Food&Beverage Networker Issue 01/23

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Unilever’s digitally advanced factory gets Lighthouse status

TU R N I N G TH E TI D E

“Now, good digestion wait on appetite And health on both,” proclaimed Macbeth, at the table of his post-regicidal feast. Although Shakespeare’s troubled Scottish general clearly had more on his plate at that point in the play than how to eat well, “ a nutritional diet” would nonetheless have been an astute addition to those listed precursors of good health As of late, the task of elevating nutrition likewise seems to have taken a back-seat for many policy-makers across the globe, with the triple sting of Covid-19, conflict and climate change serving to ruthlessly drain coffers and, in turn, damage the world’s efforts to improve healthy eating and reduce diet-related non-communicable diseases

Indeed, despite declaring 2016–2025 as the ‘United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition’, the UN General Assembly’s efforts to bolster nutrition within the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 have largely been crushed

According to a new report on global nutrition from the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, other health emergencies – together with the disruption of the food supply caused by intensified conflicts and climate change – impede progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms and achieving the health-related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals ”

Adult obesity continues to rise, the report goes on to note, with more than 1.9bn adults identified across the world as overweight or obese Such a trend is concerning on multiple levels, as obesity – in addition to being a disease in its own right – is clearly also a major risk factor for other serious illnesses such as diabetes, liver and cardiovascular disease, plus certain cancers “Nearly 3 1bn people could not afford a healthy diet in 2020,” Dr Tedros notes “At the same time, up to 222m people in 53 countries or territories are expected to face acute food insecurity or worse conditions, with malnutrition remaining at critical levels ”

With WHO’s main task now that of tackling a dual dilemma – obesity and mal-

nutrition, on a record-busting scale – the UN’s health body is focused on corporate engagement where and when it can collaborate on specific issues, and using “ regulatory function to enforce” when it cannot engage business Dr Tedros says he obviously prefers the former approach – i e , corporate co-operation – whenever possible Such was the case in 2019, when the food industry agreed to eliminate industrial trans fat by 2023, with population coverage of best-practice policies having since increased almost six-fold Some 43 countries have implemented such policies for tackling trans fat in food, with 2 8bn people now protected globally. Despite substantial progress, it nonetheless still leaves 5bn worldwide at risk from the devastating health impacts of trans fat, with the global goal for its total elimination this year now looking like something of a pipe dream (p11)

WHO’s chief further noted that when it comes to salt and sugar content in food, a significant problem remains in terms of engaging companies on this matter Lamentably, healthier foods are nearly three times more expensive per calorie than less healthy foods (in the UK at least, although a similar dynamic will invariably be in play elsewhere), meaning people switch away from purchasing healthy foods like fruit and veg when budgets are tight (p10)

Meanwhile, levels of hunger are now alarmingly high around the world, surpassing all previous records in 2021, with an additional 40m more people deemed acutely food insecure and in need of urgent assistance Such eye-watering figures have led Dr Tedros to state he has “two prayers ” for the world – one for more food on the table for everyone, the other for less unhealthy food As WHO’s chief is keenly aware, turning the tide back in the right direction will, however, require more than prayers – namely, political will on a grand scale (and public funding in spades to support such resolve), combined with an unprecedented commitment from corporations to reduce waste and play their part in formulating the kind of healthy, nutritional products that can feed a better future o

EDITOR

Sar ah Pur sey

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Gemma Kent

FEATURE WRITERS

James Midgley

Helena Haimes

Kar l Wr ight

Matthew Spr iggs

ADMINISTRATION

Kelly Frosdick

ART DIRECTOR

James Miles

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Adel Mhir i

SECTOR MANAGERS

Gr aeme Watts

Gar y Crooks

IT SUPPORT

Dar ren Fuller

Tel: +44 (0)1603 319450

Email: office@thenetworkergroup com

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© Food & Bever age Networ ker 2023 No par t of this publication may be reproduced in any for m for any pur pose other than shor t sections for the pur pose of review without pr ior consent of the publisher

The next level legume – The rise of the chickpea No 5-a-day in the UK – Britain’s dearth of fruit & veg supplies

Alt-protein alchemy – Harnessing CO2 for protein production.

Illuminating innovations – Unilever’s digitally advanced factory gets Lighthouse status.

Sustainability

StePac’s sustainable roadMAP – The green benefits of StePac’s modified atmosphere packaging. From single-use plastic to circular seaweed – Award-winning biodegradable seaweed packaging. A sea-change in attitudes –Consumers want to go plastic-free on seafood purchases.

Kick-starting a pivotal year – Gulfood 2023 pre-event insights.

31 Events

A round-up of F&B sector focused events for 2023.

Maersk to build cutting-edge new cold storage facility in Norway

NORWAY: A new innovative cold storage facility planned for Flatholmen quay in Aalesund, Norway, will see A P Moller –Maersk (Maersk) continue its mission to integrate global end-to-end cold chains

The requirements of Norway’s sizeable seafood industry have been meticulously taken into account in the construction of the brand-new facility Slated to be fully operational by Q1 2024, the complex is anticipated to become one of the largest cold storage facilities of its kind in the country

The new facility in Aalesund will be constructed in accordance with BREEAM Excellent sustainable building standards, and will have zero direct emissions from

operations Such stipulations are in accordance with Maersk’s overall goal to decarbonise its entire operation by the year 2040

“A significant number of our clients, particularly those operating in the seafood industry, are on the lookout for long-term business partners who are in a position to cut down on their overall climate footprint,” reported Birna Odefors, Area Managing Director for A P Moller

Maersk in the Nordic countries “The cold store in Aalesund is an additional step forward in our commitment to set a course for zero carbon logistics while simultaneously enabling genuine integrated logistics for our customers This

was made possible by the construction of the cold store,” he advised

Once finished, the cutting-edge new facility will feature approximately 12,000 square metres of fully convertible, temperature-controlled space Customers will be able to take advantage of the facility’s fully integrated cold chain logistics offerings, which include storage, distribution, and inland transportation services, as well as the facility’s capacity to store over 33,000 pallets of cold store products in total

“By putting this initiative into motion, we are moving forward another step in the direction of enabling true end-to-end cold chain offerings in Norway,” continued Mr Odefors “Because of the new facility in Aalesund, all of the cargo will be able to be directly stored and consolidated at our cold store at the terminal rather than being consolidated from the smaller cold stores that are located throughout the region Its location on the quayside means that it will provide easy

access to infrastructure for palletised cargo coming from the North and will limit the amount of traffic that currently exists between cold stores and the terminal All of this will lead to lower operational costs for everyone involved and will improve our customers’ cashflow,” he advised

Maersk has been active in the region of Aalesund for a number of years now

Aalesund is the most important hub for fish coming from the northern part of Norway and is also the largest receiver of wild catch in Norway

Norway is one of the world’s largest seafood exporters, and the country with the highest production of Atlantic salmon globally Activity in aquaculture has grown significantly over the past few decades to become one of Norway’s most significant economic sectors today The value of Norway’s fish exports, which currently accounts for US$11 90 billion, is expected to increase five-fold by the year 2050 (from a 2010 baseline)

GEA announced as one of Germany’s best employers

GERMANY: GEA has been announced as one of the best employers in Germany, as confirmed by the Top Employers Institute The company –one of the world's largest suppliers of systems and components to the food, beverage and pharma industries – was awarded the Top Employer seal for 2023 for its attractive working conditions

In its assessment, the Top Employers Institute highlighted the strong performance in the categories ‘Leadership’ and ‘Ethics & Integrity’ GEA received special recognition for its ‘Sustainability’ commitment, which is underpinned by GEA's purpose ‘Engineering for a better world’

“Being certified as a Top Employer

in Germany – where about one third of our workforce is employed – is an important confirmation that we are doing the right things to create an attractive and motivating environment for our employees,” remarked GEA’s CEO, Stefan Klebert “We are delighted to receive this independent award and will continue our actions to achieve our strategic Employer of Choice goal ”

GEA participated in the certification process for the first time to gain a neutral view of its working environment and use this to identify strengths and areas for optimisation Following this successful start, GEA has said it is now aiming for Top Employer certifications in other countries

The certification is based on the comprehensive Top Employer Institute’s HR Best Practices Survey This covers six HR domains consisting of 20 topics including ‘People Strategy’, ‘Work Environment’, ‘Talent Acquisition’,

Stefan Klebert, CEO of GEA

‘Learning’, ‘Diversity’, ‘Equity & Inclusion’, ‘Wellbeing’ and more This year, the Top Employers Institute recognised 2,052 Top Employers in 121 countries/regions across five continents

Japan wins 2023 Pastry World Cup

FRANCE: The close of the Pastry World Cup’s 18th edition – held during the Sirha Lyon 2023 expo in France – heralded the announced victory of Japan, represented by chefs Moe Takahashi (chocolate), Naritoshi Suzuka (sugar), and Yusaku Shibata (ice)

France and Italy completed the podium – in second and third place, respectively – for the competition, which rewards the technique and creativity demonstrated through the culinary creations of the various national teams

The contest’s ‘Eco-responsible’ prize went to Canada, represented by Jacob Pelletier (chocolate), Patrick Bouilly (sugar), and Ross Baisas (ice)

For 10 hours, the 17 teams – each composed of a chocolate maker, a sugar expert and a master ice cream maker – created 42 tasting desserts

and three artistic pieces on the theme of ‘Climate Change’

Pierre Hermé, President of the contest, Cédric Grolet, Honorary President of this year ’s edition, as well as the entire Jury, were impressed by the Japanese team and their creations, which were ‘wind-based’ in a nod towards the contest’s climate change theme

All members of the jury also recognised the excellent team spirit, as well their efforts to minimise waste regarding the products

After finishing second on the podium for the last five editions of the Pastry World Cup, the winning team – composed of Moe Takashi, Naritoshi Suzuka and Yusaku Shibata – returned Japan to the first step of the podium this year The win adds a third World

Cup to Japan’s list of achievements

After having reached the third place during the 2021 edition of the Pastry World Cup, the French team – composed of Georges Kousanas, Jérémy Massing and Jana Lai – returned to the podium in second place this year

With three gold medals already under their belt from previous editions

of the competition, Italy once again earned its place on the podium – a triumph made all the more special by the fact that the country’s ice cream candidate, Martina Brachetti, is the first Italian woman to be selected for the World Pastry Cup

Emerging World FZC inks deal with KEZAD to establish PRAN plant in Abu Dhabi

KEZAD’s expansive food trade ecosystem – “an environment that ensures that businesses can thrive in today’s competitive market,” he asserted

A subsidiary of AD Ports Group under its Economic Cities & Free Zones Cluster, KEZAD Group (www kezadgroup com) is the largest operator of integrated and purpose-built economic zones in the UAE “Emerging World FZC shares our mission on the importance of securing national and regional supply chains, in line with the vision of our wise leadership to improve access to affordable healthy diets for people across communities,”

UAE: Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD Group) has signed an agreement with Emerging World FZC – the sole importer of PRAN-RFL Group’s products in the Middle East region – to establish a PRAN manufacturing plant to cater to local and regional markets

Established in 1981 and headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, PRAN (Programme for Rural Advancement Nationally) pioneered agribusiness in that market, providing farmers with guaranteed prices Since then, PRAN-RFL Group has become one of the largest food and beverage, agribusiness and plastics manufacturers and exporters

in South Asia

PRAN’s AED 110 million ( US30m) facility, being developed in multiple phases, will spread across more than 42,000 square metres in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD), with direct access to AD Ports Group’s flagship Khalifa Port It will enable Emerging World FZC (https://emergingworldgroup com) to locally produce and export its products to free trade markets throughout the Middle East and North Africa region – namely Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Palestine, Syria, Libya and Yemen

The land lease agreement with KEZAD Group has been signed for a period of 30 years

With almost a third of PRAN’s production capacity from the facility catering to the local market, and 70 per cent to be exported to the regional markets, PRAN will play a vital role in ensuring food security in the region via its new Abu Dhabi operations

Mohamed Al Khadar Al Ahmed, CEO of Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD) Group said his organisation was delighted to welcome Emerging World FZC and enable the development of this new manufacturing facility within

KEZAD Group’s CEO added Hasan Mahbub, Managing Director of Emerging World FZC, said the agreement with KEZAD Group aims to boost his company’s export to Middle Eastern countries, adding that the establishment of Emerging World FZC’s manufacturing facility in Abu Dhabi is a significant milestone to expand his firm’s business “An initial investment of AED 60 million ( US$16m) will be made to set up the manufacturing facilities, with production of different food products – including instant noodles, milk added drinks, fruit drinks and confectionery products – under the PRAN brand,” he revealed “Initially we expect production revenue to be in the region of AED 160 million (~US$44m) per annum ”

US pizzeria brand 800 Degrees makes UK debut

UK: Californian-born pizzeria 800 Degrees Pizza has made its UK debut, launching its very European first site in one of the UK’s fastest growing and innovative leisure and entertainment providers, Gravity Wandsworth

Founded by award-winning chef and restaurateur Anthony Carron, the ‘Pizza, Wings and More’ restaurant 800 Degrees (800degreespizzas com), which officially launched in the UK on 24th January, boasts 35 locations worldwide, including in the US, Japan and Singapore

The UK launch is in partnership with serial investors REEF Technologies, the largest operator of multi-brand kitchens and experiences in North America

The Gravity Wandsworth launch will be followed by expansion plans that

will see two further UK sites open in the next three months

The brand philosophy of 800° has remained simple for its decade of trading – to “find amazing ingredients and bring them to everyone” – and visitors to Gravity will be able to order their high quality and customisable meals via a QR code; they will also be available from Deliveroo for delivery Londoners and visitors to the capital can expect signature pizza builds such the innovative Butter Chicken with chicken in a tikka sauce, red onions and chillies; the famous Doppio with crispy pepperoni and spicy salami; or the fan-favourite Build Your Own option, encouraging guests to evoke their inner chef while choosing from a vast selection of their premium toppings

“We are so pumped for this entrance into the UK, which will be a pivotal milestone for our brand,” remarked Tommy Lee, CEO of 800 Degrees Pizza “Having the opportunity to bring the 800 Degrees experience to the people of the UK and the lively location of Gravity Wandsworth is just so exciting for the whole team We see 800° Degrees Pizza as a lifestyle choice, bringing the premium pizza party to whoever, wherever, whenever and however our customers want it –

and we just hope Londoners love it as much as we do ”

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring one of the States’ most popular gourmet pizza brands to the UK for the very first time,” enthused Kenneth Rourke, President of REEF Kitchens

“From their signature pizza offerings to mouth-watering oven-baked wings, guests will love the flavours and premium ingredients 800° Degrees delivers through the innovative convenience of REEF Food Hall ”

Foods tops FORTUNE World’s Most Admired Companies list

USA: For the seventh consecutive year, global protein goliath Tyson Foods Inc has topped FORTUNE’s ‘World’s Most Admired Companies’ list in the food production category

The annual survey, conducted by Fortune and Korn Ferry, asks top executives, directors and financial analysts to identify the companies that have the strongest reputations within their industries and across all industries

“Our team members are the heart of our business, and their hard work and dedication to win with excellence every day is what put us in the position to be

recognised as a leading food company,” said Donnie King, President and CEO of Tyson Foods “We’re honoured to again be acknowledged and we’re committed to continuing to provide high-quality protein at good value to our growing world ”

Tyson continues to support US team members and plant communities through numerous hunger and disaster relief efforts, community grants and onsite educational programs In 2022, the company donated more than 18 million pounds (nearly 8 2 million kg) of protein

the equivalent of 72 million protein servings

to food banks, pantries, and

hunger relief organisations in plant communities and across the US

The company recently announced that it has invested more than US$20 million this year to offer longer parental leave, additional mental health support and other wellness benefits to enhance the company’s caring and inclusive culture The new policies and investments are in addition to recent compensation benefits Over the past year, Tyson invested more than US$50 million in ‘thank you bonuses’ and US$100 million in wage increases for US hourly workers

The company provides opportunities for education and life-skill development through the Tyson Immigration Partnership (TIP), as well as the company’s Upward Academy programme, which also offers free and accessible classes in English as a Second Language (ESL), High School Equivalency (HSE), financial literacy and digital literacy In 2022, Tyson expanded Upward Academy to provide free education for all US team members

In 2022, through their FY21 Sustainability Report, the company renewed its focus on three essential pil-

lars of success – reimagining people and community impact, driving product responsibility from farm to table, and working toward sustaining natural resources and achieving net zero – and it continues that work in 2023 to update the firm’s ESG strategy, including setting new targets and goals through its ‘Formula to Feed the Future’ report

Fortune’s World's Most Admired Companies list is the definitive report card on corporate reputations Korn Ferry has collaborated with Fortune annually since 1997 to identify, select and rank the World’s Most Admired Companies and uncover the business practices that make these companies highly regarded among their peers

To compile the rankings, corporate reputation and performance are measured against nine key attributes: innovation, people management, use of corporate assets, social responsibility, quality of management, financial soundness, long-term investment, quality of products, and services and global competitiveness Tyson Foods ranks No 1 in the Food Production category in all nine of these

Tyson

Donnie King, CEO of Tyson Foods

EUROPE: ACI Group – a leading distributor working with some of the largest global food, as well as pharma, industrial and road brands – has entered into a new partnership with international market leading producer Soy Austria® to distribute its soy-based solutions in the UK and Ireland

The exclusive deal will enable distributor ACI Group (www acigroup biz) to meet the growing demands of the food industry with sustainable, non-GMO and natural soy-based ingredients to drive product innovation

“The popularity of soy-based solutions will continue to soar well beyond 2023,” commented Karsten Smet, CEO at ACI Group, who noted that the global soy protein market is estimated to reach US$15 3 million (£12 5m) by 2023, expanding at a CAGR of 4 4 per cent, according to a Research and Markets forecast

