The fruit, starch and sugar group AGRANA is expanding its distribution activities in its starch segment and has acquired 100 % of shares in the US distribution company Marroquin Organic International Inc. based in Santa Cruz (California). Marroquin Organic has 29 years of experience supplying organic and non-GMO ingredients and has grown to over $20 Million in annual revenue. Marroquin Organic International is a long-standing distribution partner of AGRANA Stärke-GmbH.
AGRANA CEO Johann Marihart: “Marroquin Organic International is a pioneer in the organic and non-GMO food ingredient sector in the USA and enjoys a correspondingly high reputation in the market. This acquisition is a perfect fit in terms of implementing our specialities strategy in the starch segment. AGRANA possesses many years of experience in the production of specialty starches and is increasingly focusing on baby food and clean label starches which have not been chemically modified. The organic origins and non-GMO status of our products are increasingly appreciated by customers and users alike, particularly in the USA where, with starch largely being based on genetically-modified corn, demand for non-GMO starches is rising.” With a volume of USD 17 billion (2017), the US market for packaged organic foods, the world’s largest according to Euromonitor, is forecast to grow 8.2% per year in the period to 2023.
Grace Marroquin, founder of Marroquin Organic International: “Teaming up with AGRANA is a natural choice for us. We’ve been working with their outstanding product line for over 20 years, helping the industry to grow and innovate. AGRANA is well-positioned to support the organic and non-GMO market as it continues to grow in North America”. Marroquin Organic International was founded by Grace Marroquin in 1991, when she recognized the need for certified organic, specialty ingredients in the US market.
Specialities strategy
In its starch segment, AGRANA processes potatoes, corn and wheat to make numerous different starch products for the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries as well as for numerous technical applications. With three starch mills in Austria and a production site in both Hungary and Romania respectively, AGRANA has established itself as a key producer of customer-oriented speciality products. As part of its specialities strategy, AGRANA offers the food industry a wide range of non-GMO and organic products.
2019 broke records again for the number of food and drink transactions around the world, with 789 registered on the Zenith Global mergers and acquisitions database, an average of 15 each week.
The total is 12 more than in 2018 and 41 % higher than 5 years ago. The number has increased every year since a dip in 2013.
The most active sectors were ingredients on 65, dairy on 63, soft drinks on 57 and packaging on 49. Beer on 38 was ahead of spirits on 35 and wine on 28.
Global food and drink acquisitions by sector 2018-2019 (Photo: Zenith Global)
The top 15 sectors were the same as 2018, with the exception of CBD replacing confectionery. The combination of plant-based (15) with dairy-free (14) and meat-free (11) totalled 40. Bottled water and water coolers added up to 23. Vertical farming was a newcomer with 8.
The biggest increases were for CBD (+19) and beer (+15). Many of the main categories saw declines, led by services (-19), confectionery (-18) and wine (-9).
Fi Europe & Ni 2019: the most successful edition of the world’s leading trade show in France to date
With an enormous thematic and geographical scope – exhibitors from 74 countries and visitors from 173 countries – Fi Europe & Ni once again proved that it is the trusted and chosen meeting place for the international food and beverage industry. The three-day event attracted almost 25.000 visitors at the beginning of December – despite the all-out strike on the third day of the show.
In the 33rd year of Fi Europe & Ni, 1,700 exhibitors presented more than 15,000 ingredients and a wide range of related services – from processing and packaging technology to contract manufacturing. To provide a platform for the growing globalisation of the industry, Fi Europe & Ni this year welcomed 26 country pavilions, including six new ones for suppliers from Japan, India, Georgia, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Peru. For the next event in Frankfurt, 84 per cent of the available exhibition space has already been booked. This high number of stand reservations for 2020 is once again a proof that Fi Europe & Ni remains a successful and respected business platform for exhibitors.
With 24.415 attendees, this edition of Fi Europe & Ni was the most successful one in France so far. Recent analyses show that mainly representatives of sales, procurement and purchasing, general management and R&D attended the show at Parc des Expositions Paris Nord, Villepinte. 33 per cent of the visitors were managers at C-level or higher, and 71 per cent had budget responsibility.
Rüdiger Schock, Director, Innovation Acceleration EMEA at Ingredion, commented: “We have been exhibiting our innovative ingredient portfolio at Fi Europe & Ni for more than 20 years, and we will definitely be back. 2019 was another very successful fair for us. It was a great opportunity to meet with customers old and new to discuss global key trends such as clean label, protein enrichment, sugar reduction and plant-based ingredients, and the solutions we have to support them.”
Continuous development
Since its launch in 1986, the event has always had its finger on the industry pulse and has continually expanded. First, Ni (Natural ingredients) joined the exhibition and has established itself as a forum for future-oriented natural ingredients. In addition, an extensive conference and educational programme has been added and this year attracted more than 300 delegates, offering in-depth insights into key trends such as “Healthy & Functional”, “Plant-derived Ingredients”, “Clean Label” and “Reduction & Reformulation”. The Future of Nutrition Summit on the day before the fair proved highly successful, attracting more than 100 participants and showcasing outstanding and game-changing innovations, with a focus on sustainable food systems and new food technologies.
Firmenich’s Global Director Marketing and Communication Ingredients, Virginie Gervason, stated: “As we are involved in flavour ingredients and flavour solutions, Fi Europe & Ni is the best place for us to showcase our innovations and insights, and demonstrate the best use of these solutions. It’s a good opportunity to show the versatility of Firmenich, and how our ingredients embody our purpose ‘For Good Naturally’.”
Within the Expo FoodTec, which was added to the Fi Europe & Ni line-up to mirror the interplay between ingredients and technology, the Expo FoodTec Content Hub presented valuable advice, especially in the field of food safety. In a time where flexitarian and vegan consumers fuel the market, the new Plant-based Experience showed, through panel discussions, how to strike the balance between consumer-expected low price and high quality.
A New Gen trade show: Fi and Hi co-located under one roof
2020 in Frankfurt, Fi Europe and Hi Europe will join forces for the first time. This co-location is a strategic response to the fact that the health and nutrition economic sectors are merging at a fast pace. Consequently, the boundaries between standard ingredients, functional ingredients with added health benefits, and dietary supplements are blurring.
As many companies also have much shorter innovation cycles than a few years ago, Fi Europe and Hi Europe will take place annually starting next year. Messe Frankfurt will be first to host the largest trade show for the food and beverage industry, from 1 to 3 December.
From a visitor’s point of view, the show is still highly relevant in a digital age: “It’s difficult sometimes when you’re trying to source a new ingredient – yes, you can do a Google search to find the data, but you don’t get that full insight into what each supplier is doing. So this show really brings it all together under one roof,” said Suzanne Salt, Procurement Manager, Symingtons Ltd.
Fi Europe Brand Director Julien Bonvallet was delighted with this year’s event: “Thirty-three years of Fi Europe & Ni are a reason to celebrate! We are grateful that so many visitors made their way to Paris despite the strike warning. But it also shows that Fi Europe & Ni is simply the place to be for the industry’s thought leaders. I am now looking forward to this great new development and can already promise many exciting inclusions for the show in 2020.”
Compared to the rest of Europe, Germans attach particular importance to naturalness when buying food. Only taste and consumer friendliness are more important to German citizens. Consumers in France and the UK also pay particular attention to these two factors, followed by value for money and naturalness. In the future, the demand for natural foods could increase, especially in China. These are the results of six studies carried out by Symrise over the past two years. The Group surveyed around 15,000 consumers ages 16 to 70 from 12 countries in Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America.
The importance of naturalness differs greatly from country to country. At the same time, the researchers also identified overarching common aspects. They found that the explicit use of the word “natural” has a great influence on the perception and acceptance of a product or its ingredients. In addition, consumers around the world reject ingredients with scientific-sounding names because they do not perceive them as natural. In order for the consumer to understand and trust the content of the label, it needs concrete and transparent information. Another finding was that consumers prefer familiar methods of food preparation. Artificial sweeteners are also considered unhealthy and too sweet.
“Many consumers today want to buy the most natural food possible,” says Stefanie Hartwig, Global Marketing Engagement Manager at Symrise. “At Symrise, we respond to this preference with our code of nature® platform. This means that we value natural ingredients, gentle processing and authentic taste in our products.”
Germans want understandable ingredients
Especially in Europe, consumers are very interested in the ingredients of food. They thoroughly read even long lists of ingredients as long as they can understand them. In general, respondents attach importance to ingredients they know. On the other hand, they mostly reject unfamiliar ingredients. This also applies to very general disclosures such as the ones on vegetables. Concrete content information significantly improves acceptance. The disclosure of food additives in the form of E numbers, as practiced in the European Union, is also poorly received by consumers, especially in Germany.
In Asia, the proportion of consumers interested in natural foods varies relatively widely. While in Japan almost half of consumers prefer natural raw materials, in Thailand the proportion is about a third and in China about a quarter. China holds the greatest future potential. There are particularly good prospects in the yogurt drink and flavored water categories, if manufacturers simultaneously consider the need for health and safety.
“Natural foods offer an enormous growth market with great opportunities for manufacturers,” says Mathias vom Weg, SVP Global Purchasing Flavor at Symrise. “The challenge is to ensure naturalness throughout the value chain. We focus on transparency and traceability. With clear guidelines, we ensure that our suppliers meet our requirements for naturalness.”
