A refreshing cold-pressed juice joins Suja’s Loves line, and a vibrant new wellness shot delivers prebiotics and probiotics to support gut health.

Suja Organic, a leader in organic cold-pressed juices and wellness shots in the US, announced the launch of two new innovations: Watermelon Love Cold-Pressed Juice, the newest addition to its fan-favourite Loves cold-pressed juice lineup, and Digestion Goldenberry Wellness Shot. Designed to meet ever-growing consumer interest in functional, organic beverages, both products highlight dynamic and thoughtfully selected ingredients that complement Suja’s existing portfolio.

Watermelon Love expands Suja’s Loves line-up – refreshing, cold-pressed juices known for craveable fruit flavours and functional ingredients. Alongside existing flavours Lemon Love, Ginger Love and Turmeric Love, Watermelon Love delivers a refreshing blend of watermelon, strawberry, dragonfruit and lemon with added probiotics. The 12-ounce cold-pressed juice contains 1 billion CFUs of probiotics per bottle, just 25 calories and no added sugar. An excellent source of antioxidant vitamin C, Watermelon Love offers a bright, sweet flavour profile that brings a bright new twist to the Loves family.

Joining Suja’s popular wellness shot lineup, Digestion Goldenberry is a bold new flavour featuring goldenberry, pear and ginger with probiotics and prebiotic fiber to support gut health. Lightly fruity with a subtle tartness, the shot is an excellent source of vitamin C. Goldenberry introduces a brand-new flavour to the wellness shot category and it is poised to be a hot new flavour trend, reinforcing Suja’s commitment to innovation within functional beverages.

Like all Suja Organic products, both new offerings are USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified and made with plant-based ingredients. Suja’s cold-pressed juices and wellness shots are crafted using high-pressure processing (HPP) to help maintain quality and freshness.

Watermelon Love is available in the US at Kroger and Albertson’s, and Digestion Goldenberry is available in the US at Kroger.

Danone announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Huel, a leading player in complete, nutritionally balanced meal solutions.

In line with its Renew Danone strategy, the acquisition will enhance Danone’s presence in functional nutrition and extend its portfolio into the fast-growing Complete Nutrition space. Huel’s complementary range, spanning various food forms including ready-to-drink and powders, is supported by best-in-class digital execution, strong digital direct-to-consumer sales and a fan-base in the UK, Europe and the US.

Combining Huel with Danone’s scale, capabilities and global reach will accelerate growth, innovation and international expansion. Huel’s mission to make nutritionally complete, convenient, sustainable food, aligns closely with Danone’s purpose of bringing health through food to as many people as possible.

The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

Rapidly growing family-owned brand expands tea and lemonade portfolios with new flavour innovations, and entry into fruit punch category

Milo’s Tea Company, Inc., the third-generation, family-owned maker of beverages crafted with real, high-quality ingredients, is accelerating its rapid growth with the launch of three new refrigerated beverages. The lineup includes a Zero Sugar Lemonade and Limited Edition flavour Blackberry Sweet Tea, while also marking a major milestone as Milo’s enters a new beverage category with the introduction of Fruit Punch.

By bringing its fresh, real-ingredient standards to categories traditionally dominated by shelf-stable, artificial options, Milo’s is creating new choices for individuals and families seeking fresh-tasting beverages they can feel good about serving.

Classic favourites, reimagined with real ingredients

• Milo’s Fruit Punch: Reinventing a classic family favourite the Milo’s way, Fruit Punch is made fresh with high-quality, real, 100 % natural ingredients. With no preservatives or artificial colours, it delivers a delicious, balanced fruity blend designed for sharing while unlocking new potential within the $1.5B U.S. Fruit Punch category² as consumers seek better-for-you twists on nostalgic favourites.
• Milo’s Zero Sugar Lemonade: Inspired by one of the brand’s most-requested products on social media and the success of Milo’s Zero Sugar Sweet Tea, Milo’s Zero Sugar Lemonade expands the zero sugar lineup to offer more choice for consumers seeking great taste without sugar. Crafted to deliver the bright, refreshing taste of homemade lemonade, the new offering contains no sugar, preservatives, or added acids.
• Milo’s Limited Edition Blackberry Sweet Tea: Building on the strength of Milo’s Famous Sweet Tea, the #1 selling refrigerated tea in the U.S.¹, the brand introduces a new limited edition offering, Blackberry Sweet Tea. Available through May 2026, this seasonal variety blends fresh-brewed Milo’s classic sweet tea with natural blackberry flavour for a smooth, fruit-forward twist made with real ingredients and no preservatives.

