incentive for producers such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Unilever and PepsiCo to launch new product developments – and reinforces soft drinks as a fast paced, innovative industry.”
Inglis highlights the top five flavor launches in 2021 so far that are shaping the global soft drinks landscape:
Going ‘green’ with hemp and CBD
“Hemp and CBD infused drinks are continuing to garner interest, with products such as Trader Joe’s non-dairy hemp beverage in the US and Sonnenstar hemp juice shot in Austria. While hemp and CBD are positively received by a third and fifth of global consumers respectively, GlobalData’s survey indicates that a considerable portion are still unfamiliar with the ingredients – producers must address this to ensure the longevity of their hemp- or CBD-infused launches.”
Mango, let’s go
“Mango flavored drinks have emerged in Romania and Singapore, though a flurry of innovations with flavor combinations that incorporate mango have been observed in the US, UK and France. In the US, PepsiCo’s Bubly Bounce product tags no calories or sweeteners and is a carbonated water brand combining grapefruit, mango orange and passionfruit aromas.”
Isn’t that just peachy
“Peach-based products such as Lipton’s peach tea with honey, and Badoit’s peach flavored sparkling flavored water in France both tag either low calorie or low sugar bases, reinforcing positive brand connotations, and favorable views on peach as a flavor base.”
Ginger spice and everything nice
“Ginger, on the other hand, has been integrated across parts of the globe such as Nigeria, South Korea and Peru, in line with consumers opting for products that promote digestive health and wellness claims. In fact, 78 %** of global consumers believe that ginger has a positive impact on their health, reinforcing those links to health/wellness, and promoting manufacturer opportunity to innovate in line with consumer trends.”
It’s ‘grape’ to be back
“Interestingly, grape-based products have also made an appearance in 2021, which is fighting off current stereotypes of grape flavored beverages being high in sugar and bad for health, especially in parts of West Europe where they have less-than-favorable links to low quality. A notable launch in Brazil from EBBA tackles this narrative via its grape nectar, which is claimed to have no added sugar.”
Inglis concludes: “What can be seen in the soft drinks landscape is the development of several unique flavor launches, all of which apply to varying consumer trends across the globe. Health and wellness attributes are meeting experimental flavors, which then crosses with exotic launches, appealing to a wide array of consumers. These launches will set the tone for the future of the soft drinks market, as one that is highly innovative and prospering.
“Although only five ingredient developments have been highlighted, the future is expected to see a number of developments from flavors such as aloe and berry; we will also see more flavor combinations hit the shelves, combining non-fruit and herbal notes, with unique fruit bases.”
* GlobalData’s Annual Soft Market Analyser – Global
** GlobalData’s Q2-21 Consumer Survey Results – Global
Concern over sugar intake and interest in sugar reduction is driving an increasingly sophisticated approach to sweetening food and beverages with a focus on three parallel areas: natural sweeteners, less sweetening and no sweetness.
Innova Market Insights’ latest Ingredient Insider report analyzes trends in sugar reduction and the use of sweeteners in food and beverages. The report includes market and consumer research, new product activity and the use of sugar-related claims in food and beverages.
Efforts to reduce sugar levels are well established and ongoing, reflecting the well-documented link to dental caries as well as the widely held view that high sugar consumption is a causative factor for a range of conditions including weight gain, diabetes and hyperactivity in children. Government intervention in this regard has become more widespread globally, including the use of sugar taxes and the regulation of advertising targeting children.
Four in 10 consumers in Innova’s global Health and Nutrition Survey in 2020 claimed to have decreased their sugar consumption over a 12-month period. The prevention of health conditions was the leading reason given for this reduction, ahead of weight management and followed by dental health.
“In recent years ingredient innovations have enabled manufacturers to better replicate the multiple sensory and functional properties of sugar, including sweetness, mouthfeel, bulk, browning and moisture retention, while lowering the amounts of sugar and calories,” reports Lu Ann Williams, Global Insights Director at Innova Market Insights.
Sweeteners currently include non-nutritive, bulk, reduced-calorie sugars and rare sugars, but ongoing research is likely to discover forms of sugar that can be marketed as natural and offer both formulation and metabolic benefits, while increasingly successfully targeting the high taste expectations of consumers.
As well as NPD activity in sweet ingredients, such as fruits to provide sweetness that does not count towards added sugar on labels, the demand for natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit and erythritol is rising in response to consumer demand for clean products and a clean label. These are starting to displace other sweeteners considered to be artificial, reflecting Innova Market Insights’ Top Trend for 2021, “Transparency Triumphs.” Companies are upping their game to tell the story of their product by detailing exact ingredients and origins along with production processes.
Manufacturers are continuing to develop new steviol rebaudioside glycosides with sweetness profiles that better match the taste of sugar. At the same time, new production methods are reducing environmental impact. Blends of ingredients used to replicate the sensory and functional properties of sugar include plant-derived sweet-tasting fibers such as chicory root fiber.
These ingredient mixes will continue to optimize taste, recognizing its vital role as a purchase driver. These can encompass concentrated sweeteners alone, or in combination with fibers and other components that replicate the sensory and functional properties of sugar. Ingredients can be chosen and tailored to match the dietary requirements of consumers, including plant based, vegan and gluten free. They are also likely to offer benefits beyond sweetness, such as better-tolerated fibers and protein fortification.
In the reporting currency, the Symrise Group achieved sales growth of 4.8 % to € 1,908 million (H1 2020: € 1,821 million). The acquisition of the Fragrance and Aroma Chemicals business from the US company Sensient in April 2021 contributed € 14.4 million. In spite of the weaker prior-year figures due to the pandemic, organic sales growth was even stronger: During the first six months, Symrise increased sales by 9.7 %. Alongside catch-up effects in the first quarter resulting from the cyber-attack in December, the good dynamic in the second quarter made a contribution. Due to the accelerating business and higher demand, sales increased organically between April and June by 8.8 %.
The Scent & Care segment
Scent & Care, the business with fragrances, aroma molecules and cosmetic ingredients, achieved very good organic sales growth of 9.0 % in the first half year of 2021. Taking currency translation effects into account, sales amounted to € 749 million in the first six months and rose significantly compared to the prior-year period (H1 2020: € 711 million). The Fragrance and Aroma Chemicals business from Sensient contributed € 14.4 million to this. Particularly during the second quarter, normalization of consumer demand began to emerge as battling the pandemic progressed. Sales in the Fine Fragrances business unit and Cosmetic Ingredients division increased strongly.
The Flavor & Nutrition segment
The combined Flavor & Nutrition segment increased its sales organically by 10.1 %. Sales in the reporting currency increased to € 1,159 million and thereby significantly exceeded the prior-year figure (H1 2020: € 1,110 million). In the second quarter, the segment recorded gradual normalization of consumer behavior. The increase in out-of-home consumption exerted a positive effect on demand for beverage products. At the same time, the trend towards healthy cooking at home and the continuing high demand in pet food solutions ensured strong growth.
Applications for beverages recorded very good organic sales growth in the double-digit percentage range. The biggest growth was generated in the US market, China, Brazil as well as Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Symrise has developed a special fragrance raw material from renewable sources: Lilybelle®, a lily of the valley fragrance ingredient with a refreshingly flowery note. It will provide perfumers with novel possibilities for the creation of scents for personal care products, cleaning products and laundry care products. Symrise manufactures Lilybelle® using byproducts from the orange juice industry, so that 83 percent of it is composed from renewable raw materials. The product is also readily biodegradable.
With Lilybelle®, Symrise is expanding its portfolio of special fragrance ingredients to include a sustainable, readily biodegradable fragrance ingredient. It emphasizes the flowery scent of lily of the valley in perfumes, providing ozonic green facets and lightly aqueous transparent accents.. All in all, Lilybelle® brings freshness and a certain lightness to fragrance creations. The scent of lily of the valley flowers has long played an important role in perfumery and is considered timeless due to its transparency, freshness and naturalness. It is used particularly often in men’s fragrances in combination with citrus notes.
Symrise uses byproducts from the orange juice industry
Lilybelle® impresses in two ways due to its scent and its sustainable qualities. In manufacturing it, Symrise uses D-limonene from renewable raw materials, which stems from byproducts of orange juice production. This means 83 percent of Lilybelle® comes from renewable sources, and it is readily biodegradable.
“We have integrated sustainability as a major component of our corporate strategy,” says Susanne Borchert, Senior Marketing Manager at Symrise. “With its high proportion of renewable raw materials, Lilybelle® provides an excellent example of the application of the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. The increasing consumer demand for products that are manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner shows that we are on the right path.”
Oterra™ is pleased to announce that it has closed its acquisition of SECNA Natural Ingredients Group S.L.
This is the first acquisition for Oterra, which itself was purchased by private investment firm EQT in March 2021 when Chr. Hansen divested their natural colours business. Oterra, recently announced its intention to pursue a second acquisition, namely Diana Food’s colours business.
Odd Erik Hansen, CEO of Oterra, stated, “This is an exciting time for the industry as demand for natural colors continues to increase. We expect the addition of SECNA to be a meaningful contributor to Oterra’s growth in 2021 and beyond, as we solidify our position as one of the world’s leading suppliers of natural colours. We look forward to offering both our, and SECNA’s, customers a fully integrated go-to-market service soon.”
With this acquisition, Oterra, will further enhance its value offerings to customers worldwide. Notable portfolio additions include SECNA’S anthocyanins from black carrots and grape, as well as caramel, and an organic range. After a period, the SECNA group will be fully incorporated into Oterra.
