Food & drink business europe february 2018

February 2018

Healthy outlook for bottled water

Food & Drink Business Website:

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C o n t e n t s

- 43 S UGAR & C ALORIE R EDUCTION

- 3 M ERGERS & A CQUISITIONS

How appealing are heart health claims to consumers, and what place does oat fibre have in the health reformulation ‘toolbox’?

Coverage of British and international deals.

P AGE 12 PAGE 3

Giovanni Ferrero, Chairman, Ferrero Group.

- 11 C OVER S TORY

- 44 P OULTRY

James Cain, MD, Harrogate Water.

Avara Foods is the new force in UK poultry.

Healthy outlook for bottled water.

R EGULARS PAGE 19 Bottling & Packaging . . . . . . . . . 14-16, 31-35 Global brands take centre stage at UK’s largest packaging show . 35

- 17 D AIRY Sodiaal adopts new value creation strategy.

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Control & Automation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Stefan Descheemaeker, CEO, Nomad Foods.

Processing & Manufacturing . 25-27, 39 & 40

Jorge Boucas, CEO, Sodiaal.

Materials Handling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 & 29 PAGE 44 Materials & Ingredients . . . . . . . . . . . . 41-43

- 23-28 A NUGA F OOD T EC 2018

Andy Dawkins, CEO, Avara Foods.

Managing Director: Colin Murphy Editor: Mike Rohan

Upcycling in the production of food optimal added value by upgrading byproducts.

Group Operations Manager: Sylvia McCarthy

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David Nairn, MD, Burts Potato Chips.

International FoodTec Award - 2018 winners.

Advertising: Ian Stewart, Rachel Howard and Tony Lambert Production Manager: Sylvia McCarthy

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- 37 S EAFOOD Changing demographics shaping European seafood market.

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M E E R R G G E E R R S S M Nestlé to Sell US Confectionery Business to Ferrero Nestlé has agreed to sell its US confectionery business to Ferrero, the third-largest company in the global chocolate confectionery market, for SFr2.8 billion ($2.8 billion) in cash. Nestlé’s 2016 US confectionery sales reached about SFr900 million. The transaction is expected to close around the end of the first quarter of 2018 following the completion of customary approvals and closing conditions.

Mark Schneider, chief executive of Nestlé, comments: “With Ferrero we have found an exceptional home for our US confectionery business where it will thrive. At the same time, this move allows Nestlé to invest and innovate across a range of categories where we see strong future growth and hold leadership positions, such as pet care, bottled water, coffee, frozen meals and infant nutrition.”

Nestlé’s US confectionery business represents about three percent of US Nestlé Group sales. It includes popular local chocolate brands such as Butterfinger, Crunch, BabyRuth, 100Grand, Raisinets, Chunky, OhHenry! And SnoCaps, as well as local sugar brands such as SweeTarts, LaffyTaffy, Nerds, FunDip, PixyStix, Gobstopper, BottleCaps, Spree and Runts.

The transaction covers the US-focused confectionery brands only and does not include Nestlé’s iconic Toll House baking products, a strategic growth brand which the company will continue to develop. Nestlé remains fully committed to growing its leading international confectionery activities around the world, particularly its global brand KitKat. With this transaction, Ferrero will become the third-largest confectionery company in the US market where it is best known for Tic Tac breath mints, Ferrero Rocher pralines, Nutella hazelnut spreads, the Fannie May and Harry London

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chocolate brands, and the Ferrara Candy Company, which was recently acquired by a Ferrero affiliated company and whose portfolio of brands includes Trolli, Brach's and Black Forest Gummies.

Giovanni Ferrero, executive chairman of the Ferrero Group, says: “In combination with Ferrero's existing US presence, including the recently acquired Fannie May Confections Brands and the Ferrara Candy Company, we will have substantially greater scale, a broader offering of high-quality products to customers across the chocolate snack, sugar confectionary and seasonal categories, and exciting new growth opportunities in the world’s largest confectionery market.”

intends to return the net cash realised to shareholders, unless more value-creating acquisition alternatives arise.