Milo’s Fruit Punch, Milo’s Zero Sugar Lemonade, and Milo’s Limited Edition Blackberry Sweet Tea are now available at 2,500+ Walmart stores in the US, with additional availability at select regional grocery retailers. All three are available in gallon sizes with suggested retail prices starting at $4.26 depending on retailer. Fruit Punch is also available in half gallon sizes, while Zero Sugar Lemonade is available in half gallon and 20 oz. single serve, with prices starting at $1.75 depending on size and retailer.

¹Nielsen, 52-Week ending in 12/27/25
²Nielsen, Total Fruit Punch Total US xAOC + Conv L52W ending 12/27/25

Jungbunzlauer, a global leader in high-quality, sustainable ingredients from natural sources, launched TayaGel^® Modus, a gellan gum designed to deliver exceptional clarity and high gel strength in a wide range of applications. This latest addition to the company’s growing texturants portfolio supports label-friendly formulations, creates an elastic, firm and slightly brittle gel and offers new possibilities for formulators seeking a strong vegan alternative to gelatine in desserts.

Developed in line with Jungbunzlauer’s purpose – to create naturally better ingredients that enhance everyday life –TayaGel^® Modus meets the growing demand for label-friendly solutions. Its unique functionality offers formulators a versatile solution to meet evolving consumer expectations without compromising on performance.

“TayaGel^® Modus further strengthens our texturants offer to customers. This new product provides formulators with a unique gellan gum that delivers an even broader range of customer-preferred textures by combining TayaGel® Modus with TayaGel® HA, TayaGel® LA and our xanthan gum grades” said Jens Birrer, VP Texturants at Jungbunzlauer. “From single ingredients to more complex blends, this innovation reflects our commitment to helping customers with label-friendly solutions for their increasingly complex formulations.”

SternVitamin, a global supplier of micronutrient premixes, will present two innovations and an expanded product portfolio at Gulfood Manufacturing from November 4 to 6, 2025, in Dubai. This underlines SternVitamin’s expertise in a wide range of applications for functional foods and beverages, as well as its trend-based development of premix solutions.

SternDe-Stress & Relax-Premix: focus on mental health

According to the market research institute Innova, one of the top trends in 2025 in the beverage and food sector is the topic of “mental health”.¹ Sleep and stress are particularly important: Worldwide, 34 % said they wanted to improve their sleep through food or drinks, and 30 % said they consume foods at least once a month to relax and reduce stress.² With the SternDe-Stress & Relax Premix, SternVitamin is responding to exactly this trend: B vitamins, vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and selenium support a strong nervous system and counteract stress-related changes in the immune system. The lemon balm leaf extract also has a relaxing effect.

A wide variety of applications are suitable for the SternDe-Stress & Relax premix, including juice drinks. Due to the warm climate and the local variety of fruits, these are in high demand in the Middle East/Africa region. For example, juices and smoothies are the most popular drinks there, and they are even ahead of water or coffee.³ 36 % of consumers in the region also say that the claim “enriched with vitamins and minerals” influences their decision to buy juices.⁴

Clear Proteinshake made from pea protein supports physical performance

The Clear Proteinshake, which has been developed based on pea protein hydrolysate by the sister company SternLife, contains the premix solution SternActive from SternVitamin. Thus, it offers a high protein source of 68 g per 100 g of powder. To support hydration during or after exercise, calcium, magnesium, and sodium are included, which restore electrolyte balance. Vitamin C, D3, iron, zinc, and selenium also support the immune system, while vitamins B2, B6, and B12 provide energy and reduce tiredness and fatigue. Sugar-free and with a refreshing, tropical taste, the Clear Proteinshake supports physical performance.

^1,2,4Innova Market Insights: Top Consumer Health Trends 2025
³Innova Market Insights: Juice Trends in the Middle East & Africa

Premium fruit and vegetable ingredients supplier SVZ announced its decision to fully integrate tropical fruit ingredient brand Netra Agro into the core SVZ portfolio. For almost 30 years, SVZ has operated Netra Agro as a specialised subsidiary for reliably and sustainably sourced tropical fruit ingredients, including IQF (Individually Quick Frozen) fruit pieces, purees and concentrates. Now, in a strategic move to strengthen its position as a trusted supplier in the market, SVZ will fully absorb Netra Agro’s products and operations, while ensuring complete continuity of service for its global customer base. The integration process is already underway and is expected to be fully concluded in early 2026.