Approximately 80 SECNA employees, based in Spain and Italy, will join Oterra. This is an exciting time for Oterra, who look forward to having them on the team. “SECNA’s skilled and competent workforce stood out from the start, and I am happy to welcome them to the Oterra family,” said Odd Erik Hansen.
Symrise AG has opened its state-of-the-art development, application, and sensory laboratories in Dubai. The company has invested about 1 million Euro into the facilities to decode, design, and deliver winning taste solutions for leading food and beverages brands that consumers love. To meet the demands of its partners and to accommodate its growing team, the company recently moved to the iconic Gold Tower Building in the Dubai Multi Commodities Center (DMCC), Dubai’s dedicated hub for global trade, business and specialist industries in JLT. Symrise AG has been operation in the Middle East for many decades leading to the first opening of its first sub-regional offices in Dubai in 2005. Since then, the company has seen double-digit growth year on year with its partners across the Middle East region.
The new sub-regional centre spreads across 10,500 sq ft and occupies the entire lower penthouse level/36th floor of the Gold Tower. The contemporary workspace has been designed in line with the company’s four pillars of sustainability in mind; footprint, innovation, sourcing and care. It is working towards achieving carbon neutral status, to support the Symrise AG global objective of halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2025 and reaching climate positive operations from 2030 onwards.
The facilities are designed to take customers on a journey, and support the development of consumer-led winning concepts and taste solutions for high-growth categories, beverages, culinary, dairy, snacks, and confectionery.
The premises will allow the company to support diverse working styles and is split into a variety of working and meeting areas, for Symrise Middle East’s expanding cross-functional teams to interact and collaborate in a bright, modern, and dynamic working environment. The dedicated application and sensory laboratories will help the teams – from marketing, sensory and consumer insights to regulatory, technical, and commercial to continue achieving in the field of flavour and nutrition evaluation.
The sensory booths, where panellists taste, evaluate, and describe flavours in application, features state of the art equipment and programs that help design solutions meeting customers’ expectations.
Commenting on the move, Dirk Bennwitz, President Flavour Europe, Africa & Middle East, said: “We feel very excited to embark on the next phase of our business growth through our new sub regional center. This will help us further consolidate our strong foothold in the Middle East & Africa sub region. Our investment in the new hub, our human resources, and the ultramodern creation, development and application facilities will allow us to identify and decipher game-changing industry trends and deliver innovation to our customers across strategic categories and the future of food segments: functional beverages and plant protein.”
Kerry, one of the world’s leading taste and nutrition companies, has announced the opening of its new taste facility in Latin America, which will serve mainly Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and the Andean region.
Located in Irapuato, Mexico, the new state-of-the-art facility will significantly increase Kerry’s capacity in the region and further support customers in delivering local and sustainable taste solutions.
This new site expands Kerry’s offerings across a number of food and beverage categories, including refreshing and alcoholic beverages, snacks, meat, dairy and bakery. It will also play an important role in enabling Kerry’s ambition to bring sustainable nutrition solutions to more than two billion people by 2030 around the globe. Aligned with the company’s commitments under its Beyond the Horizon strategy, the facility incorporates world leading processes and technologies that will support the company’s environmental goals. These capabilities, combined with expertise across sustainable innovation, marketing insights, research, development and applications, and sensory science, will enable Kerry to co-create with customers, exciting products that will be consumed across the region.
“COVID-19 has impacted consumer behaviour and taste preferences across Latin America, and companies need to be in a position to understand and respond to these evolving dynamics. This new taste facility allows us to deliver on consumer demands across the region and we look forward to working with customers to bring innovative taste solutions to satisfy consumer needs and create a world of sustainable nutrition,” said Marcelo Marques, President and CEO of Kerry Latin America. Commenting on the announcement, Edson Cortes, Taste Lead for Kerry Latin America, added: “Mexico boasts 35% of the taste market in the Latin America region and presents solid opportunities for growth and innovation. With sustainability at the core of our Taste portfolio, this site will also enable us to deliver tailored solutions for customers in the regions. This important investment positions Kerry as the leader in the flavours market in Latin America as we seek to consolidate our position in the market and deliver great taste solutions with our customers.”
About Kerry Kerry, one of the world’s leading taste and nutrition companies, provides sustainable nutrition solutions for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day over one billion people around the world enjoy food and beverages containing Kerry’s taste and nutrition solutions. The company has offices in 31 countries, 149 manufacturing facilities and employs 26,000 people globally, including over 1,000 food scientists. We aim to be our customers’ most valued partner by delivering food and beverage products that meet their consumers’ individual taste, nutrition and wellness preferences, while enhancing their lives and contributing to a more sustainable world.
With four grams of prebiotic fiber from sunchokes and no sugar or caffeine, Gist works symbiotically with the body
Gist, a thoughtfully created prebiotic sparkling beverage brewed with only five organically certified botanical ingredients, launched today. Created with plants, not extracts, Gist is redefining what it means to be a clean beverage.
Each can of Gist has four grams of prebiotic fiber, 14 percent of the daily recommended value, from sunchokes (also known as Jerusalem artichokes). There is no sugar or sweetener and zero caffeine. It’s cold-brewed with steeped herbs that infuse its unique flavours, offering healthful benefits and a natural sweetness.
Lizzy Haucke (Photo: Gist)
Lizzy Haucke, who founded Gist in 2020, has embraced a clean lifestyle for decades and approached the creation of Gist as she does her own life: with intention and a “come as you are” philosophy. As an entrepreneur, mom, dancer and Pilates practitioner, Lizzy wanted a go-to beverage that aligned with her values, while positively impacting her body and everyday life.
“I wanted a drink that was good for my health — not a negative or even net zero,” said Haucke. “As I explored options, I was disappointed by the ingredient list of so-called ‘clean’ beverages. They were full of ingredients I wouldn’t want myself or my family consuming. So, I started cold-brewing different herb combinations in my home kitchen to find the right flavor and ingredient combinations.
“I’m really proud of what we’ve created because Gist is exactly what many people like me have been looking for. It’s not only clean, but also approachable, meeting people wherever they are on their well-being journey. Drinking a Gist every day is one of the small steps I take that, over time, adds up to the life I want to live and how I want to feel living it.”
Gist Flavours + Ingredients
Gist is sold in sleek 12-ounce cans and initially available in two distinct flavours: Chamomile with Rosemary and Ginger with Rooibos.
Chamomile with Rosemary has a light, floral and herbal flavour profile and is brewed with golden chamomile flowers and a refreshing hint of rosemary. Sweet and easygoing, the five ingredients include: carbonated water, organic chamomile flower, organic rosemary, organic Jerusalem artichoke inulin and organic lime juice.
Ginger with Rooibos is sweet, spicy and rich. Robust without being overwhelming, the brewed ginger root and honey-sweet rooibos tea are an energizing combination. Ingredients include: carbonated water, organic ginger root, organic rooibos tea, organic Jerusalem artichoke inulin and organic lime juice.
Chr. Hansen Natural Colors, an EQT portfolio company, announces its first major transaction, after becoming a standalone company, further bolstering the company’s position as the world leader in natural colours.
Chr. Hansen Natural Colors, a world leading provider of natural colors with the widest portfolio in the industry, has announced plans to continue its strong growth acceleration with the integration of SECNA Natural Ingredients Group S.L into its portfolio.
This is the first add-on investment since being acquired by private equity firm EQT, and it significantly strengthens Chr. Hansen Natural Colors position by giving it access to SECNA Groups’ strong pigment portfolio, which notably includes anthocyanins from black carrots and grape, and caramel.
“We’re committed to continuing to find new ways to harness and share the power of nature’s true colours. This is the first of many exciting milestones for us as a standalone company. We look to enhance our value proposition and strengthen our operational platform together with the team at SECNA at a time when demand for naturally sourced colours is increasing” said Odd Erik Hansen, CEO, Chr. Hansen Natural Colors.
For SECNA Group CEO, Gabriel Muñoz, this partnership is the ideal opportunity to join forces with a like-minded established industry leader. “It’s a win–win situation as Chr. Hansen Natural Colors will add our strong pigment offerings in anthocyanins and caramel to their collection, while providing our valued customers and suppliers with access to their portfolio, technologies and market reach, which is the most extensive in the industry”.
“The combination of our colour platforms puts us in a prime position to better serve the market and our customers, and we’re looking forward to welcoming SECNA Groups’ 100 employees to the Chr. Hansen Natural Colors team” said Klaus Bjerrum, COO, Chr. Hansen Natural Colors.
The SECNA group is a holding of several companies, with a presence in Spain, Italy and Turkey.
The words ‘healthy’ and ‘natural’ are not often linked to sugar substitutes, but Fooditive BV wants to change that. Over the past decade, the Netherlands-based food ingredient manufacturer has been pear-suing sustain-apple solutions to combat global sugar intake. In 2018, this became a reality with its plant-based and chemical-free sweetener. Since then, Fooditive has focussed on improving the health status of products that use sugar replacements by providing an affordable alternative to other options on the market.
As put by Fooditive’s Product Development Manager, Niki Karatza, “developing a sweetener that could successfully replace sugar in food products required us to first understand the true essence of sugar. We managed that by diving into the science behind sucrose, its taste and its unique functionalities.”
This was achieved through an innovative process: the reverse engineering of sucrose. By starting with the end product and working backwards, it allowed Fooditive to analyse the ingredients’ properties and therefore understand how it could mimic the characteristics of sugar in its sweetener. Combining this knowledge with apple and pear waste led to the creation of Fooditive Sweetener®, which is 70 % as sweet as sugar and does not raise insulin or blood glucose levels.