With its origins stretching all the way back to 1752, Soy Austria (https://soyaustria com) today focuses solely on manufacturing food ingredients, having perfected the processing of soy by using every part of the bean to create a multifunctional portfolio Its minimal processing facility enables the soybean to be treated via a mechanical and thermal process, avoiding the use of any chemical solvents or auxiliaries to retain a clean-label and high nutritional profile

“Consumers are increasingly seeking transparency and minimally processed products,” observed René Skarnager, Managing Director at Soy Austria

“This rising demand for simple and recognisable ingredients means that more companies are removing or replacing artificial ingredients with more natural options in the purchasing decision ladder

“With sustainability one of our core values, Soy Austria is excited to partner with a distributor that puts environmental, social and governance goals at the forefront of its strategy,” she continued “We look forward to working closely with ACI Group to meet the needs of food ingredients manufacturers across the UK and Ireland ”

The company’s extensive product portfolio includes full-fat soy flours, enzyme-active and enzyme-inactive, roasted soy grit, high-quality debittered soy bran, and premium full-fat soy flakes for the bakery and confectionery markets Meanwhile, in its second production plant, the company’s 100-per-cent natural textured soy protein range is

produced from semi-defatted soy flour to meet the demands of the plant-based meat market

The partnership with Soy Austria ollows last year’s news, which saw ACI Group secure exclusive UK distribution agreements with two leading nutraceutical ingredients suppliers, Caltron Clays and GR Herbals

Peckwater Brands acquires competitor eatclever, expands in DACH region

has built an offering of virtual food brands

i e , food brands that are found only on third-party delivery aggregators like Deliveroo and Just Eat

powered by a data-driven software solution, and prepared in kitchens around the world in tandem with their regular offering

Peckwater ’s second European acquisition in the past five months, following the onboarding of the Honest Food Company in September 2022

EUROPE: Peckwater Brands, Europe’s largest operator of virtual food brands, has acquired eatclever, the virtual delivery brand market leader in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland)

Peckwater Brands (www peckwaterbrands com) operates delivery-only food brands from more than 500 unique locations across nine countries: UK, US, France, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Czechia, and the

UAE Following the acquisition, the UKheadquartered company now takes over eatclever ’s operations in almost 100 restaurants across the DACH region, expanding the company’s presence into three new countries across Europe

Peckwater will add Hamburgbased eatclever ’s food brands to its portfolio, including taste&soul, Chicos, and KoChi (Korean Fried Chicken)

Since launching in 2019, Peckwater

Peckwater ’s licensed brands span several categories including fried chicken (Seoul Chikin, Flip the Bird, Katsu), burgers (Dukes, Proper Tasty) and Central American (Papi Taco, Fiesta Mexico, Rebel Rito), while they have run shared brands with partners such as Unilever, Buzzfeed, and Heinz

The takeover of eatclever is

Peckwater ’s international expansion has been fuelled in part by the £15 million Series A funding round the company completed in June 2022, backed by Stonegate Group, SBI Investments, Fuel Ventures, and Pembroke VCT, bringing the company’s post-money valuation to £65 million

“This is such an exciting development for us,” remarked Sam Martin, CEO and co-founder of Peckwater “With eatclever, we have acquired the virtual brand delivery market leader across Germany, Austria and Switzerland, which is a tremendous opportunity to increase our presence in central Europe, and we’re thrilled to bring eatclever ’s excellent selection of brands under the Peckwater umbrella

Sam Martin, CEO and Co-founder of Peckwater Brands

TH E N EXT LEVE L LE G U M E

From the dair y, to the snacking and baking aisles , chickpeas are popping up all over the place. Shrene White, General Manager of Emerging Nutr ition at Ardent Mills explains this next-level legume’s a ppeal.

Make it taste good. Give it the perfect texture And did we mention it had better be gluten-free, too?

It’s a familiar call-and-refrain for savvy CPG manufacturers and emerging food brands that want to develop ‘the next big thing’ for consumers Loads of pressure and high expectations for food that’s tasty, well-textured, and punching above its weight in nutritional benefits

Fortunately, one ingredient packs all the

power of a legume into a small, versatile package: the chickpea

Sprouting up across segments

Chickpeas – the dry, edible seed of plants from the legume family – are rising up to play a powerful role in food manufacturing This plant-based source of vitamins and minerals, fibre, and protein is experiencing a surge in popularity among nutritionaware consumers, and it’s incredibly versa-

tile throughout the manufacturing process.

“Retail products inclusive of chickpeas grew 80 per cent in sales between 2019 and 2020, but the number of SKUs in retail, including chickpeas, only increased 12 per cent in that time,” according to Shrene White, General Manager of Emerging Nutrition at Ardent Mills “From pet food to dairy to snacks, it’s clear consumers have an affinity for chickpeas –and manufacturers like to work with this nutritious, flexible ingredient ”

Whether featured as a standalone product, included as an ingredient in emerging products, or highlighted in food service menus, the chickpea is poised to win over consumer taste buds. Here are a few reasons to use the chickpea as your secret weapon in product development

Neutral texture, favourable nutrition profile

The chickpea’s advantage is that it combines a neutral texture with a favourable

nutrition profile From a nutrition perspective, chickpeas are rich in folate, and according to the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, chickpeas have 2 5 times more iron than chicken and three times more folate than kale.

Best of all, these nutritional benefits come wrapped in a beany taste and rich texture, which allows manufacturers to create foods that appeal to consumers while also delivering the nutritional benefits that chickpeas have to offer

Here are just a few ways the nutritional profile of the chickpea appeals to strong consumer desires around diet and lifestyle today:

• Fibre: About 70 per cent of US consumers currently eat or would be interested in eating foods that offer increased fibre, and the Reference Amounts Customarily Consumed (RACC) for whole chickpeas is 35g, providing 15 per cent daily value per RACC of fibre In addition, a whopping 95 per cent of US consumers do not currently get enough fibre from their diets

• Protein: Among US consumers, 38 per cent report trying to consume protein from plant sources, and 52 per cent are trying to eat more plant-based foods The FDA’s RACC (serving size) for whole chickpeas is 35g and provides 7g of protein.

• Gluten-Free: According to research from Ardent Mills, 44 per cent of consumers claim to purposefully eat glutenfree at least occasionally, and chickpeas are an inherently gluten-free food

• Sustainable: As much as 87 per cent of consumers agree they are trying to buy or consume more foods that are sustainably processed, and pulses may help to support a diverse farm system by enriching soil health – leaving behind nutrients (including nitrogen and beneficial microbes) for the next crop

Whether in the form of a whole bean or flour, chickpea is being successfully incorporated by a flurry of brands into nutritionally focused products like Oggs aquafaba egg replacement (www loveoggs com/product-oggs-

aquafaba-egg-alternative) and Biena’s chickpea snacks (bienasnacks.com).

“Consumers are seeking out food products that not only nourish their bodies but actively contribute toward a better food system and practice,” observed Ms White. “Getting nutrition from chickpeas empowers consumers to match their wellbeing with their well-doing – the resulting combination is a real win for CPG brands and manufacturers,” she asserted

Exceptionally adaptable and versatile

With a nutty, pleasing flavour profile and rich, creamy texture, chickpeas offer a nutritious backdrop for a wide variety of products, from Siete Foods’ chickpea flour tortillas (https://sietefoods com/products/ chickpea-flour-tortillas-6-packs) to The Good Bean’s chocolate-covered chickpeas (https://thegoodbean com/products/ dark-chocolate-covered-chickpeas-3-5oz4-pack)

The adaptability and versatility of the pulse itself is what enables manufacturers to use chickpeas as the base ingredient for surprising combinations, such as:

• Bakery flour for savoury or sweet items (it adds nutrition, colour, flavour and functionality to baked goods)

• Ready-made meals and sides (e g , pasta, frozen pizza)

• Dairy substitutes (e.g., plant-forward alternatives)

• Primary ingredient for snacking mixes (e g , chips and puffs)

• Sauces and seasonings (e.g., vegan mayonnaise)

• Popular diets such as Mediterranean and keto

• Protein source and meat alternative

“There’s no shortage of consumer demand for snack products that taste amazing and are filling,” said Ms White “It’s no surprise that the intact and flour market for chickpeas is projected to increase by $5 7 billion from 2021 to 2026,” she remarked “I think the more consumers see chickpeas in their favourite snacks and products, the more they will recognise the benefits of keeping this food in their regular rotation ”

A traditional, familiar consumer favourite

Penetrating a market with a new or unfamiliar ingredient to consumers can be a challenge But chickpeas have a long and foundational history in food across cultures

Consumer familiarity with the chickpea – and positive associations with it – allow food manufacturers to move forward with an audience more open and welcoming when it comes to introducing new products Just consider that one-third of US consumers claim to eat chickpeas within their daily diet with some frequency, and one-quarter of those consumers claim they’ll eat chickpeas more often in the coming year.

Here’s a look at the presence and performance of chickpeas in the market today, highlighting a growth trajectory across all uses of the pulse (see graphic).

“Manufacturers that start with chickpeas aren’t starting from scratch,” said Ms White “Chickpeas are already cemented in our food culture, which means customers will delight in seeing an old favourite repurposed into creative, new adaptations with the added nutritional benefits of chickpeas ”

Get ahead of the next explosive consumer trend

Embracing the chickpea in product development is a win-win for CPG manufacturers and consumers, marrying taste, texture, and nutritional value in a creative package But the chickpea space is rapidly becoming more competitive, with retail manufacturers having launched more than 1,000 new products that include chickpeas in the past 18 months If you want to meet the consumer demand for plant-based nutrition that is a good source of fibre, it’s time to consider how to incorporate chickpeas into your plans o

To learn more about chickpeas, visit Ardent Mills’ Chickpea Hub here: www ardentmills com/chickpeahub

N O 5-A-DAY I N TH E U K

Britain does not produce or import enough fruit and vegetables for its population to get the gover nment-recommended five-por tions-a-day 400-gram intake, according to a newly published analysis by the Sustaina ble and Healthy Food Systems (SHEFS) research group, w hich includes The Food Foundation.

of fruit and vegetables

Protect low-income consumers by expanding schemes such as Free School Meals and Healthy Start that provide a nutritional safety net for children, and by ensuring fruit and vegetables are available from ‘food desert’ convenience stores in areas of high social deprivation

Just one in 10 children and roughly one-third of adults are eating enough fruit and vegetables Even without taking waste into account, the UK would need to produce or import nine-per-cent more fruit and vegetables for everyone in the UK to be able to eat the recommended amount, according to the SHEFS Fruit and Vegetables Policy Brief, which is intended to inform policy-makers of the need to increase production as well as consumption.

Over 80% of fruit and 50% of veg are imported

Today, much of our fertile farmland is used for animal agriculture – as grazing land or for crops to feed animals People have turned away from traditional home-grown foods such as peas and carrots, and more than 80 per cent of our fruit and almost half of our vegetables now come from imports, many of them exotic and tropical varieties that could not be grown in Britain.

Our dependence on imports from regions increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and water scarcity puts our food security at risk by exposing us to cost and supply fluctuation Meanwhile domestic producers say their costs have risen by 27 per cent (from March–October 2022), threatening the future viability of their businesses

Earlier SHEFS reports have shown that if everyone in the UK ate the recom-

mended 400g-a-day fruit and vegetable intake, healthy life expectancy would increase by an average of eight months and diet-related greenhouse gas emissions would reduce by more than eight per cent

Soaring prices add to rich-poor health gap

The high cost of fruit and vegetables is contributing to the health gap between rich and poor, the briefing shows In the year to October 2022, the price of fruit rose by more than 10 per cent and vegetables by more than 15 per cent, making fruit and vegetables too expensive for many people to buy.

Lamentably, healthier foods are nearly three times more expensive per calorie than less healthy foods, meaning people switch away from purchasing fruit and vegetables when budgets are tight

Even before the cost-of-living crisis, consumption of fruit and vegetables showed strong, wealth-related differences – with the highest income groups consuming about 1 5 portions per day more than the lowest

Key priorities for policy-makers

The researchers states four key priorities for policy-makers:

– Support increased fruit and vegetable consumption through initiatives such as sensory food education for young children, and investing in TV and online advertising

Boost domestic fruit and vegetable supply so that the UK’s fruit & veg supply chains are not unsustainably dependent on imports from countries likely to experience future climate and water stress, and in order that greater consumer demand can be catered for

– Make better use of government, promoting cross-departmental working so the health and environmental benefits of greater fruit and veg production and consumption are realised, and to ensure all taxpayer-funded meals in schools, hospitals, prisons and government offices include two portions of vegetables, with fruit as an additional portion if used as a dessert.

Gover nment must step up to the plate “As the government takes forward the development of the Horticulture Strategy for England – which is now long overdue – we show it must aim to increase both production and consumption of British fruit and veg. This will make a significant difference to the nation’s health and help our farmers It’s a win-win,” remarked Anna Taylor, Executive Director of The Food Foundation (https://foodfoundation org uk/)

“SHEFS research is about identifying food system changes that would be beneficial for both people’s health and the environment Increasing production and consumption of fruit and veg is vital to achieving these goals, and should be prioritised now, ” said Professor Rosemary Green, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, co-PI of SHEFS (https://shefsglobal lshtm ac uk) o

TR I M M I N G TH E FAT

Since WHO first called for the global elimination of industrially produced trans fat in 2018 –with an elimination target set for 2023 –population coverage of best-practice policies has increased almost six-fold Some 43 countries have now implemented best-practice policies for tackling trans fat in food, with 2 8 billion people protected globally.

Despite substantial progress, however, this still leaves five billion worldwide at risk from trans fat’s devastating health impacts, with the global goal for its total elimination this year remaining unattainable at this time

“No known benefits, and huge health risks”

Industrially produced trans fat (also called industrially produced trans-fatty acids) is commonly found in packaged foods, baked goods, cooking oils and spreads Trans fat intake is responsible for up to 500,000 premature deaths from coronary heart disease each year around the world

“Trans fat has no known benefit, and huge health risks that incur huge costs for health systems,” said WHO DirectorGeneral, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus “By contrast, eliminating trans fat is cost-effective and has enormous benefits for health. Put simply, trans fat is a toxic chemical that kills, and should have no place in food It’s time to get rid of it once and for all ”

At present, nine of the 16 countries with the highest estimated proportion of coronary heart disease deaths caused by trans fat intake do not have a best-practice policy They are Australia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and South Korea

Best-practices in trans fat elimination

Best-practices in trans fat elimination policies follow specific criteria established by WHO and limit industrially produced trans fat in all settings There are two bestpractice policy alternatives: 1) A mandatory national limit of two grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100g of total fat in all foods; and 2) A mandatory national ban on the production or use of partially hydrogenated oils (a major source of trans fat) as an ingredient in all foods

“Progress in eliminating trans fat is at risk of stalling, and trans fat continues to kill people,” said Dr Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives “Every government can stop these preventable deaths by passing a best-practice policy now The days of trans fat killing people are numbered – but governments must act to end this preventable tragedy ”

While most trans fat elimination policies to date have been implemented in higherincome countries (largely in the Americas and in Europe), an increasing number of middle-income countries are implementing or adopting these policies, including Argentina, Bangladesh, India, Paraguay, Philippines and Ukraine Best-

practice policies are also being considered in Mexico, Nigeria and Sri Lanka in 2023 If passed, Nigeria would be the second –and most populous – country in Africa to put a best-practice trans fat elimination policy in place No low-income countries have yet adopted a best-practice policy to eliminate trans fat

Four key areas of focus

In 2023, WHO recommends that countries focus on these four areas: adopting best-practice policy, monitoring and surveillance, healthy oil replacements and advocacy WHO guidance, which has been developed to help countries make rapid advances in these areas, can be accessed here: www.who.int/teams/nutrition-andfood-safety/replace-trans-fat

WHO also encourages food manufacturers to eliminate industrially produced trans fat from their products, aligning to the commitment made by the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) Major suppliers of oils and fats are asked to remove industrially produced trans fat from the products sold to food manufacturers globally

The report, called ‘Countdown to 2023 WHO Report on global trans fat elimination 2022’, is an annual status report published by WHO in collaboration with Resolve to Save Lives, to track progress towards the goal of trans fat elimination in 2023 Access the report here: www who int/publications-detail-redirect/9789240067233 o

Five billion people globally remain unprotected from har mful trans fat, a new status repor t from WHO has found, increasing their r isk of hear t disease and death.

