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Prinova has identified growing demand for ingredients for the mind as one of nine emerging food, beverage and nutrition “mega-trends”. In a new report on functional health trends, it also spotlights the increasing prominence of branded ingredients, and growing demand for “real foods”.

The leading provider of ingredients and premixes commissioned expert researchers to analyse patterns in retail and food service and to conduct social media listening. This allowed it to build a framework of nine macro-trends that will shape the industry in 2024 and beyond.

The report highlights the growing number of products containing adaptogens and nootropics, which it attributes to factors such as enduring concerns around performance, focus and “brain fog” in the wake of the pandemic. It also notes growing demand for natural sources of caffeine, such as yerba and matcha, as consumers seek “an antidote to boom and bust caffeination”. Meanwhile, ongoing talk about the stress of modern life, coupled with research on the importance of sleep and rest, has led to “an array of adaptogenic ingredients” being included in everyday food and beverage products.

The Prinova report also notes that “branded ingredients are emerging from the depths of the ingredient list, with logos making their way to the front of product packaging, “particularly in categories like plant-based and performance nutrition. Prinova’s range of branded ingredients includes enduracarb® , a science-backed, slow-release ‘double sugar’ for endurance, and Bacopin®, a bacopa monniera ingredient which, studies show, may help improve memory and attention.

Other mega-trends identified in the report include:

  • ‘Real Food Rules’: A shift away from complicated ingredient lists as consumers embrace ingredients in their most natural, unprocessed form. This includes recognising the benefit of animal-based products again, including previously maligned elements such as full fat.
  • ‘Hack my Health’: With growing interest in the way products interact with our genotypes, phenotypes and lifestyles, companies are increasingly offering personalised services to cater for unique needs.
  • ‘Targeted Nutrition’: Consumers are increasingly aware of the nutritional interventions they can make to improve their wellbeing at different life stages. More knowledgeable than ever, they are looking for products with detailed claims.

James Street, Marketing Director, EMEA & APAC at Prinova, said: “Consumers are looking to food, beverage and nutrition products to meet a growing number of needs. To identify where the opportunities are, and to help our customers create innovative, new products, we’ve created a future-facing framework that identifies the most important emerging trends. We’ve seen how consumers are looking for nutritional ‘hacks’ in areas like cognitive performance and emotional wellbeing, while also yearning for a return to products with ‘real food’ or ‘natural’ credentials. And our research also shows that manufacturers are recognising branded ingredients as one of the best ways to communicate science-backed benefits and bolster credibility.”

Discover the emerging trends in the full report: https://www.prinovaglobal.com/eu/en/resources/news/2024-and-2025-trends

Tate & Lyle renews partnership with the China Foundation for Rural Development for a third year to help improve children’s diets and nutrition education

Tate & Lyle PLC, a world leader in ingredient solutions for healthier and tastier food and beverages, is delighted to announce that it has renewed its partnership with the China Foundation for Rural Development for a third year. This partnership is part of Tate& Lyle’s ‘Healthy Eating, Happy Learning – Child Health Improvement Programme’ in China which works to improve children’s diets, support healthier lifestyles, and provide education on nutrition.

Through this partnership, children in schools in underdeveloped areas of China’s Yunnan and Guizhou provinces will receive a nutritious daily snack throughout the school year. In addition, schools in Guizhou province will benefit from the installation of modern kitchen equipment in their canteens, and Tate & Lyle will work with nutrition experts from the Chinese national authorities to provide nutrition education for students and teachers.

Since its establishment in September 2021, Tate& Lyle’s partnership with the China Foundation for Rural Development has provided:

  • Over 400,000nutritional snacks to 3,000 children in 12 schools.
  • Over 200 pieces of new kitchen equipment to 11 schools, benefiting 3,000 children.
  • Working with experts from the Chinese Nutrition Society, produced customised nutrition and health education booklets and posters for children, and held nutrition classes for 500 students and 700 teachers.

This is one of many partnerships Tate & Lyle operates in communities across the world, including in the US, UK and Brazil, to support healthier living and help build thriving communities.

Premix solutions for holistic “Beauty From Within”

Men or women, Gen Z, Millennials or Baby Boomers, everybody wants to look good, regardless of gender and age. According to a worldwide survey by Euromonitor International, more than half of respondents see beauty primarily in a healthy appearance. And this comes mostly from within. More and more consumers are becoming aware of how important nutrition is for healthy skin, hair, and nails. They understand that a healthy, balanced lifestyle has an effect on their appearance, and so they look for foods, beverages, and nutritional supplements that support holistic beauty. To meet this demand, SternVitamin has developed the new “Beauty From Within” premix line.

Holistic beauty combines wellness, health, and beauty

For many years wellness, health, and beauty were separate categories, but now they are increasingly merging into one another. Holistic beauty has established itself as a long-term trend. Consumers are looking for beauty products that alleviate stress, boost wellbeing, help with sleep issues and thus support a healthy appearance. With SternHolisticBeauty, SternVitamin has developed a unique premix that follows this holistic approach.

This premix for instant drink powders is specially tailored for holistic beauty. Its micronutrients and other functional ingredients support the gut immune system and the microbiota that work through the gut-skin-brain axis to strengthen the skin barrier and improve skin health. The lavender extract it contains helps with relaxation and stress reduction, while its pantothenic acid supports mental performance.

The skin as a calling-card

SternVitamin’s new premix line is centred on solutions for various skin needs. After all, glowing skin is the very essence of a healthy appearance. But unfortunately, the process of skin ageing starts as early as at age 25. External influences like environmental pollution and sunshine, as well as individual factors like stress, lack of sleep, and unbalanced nutrition, further exacerbate the natural ageing of the skin. It is no wonder that dark eye circles, lines, and wrinkles are among the most frequently mentioned skin problems. With combinations of selected vitamins, minerals, and functional ingredients, SternVitamin’s premix solutions support the natural beauty of the skin. A key factor, for example, is optimal moisturisation. This is exactly what SternHydroSkin helps with. The premix for capsules contains vitamins C and D that help maintain the skin barrier and counteract skin dryness. Vitamin B3 has a stimulating effect on ceramide synthesis, which is important for a healthy skin barrier. Moreover, hyaluronic acid and pomegranate extract have positive effects on skin elasticity, hydration and wrinkles.

SternSolarGuard protects against the skin’s worst external enemy – the sun. UVA radiation is a major cause of skin ageing, wrinkling, and roughness. This is due to oxidative stress and the damaging effects of free radicals. The vitamins C and E and trace elements zinc and selenium in the premix protect the skin from UV-induced oxidative stress. Vitamins C and E have also been demonstrated to counteract UV damage and skin ageing. The combination of citrus flavonoids and rosemary extract in the premix can provide additional protection against the sun’s harmful radiation. This premix was designed for capsules, and like SternHydroSkin, it is suitable for products targeting men and women in all age groups.

“Beauty sleep” is not just an expression – the skin regenerates during sleep. SternBeautySleep supports restful sleep and skin renewal. This premix for capsules contains the minerals zinc, magnesium, calcium, and selenium, which boost sleep duration. Beyond that calcium is involved in the skin’s cell cycle. Like zinc, the vitamins C and E in the premix reduce UV-induced skin ageing. Valerian, hops, and passionflower reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and improve sleep duration. SternBeautySleep is ideal for women and men under stress.

For beautiful skin, hair, and nails

The Beauty From Within range is completed by SternGlow and SternBeautyGummy. Both premixes contain micronutrients and functional ingredients that provide for beautiful skin, hair, and nails. SternBeautyGummy is specially intended for the trendy gummy application. All SternVitamin premixes can be incorporated into different applications. SternVitamin tailors each premix to customer order. The micronutrient specialist also develops customised concepts for individual foods and food supplements in close cooperation with the customer.

Azelis, a leading innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, announced the extension of its partnership with dsm-firmenich, a leading global innovator in nutrition, health, and beauty. Effective immediately, Azelis India will be the sole distributor of dsm-firmenich’s food enzymes and cultures range throughout India, a portfolio that includes dairy cultures, dairy enzymes, dairy test kits and bakery enzymes. This agreement expands Azelis India and dsm-firmenich partnership beyond the Western region to also cover India’s Northern, Southern, and Eastern regions.
 
dsm-firmenich has over 150 years of expertise in innovation and a strong commitment to developing accessible solutions that serve to nourish, protect, and improve life. Thanks to their innovative portfolio, dsm-firmenich supports customers in the food & nutrition industry with ingredients that improve the taste, texture, and nutritional profile of formulations across a wide range of applications. This expanded partnership with dsm-firmenich strengthens Azelis’ lateral value chain with additional advanced solutions and enables the group to further meet market demand for sustainable formulations that enhance taste, and nutrition, and help improve life.

Christian Petersen, Regional Sales Manager Asia Pacific at dsm-firmenich, comments:
“Having partnered with Azelis India in the food market for more than a decade and pharma since 2022, we are pleased to expand that relationship to all of India for our enzymes and cultures portfolio for Food & Nutrition. This strategic decision has been made to streamline and enhance our distribution model in India to further increase our customer intimacy and strengthen our market penetration. We value Azelis as a trusted preferred partner with an excellent reputation, in-depth technical expertise and outstanding lab capabilities which are well-aligned with our technical solution-centric approach.”

Aparna Khurana, Managing Director of Azelis India, adds:
“We are thrilled about the expansion of our collaboration, a great recognition of the trust and confidence our valued principal dsm-firmenich has in our partnership. Our team has extensive knowledge of dsm-firmenich’s ingredients, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to share our expertise with a wider audience and support customers in dairy, bakery, nutrition, and more applications. Being able to exclusively offer dsm-firmenich’s advanced enzymes and cultures portfolio and nutrition solutions across India greatly expands our lateral value chain and nicely complements our current food and nutrition portfolio.”

Arla Foods Ingredients is demonstrating how its whey solutions can be used to create clear protein shakes targeting a range of different consumer segments.

Protein powders comprise 46 % of the entire sports nutrition market1, and Arla Foods Ingredients research shows that they appeal to the full spectrum of health-conscious shoppers. Over 20 % of consumers in both the ‘Active Nutrition’ and ‘Lifestyle Nutrition’ categories (who do not prioritise exercise as highly as ‘Performance Nutrition’ consumers) still consume powdered drinks at least once a week.2

As part of its ‘Go Clear’ campaign at SupplySide West (23rd to 27th October in Las Vegas), the nutrition leader will showcase three new clear whey powder concepts. Flavored to appeal to US markets in particular, each demonstrates how the right whey ingredient can meet the specific needs of consumers in a particular segment:

  • Go Premium: This clear shake targets performance nutrition consumers seeking out next-generation products. It is based on Lacprodan® BLG-100 – a pure beta-lactoglobulin. Packed with nutritional power and 45 % higher in leucine than other whey proteins, it is ideal for boosting muscle protein synthesis post-workout.
  • Go Natural: Made with Lacprodan® ISO.WaterShake (100 % whey protein isolate), this fruit-infused water shake creates new opportunities for flavoured waters. Its delicate flavours and clean texture are ideal for active nutrition consumers who want natural products that support healthy lifestyles with no compromise on taste.
  • Go Fresh: This thirst-quenching shake is made with Lacprodan® ClearShake (100 % whey protein isolate). Its refreshing lemonade taste makes it ideal for lifestyle nutrition consumers who aren’t specifically looking for a post-workout solution, but still want the benefits of whey.

Troels Nørgaard Laursen, Director for Health and Performance at Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “Today’s sports nutrition market is hugely diverse. While shakes are popular across the board, every consumer group has its own preferences – from the hardcore enthusiasts looking for premium ingredients and functionality, to “healthy lifestyle” consumers who prioritise taste and naturality. Fortunately our range of high-quality whey ingredients is wide enough to meet every need, so no matter which segment brands are targeting, there’s a perfect ready-to-mix solution.”