Carlsberg Group Acquires Remaining 49% of Olympic Brewery in Greece Carlsberg Group has acquired the remaining 49% of the shares in the second biggest Greek brewery, Olympic, following the 2014 merger through which Carlsberg gained 51%. Formed by the merger of Mythos and Olympic, the Olympic Brewery operates two breweries in the areas of Thessaloniki and Euboea. As a strong number two in the market, Olympic brews some of the best known and respected beer brands in the country, including Mythos and Fix. Additionally, Olympic handles world famous brands such as Carlsberg, Tuborg and Somersby cider.

Giovanni Ferrero, executive chairman of the Ferrero Group.

Unilever to Dispose of Spreads Business For €6.8 Billion Unilever, the personal care, home care and food and refreshment products group, has received a binding offer from KKR, a leading international investment firm, to purchase its global spreads business for Eur6.825 billion on a cash-free, debt-free basis.

Unilever’s Spreads business includes brands such as Becel, Flora, Country Crock, Blue Band, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, Rama and ProActiv. It operates across 66 countries around the world. In 2016 the business had a turnover of Eur3.032 billion.

The offer is subject to certain regulatory approvals and employee consultation in certain jurisdictions. Completion is expected mid-2018. Unilever

Total Produce Takes 45% Stake in Dole Total Produce, Europe’s leading fresh produce company, has agreed to acquire a 45% equity stake in Dole Food Company from David H Murdock for a cash consideration of $300 million. Total Produce and Dole are two of the largest fruits and vegetables companies in the world with revenue of Eur3.995 billion and $4.455 billion, respectively.

The transaction brings together two industry leaders creating a combined group with increased scale and geographic and product diversification.

Dole’s strong presence in North America will complement Total Produce’s position in the

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

European market. Dole has leadership positions in a number of its core product categories including bananas, pineapples, fresh vegetables and grapes that will align with Total Produce’s product mix.

Dole and Total Produce expect to deliver annualized synergies and cost savings at Dole of $15-20 million in the short-term and $35 million over the medium-term.

Refresco Completes Acquisition of Cott’s Bottling Activities Refresco has completed the acquisition of the bottling activities of Cott. By combining Refresco's strong European capabilities and Cott’s strength in the UK and North America, Refresco almost doubles its production volume to approximately 12 billion litres. Refresco now has a footprint of 59 facilities in 12 countries, employing over 9,500 people.

Hans Roelofs, chief executive of Refresco, comments: “Combining the two businesses is at the heart of our buy & build strategy. The joined business will be well positioned to meet customers’ continuously changing needs and requirements and offers ample opportunity for employees to develop their careers in an increasingly international setting.”

The closing follows Refresco shareholder approval, the approval in principle of the UK competition authority (CMA) and the relevant competition

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M E E R R G G E E R R S S M authorities in both the US and Canada. The CMA's green light is conditional upon the sale of the Aseptic-PET facility at the Nelson site to a suitable buyer.

Until that time Refresco and Cott will continue to operate separately in the UK.

Greencore Quits Cakes and Desserts Sector Greencore Group, the leading international convenience food business, has agreed to sell its cakes and desserts business in Hull to Bright Blue Foods, one of the UK’s leading ambient cake manufacturers. This sale, together with the announced closure of the desserts facility in Evercreech, marks Greencore’s exit from the UK cakes and desserts sector. BBF manufactures retailer own label, licensed and branded cakes, supplying recognisable retailers across the UK and European market. BBF operates four bakeries based in the UK and Poland.

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Ireland and the UK, respectively. The acquisition also includes two frozen pizza manufacturing facilities which provide a foundation for future expansion in the category.

The frozen pastry, frozen vegetable and frozen fish parts of Green Isle Foods businesses, which include household brands such as UpperCrust, Green Isle and Donegal Catch will remain part of 2 Sisters Food Group.

The finalisation of the transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, which are expected to be completed in early 2018.

Stefan Descheemaeker, chief executive of Nomad Foods, comments: “Goodfella’s Pizza creates a new and exciting growth avenue into frozen pizza, a strategic category that is both sizable and complementary. We have a strong foundation in place and are well positioned to create shareholder value as we apply our proven toolkit of capabilities to Goodfella’s Pizza and further develop our portfolio of iconic and market leading brands. We are excited to welcome the Goodfella’s Pizza employees to the Nomad family.”