Similar perception of naturalness in North America and Latin America
In the USA, consumers particularly expect naturalness in the yogurt (68 percent), soup (55 percent) and flavored water (50 percent) product categories. Respondents there primarily associate naturalness with the terms “fresh,” “natural,” “local ingredients” and “free of additives and preservatives.” This also applies to Latin America. Consumers there understand naturalness as describing a product that is real and pure without additives. Especially in beverages, Latin American consumers value natural taste, natural sweeteners and a healthy product.
‘Hive’ will address major global food system challenges
Unilever has invested €85m in the new center, named ‘Hive’ for its location amidst leading academic research centres, start-ups and external partners. From Hive, Unilever will lead its global Foods innovation programs for brands like Knorr, Hellmann’s, The Vegetarian Butcher and Calvė. Areas of research will include: plant-based ingredients and meat alternatives, efficient crops, sustainable food packaging and nutritious foods.
Together with its partners, Unilever aims to transform the food industry into a healthy and sustainable system, driving innovations that are healthier for people and for the planet.
Alan Jope, Unilever CEO, said: “We need a fundamental transformation of the food system if we are to feed more than 9 billion people sustainably and nutritiously. Malnutrition, obesity, climate change and food waste are issues that can only be addressed if we work in partnership to accelerate technology and innovation. Having a global research and development centre in Wageningen will enable us to do exactly this.”
The Wageningen area in the Netherlands is often nicknamed “Food Valley” – a nod to Silicon Valley – in recognition of the breakthroughs in agri-food tech being generated by start-ups, science institutes, NGOs and companies located in the area.
Unilever’s Hive has the highest certification for sustainable buildings: ‘BREEAM-NL Outstanding’. Large parts of the fully circular interior are accessible to the public. Earlier this year, the building won two prestigious design awards: the Global Design Award for Commercial Projects and the Global Public Award.
Like apple. Says esarom, the Austrian producer of flavours and compounds and makes us curious to get to know more about the trendy taste for 2020.
esarom has created an extensive apple portfolio which goes beyond the actual fruit: On the one hand there is the delicate apple blossom, on the other hand the harvested and already processed apple in the form of cider, apple spirit, apple pie or baked apple.
There are flavours where the character of individual apple varieties like Gala, Golden Delicious or Granny Smith is in the foreground, but you can also enquire for profiles like juicy-sweet, crispy-fresh or sour-tangy.
It is astonishing how diverse in taste a fruit can be which has become for us an everyday product.
Originating from real fruit and apple juice of different apple varieties nature identical flavours have been created orientating on those taste profiles. The flavour profile depends on the wishes of the beverage producer and also includes natural flavours which are suitable for organic products.
Considering the current food trends esarom has been right to choose the apple as trendy fruit. The apple being at home in more than 100 countries of the world, the apple has been the cosmopolitan among fruits and at the same time almost everywhere a local fruit – thus the taste of the apple fits perfectly to concepts which focus on local fruits. Every child is familiar with the saying “an apple a day…” and it also reflects the healthy image of the apple. Consistent: products which focus on the trendy topic Health & Wellbeing and taste like apple. The taste of apple has been a timeless taste which has always been there and still is a top taste. Among the world-wide beverage launches of the last two years together with orange and lemon it has been among the top 3 flavours.*
The curious consumer who likes to try out new things – the trend scouts of Innova speak of Adventurous Consumer, top Trend Number One 2019 – would like to be surprised and rewards interesting concepts with a Like which combine familiar and popular aspects and are enriched by unexpected flavour notes.
The apple is a sociable fruit and goes well with many fruits like with the popular botanicals. This results in classical products with a trendy twist which have potential that they are liked by many – consumers and producers alike.
The esarom apple portfolio enables to offer with the fruit apple alone to offer a diversity of seasonal products for an entire year: in spring an energy drink with apple blossom awakens the spirits of life, a water-based apple drink with the taste of the variety Braeburn serves as a thirst quencher in the hot summer months. Autumn is the time of the cider – there are cider notes from sweet to tangy in an alcohol-free soft drink for the Young Urbans. When winter begins Hygge is the motto and baked apple is the taste of the season.
* Source Mintel GNPD
Dr Matthias Moser takes over management of all companies and brands of the Food Ingredients Division
Lennart Kutschinski will accompany the Group in the future as a consultant
The Stern-Wywiol Gruppe is taking the next step in its coporate orientation and the brand focus strategy 2020 and is reorganising its tasks within the management board. With effect from 1 October 2019, all companies and brands of the Food Ingredients Division will be brought together in the management board under Dr Matthias Moser, who already heads the companies Hydrosol, SternEnzym, OlbrichtArom and hs Additives. In this connection, Lennart Kutschinski is leaving the management board of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe and the divisional management of the brands Mühlenchemie, SternVitamin and DeutscheBack.
Lennart Kutschinski will accompany Stern-Wywiol Gruppe in the future as a consultant on issues affecting the entire group of companies, including the expansion in particular. From January 2020 on, Hendrik Begemann will take over Lennart Kutschinski’s tasks at Mühlenchemie as the new Global Head of Business Unit. Hendrik Begemann is currently Managing Director of the Mexican foreign branch Stern Ingredients Mexico.
“With this new structure, the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe is ideally equipped to continue its story of growth,” emphasizes CEO Torsten Wywiol, “The company and the owner family Wywiol are personally grateful to Lennart Kutschinski for the services he has rendered nationally and internationally over the past 25 years in expanding the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe. We appreciate him enormously, both as a colleague and as a person, and we are very pleased that he will still be at our side in the future. Matthias Moser, an experienced manager from our own group, takes over the operative responsibility for our Food Ingredients companies. As Managing Director, he recently successfully developed several units and was instrumental in expanding our market position,” says Torsten Wywiol.
SVZ, a leading supplier of fruit and vegetable ingredients, is set to showcase an exciting new addition to its 100 % natural, sustainably sourced portfolio at FiE 2019. The company will be presenting its core offering of traceable, high-quality fruit and vegetable purees, juices and concentrates, as well as exciting new products, including authentic strawberry and sour cherry chunky purees.
Chunky puree: bringing more bite to fruit puree
As well as sampling delicious healthy honeyberry shots, visitors to SVZ’s stand at FiE 2019 can find out more about the new chunky purees: the latest addition to the company’s premium portfolio. Minimally processed and retaining pieces of real fruit within a rich, high-quality puree, the new chunky range allows dairy, ice cream and dessert producers to create 100 % natural, clean label products that offer the look, taste, and bite of authentic home-made purees. The size of the fruit pieces in new chunky purees can be individually tailored according to the customer requirements, allowing brands to create a unique texture profile. Chunky purees provide a high-quality and easy-to-use NPD ingredients solution that is ideal for transparent packaging and the ‘healthier choice’ products of premium brands.
Delivering 100 % natural, traceable ingredients
SVZ has remained committed to offering the very best in entirely natural, premium food and beverage ingredients. Today, the company’s extensive portfolio has grown to encompass everything from raspberry and haskap berry puree to cucumber and red beet juice. With its long-standing dedication to building supply-chain visibility and working with suppliers to develop more sustainable farming practices, from the very start SVZ has inspired its customers to harness the power of nature and create the healthy, traceable products consumers increasingly demand.
“The launch of new chunky purees not only opens up a host of exciting NPD possibilities for producers, but equally demonstrates our dedication to serving the ever-changing needs of our customers”, comments Johan Cerstiaens, Commercial Director at SVZ. “From healthy reformulation to minimally processed ingredients for a more authentic, ‘home made’ feel, our ingredients are designed to create exciting taste and texture experiences that satisfy the core demands of today’s consumers. Our commitment to achieving 100 % sustainable sourcing by 2030 additionally means our products don’t just look and taste good, but aim to do good as well.”
Stand 6E110, 3 – 5 December 2019, Paris, France
In line with the company motto “Turning the best out of nature into Multi-Sensory & Nutritional Excellence”, Doehler will present pioneering ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the beverage industry to visitors at BrauBeviale, which will take place in Nuremberg from 12 to 14 November 2019.
From reduced-sugar adult soft drinks in innovative flavours, to fruity and fresh NFC juices, to refreshing fruit-infused water and full-bodied, alcohol-free beers, visitors to the Doehler stand can discover inspirational ideas for their next successful product. All innovation concepts are based on a comprehensive portfolio of natural ingredients ranging from natural flavours, natural colours, health ingredients, pulses & cereal ingredients, dairy & plant-based ingredients, fermented ingredients, fruit & vegetable ingredients to ingredient systems, as well as a diverse range of certified organic ingredients.
The next generation of beer-mix drinks
Beer remains one of the world’s most popular alcoholic beverages. Primarily young consumers are looking for diverse product concepts in innovative flavours, a fact that offers tremendous market potential for beer-mixes. Doehler will present exciting beer-mix concepts at BrauBeviale 2019 which producers can use to shake up the beer market. Alongside classic beer-mixes with lemon or grapefruit flavours, reduced-sugar beer-mix variants are currently in high demand. The sugar-reduced beer-mix lemon product impresses with its authentic taste and full-bodied mouthfeel, while using 30% less sugar compared to other common beer-mix beverages. Doehler’s MultiSense® Flavours enable the sugar content in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to be reduced significantly, while simultaneously retaining the full taste.
“Double brew beer-mixes” are also winning over consumers with their authentic taste profiles. Perfectly balanced and refreshing beer-mixes combine two brewed components: beer and brewed lemonade. A fruit content of up to 6 % derived from fermented juices and various botanical extracts ensures that the beer-mixes are less sweet and have a particularly refreshing taste. Visitors to the Doehler stand will have the opportunity to try the double brew beer-mix with a hint of lime.