Other concepts on show at the company’s booth (#6549) will include a protein cold brew, and a tea latte RTD, both featuring Lacprodan MicelPure®. Containing 86 % native protein and naturally high in calcium, this micellar casein isolate was recently certified by the Non-GMO Project, offering another advantage to North American brands.

1Euromonitor International, 2023
2HealthFocus® International Trend Study, 2022

Vitamins, minerals and plant protein have emerged as superstar sports nutrition ingredients in new consumer research.

Prinova, a leading provider of bespoke premixes and blends, surveyed 1277 physically active European consumers. It presented them with a list of 20 common ingredients and asked them to pick the five that they most looked for in sports nutrition products.

By far the highest scoring ingredients were vitamins, picked by nearly two thirds (64 %) of consumers, followed by plant protein and minerals. Meanwhile, many ingredients not traditionally associated with sports nutrition also scored highly. Sixteen per cent of consumers looked for products containing fibre, shortly followed by omega-3 (14 %), botanicals (13 %), probiotics (9 %), and oats (9 %).

Prinova believes the findings reflect the growing body of research on non-traditional ingredients for sports nutrition, and the new diversity of the sports nutrition consumer base.

Tony Gay, Technical Sales Director, Nutrition, at Prinova Europe, said: “Not so long ago, sports nutrition was seen as synonymous with protein, but the landscape is already looking very different. The market has exploded as scientific research has revealed the value of a far wider range of ingredients for athletic performance, and that has cut through to consumers. For example, there’s growing awareness that a deficiency of B-vitamins can reduce athletes’ ability to perform high-intensity exercise, while Vitamin C offers benefits for recovery as well as immune health, and minerals can offer benefits in areas like hydration.”

The research also suggests that the plant-based trend has had a major impact on the sports nutrition space. More than four in ten (42 %) consumers named plant proteins as one of the ingredients they most looked for, compared to 26 % who looked for whey or dairy protein, 15 % who looked for egg protein and 8 % who looked for meat protein.

Prinova offers the world’s largest inventory of food-grade single vitamins and is the leading supplier of Vitamins B and C. Its Aquamin range of marine multimineral-complex products is supported by more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications.

It is also a leading distributor of natural high-quality plant proteins from sources such as rice, pea, lentil, and fava bean, and with Europe’s largest inventory of food-grade amino acids, offers a range of BCAAs, EAAs and NEAAs, from single ingredients to bespoke blends.

The full research is available in a new Prinova White Paper, ‘State of Play: New insights into the changing sports nutrition market’. It can be downloaded at: www.prinovaglobal.com/eu/en/

Prinova research has revealed wide variations in the needs of sports nutrition consumers, with those who exercise less frequently more likely to prioritise goals such as weight management and immune health. The survey also shows that more casual sports nutrition consumers are more likely to value taste and texture.

Prinova, the leading provider of bespoke premixes and blends, surveyed 1277 European consumers of sports nutrition products. Although all were physically active, exercising at least twice a week, their preferred activities, goals, needs and purchasing habits varied significantly by activity level.

Respondents were presented with a list of 15 possible goals and asked to pick the five that were most important to them when using sports nutrition products. The three most common were energy (71 %), post-exercise recovery (51 %) and muscle growth (48 %).

However, the research suggests that the mainstreaming of the consumer base has increased the importance of goals not traditionally associated with the category. Consumers who exercised twice a week were almost twice as likely to prioritise immune health as those who exercised daily (20 % vs 11 %).
The less frequent exercisers were also significantly more likely to target weight management (24 % vs 16 %) and digestive health (11 % vs 7 %), and to list taste and texture as a purchase influencer (33 % compared to 22 %).

Tony Gay, Technical Sales Director, Nutrition, at Prinova Europe, said: “Sports nutrition has emerged from its niche of serious athletes, resulting in a more mainstream consumer base. This research suggests that people who exercise less regularly tend to have different goals from their more ‘hardcore’ counterparts and are more likely to have needs that overlap with other categories, such as immune health and weight management. The key takeaway is that there is no ‘typical’ sports nutrition consumer, and as the market becomes more fragmented, there will be growing demand for innovative bespoke and hybrid products targeting more than one goal.”

Prinova is a leading global supplier of ingredients and premix manufacturing solutions. Its branded products for sports nutrition include:

  • enduracarb® – a science-backed, slow-release ‘double sugar’ which outperforms other carbohydrate sources over prolonged periods of intense exercise
  • Aquamin – a range of plant-based, clean label, marine multimineral-complex products supported by more than 40 peer-reviewed scientific publications
  • EAAlpha – a patented, balanced blend of nine essential amino acids (EAAs) with arginine, providing an optimal ratio for muscle protein synthesis.

The survey of 1277 consumers in the UK, France, Germany Italy and Spain was carried out in April 2023. The full results will be published in a Prinova report.

Nektium is taking steps to secure the long-term sustainability of its Rhodiolife® Rhodiola rosea extract by switching a significant proportion of its raw material sourcing to cultivated plants. The move – an industry first on such a large commercial scale – will reduce reliance on under-pressure wild-grown supplies.

Rhodiola rosea is one of the most powerful adaptogens found in nature, offering a range of cognitive and sports nutrition benefits. It grows wild in the remote Altai mountains in south and central Asia at the intersection of Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and China. The rapidly growing market for adaptogens has increased demand for Rhodiola rosea roots, leading to concerns about over-harvesting.

In response, Nektium has worked with its long-standing local partner to establish fields that offer conditions optimal for the controlled growing of Rhodiola rosea. Together, they have converted barren land in undeveloped, unpopulated locations, ensuring minimal impact on communities close by. After a successful trial, initial exploratory fields were extended to provide full-scale sustainable cultivation sufficient to satisfy market demand at an industrial level.

The plant material used to grow Nektium’s cultivated Rhodiola rosea for Rhodiolife® was originally taken from wild-harvested Siberian plants growing near where the fields have been established. This means there are no physical or phytochemical differences between Rhodiolife® produced from wild-harvested roots and that produced from cultivated raw materials.

Debbie Thoma, Marketing Manager at Nektium, said: “As a responsible supplier of botanical ingredients, we are acutely aware of the importance of conservation, and this initiative will help to secure a sustainable and reliable source of Rhodiola rosea roots for years to come. In addition, cultivation in a controlled setting results in a more predictable and secure long-term raw material supply, which leads to improved price stability, superior safety, and more effective quality control. It also offers greater peace-of-mind around authenticity, which is especially significant in an age of widespread adulteration.”

Rhodiola rosea’s adaptogenic activity is usually attributed to four principal compounds – salidroside, rosin, rosavin, and rosarin – all found at high concentrations in the roots. Nektium’s Rhodiolife® standardised Rhodiola rosea ingredient was launched 25 years ago, since when it has earned a reputation as a high-quality and effective botanical extract. It is also available certified drug-free for athletes by the third-party Banned Substances Control Group.

Health is one of the twelve megatrends recently defined by the Future Institute in Frankfurt. It informs all facets of daily life and dominates entire lifestyles. “Physical well-being has grown in importance to be a key resource since the COVID-19 pandemic,” say the futurologists of the institute. Nutrition plays a central role in this. The focus is on plant-based products. “Plant-based alternatives are considered not just good for one’s own personal health, but also for the environment and the entire planet,” according to the researchers.

Various scientific studies have shown that vegetarian and vegan diets offer multiple health benefits. These include less obesity, lower cholesterol, and lower risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, an all-vegan diet brings with it the disadvantage of critical supply of certain micronutrients. Among these are vitamins B12, B2 and D, and calcium, iron, selenium, and zinc, as well as the amino acid lysine and certain omega-3 fatty acids. To prevent deficiencies, many plant-based products are fortified with micronutrients. SternVitamin takes this a step further and develops premixes that not only prevent deficiencies, but also meet certain target-group-specific needs, such as strengthening the bones, the immune system or gut health. “Customer interest in micronutrient premixes for plant-based products is growing,” notes SternVitamin Product Manager Dr Christina Mesch. “So together with our sister company Planteneers we have developed further concepts for plant-based drinks that address the current health trend.”

New oat drinks for mental power and the immune system

SternVitalityV and SternDefenceV are new to the product line. SternVitality is for a coffee oat drink with important micronutrients to support mental performance. The vitamins and minerals of the premix reduce tiredness and fatigue, and provide new energy. SternDefenceV was developed for a fruity oat drink and contains vitamins, minerals, and botanicals. B-vitamins are important for antibody synthesis and can act as immunomodulators. Sea buckthorn, vitamins B2, C and E, and the trace elements selenium and zinc protect the cells from oxidative stress, while vitamin D contributes to the growth, maturation, and activity of immune cells.

Strong bones, healthy heart

In addition to these new premix concepts, SternVitamin has also reviewed its existing premixes SternBonesV and SternHeartV and updated them in accordance with the latest science. SternBonesV is for a vanilla oat drink with a combination of vegan vitamin D3, vitamin K2 and calcium which helps maintain bone health. B-vitamins further protect the bones.

Mental stress can negatively affect vascular function and impact heart health. Since flavanol-rich cocoa has been demonstrated to improve blood flow in stressful situations and helps maintain elasticity of blood vessels, SternHeartV is incorporated into a chocolate oat drink. It contains additional vitamin K1 for vascular health and vitamin C, which improves the elasticity of the aorta and raises “good” HDL cholesterol. Meanwhile, B-vitamins contribute to a normal homocysteine metabolism, the formation of red blood cells, muscle function and a strong nervous system – likewise important for heart health.

World leader in human and animal nutrition releases second annual list of global consumer trends

ADM, a global leader in nutrition that powers many of the world’s top food, beverage, and health and wellness brands, released its second annual list of global consumer trends.

ADM unveils the next big consumer trends
(Photo: ADM)

Based on in-depth research from ADM’s proprietary Outside VoiceSM consumer insights platform, ADM provides a breakdown of each growth space poised for takeoff in the new year. These insights are used by the world’s leading consumer brands to fuel product innovation.

Brad Schwan, vice president of category marketing for ADM, explains, “Consumers today continue to navigate a tumultuous environment that has uprooted every aspect of their lives. This has led forward-thinking brands to develop new solutions purpose-built to help consumers establish a sense of normality for themselves, their families and their pets. We’re seeing everything from foods, feeds and beverages that promote gut health to plant- based meat and dairy alternatives to biodegradable packaging.”

Below are the eight key consumer trends fueling current and future global growth that point the way for ADM’s innovation, renovation, and development platforms.

1 Nourishment for the Whole Self

Consumers want to be more proactive about supporting their mind and body through a balanced approach to diet and lifestyle. While this is a long-term trend, the recent global pandemic has placed renewed interest on mental well-being, with many looking for more effective ways to cope with stress and anxiety. Wholesome nutrition is one important way consumers are looking to support their holistic well-being. In fact, ADM Outside VoiceSM finds that 37 % of global consumers expect the snacks they eat to improve their mental well-being.

2. Plant-based Lifestyles

A flexitarian approach to eating has become mainstream as consumers look to functional, wholesome, plant-based nutrition to support healthy, environmentally friendlier lifestyles. In fact, it is expected that alternative proteins will very likely account for 11 % of the total protein market in 20352. This is being fueled, in part, by COVID-19, which has accelerated interest in plant-based, as a health-forward alternative for consumers who are paying close attention to their body’s nutritional needs. Food and beverage brands, in response, are broadening the landscape of nutrient- dense plant-based options for consumers, aiming to meet their growing demand for products that are sustainable, health and wellness oriented and safe.