With sustainability and transitioning to a circular economy as Fooditive’s core principles, it obtains the raw materials for its sweetener in two ways. Firstly, it collaborates with Dutch farmers to salvage both organic and non-organic unwanted apples and pears, and secondly, it collects the side streams of these fruits from other production processes. Once gathered, a continuous fermentation process, which means that more sweetener can be yielded in a shorter amount of time, is used to extract fructose and convert it into keto-fructose; this end product is the sweetener.
For 2021, founder and food scientist Moayad Abushokhedim has set a weekly goal to produce around 30 tonnes of Fooditive Sweetener® by upcycling 83 tonnes of third-grade fruit. With this projection, it will become more widely accessible to consumers in a range of products including Gigi Gelato and Hero jam in the Netherlands.
In Germany, Fooditive was nominated for the Healthy Living Award 2020 for its innovation and positive contribution to the organisation’s eathealthy-philosophy. Fooditive Sweetener® will also feature in the Seicha GmbH drinks as of this year.
“Since the founding of Seicha, my brother and I have been searching for a natural sweetener that has a pleasing taste and no calories. With Fooditive, we have finally found a suitable partner, with which we will revolutionise the beverage industry in Europe. Seicha will launch the world’s first organic certified Zero Iced Tea in Q2 2021. The organic iced tea will be launched in three flavours: Green Tea & Ginger; Rooibos Tea & Mango Passion Fruit; and Black Tea & Orange Vanille.” (Co-founder, Benjamin Böning)
With new products in the works and many other companies going bananas for Fooditive Sweetener®, 2021 is set to be an even more promising year, as the company continues to make healthy food and drinks affordable for everyone, all the while fighting food waste.
About Fooditive: Fooditive BV was founded in 2018 with the aim to make healthy food affordable. Its core business model relies on delivering natural and healthy innovation to food companies, with the Fooditive sweetener as its main product. The company’s philosophy is based on three values: plant-based, sustainability, and innovation. Keeping healthy and nutritious products in mind, we aim to provide food that is tasty, low in calories, high in fibre, and has a high supply chain impact. Fooditive implements the three pillars of sustainability into the business model: caring for people by providing healthy alternatives and raising health awareness; operating within a circular economy by reusing, reducing, and recycling; and minimizing environmental impact by using side streams to create products. Finally, to be able to deliver on the demand, we work with many types of partners to get the best out of new types of side-streams affordably and easily.
Electrolit – the preferred, premium hydration beverage made from pharmaceutical quality grade ingredients – announced the launch of the Zero line in response to growing consumer demand for lower calorie, lower sugar functional beverages. Electrolit Zero will fill store shelves across the U.S. this month in three flavours: Berry Blast, Lemon Breeze and Fruit Punch Splash.
“Over the past year, consumers have increasingly looked at their health as a long-term investment, and they are calling for lower sugar, lower calorie options to achieve their hydration goals,” said Caridad Ochoa, Commercial Director with Electrolit. “We all know that hydration is critical to function at our best, and with our Zero line, we can reach a new set of health-minded consumers seeking premium hydration.”
Electrolit Zero will be available in three new flavours: Berry Blast, Lemon Breeze and Fruit Punch Splash. Manufactured with a slightly modified formula, Electrolit Zero will maintain the integrity and scientifically backed ingredients of the current line, with ingredients like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium glucose, and sodium lactate for fast, effective hydration.
Consumers will recognize Electrolit’s iconic square bottle and logo on the Zero bottles, with an added Zero label.
Electrolit continues to grow their national footprint and will extend their Zero line to select current retailers, including 7-11, HEB, AMPM, among others. Electrolit can also be purchased at Walmart, Kroger, and more, and through online channels.
About Electrolit Electrolit manufactures a scientifically formulated premium hydration beverage that replenishes the body after physical activity, intense heat, hangovers, or sickness. Formulated with magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium glucose, and sodium lactate plus six ions for electrolyte absorption, Electrolit aids in recovery of the hydro electrolytic imbalance, fulfilling metabolic and hydration needs. Available in nine delicious flavors, Electrolit is currently offered in national, grocery, convenience and online channels across the U.S., including Walmart, Kroger, HEB, 7-11 and more. Electrolit is manufactured and owned by Pisa Pharmaceuticals, the largest pharmaceutical company in Mexico and Latin America.
Symrise AG reliably continued its profitable growth course in 2020 despite the challenging environment. The Group increased its sales by 3.3 % to € 3,520 million taking into account portfolio and currency translation effects. In organic terms, sales went up by 2.7 %. The Group thus significantly outperformed market growth, which is estimated at 1.0 % for 2020. At the same time, Symrise stayed behind its defined sales target, as the business development in the month of December was impacted by a criminal cyber-attack. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose by 5.8 % to € 742 million in 2020. Profitability reached an outstanding level with an EBITDA margin of 21.1 % and was within the expected margin range. Against the backdrop of the good performance, the Executive Board and the Supervisory Board propose a dividend increase to € 0.97 for the fiscal year 2020 to the annual general meeting.
Joint venture leverages manufacturing expertise, global go-to-market capabilities, and food and beverage industry experience to create and scale innovative ingredient solutions
Grupo Arcor, the leading food company of Argentina, and Ingredion Incorporated, a leading global ingredient solutions provider to the food and beverage industry, have signed an agreement to create a joint venture that will leverage the two companies’ manufacturing expertise, complementary geographic footprints and commercial capabilities to broaden food and beverage ingredient offerings to customers in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. Arcor and Ingredion will hold a 51 % and 49 % stake, respectively. The joint venture will have a combined turnover of more than US$ 300 million.
Arcor will transfer its ingredient operations to the joint venture, which includes one manufacturing facility in Lules (province of Tucumán) and two manufacturing facilities in the Industrial Complex Arroyito (province of Córdoba).
Ingredion will transfer its Argentina, Chile and Uruguay operations to the joint venture, which includes two manufacturing facilities in the districts of Chacabuco and Baradero (province of Buenos Aires).
The manufacturing facilities produce value-added ingredients, such as glucose syrups, maltose, fructose, starch and maltodextrins that are essential to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries.
The joint venture will be managed by a jointly appointed team of executives who will be responsible for integrating the combined operations to market, sell and manufacture ingredients within Argentina, Chile and Uruguay and to further optimize the manufacturing network and support functions to create incremental shareholder value.
The joint venture will operate on a stand-alone basis and upon the closing of the transaction, Arcor will consolidate the business. Ingredion will account for its interest in the joint venture under the equity method of accounting, and hyperinflation accounting will be applied to equity income for Ingredion’s reporting purposes.
The joint venture has been approved by each company’s board of directors and is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Infupa is acting as financial adviser to Arcor and Bruchou as its legal counsel; Finanzas & Gestión is acting as financial adviser to Ingredion and Baker & McKenzie as its legal adviser.
About Ingredion Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: INGR) headquartered in the suburbs of Chicago, is a leading global ingredient solutions provider serving customers in more than 120 countries. With 2019 annual net sales of more than US$6 billion, the company turns grains, fruits, vegetables and other plant-based materials into value-added ingredient solutions for the food, beverage, animal nutrition, brewing and industrial markets. With Ingredion Idea Labs® innovation centers located around the world and nearly 12,000 employees, the Company co-creates with customers and fulfills its purpose of bringing the potential of people, nature, and technology together to make life better. Visit ingredion.com for more information and the latest Company news.
About Arcor Arcor is the leading food company in Argentina, the first global producer of hard candy, and the main confectionery exporter in Argentina, Chile, and Peru. It has more than 40 industrial plants and employs nearly 20,000 collaborators. Arcor has entered into many alliances, like the one between Bagley Latinoamérica and the French group Danone, the Grupo Bimbo partnership in Mexico, the strategic alliance with Coca-Cola for the joint development of new products and the creation of Kamay Ventures, one of main open capital investment funds in Argentina. Grupo Arcor’s daily production volume amounts to 3 million kilograms and its brands are sold in more than 100 countries worldwide. Its annual turnover for 2019 was US$ 2.5 billion.
Summer arrives early with unveiling of unsweetened sparkling Lemon Limeade, Strawberry and Pink Lemonade from the first sparkling water brand made with real squeezed fruit
Lighter, brighter and even more refreshing, lemonade is reimagined as Spindrift®, the first sparkling water made with real squeezed fruit, puts its signature spin on this summertime favourite. Crafted with a uniquely balanced pairing of real squeezed lemons and limes, Spindrift’s Unsweetened Lemonade Sparkling Waters come in three twists on the classic. New Lemon Limeade, Strawberry and Pink Lemonade Spindrift flavours sparkle with 0 – 1 g of sugar, bold real fruit ingredients and a timeless delicious taste that embraces refreshment.
“We’re excited to introduce our newest flavour innovations to lemonade lovers and all of our loyal Drifters, who continue inspire our real-fruit sparkling water vision,” said Bill Creelman, founder and CEO of Spindrift. “Lemonade is a classic beverage enjoyed by all. But with concerns about health and diet at an all-time high, we challenged ourselves to reimagine what this traditionally sugary drink could taste like with a Spindrift spin—real ingredients, uncompromised taste and legible calories. Each Lemonade flavour has a distinct and unforgettable flavour profile that will blow people away and make them do a doubletake on the sugar content.”