The addition of Netra Agro’s exotic fruit portfolio, and specific expertise in transporting tropical fruit, makes SVZ a single-source provider for any fruit or vegetable ingredient need. The decision not only gives SVZ’s customers direct access to high-quality tropical ingredients like mango, banana and pineapple in various formats, but also allows Netra Agro’s existing customers to benefit from increased procurement, production, and distribution capabilities, in addition to the service they already know and value.

“The move to integrate Netra Agro and its decade-spanning expertise in tropical fruit sourcing reflects SVZ’s mission to become the leading sustainable ingredient partner for food and beverage producers around the globe,” said Johan Cerstiaens, Managing Director at SVZ. “As we support our teams through the transition, we want to assure Netra Agro customers that they will continue to receive the same high levels of service and quality now, and well into the bright new future ahead. We will provide further updates on the integration process and the promising path forward.”

Collective Project, a Canadian cannabis beverage brand known for its bold flavour pairings, real fruit juices, and creative can design collaborations with emerging artists, has officially launched in the U.S. with direct-to-consumer shipping in 25 states.¹

This major milestone follows Collective Project’s acquisition earlier this year by Organigram Global, Canada’s #1 cannabis company by market share. After a soft launch of its sparkling juice lineup in select states in Fall 2024, Collective Project built early excitement for its flavourful, fruit-forward beverages. The brand now expands to consumers across the country with full-scale e-commerce and the debut of its new sparkling lemonades – all crafted with real fruit juice, high-quality ingredients, and hemp-derived THC.

At Collective Project, every can is a canvas. Every beverage is a collaboration between the brand’s flavour creators and visual artists from around the world, transforming every product into a functional piece of art. Through this global creative platform, Collective Project brings together expressive design, great taste, and a modern way to enjoy cannabis.

“Collective Project is rooted in flavour and creativity,” said Megan McCrae, SVP, Corporate Strategy & International Growth, Organigram Global. “We’re proud to partner with artists from around the world to create cans that reflect the vibrant community behind our brand. And as the hemp-derived Delta-9 space grows, we see a real opportunity to offer consumers a modern, social alternative to alcohol – one that brings together great taste, thoughtful ingredients, and artistic expression.”

Sparkling juices

The sparkling juice lineup offers rich, effervescent flavours made with true-to-fruit blends for an unmatched full-body experience. Currently available in 4-packs (12oz cans):

• Blood Orange, Yuzu & Vanilla (available in 5mg and 10mg THC)
• Mango, Pineapple & Coconut (available in 5mg and 10mg THC)
• Raspberry Vanilla (available in 10mg THC)

New: Sparkling lemonades

The sparkling lemonades offer a zesty, low-calorie, and low-sugar option that adds a bubbly twist to every celebration. Available in 4-packs (12oz cans):

• Classic Lemonade (available in 5mg THC)
• Raspberry Lemonade (available in 5mg THC)
• Cherry Limeade (available in 5mg THC)

All beverages are made with high quality hemp-derived THC and are tested by independent third parties for consistency, quality, and compliance. With a variety of THC levels, there’s a dose for every kind of cannabis experience and lifestyle. Collective Project products are available for purchase by consumers 21+.

¹Collective Project is now shipping to Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Sponsored Post – A sterile process chain from preform sterilisation to sealing – this summarises the principle of the Contipure AseptBloc. A system that has proven its worth: At Krones, almost 90 per cent of aseptic fillers are currently integrated into this block solution. While this type of system was previously used primarily in the medium and high output range, there is now also a compact version that can be used to economically fill outputs as low as 8,000 containers per hour.

The basis for expanding the portfolio was laid by a further development in stretch blow-moulding technology: two years ago, Krones launched a new generation of its Contiform blow-moulding machine, which for the first time also enabled configurations of four, six and eight cavities. Similarly, the filling technology team further developed its existing aseptic filler, also with a view to low outputs – and finally combined both systems in a compact version of the Contipure AseptBloc.

The small footprint of the block is particularly noteworthy: the smallest version contains a four-cavity blow-moulding machine and a filler with a pitch circle of 1,080 millimetres – and currently only requires around 100 square metres of installation space – with potential for further space savings. This extremely small footprint can be achieved, for example, through a revised cleanroom concept, optimised positioning of peripherals such as media supply or valve manifolds and integration of the piping directly into the system. ‘Thanks to its well thought-out layout, the compact version of the Contipure AseptBloc is ideal for those companies that have little space available in production – whether installing a new line or modernising the blow-moulder and filler in an existing aseptic system,’ says Thekla Osswald, who is leading the project on the Research and Development side.