Nomad Foods to Acquire Goodfella’s Pizza UK-based Nomad Foods, Europe’s largest frozen food producer, has agreed to acquire the Goodfella’s Pizza business of Green Isle Foods from Boparan Holdings (incorporating 2 Sisters Food Group) for approximately Eur225 million on a debt free, cash free basis. Green Isle Foods is Ireland’s largest frozen food producer and is headquartered in Naas, County Kildare.

The transaction includes the sale of brands such as Goodfella's and San Marco, as well as the ongoing supply of private label frozen pizza contracts to UK and Irish retailers.

The Goodfella’s brand, which accounts for the majority of Goodfella’s Pizza revenues, was founded in 1993 and holds number one and number two market share positions within the frozen pizza category in

Stefan Descheemaeker, chief executive of Nomad Foods.

Dr Oetker to Purchase Unilever’s Alsa Business Unilever has received a binding offer for the purchase of its Alsa baking and dessert business from Dr Oetker for an undisclosed amount. The transaction would include the manufacturing unit in Ludres, France. The binding offer is subject to the usual regulatory requirements and consultation processes.

Founded in 1891, the family-

run business Dr Oetker ranks among the leading brand manufacturers in the German food industry. Dr Oetker production and distribution firms are active in some 40 countries. Apart from Germany, the companies operate primarily in Western and Eastern Europe, but also in North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia. The turnover of the international Dr Oetker companies totalled Eur2.41 billion in 2016.

Nestlé Acquires Majority Stake in Healthy Snacks Company Nestlé has acquired a majority stake in Terrafertil, a company selling natural, organic, plantbased foods and healthy snacks.

The move widens Nestlé’s presence in a fast-growing category in Latin America, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Terrafertil, and its flagship brand 'NATURE'S HEART', is recognized for its wide portfolio of natural and mostly organic products. It is the world’s largest buyer of goldenberries (Physalis), an Andean superfood high in vitamins and antioxidants.

Arla Foods to Acquire Yeo Valley Dairies in the UK Arla Foods will acquire Yeo Valley Dairies, a subsidiary of the Yeo Valley Group. The transaction will give the farmerowned dairy co-operative the rights to use the Yeo Valley brand in milk, butter, spreads and cheese under an intellectual property licence with Yeo Valley.

The Yeo Valley yogurt, ice cream, cream and desserts business will continue to be run independently through Yeo Valley Group, which remains

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

under the ownership of the Mead family.

Tomas Pietrangeli, managing director of Arla Foods UK, says: “The potential for future investment in range through this licensing agreement with Yeo Valley provides a significant opportunity to offer a greater choice to consumers at attractive prices. Our ambition is to encourage customers to trade up from standard to organic milk, butter and cheese, driving overall growth for organic across dairy categories.”

The agreement means that Yeo Valley will be well placed to continue its focus on strengthening its core business of yogurt, desserts and ice cream whilst remaining independent and family-owned. Completion of the transaction will take place following merger approval by the UK Competition and Markets Authority.

Tomas Pietrangeli, managing director of Arla Foods UK.

Dr Pepper Snapple Group and Keurig Green Mountain to Merge Dr Pepper Snapple Group, a leading producer of flavoured beverages in North America and the Caribbean, and Keurig Green Mountain, a leader in specialty coffee and innovative single serve brewing systems, have agreed to merge to create Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP), a new beverage company of scale with a portfolio of iconic consumer brands and unrivaled distribution capability to reach virtually every point-of-sale in North America.

KDP will have pro forma combined 2017 annual revenues of approximately $11 billion.

This combination of two iconic beverage companies joins together popular brands Dr Pepper, 7UP, Snapple, A&W, Mott’s and Sunkist with leading coffee brand Green Mountain

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M E E R R G G E E R R S S M Coffee Roasters and the innovative Keurig single-serve coffee system, as well as more than 75 owned, licensed and partner brands in the Keurig system.

KDP targets realizing $600 million in synergies on an annualized basis by 2021.

Bacardi to Acquire Patrón Tequila For $5.1 Billion Family-owned Bacardi, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, is expanding its portfolio of premium spirits with a definitive agreement to acquire 100% ownership of Patrón Spirits International and its Patrón brand, the world’s top-selling ultra-premium tequila. The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, follows the successful relationship the companies have had for nearly a decade since Bacardi’s initial acquisition of a significant minority stake in Patrón in 2008. The transaction reflects an enterprise value for Patrón of US$5.1 billion and is expected to close in the first half of 2018.