In addition to the right combination of real fruit, which Spindrift takes considerable time to get just right, the sugar content in the new lemonade lineup is nearly nonexistent. With just 0 – 1 g of sugar in each can, the bold flavours of lime and lemon truly shine. The result is a new category of lemonade: unsweetened, sparkling with real ingredients and just 3 – 10 calories per can.
This is the first time that Spindrift, in its 10-year history, has introduced three flavours at once with a new line of sparkling water. The flavours include:
Lemon Limeade – Started with lemon, added a splash of lime and lightly carbonated for a deliciously healthy alternative to sugary beverages.
Pink Lemonade – with crushed cherries and raspberries, for a touch of sweetness. It’s Lemonade – but Pink.
Strawberry Lemonade – We started with Lemon and Lime and threw ripe, juicy strawberries into the mix. Together this trio makes for an unforgettable taste you’ll keep coming back to.
Spindrift Lemonade will be shared with the Spindrift Community first. Fans who’ve signed up to be a part of the Drifter Community by February 22nd will receive an email with a promocode for a chance to redeem a drinkspindrift.com exclusive, Lemonade 6 pack. Spindrift Lemonade will be available in March at Target stores in the US and through DrinkSpindrift.com.
About Spindrift Spindrift® is the first sparkling water made with real, squeezed fruit. Founded in 2010, Spindrift® celebrates simplicity, transparency, and the superior taste that only real ingredients can deliver. All products are free of added sweeteners or natural flavours, and only consist of water, just the right amount of bubbles, and real squeezed fruit – yup, that’s it. Spindrift® works with family farms to source the best fruit to make the fresh juices and rich purees they use. The result is light, bright, and flavour-rich sparkling water that tastes just like the fruit in its name. Varieties include: Pineapple, Lime, Blackberry, Cranberry Raspberry, Cucumber, Half Tea & Half Lemon, Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange Mango, Strawberry, and Raspberry Lime. Spindrift® sparkling water is available in the US at grocery retailers and café-style restaurants, including Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods Market, Starbucks, Kroger, Target, and online at Amazon and shop.drinkspindrift.com. Spindrift® was ranked #385 on Inc. Magazine’s 2017 list of fastest-growing companies. The company donates to environmental not-for-profits through their membership to 1 % For the Planet. Spindrift® is headquartered in Newton, MA. (US)
Officially launched and available for purchase online, BRÈINFÚEL (Breinfuel) evolves from coffees, energy drinks, and nootropics to help the brain respond with focus, alertness, and productivity.
Developed by Dr. Gerald Horn, a Lasik surgeon with a background in pharmaceutical science and disruptive drug development, Breinfuel combines highly researched ingredients with an extended release that is designed to support performance and wellbeing.
“Endurance means so many different things to people with various lifestyles, occupations and interests. Yet, the common desired effect is not the jolt offered by traditional caffeinated beverages, but rather sustainable cerebral stamina and high-performance energy,” noted Dr. Horn. “Whether you’re a competitive bodybuilder, a frontline medical worker, or a stay-at-home mom of zoom-schooled children, our mental health is being zapped by today’s challenges and demands. Consumers need a beverage that incorporates more functional benefits that enhance productivity and well-being.”
Breinfuel comes in four palate-pleasing flavours including Thrive Ice, Victory Bliss, Alpha Punch and Limitless Berry. Dr. Horn combined four uniquely differentiated ingredient blends for Breinfuel’s multifaceted effects. The Caffeine Blend, according to Dr. Horn, is “the secret sauce” of Breinfuel, with the best of what’s in coffee without the coffee base. It is derived from green tea and green coffee beans without the toxicity and loss of potency from the roast.
The Fuel Blend includes four grams of low-glycemic sugar, five grams of easily digestible collagen protein, and MCT’s which are a great source of prolonged energy. The Antioxidant blend offers potential added benefits from vitamin C, vitamin E and beet root, all designed to reduce the brain’s known sensitivity to accelerated metabolism. The Brain-Booster blend features zinc, creatine, glycine (from collagen), and L-theanine, all individually shown to support brain health.
“Putting caffeine in water alone can create a toxic jolt to our system, which has contributed to caffeine’s checkered past,” noted Dr. Horn. “Since caffeine is not energy or fuel, but rather a stimulant, it needs to be supported like one. Breinfuel’s attention to these key principles resulted in four targeted blends that, for many, may redefine the caffeine experience.”
The inception of Breinfuel began as part of Dr. Horn’s goal to optimize his nutritional consumption, lifestyle/productivity, and personal health.
“This began as a personal quest to solve the problem of unsupported caffeine in the marketplace, such as in caffeinated drinks with zero calories or high-fructose carbohydrates,” noted Dr. Horn. “Once I and some colleagues began to experience caffeine in a new and better way, I knew it was the right time to bring Breinfuel to market.”
ABOUT BRÈINFÚEL Developed by Dr. Gerald Horn, a Lasik surgeon with a background in pharmaceutical science and disruptive drug development, Breinfuel combines highly researched ingredients with an extended release that is designed to support performance and wellbeing. Breinfuel is sold online and comes in four delicious flavours including Thrive Ice, Victory Bliss, Alpha Punch and Limitless Berry. Each bottle of Breinfuel features a proprietary blend of effective ingredients, including: natural caffeine from GCBE and green tea (along with their extracts), D-ribose sugar, collagen protein, MCT’s, vitamin C, vitamin E, beet root, L-theanine, creatine, and zinc.
In Tune with Immune is one of Innova Market Insights’ Top Trends for 2021, reflecting how immunity and health has become top of mind for consumers, with ongoing anxieties over COVID-19 continuing to be a key focus for next year and beyond.
“Ongoing anxiety stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic is continuing to push consumers toward prioritizing their immune health,” according to Lu Ann Williams, Global Insights Director at Innova Market Insights. “Immunity boosting ingredients will play a significant role for the coming year”, she reports, “while research and interest in the role of the microbiome and personalized nutrition as ways to strengthen immunity will accelerate”.
According to Innova’s Consumer Survey 2020, six out of ten global consumers are increasingly looking for food and beverage products that support their immune health, with one in three saying that concerns about immune health increased in 2020 over 2019.
Innova’s research also indicated that 54 % of global consumers claimed to have spent time educating themselves on ingredients and procedures that could boost their immune health in the wake of concerns over COVID-19. When asked which elements would be most important to achieve, immune health, choosing foods naturally high in nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants) featured in the top three. Also prominent was getting enough sleep and being physically healthy. There is an associated increase in interest in botanical ingredients in particular.
As might perhaps be expected in the light of this, the use of immune health positionings for food and drinks is also rising, with 1.65 % of global launches over the first ten months of 2020 using this type of claim, up from just 1 % five years previously.
Rising numbers of launches in a wide range of food and beverage categories are focusing on the use of terms such as immune health, immune boosting, immunity support, etc. These feature across a wide range of different types of product, led by baby & toddler products (particularly milks and formulas), ahead of sports nutrition (particularly sports powders) and dairy products (particularly drinking yogurt/fermented beverages).
The link is also increasingly being made between probiotics/prebiotics, digestive/ gut health and immune support. Consumer awareness of the benefits of probiotics is still gaining traction, with its relationship to gut health and a strong immune system increasingly being made.
Prebiotics have generally been slower to establish themselves in the consumer consciousness; although they have been around for many years, it is only relatively recently that they have started to move into the mainstream. Innova Market Insights reports a 20 % global growth for food and beverage launches with prebiotics in 2018 over 2017 and a further rise of over 13 % for 2019. Often used in combination with probiotics, prebiotics are featuring across a range of food and drinks launches, led by baby & toddler products, ahead of soft drinks and dairy products.
Leveraging combined capabilities to shape new sustainable innovations for customers
Givaudan and Novozymes, the world leaders in their respective industries, are excited to announce the formation of a strategic research partnership for the development of synergistic innovative ingredients and technologies for customers. The two companies will jointly work on the research and development of innovative sustainable solutions in the areas of food and cleaning.
This new partnership is fully in line with Novozymes’ updated strategy Better Business with Biology and with Givaudan’s 2025 strategic goals to expand its offering to consumers’ brands through innovative and sustainable solutions.
Givaudan brings the highest investment in research and development in the industry, has an in- depth understanding of consumers around the world and creates the emotional signatures and food experiences for consumer brands.
Novozymes brings innovation with extensive know-how in enzymes and microorganisms with substantial investments in technology and R&D. On the commercial side, Novozymes is in strong commercial partnerships with some of the largest companies in the industries of Household Care and Food & Beverages. Being the world leader within biological solutions, Novozymes drives sustainable solutions that enable differentiated product performance for consumers.
Together the two companies will work on specific projects with the aim to bring to their respective customers a differentiating solution offering. With a significant overlap of end use markets, there is a fundamental belief that the partnership can generate customer value by combining the two companies’ capabilities and solutions.
Gilles Andrier, Chief Executive Officer at Givaudan said: “We are very excited to initiate this strategic partnership with Novozymes, a much respected company that has an impressive heritage and research platform in biological solutions. Our purpose of ‘creating for healthier, happier lives with love for nature’ fully aligns with the aspiration of Novozymes for a world with 100 % biological products. Together we have the potential to grow with our respective customers while increasing our positive impact on the world with products consumers feel good about, and that preserve our planet.
Position as a leading global provider of sugar reduction and clean-label solutions strengthened by acquisition of stevia sweetener solutions business
Tate & Lyle PLC (Tate & Lyle), a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Sweet Green Fields (SGF), a leading global stevia solutions business.