UAE: Tropical non-alcoholic spirits brand Caleño has launched in the UAE after gaining a listing with renowned supermarket chain Spinney’s Containing two expressions in the range, Caleño brings joy to ‘not drinking’ with sundrenched alcohol-free drinks inspired by the vibrant flavours of Colombia

The zero-per-cent alcohol, sugar-free, gluten-free, lowcalorie, and vegan-friendly tropical drinks are marketed as ‘a delicious alternative when you’d like an alcohol-free, refreshing sipping moment without having to compromise on taste and experience’

The dual range includes ‘Dark & Spicy’ – a tropical non-alcoholic spiced rum alternative, bold and packed with complex flavours of Colombia Serve with ginger ale

CHAGA MUSHROOMBASED PRODUCTS MARKET SET TO ADVANCE AT 11.9% CAGR UP TO 2033

GLOBAL: Global consumption of chaga mushroom-based products is anticipated to reach US$87 billion by the end of 2033, rising at a high-value CAGR of 11 9 per cent over the next decade (2023-2033), according to a new report released by Fact MR (www factmr com/)

over ice, garnished with a wedge of lime Meanwhile, ‘Light & Zesty’ is a tropical non-alcoholic gin alternative, distilled with a unique mix of citrus, inca berry and pineapple Serve with tonic over ice, garnished with a wedge of fresh pineapple Each expression contains 0 0% ABV

The Caleño brand www calenodrinks com was founded four years ago by Ellie Webb – the only solo female founder in the ‘No & Low’ drinks category in the UK “We have been blown away by the success of Caleño in every market it has entered so far, and our goal is to continue to build on that success as we introduce the brand to consumers in the UAE,” remarked Ms Webb “We feel that Caleño will be a great addition to Spinney’s drinks portfolio,”

she added

Already a successful brand in the UK, the two Caleño expressions are now available via Spinney’s and can be purchased both online www spinneys com/en-ae/search/?q=cal eno and in several stores across Dubai priced at AED 78 75 for 500ml In addition to the listing with Spinneys, Caleño has also gained a listing with Waitrose UAE, where the brand can be found both in-store and online www waitrose ae/en/products/c aleno-light-zesty-tropical-nonalcoholic-spirit-500ml 44312/ The Caleño team will be exhibiting at Gulfood trade show from 20–24 February at the UK’s Department for International Trade stand (Stand number S1-C34) at the Dubai World Trade Centre

MicroSalt expands US distribution with Giant Foods partnership

USA: Supermarket chain Giant Food of Maryland LLC – one of the most respected food retailers in the midAtlantic United States – has agreed to partner with MicroSalt Inc and carry MicroSalt’s new saltshakers

in its 160+ stores across the Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia regions

“We are extremely excited that Giant has joined with us to provide low sodium solutions to its customers,” remarked Rick Guiney, CEO of MicroSalt “This is a tremendous step in our march toward reducing excess sodium consumption Our MicroSalt shakers empower consumers to salt their food to taste with less sodium,” he added MicroSalt recently hired former Sainsbury’s and M&S director, Judith Batchelar OBE, to help drive

the global expansion of low-sodium food-tech company MicroSalt

Based on the mechanical transformation of the salt particle itself, MicroSalt’s proprietary low-sodium technology produces salt crystals that are approximately one hundred times smaller than typical table salt, delivering a powerful saltiness as the micro-grains dissolve in the mouth, with approximately 50-percent less sodium consumption Additionally, the ultra-small particle size enhances product adhesion, which reduces waste and provides improved flavour consistency https://microsaltinc com

Inonotus obliquus – commonly known as chaga – is a parasitic fungus that grows primarily on birch trees across colder climatic regions It is a medicinal mushroom that comprises some unique and natural substances, including polyphenols and mycochemicals Chaga mushrooms absorb a number of useful elements from their source, the birch tree

Historically, chaga has shown numerous health and therapeutic benefits, and is considered a superfood The presence of immune boosters and high antioxidants is propelling the sales of chaga mushroom-based products around the world It has resulted in a sharp demand for these mushroom-based products in dietary supplements, beverages, functional foods, and the healthcare sector

The growing use of sports nutrition supplements across the globe is projected to drive demand for chaga mushroom-based products Moreover, on-going holistic research studies and clinical trials on the different bioactive compounds present in chaga mushrooms aim to prove their effectiveness, and are predicted to further fuel market sentiments

“Rising popularity of herbal medicines and increasing preference for gut-healthy and organic products are projected to bolster the sales of chaga mushroom-based products over the coming years,” noted a Fact MR analyst

Tropical alcohol-free drinks brand Caleño gains listing with Spinney’s

Top Gum evolves gummy category with sugar-free, organic innovation

USA: Innovative nutraceutical manufacturer TopGum Industries Ltd (www topgummiceuticals com) has launched its latest offering of sugar-free, organic gummies to the nutritional health supplement category

The curated collection of five gummies includes gummies that deliver a range of ingredients such as the Bvitamin Biotin, Vitamin D, and a delicious antioxidant balanced berry blend

TopGum’s new line also includes flavourchallenging ingredients like Zinc and Ashwagandha, making them more palatable for everyone to enjoy

According to Top Gum’s VP of R&D and Open Innovation, Amit Hyzkihu, precision is the key to the new delivery system that makes sugar-free claims and organic certification possible “Ticking the boxes that customers expect like sugar-free and organic, and keeping the flavour palatable is highly complex,” said Hyzkihu “Developing the delivery system requires a highly intricate process of sourcing the right materials, handling the active ingredients with care, and knowing how they will react to the

gummy process are especially important, as well ”

TopGum developed the innovation that made the sugar-free delivery system possible without using sugar, sweeteners of any kind, or sugar alcohols, but instead relying on the natural sweetness of the ingredient in the matrix of the gummies to provide a delicious taste experience

The new line of gummies is a clear demonstration of TopGum’s agility in gummy supplements, having last year announced their designation of the company as a USDA-certified organic manufacturer The highly sought-after certification calls attention to TopGum’s adherence to the strict standards of the National Organic Program for producing and bottling organic products

“Our organic-certified gummies are the next evolution in high-end supplementation,” explained Amichai Bar Nir, CEO of Top Gum “Although they contain no additional sweeteners, they still deliver the same sensory enjoyment of a traditional sugar-sweetened gummy,

but without the sugar,” he said “We want our customers to be able to look forward to taking their supplements Pills and capsules are not as much fun as enjoying a gummy that’s both delicious and good for you ”

The new line joins TopGum’s impressive catalogue of nutraceutical-enriched gummies that are marketed as privatelabel supplements TopGum also offers custom formulations to supplement brands looking to formulate and offer gummies with their own ingredients Using TopGum’s service, brands can take advantage of the growing gummy market faster than if they had to develop the technology on their own

The gummy delivery system has been capturing the nutraceutical market, having growth markers that show the gummy is fast becoming America’s favourite way to consume vitamins

TopGum began its journey in Gummiceuticals™ in 2017, well ahead of the gummy boom that has taken America by storm over the past two years The firm’s early start is another reason Hyzkihu believes they are ahead of what other companies can offer “The launch of this line is only the beginning,” Hyzkihu revealed in closing “High dosages, exotic botanicals, if you can dream it, we can deliver it in a delicious gummy ”

Plant-based protein shake brand GROUNDED launches in Whole Foods Market

UK: GROUNDED – the clean plantbased protein shake brand – has secured a listing with Whole Foods Market, launching in to all UK locations in January The brand has also taken over the main front of store window in the Kensington branch

Whole Foods Market now carries both chocolate and mint-choc SKUs, and the shakes have been listed in all seven locations in the UK

Aligning with Veganuary, and listing gives customers the option of a fully plant-based protein shake, with 20g of vegan protein per carton

“It’s been an absolute ambition for us to launch into Whole Foods Market since the early days of GROUNDED,” remarked the company’s founder, Gabriel Bean “They pioneered the health food scene in the UK, and it’s a dream to be a part of that story Our values align so strongly, and our products were made for Whole Foods It’s a perfect match ”

To mark the launch, GROUNDED took over the front window of the Kensington branch, with two rotating ‘mega cartons’ on display, and the caption ‘NOTHING FAKE IN OUR SHAKE’ on the front of store window On the inside of the store was a third rotating carton with the caption ‘THE CLEANEST PROTEIN SHAKE ON THE PLANET’, with a highlight of the packaging sustainability facts

“We kept it clean and simple like the products The cartons are visually striking, and the message is bold and clear, so we agreed that’s all that was needed,” said Tim Fowler,

GROUNDED’s Creative Director “It was like bringing our social media campaign to life ”

The GROUNDED carton creates 75 per cent less CO2 than glass, and 41 per cent less CO2 than plastic over its life cycle, whilst also being 100per-cent recyclable and made with FSC paper

The brand has pledged to plant a tree with every product purchased from Whole Foods for the month of January, including a contest to win merch and a year ’s supply of GROUNDED shakes

“We’re elated to now be on the

shelves at Whole Foods; a retailer that’s been on our hit list for a while,” enthused Bryn Ferris, Co-Founder of GROUNDED “The team have put a huge amount of effort into the launch, and seeing the window display with the shakes in there is pretty surreal ”

The launch marks the start of an ambitious expansion year for GROUNDED following the successful raise of their seed round back in October 2022 More launches are planned in the coming months as the firm strategically expands the brand in to retailers where target customers shop https://grounded co uk

Apofruit Italia to showcase varietal innovation at Fruit Logistica 2023

GERMANY: Apofruit Italia – the fruit grower co-operative with around 3,000 members that market 100-per-cent Italian-made products worldwide – has announced it will be appearing at this year ’s Fruit Logistica in an even bigger exhibition space packed with even more content

From 8–10 February 2023, the cooperative will be at stand A-40 in Hall 2 2 of the Berlin exhibition grounds for Fruit Logistica Over the course of the most important international fruit and vegetable trade fair, Apofruit’s top man-

agement will showcase all the latest products from the co-operative together with Group companies Canova (a co-operative specialising in organic produce) and Mediterraneo Group (a business network developed with the goal of promoting the products of Apofruit Italia partners)

“Fruit Logistica is one of the most important events of the year on our calendar,” noted Gianluca Casadio, Marketing Manager of Apofruit Italia “Historically, during this trade fair, we have made new contacts that have subsequently developed into consolidated long-term relationships, enabling us to strengthen our presence both nationally and internationally We are therefore very enthusiastic to be back at the show this year with a completely new and even larger space for meeting visitors and

showing them all the new products that our Group will be presenting together with the extended Apofruit Group family,” he remark

Apofruit Italia’s appearance this year at Fruit Logistica will see the co-operative showcasing a flurry of new varietals –proof of the on-going R&D work with which the organisation has become synonymous As well as the high-quality Solarelli® branded products, also on show will be the Marimbella® and Limvalnera® varieties of strawberry plug plants – both very precocious, with firm, nicely shaped, bright red fruits

The show will also serve as a platform for presenting the innovative Fred® pear, with its juicy, firm and crunchy flesh, alongside the Candine® apple, the Angello®/ Solarelli® mini seedless pepper, and

the VerdeDivo® kiwi – a very promising solution with excellent Brix value to help stem the crisis besetting the Hayward green kiwi This new kiwi is managed exclusively by New Plant, which has sublicensed its production and marketing to its members –Apofruit, Orogel Fresco, and Agrintesa/ApoConerpo

Visitors to Fruit Logistica 2023 will also be able to learn about Apofruit Italia’s role as strategic partner in the Violì® artichoke project, as well as a project connected with the Sunions® onion – the innovative onion that doesn’t make you cry when you chop it www apofruit it/en

Cawston Press launches new range of 1-litre pressed juices into foodservice

UK: Cawston Press – UK-based experts in pressed juice – have unveiled the launch of a new one- litre range of Pressed Juices, designed specifically for the on-trade and foodservice segments

“With 48 per cent of consumers typically spending more on higher quality drinks on premise, these carefully considered variants allow for perfect mixing, along with great tasting pure juices,” the company said in a statement

The one-litre range will be available to on-trade and foodservice stockists to purchase across key national and regional wholesalers in Great Britain

Made from 100-per-cent pressed juices and purees, never from concentrate, the vegan range contains five SKUs, including flavours Crisp Cranberry, Zesty Orange, Terrific Tomato, Sweet Pineapple, and Cloudy Apple, with Pink Grapefruit soon to join the range in February

Due to a gentle pasteurisation process, the juices hold a 15-month shelf-life whilst still matching the quality expected from chilled, notfrom-concentrate juices The long shelf-life offers the convenience of ambient storage, whilst reducing wastage at both a retailer and con-

sumer level The one-litre Pressed Juices are also available in cases of eight rather than six, providing greater convenience for storage

“Consumers are continuously seeking quality when it comes to their choice of drink, which is exactly what we aim to offer with Cawston Press,” noted Micah Carr-Hill, Head of Taste at Cawston Press, who described the premium juices “as delicious on their own as they are as mixers”, adding: “We use honest ingredients, with real flavour – something we believe is currently scarce amongst existing juice mixers within the on-trade ”

The pressed juices are served in one-litre SIG cartons, made from 100per-cent recyclable material Packs also contain classic mocktail and cocktail recipes from the Cawston Cosmo to a Bloody Mary, helping inspire bartenders to craft their cocktails or mocktails, the Cawston way

Containing no concentrates, no added sugar, no colourings and no artificial sweeteners, Cawston Press has stated it is “completely transparent” about how its drinks are made “The brand harvests the best, real ingredients of all shapes and sizes when they are bursting with flavour What makes Cawston Press different is that the drinks are made from pressed fruit and not from concentrate Nothing unnecessarily added,” the firm said in a statement “The inherent sweetness of Cawston Press juice is from pressed juice, nothing else ”

The new Cawston Press Pressed Juice range, created to serve high quality juices and mixers within the on-trade and foodservice industry, is available in one-litre cartons at key national and regional wholesalers in Great Britain

https://cawstonpress com

Mondi expands range of FunctionalBarrier Papers with high barrier packaging solution

UK/AUSTRIA: Mondi – a global leader in packaging and paper – is expanding its unique range of medium, high and very high barrier paper-based packaging to support customers on their journey to use more sustainable packaging solutions

By applying different barrier technologies, such as extrusion coatings, aqueous coatings and other very high barriers, Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Papers range of packaging solutions is fit for purpose and can be used for a variety of applications

The medium barrier solution –designed for industrial, e-commerce and personal care packaging – offers high sealability and medium water vapour protection, while the high barrier functional paper offers a medium oxygen and water vapour barrier, as well as a high grease and mineral oil barrier for frozen foods and chocolates The very high barrier solution, for consumer food products such as coffee, cereals and confectionery, provides excellent product protection from water vapour and oxygen and ensures a long shelf life

An advantage of Mondi’s integrated value chain is that the production of the FunctionalBarrier Paper range is done entirely in-house Designed to be recyclable in paper streams across

Europe and using responsibly sourced base material, the solutions offer renewable alternatives to plastic laminates and multi-material aluminium-based packaging

“We live by our approach of using paper where possible, plastic when useful – and our range of FunctionalBarrier Paper is a perfect example of this,” remarked Thomas Ott, CEO of Flexible Packaging at Mondi “There is more than one way for our customers to achieve their sustainability goals, and our unique market position and value chain means we can tailor our solutions to meet their needs

“We develop packaging solutions that are sustainable by design while still providing the necessary protection for their products,” he continued “This is in line with our Mondi Action Plan 2030 (MAP2030) commitment to make all our packaging solutions reusable, recyclable and compostable ”

Mondi’s FunctionalBarrier Paper range boasts with tailored barrier properties that reduce the amount of plastic used and provide moisture and vapourproof packaging The range is designed to be recyclable in paper streams across Europe and is made from responsibly sourced base paper

Mondi’s Medium Barrier range offers great sealability and a medium water

UK: For Aisha, the UK’s pioneer of halal baby food, has announced the launch of nut- and gluten-free Oaty Bars – a brand new addition to the business’s existing portfolio of baby food pouch and tray meals, which encourage little ones to explore, embrace and taste new flavours

Available in three different exotic flavours, Banana & Coconut, Broccoli & Apple, and Blueberry & Lime, For Aisha Oaty Bars are suitable for chil-

dren over 12 months old Available now on Amazon, they come packed in boxes of five and can be purchased at £2 50 per box

The new oaty bars carry the brand’s trademark distinctive USPs, being halal-certified, vegan, and gluten-free, SugarWise-certified and HFSS-compliant All of these key points combined make For Aisha a true innovator in the market Made in the UK, the new For Aisha Oaty Bars are touted as ‘the perfect healthy and nutritious snack for on-the-go’

Launched in 2015, For Aisha is considered a pioneer of halal baby food in the UK “With a range of diverse and inclusive baby food recipe options, For Aisha brings an amazing

vapour barrier

for key applications such as; fresh, frozen and dried foods, food service packaging, personal care products and packaging for e-commerce applications, as well as for industrial uses like cement bags

The High Barrier FunctionalBarrier Paper offers a medium barrier to oxygen and water vapour and a high grease and mineral oil barrier Designed to reduce the amount of packaging material needed, it can be used as packaging for frozen foods and ice cream, dried foods, chocolate and other snack bars, food service, home and personal care products, as well as other applications such as packaging tape Mondi’s Very High Barrier range is

used for food applications, such as dried foods and mixes, coffee, cereals and muesli bars, as well as powdered milk, where the highest barrier is required to ensure freshness and a long shelf life It has excellent barrier protection functions against water vapour and oxygen, and is a substitute to current industry standard packaging for a high level of barrier protection (i e , packaging frequently made of multi materials such as plastic and aluminium that are unrecyclable when combined)

For more details, visit: www mondigroup com/en/products-and-solutions/barrier-coatings/barrier-coatingsproducts/functional-barrier-papers

UK’S LEADING HALAL-CERTIFIED BABY FOOD BRAND LAUNCHES NEW OATY BARS

world of flavour a little bit closer,” according to the firm

With a wide-range of products including pouches, tray meals and now snacks, For Aisha caters for babies and toddlers up to the age of three

“It’s an exciting year for For Aisha, and we’re delighted to launch our brand new oaty bars as our first NPD of the year,” enthused Emelyne Bradley, Commercial Director at For Aisha (https://www foraisha com/) “We’ve worked extremely hard to make sure these oaty bars not only taste great but meet all the dietary requirements for little ones across the UK, including being HFSS-compliant It’s important for children to have the

option to choose healthy snack alternatives that are nutritious but also taste great too and help them to explore and embrace new flavours ” For Aisha products are currently available to purchase across major UK retailers, including ASDA, Sainsburys, Morrison’s, Ocado, Nisa and Amazon

The Simple Root launches range of plant-based cheeses

UK: The Simple Root (https://thesimpleroot co uk/) has launched a new range of plant-based cheese products in the UK market