Apart from the space requirement, the compact version of the Contipure AseptBloc is in no way inferior to the tried-and-tested standard version: Here too, only one sterilisation medium is used, namely gaseous hydrogen peroxide. Furthermore, since the preform and not the bottle is sterilised first, lightweight containers can also be used. Compared to conventional aseptic processes with container sterilisation, the Contipure AseptBloc enables material savings of around two grams per bottle.

And as usual, the compact version of the Contipure AseptBloc is also suitable for a wide range of different product categories: Whether distributed at ambient temperature or within the cold chain, whether in the low- or high-acid range, whether with or without chunks of up to 5 x 5 x 5 millimetres – all non-carbonated beverages such as juice or dairy products can be processed on the system. And lightweight containers too The smallest version of the advanced Contipure AseptBloc incorporates a Modulfill Asept filler with a pitch circle of 1,080 millimetres, enabling up to 20,000 containers per hour to be aseptically produced, filled and sealed.

Refresco, the global independent beverage solutions provider for retailers and global, national, and emerging (GNE) brands in Europe, North America, and Australia, today announces the successful closing of its acquisition of Frías Nutrición (“Frías”), a leading manufacturer of plant-based drinks in Spain. This transaction, first announced on July 22, 2024, strengthens Refresco’s position in the rapidly growing plant-based beverage category.

Frías, located in Burgos, Spain, employs approximately 250 people and specializes in producing private label plant-based drinks, including almond, rice, hazelnut, and soy options for key retailers in Spain and beyond. This acquisition complements Refresco’s existing operations in Spain and significantly expands its capabilities in the plant-based drinks sector.

CEO Refresco, Hans Roelofs, commented: “As part of our proven Buy & Build strategy, we are looking to expand our capabilities in existing and adjacent beverage categories. The acquisition of Frías not only enhances our footprint in the plant-based drinks market, but it also allows us to better serve our European customers and accelerates our product innovation capabilities. We are excited to welcome the talented Frías team and are dedicated to a seamless integration process that will drive mutual growth.”

With this acquisition, Refresco reaffirms its commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative beverage solutions to its customers, while also further enhancing its service offerings.

Alesayi Beverage Corporation, a leading beverage manufacturer in Saudi Arabia since 1959 with 60 % market share in the energy drinks’ category, is partnering with SIG to expand its product and packaging portfolio. Using a state-of-the-art SIG SureFill 42 Aseptic BIB filling system, Alesayi will launch exciting new products in hotels, restaurants and cafes (HoReCa).

For Alesayi Beverages this is a completely new entry into the business with products in bag-in-box packaging, relying on the expertise of SIG who is the global leader in BIB packaging. SIG will initially supply Alesayi Beverages with its SIG SureFill 42 Aseptic filling line, as well as 10L SIG bags using the SIG 2Pure Film, a one-layer film specifically developed for water and ideal for BIB applications, retaining a high water quality for up to a year without affecting taste. The 10L bags come with SIG OptiTap 2300 fitment, a self-closing thumb toggle valve for simple, intuitive and consistent dispensing of water and other beverages, offering convenience to consumers.

Mohammed Ali Alesayi, Chief Board of Directors and CEO at Alesayi Beverage Corporation: “This is just the beginning of our long-term strategic partnership with SIG, as we continue our ambition to become the number one food and beverage co-packer in the MEA region. We’re committed to offering our customers SIG’s unique portfolio of sustainable packaging solutions, including aseptic carton, bag-in-box and spouted pouch, as well as accelerating our sustainability roadmap.”

The new BIB system will be located at Alesayi Beverages new state-of-the-art production facility in Jeddah, which covers more than 98,000 square meters built up area.

Abdelghany Eladib, President & General Manager India, Middle East and Africa at SIG: “By operating our bag-in-box packaging system, Alesayi Beverages will benefit from the system’s flexibility and high performance, enabling product diversification using a number of bag shapes, sizes and fitments. Alesayi will be able to cater to the different business needs of the HoReCa market, starting with water and then moving on to juices and condiment sauces. We look forward to developing our strong partnership and helping Alesayi to launch novel products in our highly convenient packaging solutions.”