3 Microbiome as The Root Of Wellness

Awareness of the microbiome as central to wellness has grown over time. Data from ADM Outside VoiceSM indicates that 58 % of global consumers are aware of the potential benefits that bacteria in the digestive system can have on their overall health. Today’s consumers are looking for foods, beverages and supplements that support gut health and overall well-being. Linked by consumers to immune function, aspects of metabolic health and even mood, mental acuity and feeling energized, consumers’ approach to supporting a healthy gut is evolving from reactive (seeking foods to alleviate discomfort) to proactive (tailored and customized pre-, pro- and postbiotic solutions), as they strive to achieve greater empowerment over their personal health and well-being.

4 Clean & Transparent Sourcing

Consumer demand for ‘clean label’ products, which they consider to consist of real, kitchen-level ingredients, has become table stakes. Today’s shopper is consistently searching for foods and beverages containing real, simple ingredients that can help promote a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. This has led to a desire for transparency across the entire product lifecycle, from how it’s made to how it’s packaged, and beyond. This is especially true during COVID-19, with consumers placing an increased emphasis on learning where their food comes from and trying to ensure the health and safety of themselves, their families, their pets and their communities. As consumers become more sophisticated in their understanding of the products they consume, 58 % of global consumers say they will be more attentive to locality claims as a result of COVID-195.

5 Humanization Of Pets

Pets are more commonly seen as part of the family – a trend that has been present over time but accelerated in strength during the pandemic. This extends to what their pets eat, with many pet parents transposing their purchasing values and preferences onto their furry companions. There’s been a 41 % increase in “all natural” pet foods launched globally3. Likewise, ADM Outside VoiceSM also found that 30 % of global pet owners spent a significant amount of time researching the best food options in the last year1. As consumers are challenged with changing lifestyles and a return to work, they will continue to monitor their pets’ overall well-being to ensure they’re providing foods and supplements aimed at helping them care for their minds and bodies.

6 Precise & Responsible Animal Feeding

The interconnectedness of the animal product supply chain is top of mind for today’s consumer. There is an increased demand for optimized feed solutions that support human and animal nutrition in an efficient, environmentally friendly manner for a range of animal species. This is driving brands to begin providing digital documentation explaining how the animal was raised, particularly related to its consumption of antibiotics and/or growth hormones. Nearly half (49 %) of consumers are willing to pay a premium for products with high quality assurances and verifiable safety standards4.

7 Sustainable Goodness

Consumers see sustainability as a moral imperative as they connect it to what is right and ethical, their community and the environment. In fact, 47 % of global consumers say they are now more attentive to sustainability claims5. This has sparked demand for ethical production and sustainable sourcing practices – such as regenerative agriculture and carbon negative production to protect the food supply of the future. Brands are responding by taking positions on environmental matters, aiming to reflect their commitments to increasing the sustainability of their production and distribution systems.

8 Advanced Renewables & BioSolutions

Today’s consumers are more conscious of the environmental impact of their consumption and the food system at large, with a specific focus on the use of finite materials and physical waste. With 38 % of global consumers being willing to pay more for products made with sustainable materials5, conscientious consumers are paying close attention to seeking out food, personal care and home care products that support the needs of their families, the environment and their local communities. And, consumers increasingly believe that companies should take greater responsibility for reducing waste and energy use from development to disposal.

Each of these growth trend spaces represents an opportunity for forward-thinking brands eager to maintain relevance with today’s consumer. ADM, a global powerhouse in human and animal nutrition, is positioned to provide these brands with the insights and novel solutions needed to meet consumer needs as they evolve in today’s ever-changing marketplace.

1ADM Outside VoiceSM
2Boston Consulting Group and Blue Horizon Corporation, Food for Thought, The Protein Transformation Report, 2021
3Mintel, The Future of Pet Food 2021 report
4Nielsen, Quality and efficacy may beat out price sensitivities amid coronavirus concerns, 2020
5FMCG Gurus: How Has COVID-19 Changed Consumer Behavior, Q21

In the reporting currency, the Symrise Group achieved sales growth of 4.8 % to € 1,908 million (H1 2020: € 1,821 million). The acquisition of the Fragrance and Aroma Chemicals business from the US company Sensient in April 2021 contributed € 14.4 million. In spite of the weaker prior-year figures due to the pandemic, organic sales growth was even stronger: During the first six months, Symrise increased sales by 9.7 %. Alongside catch-up effects in the first quarter resulting from the cyber-attack in December, the good dynamic in the second quarter made a contribution. Due to the accelerating business and higher demand, sales increased organically between April and June by 8.8 %.

The Scent & Care segment

Scent & Care, the business with fragrances, aroma molecules and cosmetic ingredients, achieved very good organic sales growth of 9.0 % in the first half year of 2021. Taking currency translation effects into account, sales amounted to € 749 million in the first six months and rose significantly compared to the prior-year period (H1 2020: € 711 million). The Fragrance and Aroma Chemicals business from Sensient contributed € 14.4 million to this. Particularly during the second quarter, normalization of consumer demand began to emerge as battling the pandemic progressed. Sales in the Fine Fragrances business unit and Cosmetic Ingredients division increased strongly.

The Flavor & Nutrition segment

The combined Flavor & Nutrition segment increased its sales organically by 10.1 %. Sales in the reporting currency increased to € 1,159 million and thereby significantly exceeded the prior-year figure (H1 2020: € 1,110 million). In the second quarter, the segment recorded gradual normalization of consumer behavior. The increase in out-of-home consumption exerted a positive effect on demand for beverage products. At the same time, the trend towards healthy cooking at home and the continuing high demand in pet food solutions ensured strong growth.

Applications for beverages recorded very good organic sales growth in the double-digit percentage range. The biggest growth was generated in the US market, China, Brazil as well as Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

A new study suggests substituting 100 % fruit juice in the diet in place of beverages containing added sugars may lower health risks for cardiovascular-related disease, including type-2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.

Researchers performed a modeling analysis simulating the substitution of 100 % fruit juices for fruit and sugar-sweetened beverages in more than 34,000 Dutch participants ages 20 to 70. The findings, published in Public Health Nutrition, support previous research and hypotheses suggesting that substituting fruit juice for sugar-sweetened beverages would be associated with lower cardiometabolic risk with no change in risk when fruit juice was substituted for fruit.

When more than three-quarters of sugar-sweetened beverages in the diet were replaced with 100 % fruit juice, researchers found the risk for diabetes was lowered by 17 % when compared to the lowest substitution level of less than one-quarter. A similar substitution analysis found the risk for coronary heart disease was reduced by 12 %. Substituting 100 % fruit juice for whole fruit resulted in no change in risks. These calculations were made while considering other factors such as age, sex, educational level, physical activity, smoking, family history of diabetes, healthy diet index, alcohol, coffee, fruit intake, body mass index, and waist circumference.

“100 % fruit juice is frequently equated to sugar-sweetened beverages because of similar sugar content, but this study suggests their effects on diabetes and heart disease risk could be very different,” said Gail Rampersaud, Florida Department of Citrus registered dietitian nutritionist. “Substituting nutrient dense 100 % orange juice for sugar-sweetened beverages may be quite beneficial toward enhancing the intake of key nutrients, meeting daily fruit recommendations, reducing the intake of added sugars as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and reducing the risks for some health conditions.”

Other research supports findings that the consumption of 100 % orange juice or 100 % fruit juice is not related to risk of metabolic syndrome or diabetes and may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. Eight ounces of 100 % orange juice is an excellent source of vitamin C and a good source of potassium, folate, and thiamin. Oranges and 100 % orange juice are the primary dietary sources of the polyphenol, hesperidin, which may have beneficial effects on blood pressure in some individuals.

Kerry, one of the world’s leading taste and nutrition companies, has announced the opening of its new taste facility in Latin America, which will serve mainly Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and the Andean region. 

Located in Irapuato, Mexico, the new state-of-the-art facility will significantly increase Kerry’s capacity in the region and further support customers in delivering local and sustainable taste solutions.

This new site expands Kerry’s offerings across a number of food and beverage categories, including refreshing and alcoholic beverages, snacks, meat, dairy and bakery. It will also play an important role in enabling Kerry’s ambition to bring sustainable nutrition solutions to more than two billion people by 2030 around the globe. Aligned with the company’s commitments under its Beyond the Horizon strategy, the facility incorporates world leading processes and technologies that will support the company’s environmental goals. These capabilities, combined with expertise across sustainable innovation, marketing insights, research, development and applications, and sensory science, will enable Kerry to co-create with customers, exciting products that will be consumed across the region.

“COVID-19 has impacted consumer behaviour and taste preferences across Latin America, and companies need to be in a position to understand and respond to these evolving dynamics. This new taste facility allows us to deliver on consumer demands across the region and we look forward to working with customers to bring innovative taste solutions to satisfy consumer needs and create a world of sustainable nutrition,” said Marcelo Marques, President and CEO of Kerry Latin America. 
Commenting on the announcement, Edson Cortes, Taste Lead for Kerry Latin America, added: “Mexico boasts 35% of the taste market in the Latin America region and presents solid opportunities for growth and innovation. With sustainability at the core of our Taste portfolio, this site will also enable us to deliver tailored solutions for customers in the regions. This important investment positions Kerry as the leader in the flavours market in Latin America as we seek to consolidate our position in the market and deliver great taste solutions with our customers.”

About Kerry
Kerry, one of the world’s leading taste and nutrition companies, provides sustainable nutrition solutions for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day over one billion people around the world enjoy food and beverages containing Kerry’s taste and nutrition solutions. The company has offices in 31 countries, 149 manufacturing facilities and employs 26,000 people globally, including over 1,000 food scientists. We aim to be our customers’ most valued partner by delivering food and beverage products that meet their consumers’ individual taste, nutrition and wellness preferences, while enhancing their lives and contributing to a more sustainable world.

On 12 May 2021, the World Citrus Organisation celebrated its first Annual Meeting online, following the official creation of the organisation last year. During the AGM, the WCO Secretariat presented the consolidation of the production and export forecasts for the forthcoming Southern Hemisphere citrus season 2021. This preliminary forecast is collected from member industry associations in Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Peru, South Africa, and Uruguay.

The WCO held its Annual meeting ending a first year of activities. The Co-chairs of the association, Jose Antonio Garcia (Ailimpo) and Justin Chadwick (CGA) agreed to state: “The full first year of operation allowed the organisation to quickly build a representative association and provide the benefits and value to the members”.

During the meeting, the preliminary forecast presented shows that the 2021 citrus Southern Hemisphere crops is expected to reach 22.7 million tons, which represents an increase of 3.18 % compared to the 2020 crop. Export is expected to increase by 12.72 % to 3.8 million tons. Philippe Binard, Secretary General of WCO stated while presenting the data : “following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a positive trend of consumers’ demand for fruit and veg. was noted, in particular for citrus fruit, widely recognised for its high nutritional value, notably in terms of vitamin C content. The large volume available is positive news as it will meet the increased demand”. On the processing side, a total of 13.4 million tonnes of citrus are expected to be destined to the juice market, which constitutes a slight increase of 1.26 % compared to the previous year. It is however worth noting that Brazil’s data provided for the forecast remains preliminary, with the official Brazilian data expected to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

By citrus categories, the soft citrus showed the greatest increase in production, by 10.57 %, with a significant increase in export volumes of over 20 % to 1 million tonnes of export. Orange production remained broadly stable (+ 1.93 %), whilst lemon (+ 2.37 %) and grapefruit (+ 6.44 %) showed greater increases. Exports are also expected to increase for all varieties, orange (+ 11.55 %), lemon (+ 7.20 %) and grapefruit (+ 9.56 %). Eric Imbert (CIRAD- Technical Secretariat of WCO) indicated: “The Southern Hemisphere citrus export continues to grow in particular for lemons and easy peelers. The Southern Hemisphere today represents 27 % of the global citrus market.” During WCO’s AGM, members also reviewed the past season’s results with a focus on the impact of the covid pandemic, and analysed the estimations for the current season.