Championing humble root vegetables as its main ingredient, The Simple Root developed as a business in response to

the growing demand for more plantbased meal solutions, helping consumers pack more vegetables into their diet without sacrificing convenience, taste or nutritional value

The new range of cheeses includes a cheddar-style alternative in block, grated

and sliced formats, with a grated mozzarella coming soon

Bringing innovation to plant-based cooking, The Simple Root has created a unique IP protected technique that transforms British-grown potatoes and other root vegetables into a naturally creamy alternative to dairy –making veg the number-one ingredient of the range

This technique ensures The Simple Root cheese is less oily than many other vegan cheeses in the market, is perfect for melting, and does not have the overwhelming coconut taste that often accompanies the products emanating from competitor products

Made in the UK and rich in calcium and B12, The Simple Root cheeses have 30-per-cent less fat versus market

leading vegan cheese products, and over 30-per-cent less salt Their root vegetable base makes The Simple Root a highly sustainable option, thanks to the low water intake and reduced CO2 footprint of such crops The Simple Root products are also less resource-intensive than other plant-based dairy alternatives, which often heavily feature ingredients such as nuts or soy

The accompanying table demonstrates how The Simple Root’s new cheese range sizes up to competitors – both plant-based alternatives and traditional cheeses

“So many chefs have told us that existing vegan cheeses just don’t make the mark when it comes to taste or ‘meltability’ So, we’ve developed a cheese that offers a no compromise swap for plant-based menus, working perfectly in recipes from cheese toasties and pasta to pizzas,” advised Louise Wymer, UK CEO of The Simple Root “What's more, it's lower in fat and salt versus leading vegan cheeses, and fortified with both Calcium and vitamin B12 – better taste and better for you ”

“We are so proud of everything we have achieved in the development of our veg-packed plant-based cheese,” continued Ms Wymer, who added that the company was “keen to support a major partnership”

The Simple Root is backed by venture management specialists Pilot Lite Group and world-leading FMCG giant McCain Foods, which significantly reduces the risk normally associated with a start-up This financial and commercial support means that the team can viably discuss larger-scale, in-store marketing and POS activity for retailers to ramp up sales very early in the buying process

Geared towards the foodservice industry, The Simple Root’s range of cheese products is now available directly from the brand’s website – https://thesimpleroot co uk/ For more information and partnership enquiries, email Louise Wymer, UK CEO (louise@thesimplerootcompany com)

ALT-P R OTE I N ALC H E MY

Global speciality minerals company ICL has announced that its agr i-food innovation and investment platfor m, ICL Planet Star tup Hub, has invested €2.75 million in Ar keon GmbH with the aim of developing CO2-der ived protein ingredients for food a pplications , using the Austr ian star tup’s innovative and sustaina ble carbon conver sion process .

Arkeon’s innovative one-step fer mentation bioprocess

The new investment will support Arkeon’s innovative and sustainable one-step fermentation bioprocess, which creates completely customisable protein ingredients by capturing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) and converting it into the 20 proteinogenic amino acids necessary for human nutrition The resulting alternative proteins are carbon negative and clean-label functional ingredients

Arkeon’s patented process pioneered the harnessing of carbon dioxide to make protein – through the use of archaea, a highly resilient single-celled microorganism – without genetic engineering Archaea naturally feeds on CO2 and transforms these environmental emissions into nutritious protein, meaning the process is not just sustainable, it is also regenerative

Breakthrough regenerative food production system

“I dedicated much of the past decade to exploring new and sustainable biotechnological methods of alternative protein production,” said Gregor Tegl, PhD, Cofounder and CEO of Arkeon “Our team has harnessed proficiencies in microbiology and gas fermentation to create an entirely new regenerative food-production system ICL’s support and partnership will be instrumental in helping us

scale our archaea-derived protein production capabilities ”

“Arkeon has achieved a major breakthrough, by finding a way to nourish people and revitalise our ecosystems at the same time,” said Hadar Sutovsky, VP of External Innovation at ICL, and general manager of ICL Planet “Arkeon’s dedication to developing a renewable and easy-to-use protein is completely in-line with our organization’s commitment to creating impactful solutions for humanity’s sustainability challenges in the global food markets ”

New frontiers in functional alt-proteins

“Although a young company, Arkeon brings to the table innovative and sustainable technology for use in creating the next generation of alternative protein products. They also fully align with ICL Food Specialties growth strategy of pursuing new frontiers in unique and functional alternative proteins,” advised Rado Sporka, VP of the Food Specialties Commercial Business for ICL – a leading business in its field, listed on both the New York and Tel Aviv stock exchanges.

“As an established corporation, we are able to offer our advanced infrastructure, extensive experience and accrued insights, plus market and regulatory related support,” he continued “We look forward to working with this promising start-up to unlock a whole new food category based

on Arkeon’s unique protein discovery, which is not dependent on land and requires minimal use of water, providing it with a limited ecological footprint ”

ICL’s Planet Startup Hub accelerator ICL is leading the current SAFE investment round, which totals more than €4 million and also includes other investors As the newest portfolio member of ICL’s Planet Startup Hub, Arkeon will have full access to the ICL Food Specialties state-of-the-art R&D labs and production facilities

Arkeon marks ICL’s third investment over the past 12 months, via its Planet Startup Hub, which the company launched in 2021 The accelerator was established to nurture and advance both early stage and pilot-ready innovative companies operating within the FoodTech and AgriTech domains o

https://arkeon bio

www icl-group com

3D rendering of a chain of amino acids

Archaea are highly resilient, single-celled micro-organisms that live in extreme habitats

The Arkeon team Image credit: Christoph Ohlknecht

I LLU M I NATI N G I N N OVATI O N S

NIrecognition of how Unilever’s Tianjin plant is integrating the latest technologies to increase productivity and efficiency, and take care of the environment, the World Economic Forum has bestowed Lighthouse status on the FMCG giant’s smart factory in northern China In so doing, the Tianjin nutrition factory (alongside another Unilever plant – a laundry detergent facility in Indaiatuba, Brazil) joins the WEF’s network of ‘Advanced Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Lighthouses’ It is an acknowledgment of how

Unilever is using cutting-edge technologies to boost productivity and efficiency, respond rapidly to shifts in customer and consumer demand, equip its workforce with digital skills, and limit its impact on the environment

Amongst advanced manufacturing’s most influential awards

Since 2018, the World Economic Forum has been recognising companies that incorporate 4IR technologies – such as artificial intelligence – into their manufacturing and supply chain operations, effectively

creating a network of the world’s most advanced factories

These sites adopt and deploy advanced technologies to maximise efficiency and competitiveness, and drive sustainable and responsible business growth They stand as a benchmark and a replicable model for manufacturers of all sizes, across different geographies and industries

Tianjin (where Unilever makes its Knorr and Hellmann’s products) is the company ’ s first Lighthouse factory dedicated to the savoury foods industry and its third in China, alongside Unilever’s Hefei personal

Unilever’s digitally advanced factor y gets Lighthouse status

Unilever’s nutr ition factor y in China has just been awarded ‘Lighthouse’ status , joining a networ k of most digitally advanced factor ies across the globe

care site and its TaiCang ice cream facility Indaiatuba (where it manufactures Omo, Surf and Brilhante products) is the first of its factories in Latin America to earn this recognition With its personal care site in Dubai and its Dapada home care factory in India, Unilever now boasts a Lighthouse plant across each one of our business groups

“To be named a Lighthouse factory is one of the world’s most influential awards in the field of advanced manufacturing,” remarked Reginaldo Ecclissato, Unilever’s Chief Business Operations Officer. “It’s not only a professional endorsement but also means that we have advantages over our competitors in terms of better products and

service. It will continue to help our business grow with digital-driven rapid response and deliver long-term value ”

T ianjin: smart, agile and green

Despite the huge disruption that Covid19 has caused to China’s food service industry over the past three years, Unilever’s adoption of 4IR technologies at Tianjin has helped the business drive market expansion and increase the penetration of its brands and products in towns and small cities.

For instance, the firm is using data analysis and machine learning to identify how it can better serve existing and potential restaurant customers One way it is doing this is by offering tailor-made recipes based on their style of cuisine, diner reviews and average cost of a meal This ‘smart selling’ approach has doubled the number of customers since 2018

“Implementing agile manufacturing processes, we ’ re able to quickly increase or decrease production in response to changes in customer orders and consumer demand, all while minimising waste and business loss,” the company said in a statement “And through dynamic supply modelling, we integrate our planning systems and synchronise information with suppliers to increase the efficiency of our inventory control and logistics ”

Combined, such measures have cut order-to-delivery lead time by over 40 per cent, which means the factory is better able to offer consumers the products they

want, when they want them.

The Tianjin factory has also implemented ‘lights-out production’ – 24/7 manufacturing with minimal operator intervention. This requires a level of automation and precision that only AI can deliver The fact that the plant no longer needs operators to carry out routine work has resulted in an almost doubling of labour productivity, freeing up the team’s time to spend on more value-adding activities

The site uses 100-per-cent green electricity generated on-site from wind, water and biomass, in addition to solar and geothermal energy from the industrial park where it is located This is controlled by a smart management system, which enables us to identify opportunities to make real-time tweaks and on-going improvements This has reduced the Unilever nutrition plant’s electricity consumption by 32 per cent and shrunk carbon emissions by 17 per cent.

As Francisco Betti, Head of Advanced Manufacturing and Value Chain at WEF, says: “Lighthouses are demonstrating how to scale advanced technologies across entire manufacturing networks and beyond towards suppliers and customers or new functions such as procurement, logistics and research and development.” Certainly, within the realm of food processing, Unilever’s factory in Tianjin provides a worthy blueprint for how the industry can advance with unrivalled efficiency, agility and sustainability at the fore o

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Food-tech innovator Vgarden develops ‘tuna tins without the fins’

ISRAEL: Vgarden, Ltd – a food-tech developer and manufacturer of plantbased alternatives – has launched what it has touted as “a game-changing, clean-label, vegan tinned tuna”

The 100-per-cent plant-derived product has the same appearance, texture and flavour of the canned kitchen staple The tuna analogue is crafted to satisfy the appetites of the growing pool of sustainability-driven consumers by bringing to the table its creative response to the issue of the overfished and rapidly declining ocean populations of wild tuna

“Tinned tuna has a very distinct flaky, yet moist and chewy texture, with

a powerful ‘fresh-from-the sea’ aroma,” explained Ilan Adut, CEO of Vgarden (www vgardenfoods com) “Our new tuna-like product is clean-label, scalable, affordable and sustainable But for our plant-based creation to serve as a true substitute, even beyond compellingly mimicking all of the sensory qualities, it also has to match tuna as much as possible in nutritional value ”

Following 12 months of experimentation with ingredients and processes, the start-up developed its winning plant-based tuna formula that accurately mimics the world’s most consumed fish species

The private-label product is already being rolled out in the retail and food service sectors It is available in two packaging formats: pouches for chilled storage and actual tins to give the full authentic tuna experience and to facilitate non-chilled storage

Vgarden’s R&D mission was to develop a tuna that can be canned and sterilised at high temperatures, yet still retain its full flavour and texture The company has filed a patent for the formula and process

The company’s tuna analogue is based on pea protein, with a total protein content of 11 2–14 per cent, before and after filtration It contains a short list of natural ingredients including fibres and sunflower oil

Being sourced outside the marine ecosystem, the start-up’s ‘tuna-free’ tuna contains none of the toxic metals, microplastics, and other ocean pollutants Moreover, its proprietary manufacturing process uses only minimal energy consumption and water, lifting the burden on marine life, and bringing a highly sustainable and guilt-free seafood option to consumers

Vgarden has already launched a

variety of meat and dairy alternatives in Israel under its MashuMashu brand Vgarden’s collection of faux firm cheeses are likewise tracking well in Australia, Canada, Asia and Europe, where it is generating particular interest among food manufacturers and foodservice operators in Germany and Austria

Vgarden recently entered into a JV with Cale and Daughters, Sydney, to establish a new dairy and meat alternative production facility in Australia The plant is already operational and expected to reach full capacity by the end of 2023

The company also recently attained more than US$15m in strategic initial funding by Leumi Partners to boost product development and international activity

SimpliiGood and Haifa Group co-pioneer closed-loop spirulina production

ISRAEL: International plant nutrition leader Haifa Group Ltd and Israeli foodtech innovator SimpliiGood by AlgaeCore Technologies Ltd have joined forces to optimise the SimpliiGood spirulina supply chain The partnership shows “the maturity and potential of the entire sector”, according to Baruch Dach, SimpliiGood’s founder and Chief Technology Officer

SimpliiGood grows and markets fresh and frozen spirulina, cultivating this nutrient-rich microalgae under ideal controlled conditions By culturing concentrated functional ingredients, this innovative startup is producing a range of nutritious foods that are breaking new ground in the plant-based protein sector Currently under development is the first smoked salmon alternative made nearly entirely from a single ingredient: whole fresh spirulina

The companies have signed a multifaceted long-term collaboration agreement destined to transform the entire spirulina market The alliance will enhance sustainability and reduce the environmental footprint of both partners A cornerstone objective of this partnership

is to optimise upstream spirulina operations – perfecting production input for enriched output

“This important milestone demonstrates the maturity and potential of the entire sector, not just of our company,” noted Mr Dach “It will boost our supply chain efficiency, reliability and scalability, making our spirulina an even more affordable, resilient and trustworthy food source for the future of food ”

Collaboration will focus on four key phases, the first being to optimise spirulina growth media while minimising cost: Haifa Group will perfect its readyto-use nutrient mixtures for commercial spirulina cultivation, leveraging distinct SimpliiGood know-how and experience This collaboration will reduce raw material expenses, which will decrease spirulina costs It will fortify the supply chain, ensuring raw material security for safe, reliable, consistent supply

The second phase will be to develop new products that rely on quality input, with both companies continuing to expand their product R&D to create and advance potentially game-changing mainstream plant-based foods such as

the aforementioned ‘market-first’ proteinrich smoked salmon steak analogue made predominantly from spirulina

The third phase will focus on converting upcycle waste to spirulina: Carbon dioxide is nature’s best source for spirulina growth during photosynthesis, and Haifa Group produces CO2 during product manufacturing Accordingly, Haifa Group and SimpliiGood will build side-by-side production plants in the Negev Desert to pass carbon dioxide from the Haifa Group plant to the SimpliiGood spirulina production facility This process, which will transform CO2 pound-for-pound into spirulina, will both reduce waste and enable sustainable carbon fixation

The final phase will involve establishing a large-scale global circular economy: SimpliiGood will evaluate the

Haifa Group waste stream to determine the additional components that can be introduced into microalgae production The assessment will include heat, nutrients and compounds – such as nitrogen, a key building block of protein

It is anticipated that leveraging the full power of upcycled synergies will minimise the environmental footprint of both partners while maximising efficiency, cost effectiveness and quality over the long term

Certainly, the plans align well with the flourishing global market According to Acumen Research & Consulting, the global spirulina market size accounted for US$480 million in 2021 and is projected to achieve a market size of US$1 166 billion by 2030, rising at 10 4 per cent CAGR from 2022–2030

POLAND: The largest modern convenience store chain in Poland, Zabka Group, has rolled out the largest network of autonomous stores in Europe – and this year, the business has its sights set on becoming the world’s biggest operator, overtaking current leader Amazon

Since launching its first cashierless ‘Nano’ store in June 2021 in Poznan, Zabka has established over 50 more stores That puts it close to the 70 or so Amazon Go stores already established by the US e-retail giant, according to Zabka Group’s Executive VP Tomasz Blicharski

According to Zabka, its network of Nano stores offers “autonomous, frictionless, unmanned retail experiences designed to deliver the ultimate in convenience to customers ”

Using AI-powered real-time computer vision technology from AiFi to track customer behaviour and product selection, and Microsoft Cloud for Retail to support data centralisation, analysis, and solution scalability, Zabka is creating personalised customer journeys that are receiving high customer satisfaction ratings In addition, Zabka said it is increasing operational efficiencies, gaining more foot traffic, and passing on cost savings to its customers

With the popularity of digital touch points, and the priorities and buying habits of people changing dramatically in recent years, the retail landscape is undeniably in a state of transformation “People need to shop, but they want to spend more time doing things they want to do, rather than what they have to do,” observed Mr Blicharski “Our

mission since we started is to understand what the customer needs and find ways to make their lives easier ”

With the launch of its first location more than 20 years ago, the company’s aim was to establish physical stores within a few minutes walking distance of most people living in urban areas Now, an estimated 15 5 million consumers live within 500 metres of the nearest Zabka store and, recently, the chain opened its 9,000th store Zabka was also early to release a grocery-shopping app, which helped establish its online food shopping and quick commerce delivery service – something that proved critical for Zabka customers during the Covid19 pandemic

Now, the company is taking shopping convenience to the next level and catalysing a rapidly growing footprint across Europe With the help of Microsoft and AiFi – a Microsoft Cloud Partner Program member and global independent software vendor (ISV) partner – Zabka Group is launching its Nano stores Offering an autonomous retail experience, Nano stores enable a seamless ‘walk in, walk out’ approach to food shopping –no checkout lines, clerks, or cash – 24

hours a day, 7 days a week

Just as e-commerce has advanced the way retailers collect information and optimise the shopping experience for customers, physical Zabka Nano stores offer something similar, with AI-powered computer vision technology collecting and processing data as customers shop Based on Microsoft Azure, the AiFi deep learning solution tracks the entire customer shopping funnel in real-time – how customers interact with the products on the shelves, how they react to promotions and communications, and what they choose to take off the shelf and purchase

The data collected can activate signals in the store to further enhance the customer experience with suggestions or exclusive offers In addition, the technology automatically informs inventory tracking and eliminates the checkout process “This is the so called phygital experience,” advised Patryk Powierza, Nano Growth Lead at Zabka Future “We are unifying the physical and online retail experience ”

“Data collected by AiFi gives Zabka a unique deep dive into customer behaviour in this new context of autonomous retail – we are gaining

completely new understandings and customer insights,” Mr Powierza explained “With Microsoft Cloud for Retail Smart Store Analytics we can pull the different kinds of data together, analyse it, and use it to create new ways to elevate the shopping experience for customers ”

In addition to analysing customer data, Microsoft Cloud for Retail helps Zabka track inventory data, sales data, and operational metrics in real-time to give Zabka end-to-end business views on the performance of individual stores and the company as a whole

This helps Zabka manage its supply chain in real time and quickly react when a product is nearly out of stock The tech also enables the company to precisely predict the demands in each store to easily build ordering schedules for replenishment “This insight through [Microsoft] Cloud for Retail is helping us become more operationally efficient – and it’s driving smarter, more strategic decision making,” informed Mr Powierza “And it means we are more resilient; we can anticipate potential supply chain disruptions or market changes, and quickly adapt – shaping expectations with our customers in a personalised way ”

Zabka becomes Europe’s largest operator of autonomous stores

Research by Wageningen Univer sity in the Nether lands demonstrates that StePac’s advanced packaging solutions significantly reduce greenhouse gases .