The acquisition of SGF brings a broad portfolio of stevia products and a fully integrated stevia supply chain to Tate & Lyle including leaf sourcing, leaf varietal development, established agricultural programmes and cost-efficient manufacturing. It strengthens Tate & Lyle’s position as a leading provider of innovative sweetener solutions with the capabilities to create foods and beverages that are lower in sugar and calories and with cleaner labels for customers across the world. The acquisition also extends Tate & Lyle’s presence in the faster growing Asia Pacific region with dedicated stevia production and research and development facilities located in Anji, China.
Tate & Lyle began its partnership with SGF in 2017 becoming the exclusive global distributor of SGF’s portfolio of stevia-based ingredients and solutions, and then acquired a 15 % equity holding in SGF the following year. Tate & Lyle’s acquisition of the remaining shares of SGF simplifies the existing relationship by creating a fully integrated supply chain and commercial organisation, unified research and development capabilities, and combined strengths to accelerate innovation and optimise production technologies. Sweet Green Fields revenue for the year ending 31 December 2020 is expected to be around US$50 million, including revenue for products Tate & Lyle currently sells as distribution agent.
Stevia is one of the fastest growing low-calorie sweeteners used globally, particularly in beverages, dairy and snacks, as demand from consumers continues to grow for foods and beverages that are lower in sugar and calories. Globally, from 2015 to 2019, product launches that contain stevia grew by compound annual growth rate of 15 %.1 In the year ended 31 March 2020, Tate & Lyle’s stevia revenues grew by 23 %, making it an important contributor to New Products revenue growth.
1Mintel GNPD
SunOpta Inc., a leading global company focused on plant-based foods and beverages, fruit-based foods and beverages, and organic ingredient sourcing and production, announced it has reached an agreement to sell the Company’s global ingredients segment and related assets to an Amsterdam based global commodity trading company, Amsterdam Commodities N.V. for a debt and cash free consideration of €330 million. The transaction, which remains subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close by January 2021.
“I’m pleased to announce this strategically transformational transaction. This transaction further solidifies SunOpta’s future direction as a high-growth, plant-based company focused on providing value-added products in competitively advantaged categories with consistent, sustainable, above average growth characteristics. The long- term supply agreement negotiated as part of this transaction provides SunOpta with the benefit of a continued strategic relationship with a leading global ingredient player in Acomo. Furthermore, this transaction de-levers and strengthens SunOpta’s balance sheet, enabling the acceleration of near-term expansion plans in our fast-growing plant-based food and beverage segment. The plans include both high-return capital investment projects, as well as synergistic acquisitions, that add to an existing set of strong capabilities in our core plant-based beverage platform. This is a very exciting time for us at SunOpta as we look forward to building on our success of the past four quarters,” said Joe Ennen, Chief Executive Offcer of SunOpta.
“With the exciting acquisition of Tradin, Acomo will realize a highly complementary acquisition, creating a leading global player across organic and conventional unlisted commodities. The company is a leading partner for the organic food industry, benefitting from the rapidly growing global consumer demand for sustainable and healthy foods. Tradin has an attractive financial profile and will continue to be led by a highly experienced management team,” said Allard Goldschmeding, Acomo Group Managing Director.
Under the terms of the agreement, SunOpta will sell processing facilities located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Silistra, Bulgaria; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; and Yirgalem, Ethiopia. These facilities and their employees will continue to operate in ordinary course. Approximately 525 employees will be transferred from SunOpta to Acomo.
The Global Ingredients business being sold contributed approximately US$488 million to SunOpta’s net sales for the twelve months ended September 26, 2020. The transaction valuation represents an approximate 10x multiple of Adjusted EBITDA1 for the standalone business. This transaction is highly tax effcient and is expected to be accretive to the Company’s long-term growth rate and margin profile further focusing the Company on delivering more consistent financial results for our shareholders.
Proceeds from this transaction will be used for capital investment primarily into the core Plant-Based Foods and Beverages segment and to pay down debt.
1Non-GAAP Measures In addition to reporting financial results in accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company provides additional information about its operating results regarding segment operating income, adjusted earnings and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”), which are not measures in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company believes that segment operating income, adjusted earnings and adjusted EBITDA assist investors in comparing performance across reporting periods on a consistent basis by excluding items that are not indicative of its operating performance. The non-GAAP measures of segment operating income, adjusted earnings and adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for performance measures calculated in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
Symrise AG has signed a purchase agreement with Sensient Technologies Corporation (Milwaukee, USA) to acquire their fragrance and aroma chemicals activities. These comprise a wide range of aroma molecules and fragrances from natural and renewable sources. In fiscal year 2019, the business unit generated revenues of approx. 77 million Euros. With the acquisition, Symrise will strengthen its backward integration and broaden its leadership position as a supplier of fragrance ingredients which are increasingly demanded for use, especially in personal and home care products. Symrise will furthermore gain access to additional customers and strengthen its presence particularly in EAME and Latin America. Going forward, Symrise plans to also strengthen its manufacturing footprint in Spain with targeted investments in the manufacturing site in Granada that will be acquired.
The Sensient fragrances and aroma chemicals business unit has been part of Sensient’s Flavors & Extracts group. The unit holds longstanding business relationships with local, regional and global customers from the consumer goods industry. It supplies out of manufacturing sites in Spain and Mexico. The Sensient aroma molecules and fragrance solutions are mainly derived from renewable raw materials such as pine oil and citrus by-products amongst others. The portfolio will strengthen the Symrise products line with unique fragrance ingredients used in application such as perfumes, shampoos, soaps, detergents and antiperspirants. Through the acquisition, Symrise will not only be able to significantly expand its renewable ingredients portfolio, but to also increase its green chemistry value chain which includes various downstream products coming from sustainable cultivated sources.
Symrise plans to combine the R&D competencies and manufacturing capacities of Sensient’s fragrance and aroma chemicals activities with parts of its own at the site in Granada. Over a period of three years, targeted investments will be made to grow the Granada site and make it the second largest compounding facility in EAME for fragrance ingredients and compounds.
Both parties agreed to keep the purchase price confidential. The transaction is subject to satisfaction of antitrust and regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
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.
Healthy ingredients and label transparency are more important to consumers than ever before following the COVID-19 pandemic, concludes a new global survey commissioned by the market research company FMCG Gurus on behalf of BENEO1.
The results show that across the globe consumers are becoming more conscious about their well-being – particularly immunity – as they question their vulnerability to disease and illness. They are also concerned about the environment and whether the virus’ impact has been intensified because of increased levels of environmental damage. As a result of these attitudinal shifts, consumers are looking to purchase food and drink products that increasingly promote well-being and sustain their energy in challenging times, whilst minimising impact on the environment.
Good for you and the environment
Environmental concerns have been heightened as a result of COVID-19. This is in part due to some consumers questioning whether issues such as air pollution have increased respiratory issues, making people more vulnerable to the disease. This concern is being translated into altered buying patterns, with 60 % of consumers now being more attentive to the impact that their food and drink has on the environment.
Increased focus on food and drink products that provide health benefits
Furthermore, the widespread effect of COVID-19 has also resulted in 64 % of consumers saying that they are now more conscious about their immune health. Even consumers who previously deemed themselves to have a good immune system are now questioning their vulnerability to disease and illness. This is having a direct impact on purchasing behaviour, with two-thirds (64 %) of consumers more interested in ingredients, or food and drink products, that provide protective or preventative health benefits. This trend is likely to continue being prevalent in the market for the foreseeable future.
Consumers want natural, sustained energy boosts
In these challenging times, consumers are also looking for ways to fight feelings of fatigue more naturally. In line with this, 34 % of consumers say that they are now more likely to seek out food and drink products that boost energy in a sustained and balanced way. Also, not surprisingly, consumers are looking to improve their mental well-being, with more than half (55 %) saying they are likely to opt for food and drink to boost their mood. However, formulation is key, as consumers look to avoid ingredients deemed detrimental to their long-term health in pursuit of a short-term energy boost. One opportunity arising from this is the appeal of slow-release, low-glycaemic carbohydrates such as Palatinose™ (isomaltulose), with 45 % of consumers believing such carbohydrates are better for their health.
Michael Hughes, Director of Insights at FMCG Gurus, comments: “The results of our latest consumer survey clearly show that beneficial ingredients and label transparency are now more important than ever before to consumers across the globe, as a result of the pandemic. People are exploring topics such as inner defence, staying fit and healthy, blood glucose control, as well as sustained energy and wanting to buy products with proven health benefits. BENEO is well equipped to help manufacturers tap into these key growth areas. The company’s prebiotic chicory root fibres and slow-release carbohydrate offer a range of scientifically proven health benefits that help support long-term health and can be communicated on pack.”
Myriam Snaet, Head of Market Intelligence and Consumer Insights at BENEO, explains: “As concern for the environment continues to gather pace, it is important that we all play our part in promoting sustainable business practices. At BENEO, we actively support sustainable farming, to encourage biodiversity and reduce water pollution and soil erosion. We valorize 100% of our raw material to minimise waste and have reduced our specific energy consumption by 50% over the past 30 years. Looking to the future, we aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, thanks to our recent investments into upgrading and expanding our facilities.”
1Content based on FMCG Guru’s COVID-19 survey, July 2020. Eighteen countries surveyed in July 2020 [Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, UK, USA, Vietnam] and a Country Profile survey conducted across nineteen countries in January 2020.