In addition, during the meeting, Natalia Santos, Deputy Secretary General of WCO announced that: “Members decided to set-up a formal working group on health & nutrition. This will enable better knowledge- exchange among members on citrus nutritional assets and will also contribute towards a better understanding of the health attributes of citrus. The first meeting of WCO’s Health & Nutrition focus group will take place in the second semester of 2021”, she added.

Symrise AG announces its sales figures for the financial year 2020 due to a special event end of last year. The Company achieved organic sales growth of 2.7 % which is slightly below the targeted range of 3 to 4 %. This is due to a cybersecurity attack in mid-December 2020, which temporarily caused significant disruptions to business operations. This one-time effect is reflected in the sales figures of the fourth quarter with an organic growth of 0.7 %. Meanwhile production processes have been restored globally. With respect to the profitability target, Symrise expects an EBITDA margin at the lower end of the guidance range of 21 to 22 %.

“Symrise maintained a very solid performance in a market environment impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. We were well on track until mid-December 2020 when we became the target of a criminal cybersecurity attack with blackmailing intent. It was out of question for us to give in. As a consequence, our business operations were at times severely restricted and we were therefore not able to fully achieve our growth targets. However, we follow a clear ethical compass and reject any form of criminal fraud or extortion. Although there were some delays in production and logistics, customers and business partners encouraged us in our position and we expressly thank them for that. Our business operations are meanwhile largely back to normal, and we are proceeding at high speed to clear the backlog of orders,” said Dr Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, CEO of Symrise AG.

Solid sales growth – profitability target confirmed

Despite the heterogeneous market environment shaped by the global coronavirus pandemic, Symrise achieved organic sales growth of 2.7 % in 2020. Growth was impacted by the slower sales development in the month of December, which resulted from the cybersecurity attack. The fourth quarter recorded organic sales growth of 0.7 %. Excluding this one-time effect and based on a good sales performance in October and November as well as a robust order intake, Symrise would have achieved its original targets. Taking negative currency translation effects of € 152 million (- 4.5 %) into account, group sales in reporting currency amounted to € 3.521 billion (2019: € 3.408 billion). This represents an increase of 3.3 %.

Symrise remains confident that it will achieve an EBITDA margin at the lower end of the guidance range of 21 to 22 % for full year 2020.

The Company aims to increase its annual sales to € 5.5 to 6.0 billion by 2025. Symrise wants to achieve this with annual organic growth of 5 to 7 % (CAGR) as well as additional targeted acquisitions. In the medium term, profitability should remain within a target corridor of 20 to 23 %.

Effects of the cybersecurity attack largely remedied

The cybersecurity attack in December represented a criminal attack by unknown perpetrators with blackmailing intent. Symrise had immediately shielded its IT infrastructure and shut down essential IT systems after it had become aware of a cybersecurity attack in mid-December. In addition, the Company took comprehensive internal measures to counteract the attack and analyse the impact. Furthermore, Symrise immediately involved the relevant authorities and called in external forensic cyber experts.

Symrise AG makes changes to its Executive Board effective 1 April 2021. Heinrich Schaper, Executive Board member and responsible for the Flavor segment, will be retiring and leaving the Company on 31 March 2021. In the course of succession planning, the Supervisory Board has decided that Dr Jean-Yves Parisot is to take over the global leadership of the Flavor segment in addition to his responsibility for the Nutrition segment. This will involve combining the Flavor & Nutrition activities in one segment. Achim Daub, who has been Board member since 2006 and responsible for the Scent & Care segment, has decided to pursue new professional opportunities. He will therefore also leave the Company on 31 March 2021 by mutual agreement and on best terms. Succession planning for the leadership of the Scent & Care segment has already been initiated. On an interim basis, the CEO of Symrise AG, Dr Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, will lead the segment. Executive Board member Olaf Klinger will continue to head the finance, legal and IT department.

Jean-Yves Parisot (56) has been Head of the Nutrition/Diana business unit since 2014 and a member of the Executive Board of Symrise AG since October 2016. In his role, he was most recently responsible for the successful acquisition of ADF/IDF in the U.S. Prior to the acquisition and integration of Diana Group, he headed the Food Division within the Diana Group for five years. Before joining Diana, he held senior positions in several global pharmaceutical, chemical and biotech companies, including Air Liquide, Danisco and Rhodia. He started his career in Sales & Marketing at Pfizer. Jean-Yves Parisot holds a Doctor degree in Veterinary Medicine, and an MBA from HEC Paris.

Heinrich Schaper (64) has held various management positions at Symrise AG and its predecessor companies for more than four decades. In October 2016, he was appointed President of the Flavor segment. Among other positions during his career at Symrise, he was Vice President Flavor in the U.S., where he was responsible for expanding the business, and was previously responsible for developing the U.K. market as Divisional Manager. Heinrich Schaper began his professional career in 1975 after obtaining a degree in Industrial Management.

Achim Daub (58) joined Symrise AG in 2004, assuming global leadership of the Fragrance division in 2005 and was appointed to the Executive Board in 2006. He has consistently driven the expansion of the Scent & Care segment, particularly in France and in the U.S. Under his leadership, the Scent & Care segment also very successfully developed the world’s first and only fully functional artificial intelligence system in perfumery. Before joining Symrise, Achim Daub had worked for Procter & Gamble for many years.

Tate & Lyle PLC announces that John Cheung joined the Board as a non-executive director and a member of the Audit and Nominations Committees on 1 January 2021.

Currently an executive director of nutrition group China Feihe Limited, John brings a breadth of food and beverage experience with a deep understanding of markets in Asia, particularly in China. In a career spanning 30 years in the fields of nutrition, food and beverages, John has served as President for Wyeth Nutrition Global, having previously served as Nestlé Group’s leader in China and earlier held senior roles with Coca-Cola and Procter & Gamble.

After nearly nine years on the Board, the Company also announces that non-executive director, Dr Ajai Puri, will retire on 31st March 2021.

Enterprising partnership gives food companies a head start in technology

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences is accelerating its open innovation strategy to prepare food and beverage manufacturers for fast-developing trends and disruptive change. DuPont is a partner with global innovation platform Plug and Play’s Food & Beverage program in the Silicon Valley, California. In early 2021, Plug and Play will open a new location in Chicago, Illinois and DuPont will be a founding partner of the new office with direct access to the emerging technologies that will keep food and beverage companies ahead in the future.

The source of these new technologies is talented entrepreneurial start-ups that look for support from larger corporate partners to develop and scale their business. By acting as an investor and mentor, DuPont will both accelerate their development and bring their innovative capabilities to market faster.

A technological win-win

Birgitte Borch, global marketing leader, Food & Beverage, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences, expects the expansion of the Plug and Play partnership to be a true win-win.

“In recent years in particular, we have seen how disruptive change can take the established food industry by surprise. Plant-based meat and dairy offerings have proliferated fueled by new innovations driven by start-ups that are closing the gaps with traditional products. said Borch.

“Through our partnership with Plug and Play, we were able to influence the technology focus and tap into enterprising start-ups, bringing the latest innovative technology in plant-based proteins, functional ingredients and consumer testing. As a founding partner of their program in Chicago, we will be able to expand our focus into innovative technologies in biotechnology, personalized nutrition, food safety, functional ingredients, sustainability and market analytics.”

Strong track record

Plug and Play has a strong track record as an innovation ecosystem. An early investor in Google, PayPal and Dropbox, it operates more than 60 accelerator programs worldwide and in 2019 supported in excess of 1,450 start-ups. Plug and Play’s Food & Beverage program was launched in 2017.

“We use our trend insights and market forecasts to identify the technologies that will be business critical to the food industry moving forward. Plug and Play then provides a shortlist of promising enterprises within those technology areas. The most promising candidates are invited to pitch their technologies to our business and technology teams, and discussions about potential collaboration will begin,” added Borch.

The shortlist of talented start-ups for 2021 has already been drawn up. By the middle of next year, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences Food & Beverage platform expects to have established open innovation agreements for unlocking the future of food.

About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is a global innovation platform. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we have built accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and an in-house VC to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 30 locations globally, giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 30,000 startups and 400 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Companies in our community have raised over $9 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, and PayPal.

Long-term market foresights will secure tomorrow’s successful brands

DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences has taken another step in advancing innovation in the food industry through a new partnership between its Food & Beverage platform and the Institute for the Future (IFTF), the world’s leading futures organization. The collaboration seeks to drive far-sighted food and beverage innovation that anticipates shifts in market needs.

Today, food manufacturers are already relying on DuPont’s trend-tracking capabilities to inspire and enable new product development. By partnering with the IFTF, DuPont aims to sharpen the ability to co-create innovation with customers and build on long-term forecasts that look at ten years and beyond.

Foresights for stronger brands

Birgitte Borch, global marketing leader, Food & Beverage, DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences explains how the well-researched foresight of IFTF will support stronger food brands.

“Short-term product development strategies are common in the food industry, where consumer demands constantly change. It’s not unusual that new food and beverage launches are a knee-jerk reaction to a trend that appears out of the blue,” Borch said.

“Along with IFTF, we will be looking into trend development beyond consumer behaviors and developing strategic foresight with scenarios that impact the food industry in the short term and long term, to help them get ahead of the markets. This will help our customers navigate in uncertain times and understand the impact on the value chain with a holistic view of the challenges and opportunities. Our work with IFTF will allow us to be prepared with the right solutions, ingredient technology and application concepts, and enable our customers to be more proactive in their product development strategies.“

Disruptive megatrends in food

IFTF has an impressive reputation for mapping market drivers and signals, and providing long-term perspectives on change. All forecasts are based on a systematic review of social, technological, economic, environmental and political factors.

IFTF’s research anticipates four disruptive megatrends over the next decade in the food industry.

“Through our partnership with IFTF, we can better understand how these trends will evolve in the future,” Borch said. “This is key to building and maintaining success in fast-moving markets and will increasingly be part of the conversations we have with food manufacturers.”

About Institute for the Future
Institute for the Future is the world’s leading futures organization. For over 50 years, businesses, governments, and social impact organizations have depended upon IFTF global forecasts, custom research, and foresight training to navigate complex change and develop world-ready strategies. IFTF methodologies and toolsets yield coherent views of transformative possibilities across all sectors that together support a more sustainable future. Institute for the Future is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Palo Alto, California.

ADM Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of ADM (NYSE: ADM), announced its investment in Seventure’s Health For Life Capital (HFLC) Fund II. HFLC, based in Paris, is a leading venture capital fund dedicated to health, nutrition, microbiota and digital health.

“We view Seventure as the premier investor in microbiome startups focused on human health and nutrition, and since 2018, ADM has worked closely with the Seventure team to identify opportunities with microbiome solutions that can ultimately help with dietary supplements and food and beverage applications to serve as functional or proactive solutions,” said Darren Streiler, managing director of ADM Ventures. “We believe Seventure can help meet the long-term demand we see as the result of the convergence of food and pharmaceuticals and consumers looking more towards bioactives and nutrition for wellness solutions.”

The microbiome consists of trillions of micro-organisms that reside on or inside the human body. ADM’s primary interest is the vast, complex bacterial ecosystem that lives within the digestive tract and constitutes the majority of every individual’s unique microbiome.