Reduced-sugar and refreshing – soft drinks for every taste
At BrauBeviale, Doehler will also present its extensive portfolio of adult soft drinks which are specifically tailored to the consumer requirements of adults. Using high-quality ingredients from Doehler such as innovative botanical extracts and distillates, brewed and fermented ingredients or high-quality NFC juices, the adult soft drinks impress with their tart, less-sweet taste profiles.
Doehler also has different solutions to reduce the sugar content in soft drinks. By using MultiSense® Sweet Aroma, the refreshingly light soda tastes fruitier and less sweet while having a sugar content of less than 5 g per 100 ml. The lemonade combines the sour and fresh taste of lemon with a hint of peach and is presented in the trend colour of coral. Consumers looking for another lemonade with a less sweet, more “grown-up” taste profile should try Doehler`s brewed soda with its special flavours of brewed ginger and brewed lime. Thanks to a natural sweetening solution using a stevia tea brew, the drink has a sugar content of just 4.1 g per 100 ml.
Innovative juice drinks – natural, reduced-sugar and delicious
Reducing the sugar and calorie content in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages is currently in the spotlight. The demand for reduced-sugar beverages is continuously growing, particularly when it comes to juice and juice drinks: every third juice on the market is now an NFC juice. These juices are derived from natural sources and have authentic “home-made” tastes. Reducing sugar content is one of the biggest challenges facing manufacturers. “NFC Naturally Light” are innovative product concepts from Doehler which can solve this problem. The “light” juices from Doehler – such as the “next-generation apple juice” which is made from apple juice and coconut water – not only consist entirely of NFC juices, but also contain less sugar and fewer calories than conventional juices and impress consumers with their refreshing and fruity tastes. Thanks to our wide range of high-quality fruit and vegetable ingredients, we can present product concepts to trade fair visitors which satisfy every taste.
Natural ingredients for a healthy lifestyle
Many consumers consider the nutritional properties of the products they purchase. This is resulting in growing worldwide demand for beverages containing natural ingredients and which have a positive effect on health. No other beverage better combines the trends of naturalness and health than fruit-infused waters. At BrauBeviale, Doehler will present innovative concepts such as fruit-infused water in apple lemon or raspberry mint variants. Water with different flavours is enjoying ever greater popularity: enriched with natural fruit infusions and agave, these trend drinks are impressing consumers around the world with their taste – while containing less sugar or sweeteners and fewer calories.
Hall 1, Stand 303
By acquiring Isobionics, an innovation leader in biotechnology which is serving the global market for natural flavors and fragrances (F&F), and through a cooperation agreement with Conagen, a leader in biotechnology research, BASF enters the market for natural F&F ingredients. Being known as a leading supplier of synthetic aroma ingredients, the company now broadens its portfolio with natural ingredients such as vanillin, nootkatone and valencene. BASF intends to advance the technology for biotech-based aroma ingredients by combining its own R&D excellence and broad market access with the know-how and expertise of Isobionics and Conagen.
“Reflecting the potential of changing consumer habits and the scarcity of natural ingredients, the strengthening of our biotechnology footprint is at the heart of BASF’s strategy,” says Melanie Maas-Brunner, who leads BASF’s Nutrition & Health division.
Acquisition of Isobionics
“The Flavor & Fragrance industry is experiencing an increasing need for natural ingredients,” says Julia Raquet, who heads BASF’s Aroma Ingredients business. “But fluctuating product quality, availability and sustainability are constant challenges for our customers. By entering the market with biotechnology-based aroma ingredients, we intend to provide our customers with high-quality products to respond to the current market challenges.”
“BASF is known for its high-quality standards, traceability and excellent regulatory know-how,” says Toine Janssen, founder of Isobionics. “By combining our biotech-based product portfolio and strong development pipeline with BASF’s expertise and its global market reach, we can provide the natural aroma ingredients market with even more innovations – and boost our growth.”
Isobionics is a biotech-based aroma ingredients company, located in Geleen, the Netherlands. The company develops and produces a wide range of natural ingredients for the F&F market with a focus on citrus oil components such as nootkatone and valencene. Isobionics, with all its employees, will become part of BASF’s Aroma Ingredients business.
Cooperation agreement with Conagen
Besides acquiring Isobionics, BASF signed a cooperation agreement with Conagen, a research leader in the field of biotechnology. Through this partnership, BASF will be able to serve the market with natural vanillin, one of the aroma ingredients with the highest market demand.
The natural vanillin that BASF initially markets is based on ferulic acid sourced from rice and therefore named Natural Vanillin F. With its clean vanillin character, Natural Vanillin F is ideal for all flavor applications, such as chocolate, strawberry and caramel, while maintaining an “all-natural” labeling.
Conagen has strong R&D and commercialization capabilities for fermented ingredients. Fermentation is an ancient cultural technique well known from processes like brewing beer and baking bread. It uses microorganisms like e.g. bacteria or fungi to convert one substance into another.
BASF’s Nutrition & Health division furthermore recently established a global business unit dedicated to the research and production of enzymes, which can be used as natural processing aids or ingredients for a large variety of applications in food, feed and technical industries.
Tate & Lyle, a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces that effective October 1, 2019 or as contracts allow, the Food & Beverage Solutions business in North America will implement price increases of up to 12 % on specialty food starches, fibres, specialty and high intensity sweeteners, and stabilization and functional systems.
These adjustments are required following increase in costs to produce the affected products.
At this year’s Food ingredients Europe & Ni, trade show organiser Fi Global will highlight the most exciting new F&B startups in the Startup Innovation Challenge. Entrants to the competition are invited to apply now, with the winners receiving business advice and coaching from top industry experts.
Innovation is the secret of success in the F&B industry, and nowhere is that more evident than at Fi Europe & Ni. Yet not all startups, no matter how good their offering, have the resources to make a significant impact on the market.
That’s why the Fi Global Startup Innovation Challenge aims to provide budding entrepreneurs with a springboard to success by showcasing their innovations, bringing them to the attention of ingredient professionals and potential investors.
Fi Europe & Ni 2019 will welcome more than 30,000 visitors and over 1,700 exhibitors, making it a must-attend trade event for sourcing food ingredients.
All shortlisted young enterprises will have access to a Startup Lounge, situated in the heart of the exhibition. This will give them the chance to network and demonstrate their offering. They will also be invited to pitch their innovation live on 2 December to the expert jury and on 3 December to Fi Europe visitors at Fi Europe’s Industry Insights Theatre.
Top prizes include a fully equipped stand at Fi Europe 2020, a marketing campaign within “Ingredients Network” or access to the “Conciergerie” innovation platform from Startup Challenge Partner Presans.
Startups wishing to enter the competition should be less than 5 years old, have a solid business plan and innovations targeting the food and drink sector, with a focus on ingredients or additives that improve taste, texture, appearance and/or nutritional value, or technologies and/or services that support the sector.
This year’s categories (competitors can enter more than one) are:
Most Innovative Food or Beverage Ingredient
Most Innovative Plant- or Cereal-based Food or Beverage Ingredient
Most Innovative Alternative Food or Beverage Ingredient
Most Innovative Process, Technology or Service Supporting F&B
The judging panel will be comprised of industry experts, investors and company representatives from the food ingredients industry.
Premium fruit and vegetable ingredients supplier SVZ is pleased to announce the appointment of Inge van Disseldorp as its new sustainability manager. With over a decade of experience in corporate sustainability, Inge will build on SVZ’s longstanding commitment to environmentally conscious business and focus on implementing the company’s plans to achieve 100 % sustainable sourcing by 2030.
Formerly a corporate responsibility consultant, Inge was most recently responsible for devising and implementing sustainable purchasing practices within the procurement department at Sligro Food Group, the Dutch leader in foodservices. There she worked to align sustainability initiatives with business development goals and was responsible for developing and implementing the company’s sustainable sourcing strategy. As a member of the CSR steering committee, Inge worked to foster a company-wide sustainable ethos as well as creating sustainable business opportunities driving engagement with both buyers and suppliers.
Her primary focus at SVZ will be on improving sustainable sourcing, traceability, biodiversity and agricultural practices, while contributing to a better environment at large. Inge will leverage SVZ’s close relationships with growers to provide the sustainably sourced, traceable products that consumers demand, while also engaging with farmers, addressing the challenges they face and ensuring fair labor practices.
“The potential to make a tangible difference by working closely with farmers and promoting sustainable production right from the source is one of the key factors which attracted me to the position at SVZ,” comments Inge. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of building on SVZ’s industry-leading sustainability credentials and utilizing my deep personal investment in environmental causes to deliver initiatives that meet the needs of customers, farmers and the wider planet”.
Anouk ter Laak, CEO, states, “We are pleased to welcome Inge to SVZ. Her passion for sustainability, both in her career and personal life, make her a perfect fit for the role of sustainability manager at SVZ. For over 150 years, we have upheld the core principles of sustainable sourcing, environmental consciousness and valuing people. Inge embodies each of these values and we are excited to see her in action”.
Free From Functional & Health Ingredients (FFF&HI) broke records when it welcomed more than 7,800 key buyers and decision makers from the free from food, drink and sustainable packaging industries through its doors in Barcelona from 28 – 29 May. Now in its seventh year, this staggering 52 % increase on visitor numbers reflects the dynamic growth and development of the global free from market and cements the show as Europe’s leading platform for the free from industries.
Visitors took advantage of the unique platform the show provides, informing and inspiring decision makers from the world of retail, ingredients, wholesale, distribution and foodservice with a packed schedule of conference sessions, pioneering brands and products plus multiple networking opportunities.