Alesayi strives to be a leader in the beverage business and to offer its co-packing customers additional solutions such as juice dispensers as well as coffee and CSD post mixes.

Döhler, a global producer, marketer and provider of technology-driven natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food, beverage and life science & nutrition industry acquires Frikos and strengthens its product portfolio of freeze-dried fruits.

Döhler, leading global producer, marketer and provider of technology-driven natural ingredients, ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food, beverage and life science & nutrition industry has acquired Frikos, a Serbian company renowned for its expertise in premium quality freeze-dried fruits. This acquisition marks a significant step in enhancing Döhler’s strategic product portfolio, particularly in the area of organic red berries.

Located two hours southwest of Belgrade, Serbia, in the heart of the raspberry cultivation region, Frikos has been at the forefront of innovation in the freeze-dried berries sector for many years. In partnership with Friko’s management, Döhler will build on this success and strengthen its global market position, for example, with their state-of-the-art technology in the production of organic raspberries.

With their strong focus on organic products, Frikos demonstrates their commitment to sustainable farming practices and support for the local agricultural community. The strategic location of Frikos, coupled with their in-house technology and robust quality management systems, leverages the expertise of local farmers and supports continuous improvement of their product quality.

Frikos will have access to all of Döhler’s cutting-edge technologies, and together with Döhler’s application labs, global and local customers can expect prime services and a more extensive product portfolio.

Customers worldwide, especially in North America and Europe, will now benefit from a broader range of premium quality freeze-dried berries as well as a reliable supply chain. This strategic acquisition further strengthens Döhler’s commitment to meeting the evolving needs of customers and consumers worldwide for excellent, tasty, healthy and sustainable solutions in the food and beverage industry.

About Frikos
Frikos is a company specializing in the production of premium frozen and freeze-dried fruits, particularly in red berries, with a focus on organic locally grown products, like organic raspberries and blackberries. Located in the heart of Serbia’s raspberry cultivation region, the company has established a strong reputation for premium quality products and innovation especially in developing own freeze-drying technologies. With their strong focus on organic products, dedication towards market trends and customer needs, Frikos demonstrates their commitment to sustainable farming practices and support for the local agricultural community.

The Board of Britvic plc announced the completion of the acquisition of the Extra Power energy drink brand from GlobalBev following receipt of regulatory clearance. As part of the transaction, Britvic has also agreed to acquire three additional Brazilian soft drinks brands from GlobalBev, including the energy brand Flying Horse, the juice brand Juxx and the acai smoothie brand Amazoo.

Collectively, this acquisition in Brazil enables Britvic to expand its brand portfolio and regional footprint. Energy is the fastest growing category in the market with volume growing 17 % in 20221 on the previous year and forecast to grow 20 % year-on-year in 20232. Within this category, Extra Power has broad-based distribution and 42 % market share3 in its core regions near Brasilia, while Flying Horse was the first international energy brand to enter Brazil around 20 years ago. Juxx is a premium juice brand with added health benefits, and Amazoo is an acai-based premium smoothie. In the year to December 2022, the acquired portfolio generated R$ 118 m of net sales, growing 26 % on the previous year.

This marks an important extension of Britvic’s Brazilian operations, consistent with Britvic’s strategy to accelerate and expand its presence across Brazil. The acquisition also includes a modern, efficient warehouse in Brasilia that will enhance Britvic’s supply chain efficiency across its wider portfolio and route to market into Brazil’s Centre-West region.

Simon Litherland, Chief Executive Officer commented: “The addition of these brands to our Brazilian portfolio will accelerate our growth trajectory in one of our key markets, as well as generate value overall. In line with our strategy to expand our business and accelerate our growth in Brazil, we now have a meaningful presence in the Centre-West region, providing the opportunity to scale our existing brands into territories where we’ve historically under-indexed, while also bringing new brands into our existing market regions.”

Britvic first entered the Brazilian market in 2015 with the acquisition of Ebba, followed by the acquisition of Bela Ischia in 2017. Since then, Britvic has developed fruit favourites such as Maguary, Dafruta and Bela Ischia into strong national presences known for innovation.

The Maguary brand heritage dates back to 1953 and, similar to the European flavour concentrates brands, is consumed by families at home. This heritage and family awareness enabled Fruit Shoot to be launched in Brazil as Maguary Fruit Shoot – following the same approach Britvic has followed in Europe, where Robinsons and Teisseire are the halo brands. New category launches in recent years have included Puro Coco and Natural Tea, both of which are ready-to-drink formats in the coconut and iced tea categories. More recently, the Brazilian team has expanded Maguary’s presence further, launching a plant-based chocolate drink.