“With a better understanding of how the microbiome ecosystem works, we can develop functional ingredients for dietary supplements and food and beverage solutions targeted to help improve overall health,” Streiler said. “We are focused on looking at new, innovative solutions that can lead to a more balanced bacterial system in your digestive tract, otherwise known as a healthy gut, and can help lead to better health.”

ADM is committed to discovering and leveraging nutritional ingredients that can be used for preventative health, as well as for treating common ailments or even chronic diseases in both humans and animals. The company’s new probiotics production facility in Valencia, Spain – which will significantly increase its post- and prebiotic production capacity – is planned to be online in 2022.

ADM is an established market leader for microbiome solutions, with an award-winning portfolio of products and ingredients, including NutraIngredients’ 2020 ‘Probiotic Product of the Year’, ADM’s Bio-Kult Migréa®; 2020 Ingredient of the Year in the Weight Management category, ADM’s Bifidobacterium lactis BPL1; and the 2020 Editor’s Award winner for Functional Food Innovation, ADM’s Bacillus subtilis PXN®21®, a live microbial strain shown to reduce the aggregation of α-synuclein, paving the way for future research in Parkinson’s disease.

In response to increased consumer demand for natural and healthy products to support their well-being, Diana Food has announced the availability of clean label, organic, and Fair Trade certified acerola powder for nutritional products.

On August 4th 2020, Diana Food obtained the Fair Trade “Fair for Life” (FFL) certification, extending its range with a new, clean label, organic, and fair trade acerola powder that addresses the market’s need for immunity-boosting solutions, while adding environmental and social value to the product. Diana Food is the first ingredient supplier to offer Fair Trade certified acerola powder to the market. Suitable for tablets, beverages, and functional foods – as well as in savory or bakery for food preservation in some countries – this acerola powder contains a high level of antioxidants, is as clean as dried-on acacia fiber, and offers the distinctive benefits of FFL certification.

While consumer demand for natural and healthy products has been an ongoing trend, it has further accelerated due to an increased emphasis on wellness and clean living caused by the COVID19 pandemic. In the current dynamic, consumers are more and more likely to adopt preventive health behaviors, with immunity boosting cited as a major concern. According to Mintel, 35 % of US consumers are motivated to purchase nutrition products or meal replacement drinks that support immune health.

Diana Food has spent the last twenty-plus years building and enhancing its expertise in sourcing acerola from Northeast Brazil. With its proximity to farmers and its team of in-house agronomists, Diana Food has established a strong foothold in the region, which is well known for the quality and efficacy of its acerola due to its native rich Vitamin C content.

Nuria Macias, Global Sustainability Manager at Diana Food, further explained that “Achieving Fair Trade certification is a serious accomplishment. It means that our company and our facilities have been audited by a third party for quality, traceability, food safety, social, and environmental performance. Our Fair Trade certification demands a long term engagement with our suppliers so acerola growers have the certainty that the projects they undertake will receive ongoing support from us in the long run.”

This certification will be submitted to FFL label auditors’ visits on a yearly basis to assess and control the positive impact of partnering with our growers on the product quality, the environment and the local community.

The launch of our new fair trade certified acerola powder represents a significant step forward in our sustainability approach, which is focused on delivering trust to our direct and non-direct stakeholders through high performing products that are clean labeled and respectful of both the environment and our community.

IncuBev, a collaboration among four companies with significant beverage commercialization expertise, has been launched to help brand owners bring their beverages to market faster by offering a unique turnkey project management solution. The companies are harnessing their collective knowledge and expertise to dramatically accelerate pre-commercial activities including product development, package conceptualization, prototyping, and activation for consumer testing and concept validation.

The IncuBev alliance includes Haney, a Packaging Microfactory™; PTI, a leader in packaging development; Symrise, a leading global supplier of natural flavor and nutrition solutions; and Califormulations, a unique provider of beverage formulas and small-scale production for commercialization trials.

All four companies have experienced the challenges beverage brands encounter when trying to successfully navigate the choppy go-to-market waters. Not having the resources of larger brand owners, those entrepreneurs frequently don’t know where to go for answers or may not even know what questions to ask. By harnessing the critical functions of beverage formulation, package design, contract manufacturing and logistics under one alliance, the IncuBev family of companies hopes to remove those pain points and guide brand owners to successful brand introductions.

According to Paul Graham, President, Symrise Flavors NA, “What differentiates IncuBev is that collectively, we are a single source that provides the flavor, the packaging, the printing, and the filling. The result is a true end-to-end beverage development ecosystem, from innovation to commercialization.”

For brand owners facing the challenges of consumer testing and validation for their new beverages, line extensions and product improvements, IncuBev’s multi-phase approach delivers speed, efficiency, focus, and agility from expert sources with a proven track record of commercialization solutions.

About Haney
Haney is the world’s first Packaging Microfactory, designed to connect innovation with the accelerated production of small-batch, consumer usable product samples for retail and e-commerce programs.

About Symrise
Symrise is a global supplier of fragrances, flavors, food, nutrition and cosmetic ingredients. Its clients include manufacturers of perfumes, cosmetics, food and beverages, pharmaceuticals and producers of nutritional supplements and pet food.
Its sales of approximately € 3.4 billion in the 2019 fiscal year make Symrise a leading global provider. Headquartered in Holzminden, Germany, the Group is represented by more than 100 locations in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, the United States and Latin America.
Symrise works with its clients to develop new ideas and market-ready concepts for products that form an integral part of everyday life. Economic success and corporate responsibility are inextricably linked as part of this process. Symrise – always inspiring more.

About Califormulations
Califormulations provides a fresh approach to food and beverage product development, using a unique innovation approach that is designed for speed, agility, flexibility and focus. Califormulations offers complete, end-to-end beverage innovation services that include consumer insights, prototyping, piloting, scale-up, packaging and more, all from a single source, with full project management. Founded in 2019, Califormulations is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia, and has over 100,000 s.f. of laboratory, production and office space.

About PTI
PTI is recognized worldwide as the preferred source for preform and package design, package development, rapid prototyping, pre-production prototyping, and material evaluation engineering for the plastic packaging industry.

Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe has announced they are postponing the live event to 2021 and are transitioning to virtual for their 2020 event.

Over recent weeks and months, the Fi Europe team has been in discussions with key industry stakeholders and partners to stay abreast of the challenges facing the F&B industry due to COVID-19. While the event was set to take place this December with Informa’s AllSecure guidelines incorporating the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness, the decision to postpone the live event and transition to virtual was taken as a result of the global nature of the event.

Fi Europe co-located with Hi Europe is a truly international event which brings together key industry players from all over the world. Given international travel is only returning gradually, stakeholders and partners felt it was difficult to ensure the same level of participation typically expected at the live event, and thus the Fi Europe team made the difficult decision to transition to a virtual format in 2020, with the expectation that they will return to Frankfurt as a best-in-class physical event from 30 November to 2 December 2021. The following year the show will take place in Paris.

For 2020, the Fi Europe team are transforming Europe’s largest F&B exhibition into a unique digital experience and expo. Fi Europe CONNECT 2020 is a virtual event designed to give the F&B community access to the global F&B ingredients industry, tools and collaboration opportunities they require to meet their business objectives.

Attracting over 8,000 attendees at their virtual event which will shape the future of the F&B industry, giving the community the chance to stay up to date with trends through 100+ on-demand and 16+ expert sessions and to use Fi Europe’s data-driven matchmaking service to find the most relevant buyers for customers’ products and solutions.

Unilever announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire Liquid I.V., a U.S-based health-science nutrition and wellness company.

Based in El Segundo, California, Liquid I.V. was founded in 2012 by entrepreneur Brandin Cohen. Liquid I.V.’s electrolyte drink mixes utilise Cellular Transport Technology (CTT®) which enhances the rapid absorption of water and other key nutrients into the bloodstream, helping people feel better, faster. Based on the World Health Organization’s guidelines for the clinically proven Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), that prevents and treats dehydration, one serving of Liquid I.V. can provide up to 2–3 times the hydration of water alone.

Liquid I.V. provides a 360-degree approach to wellness with a product range that includes Hydration, Energy and Sleep. Liquid I.V. is also non-GMO, vegan, gluten free, soy free and dairy free.

Fabian Garcia, President of Unilever North America, said: “Liquid I.V. is an impressive and innovative brand in the fast-growing health, wellness and personal nutrition space. Liquid I.V. shares Unilever’s purpose to improve people’s health and wellbeing, as well as our ambition to create sustainable products that have a positive social impact. We are delighted to welcome Liquid I.V. to Unilever’s portfolio of purpose-driven brands.”

Brandin Cohen, Liquid I.V. founder and CEO, stated: “We are excited to work together with Unilever to scale the brand and amplify Liquid I.V.’s mission to help people everywhere live better lives – to optimise the body, hydrate those in need, and better the planet.”

Liquid I.V. will continue to be based in El Segundo, California, and led by Brandin Cohen, who will remain as Chief Executive Officer and Founder.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Chr. Hansen Holding A/S today released its 2025 Strategy with the ambition to create a differentiated bioscience company with focus on its microbial and fermentation technology platforms putting Food Cultures & Enzymes and Health & Nutrition at the center of its new strategy. During the strategy period which runs until the end of the financial year 2024/25, Chr. Hansen’s long-term financial ambition is to deliver mid- to high single-digit organic growth, averaged over the period. Furthermore, the Company plans to increase its underlying EBIT margin before special items, before portfolio changes and currency impacts, with efficiency gains and scalability benefits from operations, as well as synergies from recent acquisitions, to be partly reinvested into the business during the strategy period. Average growth in free cash flow before acquisitions and special items is expected to exceed the average absolute EBIT growth.

CEO Mauricio Graber says: “Chr. Hansen has undertaken a tremendous journey since its start as an ingredient supplier to the dairy industry, and I feel very proud to lead a company with such a strong purpose and so many exciting growth prospects. With the launch of our 2025 Strategy we are stepping up our game to unlock the next wave of value creation by advancing Chr. Hansen into a focused global bioscience player that specializes in fermentation technology and microbial solutions. With this focus we will be uniquely positioned and clearly stand out in our industry.”

“At Chr. Hansen, we will continue to pioneer microbial science to improve food and health, for a more sustainable future. Already today, more than 80 % of our revenue contribute to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, and we are committed to continuing to leverage the Power of Good Bacteria™ which is also reflected in our newly defined purpose: ‘Grow a better world. Naturally.’”

Underlying markets remain attractive

During its strategy process, Chr. Hansen has conducted a thorough review of industry dynamics, consumer trends and growth opportunities in its existing segments. Megatrends such as a growing world population, demographic shifts, increasing health awareness and a strong climate change agenda continue to support Chr. Hansen’s business model. Growth prospects in the Company’s underlying markets remain attractive.

2025 Strategy (‘where to play’)

Under its 2025 Strategy, Chr. Hansen has defined four strategic focus areas that set the framework for its future growth trajectory: REINVEST, LEVERAGE, EXTEND and REVIEW.

REINVEST in core platforms

Chr. Hansen has been the ingredient supplier of choice for the dairy industry for many decades and has also built a strong microbial business for animal feed, dietary supplements and infant formula over the last thirty years. During the strategy period the majority of the absolute growth will come from the core platforms. As such Chr. Hansen will continue to prioritize and invest in Food Cultures & Enzymes, Animal and Human Health. Innovative products, launched across all business areas, are expected in the strategy period, both in existing and new product categories, for example probiotic solutions for foods and pet food.

LEVERAGE the Microbial Platform to grow lighthouses and new areas

Chr. Hansen continues to see many attractive growth opportunities to leverage its technology platform to develop solutions for new applications and end markets. The Company remains committed to further develop its existing lighthouses Bioprotection, Plant Health and Bacthera, and is today launching a new lighthouse in Fermented Plant Bases, where Chr. Hansen sees itself uniquely positioned to gain a meaningful share in this fast-growing market.