Leading the field
Five core areas of the free from market; free from, vegan, natural and organic, functional and health ingredients were represented across four conference stages with insights from key speakers.
Highlights from the packed conference schedule revealed the latest data covering key areas including the 11.5 % increase in sales of free from foods across Europe in the past year1 and the 133 % growth of the UK free from market since FFF&HI began in 2013.2
Show partners, ProVeg International hosted a dedicated vegan area and a series of seminars at the vegan conference stage. Verena Wiederkehr, International Head of Food Industry and Retail at ProVeg International revealed the most prominent trends driving the sector including sensory experiences, clean-label products and raw materials, explaining the opportunities for businesses who tap into this buoyant sector.
Pioneering exhibitors
FFF&HI was the platform for new brands and product launches from those shaping the organic, vegan, functional foods and ingredients markets.
On the first day, FFF&HI unveiled the winner of its Product of the Year Awards – a celebration of the most cutting-edge free from food and drink products launched in the past year. Manufacturers and producers put their best innovations for contention to be crowned winner and runner up across three categories, Product of the Year, Best New Brand, Free From Plastics.
Product of the Year Award
Winner: Qwrkee Foods – Pea M’LK
Runner-up: Ambrosiae
Runner-up: Pizza Mi – gluten free pizza bases
Best New Brand
Winner: I am Bart’s – Vegan Nutrition Bites
Runner-up: Juustoportti – Organic and Gluten free Oat Drinks made from Finnish Premium Oats
Free From Plastics Packaging
Winner: EncajaBio – Packaging system and cellulose film which sustainably reduces the carbon footprint
The lifetime achievement award was given to Molino Nicoli, European leaders in gluten free cereal-based production, who have exhibited at FFF&HI since the first show in 2013.
I Am Bart’s launched a range organic snack bars made with vegetables, fruit and seeds without preservatives and added sugars. Commenting on winning Best New Brand, Founder, Bart Veldkamp said: “We are delighted to have won an award, especially as it’s our first time exhibiting at a trade show. We’ve been impressed with this dynamic show and the high quality of the visitors. The team has worked very hard and we are very proud of this win. It’s great to be recognised as we’re in the company of such interesting brands showcasing fantastic products – I’m very proud to be surrounded by such great innovators!”
FFF&HI Exhibition Director, Ronald Holman commented: “It was fantastic to return to Barcelona and we are absolutely delighted with the number of visitors that came to discover what’s happening at the forefront of the free from industry. It’s great to see returning exhibitors and new ones coming to showcase such a diverse range of products and the industry leading experts who drive the market forward.
We’ve received a fantastic response from show visitors and exhibitors alike. We’re looking forward to hearing about the outcomes for our exhibitors this year and seeing what the show will bring in 2020.”
FFF&HI will return for its eighth edition in Amsterdam from 23-24 June, 2020.
Diana Food has opened a new R&D laboratory to drive its innovation in Consumer Health products.
Located in Québec City, Québec, the center will support a nearby facility where Diana produces nutritional ingredients for use in a range of health solutions. Rob Evans, Director of Research & Development at Diana Food, said, “The decision to create this new lab emphasizes Diana’s commitment to the market, the North American scientific community, and the company’s long-term growth in the consumer health category.”
The Research & Development facility’s location is a strategic one. Its proximity to Diana’s Consumer Health plant not only allows for the easy transfer of knowledge and technology, but also helps transfer laboratory innovation into scalable manufacturing. Additionally, the center is close to Quebec’s little fruits producing region, providing quick access to fresh, natural resources.
The creation of new products and processes will be a key focus at the new facility. The team working here, which includes scientists from Diana’s labs in France, will extract polyphenols from locally sourced materials like cranberries and blueberries and explore their application in health offerings like dietary supplements. As Mr. Evans noted, “These scientists are experts in the consumer health market and those coming from France bring with them prior expertise that will help expedite local development and testing.”
This Research & Development laboratory also echoes Diana’s work with the Institute of Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods (INAF) at Laval University. Launched in November 2018, this Chair of Research is dedicated to researching the effects of fruit and vegetable-derived polyphenols on regulating microbiota in the human gut.
Diana Food’s ingredients are sourced from carefully selected raw materials and their solutions are supported by robust, clinically proven science. The company’s specializations in this category include sports nutrition products, functional food and drink to boost women’s health, and supplements to encourage healthy aging and add energy and vitality.
Scientifically formulated range that replenishes nutrients and minerals lost during partying, travelling and exercising
HangZing is an innovative business founded by a British Chemical Engineer and is committed to using ground-breaking technology to create radical food and drink products.
HangZing produces a revolutionary range of drinks designed to give a natural pick-me-up for people that work hard and play hard. The drinks are scientifically formulated using a blend of naturally-functional ingredients to fight the after-effects of alcohol consumption and to replenish the nutrients and minerals lost during partying, traveling and exercising.
Available in two innovative varieties, Lychee & Lemongrass and Garden Mint, every convenient 100 ml bottle is made by combining herbs, electrolytes and vitamins. The range is sweetened naturally from pure Canadian maple syrup and is free from added sugar, sweeteners and is suitable for vegans.
HangZing helps individuals reboot and get the most from their day and provides a natural alternative to unhealthy “morning after” remedies, including pain killers and junk food.
Product Functionality and Usage
As the liver metabolizes alcohol, a compound called Acetaldehyde is produced as a by-product. Acetaldehyde is a harmful, toxic compound for the human body. It is this that causes the headaches, nausea, muscle aches, fatigue, increased sensitivity to light and facial flushing associated with too much drinking.
HangZing works in three ways. First, it harnesses the powers of the hepatoprotective herbs Hovenia Dulcis, Milk Thistle, Nopal Cactus and Siberian Ginseng, which may facilitate the breakdown of the by-product Acetaldehyde into smaller components which can then be passed through the system.
Aloe Vera, Turmeric and Vitamin C work together to reduce the inflammation and neutralize the acidity in the stomach to ease discomfort, along with boosting the immune system. Finally, electrolytes, including sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamin B complex (B1, B3, B6, B5, B12, B9) replenish the minerals and nutrients lost from drinking.
Many variables including age, weight, sex and ethnicity affect how individuals are able to detoxify alcohol in their system. To address this diversity, HangZing’s research and development involved creating a proprietary formula in a bottling laboratory through an iterative approach of testing different quantities of each ingredient on hundreds of people over a period of time.
“Extensive research has shown that dihydromyricetin (DHM), a compound in hovenia dulcis, boosts the ability of the enzymes ADH and ALDH to break down both alcohol and acetaldehyde. The research concludes that DHM can, therefore, speed up the process with which the liver breaks down acetaldehyde into smaller compounds, such as acetate, carbon dioxide and water, which can then be expelled through breathing, sweat and urine.” *(Chen et al., 2006)
HangZing is designed for anyone who wants to get the most out of the day after a heavy evening the night before, from busy professionals to those marking a special occasion. Packaged in a box of six 100 ml bottles, HangZing works best when consumed just before bed with plenty of water.
HangZing is available via Amazon Prime and the brand’s website: www.hangzing.com in two varieties, Lychee and Lemongrass and Garden Mint, for $28.99 per box (6 x 100 ml bottles).
*Chen, S., Li, A., Li, S., Wu, L. and Zhong, G. (2006). Influence of Hovenia dulcis on alcohol concentration in blood and activity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) of animals after drinking. China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica, 31(13), pp. 1094-1096.
As part of its 2020 strategy to strengthen its naturals capabilities and its presence in the high growth markets of Asia Pacific, Givaudan announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Golden Frog, a Vietnamese flavour company.
Golden Frog manufactures natural flavours, extracts and essential oils for the food and beverage industry. It offers a wide range of natural ingredients including herbs, spices, fruit and vegetable extracts and essential oils from the great biodiversity of Vietnam. With headquarters and manufacturing facilities in the Ho Chi Minh area, Golden Frog employs 156 people and caters to the needs of the ASEAN markets.
While terms of the deal have not been disclosed, Golden Frog’s business would have represented approximately CHF 10 million of incremental sales to Givaudan’s results in 2018 on a proforma basis. Givaudan plans to fund the transaction from existing resources and is expected to close in the second half of 2019.
drink technology India South (dti-South), which took place for the first time in Bengaluru from April 10 to 12, has established a strong position on the South Indian market. With more than 90 brands, 6,481 visitors and an extensive supporting program, the dti family further expands its footprint to the southern region of India.
“We are delighted that the first edition of dti-South in Bengaluru was so compelling. With it we have created an especially customized platform best suited to address the needs of our participants with even better networking opportunities with relevant buyers of the region.,” says Petra Westphal, Exhibition Group Director of Messe München. The local approach is intended in particular to address those sectors that are represented locally. Bhupinder Singh, CEO of Messe Muenchen India, explains: “In this region of India, non alcoholic beverages as well as beer are predominant segments. Key exhibitors addressing these sectors, such as Ambicon Breweries, DVKSP, Goma Engineering and Hilden Packaging, presented their solutions and were able to get the most out of the visitor potential in the metropolitan region.” This is also reflected by the positive response of the exhibitors as expressed by Mr. Jeetendra C Rane, Aquapuro Equipment Pvt. Ltd.: “For the first time we are targeting the South Region and the idea behind participating in dti-South was to target the Bengaluru and South Market: We are not only happy with the number but also with the quality of visitors. We will be participating in all the upcoming editions of drink technology India.”