StePac’s sustainable roadMAP

Addressing the need for extensive reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, packaging innovator StePac, L A Ltd analysed supply chains it is closely involved with to assess how its advanced packaging preserves quality of fresh produce during handling, shipping, and storing – and in so doing, reduces waste and saves GHG emissions

The firm commissioned researchers at Wageningen Food & Biobased Research facility in the Netherlands to quantify the GHG emissions associated with the use of its Modified Atmosphere (MAP) products across numerous supply chains worldwide Results exceeded expectations, with the MAP products demonstrating abilities to reduce CO2 emissions dramatically

Food waste and GHG emissions

The recent spate of global weather events, from crippling droughts to European heat waves, has pushed climate change worries to the very forefront of consumer concerns CO2 emissions are recognized as the leading GHG implicated in climate change. Moreover, food waste is a second major concern of today’s ecosavvy consumers, yet few discussions of food waste focus on its negative impact on GHG emissions.

“Food waste contributes ~8 per cent of all GHG emissions associated with climate change, the biggest threat to our planet,” stated Gary Ward, PhD, Business Development Manager for StePac “By creating sustainable modified atmosphere packaging solutions which extend produce freshness often by 50-100 per cent, StePac has demonstrated through this research, that it helps lower GHG emissions by reducing waste in the fresh produce supply chain and often facilitating sea transport instead of air transport of produce to distant destinations The reduction in GHG emissions far exceeds those generated in the full lifecycle of the packaging itself.”

‘Field to fork’ calculator

Jan Broeze, PhD, Senior Scientist of Sustainable Food Chains at the Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, has developed a ‘field to fork’ calculator to estimate greenhouse emissions associated

with different aspects of fresh produce production and shipping Calculations took into consideration the GHG emissions associated with the different plastic packaging solutions throughout the lifecycle, including the end-of-life (incineration, landfill and recycling) It also included data provided by StePac pertaining to waste reduction based on research and commercial experience Nine scenarios were examined, including melons from Honduras to the UK (Xtend® Bulk), blueberries from Peru to China (XflowTM), stone fruit from Spain to Brazil (Xtend bulk), and broccoli shipped domestically in Brazil (XgoTM Retail).

Foremost, the results showed that GHG emissions related to plastics production, use and end-of-life are relatively small compared to other GHG emissions along the food supply chain For example, in the shipping of melons from Honduras to UK, the cultivation, harvest, and postharvest handling represented 41 per cent of the total GHG emissions of 701kg CO2/ton of melons

Transportation represented 48 per cent of the GHG emissions. On the other hand, Xtend packaging represents only three per cent of the total CO2 emissions, and the end-of-life represents only one per cent of the total CO2 emissions, yet contributed significantly to reducing CO2 emissions by minimising waste This was typical of all of the scenarios evaluated

Making sea freight a viable alternative

In one example, shipping unwrapped Galia and Cantaloupe melons from Honduras to

the UK in 25+ days, resulted in a high waste of nearly 18 per cent Due to its low water-vapour transmission rate (WVTR), polyethylene packaging with MAP properties is unsuitable and can result in waste levels of 12 5 per cent or greater, mainly due to microbial decay The use of Xtend packaging with relatively high WVTR levels that eliminate excess moisture plays a key role in reducing the waste in sea freight to a minimum of less than 3 5 per cent. This reduction in waste, when compared to polyethylene packaging, represents a reduction in six per cent of the GHG emissions (or 940kg CO2 equivalent per container loaded with 20 tons of melons) In tangible terms, shipping four containers of melons in Xtend saves the equivalent annual CO2 emissions produced by an average vehicle, estimated at 3,020kg

“Global warming poses some of the greatest risks to the health of the planet we

live on, ” stated Ward. “In order to combat it, we need to reduce GHG emissions The outcome of this research demonstrates the value of our bulk and retail packaging in doing so by reducing waste in the fresh produce supply chain and facilitating sea as an alternative to air freight Based on the research, StePac estimates that across all supply chains in which its packaging is used, it saved in excess of 100,000 tons CO2 emissions in 2022 equivalent to the annual amount produced by 31,000 automobiles

“This research clearly shows that StePac’s MAP solutions for fresh produce can contribute to reducing global GHG emissions by facilitating sea freight and by reducing waste in the supply chain,” attests Broeze “The savings associated with their use far exceed the emissions generated in the life cycle of the packaging, establishing that they have a positive environmental impact ” o

F R O M S I N G LE-U S E P LA STI C TO C I R C U LAR S EAWE E D

An eye-water ing 6.3 billion tonnes of untreated plastic waste currently litter our streets and fill our seas . Notpla – winner of the recently announced £1 million Ear thshot Pr ize –shows us that the future is not plastic, it’s seaweed

Global awareness of the plastic packaging problem has reached record levels in recent years and the search for a true sustainable alternative is on-going. Could the solution lie in the seas? London-based start-up Notpla (www notpla com), founded by Pierre Paslier and Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, believe so.

Just nine per cent of all the plastic ever produced has been recycled, and just 12 per cent has been incinerated The rest lies in landfills or has been dumped into the oceans Notpla offers an innovative alternative to plastic – made from seaweed and plants

Totally natural and entirely biodegradable, Notpla’s innovation can be used to create a range of packaging products, including as a bubble to hold liquids, a coating for food containers, and a paper for the cosmetic and fashion industry

Notpla’s wide and varied impact

At the London Marathon in 2019 36,000 Notpla-made Oohos, filled with Lucozade, were handed to runners Last year, Notpla made over two million takeaway food boxes. One of Notpla's partners is Just Eat Takeaway com, which is supplying seaweed-coated packaging for restaurants to buy on their webshops in the UK, Austria,

Poland, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland

There is the potential to replace over 100 million plastic-coated containers in Europe in the future The company continues to research and develop new formats and solutions, with a seaweed paper, flexible films and rigid materials in the pipeline

“The solution lies in our oceans” Notpla’s impact is wide and varied Seaweed farmed for its production captures carbon 20 times faster than trees, addressing one of the key causes of the climate crisis The packaging itself means less plastic clogging our seas, reducing

ocean waste Meanwhile, farms are able to boost fish populations, and seaweed farming creates new opportunities for fishing communities

Notpla is just at the beginning of its journey, with new materials in development that could one day replace singleuse plastic packaging applications across various industries and at a global scale Today, plastic continues to pile up in our oceans and landfills, but Notpla could well prove a viable solution to this mounting waste challenge “14 million tonnes of plastic enter our oceans each year. We founded Notpla when we discovered the solution lies in our oceans too,” reported Notpla’s Co-Founder and CEO, Pierre Paslier, speaking at the Earthshot Award ceremony “We are already replacing the plastic that plagues our seas, and working with seaweed farms that give back to the environment and the local economy. Thank you for recognising us as we take our next big step and eliminate single-use plastic for good!”

Indeed, in the fight against climate change, seaweed could be a surprising –but vital – weapon, according to Vincent Doumeizel, Senior Advisor on Oceans to the UN Global Compact “Seaweed is one of the planet’s most abundant sources of biomass -– Giant Kelp’s

biomass increases by an astonishing 20 per cent per day. Its production does not compete with food crops and requires no fertiliser or fresh water to produce Finally, seaweed farmed for its production captures carbon 20 times faster than trees, addressing one of the key causes of the climate crisis,” he stated, adding that if just nine per cent of the ocean had seaweed farms, we could draw down all the CO2 we produce The £1 million Earthshot Prize will help

Notpla to further ramp up the scale of its operations. “Thanks to the one million pounds, we are going to invest in R&D, continue to expand our team of chemists, engineers, and invest in new machinery,” the firm said in a statement “But most importantly, the Earthshot Prize team is offering us some tailored support and will introduce us to The Earthshot Prize’s vast network of businesses, philanthropists and investors, that should boost scaling our commercialisation ” o

At a globally broadcast ceremony in Boston, Massachusetts, David Beckham announced Notpla as winner of the Earthshot Prize in the category of ‘Build a Waste-Free World

Notpla Team

A S EA-C HAN G E I N ATTITU D E S

Research by the Norwegian Seafood Council highlights a promising global shift towards plastic-free seafood in retail.

Arecent international study conducted by the Norwegian Seafood Council – surveying 15,000 consumers across 15 countries – highlights that 60 per cent of consumers across the globe avoid buying fish that comes wrapped in plastic

This figure is even higher in many countries like Thailand (77 per cent) and China (76 per cent) – while seven out of 10 consumers believe it is important that seafood comes in recyclable packaging. Despite this, and the clear impact plastic has on the planet, the majority (60 per cent) say it is often difficult to know if fish

and seafood packaging can be recycled

“Our research indicates that more could be done to educate shoppers on the materials their fish is packaged in,” advises Lars Moksness, consumer analyst at the Norwegian Seafood Council “There’s a clear desire from consumers to be ‘doing more ’ and changing behaviours where packaging is concerned Minimising plastic usage – especially single use plastics, which are so often used in food packaging – is one of the simplest ways of creating a more sustainable future ”

Globally, plastic waste is a huge issue

According to the UN Environmental

Programme (UNEP), we produce about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste per year globally Approximately 36 per cent of all plastics produced are used in packaging, including single-use plastic products for food and beverage containers

Conflict between consumer and industry demands

Looking deeper into the statistics on a country-by-country level, it’s apparent that there is an interesting conflict between industry and consumer demands Take, for instance, the top 10 plastic producing countries, as featured on worldpopulation-

SUSTAINABILITY | Consumer s want to go plastic-free on seafood purchases

review com, and compare the surveyed attitudes from key markets for the Norwegian Seafood Council – the United States, China, Germany, United Kingdom and Japan

Across 11 of the 15 markets studied, at least six out of 10 consumers say they try to avoid buying fish and seafood wrapped in plastic China tops this with 76 per cent, which is in stark contrast to the overall figures attributed to China’s production of plastic waste (12 2m tonnes of mismanaged plastic waste in 2021) It is a pattern that is seen across the top 10 plastic waste producing countries Germany, for example, produces 81 16kg of waste per capita per year, yet at least 70 per cent of shoppers here look to avoid plastic wrapped products Meanwhile, 58 per cent of UK shoppers stating that they seek to avoid plastic wrapped produce, yet the country produces 98.66kg of plastic waste per capita per year

Whilst there are strong statistics highlighting consumer concern about plastics on their seafood purchases, it’s certainly not universal Sweden, Norway and Japan – all known as big fish-eating nations –

are at the bottom of the table In Sweden, just 35 per cent of consumers are looking to avoid seafood wrapped in plastic, with this dropping to 31 per cent among Norwegians, and a survey-low of just 17 per cent in Japan.

Towards a plastic-free future

“Over recent decades, we have quickly adapted to living throwaway lifestyles. However, climate change and issues with plastic waste have thankfully made their way to the top of world leader’s agendas,” observes Mr Moksness of the Norwegian Seafood Council “Consumers are recognising the impact their daily lives have on the planet – something that increasingly applies to their food choices and their fish choices We’ve seen a positive rise in people thinking about where their fish comes from And now they are also considering the packaging their seafood comes in – with many trying to avoid plasticwrapped fish and seafood and seeking out recycled options,” he tells us

“For someone who works alongside the seafood industry, with a deep passion for environmental change, this is

extremely promising However, changing consumer behaviour at scale can be immensely challenging We have seen in recent years the increasing desire for convenience, yet with this has come a higher dependence on single use plastics,” he laments

“We need a multi-pronged solution,” Mr Moksness advises, “ one that sees a greater focus on providing a holistic view on sustainability From distributors to retailers, to communicators and consumers, we all need to assess our need for plastic usage As our survey suggests, consumer desire to change is growing, it’s all pointing in the right direction, and we encourage industries to take hold of this, and work towards a greener future together.”

The Norwegian Seafood Council is committed to educating consumers across the globe about the nutritional benefits and sustainability credentials associated with choosing seafood from Norway Accordingly, it seems only right that the eco-performance of the material in which such sustainable products are packaged must necessarily be part of this overarching commitment

SUSTAINABILITY

Yum! Recognised through CDP ranking and Dow Jones Sustainability Index inclusion

USA: Yum! Brands – owner of iconic QSR brands KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell and The Habit Burger Grill – has achieved several new sustainability honours, earning an A- in Water Security and a B in all other categories from CDP – a global organisation that runs a leading disclosure system The company also made the 2022 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America, marking its sixth consecutive year on the list that ranks companies based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria Additionally, Newsweek named Yum! as one of America’s Most Responsible

Companies 2023 – recognition that followed 3BL Media earlier highlighting the business as one of its 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2022

Last year the company celebrated its 25th anniversary year – and for over half of that time, it has been sharing progress around its sustainability journey by reporting to CDP Since 2010, when Yum! first disclosed through the organisation, the group has evolved its citizenship and sustainability work – also referred to as its ‘Recipe for Good’ Focusing on the three priority areas of people, food and planet, ‘Recipe for Good’ believes

that regular and transparent disclosure is key to tracking and measuring progress across the Yum! system

Yum!’s CDP performance continues to lead the quick-service restaurant industry The company’s reporting scope to CDP has expanded over the years, with the business first responding to CDP Climate Change, which tracks opportunities to lower carbon emissions and gauges climate resiliency Now, the company discloses on CDP Forests, which covers how Yum! uses or sources cattle products, palm oil, soy and timber, as well as Water Security, which addresses the capacity to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water Yum!’s sustainable business efforts include investing US$100 million over five years to fight inequality, upholding an industryleading food safety programme, and driving towards sciencebased targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions nearly 50 per cent by 2030

Farm carbon calculator Agrecalc appoints first

UK: Award-winning farm carbon calculator Agrecalc has appointed its first CEO, in a major step towards becoming a spin-out company that supports agriculture’s journey to net-zero

Operated by SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Agrecalc (www agrecalc com) has recruited Scott Davies, who has a strong track record in developing and growing successful technology-based businesses

Formerly co-founder and director of a mobile gaming company and most recently CEO of Never no, Mr Davies’remit is to lead Agrecalc into the next phase of development and growth

“I’m extremely proud and excited to be chosen as the new CEO of Agrecalc,” he remarked “To be part

of this incredible team, as well as a business offering a world-leading product for carbon management, is a real privilege and I look forward to being part of the continuing success story ”

Following the spin out, planned for early spring, the company’s focus will be on seeking investment, while planning to be a central part of the solutions to greenhouse gas emissions related to global food production

With its continued evolution, Agrecalc will remain an independent resource efficiency calculator, based on the latest scientific evidence It is the only GHG calculator that verifies every data set and takes a whole-system approach to onfarm GHG assessment, and as such is backed by the Scottish Government in Preparing for

CEO

Solvay launches first certified vanillin based on mass balance standards

FRANCE: French manufacturer Solvay announces the first certified vanillin based on mass balance standards in the market, meeting consumer and brand owner demands for enhanced sustainability, more renewable feedstock and reduced carbon footprint

Solvay, a leading global supplier of vanillin, has announced that the production of Rhovanil® vanillin at Saint-Fons in France has been accredited to comply with the mass balance accounting regime of the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS system

“As a world leader in advanced vanillin technology, we have a strategy to offer natural and sustainable ingredients in the food and fragrances markets We are very proud to offer new solutions to our customers with this world’s first ISCC PLUS mass balance certified range of high-purity vanillin ” said Jo Grosemans, Solvay Natural Growth Director

Sustainable Farming

Track One of the National Testing Programme

The new upgraded platform –providing an enhanced user experience and features such as nitrification/urease inhibitors, transferred manures and anaerobic digestion, enhanced pig and poultry inputs, and even more precise reports based on the calculations from the UK national inventory – will be launched in early spring 2023

Scott Davies, Agrecalc’s new CEO

Mass balance concept according to the ISCC PLUS principles has become a globally acknowledged industry standard that provides a defined set of rules for tracking and tracing the content of circular and renewable feedstock in materials and end products As a result, users of certified materials can claim a reduced carbon footprint for their formulations, and brand owners can document the enhanced sustainability toward consumers

Solvay’s Rhovanil® is primarily used in food and flavour applications and widely used in home and personal care fragrances Obtained in late 2022, the ISCC PLUS certification confirms the controlled use and traceability of renewable feedstock in the company’s vanillin, which helps brand owners meet the growing demand for more sustainable and circular ingredients as they strive to minimise their environmental impact, reduce fossil-based raw materials consumption and carbon footprint