“Each of the four lighthouses holds tremendous potential. We are breaking new ground, and I am truly excited about the journey that lies ahead of us when it comes to fighting food waste, shaping the future of food and contributing to sustainable farming and the development of pharmaceuticals based on bacteria,” says CEO Mauricio Graber.

Lighthouses at a glance:

  • Bioprotection: Special culture range that prevents spoilage, reduces food waste and increases safety of dairy and other foods. The long-term market opportunity is estimated to be around EUR 1 billion with an addressable market of around EUR 200 million in 2025
  • Fermented plant bases: Fermentation solutions for spoonable and drinkable fermented milk alternatives and fermented beverages. The long-term market opportunity is estimated to be more than EUR 100 million with an addressable market of less than EUR 100 million in 2025
  • Plant health: Crop protection solutions with a focus on bionematicides, biostimulants and biofungicides. The long-term market opportunity is estimated to be more than EUR 1 billion with an addressable market of around EUR 400 million in 2025
  • Bacthera: Joint venture with Lonza AG in contract manufacturing for live biotherapeutics. The long-term market opportunity is estimated to be more than EUR 1 billion with an addressable market of EUR 150-200 million in 2025 (only clinical trial market)

EXTEND Microbial Platform through M&A and R&D partnerships

During the strategy period Chr. Hansen intends to further strengthen its technology platform across its competencies, such as cultures and probiotics, dairy enzymes and value-added fermentation through acquisitions and the expansion of the R&D partner network. The recent acquisitions of HSO Health Care and UAS Laboratories are examples of this, and both offer attractive commercial, operational and R&D synergy opportunities.

REVIEW strategic options for non-microbial assets

Chr. Hansen’s Natural Colors division is the global market leader for natural colors. Whilst the division shares the Company’s overall purpose and stand-alone offers an attractive return profile, synergies with the Microbial Platform are limited. As already communicated on July 2, Chr. Hansen has therefore decided to initiate a strategic review of its Natural Colors division. The process is progressing well.

Implementation of 2025 Strategy (‘how to win’)

Chr. Hansen has defined five dimensions along which the Company is going to implement the strategy:

  1. CUSTOMERS: Chr. Hansen will further broaden its customer base and expand its global reach to become a truly global bioscience company. The Company aims to increase its presence in emerging markets. Secondly, Chr. Hansen will continue to invest in application development, sales and marketing resources to positively influence end-market demand and advance its digital agenda to deliver best-in-class service to its customers
  2. INNOVATION: Bringing new innovations with a sustainable impact to market remains a top strategic priority. As such Chr. Hansen will allocate around 75 % of the R&D spending during the strategy period towards new product development. Furthermore, the Company will intensify its efforts to bring products to market faster
  3. OPERATIONS: Chr. Hansen continues to see ample room to realize further operational efficiencies in its production through process innovations and automation/digitization whilst driving scalability benefits through future capacity expansions. Capex spending as a percentage of sales is expected to decline over the period compared to 2018/19
  4. PEOPLE: As Chr. Hansen grows as an organization it is important to safeguard the Company’s unique purpose and performance culture. Furthermore, the Company will continue to invest in talent management and is committed to driving diversity
  5. PURPOSE: As part of its new strategy, Chr. Hansen will accelerate its sustainability ambition and commits to the Science Based Targets initiative to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees by reducing its environmental footprint with investments into renewable energy, recyclable packaging and circular biowaste management.

New financial and non-financial ambitions until 2024/25

Chr. Hansen has an ambitious financial agenda and remains committed to delivering industry-leading profitable growth and a strong cash flow generation. From the base year of 2018/19, Chr. Hansen aims to deliver:

  • Mid- to high single-digit organic growth, averaged over the period
  • An increase in EBIT margin before special items, before portfolio changes and currency impacts. The margin improvement is expected to be based on efficiency gains and scalability benefits from operations as well as synergies from recent acquisitions, which will be partly reinvested into the business during the strategy period
  • An average growth in free cash flow before acquisitions and special items exceeding the average growth in absolute EBIT before acquisitions and special items
  • The financial ambition is based on constant currencies and does not take future acquisitions or divestments into account, even if future activities are likely. The financial ambition is also based on the current political and economic environment and projections, and any deterioration may impact the ambition negatively (please see next page for details on COVID-19).

Chr. Hansen has set the following sustainability and non-financial ambitions:

Products: More than 80 % of revenue from sustainable products that contribute to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3 and 12; 25 million hectares covered with natural solutions (Plant Health and silage inoculants); 200m people consuming Chr. Hansen’s probiotic strains; 2 million tons of yogurt waste reduced

Planet: As part of its commitment to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees, Chr. Hansen aims for 100 % renewable energy, circular management of biowaste and recyclable key packaging materials

People: The Company aims to have introduced 100 % of its new employees to its culture model, have a 1:1 equal ratio between female employees and women in management, have a top 25 % score in its employee engagement survey and reach a lost-time incident frequency of below 1.5

Capital allocation priorities

Chr. Hansen’s capital allocation framework remains unchanged. Organic growth remains the number one priority followed by bolt-on acquisitions which the Company seeks proactively to strengthen its Microbial Platform, particularly in the dynamic and evolving Health & Nutrition markets. Thirdly, Chr. Hansen will maintain the policy of issuing an ordinary dividend of 40-60 % of net income . Finally any excess cash will be distributed as extraordinary dividends or share buy-backs.

Impact of COVID-19 on market outlooks

The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed consumption patterns and consumer choices and has put supply chains globally under pressure. As an essential part of the food supply chain and supplier to the health industry, Chr. Hansen did not see material impacts to its operations or business model from the pandemic. However, during a global recession, potentially lower protein consumption (especially in emerging markets) and delayed or reduced demand from customers may impact Chr. Hansen’s ability to drive sales. That said, the pandemic crisis also provides new opportunities, for example through increasing health awareness and interest in probiotics with immunity concepts.

Symrise very successfully continued its profitable growth course in the first half of 2020 also during the global coronavirus pandemic. The Group increased its sales by 7.6 % to € 1,821 million in an economically challenging market environment. In organic terms – i.e. excluding the portfolio effect of the ADF/IDF acquisition and exchange rate effects – sales were up by 3.4 %. All segments contributed to this positive development. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased by 11.9 % to € 393 million as compared to the previous year’s level normalized for acquisition and integration costs for ADF/IDF (H1 2019: € 351 million). Profitability developed particularly well: The EBITDA margin rose to 21.6 % and lies thus significantly higher than the profitability target for 2020. The net income for the reporting period increased to € 169 million. Against the backdrop of the strong business performance and profitability trend in the first half of the year, Symrise is raising its full-year EBITDA margin guidance from 20 % to a range of 21 to 22 %.

Symrise achieves highly profitable growth in a challenging market environment
Dr Heinz-Jürgen Bertram (Photo: Symrise)

“In the second quarter the coronavirus pandemic began to significantly impact the global economy and above all many people’s everyday lives. Even in this historically exceptional situation, Symrise has done an excellent job of staying on course. Thanks to our global presence, diversified portfolio and broad customer base, our feet rest very firmly on the ground. We remained fully operational in the second quarter and were able to supply our customers in the usual reliable manner,” said Dr Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, CEO of Symrise AG. “Of course, it is hard to predict the course of the coronavirus pandemic. However, after our performance in the first half of the year, we are looking ahead to the second half with confidence. For the full fiscal year 2020 we again want to grow faster than the market and expect that we will achieve increased profitability overall. We are therefore raising our guidance for the EBITDA margin to a range of 21 to 22 %.”

With coronavirus pandemic ongoing, continued growth in all segments

The Symrise Group achieved sales growth of 7.6 % in the first half of 2020 to € 1,821 million (H1 2019: € 1,692 million). The acquisition of ADF/IDF had a positive impact of € 106 million on sales performance. In organic terms, sales increased by 3.4 %. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, changes in consumer behavior were seen for the first time in the Scent & Care and Flavor segments in the second quarter. This resulted in both positive and negative effects on demand in individual business units. With its broad range of product solutions for foods, personal care and hygiene, Symrise serves the needs of everyday life, especially in these difficult times.

The Flavor segment

Flavor achieved organic growth of 0.6 % in the period under review. Taking currency translation effects into account, segment sales in the reporting currency amounted to € 636 million (H1 2019: € 637 million). Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, the trend toward cooking and eating at home led to a strong demand for products from the Savory business unit and product solutions for baked goods and cereals. At the same time, reduced out-of-home eating and drinking led to a lower demand for beverage products and sweets.

In the EAME region, the Flavor segment suffered from significantly reduced demand for beverage products and sweets, while the Savory business unit recorded a high single-digit growth rate. Germany and the Gulf region achieved the strongest gains. Overall, sales in the EAME region remained slightly below the figure for the first half of 2019.

Organic sales in North America were roughly on par with the same period of the previous year. While Savory product solutions enjoyed great demand, beverage products and sweets sold less.

The Asia/Pacific region reported organic growth in the single-digit percentage range, driven primarily by very strong demand for products from the Savory business unit, which showed organic growth in the double-digit percentage range. The largest increases came from the national markets of Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

The Latin America region achieved the strongest growth in the segment in the first half of 2020 and was largely unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic. All business units realized high organic growth in the single or double-digit percentage range. Strong gains were posted especially in the national markets of Brazil, Uruguay and Mexico.

The EBITDA of the Flavor segment was up 2.2 % to € 147 million (H1 2019: € 144 million). The EBITDA margin improved from 22.6 % in the first half of 2019 to a very strong 23.2 %, mainly due to tight control on costs and proportionally lower raw materials costs.

The Nutrition segment

Nutrition achieved strong organic growth of 10.5 %. Accounting for portfolio and currency translation effects, sales in the reporting currency amounted to € 474 million and were 38.1 % above the previous year’s level (H1 2019: € 343 million). ADF/IDF contributed sales of € 106 million.

The Pet Food business unit proved to be the growth driver of the segment, achieving high organic growth in the double-digit percentage range in all regions. Sales developed particularly dynamically in the USA, Mexico, Brazil and Russia.

In the Food business unit, the Asia/Pacific region stood out with double-digit growth, especially in China, India and Taiwan. In the EAME region, sales matched the previous year’s level, while North and Latin America dropped slightly below the last year.

Strong impetus came from the Aqua business unit, which achieved good growth especially in the EAME and Asia/Pacific regions.

Probi reported growth in the single-digit percentage range during the reporting period, primarily driven by the North America and Asia/Pacific regions.

The Nutrition segment generated an EBITDA of € 100 million in the reporting period (H1 2019 EBITDA(N): € 67 million). The EBITDA margin in the segment increased by 1.5 percentage points to 21.0 % (EBITDA(N) margin H1 2019: 19.5 %). The improved profitability is mainly due to the good performance of Pet Food and the inclusion of ADF/IDF.

Operating result

Also within the challenging environment dominated by the coronavirus pandemic, Symrise was highly profitable in the first half of 2020. The Group recorded EBITDA of € 393 million. This represents an increase of 11.9 % over the same period a year earlier. This trend relates primarily to profitable sales growth and the inclusion of ADF/IDF. The EBITDA margin improved by 0.8 percentage points to 21.6 % (EBITDA(N) H1 2019: 20.8 %).

Net income for the period and earnings per share

Net income for the reporting period amounted to € 169 million, which was € 16 million above the normalized figure from the previous year of € 153 million. Basic earnings per share increased 10 % to € 1.25 after € 1.14 (normalized) in the first half of the previous year.

