As of January 1, 2025, Ferrum Packaging AG, leading manufacturer of can seamers for the beverage industry, and KHS GmbH are to take over H.F. Meyer Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG. H.F. Meyer has particular strengths in specific canning technology segments, including can turners and rinsers and vacuum bridges, and will contribute its specialist expertise to the merger that perfectly supplements Ferrum’s and KHS’ areas of competence. It will remain an independent company within the consortium.
Beat Bühlmann, chairman of the board of directors at the Ferrum Group, emphasises the added value of the takeover for the customers of the participating companies. “H.F. Meyer’s special expertise gives us a significant wealth of know-how that we’ll be able to apply to joint further developments. The integral approach and pooled knowledge of the three companies will enable us to provide even more precise, customized equipment and solutions from a single source.”
Targeted expansion of technological expertise
By integrating H.F. Meyer into the Ferrum Group, a competence center for canning technology will be formed that is specialized in the development of innovative systems and solutions. “The aim is to supply the best canning lines in the world. In working together with H.F. Meyer and Ferrum, the efficiency and quality of our plant machinery will continuously increase,” says Martin Resch, managing director of the KHS Group.
The mechanical engineering company from Schleswig-Holstein, with a second facility in Bavaria, employs around 100 people, with whom H.F. Meyer has earned itself an excellent reputation over the years as a supplier of canning technology to the beverage industry. “We’ll of course continue to be a reliable partner to our customers and shall meet all obligations up to and including service with the customary quality,” adds Bühlmann.
The Supervisory Board of Symrise AG has appointed Walter Ribeiro to the Executive Board with effect from September 15, 2024. Ribeiro will take over the management of the Taste, Nutrition & Health (TN&H) segment, which was previously headed by CEO Dr. Jean-Yves Parisot. At the same time, Dr. Jörn Andreas steps down as a member of the Executive Board of Symrise AG as of September 30, 2024 to pursue his professional career outside Symrise. Until a successor is decided, Dr. Parisot will temporarily lead the Scent & Care (S&C) segment, for which Dr. Andreas was previously responsible.
Michael König, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Symrise AG: “With Walter Ribeiro, another internationally experienced manager from within the company’s own ranks has been appointed to the Executive Board. As global head of our Food & Beverage division, Walter Ribeiro has played a significant role in Symrise’s successful transformation into a leading provider in the field of nutrition in recent years. With him, the TN&H segment will be in the very best hands.”
At the same time, Dr. Jörn Andreas has decided to leave Symrise on his own request to continue his career outside the company. With his departure, Dr. Jean-Yves Parisot will temporarily take over the management of the Scent & Care segment. The search for a successor for the management of the segment has already been initiated.
Ribeiro (53) comes from Brazil and has lived with his family in Holzminden, the headquarters of Symrise AG, for many years. He has spent almost his entire professional career at Symrise in various management positions in Germany and abroad, including cross-segment management positions. Most recently, Ribeiro was responsible for the global Food & Beverage division in the Taste, Nutrition & Health segment.
The Public Benefit Company co-founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama is on a mission to raise a healthier generation of kids
PLEZi Nutrition, the Public Benefit Company co-founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama on a mission to create higher standards for how the U.S. makes and markets food and beverages for kids, announced the launch of PLEZi FiZZ. A carbonated fruit drink that will be available this spring in three new flavours, PLEZi FiZZ builds upon the company’s inaugural product, PLEZi, and aims to reach an older demographic of tweens and teens.
PLEZi Nutrition was created to give parents a helping hand by offering healthier, great-tasting products that parents can feel good about giving their kids and – most importantly – that kids actually want. Kids are consuming far too much added sugar—on average, 53 pounds of added sugar per year. Sugar-sweetened beverages, also referred to as sugary drinks, are the leading source of added sugars for kids, which is why PLEZi Nutrition chose to start with a focus on beverages. The company offers products that ace the taste test but with lower sugar content and sweetness to help adjust kids’ palates to crave less sweetness overall. In addition to reducing sugar and sweetness, they are adding in nutrients kids need, all with the aim to replace sugary drinks and snacks.
PLEZi FiZZ has 70 % less sugar (8 g per 8.4 oz) than average leading soft drinks (28 g per 8.4 oz), no added sugar, plus 2 g fiber and nutrients like potassium and vitamin C. PLEZi FiZZ will launch in three flavours: Cherry Limeade, Lemon Lime Squeeze, and Strawberry Lemonade, and will be available for purchase across Amazon and select convenience stores and club stores starting this Spring.
“I’ve dedicated so much of my life to helping kids and families lead healthier lives. As First Lady, I worked to rally every sector of society toward this goal,” said former First Lady Michelle Obama, Co-Founder and Strategic Partner of PLEZi Nutrition. “While I’m proud of all we accomplished during those years at the White House, I’ve also learned that to truly push the food and beverage industry to do better by our kids, you have to work from the inside. I’m thrilled to build on those efforts through PLEZi Nutrition as we work to drive change throughout the entire food and beverage industry.”
Guided by a Kitchen Cabinet advisory group of experts in nutrition, public health, and parenting, PLEZi Nutrition is committed to serving as an educational platform, including through the company’s Nothing to Sugarcoat site. The goal is to engage with parents, caregivers, and families about their questions when it comes to kids’ health and to be transparent about what’s best for kids, like drinking water and eating whole fruits and vegetables, because PLEZi Nutrition’s products are not intended to replace water and whole foods.
“Nearly two thirds of U.S. youth consume sugary drinks like soda on a given day,” said Dr. Shale Wong, MD, MSPH, Pediatrician and Professor of Pediatrics and Family Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Member of the PLEZi Nutrition Kitchen Cabinet, and Mom of two teenagers. “We know that water or milk is always the best option for kids, and we’ll continue to recommend that first, but kids who are used to drinking soda daily often have a hard time making the switch. We in the public health community have been pleading for decades to drink water and frankly that alone isn’t working. It is clear to me that families need better options if we are going to shift the health of the country, especially for our kids.”
Furthermore, PLEZi Nutrition is dedicated to giving back. Building upon a $1 million commitment to FoodCorps’ Nourishing Futures initiative, PLEZi Nutrition will be investing 10 % of profits right back into the broader movement to promote kids’ health.