Supporting program: Buyer-Seller Meetings and beer trends
With over 500 meetings, the Buyer-Seller forum was very well received. Prior to the trade fair, potential customers were able to register for the meetings in order to meet specific exhibitors and initiate new business relationships. These included Amrut Distilleries, Hindustan Coca Cola, John Distilleries, Kaveri Industries,Marico Limited, Mondelez International, Mother Dairy, Pepsi, Pernod Ricard, and United Breweries, to name a few. Vijaya Kumar, Team Leader- Quality Assurance, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. one of the key buyer quoted: “The purpose of our visit to drink technology India-South was to understand the new technologies in the market. This event was organized very well. We were able to sense some of the new technologies which we can engage in our organization and we would like to thank the organizers for this beautiful event. The quality of the meetings were very good at the buyer seller forum.”
From trends and ingredients for brewing to craft beer variations: In addition to the Buyer-Seller Meetings, the place2beer and the Brewer World Seminars provided insights into future topics of the industry. Representatives of microbreweries, medium-sized and industrial breweries as well as suppliers for the brewing industry used the place2beer for networking and knowledge exchange. In addition to this platform, where even Indian beer was tasted, the Brewer World Seminars took place on the first and second days of the trade fair. There, experts discussed topics such as quality assurance of raw materials and ingredients and global trends in beer brewing.
dti-North
dti-North will take place in New Delhi in December of this year in conjunction with pacprocess and food pex India from Messe Düsseldorf India. “We are pleased to host the trade fairs at Pragati Maidan from December 12 to 14, 2019,” says Mr. Singh. In North India, the focus is on dairy, soft drinks and beer.
drink technology India continues to be the international hub for beverages, dairy and liquid food industry in India. The next event will take place from December 9 to 11, 2020 in Mumbai.
Tate & Lyle, a leading global provider of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces it has reached agreement to sell its oat ingredients business, based in Kimstad, Sweden, to Swedish agricultural cooperative Lantmännen. Completion of the transaction will take place on 29 March 2019.
Joan Braca, President, Food & Beverage Solutions, Tate & Lyle said: “We are pleased to reach this agreement with Lantmännen which represents a good outcome for our oat ingredient employees and customers, and enables us to focus our business on serving our customers in our main food and beverage categories. We wish Lantmännen and its employees every success for the future.”
Combined product portfolio and manufacturing capabilities create unique botanical platform in North America
The Martin Bauer Group is excited to announce the acquisition of BI Nutraceuticals, a leading full-service manufacturer and supplier of plant-based ingredients in the United States. The acquisition creates an extensive portfolio of botanical ingredients and a versatile manufacturing hub servicing the U.S. Tea, Beverage, Food and Dietary Supplements industries.
The investment in BI Nutraceuticals will build on Martin Bauer Group’s local capabilities including R&D, formulations and manufacturing, in support of the Group’s strategy to foster accelerated growth in North America. A distinction of Martin Bauer Group’s portfolio is the responsible and vastly diversified sourcing of raw materials, with quality standards and controls in place starting at source and continuing throughout the procurement and manufacturing processes. “The addition of BI Nutraceuticals to our Group buttresses our commitment to reliable, quality, safe and clean label raw materials, meeting an increasing demand from our customers and consumers,” stated Ennio Ranaboldo, CEO of Martin Bauer Group in North America. The two companies will continue to operate independently, and further communications will be issued to ensure seamless integration both internally and for all customers.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the nature network® and the Martin Bauer Group,” said George Pontiakos, President and CEO of BI Nutraceuticals. “This represents a significant move forward for us and our combined customer base. The Martin Bauer Group is a family-owned international company with a long history as a manufacturer and supplier of teas, extracts and botanical products going back more than 135 years. BI Nutraceuticals will now have access to the global resources of the Martin Bauer Group in the areas of raw materials sourcing, processing technology, liquid extract production and research and development. As part of the Martin Bauer Group, we become a true single source solution provider. Our customers can be even more confident in our long-standing commitment to safety, quality, service and innovation.”
Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire the Ziegler Group, a leading European provider of natural citrus flavor ingredients. The agreement comes shortly after ADM completed its addition of U.S.-based citrus flavor provider Florida Chemical.
“Ziegler is highly respected as a cutting-edge leader in citrus, and we’re excited to welcome their outstanding leadership and talent to ADM,” said Vince Macciocchi, president of ADM’s Nutrition business. “The combination of Ziegler and Florida Chemical will immediately position ADM for growth as a global leader in natural citrus ingredients, with a complete range of innovative citrus solutions and systems for food, beverage and fragrance customers.”
Founded in 1963, Ziegler uses proprietary cold concentration technologies to produce natural high-quality citrus oils, extracts, concentrates and compounds for flavor, food, and beverage industry customers, focusing on Europe, the U.S. and Japan. The company is privately held and headquartered in Aufsess, in southern Germany.
“We are delighted that we found a strong home at ADM where both our business and our people can grow,” said Günter Ziegler. “The integration of more than 50 years of citrus expertise into the ADM group will secure our top priority: successful long-term growth for our business and our employees. Our family members will be staying with the company to help ensure a smooth transition. We’re excited to join ADM and strongly believe that the combination of our technology and citrus capabilities, coupled with the portfolio of ingredients and global reach of ADM, will accelerate growth opportunities while creating benefits for our customers.”
“Citrus is one of the fastest-growing, highest-demand flavors for food and beverages, which is why the creation of a global citrus platform offering a complete product line for our customers is such an important capability for our growth strategy,” Macciocchi continued. “We’re continuing the most ambitious portfolio transformation in our company’s long history, and as we build the world’s leading nutrition company, the beneficiaries will be our customers and our shareholders.”
The deal, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2019.
At Vitafoods Europe, health-promoting natural ingredients expert Taiyo will present brand new innovations that address consumer trends such as veganism, sports nutrition and weight management.
Product developers and buyers looking for innovative ingredients with health-promoting properties in Geneva should head to Taiyo’s stand. The natural-source functional ingredients company will showcase several new products that may prove to be game changers. Taiyo’s Moringa Extract S contains the glucosinolate glucomoringin (GMG); this so-called genetic switch exerts its effect on the human body by activating natural physiological mechanisms to produce more energy. The positive effects of GMG — such as inhibiting inflammation and protecting against neurodegenerative disorders — have already been proven in numerous studies.
Chia seeds have become a popular omega-3 source in recent years. Not widely known is that these small seeds are also an excellent protein source and offer all the amino acids that an adult needs every day, making it particularly interesting as an alternative source of protein for sports nutrition. Taiyo now presents XiaPure® Chia Protein, a finely milled high-quality vegan protein powder from Chile. This protein-rich source — produced from hand-grown plants and specially selected, purified seeds — contains high levels of protein (40 %) and dietary fibre (38 %), as well as antioxidants and minerals that have a positive effect on muscle mass, weight management and energy levels. The ingredient is perfectly suited for ready-to-drink shakes, milk and sticks, as well as protein-enriched buiscuits or bakery premixes, for example.
The third innovation also addresses a market segment that has been growing steadily for years: weight management. Taiyo’s solution is a tasty and satisfying vegan protein shake concept that contains health-promoting natural ingredients: XiaPure® Chia Protein powder (an excellent plant-based protein source), Sunfiber® (low FODMAP dietary fiber), whole green coffee powder (WGCP™) and SunActive® Q-10E. It also comprises a delivery system consisting of micronized and micro-encapsulated Coenzyme Q10 to enhance the bioavailability of the micronutrient. Hence, Taiyo’s new organic, non-allergic vegan protein shake concept combines everything that health- and weight-conscious people like and need: ingredients that deliver high-quality micro- and macronutrients, the performance-enhancing Q10 source, an extended feeling of satiety, thanks to the highly digestible fiber, a slow but long-lasting release of natural caffeine and a great cappucino taste.
An exciting novelty regarding the active substances omega-3 and ALA (alpha linolenic acid) is Taiyo’s SunActive® Chia Oil Powder. ALA is nutritionally important for maintaining a healthy blood cholesterol level. The substance is not spray-dried, but produced using an extremely gentle process that preserves a significantly higher yield of the health-promoting, sensitive ingredients. The powder is 100 % self-emulsifying in cold water and has been specially developed for use in products such as shakes, sticks, sachets and instant beverage supplements.
Chr. Hansen realizes solid organic growth of 10 % in the first three months of the financial year 2018/19, delivering in line with our „Nature’s no. 1 – Sustainably“ growth ambitions.
Chr. Hansen reports solid organic revenue growth of 10 % in the first three months corresponding to 6 % reported growth due to adverse currency impacts: Food Cultures & Enzymes 10 %, Health & Nutrition 17 % and Natural Colors 6 %. EBIT before special items increased by 9 % to EUR 71 million, corresponding to an EBIT margin before special items of 26.3 % which was up 0.9 %-point compared to last year. The overall outlook for 2018/19 remains unchanged.
CEO Mauricio Graber says: “We have had a solid start to the year, with Food Cultures & Enzymes delivering strong organic growth with contributions from volume and EUR pricing, in line with our expectations. Organic growth in Health and Nutrition was also strong, driven by global demand for probiotics for infant formula in Human Health. Animal Health was impacted by timing of orders, but the underlying interest in microbial solutions for animal farming remains strong, and we continue to improve our route-to-market. Plant Health had another excellent quarter in Latin America, although absolute numbers are still modest. We were also pleased to see the momentum in Natural Colors continue in Q1, driven by demand for coloring foodstuff, where we also launched new products for the FRUITMAX® range during Q1.