Cash flow from operating activities

The cash flow from operating activities for the first half of 2020 of € 219 million was € 78 million higher than the previous year’s level of € 141 million. The increase is mainly due to the improved operating result and the inclusion of ADF/IDF.

Financial position

Net debt increased by € 28 million to € 1,645 million compared to the reporting date of 31 December 2019. The ratio of net debt including lease liabilities to EBITDA(N) thus amounted to 2.2. Including pension obligations and lease liabilities, net debt equaled € 2,261 million, which corresponds to a ratio of net debt to EBITDA(N) of 3.0.

Symrise remains confident about the current fiscal year and raises EBITDA margin target

With its global presence, a steadily growing and diversified portfolio and broad customer base, Symrise considers itself to be robust and securely positioned even in the current challenging market environment. The Group is fully operational worldwide and is able to supply customers sustainably.

Even though the effects of the pandemic can only be estimated to a limited extent, the Group remains confident that it will again grow faster than the relevant market over the remainder of the year. The market growth is estimated to be around 3 to 4 %. Symrise considers itself to be well positioned to achieve the sales targets confirmed at the beginning of 2020.

Based on the strong business performance and profitability trend in the first half of the year, the Group is raising its original target of over 20 % for the EBITDA margin. For the 2020 fiscal year, Symrise now expects an EBITDA margin in the range of 21 to 22 %.

The mediumterm targets also remain in effect. The company aims to increase its annual sales to € 5.5 to € 6.0 billion by the end of the 2025 fiscal year. Symrise wants to achieve this with an annual organic growth of 5 to 7 % (CAGR) as well as additional targeted acquisitions. In the medium term, profitability should remain within a target corridor of 20 to 23 %.

Biesterfeld is expanding its long-term partnership with US-based ingredients manufacturer CP Kelco in the food and nutrition sector. Following on from their successful cooperation in Germany and Poland, the distribution of CP Kelco’s nature-based pectin, carrageenan, xanthan gum, gellan gum and citrus fiber for food applications has been extended to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, as of April 2020.

CP Kelco’s nature-based ingredients provide a wide range of functional benefits in innovative product formulations. CP Kelco is one of the leading producers of pectin, a gelling agent derived from citrus peel and used primarily in the production of fruit preparations and acidified milk products. GENU® Carrageenans are extracted from red seaweed and used in products such as confectioneries and milk-based desserts with different textures. Fermented KELCOGEL® Gellan Gum is widely used as a stabiliser and suspension agent in dairy alternative beverages. KELTROL® Xanthan Gum is used as a versatile thickening agent in various foods. The recently introduced, innovative NUTRAVA™ Citrus Fiber can be used to replace some E-numbered additives and help meet “clean-label” goals as a stabiliser in condiments and dressings, fruit applications and fruit-flavoured beverages, and dairy, bakery and meat products.

“With consumer demand for clean-label products continuing to grow, our portfolio meets the need for nature-based ingredients for a wide range of food applications,” says Bernd-Maximilian Fischer, Business Manager Nutrition, Biesterfeld Spezialchemie. “The expansion of our distribution area allows us to serve our customers and address evolving market needs even more comprehensively.”

“Our partnership with Biesterfeld has been very successful from the start,” adds Niels Thestrup, Head of Commercial, EMEA Region for CP Kelco. “Biesterfeld has an excellent reputation, a high level of technical competence in the field of nutritional formulations and highly effective customer support. We’re delighted to expand our coverage of the European market through our strong partnership with Biesterfeld.”

As part of its long term strategy to expand its capabilities in bio-engineering technologies, Givaudan announced that it has closed the acquisition of Alderys.

Founded in 2009, Alderys is an innovative French biotechnology company headquartered in Orsay, France, employing 30 employees. Alderys develops innovative approaches to the biological engineering of valuable compounds from renewable feedstock. The projects developed by Alderys are aimed at the chemical and cosmetic industry sectors as well as nutrition. They are recognised for offering innovative technological industrial solutions with high sustainability standards.

While terms of the deal have not been disclosed, Alderys’ business would have represented EUR 3 million of incremental revenues to Givaudan’s results in 2019 on a pro-forma basis. Givaudan funded the transaction from existing resources.

About Givaudan
Givaudan is the global leader in the creation of flavours and fragrances, with its heritage stretching back over 250 years, the Company has a long history of innovating scents and tastes. From a favourite drink to your daily meal, from prestige perfumes to cosmetics and laundry care, its creations inspire emotions and delight millions of consumers the world over. The company is committed to driving purpose-led, long-term growth while leading the way to improve happiness and health for people and nature.  In the fiscal year 2019, the Company employed over 14,900 people worldwide and achieved sales of CHF 6.2 billion and a free cash flow of 12.7% of sales. Let’s imagine together on www.givaudan.com.

About Alderys
Alderys develops innovative approaches to the micro-organic biological engineering of valuable compounds from renewable plant resources. Committed to imaginative, robust scientific practice, they improve yeast cells to transform them into veritable micro production units. Alderys offers innovative technological industrial solutions for the fabrication of products that are indispensable for the growing world and which respect the environment. The projects developed by Alderys are aimed at the chemical, cosmetics and nutrition sectors. Thanks to their technological quality and innovation, Alderys has signed a number of partnership agreements with industry leaders in various fields. Alderys was founded in 2009 by Dominique Thomas in Orsay, France. It employs 30 people. www.alderys.fr/en/

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

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

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

5) Personalized Nutrition:

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

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

4) 3D Printed Food:

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

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

3) Alternative Proteins:

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

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

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

2) Traceability:

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

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

1) Biotechnology:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At this year’s Anuga trade fair, held between 5 and 9 October, Doehler will present a diverse portfolio of innovative, natural ingredients and applications which combine plant-based nutrition, sugar reduction and functionality with unique Multi-Sensory Experiences®.

Unique Multi-Sensory Experiences®

When it comes to food and beverages, consumers are above all looking for products with unique taste sensations along with healthy, natural ingredients, new textures, brilliant colours, an exquisite mouthfeel and ultimately the emotional enjoyment that comes from Multi-Sensory Experiences®. Doehler will present innovative concepts at its stand which, based on the comprehensive portfolio of natural ingredients, include natural flavours and colours, to dry ingredients and innovative sweetening solutions, create a perfectly harmonious mixture of taste, appearance and texture to appeal to all the senses.

Refreshing beverages which are less sweet, yet full of flavour, are in great demand. Doehler has therefore developed reduced sugar concepts for lemonades and co., comprising well-known classics up to innovative beverages. The diverse selection of natural sweetening solutions can be perfectly tailored to the respective desired taste profile through countless combination options.

Innovative Sweetening Solutions

Beverage concepts that are less sweet and have a more exciting flavour diversity are becoming ever more popular amongst consumers. The Refreshingly Light Soda provides a pure fruit taste, combining the sour, yet fresh flavour of lemon with a hint of sweet peach and is presented in the trend colour of coral. At under 5 g per 100 ml, the sugar content is low, while a juice content of at least 8% is that much higher. Consumers looking for a lemonade with a more “grown-up” taste profile should try our Light Brewed Soda with its special flavour notes 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.

Water Plus – Plus added naturalness, variety or health

Everyone is talking about Water Plus, a series of innovative beverage concepts with a hint of flavour and healthy added value! Discover applications such as Fruit Infused Water in lemon & apple or raspberry & mint flavours, or the fruity-tart taste sensation of Botanical Waters, created by adding lemon juice containing rosemary and coriander extracts, at the Doehler stand. The Energising Water with the exotic flavours of mango and passion fruit, as well as caffeine, ginseng and guarana extract, provide a natural energy boost in addition to the multi-sensory experience.

Driving Nutritional Excellence

Ever more consumers expect the food and beverages they consume to have a natural, functional added value as well as vibrant appearances and excellent taste. Doehler will therefore present a selection of innovative and diverse concepts based on Health Ingredients. These include herbal and fruit extracts, plant-based proteins, and vitamins and minerals.

The Plant-Based High Protein Drink, also available in vanilla flavour, is a perfect alternative to milk while also providing plant-based proteins for a balanced diet. Our Protein Ball is a delicious and healthy in-between snack with apricot ingredients which supply the body with plant-based proteins. The same goes for our Protein Bars which use 100% natural fruit powders to create a first-class banana or raspberry flavour and which also have a high plant-based protein content.

Alongside the innovative food applications, Doehler also has beverage concepts with functional added value. Many consumers require an additional source of energy which can easily be integrated into their active lifestyle. The next generation of energy drinks developed by Doehler are perfectly suited here and impress with their natural ingredients and low calorie content. The spectrum ranges from a Guayusa Energy Drink and a Cold Brew Coffee Energy Drink to a cola-flavoured Zero Sugar Energy Drink.

Hall 8, Stand A010

This National Science Week, Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has revealed how a secret recipe to get Black Soldier Flies in the mood could help tackle local food waste crisis.

Working with Canberra-based start-up Goterra, CSIRO’s farming experts have been testing lighting, temperature, moisture, surface texture and diet in a bid to find the perfect combination of conditions that will encourage flies to mate.

By boosting egg-laying, Goterra will be able to breed more insects to eat through food waste and turn it into compost – reducing landfill, emissions from transporting food to landfill, and enriching soil with nutrient-rich fertiliser.

This is just one of a number of CSIRO projects designed to kick-start the growth of a new Australian industry that will use insects to tackle challenges like food waste and create a more sustainable source of protein for human consumption.

Farming insects sustainably requires less land and water, while still maintaining a high protein production.

Working alongside the University of Adelaide, CSIRO is now expanding its partnership with Goterra to investigate which native Australian insects are the best nutritional choices for human consumption.

CSIRO’s Australian National Insect Collection will help identify native species of insects that are potential candidates for the edible insect industry in Australia, and work with local Aboriginal communities to understand traditions around witjuti grubs, bogong moths and green tree ants, which are known for their zesty citrus-tasting abdomens.

Later this month, CSIRO will host an international symposium on edible insects, and begin work on an industry roadmap to identify unique Australian opportunities to grow a local insect industry.

CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said solving our national challenges of food security and environmental sustainability called for precisely the kind of innovative science and technology we celebrate during National Science Week.

“CSIRO has been at the forefront of agricultural and food innovation in Australia for over a century, so it’s fitting that today we’re using that expertise to grow a new local industry using native Australian resources like insects,” he said.

“Growing a new industry is a complex, multidisciplinary challenge, but with CSIRO’s expertise spanning farming, insects, nutrition, economic and environmental forecasting, and collaboration with industry, government and universities, we have a strong track record for turning excellent science into real-world solutions.”

While working with CSIRO, Goterra CEO Olympia Yarger had the Australian soldier fly Hermetia olympiae named after her, and said working with an organisation as diverse as CSIRO meant her business could develop in multiple directions.

“We were inspired to start the business out of passion for insects and a belief in harnessing them to work for us, whether that’s as a source of food with edible insects, or to process food waste using larvae,” Ms Yarger said.

“Our solution is focused on technology to create opportunities to use insects as a biological service. We’re building the technology to breed the insects and transport them to wherever there is a need, creating a mobile and versatile alternative to everything from sources of protein to landfill.”

Goterra accessed CSIRO expertise with funding from the CSIRO Kick-Start Program, which matches start-ups and small/medium businesses with research and development activities. CSIRO’s partnership with the University of Adelaide is part of CSIRO’s Industry PhD program, which offers science PhD students experience working on real industry challenges.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vegan ingredients, functional concepts and a CBD-free painkiller: Taiyo’s new developments attracted a lot of attention at Vitafoods in Geneva.