“Our new Rhovanil® MB solution is now commercial It can be used as immediate drop-in replacements of incumbent products,” advised Maud Joassard, Solvay’s Marketing Manager

SOLIDUS makes €11m investment in sustainable retail packaging for 2023

NETHERLANDS: SOLIDUS SOLUTIONS (SOLIDUS) – Europe’s leading sustainable packaging provider – is to invest €11 million into FUTURLINE®, a range of innovative retail-ready packaging solutions that are already being rolled out across Benelux, France, Germany, Poland, the UK and Spain

Driven by the demand for sustainability, with research demonstrating that over four in five consumers consider the topic important when purchasing food and beverages, the new packaging provides a more sustainable solution whilst not compromising on the need for convenience

New skin packaging and MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) solutions by SOLIDUS use at least 80 per cent less plastic, which is easily separated so that their paper-based materials can be fully recycled after use The trays have been developed to run on existing packaging machines with minimal adjustments, facilitating the transition from plastic to paper-based packaging as well as removing costs for new machinery

Skin packaging offers a solution for meat and poultry that meets consumer demand for ready-to-eat products The deep vacuum technology supports the shelf life of produce and decreases the need for protective packaging fillers, making it a cost-effective option compared to other methods

MAP offers solutions for retail and food service deliveries for meat, fish, ready-meals, snacks, and coffee Made with at least 80 per cent less plastic,

MAP products match the shelf life of their plastic counterparts

Meanwhile, SOLIDUS’s Punnets offer a 100-per-cent recyclable solution for soft fruits, mushrooms and vegetables Made from renewable resources, the solid board material offers rigidity and moisture resistance, delivering better protection for produce over plastic and folding board alternatives

Dieter Bergner, CEO of SOLIDUS (https://solidus-solutions com), explained that his firm’s growth model is centred on initiatives that are driven by promoting a circular economy that

at the same time add value to both customers and end-users “These latest innovations offer sustainable solutions that deliver several benefits for our customers through packaging waste reduction, reduced CO2 footprint, re-use of the paper fibres as well as optimal product protection, and matched or extended shelf-lives; meeting ever-changing demands of consumers, brand-owners, retailers, and regulators ”

prawn/shrimp are caught in the UK, with a further five billion prawns and other crustaceans being imported from overseas The Snapshot looks at their welfare at all stages of the supply chain: capture and handling, holding and storage, transport, mutilations, stunning and slaughter

”Since animals like crabs and lobsters were legally recognised as sentient and able to feel pain, companies have rightly been under increased scrutiny about how their practices impact the welfare of the animals involved,” remarked Claire Howard, Director at Crustacean Compassion “The Snapshot will show how decapod welfare is currently being addressed across the industry right now, and will drive welfare improvements across the sector,” she advised

UK: Companies in the UK face the first assessment of welfare standards for crabs, lobsters and prawns since the creatures were legally recognised as sentient and able to feel pain

Following the inclusion of decapod crustaceans – animals such as crabs, lobsters and prawns – in the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, Crustacean Compassion have launched the first UK industry bench-

mark ‘The Snapshot’ to assess welfare standards for decapod crustaceans within the UK food supply chain

A total of 30 UK companies –including all major supermarkets –were evaluated in the benchmark, revealing that only 50 per cent of companies have developed formal policies on some aspect of decapod crustacean welfare, and only one is promoting decapod welfare to consumers

Commissioned by award-winning animal welfare organisations, Crustacean Compassion, and facilitated by Chronos Sustainability, The Snapshot report is the first assessment of leading seafood producers, processors, retailers and wholesalers in the UK on welfare standards for decapod crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters and prawns

Each year, more than 420 million crabs, lobsters, langoustines and

“Customers expect to be able to buy seafood that has been produced to high standards of animal welfare, and we have been asked which brands and companies have the most humane practices,” Ms Howard continued “The food industry has a responsibility to both meet those expectations and provide the necessary information to enable consumers to make informed choices ”

CRAB AND LOBSTER WELFARE TAKES A STEP FOR WARD WITH FIRST UK SUPERMARKET BENCHMARK

KI C K-STARTI N G A P IVOTAL YEAR

With major dialogues around food security and sustainability in the lead-up to the UAE-hosted COP28, this year will be a cr itical one for the food & beverage industr y. Gather ing F&B communities from across the wor ld, Gulfood (Dubai, 20–24 Febr uar y) is set to char t the way forward.

Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) has announced that the world’s largest annual global F&B sourcing event, Gulfood, will be 30 per cent larger when it returns for its 28th edition at the end of February, with 5,000+ confirmed exhibitors and more than 125 country pavilions.

The show’s record scale is due, in part, to the introduction of Gulfood Plus – a brand-new hall, where first-time exhibitors will showcase product innovations across 10,000m2 of added floor-space

Leading global brands set to exhibit at Gulfood 2023 include: Unilever, GMG, Americana, Agthia, Fonterra, McCain, Monin, USAPEEC, Hunter Foods, ASMAK, Minerva Foods, US Dairy Export Council, Frinsa Group, Emirates Snacks Foods and Al Rabie Gulfood newcomers include Brazilian food processing giant BRF Global, and India’s Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)

A critical opportunity

With the UAE preparing to host COP 28 in 2023, Gulfood will provide a critical opportunity to convene the global F&B industry at the start of the year, and encourage the shift towards more sustainable food production and consumption

“With the on-going food crisis, combined with climate shocks, and rising costs of food, 2023 will be an important year for turning the corner and getting back on track while elevating healthy and diversi-

fied diets that are sustainable for people and the planet,” predicted Trixie LohMirmand, EVP of Dubai World Trade Centre. “Gulfood and the UAE will be at the heart of many of these conversations, and have a unique vantage point from which to lead the way ”

Sustainability under the spotlight

Launching at the show in 2023 is Gulfood Green – a new global sustainability initiative designed to ignite conversation across the wider F&B community, in order to raise visibility and influence key strategic food industry champions for sustainable food systems transformation in the lead up to COP28

Yet the theme of sustainability will be carried through multiple verticals at Gulfood, with topics such as ‘Working towards zero food waste’ and ‘Making the dairy industry less carbon-intensive’, to ‘Building and securing viable, sustainable food business’

Gulfood will also put the spotlight, for the very first time, on global chefs spearheading biodiversity in the restaurant industry, with master-classes and workshops by top chefs creating real change, through sustainability and zero-waste initiatives.

The Gulfood Green Awards will also take place this year, celebrating excellence in sustainability and encouraging green best practice across the F&B industry.

Inspiring dialogue

Championing the core themes of Sustainability, Quality and Access, the Gulfood Inspire Conference will see ministers, global F&B value chain leaders, entrepreneurs, civil society and industry experts lead a series of keynotes, panel discussions and showcases Timely topics include: Sustainable Food Production; Food Security and Sovereignty; Agri-Food

and Food Tech Investment; Innovations and Web 3 Opportunities; Nutrition Education and Access; Waste Reduction; Securing International Supply Chains; and Food Services Trends, Challenges and Innovations

Gulfood has partnered with global award-winning market intelligence agency Mintel to curate a thought leadership programme for the F&B industry The events’ Strategic Knowledge Partner has undertaken exploratory interviews with leaders across the F&B sector, covering topics including sustainability and inflation, in order to collectively understand the key challenges the industry faces and the solutions businesses are adopting to overcome them Results from the research will be shared in a whitepaper in the leadup to Gulfood 2023, and will be more widely used across the industry to provide guidance and inspiration to businesses at this critical juncture

A new world of innovation

Gulfood Plus will be the home of Top Table this year, where the world’s best curators of award-winning dining experiences showcase their signature dishes Meanwhile, Chef Talks will offer insights and inspiration from global chefs, food editors and influencers in the culinary world

Also taking place at the new Gulfood Plus, the Food Metaverse on blockchain will give visitors the chance to discover the incredible opportunities that the food ecosystem is presented with through Web 3 0, and to learn about emerging tech trends set to pave the way for future innovations in the F&B industry

Bestowed upon the industry’s revolutionary pioneers, the Gulfood Innovation Awards return in 2023 to honour excellence in new product development and champion groundbreaking new products launched over the past year Thousands of entries have been submitted across 10 categories, including: best beverage product, best organic product, best frozen product, best packaging design and best plant-based product. o Learn more about Gulfood, the ultimate focal point for the world of food and beverage sourcing, here: www gulfood com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS | FEBRUARY – NOVEMBER 2023

FEBRUARY 2023

Fruit Logistica

International trade fair for fruit & veg marketing

Berlin, Germany

www fruitlogistica com

8–10 February 2023

BIOFACH 2023

– The world’s leading trade fair for organic food Nuremberg, Germany, www biofach de 14–17 February 2023

Gulfood 2023

The world’s largest F&B sourcing event

Dubai, UAE

www gulfood com

20–24 February 2023

MARCH 2023

Food India Expo

India’s 5th largest international expo, covering raw materials, food products, food processing technology, packaging solutions and allied industries

Delhi, India, www foodindia co

17–19 March 2023

APRIL 2023

Hannover Messe

The world’s leading industrial solutions tradeshow Hanover, Germany

www hannovermesse de 17–21 April 2023

ISM and ProSweets Cologne Special Edition

World’s largest trade fair for confectionery and snacks Co-located with the leading international supplier fair for the sweets & snacks industry

Cologne, Germany

www prosweets com

23–25 April 2023

Food & Drink Expo

– Where the UK’s F&B industry meets

Birmingham, UK

www foodanddrinkexpo co uk

24–26 April 2023

FHA Food & Beverage

Asia’s largest F&B trade event, bringing together the global food and hospitality community Singapore, www fhafnb com

25–28 April 2023

MAY 2023

Interpack 2023

Leading international packaging fair & conference Dusseldorf, Germany

www interpack com

4–10 May 2023

TUTTO FOOD

– Innovative platform for the entire agri-food trade sector

Milan, Italy, www tuttofood it

8–11 May 2023

World Food Innovate Summit

21st edition of the annual event for global F&B innovators

Milan, Italy

www foodinnovateworld com

9–10 May

Extinction or Regeneration: Transforming food systems for human, animal & planetary health

Conference hosted by Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) and partners

London, UK

www extinctionconference com

11–12 May 2023

Thaifex Anuga Asia

South East Asia’s leading expo for the F&B industry

Bangkok, Thailand

https://thaifex-anuga com

23–27 May 2023

PLMA World of Private Label

– International expo bringing together manufacturers with retailers Powered by the Private Label Manufacturers Association

Amsterdam, Netherlands

23–24 May 2023

Food Ingredients Africa (Fi Africa)

Newest addition to the Fi Global portfolio Part of Africa Food Manufacturing and co-located with ProPak MENA

Cairo, Egypt, www figlobal com/africa

28–30 May 2023

JUNE 2023

ProPak Asia

Asia’s premier processing and packaging exhibition

Bangkok, Thailand

www propakasia com

14–17 June 2023

Africa’s Big 7

– Africa’s must-attend event for all professionals in the F&B industry

Johannesburg, South Africa, www africabig7 com

18–20 June 2023

Hi China & Fi Asia-China –

International expo for sourcing innovative health and food ingredients

Shanghai, China, www figlobal com/china

19-21 June 2023 (new date)

Summer Fancy Food Show

Hosted by the Specialty Food Association

New York City, USA

www specialtyfood com/shows-events/summerfancy-food-show/

25–27 June 2023

SEPTEMBER 2023

The Kenyan Food Event

International expo for the food, drink & hospitality industry in Kenya

Nairobi, Kenya, www kenyanfoodevent com

5–7 September 2023

OCTOBER 2023

Anuga 2023

Leading trade fair for the international F&B industry

Cologne, Germany, www anuga com

7–11 October 2023

HostMilano 2023

– 43rd edition of leading industry event for HoReCa supply chains

Milan, Italy

www host fieramilano it

13–17 October 2023

iba 2023

The world’s leading trade fair for the baking and confectionery industry

Munich, Germany, www iba de/en

22–26 October 2023

NOVEMBER 2023

Saudi International Halal Expo

– Leading event featuring the latest trends and innovations from across the global Halal market

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

www saudihalalexpo com

7–9 November 2023

Company Profile: Tanmiah

Written by SA RA H P U R S EY

RULING THE ROOST

It’s been over a year since Food & Beverage Networker last spoke with Saudi Arabia’s Tanmiah – an award-winning poultry producer that is not only the preferred choice of the country’s quick-service restaurant (QS R) industry but also rules the roost when it comes to sustainability leadership nationally. Since then, Tanmiah has continued to pursue agg ressive expansion – including a significant new partnership with U S multinational Tyson Food, a master franchise agreement with American restaurant chain P O P EYE S, and significant infrastructure investments, plus an array of new C S R-led initiatives and projects – as it strives to become the GCC’s leading poultry company by 20 25. Mr Zulfiqar Hamadani, Tanmiah’s C E O, reveals more.

Rising demand for animal protein off the back of an ever-expanding middle class, alongside a growing preference for lowfat-high-protein diets amongst consumers, has led to a remarkable increase in poultry meat consumption in Saudi Arabia As modern trade channels continue to expand and drive such dynamics in food retail and restaurants, it is anticipated that the appetite for chilled and frozen poultry meat will also continue a swift upward trajectory in the years ahead The challenge for Saudi Arabia is the insatiable demand for poultry products that have made it dependent on imports to the point where in 2019, the country was the fifth-largest importer of broiler meat worldwide

Focused on tackling the country’s dependency on imports to satiate its ever-flourishing demand for poultry meat, the Kingdom, in recent years, has sought to ramp up efforts towards self-sufficiency as part of its all-encompassing Vision 2030 roadmap Certainly,

progress is already coming through in this regard, with the Kingdom witnessing a jump in self-sufficiency from 45 per cent in 2016 to 68 per cent in 2022 In addition, the Saudi government is working towards – via a recently announced US$5 billion investment in infrastructure and support for the industry – boosting that figure up to 80 per cent by 2025 Playing a vital role in bolstering Saudi Arabia’s domestic production ramp-up is leading home-grown poultry pioneer Tanmiah Food Company, selling under the brand name Tanmiah

Established in 1962 out of a single feed mill in Jeddah, Tanmiah has expanded and evolved to become a fully integrated leader in producing and distributing food and agricultural products The Company’s operations today span the entire poultry value chain from feed to fork, supplying high-quality, Halal-compliant and SFDA-approved chicken to every major QSR brand in the Kingdom, including McDonald’s, Burger King and Subway

Impressive investments

Given the enormous growth prospects for the poultry segment within Saudi Arabia and the wider region, and in alignment with the national ambitions put forward through Vision 2030, Tanmiah has set its sights on aggressive expansion Accordingly, the Company has been investing in production facilities as it seeks to significantly transition from leased to owned assets and strengthen its distribution network

“During H1 2022, we completed the refurbishment of our primary processing facility in Majmah, north of Riyadh, which has enabled us to raise our total capacity to 456,000 birds per day (net of rental capacity) from 370,000 birds per day at the end of 2021,” reports Tanmiah’s CEO, Mr Zulfiqar Hamadani, as he updates Food & Beverage Networker on the progress his firm has made over the past year or so

“Tanmiah is an established brand name in the market, and leveraging the growing popularity of our products with consumers, we believe we are wellpositioned to increase our retail market share in the Kingdom,” he continues. “Furthermore, to support such initiatives, we have been investing in our distribution network by adding multiple new routes during the year, which will help streamline our processes and efficiently reach our end consumers directly.”

In what can invariably be viewed as a milestone development for the Saudi poultry pioneer, the firm also recently entered into a strategic partnership with Tyson Foods, investing in the expansion of further processing capacity to 75,000 metric tons annually in Supreme Foods Processing Company (SFPC) and 15 per cent of Agricultural Development Company Ltd (ADC) acquired by the US multinational protein producer “This will further drive our sustained expansion plans and reinforce our pioneering role in supporting Saudi Arabia’s food security and self-sufficiency goals,” Mr Hamadani enthuses. “By collaborating with a leading food producer, we will enhance our technical expertise and industry know-how whilst expanding our global footprint and positioning ”

Major agreements to accelerate the advancement

Looking at the global perspective, Mr Hamadani points to the forecast for protein consumption across chicken and other meats to rise to 95 billion pounds (over 43 billion kg) over the next decade At the same time, the global Halal food market is expected to

achieve unprecedented growth over the long term, with industry reports pointing to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 10 per cent by 2032

“To meet the growing demand for protein in the Middle East and other markets, our new partnership with Tyson Foods will serve to unlock long-term opportunities in the fast-growing Halal market, and leverage Tyson Foods’ world-class technology and expertise across the entire value chain,” Tanmiah’s CEO points out. “The partnership is aligned with supporting Saudi Arabia’s food security and self-sufficiency goals, accelerating Tanmiah’s pace of growth by enabling the Company to enhance all stages of the supply chain ”

Indeed, as a result of joining hands with a global leader in protein, Tanmiah will be firmly positioned to realise material revenue and cost synergies, leading to operational efficiencies across the board, which will be further reinforced through exposure to worldclass industry know-how and expertise “With the enhancement of product, customer, and geographical diversification, substantial opportunities will emerge to unlock significant value in the long term and provide innovative and distinguished product offerings to a broader base of customers – both locally and overseas ” Mr Hamadani adds

At the end of 2021, Tanmiah also signed a master franchise and development agreement with US multinational fried-chicken QSR giant POPEYES – a decision targeted towards expanding Tanmiah’s footprint in Saudi Arabia, where the company already has 20 operational outlets (as of the end of December 2022) “This decision marked an important achievement for us as we continue to diversify our business across the value chain, expand our capacity in core segments, and build a solid brand name in the Kingdom and the region as a whole ”

A fully integrated, highly efficient operation

With Tanmiah having recently surpassed a milestone six decades in operation, what aspects of the business does Mr Hamadani see as having been most important to the brand’s success to date – and how might such qualities equip his company for the future?