“Our EBIT margin before special items in Q1 increased by 0.9 %-point and was driven by improved margins in Health & Nutrition and Natural Colors. The EBIT margin in Food Cultures & Enzymes was positively impacted by a strong development in gross margin, and ended on par with last year, as we continued to invest in our growth and innovation priorities. We continue to expect a positive contribution from further scalability benefits, as we ramp up utilization of the new capacity in our facility in Copenhagen.
“We are encouraged by the solid start to the year, and we maintain our overall guidance for the full year. Our pipeline of products to be launched this year, from all three business areas, looks very promising and will support the growth potential of Chr. Hansen.”
Mental health is a pressing concern around the world with many consumers turning to health enhancing ingredients to help relieve a range of conditions including stress, anxiety and insomnia.
Whilst the food and beverages industry is awash with products that deliver on health, wellbeing and energy, mental health related new product development (NPD) has lagged behind with demand for these types of products varying amongst regions, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
Consumer research from GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Top Trends in Healthcare and OTC Products 2018 – The latest trends in: OTC medication; vitamins, minerals, and supplements; functional food and drink; and sports nutrition’, reveals that 66 % of European consumers say that stress is a pressing mental health concern followed closely by overwork (56 %) and insomnia (55 %).
William Grimwade, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData comments, “There is clearly an opportunity for beverage manufacturers in Europe to develop products with mental health enhancing functionality.
“A high percentage of beverages in the region contain fortified and nutraceutical ingredients and 61 % of consumers say that soft drinks are their preferred method of consuming health enhancing ingredients.”
Health drinks have often been characterised as simply low sugar or energy boosters fortified with caffeine, vitamins or minerals. Mental health is a growing concern, but fortified drinks rarely address this need.
However, ingredients such as Gingko Biloba, Turmeric and Lecithin are increasingly being used in this field with companies like Coca-Cola investing in new emerging ingredients like Cannabidiol or CBD oil.
Grimwade adds, “With stress and overwork being the top mental health concerns in Europe driven by long working hours and the political and economic turmoil in the region creating so much uncertainty, demand for drinks fortified with stress and anxiety relieving ingredients will only increase.”
Together with its affiliate Stern Ingredients México, the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe based in Hamburg celebrated the enlargement of its production plant in Mexico City and is intensifying product development at the adjoining Technology Centre. The research facility will in future focus on dairy products, beverages and deli foods, too. The plant has two new production lines for food ingredients, and with 4,000 tonnes additional production capacity it will contribute to the group’s success in Latin America. After the facility in Malaysia, this is the second plant to be opened by the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe this year.
By placing greater emphasis on the development of applications in the field of dairy products, deli foods and soft drinks such as juices, nectars and concentrates, Stern Ingredients México, an affiliate of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, is now consolidating its position as an ingredients expert for the food industries of the Americas. The new focus of the long-established facility in Mexico will complement the already successful development of enzyme systems under the trade name SternEnzym, stabilizing systems (Hydrosol), vitamin and mineral complexes (SternVitamin) and flour and bakery applications under the brands Mühlenchemie and DeutscheBack – the latter specializing in typical regional products based on maize and wheat. Following the “custom fit” approach of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, leading food technologists develop the above functional systems for dairy products and beverages at this state-of-the-art applications laboratory. Furthermore, the owner-managed family business from Hamburg regards the generation of new information on applications at the research centre in Mexico as an opportunity to extend its technical services to North, Central and South America. It has also invested in the plant’s QM laboratory in order to conduct microbiological analyses, heavy-metal detection and a wide range of trial applications according to the latest scientific standards.
With around 100 employees and a total annual production capacity of 10,000 tonnes of food ingredients, Stern Ingredients México is the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe’s biggest plant outside Germany. On the one hand, the additional production capacity of 4,000 tonnes will help to meet Mexico’s increasing home demand, and on the other it will open up new export markets.
Hi Europe & Ni 2018 achieves new exhibitor record for manufacturers of natural and organic ingredients
High consumer demand for organic products and foods with natural ingredients is reflected in the wide range of offerings from Health ingredients Europe & Natural ingredients this year. Under the claim “Natural & Organic”, more than 100 exhibitors will present their new developments – from superfoods and natural flavours and extracts to plant-based finished products. From 27 to 29 November in Frankfurt, trade visitors will be given a comprehensive overview of these categories across 4,000 sqm, and will benefit from a wide range of further educational and networking opportunities.
Nowadays, consumers expect much more from functional foods than a few years ago: Besides a health benefit, a natural origin or even organic cultivation, sustainability and ethical qualities are also much in demand. With a wide range of exhibitors offering such ingredients – including Agrana, KSM66-Ashwaganda and Plantex – and an extensive educational programme, Hi Europe & Ni is a valuable source of inspiration for trade visitors from the health and nutrition industry.
Natural ingredients in demand
According to a survey conducted by Mintel last year, around 70 per cent of people interviewed prefer foods with natural ingredients. Manufacturers have recognised this request by offering a constantly growing variety of new and innovative products. Compared to Hi Europe & Ni 2016, the number of exhibitors within the “Natural Ingredients Pavilion” has consequently doubled this year.
Numerous expert lectures will provide insights to challenges and solutions relating to natural alternatives: Leonhard Thunn-Hohenstein, Key Account Manager at AstaReal, for example, speaks in the Supplier Solutions Theatre’s free-to-attend programme about natural astaxanthin from algae to improve eye health. During the two-day Hi Conference, Grégory Dubourg, CEO of Nutrikéo, will explore some of the naturally functional ingredients that are hitting the spotlight like turmeric, ashwagandha and spirulina in his session: “Developing products with naturally functional ingredients”.
At the Plant-based Experience visitors will be able to inform themselves about current trends and experience the growing variety of plant-based products in association with ProVeg International, who will also be organising a Plant-based Innovation Tour featuring exhibitors with new plant-based solutions. In addition, exhibitors with natural solutions will be part of the Innovation Tour on Clean label, trust and transparency by Nutrimarketing.
Organic quality: What do consumers want, what do manufacturers need?
This year, show organiser UBM had to enlarge the “Organic Pavilion” by more than 60 per cent due to the enormous number of enquiries from exhibitors. For Amishi Takalkar, CEO of Nailbiter, an organic certificate has now become a quality feature of many companies’ products “We are starting to see that organic is going mainstream, just like natural. More large CPG companies are launching their organic brands or labels. Organic, in my opinion, is almost turning into table stakes for brands that want to be taken seriously, and perceived as being healthy or ‘better for you’.”
Within the free-to-attend “Organic Spotlight“ at the Industry Insights Theatre, Takalkar will present the organic trend from the consumer’s point of view. Marlene Milan, Research Associate at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), will also be providing information on the standards that companies have to meet if they want to offer ingredients of organic quality in the EU, and especially on the German market. She is convinced that consumers do not turn to organic products on a temporary basis: “Once a mainstream shopper goes organic, it’s very hard to bring them back to mainstream. A lot of shoppers go in and buy the brands they know they like, but if I am in that store and see something that looks better or healthier and then I try it and like it, chances are I may not go back.”
As the economic outlook for Asia-Pacific (APAC) remains strong and consumers in the region continue to put in a high level of performance, stress and overwork will be the important concerns related to mental health among them. Against this backdrop, beverage makers which offer fortified drinks with health-enhancing ingredients will have an edge over others in the region, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
According to the company’s Q1 2017 consumer survey, stress, overwork and memory loss are the major concerns for APAC consumers. Among the three, stress was the leading mental health concern with 84 %.
The company’s report, ‘Top Trends in Healthcare and OTC Products 2018’ reveals that the majority (61 %) of consumers in APAC are looking for drinks with health-enhancing ingredients but very few drinks feature them.
Will Grimwade, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, says: “Health drinks have often been pigeon holed into being either low sugar variants or energy boosters fortified with caffeine, vitamins or minerals. Mental health is a growing concern, but fortified drinks rarely address this need.
“Sales of fortified drinks and demand for drinks with health enhancing ingredients in APAC are both currently at a medium level. There is little focus on mental health within this sector and the large size of the total soft drinks market makes this a good opportunity.”
GlobalData expects a growing number of new launches to the market that include ingredients such as Gingko Biloba, Turmeric and Lecithin. Companies such as Coca-Cola are investing in emerging ingredients such as Cannabidiol (CBD) oil in North America due to its pain and anxiety easing effects, with use of the ingredient likely to spread to Asia within the next few years. This shows that companies are looking to target a more diverse range of health needs.
Grimwade concludes: “Economic growth is unlikely to stagnate and stress levels for APAC consumers are unlikely to drop, meaning the appeal of stress relieving drinks is likely to remain strong.”
Stern-Wywiol Gruppe from Hamburg is adding to its production and sales network in south-east Asia by establishing a new production facility for its subsidiary, SternMaid Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, in the Iskandar economic zone, Malaysia. After the plants in Suzhou (China) and Mumbai, this is the third food industry facility that the family enterprise has opened in Asia and its sixth outside Germany. Clients in the ASEAN region will in future benefit from more rapid deliveries, secure supply chains and applications advice from a consultant nearby.
The state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to the development and production of food ingredient systems to improve the functional qualities of food. The facility has three completely separate production lines; initially work will focus on enzyme-based ingredients systems for bakers and millers plus micronutrient mixes to fortify a wide variety of foods and beverages.