Firmenich, the world’s largest privately-owned Perfume and Taste company, is proud to announce the opening of its new biotechnology and naturals pilot plant and laboratory in Geneva. Benefiting from the latest digital technology, the facility opens a new era for the development of ingredients and clean label solutions by providing faster speed-to-market and greater flexibility for customer collaboration. Integrated into the Group’s flagship ingredients production site at La Plaine, Geneva, the facility operates to the highest safety and environmental standards, reducing waste and energy consumption.
“With our new biotechnology pilot plant closely connected with the ingredients production site, Firmenich provides integrated biotech development all the way down to the finished product, without any gaps,” said Genevieve Berger, Chief Research Officer, Firmenich. “Opening a new era in ingredients creation, our pilot plant and laboratory harnesses new technologies to improve clean label solutions, while the latest digital innovation maximizes efficiency.”
“Our new pilot plant provides greater flexibility to respond to customer needs in product development,” said Sarah Reisinger, Senior Vice President Research Operations, Firmenich. “Capable of handling multiple projects simultaneously, it also enables small scale production of trial batches for formulation or testing and regulatory validation.”
Operational this month, the pilot plant at La Plaine is a cornerstone for new ingredients for both perfumery and flavors, enabling the development of the most efficient and high-quality production processes through biotechnology or natural extraction. Harnessing digital technology for increased automation, the pilot plant is able to move from single to continuous batch process, increasing efficiency, speed and reducing the use of raw materials.
In keeping with Firmenich’s recognized track record in sustainability, the new pilot plant benefits from efficient bioreactors, which minimizes both the amount of waste produced and energy consumed.
Upcycling an existing building at the Firmenich site in La Plaine, the new facility benefit from full synergies with the ingredients production plant. State of the art safety and environmental features were also designed into the new pilot plant and laboratory.
Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe has announced they are postponing the live event to 2021 and are transitioning to virtual for their 2020 event.
Over recent weeks and months, the Fi Europe team has been in discussions with key industry stakeholders and partners to stay abreast of the challenges facing the F&B industry due to COVID-19. While the event was set to take place this December with Informa’s AllSecure guidelines incorporating the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness, the decision to postpone the live event and transition to virtual was taken as a result of the global nature of the event.
Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe is a truly international event which brings together key industry players from all over the world. Given international travel is only returning gradually, stakeholders and partners felt it was difficult to ensure the same level of participation typically expected at the live event, and thus the Fi Europe team made the difficult decision to transition to a virtual format in 2020, with the expectation that they will return to Frankfurt as a best-in-class physical event from 30 November to 2 December 2021. The following year the show will take place in Paris.
For 2020, the Fi Europe team are transforming Europe’s largest F&B exhibition into a unique digital experience and expo. Fi Europe CONNECT 2020 is a virtual event designed to give the F&B community access to the global F&B ingredients industry, tools and collaboration opportunities they require to meet their business objectives.
Attracting over 8,000 attendees at their virtual event which will shape the future of the F&B industry, giving the community the chance to stay up to date with trends through 100+ on-demand and 16+ expert sessions and to use Fi Europe’s data-driven matchmaking service to find the most relevant buyers for customers’ products and solutions.
Vitafoods Expo 2020: Allmicroalgae will showcase its portfolio of functional and sustainable ingredients / Joint venture announcement
At Vitafoods Expo, European microalgae specialist Allmicroalgae will focus on three key ingredients which are all high quality sources of macro- and micronutrients: Organic Chlorella vulgaris powder – the only Chlorella ingredient on the market produced on a large scale with EU organic certification, Tetraselmis chuii powder and Nannochloropsis powder. Their valuable nutritional profiles make all three perfect for use in food supplements targeted at vegetarians, vegans, healthy lifestyle followers and the sports and fitness sectors. Furthermore, the Portuguese company is excited to use Vitafoods Expo as a platform to announce its new shareholder, ALTINAT Group, owner of Greentech, a pioneer in plant biotechnology. With a worldwide reach, Greentech has experience in processing algae in innovative ingredients for several markets, including the aquaculture, cosmetics and agro sectors. The new partnership effectively expands Allmicroalgae’s global presence and gives companies around the world access to its portfolio of plant-based, natural, sustainable and organic products.
Chlorella vulgaris powder: Packed with nutrients
The ideal protein supplier, this fine powder composed of Chlorella vulgaris microalgae cells has a minimum of 55 per cent protein in the dry mass. It contains all of the essential amino acids, which is a rarity amongst plant-based sources. Furthermore, it offers a vast array of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B12 and iron, as well as phytochemicals such as carotenes and xanthophylls. High in dietary fibre and low in fat, it has a total lipid content of more than 60 per cent polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). The product is produced in accordance with European Organic Certification.
Important from a functional perspective are its detoxifying and antioxidant properties. With immune health currently in focus like never before, the immunity-boosting properties of Allmicroalgae’s Chlorella vulgaris make it a high demand ingredient. When it comes to food formulations, it has interesting functionality, including being a natural green colourant and a texturising agent.
Tetraselmis chuii powder: A boost for nutritional profiles and savoury flavours
This EU-approved novel food ingredient contains a minimum of 40 per cent protein in the dry mass, as well as a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals, plus phytochemicals such as carotenes and xanthophylls. A key nutritional advantage is its essential omega-3 EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) content.
As a food ingredient, the sensory characteristics of Tetraselmis chuii are particularly interesting: Its pleasant, lightly salty seafood-like taste makes it ideal for boosting the flavour and nutritional content of savoury items in particular, including sauces, condiments and savoury crackers, where it can act as a salt substitute.
Nannochloropsis: High in EPA
Nannochloropsis microalgae normally grows in salt water, so its salt concentration is relatively high (7-9 g/100 g). However, Allmicroalgae has succeeded in developing a fresh water method of production. This leads to a product that is far lower in salt (<0,4 g/100 g) and is thus a healthier option for dietary supplements. Its high EPA content (almost 50 per cent of its total lipids) makes it a perfect source of this essential omega-3 fatty acid. Additionally, it is high in protein, dietary fibre and phytochemicals, which are largely responsible for its anti-oxidant activity.
Functional yet sustainable
“We are delighted to be taking part in the first ever virtual Vitafoods event,” says Margarida Eustáquio, responsible for Business Development at Allmicroalgae. “Even though it’s a pity we will not be able to meet our customers face to face, this innovative new format gives us the chance to reach an even wider audience, from all over the world. This is a great fit for our expansion plans and ties in perfectly with our new partnership. We are excited to be able to tell manufacturers and suppliers about the multitude of uses for our ingredients, which offer contemporary solutions for today’s health and sustainability conscious consumers. Our products are made 100 per cent in Portugal and combine the best of both worlds – excellent functionality and a clear ethical conscience.”
Of course, Vitafoods attendees will be able to learn about all of the products in Allmicroalgae’s extensive portfolio. Demonstrating its versatility, the company also offers finished items such as crackers, cookies and superfood bars, which are produced by carefully selected contract manufacturers on its behalf.
Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of food and beverage solutions and ingredients, is pleased to announce the launch of SWEETENER-VANTAGE™ Expert Systems, a set of new and innovative sweetener solution design tools, together with an education programme, which are designed to help formulators create sugar-reduced food and drink using low calorie sweeteners. Developed in response to customer demand for more predictive tools to support product performance and reduce development time, SWEETENER-VANTAGE™ Expert Systems will enable formulators to more efficiently solve their formulation challenges.
The SWEETENER-VANTAGE™ suite of tools includes sweetener maps and selection tools, and WikiSweet™, Tate & Lyle’s proprietary encyclopedia of formulation challenges and solutions, which Tate & Lyle scientists use with formulators to help them to differentiate between and select suitable sweeteners. A new three-module webinar series, Sweetener University™, developed by scientists for scientists, provides a forum for formulators to hear about and discuss the latest science and trends relating to sweeteners.
SWEETENER-VANTAGE™ builds on Tate & Lyle’s successful TEXTURE-VANTAGE® education programme, with a webinar series that has attracted thousands of registered participants since its 2018 launch.
Registration is free and accessible via this link.
BENEO has announced the expansion of its chicory root fibre and rice starch ingredient portfolio with two new organic solutions. The launch of the new additions, comprising an organic waxy rice starch, Remyline O AX DR, and organic chicory root fibre, Orafti®Organic, paves the way for BENEO to strengthen its market leading position.
Consumers worldwide are increasingly seeking out organic products, with figures showing they have become more important to 1 in 4 consumers in the last year1 and many willing to pay a premium price for them2. This rising demand has been driven by the growing consumer perception of organic products as healthy and natural, and therefore an intrinsic part of a healthier lifestyle. Organic products and ingredients are also considered a vital element for ethical and sustainable purchasing behaviour, a key trend being seen within the food and beverage industry. Around the world, there are high expectations for organic products, with a compound annual growth rate of 2 % and 2.6 % in value predicted between 2019 and 2022 in Europe and the USA respectively3, the two largest organic markets.
The addition of BENEO’s new organic waxy rice starch, Remyline O AX DR, completes the existing portfolio of rice starches with the availability of organic solutions for both regular and waxy rice starch. Launching globally from July onwards, Remyline O AX DR is the first of its kind to be brought to market, opening up new possibilities for product development. As a waxy rice starch, it contains no amylose and therefore delivers better stability and less syneresis, making it easier to maintain a stable texture throughout a product’s shelf life. Remyline O AX DR is suitable for fruit preparations, as well as meat and poultry applications. Technical trials by experts at the BENEO-Technology Center have shown positive results for these applications, as well as for improving the texture of creamy desserts and yoghurts.