The transaction will make Bacardi the number one spirits player in the super-premium segment in the US and the second largest spirits company in market share by value in the critically important US market.

Tequila is one of the fastestgrowing and most attractive categories in the spirits industry, with Patrón being the clear market leader in the super-premium segment.

Super-premium brands continue to experience the fastest growth, and the trend is expected to continue.

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Ebro Expands in Pasta With €130 Million Deal Spanish food group Ebro has agreed to acquire a 70% stake in Bertagni 1882, the Italian premium fresh pasta producer, for Eur130 million. With production plants in Vicenza and Avio in Italy, Bertagni employs 275 people and is known as the oldest brand of filled pasta in Italy.

Its gross sales in 2017 will exceed Eur70 million, with over 90% of its business generated outside of Italy.

Ebro regards the acquisition as an opportunity to accelerate its growth in the promising fresh segment and become the second largest producer of fresh pasta in the world. The transaction, which must be approved by anti-trust authorities, is expected to be concluded within the first quarter of 2018.

Sysco Grows European Business Sysco Corporation is to acquire Kent Frozen Foods, a successful UK-based food service distributor with revenue in the year ended 31st December 2016 of £47 million. The acquisition, which is conditional upon approval from the Competition and Markets Authority, will see Kent Frozen Foods join Sysco’s other UK businesses, including Brakes, Fresh Direct and M&J Seafood.

Kent Frozen Foods is headquartered in Kent, with distribution facilities in Aylesford (Kent) and Witney (Oxfordshire). Kent Frozen Foods will continue to operate as an independent entity, but will enjoy the support of the world’s largest food service company.

Sysco operates approximately 300 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 500,000 customer locations. For

fiscal 2017 that ended July 1, 2017, the company generated sales of more than $55 billion.

Molson Coors Acquires Aspall Cyder Molson Coors Brewing Company has expanded its cider portfolio through the acquisition of Suffolk-based Aspall Cyder in the UK for an undisclosed amount. Aspall is an established premium brand of quality and provenance. The company’s portfolio strengthens Molson Coors’ position in a fast-growing market for premium cider in the UK. Aspall also produces leading specialty vinegars, including Aspall Organic Cyder vinegar, which is made using a fermentation process that is the only one of its kind in the world.

In the UK & Ireland, Molson Coors has over 2,000 employees, who operate breweries in Burton upon Trent, Tadcaster, Burtonwood, Sharp’s brewery in Rock, Cornwall and Franciscan Well in Cork, Ireland. It has a market share of around 20% of the UK beer market and a portfolio that includes Carling, the UK's best-selling beer for three decades, Coors Light, Cobra, Grolsch, Doom Bar, Worthington's, Caffrey's, Singha and a range of specialty beers.

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

Campbell Soup Company Continues to Reshape its Business With $4.9 Billion Deal Campbell Soup Company is acquiring Snyder’s-Lance for $4.87 billion in cash to expand its snacks portfolio.

Snyder’s-Lance has approximately 6,000 employees and operates 13 manufacturing centres throughout the United States and United Kingdom.

Snyder’s-Lance’s portfolio includes well-known brands such as Snyder’s of Hanover, Lance, Kettle Brand, KETTLE chips, Cape Cod, Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps, Pop Secret, Emerald and Late July.

Snyder’s-Lance has leading market positions in its core categories including pretzels, sandwich crackers, kettle chips, deli snacks and organic and natural tortilla chips. Snyder’s-Lance reported $2.2 billion in net sales for the year ended 30 September 2017.

The deal will extend Campbell’s footprint in the $89 billion US snacking market,

which had a three-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of nearly 3%.

Campbell’s baked snacks product portfolio generated approximately $2.5 billion in net sales in fiscal 2017. With the addition of Snyder’s-Lance’s complementary portfolio, snacking would represent approximately 46% of Campbell’s annual net sales (previously 31%) on a pro forma basis.

Campbell’s soup portfolio, including the recent acquisition of Pacific Foods, would represent approximately 27% of the company’s annual net sales.