“Tanmiah’s implementation approach looks towards continuously adapting to industry best practices, embedding sustainability in all our processes, exploring emerging technologies and partnerships to co-develop sustainable and innovative products and services, and having measurable and quantifiable goals,” the CEO responds

“Our fully integrated and highly efficient business model, which includes production, further processing and distribution, has been a key contributor to our growth and development throughout our 60-year journey,” he continues “Furthermore, by adopting an asset-light model, which means that we lease our farms and facilities, we have successfully managed to leverage our scale of operations without the requirement of significant capex investments This has proven particularly beneficial in driving our growth plans fur- ‡

Over 50 years of tradition in chicken

Led by a family group, Vibra has come a long way over the past half a centur y: Harnessing our tradition, innovation and expertise, we have grown to become one of the leading poultr y producers in Brazil, exporting to over 50 countries worldwide today

Backed by a culture of excellence and the rigorous monitoring of all processes, Vibra’s promise of full traceability and guarantee of origin provide reliability and the assurance for your business of our group ’ s adherence to the world’s most advanced quality standards. This includes Halal, WQS and BRC Food certification

In 2018, we further expanded our capacity to innovate with the inauguration of our own Innovation Center ( CIV) in Montenegro, considered the region’s first poultr y product research and development facility

With activities that today span the entire production chain and three Brazilian states, Vibra’s highly integrated production system comprises an array of farms, hatcheries, laboratories, feed factories, and slaughterhouses, in addition to an international business unit in Dubai

Vibra in numbers

• 5 poultr y complexes

• 25,000 tons of products per month

• + 5,000 employees

• Exports to over 50 countries

• More than 150 products

For Nat, it is only natural to produce food in a responsible and sustainable way, with the guarantee of origin, safety and quality always paramount Over half a centur y of tradition in chicken – alongside an unwavering attention to ever y detail, from farm to fork – make Nat products the natural choice

The award-winning Nat brand offers a complete line of chicken products that are naturally healthy, naturally tasty and, of course, naturally well prepared With a range of products encompassing Grillers, Chicken Cuts and Giblets –in bags, trays or blocks – plus Chicken Sausages, Nat ser ves consumers in Brazil alongside some of the most demanding markets internationally

Vibra’s joint venture with Tyson

In 2019, our ambition to expand globally led to Vibra joining hands with US protein leader Tyson Foods, in an agreement that adds know-how and new business opportunities, in order to accelerate our growth and ability to innovate, while ser ving to strengthen the position of our well respected brands, Nat and Avia, on the global stage

A leading poultr y exporter

Today one of the largest private poultr y exporting companies in Brazil, Vibra Foods makes responsible use of resources and the environment, acting ethically, appreciating and respecting people, and constantly contributing to our nation’s economic development.

The Company has subsidiaries in KSA – Saudi Foam Trays Manufacturing Company (S-PAK ), located in Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh – and further operations, known as U-PAK FZE, based in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE www.kuwaitpack.com

VIBRA: OVER 50 YEARS OF TRADITION IN CHICKEN

Harnessing tradition, innovation and expertise, Vibra has grown over the past half a century to become one of Brazil’s leading poultry producers, exporting to over 50 countries today

Vibra’s promise of full traceability and guarantee of origin underline our group’s adherence to the world’s most advanced quality standards, including Halal, WQS and BRC Food certification

Our award-winning ‘Nat’ brand offers a complete line of chicken products that are naturally healthy, naturally tasty and, of course, naturally well prepared

With activities that today encompass 5,000+ employees spanning the entire production chain and 3 Brazilian states, Vibra’s highly integrated production system comprises farms, hatcheries, laboratories, feed factories and slaughterhouses, in addition to a recently inaugurated world-class innovation centre, and an international business unit in Dubai.

FEEDco – BOLSTERING KSA’S FOOD SECURITY FOR 40 YEARS

A Saudi joint stock company founded in 1983, FEEDco has invested continuously over the decades to become a key player in bolstering the Kingdom’s food security

Today, we provide an integrated feed that subsidises Saudi Arabia’s livestock sector, supporting supply chains through FEEDco’s storage and handling units, which are able to accommodate an annual capacity up to one million metric tons of grain FEEDco is also active in several other areas, including the veterinary drug industry and special laboratories

FEEDco’s over-arching mission is to enrich the country’s livestock and contribute to the sustainability of food security across the Kingdom

Established in 1986, Kuwait Packing Materials Manufacturing Company KSC (K-PAK) is a leading regional manufacturing company in the Middle East, producing disposable products (PS/PP/PET/HIPS/EPS) that cater to the food Industry K-PAK supplies quality and innovative packing solutions for the food industr y, to retail, catering, supermarkets, hypermarkets and the fast food ser vice sector

ther and reinforcing our positioning in the market ”

Now, the leadership team is embarking on a new phase of growth and development for Tanmiah, supported by the Company’s strategic partnership with Tyson Foods “With this collaboration, we are looking forward to becoming a leading integrated producer and supplier in the region, with expansion into overseas markets,” asserts Tanmiah’s CEO, who in 2021 presided over a successful and heavily oversubscribed IPO that released 30 per cent of Tanmiah’s shares onto the Saudi Stock Exchange, and this year celebrates his fifth year leading the Company

Setting the sustainability benchmark

Within KSA – and indeed beyond – Tanmiah has set a benchmark for sustainability in the poultry sector, and Mr Hamadani is keen to update Food & Beverage Networker on recent advancements within the realm of environmentally-focused initiatives

“Sustainability is at the heart of our strategic direction, and deeply embedded within our operations and corporate culture – and we are happy to announce the recent formation of our ESG committee,” he reveals,

adding that the Company’s vision is to be the leading sustainable poultry company, and a role model for poultry production both regionally and globally

“Through our ‘Giving Earning Sustaining ’ model, we strive to ensure that sustainability is implemented across all areas of the business, from sourcing of materials to production and distribution,” the CEO notes, adding that Tanmiah is the first company in the MENA region to earn the Global Animal Wellness Standards certification from US-headquartered organisation NSF, in recognition of its progressive animal welfare practices across all the Company’s production process and operations.

Mr Hamadani is also keen to highlight that Tanmiah recently launched another edition of its US$1 million Omnipreneurship Award Grand Challenge The Challenge is a platform to discover new technology solutions encouraging the transition from imported to sustainable, domestically produced poultry feed

“We also announced our ‘One Million Tree Initiative’, which we are working towards achieving by 2025 We’re progressing quite well in this regard, having planted over 300,000 trees as of the end of ‡

Griffco Foods – a strategic partnership between Griffith Foods and IFFCO – draws upon more than a centur y of expertise to deliver unrivalled foodser vice products for industr y-leading clients across the GCC, the Levant region, Egypt and Pakistan

Griffco Foods provides insight-oriented, culinar y innovations to many of the biggest regional and global QSR, Foodser vice, and Food Processing players today Solutions include: • Proteinseasonings • Snack-seasonings • Side-seasonings • Coatings & breadings

• Dough blends • Sauces & dressings

Each and ever y product is developed through a process of research, creativity and care, taking into account both the science and the art of food and flavour.

Deep consumer insights uncovered

Our dedicated in-house insights team transforms consumer insights into relevant customer engagement, utilising an array of research tools and resources that help clients gain a deeper understanding of their target market, get closer to the consumer, stay current, and succeed

Sensor y science is a specialisation

We understand the impact of key ingredients in product formulas and consumer preference Our company boasts a fully integrated Sensor y Science and Consumer Testing Team, with capabilities that include Descriptive Analysis, Discrimination Testing, Hedonistic Testing, and Customized Sensor y research

Food science is a fundamental

Our teams understand ingredients at a fundamental level, with areas of product expertise including coating systems, snack seasonings, sauces & dressings, protein science & technology, and cereal chemistr y.

Keeping clients future ready

Clients of Griffco Foods benefit substantially from the support of a globally-reaching, agile, product development partner to keep them future-ready in an era of rapidly evolving trends and preferences Our ultimate aim is to help our customers achieve the highest market adoption, consumer preference, and enhanced profitability

We cultivate, create and develop the f undamental culinar y components that enable our customers to produce dishes that consumers love

December 2022 The initiative’s impact includes the elimination of 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide, with 1 4 billion litres of wastewater and 300,000 tons of solid waste recycled ”

Additional sustainability-led initiatives include the development of a comprehensive waste management strategy and establishment of a green supply chain, alongside the Company’s resolve to continue exploring energy efficiency initiatives to reduce emissions and use renewable sources.

Inclusion and innovation

With ‘Giving’ highlighted as one of Tanmiah’s three key pillars, Mr Hamadani goes on to outline some of the charity-related initiatives in which the company is engaged today “We, as Tanmiah, recognise our responsibility to engage and support the community for a positive impact across all areas of operation. As a result, we have collaborated with various organisations to enable change, such as our institutionalised internship programme This takes place twice a year – for three to six months for each round – to continue to develop local talent,” the CEO advises

“Another initiative we are very proud of is the Tanmiah Women Enablement Programme This programme continues to provide customised training and recruitment solutions to its female staff whilst offering opportunities across the organisation,” he reports

“On the humanitarian side, we are proud to have signed an MoU with NGO Kayan to train and employ orphans to improve their living standards and overall quality of life,” he continues.

“Another area we focus on is training and employing people of determination and incorporating them into the Tanmiah family This was made official through another MoU signing with Sa3ee,” he notes, of the organisation focused on seeking rehabilitation and employment for disabled individuals

“Beyond these programmes and initiatives, we will continue to improve the workplace for our employees’ benefit and make significant contributions towards

Mr Zulfiqar Hamadani, Tanmiah’s CEO

the Kingdom’s socio-economic development,” Mr Hamadani adds

Driving innovation in sustainable food production and food security across Saudi Arabia, Tanmiah’s Omnipreneurship Awards Grand Challenge started in 2020 and returned in 2022 “This year, we are excited to collaboratively work on ground-breaking solutions to cultivate feed crops locally to reduce reliance on imported feeds,” Mr Hamadani reveals “The primary goal is to contribute to domestic production by obtaining renewable and sustainable feed sources and support the Kingdom’s self-sufficiency objectives.”

In 2020, the Challenge crowned Polymeron, a start-up from the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology’s Taqaddam accelerator program, as the competition winner for creating an innovative solution to convert poultry bio-waste into a renewable and valuable energy source In total, the Challenge saw 93 participants from 41 countries competing to reduce carbon emissions from food production and generate commercial value from production waste

A clear and comprehensive vision

With the market for Tanmiah’s products positively flourishing, Mr Hamadani sees underlying solid fundamentals – such as an expanding population, rising consumer spending and the growing popularity of fresh chicken with consumers – supporting the Company’s future growth Nonetheless, the CEO is keen to stress that sustainability is the pillar that must underpin Tanmiah’s expansion strategy. “We are focused on more sustainable production and consumption, enhanced ‡

food security, a higher standard and quality of life, and increased access to food for the underprivileged, led by the strategic direction of our leaders and spearheaded by Saudi Vision 2030,” he tells us

However, collaboration is also key to unlocking the full potential of sustainable action, the CEO stresses: “The public, private and educational sectors must continue to exchange experience and work together to mitigate the impact of climate change Through our partnership with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), we are committed to innovating new techniques and processes, supporting supply chains, and reinforcing innovative and sustainable food production.”

Undoubtedly, as Tanmiah continuously aligns with the Kingdom’s food security goals, the Company plays an important role in innovating sustainability across all business areas to facilitate affordable and accessible nutrition “The idea started as we, on average, consume over 300,000 metric tons of feed annually, where 100 per cent of the raw materials are imported,” Mr Hamadani informs. “To mitigate the industry’s current impact on the environment, the winning solution from the Challenge will enable Tanmiah to produce feed locally, cost-effectively, and in a naturepositive and sustainable manner ”

“With global food production contributing significantly to harmful emissions, we are looking to agri-tech solutions that are environmentally friendly – and we will continue to focus on improving food security by collaborating with local and international organisations, and developing sustainable solutions that will reduce negative environmental impacts, in tandem with improving the quality of life,” he adds

Spreading its wings

In light of the strategic partnership with Tyson Foods, Mr Hamadani and his team have every right to be excited about embarking upon a new chapter in

Tanmiah’s journey “Our primary and further processing units are expected to witness significant growth, as both Tanmiah and Tyson Foods are committed to increasing production capacity and the range of products offered by the Company,” he advises. “As a result of this partnership, Tanmiah will be positioned to leverage Tyson Foods’ long-standing relationships with clients across the globe to pursue remarkable opportunities in overseas markets within which we are not presently active.”

Moreover, Tanmiah is on track to achieve additional milestones in 2023 in terms of its capex programme, including further investment in primary processing output, feed milling, hatcheries, and farming capacity – all in alignment with the Company’s strategic goal of expanding its market share

“Additionally, as part of our diversification initiatives, and following feedback from customers with regards to the success of our food franchise operations so far, we are looking to increase the network of POPEYES outlets across the Kingdom,” Mr Hamadani reveals.

“We will continue to optimise our product and service portfolio, and enhance our overall processes and production techniques across all stages, to ultimately achieve long-term and sustainable growth, and generate significant value for all Tanmiah’s stakeholders,” he concludes

Written

AVOID RECALLS WITH THE RIGHT CONVEYOR SYSTEM

With a 50-plus year history of bringing new product innovations to market, US company Cablevey Conveyors is today a global manufacturer and market leader in tubular drag conveyor systems, with installations in more than 65 countries Its technology is known for food-safe, efficient, and low-energy consumption performance for some of the most demanding applications in the material-handling sector As Food & Beverage Networker discovers, processors can mitigate risk and prevent many safety issues by utilising closed conveyor systems like that offered by Cablevey – designed with sanitation in mind, and capable of automated wet cleaning.

With the threat of contamination from harmful pathogens such as salmonella, listeria and E coli a continual concern, food processors are seeking to protect not only the public but also their bottom line from the massive costs, reputational damage, and greater regulatory scrutiny associated with recalls The goal is a safe, clean, sanitised working environment

Given the increasing number of outbreaks and recalls traced to post-processing contamination of foods, it is no surprise that the Preventive Controls Rule requires manufacturers in the US to implement a food safety plan with the goal of preventing sanita-

tion deficiencies The rule covers sanitation practices for food-contact surfaces, preventing microbial and chemical cross-contamination, and monitoring potential environmental pathogens for critical equipment like conveyors

As a result, quality assurance teams are paying more attention to the type and design of conveyance systems used to help meet food safety standards This includes identifying potential harborage points where debris and pathogens can collect, as well as implementing best practices to save on costs to clean equipment, perform regular testing, and maintain the environment

Company Profile: Cablevey Conveyors

by SA RA H P U R S EY

“Every day we are asked for recommendations about types and designs of conveyors, ” says Justin Kerr, founder of Factor IV Solutions LLC, a food safety consulting firm that has worked with hundreds of food processors and harvesting operations throughout North America. “With conveyors, ideally there should be minimal harborage points, they should protect products from the environment, and be easy to clean ”

Mr Kerr says Factor IV Solutions assists food processors to develop Sanitation SOPs (SSOP: Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures) related to conveyors that include regular verification testing of food contact and non-food contact surfaces However, given the risks of contamination, the potential for recalls, and the additional costs associated with regular cleaning and testing, it is advisable to select a conveyor that eliminates many of the potential risk factors

Selecting a conveyor system

In the food processing industry, open conveyor systems like bucket elevators and belt conveyors can be more vulnerable to contamination With open systems, products can be exposed to pathogens, contaminants, or moisture in the surrounding environment. Product can also spill onto the plant floor and make its way into drains Consequently, processors that use such conveyors must maintain strict environmental controls including constant swabbing, testing, and quality assurance.

Closed conveyor systems, on the other hand, effectively seal off products from the outside environment Even then, it is still necessary to control the environment. Although there are several types of closed systems, one popular example when conveying highvalue foods is tubular drag cable conveyors These systems gently move products that are prone to breaking or crumbling through a sealed tube using a coated, flexible stainless-steel drag cable pulled through on a loop Solid circular discs (flights) are attached to the cable, which push the product through the tube without using air. The coated cable ensures that no debris accumulates within the strands of the cable, as the cable is totally sealed

“An enclosed conveyor like the Cablevey provides a controlled environment that reduces the risk of exposure to contaminants and pathogens from outside the system when properly maintained,” notes Mr Kerr “Because it is closed, it is less susceptible to aerosols ‡

and over spray from adjacent lines ”

Oskaloosa, Iowa based-Cablevey Conveyors is a speciality conveyor company that has designed, engineered and serviced enclosed cable and disc tube conveyors for over half a century, with installations in over 65 countries The company ’ s product can be as small as powdered material or as large as whole potatoes, and is increasingly used to convey coffee, cereal, nuts, produce, pet food, and speciality foods

“When we conducted trials and verification testing,

we found that tubular cable conveyors maintain greater repeatability cleanliness over a longer period of time than open systems due to the controlled environment within the enclosure,” says Mr Kerr Additionally, the founder of Factor IV Solutions LLC notes that closed conveyors significantly reduce potential harborage points for contamination.