Commenting on the launch of Remyline O AX DR, Marc-Etienne Denis, Commercial Managing Director Specialty Rice Ingredients at BENEO stated: “The launch of BENEO’s new organic waxy rice starch is an important milestone for us as it means we can now offer our customers organic variants for both our waxy and regular rice starches. We see great potential for this new solution, especially within meat and poultry, as consumers worldwide place special emphasis on organic products when buying meat.”
BENEO’s new Orafti®Organic, is a carefully grown and selected organic variant of its popular chicory root fibre and yet another first to market. It is regionally grown and harvested by certified organic farmers in Belgium. Inulin and oligofructose remain the only proven plant-based prebiotics available, according to ISAPP (International Scientific Association for Pro- and Prebiotics). Available to customers from September onwards, Orafti®Organic enables manufacturers to add natural prebiotic fibres that will improve taste and texture, while also allowing for fat and sugar reduction in products across key applications such as dairy, cereals, bakery and confectionery.
1HFI 2019 2HFI 2019 3Global Data 2019
At its ordinary meeting following yesterday’s virtual Annual General Meeting, the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG elected Michael König (56) as its new Chairman. Michael König succeeds Dr. Winfried Steeger (70), who, as previously announced, is stepping down upon reaching the retirement age specified in the Supervisory Board’s Rules of Procedure. The Hildesheim District Court had appointed Michael König to the Supervisory Board, effective as of 15 January 2020, following the departure of Dr. Thomas Rabe. In addition, the Annual General Meeting elected Peter Vanacker (54) as a new member of the Supervisory Board.
Michael König, the new Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG, said: “On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board I would like to thank Dr. Steeger for his commitment and the trusting working relationship. At the same time, we are pleased to welcome Peter Vanacker to the Supervisory Board. With his many years of management experience both in Germany and internationally, he represents an outstanding addition to our Supervisory Board.”
Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, CEO of Symrise AG, added: “Over the past eight years, Dr. Steeger was always available to support the Management Board with his extensive knowledge and expertise. On behalf of the entire company, I would like to express my sincere thanks for the excellent cooperation. At the same time, I look forward to working with Michael König and Peter Vanacker. They have both built impressive track records during their successful careers in different industries. Their strong interest in the long-term development of businesses, with a special focus on innovation and sustainability, will greatly benefit our company.”
Michael König is the CEO of the publicly traded Elkem ASA, a leading global supplier of silicone-based high-performance materials based in Oslo. Prior to this, he spent four years as CEO of China National Bluestar, a supplier of new chemicals and animal nutrition products, and 25 years in various management roles in Germany and China with Bayer AG.
Peter Vanacker is the President and CEO of Neste Corporation, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sustainable product solutions, such as renewable fuels for road and air transportation and renewable hydrocarbons for the chemical industry, headquartered in Finland.
Dr. Winfried Steeger was appointed to the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG in 2012 and served as its Chairman from August 2019 onward.
Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading supplier of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces a set of ambitious new environmental targets and commitments. These targets are aligned to the delivery of Tate & Lyle’s purpose, Improving Lives for Generations, a key pillar of which is to care for our planet and protect its natural resources for the benefit of future generations.
Tate & Lyle’s new environmental targets are, by 2030, to deliver:
30 % absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions, with an ambition to reach 20 % reduction by 2025.
15 % absolute reduction in Scope 3 CO2e emissions.
100 % of its waste to be beneficially used, with an ambition to reach 75 % by 2025.
15 % reduction in water use.
In adopting these targets, Tate & Lyle commits to:
Eliminate use of coal from its operations by 2025.
Establish its Scope 1, 2 and 3 CO2e emissions reductions as Science-Based Targets.
Maintain sustainable acreage equivalent to the volume of corn Tate & Lyle buys globally each year, currently 1.5 million acres, and through partnerships accelerate the adoption of conservation practices.
These new targets and commitments build on the steps already taken to enhance Tate & Lyle’s sustainability across its entire value chain. For example, in September Tate & Lyle announced a landmark sustainable agriculture programme in partnership with TruterraTM (formerly Land O’Lakes SUSTAINTM) to help growers in the US Midwest understand the impact sustainable practices can have on their crops and their profitability, and to adopt them.
To demonstrate its commitment to the new environmental targets, Tate & Lyle has linked the pricing of its US$800 million revolving credit facility, extended in May 2020, to the delivery of its new Scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions, beneficial waste and water reduction targets.
Nick Hampton, Chief Executive at Tate & Lyle, said: “There has never been a greater need for businesses to address the climate change crisis. One of the key pillars of our purpose of Improving Lives for Generations is to care for our planet and with our new environmental targets and commitments we are taking decisive action to protect our planet’s natural resources for the benefit of future generations.”
Anna Pierce, Director of Sustainability at Tate & Lyle, added: “These stretching new targets demonstrate our steadfast commitment to integrate sustainability into our day-to-day business activities, processes and culture.”
Consumers’ health status, personal interests and life priorities continuously change with age. Demanding lifestyles of Thai consumer combined with early signs of ageing often trigger middle-aged consumers to become more concerned about their health, nutrition and resulting in increased interest in using functional food/drinks.
Latest research from Mintel, the world’s leading market intelligence agency, highlights that for 84 % of Thai consumer health is a top priority, and even more so for consumers aged between 25-44. Among millennials aged between 25-34, over a quarter (28 %) of consumers rely on products with added nutritional benefits to balance out their indulgence intake and 34 % of consumers in the same cohort seek out the latest information on health and nutrition information.
Pimwadee Aguilar, Associate Director for Food & Drink, at Mintel said:
“The degree to which consumers choose to engage with functional food and drink products varies depending on life stage and lifestyles. The increase in health awareness often takes place after the first signs of health decline. As simple signs such as facial fine lines usually appear at around the age of 25, it is at this stage when consumers are really motivated to review their diet and attempt to improve it either through conventional foods, supplementation or medicine.”
“With consumers seeking convenient ways to make up for their imbalanced lifestyle, brands in the food and drink space have an opportunity to tap into this need state to help consumers feel at their best despite their busy schedule. To find success in functional food and drink business, brands need to develop products that provide customised benefits to fulfill the needs of different demographic groups.”
Performance enhancement is the key target benefit
Thai consumers are looking for ways to improve performance and delay the degeneration of health. Mintel research highlights that the top three benefits consumer look for in functional food and drink products include brain health (62 %), eye health (55 %) and skin health (53 %)and that boost energy. However, 53 % of consumers prefer getting nutrients through regular food and drink rather than through those with fortifications and this increases to 66 %, among consumers aged 45+.
“Despite the significant demands for functional food and drinks with benefits for brain/eye health and energy, within the last three years the Thai market has experienced very stable growth in product launches that cater to these needs. With new ingredients and product varieties that can deliver these benefits, there is still a large opportunity for business growth. In Thailand, ‘naturally functional’ ingredients or products are perceived to be better than ‘added nutrition’ among consumers. Brands can appeal to consumers, especially adults with food and drink products with functional benefits from natural sources as they convey ‘healthiness’ more strongly than those with synthetic ingredients. Product formats such as beverage powders and yogurts which can easily fit into many meal occasions, and presents an opportunity to penetrate exceptionally well with consumers as they contain ‘familiar, real-food’ qualities. Energy drinks and those with electrolytes, on the other hand, are consumed less, mostly due to their ‘overly processed’ image. To win consumer acceptance, manufacturers need to develop products which provide functional benefits, yet maintain ‘real food’ look and taste,” said Pimwadee.
Beauty inside out
Consumers want to look their best, even amidst busy lifestyles, as Mintel research reveals that over half of consumers look for skin health (51 %) and over a third of consumers seek products that aid weight loss (37 %). The interest is high, especially among female consumers, in functional food and drinks products that offer for skin health (63 %) and weight loss benefits (45 %). Finally, Thai consumers say they are aware and have consumed collagen (73 %) and antioxidants (72 %).
“Urbanisation has resulted in consumers leading hectic lifestyles which often increases their chances of physical and mental burnout and premature ageing. As a result, early signs of ageing on the face and body are triggering consumers, especially females, to seek solutions to delay the decline. Collagen and antioxidants are the most popular functional ingredients among consumers as they seek ‘quick fixes’ to improve physical appearance and delay ageing. Food and drink can play an important role in beauty as ingredients for healthy skin such as collagen are seeing high awareness and usage. It is essentials for brands to lead in educating consumers about ingredients and benefits the product delivers and offer convenient, effective and tasty beauty and weight management solutions to consumers,” concluded Pimwadee.
Barentz International, a leading global distributor of life science ingredients, has expanded its activities in the dynamic world of taste and nutrition. The company proudly announces its acquisition of Chicago-based Ingredients Inc – a very successful family business in the USA, and a leading developer and supplier of high-quality ingredients to food and beverage, pet food and nutraceutical manufacturers.
Highlights:
The acquisition diversifies Barentz’ sources, enabling it to deliver a wider range of high-quality ingredient solutions in the USA market.
Ingredients Inc and Barentz share a proven track-record in developing, formulating, manufacturing and producing ingredients and custom-blends for their clients. Both companies add value by developing new ideas and innovative solutions through their expertise and network of specialized application laboratories.
With headquarters in Chicago, and serviced by a network of warehouses, Ingredients Inc strengthens Barentz’ national USA coverage.
The Symrise Group remains on track for growth in the fiscal year 2020. In the first quarter, sales were up by 8.0 % to € 917.1 million (Q1 2019: € 848.8 million). All segments contributed to this positive development and posted gains despite the challenging global economic conditions under Covid-19. In organic terms, sales were up 2.3 % after strong comparative figures in the prior-year quarter.