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M E E R R G G E E R R S S M This is Campbell’s sixth acquisition in five years. The company acquired Bolthouse Farms in August 2012, organic baby food company Plum in June 2013, biscuit company Kelsen in August 2013, fresh salsa and hummus maker Garden Fresh Gourmet in June 2015, and organic broth and soup producer Pacific Foods in December 2017.

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Burts Potato Chips Accelerates Growth With Acquisition Burts Potato Chips’ ambition of being the leading UK-owned premium snacking company over the next five years is one step closer following its purchase of Leicester-based Savoury & Sweet. The acquisition is the first made by Burts since being

Hershey Broadens Snacks Portfolio With $1.6 Billion Acquisition The Hershey Company, the US-based confectionery and snacks group, has agreed to acquire Amplify Snack Brands, owner of a number of international, healthy snack brands including Tyrrells, for $1.6 billion, including net debt. The purchase price represents a multiple of approximately 14.8-times 2017 adjusted EBITDA including identified annual run-rate synergies of approximately $20 million expected to be generated over the next two years from cost savings and portfolio optimization.

“The acquisition of Amplify and its product portfolio is an important step in our journey to becoming an innovative snacking powerhouse as together it will enable us to bring scale and category management capabilities to a key sub-segment of the warehouse snack aisle,” says Michele Buck, president and chief executive of The Hershey Company. “Hershey's snack mix and meat snacks products, combined with Amplify's Skinny Pop, Tyrrells, Oatmega, Paqui and other international brands, will allow us to capture more consumer snacking occasions by creating a broader portfolio of brands.”

Icelandic style skyr yogurts, for an undisclosed price. The deal further expands the French dairy giant’s yoghurt platform in the US. The deal entails Emmi, the Swiss dairy group, disposing of its 22% stake in siggi’s.

Lily O’Brien’s Sold to Colian Holdings For €40 Million

David Nairn, managing director of Burts Potato Chips.

founded in 1997, and will diversify its product portfolio to include a wider range of healthy snacking products as well as popcorn.

Savoury & Sweet is one of the fastest growing players within the popcorn and healthy snacking sector, exclusively making products for UK household-name brands and own-label ranges for leading retailers.

“The Burts business has grown significantly over the last five years, from £11.4 million in 2013 to an anticipated £37 million (post-acquisition) for 2017,” says David Nairn, managing director of Burts Potato Chips. “Whilst impressive, our ambition is to drive the business to over £100 million in the next five years to become the UK’s biggest player within premium snacking.

While organic growth of our existing operation in Plymouth is a big part of this and anticipated to reach £70 million, acquisitions of like-minded and complementary businesses will help us accelerate our expansion.”

Lactalis to Acquire US Skyr Yogurt Brand Lactalis has agreed to acquire siggi’s, the US-based maker of

Colian Holdings of Poland has acquired Lily O’Brien’s, the Irish manufacturer of premium chocolate and desserts, for Eur40 million to continue its international expansion.

Employing about 2,000 people, Colian Holdings is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and is a Polish producer and distributor of food products in the confectionery, culinary products and beverage sectors.

Colian has a number of leading and trusted brands in the Polish market, and exports to over 60 countries around the world. The acquisition of Elizabeth Shaw, a UK chocolate business, in 2016 represented Colian’s first international acquisition and the start of its strategy of continued expansion into international markets through the purchase of high quality and well-loved brands.

lished, iconic and growing confectionery brands such as Fox’s Glacier Mints, XXX Mints, Poppets, and Pedro. The acquisition is consistent with Valeo Foods’ strategic focus and offers significant opportunities for future growth.

The acquired businesses operate six production facilities between the UK and the Czech Republic, and in addition to the consumer brands, have significant and growing private label, contract manufacturing and food ingredient operations.

Valio Foods was formed in 2010, following the acquisition and merger of Origin Foods and Batchelors, two of Ireland’s

most successful branded consumer food companies. Since then, Valeo Foods has successfully completed multiple acquisitions across Ireland, the UK and Continental Europe, to expand its portfolio of market leading products and brands that includes Jacob's, Rowse and Balconi.

Unilever to Acquire Romanian Ice Cream Business Unilever has agreed to acquire the business of Betty Ice SRL, the Romanian ice-cream producer. The value of the transaction is undisclosed. Betty Ice is the main local ice cream producer in Romania, with a total turnover of Eur30 million. The company owns one factory in Suceava and has more than 180 ice cream kiosks open during summer time. Betty Ice employs 760 employees in Romania.