As a global leader in the nutrition industry, Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) is continually working on optimizing its performance and aligning it to future market requirements. This year, for example, this has included investing in state-of-the art technologies and establishing modern, interdisciplinary organizational units and additional routes to ensure greater customer proximity. Here are a few new developments:
ADM Strengthens Presence in Africa
In addition to its existing office in Nairobi, Kenya, ADM opened another location in Africa at the beginning of 2018. The new office in Lagos, Nigeria, is a key contact point for customers on the North/West African market, and provides them with fast, direct access to the consulting and other services of ADM experts. A qualified team with extensive knowledge of the industry, operational expertise and regional experience is available to current and potential customers. The team provides advice for all issues relating to production – from new plants or processes through to ingredients. Their broad knowledge makes the ADM team in Lagos reliable partners who can support manufacturers with a view of the whole picture.
New Production Plant for Colors in Berlin
As a result of further increasing demand for foods and beverages with natural ingredients, ADM has increased its production capacity for WILD coloring foodstuffs and WILD Colors from Nature® at the company’s Berlin site. One of the two new production lines is designed for water-soluble products, the other for emulsions. The colors are used in flavor systems and fruit preparations, and also sold as single ingredients. Moreover, in the summer of 2018, the company started up a sampling plant for color samples. The same technology enables a scale-up process for the production plants. Sample units are available in quantities of 1 to 20 kilograms.
Chocolate Center: Efficient and Customer-Oriented
Almost no category hold as much potential for new creative product developments as food containing chocolate. This is reason enough for ADM to establish a new Chocolate Center in Berlin. Since September, several teams of experts from relevant specialist fields have been working here together with customers to develop innovative products. The customers benefit from this in two ways: they can outsource large parts of the time-consuming and production-intensive product development, and they remain actively involved in decisive creative steps.
In line with the guiding principle “Turning the best out of nature into Multi-Sensory & Nutritional Excellence”, Doehler will present pioneering ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions which reflect the core topics of naturalness, plant-based nutrition, Nutritional Excellence and Multi-Sensory Experiences® to visitors at the SIAL trade show, held from 21 to 25 October.
Unique taste explosions in beverages
Doehler will present inspiring product ideas for beverages based on the best and natural ingredients for unmistakable taste experiences. Smoothies have been innovation drivers in the beverage aisle for many years. But they are no longer only about puréed fruit. The new generation of smoothies offers a lot more than just pure nutrients, with their sensory properties also part of the impressive package! Tropical fruits, such as goldenberry and guava, add a fresh and fruity taste, chia and flax seeds create an extra-crunchy mouthfeel, while turmeric provides a highly natural shiny colour. That makes the “superfood smoothies” a real highlight in the beverage aisle and a unique indulgence for all the senses!
Through years of experience, comprehensive industry expertise and global networking, Doehler develops customised concepts for the different consumer target groups. At SIAL, Doehler presents its extensive portfolio of Adult Soft Drinks which are specifically tailored to the consumer requirements of the 25+ age group. The innovative Brewed Sodas or Kombucha impress thanks to their reduced sweetness and extraordinary flavours.
Healthy nutritional value through the power of nature
Less sugar – same full taste. Foods and beverages with optimised nutritional value that are exactly in line with a modern, healthy lifestyle are what many consumers want. Doehler will present new beverage concepts at SIAL featuring healthy added value and fewer calories and ranging from innovative energy drinks to premium reduced-sugar lemonades and reduced-calorie fruit and vegetable juices. The company will also introduce its new range of MultiSense® Flavours in addition to numerous sweetening solutions that enable the reduction of sugar content by up to 100%. The MultiSense® Flavours range can be used to achieve significant sugar reduction without having to use sweeteners or to significantly improve the taste and mouthfeel of reduced-sugar products. MultiSense® Flavours create a balanced overall impression for soft drinks and dairy-based beverages and are therefore perfect for a broad range of innovative products.
Botanical diversity – Doehler offers its customers a comprehensive portfolio of high-quality botanical plant extracts and full spectrum powders which provide health-promoting additional benefits, unlock unique taste experiences and are 100% natural. The portfolio includes, among other things, African extracts from baobab, moringa leaves and honeybush. The high-quality extracts impress thanks to a naturally fresh taste, and also provide inspiration for healthy and trendy product positionings. Thanks to state-of-the art processing technology, it is possible to use botanic ingredients in a wide range of applications, from clear, near-water beverages, such as Aqua Plus, up to full-bodied yoghurts or food products, such as cereal bars.
Doehler also offers plant-based proteins, such as pea and rice protein blends, that supply the body with all the essential amino acids it needs, and taste good, too. Thanks to the use of proteins from high-quality raw materials, supported by natural flavour compositions, the end products – from cereal bars to snack drinks – are characterised by outstanding multi-sensory properties.
Plant-Based Nutrition
Be it on health grounds or due to particular beliefs, more and more people are cutting out animal products and choosing a purely plant-based diet. Whereas just a few years ago, plant-based alternatives were the preserve of select specialist shops, they are now a staple found in almost any supermarket.
Based on Doehler’s broad portfolio on plant-based ingredients such as protein, fruit and vegetable ingredients, or dairy-free ingredients from oats, almonds, rice or coconut, the company creates numerous inspiring product concepts that reflect current lifestyles and the spirit of the times. Delicious plant-based desserts with fresh fruit preparations and flavours ranging from apple, pineapple, blueberry or mango that provide a delicious plant-based alternative to traditional yoghurts or creamy plant-based ice cream based on coconut with the subtle taste of turmeric. The new generation of plant-based drinks also create new and exciting taste experiences based on dairy-free ingredients, such as delicious cold brew coffee drinks with plant-based proteins, or fruity rice drinks with exotic tastes.
Hall 5a, Stand H218
Strengthened organization will focus on R&D project pipeline growth in ingredient and process development
DuPont Nutrition & Health announced it is expanding its R&D team by creating a “clean label hub” at the Brabrand facility. Intending to boost its project pipeline in healthy nutrition and clean label texturant offerings, six new employees will join the existing team to focus on both ingredient and process development.
The hub will feature experts with backgrounds in clean label and sustainability – two fields that often work together and serve related purposes. Working closely with existing project teams, the hub will bring products to market quickly and help grow the existing project pipeline.
“Clean label is about creating foods and beverages with ingredients that consumers recognize, feel good about putting into their bodies, and that respect the Earth and its resources,” said Gerard Lynch, R&D Leader, Systems & Texturants, Emulsifiers & Sweeteners. “Our ingredients are already used in many applications that consumers consider clean label, but there are tremendous opportunities to innovate – creating ingredients that are even more sustainable, using a larger part of the natural raw materials, while providing health benefits to consumers. Committing to this innovation is critical for our ongoing success and growth.”
With the ability to utilize the broadest capabilities in terms of natural raw materials access, processing, across fruits, vegetables, seaweeds and nutritional science, DuPont Nutrition & Health has huge potential to develop functional ingredients that meet consumer expectations.
The hub will help customers continue to navigate clean label trends in a proactive and sustainable way. DuPont Nutrition & Health is seeking creative scientists and engineers to identify ways to convert sustainable and natural raw materials into clean label solutions that meet consumer demands for simplicity and authenticity, all without compromising taste, texture and nutritional qualities.
Planned to be in place by early 2019, the clean label texturants team will have the opportunity to tackle exciting projects to provide texture and stability for multiple food applications.
State-of-the-art facility to support development of innovative, on-trend, nutritious products to meet growing food and beverage demand in Asia-Pacific
Archer Daniels Midland Company celebrated the opening of its new regional office and state-of-the-art flavor and ingredient creation, application, development and customer innovation center in Shanghai, China. The opening of the space was announced at a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“With today’s busy lifestyles, people are turning to healthier eating habits, accelerating changes in consumer tastes and preferences at an unprecedented rate. For ADM, Shanghai has played a critical role in our continued growth and innovation. To help Asia-Pacific food and beverage customers remain a step ahead, we’re excited to leverage our technology, expertise and global scale,” said Donald Chen, ADM’s president, Asia.
Shanghai’s technical innovation center will enable ADM to work closely with customers to create complete flavor and specialty ingredient solutions. It will be staffed by a team of food scientists, flavorists and applications experts, along with sales, marketing and regulatory personnel. The new Shanghai facility joins our recently opened Singapore Innovation Center in helping ADM meet growing demand in the region.
“Around the world, ADM continues to invest to ensure that we are the go-to solution providers for clean label, sustainable ingredients and great taste,” said Vince Macciocchi, president of ADM’s Nutrition business. “This new facility enhances our portfolio and capabilities ensuring our customers meet consumer demands for new, innovative food and beverages.”
The new innovation center features a wide range of capabilities, including a food and flavor analytic lab; beverage and dairy applications labs and pilot plants; a bakery lab; a confectionery and personal care lab; a culinary kitchen; flavor creation labs; sensory evaluation facilities; and a customer innovation center.
China is home to approximately 675 ADM employees, with application labs in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou; a flavor production facility in Beijing; sweeteners and soluble fiber complex in Tianjin; animal nutrition facilities in Dalian, Tianjin, Nanjing, Zhangzhou and Xiangtan. ADM has more than 1,000 employees throughout the wider Asia-Pacific region, where the company operates a wide range of processing facilities, including several animal feed facilities; a flavor and ingredient facility; food and flavor labs in Japan, Singapore and Australia; and sales offices in every major market in the region.
Consumers usually prefer food and drink formats over pills or tablets for the delivery of health enhancing ingredients. However, this preference for formats is not consistent across all age groups. Therefore, functional food and drink brands should carefully study the differences between the generations of consumers in more detail for their successful product launches, says leading data and analytics company GlobalData.
An analysis of the company’s Q4 2017 global consumer survey reveals that even though food is the most preferred format among all formats across all age groups, the majority of the Silent Generation chooses food as the preferred consumption format (89 %) compared to Millennials (85 %).