“The Covid-19 pandemic is proving a tough test for the global economy. Symrise has put measures in place at all of its locations to provide employees and partners with optimal protection against the virus. We continue to be fully operational and are making every effort to supply our customers with the reliability they are used to. In this context, our employees’ flexibility and enormous commitment play a decisive role,” said Dr Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, CEO of Symrise AG. “This crisis again underscores the resilience and balance of our business model. With our broad range of product solutions for foods and beverages, personal care and hygiene, we serve especially in these times the needs of everyday life. In addition, we are demonstrating social responsibility by using our technological skills and resources to produce disinfectants by the ton and deliver them free of charge to municipalities for use in public institutions.”
Flavor grows with savory products and beverage applications
In the Flavor segment, which supplies flavor ingredients for foods and beverages, sales increased by 2.2 % to € 322.6 million (Q1 2019: € 315.6 million). Adjusted for exchange rate effects and after a strong prior-year quarter, organic growth in the segment amounted to 1.6 %.
In EAME, the highest growth rates were recorded in applications for beverages and savory products, especially in the national markets in Germany, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa. Sales in applications for sweets were slightly below the prior-year quarter.
In the Asia/Pacific region, sales growth in the beverages application area was in the high single-digit percentage range and reached even double-digit growth rates in savory applications. The national markets of Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Bangladesh developed particularly pleasing. By contrast, the currently weaker demand in China had a negative impact on the overall positive regional development.
In North America, the application areas for beverages and sweet products were slightly below the strong prior-year level. The savory business achieved solid growth with regional and global customers.
Business in Latin America developed very dynamically and achieved high single-digit percentage growth for sweet products. At the same time, sales for beverage and savory products grew in the double-digit percentage range. Demand for beverage application products was particularly strong in the national markets of Brazil and Uruguay.
Confident for the current fiscal year
Symrise continues to be fully operational worldwide and has sustained supply capability. Due to its global presence, its expanded portfolio and broad customer base, the Group considers itself to be robust and reliably positioned even in this demanding market environment. Symrise expects that the Covid-19 crisis will temporarily change consumer behavior in parts and lead to a shift in the portfolio. A large number of the products that are currently in greater demand address essential daily needs in connection with nutrition, personal care and hygiene.
After a solid start into the year, Symrise remains confident for the current fiscal year. While the development and impact of Covid-19 is difficult to assess at present, the Group continues to expect to grow faster than the relevant market, supported by the very diversified competencies, in the course of the year.
The longer term goals until the end of 2025 remain in effect. Symrise aims to increase its sales to
€ 5.5 – € 6 billion. The Company intends to achieve this increase through annual organic growth of 5–7 % (CAGR) and additional targeted acquisitions.
The incorporation of sleep-friendly ingredients in food and drinks is expected to have future potential as it closely aligns with many consumers’ want for a better night’s rest through natural methods, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
According to the company’s Global 2019 Q3 Consumer Survey, a notably higher proportion of Gen X and Gen Y consumers worldwide (79 %) are concerned about tiredness/fatigue than the retired Silent Generation (58 %). Among Gen Y, the pressure that comes with starting a new career, combined with a typically higher propensity to watch television or stream apps, could play a part in preventing regular sleep, leading to fatigue in day-to-day life.
GlobalData’s report, ‘Foresights: Night-Time Foods and RTD Beverages’, highlights a growing awareness among consumers that their diets can have a major impact on their sleeping patterns.
New health trend opportunity as sleep-friendly ingredients enter beverages and snacking, says GlobalData
The incorporation of sleep-friendly ingredients in food and drinks is expected to have future potential as it closely aligns with many consumers’ want for a better night’s rest through natural methods, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
According to the company’s Global 2019 Q3 Consumer Survey, a notably higher proportion of Gen X and Gen Y consumers worldwide (79 %) are concerned about tiredness/fatigue than the retired Silent Generation (58 %). Among Gen Y, the pressure that comes with starting a new career, combined with a typically higher propensity to watch television or stream apps, could play a part in preventing regular sleep, leading to fatigue in day-to-day life.
GlobalData’s report, ‘Foresights: Night-Time Foods and RTD Beverages’, highlights a growing awareness among consumers that their diets can have a major impact on their sleeping patterns.
Ramsey Baghdadi, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As fatigue and tiredness are such a high concern for consumers globally, foods and beverages with ‘sleep-friendly’ claims will perform well in an otherwise highly saturated market, as they create a point of differentiation against traditional energy-boosting counterparts.”
Younger consumers are most vulnerable to feeling sleep deprived due to their hard-working, digital-orientated lifestyle. As a result, manufacturers in the past year such as the sleep-easy ice cream brand Nightfood and sleep-friendly ready-to-drink (RTD) brand Snoooze, have been focusing on foods and beverages specially designed to be consumed shortly before bed to improve sleep patterns.
Baghdadi states: “Such products are also an innovative example of how manufacturers can stand out from the competition by highlighting unique benefits to consumers such as specific lifestyle/health benefits, as product specificity is a key driver in consumer purchasing behavior. Manufacturers should use more natural ingredients in their products as a significant proportion of consumers globally are concerned about chemical/pharmaceutical sleep solutions, following global trends towards simpler and more natural lifestyles.
“The key to these sleep-friendly snacks is that they contain more plant-based ingredients that claim to improve digestion, natural melatonin levels and are low in sugar, leading to a deeper sleep.”
Ramsey Baghdadi, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “As fatigue and tiredness are such a high concern for consumers globally, foods and beverages with ‘sleep-friendly’ claims will perform well in an otherwise highly saturated market, as they create a point of differentiation against traditional energy-boosting counterparts.”
Younger consumers are most vulnerable to feeling sleep deprived due to their hard-working, digital-orientated lifestyle. As a result, manufacturers in the past year such as the sleep-easy ice cream brand Nightfood and sleep-friendly ready-to-drink (RTD) brand Snoooze, have been focusing on foods and beverages specially designed to be consumed shortly before bed to improve sleep patterns.
Baghdadi states: “Such products are also an innovative example of how manufacturers can stand out from the competition by highlighting unique benefits to consumers such as specific lifestyle/health benefits, as product specificity is a key driver in consumer purchasing behavior. Manufacturers should use more natural ingredients in their products as a significant proportion of consumers globally are concerned about chemical/pharmaceutical sleep solutions, following global trends towards simpler and more natural lifestyles.
“The key to these sleep-friendly snacks is that they contain more plant-based ingredients that claim to improve digestion, natural melatonin levels and are low in sugar, leading to a deeper sleep.”
To prep for the warmer weather and festivities summer brings, Smoothie King launched Metabolism Boost smoothies—designed to boost metabolism and help control appetite.
Metabolism Boost smoothies are made with clean ingredients and come in two flavors—Strawberry Pineapple and Mango Ginger. When combined with a fitness routine, these smoothies help guests boost metabolism and control their appetite with whole, organic veggies, non-GMO fruit and naturally derived caffeine. An excellent source of both fiber and protein, Metabolism Boost smoothies help guests feel fuller and satisfied longer, and when combined with Smoothie King’s proprietary Metabolism Boost enhancer, help to accelerate metabolism and calorie burning.
Metabolism Boost smoothies are the newest menu item designed to help guests feel their best for swimsuit season and beyond. Smoothie King is committed to helping guests attain their health and fitness goals through nutritious smoothies complete with whole fruits, organic vegetables and no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.
For health-conscious guests looking for the perfect meal replacement smoothie to Rule the Day, Metabolism Boost smoothies are masterfully crafted with nutritious, wholesome ingredients and contain 280 calories and over 17 grams of protein per 20 ounces.
Smoothie King Metabolism Boost Strawberry Pineapple: Strawberries, pineapples, protein blend, Gladiator Protein vanilla, fiber, kiwi apple juice blend and Metabolism Boost enhancer
Smoothie King Metabolism Boost Mango Ginger: Mangos, organic ginger, banana, organic spinach, protein blend, Gladiator Protein vanilla, fiber, white grape lemon juice blend and Metabolism Boost enhancer
Metabolism Boost smoothies are available in all Smoothie King locations in the US.
Fever-Tree launched Soda Collection, a brand-new range of delicious flavoured sodas, expertly crafted from the finest naturally sourced ingredients.
Each soda is low in calories and uses no artificial colours, sweeteners or preservatives, making them perfect for creating delicious yet simple spritz drinks.
Raspberry & Rose
Raspberry and Rose Soda is made with delicately perfumed Damask rose petals combined with the juicy sweetness of late-harvest raspberries to create a unique and delicious soda that’s perfect for mixing with pink gin or premium vodka for a refreshing summer spritz.
White Grape & Apricot
Wonderfully tart white grapes and sweet apricots from Italy are balanced with the subtle floral notes of French verbena oil to create White Grape & Apricot Soda.
Italian Blood Orange
Juicy blood oranges from Sicily meet an iconic herbal blend to create Italian Blood Orange Soda. This complex and sophisticated mixer pairs perfectly with Italian liqueurs, bitters and premium vodka.
Mexican Lime
Mexican Lime Soda is made with Tahiti lime from Mexico’s fertile groves in addition to pressed oil extract from the wonderfully floral Japanese yuzu to create a low-calorie soda that’s perfect for mixing with premium vodka or tequila for a mouth-wateringly zesty summer spritz.
The range is available throughout the UK across pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels from March 2020 before launching in retail in the run-up to Easter 2020.
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