Valeo Foods Expands Confectionery Portfolio in €100 Million Deal Valeo Foods Group has acquired the Confectionery Division of Raisio which includes a portfolio of estab-

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COVER STORY

Healthy Outlook For Bottled Water Sales of bottled water across Europe and globally are continuing to rise as consumers switch from sugary soft drinks to healthier, natural forms of hydration.

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aving grown by about 40% during the last five years, the global bottled water market is expected to expand by more than 20% to reach sales of about $231 billion by 2021, according to Euromonitor. To meet rising consumer demand, European producers of all sizes - from the largest players, such as Nestlé and Danone, down to small local and regional bottlers - are investing in new capacity while simultaneously improving the efficiency, versatility and the sustainability of their operations.

Maurizio Patarnello, head of Nestlé Waters.

For example, Nestlé Waters, the world’s largest producer of bottled water with about one hundred production sites in 36 countries, is currently investing Eur200 million at its Perrier site in the south of France. The national leader in the bottled water market in France with seven brands, Nestlé Waters has ambitious plans to increase production at its Perrier site, which also exports its products globally. Indeed, Perrier is the largest carbonated water brand in the world.

Growth Engine “Water can be and will be a growth engine for Nestlé,” explains Maurizio Patarnello, head of Nestlé Waters. “Water premiumisation is the most promising segment. We see this trend is accelerating everywhere, not just in the Western countries.”

Having recently opened a new production line at the Perrier plant, Nestlé Waters will now add another three similar lines, bringing the total to 15, and increasing output by more than 40% by 2020. The Eur200 million investment programme represents the biggest upgrade of the facility since Nestlé acquired the Perrier business 26 years ago.

In Italy, Nestlé Waters is investing Eur30 million over the next few years in refurbishing its factory in Bormio, in the Valtellina valley in the north of the country.The new plant, named the Levissima Mineral Water Sharing Factory, has been designed to

enhance environmental performance and technological innovation, improve knowledge of water resources and contribute to the touristic potential of the region.

As part of its new strategy for sustainable value creation, aimed at achieving a mid-single digit organic growth target by 2020, Nestlé has identified bottled water along with pet care, coffee, frozen meals and infant nutrition as categories where it sees strong potential and where it will focus its future investment and innovation activities. In bottled water and its other key categories, Nestlé plans to accelerate organic sales growth by building on its strong market positions and capitalising on key consumer trends towards health and wellness.

UK Developments In the UK, Nestlé Waters plans to expand its bottling and distribution plant in Buxton, Derbyshire, by 300,000 sq ft. Following earlier investment of £35 million, the plant at Buxton is already one of the most modern factories for bottling water in Europe. The proposed extension will increase storage space for the bottling operation, creating a further 72 full- and part-time jobs to add to the 220 people currently employed at the site.

Also in England, Harrogate Spring Water, the UK’s fastest-growing independent bottled water brand, is investing £6.5 million in state-of-the-art production technology. The company’s original glass bottle filling line is being replaced with a combination line, which can handle both glass and PET plastic production. It complements an £8 million investment in PET production in 2014 which has driven company growth of more than 60% in the last two financial years.

“Continuing strong demand in both home and export markets makes further investment essential to remain ahead of the curve,” says James Cain, managing director of Harrogate Water. “The new production line will provide us with the capacity and flexibility to meet customer needs and compete more effectively in high-volume markets. Overall, the business has grown by more than 20 per cent in the last year, vastly out-performing market growth of around eight per cent.”

The Harrogate site is one of the most environmentally efficient in the world and the new state-of-the-art Krones technology will provide greater production flexibility and substantially increase capacity.

Consumers are switching from sugary soft drinks to healthier, natural forms of hydration.

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Highland Spring Increases Bottling Capacity Across the border in Scotland, Highland Spring Group, the biggest producer and supplier of naturally sourced bottled water in the UK, has been expanding capacity at its Blackford site in Perthshire to meet growing demand. The UK bottled water sector grew by over 55% between 2012 and 2016, and is exhibiting double digit growth on an annual basis. Indeed, bottled water represents the main driver of growth in the overall UK soft drinks market.