Taiyo, the health-promoting natural ingredients expert, used Vitafoods Europe, in Geneva, to debut innovative concepts that were particularly well received by manufacturers of sports nutrition and functional products. The most surprising innovation was a concept developed by Taiyo GmbH in Germany and partners for the European market: A legal cannabidiol (CBD) alternative that promises legal and safe consumption with a CBD effect. Also among the sought-after new products were a vegan protein shake concept based on chia protein and bean fibre, which contains green coffee beans, along with new prototypes for functional, clear, instant soups offering increased saturation and regeneration, with protein and fibre enrichment.

At the meeting point for the dietary supplement industry, Taiyo caused a sensation with its cannabis alternative CPT. The additive, which can be legitimately distributed and consumed worldwide, has nerve-protecting properties and acts systemically on the central nervous system. Managing Director Dr. Stefan Siebrecht: “CPT is by no means a synthetic cannabinoid, nor does it contain real cannabis. CPT is a combination of three natural and legal extracts which complement each other in such a way that they have a similar effect to CBD. The components of CPT are long established and are already being used in America to reduce the side effects of therapeutic cannabis. This makes the almost comparable effect all the more interesting: CPT has an anti-inflammatory effect, relieves pain and reduces a number of stress-related symptoms. And although the ingredient improves sleep quality, it does not make you tired, but instead regulates the natural day-night rhythm. Improved concentration and learning ability are further positive effects.”

Taiyo’s innovations in the weight management segment also attracted plenty of interest. One novelty, a vegan satiating protein shake, is part of an extensive range of chia products and concepts. The allergen-free organic shake concept combines all the benefits that health and weight-conscious consumers value: high-quality micro and macro nutrients, a performance-enhancing Q10 source, a creamy cappuccino taste and easily digestible fibre. In addition, the formulation contains green coffee beans that release caffeine slowly over 6-8 hours, increasing calorie consumption and reducing diet-related fatigue.

Another highlight at the stand was functional instant soups, which could well change the negative image of an infusion meal: The recipes consist exclusively of nutritionally sensible ingredients and are free from flavour enhancers such as glutamate or yeast; they contain neither starch nor palm oil, or other declarable additives. Each portion contains 66 per cent vegetables, over 5g vegetable protein and Taiyo’s natural fibre Sunfiber® from the guar bean. A variant with a higher content of collagen peptides appeals to target groups such as athletes, the elderly or infirm who want or need to do something to care for or maintain muscle strength.

New system will enable companies to substantially improve capacity and operational performance, dramatically cutting rejection rates in the process JBT Corporation has announced the launch of a new solution for filling flexible pouches commonly used in the infant nutrition and sports drinks categories, which could spark further market growth for the sector. The JBT AsepFlex™ Linear Pouch Filler has been developed to overcome problems associated with current pouch packaging, including a high rejection rate and low capacity.

The market of flexible packaging is growing, with pouches becoming the preferred option for processors and consumers thanks to their non-breakable, lightweight, easy to open, and easy to empty (squeezable) characteristics. In the infant nutrition category flexible pouches are expected to grow their market share by 10 % each year.

However, growth in the category has been restricted by limits to current pouch filling technology. The two existing shelf stable pouch solutions both suffer from significant drawbacks. Solutions using an aseptic form fill seal typically have a low capacity and a high Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) due to a high rejection rate. Hot fill with retort sterilization solutions, meanwhile, often have low (120 ppm) capacity and low product quality.

The JBT AsepFlex Linear Pouch Filler has been developed to solve the problems with these existing solutions by substantially improving capacity and operational performance. With a capacity as high as 500 ppm – or 30,000 pouches per hour – the fully aseptic solution is designed in accordance with the FDA guidelines for low acid aseptically filled food products and can achieve an impressive operational performance, with a 95 % efficiency rate and a typical reject rate of only 0.5 %.

JBT Product Manager, Bert Krakers, said: “Apart from capacity and aseptic integrity, the AsepFlex Filler offers flexibility. Pouch formats and sizes can be changed on the fly without the necessity to change parts.”

The filling system, he explained, can fill a wide range of products from water-like liquids through to high viscous products, such as smoothies with particulates. It can also be equipped with a nitrogen dosing system to reduce the oxygen in the headspace of the pouch, which limits the chemical deterioration (oxidation) of the product, helping maximize product shelf life in the process.

The JBT AsepFlex Filler has been designed for use with infant nutrition products, such as fruit and vegetable purees, and ready-to-drink baby food, as well as sports and breakfast drinks ‘on-the-go’, and nutraceutical products. A first AsepFlex filling unit in Europe has recently been supplied to a leading specialist in infant nutrition.

Chr. Hansen delivers solid half-year result of 9 % organic growth and maintains overall outlook for the full year.The growth comes from all business areas: Food Cultures & Enzymes 10 %, Health & Nutrition 11 % and Natural Colors 5 %

Solid organic revenue growth of 9 % in the first half of 2018/19: Food Cultures & Enzymes 10 %, Health & Nutrition 11 % and Natural Colors 5 %. EBIT before special items increased by 10 % to EUR 150 million, corresponding to an EBIT margin before special items of 27.0 % up 0.8 %-point compared to last year. In Q2, organic growth was 8 %, and EBIT before special items increased by 11 %. The overall outlook for 2018/19 remains unchanged.

CEO Mauricio Graber says: “We continued the solid momentum, with Food Cultures & Enzymes delivering strong organic growth with an increasing contribution from volume in Q2, which was in line with our expectations. Towards the end of Q2, we launched CHY-MAX® Supreme, a truly innovative enzyme which raises the bar for what cheesemakers can expect from coagulants. Organic growth in Health & Nutrition was solid and with a more balanced growth contribution between Human Health and Animal Health compared to what we saw in Q1, although livestock farming economics in North America remain challenging. Yesterday, we announced a joint-venture with Lonza AG, which marks a quantum leap for Chr. Hansen’s Human Microbiome lighthouse and which will create a global pioneer and partner of choice for production of live biotherapeutic products. In Natural Colors we secured important conversions in North America, but this was to some extent offset by weaker demand from Latin America in particular.”

“Our EBIT margin before special items in the first half of the year increased by 0.8 %-point and was driven by improved margins in all business areas. In FC&E, we achieved a gross margin benefit of more than 1 %-point from the ramp up of the new capacity in our facility in Copenhagen, which more than offsets the increasing investments we are making in the business. We continue to pursue strong and profitable organic growth while also investing significantly for the future.

“The progress in the first half year makes us confident about our overall outlook, which is maintained and in line with our long-term financial ambition.”

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.

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. announced it has completed its acquisition of Frutarom.

The new IFF is a global leader in taste, scent and nutrition:

  • Creates a differentiated portfolio with an increased focus on naturals and health and wellness as well as more comprehensive solutions.
  • Provides opportunities to expand into attractive and fast-growing categories, such as savory solutions, natural colors, natural food protection and health ingredients
  • Broadens complementary and growing customer base, including enhanced exposure to the fast-growing small- and mid-sized customers, such as private label
  • Establishes enhanced platform to deliver sustainable, profitable growth
  • Provides strong value creation opportunities to maximize shareholder value – including cross-selling benefits as well as cost synergies

“The coming together of IFF and Frutarom is a momentous achievement. We are excited to be moving forward as one company and pursuing new opportunities that benefit all our stakeholders around the globe,” said IFF Chairman and CEO, Andreas Fibig. “Over the past several months, our integration planning teams have been working to ensure that we capture the best of both companies and create a seamless and efficient transition to achieve both our operational and financial targets for this combination. Today, we are celebrating the creation of a new IFF with even greater aspirations as a leader in taste, scent and nutrition. On behalf of everyone at IFF, we welcome Frutarom and its talented team, and look forward to working closely with all employees to continue to deliver winning products to our customers and maximizing long-term value for our shareholders.”

IFF anticipates the combination with Frutarom will translate into accelerated financial performance, with robust top and bottom-line growth. The Company expects to generate an average sales growth of 5 – 7 %, and 10 % adjusted cash EPS growth, on a currency neutral and pro-forma basis, over the 2019 to 2021 period. IFF also believes it will realize $145 million in cost synergies by rationalizing procurement, optimizing global footprint and streamlining overhead expenses by the third full year after the completion of the merger. The Company will be prioritizing repayment of debt and anticipates to be less than 3X net debt to EBITDA in 18 – 24 months to retain its investment grade rating.

As previously announced, holders of Frutarom ordinary shares are entitled to receive $71.19 in cash and 0.249 of a share of IFF common stock for each Frutarom ordinary share they owned. Frutarom shareholders will also receive a special dividend, on a per share basis, equal to 0.249 of the per share value of IFF dividends with a record date between May 7 and October 4, 2018. The combined company will be headquartered in New York City and will maintain a presence in Israel.

With healthy foods and beverages more in demand than ever before, Health ingredients (Hi) Europe & Natural ingredients (Ni) is adding new features that cover the expanding market’s reach into current consumer lifestyles.

Europe’s leading health, natural and nutrition show, Hi Europe & Ni, is celebrating its 10th edition with a move to a larger hall at Messe Frankfurt this year. From 27-29 November 2018, visitors will be able to access all of the show’s many features and live events under one roof. In addition, the Healthy Finished Products Expo will launch this year and Health & Nutrition Week will run once again, following a successful debut in 2016.

Located in the heart of Germany, the leading European market for health and nutrition, Hi Europe & Ni is the premier nutritional ingredients event, offering the best in business opportunities, networking connections, trend insights and product development solutions. The industry has evolved significantly in recent years and, as vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian lifestyles move from niche to mainstream, the market is entering a new era of clean label food and beverage products with rising numbers of natural, organic, functional or “free from” claims.

According to Euromonitor, products positioned towards food intolerance, fortified, functional, naturally healthy or organic are expected to enjoy global growth of 5 percent in retail value terms every year until 2020. In contrast, products with reduced sugar, caffeine or fat content will grow at just 1 percent. The “naturally healthy” sector is ripe for innovation: valued at €251 bn in 2015, further growth of more than €63 bn is expected by 2020.

Hi Europe & Ni 2018 will reflect this booming marketplace with numerous not-to-be-missed highlights. Spanning three days, the event provides a complete overview of the health and nutrition industries. International leaders in healthy food and beverage innovation will showcase the latest solutions for food and drink formulation and reformulation, dietary supplements, nutraceuticals, organics, packaging, processing – and more.

This year’s conference will follow four main themes:

  • Focus on Functional: what’s new in gut health, protein and naturally functional foods
  • Clean, Natural and Transparent: developments in clean label, natural ingredients and the growing consumer demand for trust and transparency
  • Reduce, Remove and Reformulate: solutions for sugar, salt and fat reduction as well as the latest in “free from”
  • Personalising Nutrition: innovations in personalised nutrition for consumers at all life stages

In excess of 465 exhibitors are confirmed, including global players such as ADM, BENEO, Glanbia Nutritionals, Lonza and Naturex. More than 10,000 attendees from 94 countries are expected to attend and explore several themed pavilions: Organic, Natural, Free From, the Healthy Finished Product Expo, Expo FoodTec and country pavilions.

Health & Nutrition Week will run alongside Hi Europe & Ni 2018, offering a top-level thought leadership programme, starting on November 24. Working together with external experts from the food industry, academia, market research and more, organiser UBM has created an inspiring line-up of topical presentations and workshops. The Week includes, for example, the one-day Hi Future of Nutrition Summit on November 26, which will explore cutting-edge innovations that are likely to change the food and beverage industry. On November 27-28, the immersive, interactive Hi 5-Senses Conference will target all five senses via an insightful mix of keynote presentations, panel discussions and debates. Additionally, on November 29, it is the third year that women in the industry are invited to attend the Women’s Networking Breakfast to make connections and share advice – and for the first time this year, also men are invited to join.

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

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

The challenge is, spent grain is highly perishable.

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

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

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

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

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