“Tubular drag cable conveyors are very simple in construction, without standard joints, threaded bolts, and plastic-to-metal connections,” he adds

Superior cleaning

Mr Kerr points out another advantage: the enclosed conveyors also enable a “wet cleaning” process without wetting the surrounding areas, in which the systems can be quickly and effectively flooded with water and sanitised without disassembly

While not all food-processing materials are suited to wet cleaning, such as hygroscopic materials that readily absorb and retain moisture, the process minimises potential contamination for other types of food

The wet cleaning procedure begins with a water rinse followed by foaming agent, a sanitising rinse, and a final water rinse. Once the system is thoroughly flushed out, drying is achieved by attaching urethane wipers to the tubular conveyor ’ s discs, which act like a “ squeegee ” to remove any residual water

“Within the tubular system, all wash factors can be repeatably controlled – water chemistry, temperature, physical action, and time – so every surface is equally cleaned,” advises Mr Kerr He notes that clear tubes

‡

are available that offer the additional benefit of visual inspection or verification

Since a complete and thorough cleaning can be accomplished without disassembly of the system, the entire process only takes 20-90 minutes, depending upon the layout, product, and desired level of cleanliness This can substantially reduce disruptions and downtime during production changeovers and eliminate the need for additional dedicated conveyor lines. Regular cleaning can be automated through the plant’s distributed control system

“A benefit of Cablevey is the repeatability and verification of surfaces cleaned and the ease of maintaining them,” informs the executive “You can do verifications against cleanliness and hold [the cleanliness] over a greater period of time ”

When a food processor wants to ensure that a conveyor will meet its sanitation requirements, equipment suppliers like Cablevey often allow quality assurance teams to perform tests prior to purchase

“Sometimes customers come to our test lab so they can run product and conduct swab tests before and after wet cleaning and review the results for themselves,” affirms Morgan Bailey, Communication Specialist at Cablevey Conveyors.

The stakes are high when it comes to food safety

In the food processing industry, the stakes are high when it comes to preventing safety issues. With the threat of contamination from harmful pathogens always a concern, processors are seeking to protect both the public and their companies’ bottom lines

from the massive costs associated with recalls

As a result, quality assurance teams are beginning to analyse the type and design of conveyance systems more closely

Enclosed conveyors that are capable of automated wet cleaning can help mitigate risk and prevent many safety issues These conveyors provide an extra level of protection by keeping debris and pathogens from collecting. They also save on costs by eliminating the need for manual cleaning As processors continue to seek ways to improve safety, enclosed conveyors will become an increasingly popular choice o

https://cablevey com

Company Profile: Apical

Written by SA RA H P U R S EY

NEW FRONTIERS IN FUNCTIONAL FATS

From its humble beg innings in 200 6, Apical has since g rown to become a leading vegetable oil processor with an expanding global footprint. The Group’s vertically integ rated mid-stream refining and value-added downstream processing makes this multi-faceted business an integral supplier that supports the food, feed oleochemicals and renewable fuel needs across industries. Ahead of Apical’s appearance at Gulfood 20 23, Food & Beverage Networker speaks with Michael van Sallandt, Head of Functional Fats, to learn more about the Group’s innovative solutions, alongside the sustainability and transparency that underpin all of Apical’s operations worldwide.

With an impressive array of integrated assets in strategic locations spanning Indonesia, China and Spain, Apical (www apicalgroup com) today operates numerous refineries, oleochemical plants, renewable fuel plants and kernel crushing plants Through joint ventures and strategic partnerships, Apical also boasts processing and distribution operations in Brazil, India, Pakistan, Philippines, the Middle East, Africa, the USA and Vietnam

“Our growth is built on the foundations of sustainability and transparency, and motivated by our strong belief that we can make a more meaningful impact even as we continue to grow our business and deliver innovative solutions to our customers,” notes Michael von Sallanndt, Apical’s Head of Functional Fats, who sat down with Food & Beverage Networker’s Editor, Sarah Pursey, ahead of the leading vegetable oil processor ’ s appearance at Gulfood in Dubai World Trade Centre from 20–24 February

Q Could you outline Apical’s portfolio of oils and fats today, highlighting any recent innovations within the range?

Michael von Sallanndt: “Fats play a key role in determining the taste, quality and presentation of food items. Our sustainable vegetable oils, including its derivatives, are suitable for many applications They improve functionality and ensure superior quality for various segments including Bakery, Chocolate & Confectionary, Convenience Foods and Culinary, among others

“As food preferences continue to evolve, our team of culinary experts are collaborating with customers across the F&B space to create their next tasty success. From providing the right technical and application advice, to problem solving, product innovation and customisation to co-development, we are continuously innovating and diversifying our product portfolio to meet evolving demands and market expectations ”

Q What facilities does Apical have in place to support its operations?

“In ensuring we meet the growing demands globally, we are expanding our Functional & Specialty Fats Business at scale, with a plan to increase our current capacity more than fivefold come 2025. Soon, we’ll also unveil a new state-of-the-art warehouse and packaging lines in Marunda, Indonesia, alongside Apical’s first Innovation Centre – a facility that will accelerate product innovation, customisation and co-development We are confident that these efforts will be key to fulfilling the rising demands and evolving food preferences, needs and requirements of customers ”

Q Could you please tell me more about the numerous partnerships and collaborations in which Apical is engaged across the world?

“Apical has integrated assets in strategic locations spanning Indonesia, China and Spain Through joint ventures and strategic partnerships, we also have processing and distribution operations in Brazil, India, Pakistan, Philippines, the Middle East, Africa, the USA and Vietnam Our presence across all these thriving markets and extensive distribution network worldwide allows us to be close to our customers while adding value at every step of our downstream processing, enabling synergy across our business ”

Michael van Sallandt, Head of Functional Fats at Apical

Q. What factors have been key to the company’s success in becoming such a multi-faceted player supporting numerous industries – from food, to feed, oleochemicals and renewable fuel?

“Our commitment to ensure a truly sustainable supply chain while understanding and fulfilling the evolving demands and requirements of our customers – these are some of the key factors that enable us to track towards our vision of becoming the most reliable integrated processor of sustainable vegetable oil and value-added downstream products.”

Q Sustainability is clearly central to Apical’s operations today Could you please describe the various activities or initiatives in which the Group is engaged?

“While we continue to expand our global footprint and accelerate our vertically integrated mid-stream refining and value-added downstream segment, we will continue to contribute positively by having a lasting sustainability impact on the environment, climate and communities

“With the many initiatives and programmes in place, we are always striving to do our part in building a transparent, traceable and sustainable palm oil supply chain Recognising that smallholders make up over 40 per cent of the palm oil production in Indonesia, it is imperative that we help facilitate their inclusion into the global sustainable supply chain Our Smallholder Inclusion for Better Livelihood & Empowerment

(SMILE) programme – a joint effort between Kao, Apical and Asian Agri – is enhancing the social and economic resilience of smallholders by addressing the barriers affecting their productivity

“On the topic of supply chain, to make the cultivation of palm oil more sustainable, transparency is key The highly fragmented and complex supply chain can make it challenging to trace palm oil back to its source Despite the complexities, as a Group we are committed to NDPE (‘No Deforestation, No Peat, and No Exploitation’), and we go to great lengths to ensure our traceability to origin maintains an unparalleled record of 99 8 per cent Apical was also rated as one of the top three most transparent palm oil companies globally in the SPOTT (Sustainable Palm Oil Transparency Toolkit) Assessment, achieving a score of 91 7 per cent in November 2022 ‡

“In living up to our purpose of improving lives by developing resources sustainably, we have also advanced our sustainability commitment with Apical2030 Centred on creating a positive social, environmental and business impact, Apical2030 includes ambitious sustainability-focused targets around four strategic pillars – namely, Transformative Partnership, Climate Action, Green innovation and Inclusive Progress As the industry continues to evolve rapidly, we are certain that the sustainable roadmap we have set for Apical2030 will enable us to commit to meaningful actions for a lasting impact ”

Q. What key trends and opportunities can you identify in the market today, and how is Apical responding?

“Sustainability, Traceability, Innovation and Reliability of Supply – these are the key drivers that will continue to shape the market

“From our steadfast commitment to sustainability, unparalleled traceability record and commitment to product innovation, customisation and diversification, we are well positioned to fulfil the evolving needs and priorities of our customers globally

“On the reliability of supply front, as planning concepts of customers continue to shift from ‘justin-time’ to ‘just-in-case’ as a result of the pandemic experience, we are well equipped to navigate through situations, ensuring continual and reliable supply to customers ”

Q Finally, could you tell me more about Apical’s participation at Gulfood 2023 in Dubai from 20–24 February?

“From getting the latest updates on our expanding capacity and new facilities, to showcasing our extensive range of functional and specialty fats, there’s a lot to see at Apical’s booth this year! Head over to try out our freshly made food items, while tuning in to our demos with culinary experts There’s something for everyone, so be sure to visit us at Hall 8 Stand C8-30 and discover your next tasty success!”

Learn more about the company here: www.apicalgroup.com

For more information on Gulfood 2023, visit: https://visit gulfood com

A PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY TRAILBLAZER

German innovator Theegarten Pactec is a fourth-generation, mid-sized family business that has evolved over the decades to become a renowned specialist in the design and construction of packaging machines for small pieced confectionery items – including hard candies, toffees, chewy sweets, chewing gums and chocolates – alongside offering solutions for a variety of other food and non-food products. Combining more than 20 different types of packaging with a broad performance spectrum, the company offers both individual machines and complete packaging lines as a turnkey partner, exporting up to 95 per cent of its machinery to more than 100 countries worldwide. Ahead of Theegarten Pactec’s appearance at interpack, Food & Beverage Networker explores the high-performance solutions that this international technology trailblazer will be showcasing at the leading packag ing event in Düsseldorf from 4–10 May.

ATthe beginning of the 19th century, Saxony’s heart was already quite literally beating for the joys of the “sweet life”

This heartbeat pulsated most strongly in Dresden, where raw cane sugar could be delivered cheaply and comparatively quickly from Hamburg via the river Elbe And so in 1828 the industrial production of

chocolate, or ‘brown gold’, progressed so rapidly, that the Elbe steamer had to deliver the coveted raw material at ever-shorter intervals

Growing demand soon persuaded manufacturers to design the packaging more efficiently and to say farewell to the inconvenient principle of packing by hand Founded in 1934 as Rose-Theegarten GmbH, the business now known as TheegartenPactec rose to the challenge and swiftly flourished in

the field of packaging technology Nearly a century later, and today headed up by Mr Markus Rustler, Dr Egbert Röhm and Mr Thomas Plewe, the mid-sized family business has a network of representatives spanning more than 100 countries, exporting the lion’s share (90–95 per cent) of its packaging machinery innovations

Throughout its history, the company has been much focused on conserving resources – be that energy or raw materials – and this sentiment is conveyed effectively through not only its efficient, high-performance technology, but also through its support of two industry sustainability initiatives: SAVE FOOD (www savefood.org) set up by the Messe Düsseldorf Group, and Blue Competence (www bluecompetence net), established up by the VDMA (Verband Deutscher Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, German Engineering Association), Frankfurt.

At this year ’ s interpack (4–10 May, Dusseldorf), Theegarten-Pactec is set to showcase this commitment to sustainable efficiency through an array of innovative machines for high performance primary and secondary packaging

From further developed proven systems in the high-speed range such as the CHS, to completely new designed solutions such as the cartoner BLM, the portfolio of the Dresden, Germany-headquartered company encompasses the right machine for every demand

At Theegarten Pactec’s stand at interpack (Stand B51 in Hall 1), the packaging technology pioneer will showcase a wide range of machines that help save resources, energy and ultimately costs through their efficiency and flexible processing of sustainable packaging materials

Combining high per for mance with complete flexibility

From small-sized confectionery, to food and nonfood articles, the Theegarten-Pactec range offers the right solution for every application. The company ’ s machines combine continuous high performance in the packaging process with complete flexibility Highlights at the upcoming interpack in Düsseldorf exemplify this combination of characteristics down to the last detail

Among the machines on show will be the CHS, which packs chocolate at a speed of 1,800 products per minute, and can be switched quickly and flexibly between nine different folding types In addition, with the BLM, Theegarten-Pactec will present a cartoner that is perfectly adapted to the primary packaging machines in the high-performance range without sacrificing efficiency High performance and flexibility are complemented by the sustainability of TheegartenPactec’s solutions: Customers can produce in a more resource-conserving, energy-saving and cost-effective manner thanks to their modularity and optimal adaptation to recyclable, paper-based packaging materials while maintaining high performance

CHS: modular high-speed packaging for chocolate products

At the international trade fair, the Dresden-based company will present its latest flagship: the newly developed CHS After successful industrial testing, the machine was further developed and is now able to processes chocolate products at a speed of 1,800 products per minute Its maximum flexibility is demonstrated by a quick changeover between nine different folding types. Thanks to integrated mounting devices and reproducible settings for product and material guidance, the required folding types can easily and quickly be retrofitted – regardless of the original configuration of the CHS at the time of purchase. As a result, customers can sustainably save extra floor space for additional machines and energy expenditure for their operation

At interpack 2023, two versions of the CHS will be presented: The first CHS demonstrates the protected twist folding type with a two-lane infeed and a speed of 1,600 products per minute With the second CHS, the packaging specialists will show how a speed of 1,200 products can be achieved with a single-lane infeed with the envelope fold wrapping style, and how an effective connection to a secondary packaging machine can be achieved with a two-lane delivery of two times 600 items

High-speed packaging with paper-based flow packs

In the flexible packaging market in particular, sustainable and recyclable packaging is becoming increasingly important. For this reason, there is considerable interest from brand owners and the packaging industry to switch to materials such as recyclable mono materials, and the packaging processes designed for them. Within this context, Theegarten-Pactec has already developed material-saving wrapping methods or optimised machines for processing particularly thin films

With the FPC5, the Dresden-based innovator will present a modular high-performance packaging machine at the trade fair that packs chocolate bars in paper-based flow packs – using the common cold-sealing process or the far more complex heatsealing process The machine has been optimised to deliver the best results even in the high-performance range of 1,500 products per minute At interpack, the company will demonstrate an application with large chocolate bars packed at a speed of 600 products per minute

Processing sustainable materials in a gentle, material-saving and process-stable manner

With its innovative solutions, Theegarten-Pactec demonstrates how packaging machines can be effectively and precisely adapted to sustainable, recyclable packaging materials by using the CFW-S to package chocolate bars One highlight is the innovative suction supported sealing technology ‡

At interpack 2023, Theegarten-Pactec will present its wide range of machines on Stand B51 (Hall 1)

The self-developed sealing station is located directly after the actual wrapping or packaging process As soon as a product – paper or a mono film serving as packaging material – has reached the sealing station, the sealing tool is brought up to the product The packaging is sucked up to the sealing plunger with the help of negative pressure, and sealed gently and yet stably within milliseconds Combined with active cooling, this process does not create any pressure marks or

other damage to the chocolate product

Thanks to the innovative suction supported sealing technology, there is no need to apply glue dots to permanently seal the packaging Costs for glue, for cleaning and maintaining the packaging machine, as well as set-up and adjustment times, can therefore be saved The packaging process becomes more stable and, in turn, less prone to faults

Sustainable packaging materials can also be used efficiently and in a process-stable way on other machines The EK4 – the fastest packaging machine in the world – will be on display at Theegarten Pactec’s exhibition stand It packs 2,300 hard sweets per minute using a double twist wrap. Instead of the usual wax paper or films, a paper-based alternative without wax application can also be used and processed stably despite the high speed

Innovation for high-speed secondary packaging

For effective secondary packaging of products, Theegarten-Pactec will present the BLM directly connected to the FPC5 – their first in-house cartoner

The system is a completely new development and designed for adapting to a primary packaging machine in the high-performance range This means, customers have a powerful machine combination at their fingertips, which enables full performance primary and ‡

Also presented at interpack 2023: the FPC5 – a modular high-per for mance packaging machine for bar products in flow packs, which has been further developed to process paper-based packaging materials (using the common cold-sealing process or more complex heat-sealing process)

secondary packaging without any loss of efficiency in the overall process.

With the BLM perfectly adapted for connecting to all high-performance machines, small products such as bouillon tablets, chewing gums and chocolate bars can now be processed at a high speed. Visitors can witness the cartoner’s performance for themselves at interpack while it packages 40g chocolate bars in cartons

Solutions for sensitive jelly products

Theegarten-Pactec impressively demonstrates how sensitive jelly products for the OTC market can be packaged gently and extremely efficiently – thus conserving energy and resources – using the FPH5 At interpack, visitors will be able to see how the technology effectively yet gently processes two-packs of jelly products at a high speed of 1,200 individual products or 600 two-packs per minute

Bouillon tablets from press, directly onto machine

However, it is not only confectionery, but also food items such as bouillon tablets that are packaged effectively and, above all, sustainably. At the Bonals stand, for example, visitors can see a combination of a

bouillon tablet press with the BCW3 from TheegartenPactec. The Bonals press is directly connected to the high-performance machine that packs 1,700 bouillon tablets per minute With 200 BCW3 units installed, there are currently enthusiastic buyers primarily in the African market (which accounts for around 90 per cent of machine installations)

In parallel, Theegarten-Pactec will showcase a solution for the medium power range at interpack: The combination of a tablet press from partner Kilian with the BCW-eco, also via direct connection, demonstrates effective packaging at a speed of 750 soup tablets per minute

The common feature of the two machines – the direct connection option to the press – offers convincing advantages: It effectively prevents products from accumulating after the press The additional energy-intensive separation of the products before packaging is no longer a necessity Instead, a feed chain of the packaging machine that reaches directly into the press ensures a continuous product feed with sufficient spacing This not only avoids product jams and the resulting downtimes caused by them, but also enables a more compact design of the production line and thus a more sustainable use of footprint. o www theegarten-pactec com

Theegarten Pactec’s latest flagship, the newly developed CHS, can processes chocolate products at a speed of 1,800 products per minute

Lynn How (Ms)