Mark Steven, group finance director of Highland Spring Group, comments: “During 2016 and 2017, we will have invested in excess of ÂŁ30 million in increasing bottling capacity to meet current and anticipated market demand. This enabled the installation of two

James Cain, managing director of Harrogate Water.

European Bottled Water Industry Over 25% of global bottled water production is located in Europe, where consumers purchase and drink more than 52 billion litres of bottled water every year, according to the European Federation of Bottled Waters (EFBW).

The sector contributes significantly to the European economy by providing direct employment to 54,000 people.

European consumers have a market preference for naturally sourced waters which have not been disinfected nor chemically processed and which are associated to a specific place of origin.

EFBW represents almost 600 bottled water producers in the EU, including a large number of regional and local producers located in less prosperous regions such as rural areas. About 84% are small and medium sized enterprises.

The EFBW is committed to protecting the unique qualities of natural mineral and spring waters and works to promote the bottled water sector and its products. The aim of the Federation is to ensure that the high safety, quality

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and environmental standards of natural waters are recognised and maintained.

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Emmanuel Faber, chairman and chief executive of Danone, comments: “Today we are in the midst of a genuine Alimentation Revolution. Brand relevance, integrity, and transparency are increasingly important factors shaping our consumers’ choices. At Danone, we have committed ourselves fully to this revolution, aware that in some cases our decision will put us ahead of the curve. Which is why we announced in 2015 that Evian would be the first international Danone brand to become carbon neutral by 2020.”

He adds: “Faithful to its pioneering spirit and working closely with all local stakeholders in its natural water cycle upstream, its labour pool, and its logistics network downstream, Evian has transformed its bottling site, now certified as carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust.”

To modernise the bottling site, Evian will invest Eur280 million between 2011 and 2020 in a facility producing all Evian bottles sold worldwide. J Mark Steven, group finance director of Highland Spring Group.

new production lines at our Blackford facility, including the fastest, most technologically advanced PET bottled drinks line in the UK.” The family-owned business recently reported sales revenues exceeding £100 million for the third consecutive year.

Danone Investing €280 Million at Evian Site Nestlé Waters’ arch rival, Danone, is also scaling up its bottled water business and is investing Eur280 million at its Evian site in France. Danone recently opened a state-ofthe-art production facility at Evian-les-Bains in the French Alps to support the future growth of Evian, the international water brand that is sold in more than 140 countries. After six years of construction and transformation, the new look site combines greater operational efficiency, new technology and the highest quality processes.

The site is also carbon neutral, marking a milestone in Evian’s commitment to achieve global carbon neutral status by 2020.

Indeed, it is the first Danone production facility and largest food production site in France to achieve carbon neutral status.

Emmanuel Faber, chairman and chief executive of Danone.

I BOTTLED WATER

Lete SpA – A Compact Line of 44,000 bph For Square Bottles ete is an internationally recognised trademark, thanks to the L peculiarity of the naturally sparkling water and also because it is the main sponsor of Napoli Calcio. The collaboration with ACMI dates back more than twenty years and the famous Italian supplier of end-of-lines has always considered Lete SpA to be one of its most prestigious customers.

The line in question is a PET line of 44,000 square bottles per hour and was designed according to the “compact line” concept, that is, eliminating any accumulation tables except for the one at the blowing-filling block outfeed, the only element, along with the labeller, not supplied by ACMI. The labeller-shrink wrapper connection is managed by special software thanks to which ACMI is able to coordinate the production oscillations of the two machines so as to create a continuous flow of products. This also makes it possible to efficiently handle unstable products and products with very thin walls, just as in the case of the two litre bottle designed for Lete. It is important to point out that the software developed by ACMI interfaces with the major labellers on the market.

space, the absence of rubbing on the packs and the high simplicity in the format changeover operations.

At the handle applicator outfeed, the packs reach one of the main innovations introduced by ACMI, the high speed Compakt HS model palletiser with “low level” infeed. This innovative palletiser, which reaches a maximum speed of 520 layers per hour with interlayer application, is fed by the 3 module Twisterbox layer formation system. The 3 module configuration is the fastest possible and it is the only one that allows you to keep up with this new type of palletiser.