The gap between generations is conspicuous when it comes to drink format. According to the survey, younger consumers are more likely to opt for drinkable formats over pills or tablets for the delivery of health enhancing ingredients. The survey showed that drinks are favored by 60 % of Millennials and 58 % of Generation X consumers but only 52 % of Boomers and 48 % of Silent Generation consumers.
On the other hand, preferences for food and supplements (in the form of pills or tablets) that deliver health enhancing ingredients are relatively consistent across all age groups.
Aleksandrina Yotova, Consumer Markets Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Functional drinks brands should therefore target Millennials and Gen X-ers specifically with innovative launches that respond to younger generations’ requirements for convenience, simplicity and effectiveness.”
International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and Frutarom announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which IFF will acquire Frutarom in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $7.1 billion, including the assumption of Frutarom’s net debt. Under the terms of the agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, Frutarom’s shareholders will receive for each Frutarom share $71.19 in cash and 0.249 of a share of IFF common stock, which, based on the 10-day volume weighted average price (VWAP) for IFF’s common stock for the period ending May 4, 2018, represents a total value of $106.25 per share.
By combining with Frutarom, IFF is accelerating its Vision 2020 strategy to create a global leader in taste, scent and nutrition. The combination unites two industry-leading, innovative companies with complementary customers, capabilities and geographic reach, resulting in more exposure to fast growing end markets and an enhanced platform to deliver sustainable, profitable growth. The combined company’s customers will have access to comprehensive and differentiated integrated solutions with increased focus on naturals and health and wellness.
Frutarom is a flavors, savory solutions and natural ingredients company, with production and development centers on six continents. It markets and sells over 70,000 products to more than 30,000 customers in over 150 countries. Frutarom is primarily focused on natural products, which drive more than 75 % of its sales. Frutarom’s product portfolio consists of innovative and integrated solutions combining taste and health, natural and clean label products. In addition, Frutarom mainly serves local and mid-size customers, and has a compelling presence in fast-growing adjacent and complementary categories such as natural colors, health and beauty ingredients, natural food protection and enzymes. Frutarom has a strong track record of growth, with expected sales of above $1.6 billion in 2018, and their previously announced target of $2.25 billion in sales by 2020.
Creating clear market leadership in natural extracts and ingredients
As part of its 2020 strategy to strengthen its capabilities in natural flavour solutions for its customers, Givaudan announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire 40.6% of the shares of Naturex, a French public listed company, for EUR 135 per share and a total consideration of EUR 522 million. This agreement is subject to all of the appropriate regulatory approvals.
Givaudan intends to launch a mandatory cash tender offer for all remaining outstanding shares of Naturex, at a price of EUR 135 per share. The Board of Directors and Management of Naturex are fully supportive of the transaction.
Naturex is an international leader in plant extraction and the development of natural ingredients and solutions for the food, health and beauty sectors. Naturex is headquartered in Avignon, France and reported sales of EUR 405 million in 2017, operates from 16 production sites around the world and employs 1,700 people.
Gilles Andrier, CEO of Givaudan said: “The acquisition of a significant shareholding in Naturex fits fully with our 2020 strategy to expand our offering to deliver natural products to our customers. Givaudan is the global leader in the space of natural flavours and Naturex further complements our capabilities with its strong portfolio of plant extracts and natural ingredients across the food and beverage, nutrition and health and personal care sectors. We look forward to working with the management and shareholders of Naturex in the coming months to secure their support for the acquisition.”
Louie D’Amico, President Designate of Givaudan’s Flavour Division said: “Consumers around the world are increasingly demanding more natural and organic products from food and beverage companies. Naturex will be extremely complimentary to the acquisitions we have announced in this space over the last few years, namely Spicetec, Activ International, Vika and Centroflora Nutra.”
Individual solutions, healthy added value and unique Multi-Sensory Experiences®
Whether for children, adults, health-conscious consumers or the generation of “foodies”, at Biofach in Nuremberg, Doehler will present innovative products and product applications that are explicitly tailored to the individual needs of the various consumer groups for the first time.
Organic products for the whole family
Many consumers increasingly expect that products should be sustainable, fair trade or organic and these factors strongly influence their purchasing decisions. At Biofach 2018, Doehler will present a diverse range of concepts for the entire family which are in line with this trend. These include delicious smoothies made from high-quality fruits and vegetables and fruit nectars without added sugar which are particularly suitable for children, or fruity NFC juices and refreshing fruit splashes. In addition to high-quality conventional ingredients, the company produces a comprehensive portfolio of certified organic ingredients at 14 sites worldwide. In this context, Doehler benefits from its vertical integration comprising a worldwide network of raw materials, its own fruit and vegetable processing in the growing regions and agro-sustainability programmes around the globe. Doehler’s portfolio also includes a broad variety of SAI FSA-verified as well as Rainforest Alliance, UTZ and Fairtrade-certified raw materials.
Naturally healthy – organic products with functional added value
“Superfoods” are literally on everyone’s lips. At Biofach, Doehler will display innovative product concepts that combine pure indulgence and functional added value, such as a delicious apple acai ginger “Juice Shot” for a healthy boost on the go or a fruity-fresh chia smoothie that creates unique Multi-Sensory Experiences® with the extra-crunchy chia seeds. The “Savoury Snack Drink” is also full of valuable vitamins and nutrients. With various vegetables and a refreshing note of mint, this savoury snack makes a healthy meal when you’re on the road.
Greater variety and new taste experiences for organic products
Doehler is an expert for entirely new taste experiences based on innovative food and beverage concepts. Thanks to its integrated approach, the company provides everything from a single source – from the field to the supermarket shelf. At Biofach, Doehler will present a varied ingredient portfolio and innovative concepts which breathe new life into organic products.
Doehler will display fascinating concepts which meet adult consumers’ wishes for diverse and more natural soft drinks with less sweetness. The organic tea beverage “Peach-Lemon Black Tea”, for example, wins over consumers with its authentic “freshly brewed tea” taste. To meet the growing demand for beverages tailored to an adult taste profile, Doehler offers a wide range of herb and spice extracts such as ginger, cardamom, lavender or peppermint which create a unique signature taste. Doehler also has access to unique and tailored raw materials, which allows for traceability throughout the entire supply chain.
Coffee remains among the most popular beverages for adults and Cold Brew Coffee is one of the growing trends in this segment. Whether enjoyed pure or mixed with milk – cold brew coffee is much less bitter and acidic than the hot version and is characterised by fruity, caramel and chocolate flavours since it is prepared in a gentle process with no heat at all. Doehler has developed a unique process to capture the special flavours of cold brew coffee, which protects the entire flavour profile and makes it possible to create particularly authentic beverage and food concepts.
In Nuremberg, Doehler will also be presenting its comprehensive portfolio of organic fruit and vegetable ingredients, which can be used for many other creative food and beverage compositions. The company’s range of certified organic ingredients includes NFC juices, juice concentrates and purées in traditional flavours such as apple, sour cherry or blackcurrant as well as more exotic flavours such as white guava, grapefruit or mango, which create new taste experiences for organic products.
SVZ, a leading supplier of premium fruit and vegetable ingredients, is celebrating 150 years of expertise at this year’s Fi Europe. The company will be showcasing its premium portfolio of high-quality, natural fruit and vegetable purees, juices and concentrates.
SVZ’s wide range of ingredients, from raspberry and strawberry purees to spinach and carrot concentrates, is cultivated in the world’s finest growing regions for a variety of applications, from beverages and baby food to dairy products and baked goods. Visitors to the stand can sample SVZ’s natural and nutritious ingredients, either on their own or in the form of a specially-made cocktail, while accessing the agro supply chain, sustainability and applications knowledge of the SVZ experts.
An increasing number of consumers demand healthy and clean label products that are traceable too. “At FiE 2017 we will not only be discussing our passion for and dedication to premium fruit and vegetable ingredients and our long-standing sustainability credentials, but also how our portfolio and expertise can help food and beverage manufacturers today. From clean label, natural and minimally processed to healthy and reduced sugar, consumers have more demands than ever before and we are well-placed to help our customers meet these needs with innovative, natural formulations.” explains Johan Cerstiaens, Sales Director at SVZ.
SVZ, stand 08.0L50, Fi Europe, 28-30 November 2017, Frankfurt, Germany
Frutarom Industries Ltd. (“Frutarom”), one of the world’s 10 largest companies in the field of flavours and natural specialty fine ingredients, continues its momentum of acquisitions and the implementation of its rapid and profitable growth strategy by announced that it has signed an agreement for the purchase of 100 % of the shares of the UK company Flavours and Essences (UK) Ltd. (“F&E”) for approximately US$ 19.5 million (£ 15 million) and a mechanism for future consideration based on F&E’s future business performance over the period of three years from the purchase date. The transaction was completed upon signing and financed through bank debt.
According to F&E management reports, its sales turnover for the 12 months ending in July 2017 totaled approx. US$ 17.4 million (approx. £ 13.7 million) and it registered an average annual rate of growth for the past five years of over 20 %.
F&E, which was founded in 1998, engages in the development, production and marketing of flavours and natural colours. F&E operates a production site and R&D center in Blackburn, England, employs 41 people, and has a broad customer base in Europe, particularly in the UK and Ireland. F&E’s activity is synergetic with Frutarom’s activity in the field of flavours, activity which has grown in recent years by rates considerably higher than the market rate of growth, as well as with Frutarom’s developing activity in the field of natural food colours.
F&E’s founding owners and managers will continue contributing from their rich experience towards continued rapid and profitable growth of the activity.
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