Dafruta Tropical was launched in the flavour concentrates category, utilising the technical know-how of the Robinsons formulation. This new range uses real fruit, has a range of flavours and is pre-sweetened, differentiating it from the traditional concentrates in Brazil which require sugar to be added by the consumer. More recently the portfolio has expanded with the launch of Britvic Mixers and the premium Mathieu Teisseire range of concentrates for cocktails.

The growth market for fruit drinks in Brazil is perfectly complemented by Britvic’s fruit growing and fruit processing company, Be Ingredient, providing natural ingredients for Britvic and the international market.

¹Nielsen Energy Market Data all regions
²Global Data volume forecast by category
³Nielsen Data

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc., a leading international provider of consumer cannabis products, announced the launch of Zero Proof, a new brand of THC drinkables in fast-acting, sessionable and easy-to-use formats. The brand’s inaugural product offering, Squeeze, is now available at all Curaleaf locations in Illinois, US and will be followed by additional SKUs in the coming months.

Zero Proof Squeeze follows Select’s popular THC-infused beverage enhancer, Select Squeeze, originally launched in March 2021. While similar in functionality and effect, Zero Proof Squeeze has been reformulated with natural sweetener to provide a significantly lighter taste and balanced flavour profile for enhanced mixability. The beverage complement offers a uniquely controllable and customisable experience with an easy-to-pour dispenser and compact design delivering 2.5 mg THC per dose for discreet enjoyment on the go.

Utilising nanotechnology, Zero Proof Squeeze provides a truer-to-flower experience with effects felt in as little as 15 – 30 minutes, significantly faster than traditional edibles. By turning cannabis oil into tiny water-soluble molecules, the THC compounds dissolve evenly into any beverage and are more rapidly and efficiently absorbed into the bloodstream. At launch, four delicious, low calorie and gluten-free flavours will be available including Dash of Cherry, Dash of Orange, Dash of Lime and Dash of Sweet.

“Zero Proof exemplifies our commitment to providing high-quality, consistent consumer products in familiar and approachable formats that model traditional consumer packaged goods,” said Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf. “Curaleaf has been on the forefront of creating sophisticated cannabis experiences which we believe will ultimately redefine the way people socialise. We’re proud to bring Zero Proof Squeeze to our patients and customers in Illinois first before expanding to additional markets.”

According a new Gallup poll, the rate of alcohol consumption in the U.S. continues to decline with 62 % of adults under age 35 reporting they drink alcohol, down 10 % from two decades ago. Zero Proof is the latest addition to Curaleaf’s brand portfolio that seeks to redefine how people socialise by delivering a fast-acting, sessionable alternative to alcohol.

Zero Proof Squeeze is now available at all Curaleaf dispensaries in Illinois as well as wholesale dispensaries across the US.

About Curaleaf Holdings
Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to enhance lives by cultivating, sharing and celebrating the power of the plant. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise and reliability, the Company and its brands, including Curaleaf, Select, and Grassroots provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. In the United States, Curaleaf currently operates in 19 states with 152 dispensaries and employs nearly 5,500 team members. Curaleaf International is the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe with a unique supply and distribution network throughout the European market, bringing together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction and production. Curaleaf is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol CURA and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol CURLF.

Alvinesa Natural Ingredients has successfully acquired Genosa. This acquisition marks a significant milestone in Alvinesa’s growth strategy and strengthens its position as a key player in the upcycled natural ingredients market.

Alvinesa Natural Ingredients is a “circular economy” leader of sustainable plant-based ingredients. Alvinesa upcycles and transforms agricultural coproducts from wine industry into valuable natural ingredients for the Food, Beverage, Animal Health and Nutraceutical industries. With a rich heritage and years of expertise, Alvinesa has established itself as a trusted provider of high-quality natural ingredients to customers worldwide.

Alvinesa’s portfolio of natural ingredients is the result of years of research and development, driven by its belief in harnessing the power of nature to deliver valuable ingredients. Among its esteemed offerings is the flagship brand, Vintera^™, which focuses on grape extract rich in polyphenols. The Vintera^™ brand has gained recognition for its exceptional quality, food protection capabilities and the numerous health benefits associated with its polyphenol content. In addition, its portfolio includes natural colour, grape seed oil, natural flavour (wine concentrate) and natural tartaric acid.

Genosa stands as a global leader and trailblazing company in the production and commercialisation of upcycled natural hydroxytyrosol (Hytolive^®) derived from olive fruit. Since its establishment in 2001, the company has made substantial investments in human expertise and financial resources, prioritizing the production of premium natural extracts and delivering added value to its valued customers.

A true pioneer, Genosa was the first to introduce high-purity natural hydroxytyrosol extracts derived from olive fruit. Their patented international process utilises only physical and mechanical methods, ensuring the utmost quality and environmental responsibility by abstaining from the use of solvents in the extraction of hydroxytyrosol.

This acquisition presents a unique opportunity for Alvinesa Natural Ingredients to further expand its ingredient range and leverage the synergies between both companies to drive innovation and customer value.

As part of the integration process, Alvinesa will be exploring ways to leverage Genosa’s expertise and technologies to enhance its existing product range.

Latest innovation offers added functionality for consumers with great-tasting formula

BODYARMOR Sports Nutrition announced the launch of its first-ever rapid rehydration beverage, BODYARMOR Flash I.V. Designed to deliver the latest in active hydration and functionality for consumers without compromising on taste, BODYARMOR Flash I.V. is scientifically formulated to ensure the perfect balance of carbohydrates and electrolytes for faster absorption and replenishment.

Developed with the same great-tasting, coconut water base as BODYARMOR Sports Drink, BODYARMOR Flash I.V. offers consumers the ability to refuel, replenish and recover with more electrolytes than the competition, added functionality with Zinc, Vitamins B and C to support a healthy immune system, and the same BODYARMOR promise of no artificial flavours, sweeteners, or dyes.

BODYARMOR Flash I.V. comes in a 20 oz, square bottle and contains over 2200 mg of electrolytes – more than traditional sports drinks – for rapid and sustained rehydration for quick recovery. BODYARMOR Flash I.V. will launch in four great-tasting flavours including Grape, Strawberry Kiwi, Orange, and Tropical Punch. New packaging for BODYARMOR Flash I.V. will feature vibrant flavour colours and highlight key functional benefits to create an eye-catching lineup at retail.

Launching in retail stores regionally this May, BODYARMOR Flash I.V. will be available in-stores nationwide and online via Amazon nationally in 2024. In support of BODYARMOR Sport Nutrition’s first new product offering in more than two years, the brand will feature BODYARMOR Flash I.V. in a variety of social media extensions, OOH media, retail activations, and sampling events in local markets across the US.

Tate & Lyle PLC announced a new addition to its sweetener portfolio – ERYTESSE^™ Erythritol. Through a strategic partnership distribution agreement with a leading supplier of erythritol, this addition expands the companies ability to help customers deliver on consumer demand for healthier, sugar and calorie reduced products, and extends Tate & Lyle’s position as one of the world leaders in ingredient solutions for healthier food and beverages.

ERYTESSE^™ Erythritol has 70 % the sweetness of sucrose and a similar temporal profile, with zero¹ calories². It can be used in a range of categories, including beverages, dairy, bakery and confectionery. Erythritol fits well into our existing portfolio and can be used alone or in combination with natural sweeteners, like stevia and monk fruit, and high potency sweeteners like sucralose. It offers a full sugar-like taste experience and helps customers formulate sugar reduced foods and beverages at an acceptable cost in use. It can also be used to create sweetening solutions for manufactured food products, including bulking and mouthfeel when sucrose is reduced or removed. In addition, it offers good stability in high levels of heat or acidity during processing, making it suitable for a host of formulations.

The Compound Annual Growth Rate for all new product launches globally with low/no/reduced calorie claims containing erythritol (either on its own or in combination with other sweeteners such as stevia and sucralose) for the last five complete calendar years was 22 %³, indicating strong and consistent demand for erythritol. The strategic partnership agreement will provide security of supply and can meet both the short-term and long-term demands of Tate & Lyle’s customers.

The perception and awareness of the benefits of erythritol are increasing with 67 % of industry professionals feeling positive about the ingredient, and an increasing number of US consumers likely or very likely to buy a product which contains erythritol now at 23 % (up from 6 % in 2020⁴).

¹This information value may vary from country to country, Tate & Lyle recommend reviewing applicable local regulation.
²Regnat K, et al. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2018 Jan;102(2):587-595
³Mintel GNPD, 2017 – 2021, 5 Year CAGR, October 2022
⁴Tate & Lyle USA Ingredient Tracker Wave 4, 2022. QB4 Below is a list of ingredients that are commonly used in food or drinks. Which of these ingredients are you aware of? QC1 Please indicate what impact, if any, these ingredients typically have on your purchase decision if you read it on the label of a product you were thinking about purchasing (variable base sizes)

Symrise AG announced that it has signed a purchase agreement for the acquisition of Giraffe Foods Inc., a Canada based producer of customized sauces, dips, dressings, syrups and beverage concentrates for B2B customers, in the home meal replacement, food service and retail markets. With this transaction, Symrise will take a major step forward in the value chain, providing a wider variety of advanced taste solutions to a larger customer base in North America. This move will drive accelerated growth in the region for Symrise’s Flavor & Nutrition segment. In their fiscal year ended June 2021, Giraffe Foods saw an increase in sales above 25 %, generating revenues of approximately CAD $80 million. The closing of the transaction is expected before the end of 2021. The purchase amount has not been disclosed.

Through this acquisition, Symrise strengthens its market position with a fast-growing customer base in North America and will benefit from Giraffe Foods’ high degree of customer intimacy. Additionally, moving further down the value chain will facilitate access to and further develop new capabilities, including advanced food science and culinary expertise, proprietary recipes as well as new and sustainable packaging formats.

Giraffe Foods Inc. is a leading player in the formulation and manufacturing of custom taste solutions in a wide array of packaging. Based on its advanced R&D and culinary capabilities, customers rely on Giraffe to formulate and produce unique sauces, dressings, syrups, beverage concentrates and more. In addition, customers also value Giraffe for their wide options of packaging and broad range of processing capabilities housed in state-of-the-art facilities. The food service, value added protein and home meal replacement sectors have historically seen strong growth in both North America and Europe.

Symrise will acquire 100 % of Giraffe Foods Inc. from private investment firm Graham Partners and the founding Powell family. Symrise will finance the transaction through a dedicated bank facility. As part of the transaction, Symrise will acquire the existing two production facilities and one warehousing site and integrate the approximately 250 employees of Giraffe Foods.

Smurfit Kappa has launched a new range of eBottle packaging solutions for the rapidly growing online beverage and liquids market. The new portfolio includes a variety of sustainable solutions for single and multi-pack products, including the Rollor bottle pack, BiPack, and Pop-up insert.

The surge in e-commerce due to the Covid-19 pandemic is evident across all sectors and the beverage market has also seen a significant impact. In particular, online sales for alcoholic beverages has increased by 34 % in Europe  driving a demand for sustainable, durable and consumer friendly packaging that protects the product during shipment.

Key challenges for the beverage e-commerce channel are product damage, sustainability, consumer experience and the ability to accelerate growth using the right packing processes. Consumer research carried out by Smurfit Kappa also shows consumers are continuing to push for higher standards.

The research found :

• Over two thirds (69 %) of consumers prefer paper-based packaging
• Over half (59 %) of consumers want the parcel to be easy to open
• 1 in 10 consumers will reconsider re-ordering in the case of damage

Commenting on the announcement, Arco Berkenbosch, VP Innovation and Development at Smurfit Kappa Europe said: “Our new eBottle product range offers beverage businesses a suite of fit-for-purpose and bespoke packaging solutions which address the key challenges for their e-commerce channel. The innovative range, combined with our focus on e-commerce processes, supply chain and consumer experience, have all contributed to increased sales and greater efficiencies for our customers.”

Smurfit Kappa also offers a host of automated solutions to optimise packaging processes in addition to the eBottle range. The launch of this new product portfolio is the latest addition to its range of Better Planet Packaging, designed to be more sustainable and coming from a renewable and recyclable raw material.  Businesses are already benefitting in the alcoholic beverage segment.

InterDrinks is an eMerchant selling more than 2,500 different types of beers and beer products. Smurfit Kappa introduced a flexible and unique packaging solution that accommodates all the various sized products sold by InterDrinks. It also includes automated assembly that mounts the packs as required.

Herwin Wichers, Market Development Director at Smurfit Kappa said: “The online European alcohol beverage market is worth EUR 5.6 billion  and we want to help companies take advantage of the real growth and opportunity in this segment. As a result of the implemented packaging and automation solution by InterDrinks, it has increased its packing and filling capacity by 66 %, allowing it to fulfill more orders, faster.”