The Compakt HS structure consists of a series of mobile platforms and an automatic interlayer insertion system which allows synchronised movement of the various palletisation phases reducing to zero both the pallet changeover times and the interlayer insertion times.

Furthermore, another important aspect which should be pointed out is that the handling of the product takes place by means of

Viper handle applicator.

Thanks to the use of a specific gate system the 2 litre square bottles reach the double infeed Fenix 275 model shrink wrapper infeed perfectly aligned. The machine, which reaches a maximum speed of 150 packs per minute, is equipped with the automatic film changeover system, a system which makes it possible to switch from the film of the finished reel to that of the new one in a time of about ten seconds without any intervention by the operator. The two reels with the shrink wrap film are housed in a functional and ergonomic external box in which the operator can work in complete safety away from any moving part of the shrink wrapper.

At the shrink wrapper outfeed the packs perform a wide run to meet the specific requirements of the plant layout and reach the double infeed Viper 2P model handle applicator. The Viper handle applicator range is characterised by the electromechanical spacing system that avoids the use of the traditional spacing screws. This has a number of advantages including the reduction of occupied 14

Fenix shrinkwrapper with automatic film changeover.

Compakt HS - high speed palletiser.

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

rotating ring stretch wrapper. The most interesting characteristic is its electronic pre-stretching system that makes it possible to prestretch the film to a maximum value of even more than 400%. It is also possible to fully customise the wrapping cycle so as to achieve the best wrapping possible in any condition and with any product.

The Vortex stretch wrapper can reach a maximum speed of 150 pallets per hour and, in the installation in question, it has been equipped with the top cover dispenser system. To conclude, we can actually say that the PET line installed at the Lete plant is the maximum technological evolution available today on the market. J

Line overview.

motorised belts in all its phases and never by means of bars or mechanical pushers. This allows you to obtain a series of advantages among which it is interesting to highlight the high operating speed and the possibility of treating unstable and fragile products.

At the palletiser outfeed, ACMI installed two Vortex 1000 model stretch wrappers with an automatic reel changeover and electronic pre-stretching system. The main reason for the choice of installing two stretch wrappers in series can be attributed to the possibility given to the customer of also producing half pallets, for which one single stretch wrapper, as fast as it might be, would not be enough.

Built with a robust steel structure, Vortex is a “fixed pallet� and

Vortex - rotating ring pallet stretchwrapper.

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

15

I CANNING

Modulfill Bloc FS-C Filler-seamer Block – Krones’ First Block Solution For Cans Premiered his is definitely someT thing new - for the first time, beverage producers can

Modulseam, too, hygiene is a paramount consideration: a seamer zone separated from the surrounding work environment, plus the roof table, where all cables and media piping are located outside the process zone, ensure a dependable seaming process.

buy, from Krones, an all-inone solution for filling and seaming cans. This block is packed full of Krones’ knowledge coupled with state-of-the-art technology.

Modulfill VFS-C Filler The Modulfill VFS-C is a volumetric can filler, suitable for both small and large output ranges. Depending on the container size and format involved, it handles between 18,000 and 135,000 cans per hour. During filling, an inductive flow meter measures the inflowing quantity of liquid until the specified fill volume has been reached. Besides accuracy the issue of hygiene plays an important role: the filling valve scores highly here with its hygienically sophisticated solution, from product routing to the press-on unit. Further hygiene advan-

All-in-one Concept With the Modulfill Bloc FSC, Krones is expanding its corporate competence in terms of can handling, since in this harmonised system both Krones machines are perfectly coordinated – which makes the operator’s daily work, a whole lot easier: a standardised operator control concept and a shared touch-screen ensure that product and format change-overs can be performed without double manipulations and legwork.

Quick-change handling parts at the filler and seamer, moreover, mean short times for changing over to different can sizes. J

tages include the no-front-table machine concept, in which Monotec starwheel columns with inclined surfaces are used throughout, and the grease-free main bearing, which is operated with automatic oil-circulating lubrication.

Modulseam Seamer After being filled, the cans are fed into the Modulseam for applying the lids. At the

I LABELS

New HERMA Self-adhesive Material For Wine Labels Young gun” winemakers have been cre“experts ating a stir among wine lovers and for some years. Resorting to old grape cultivation and wine making traditions, they like to jettison unnecessary baggage in label design: baroque fonts and cream-coloured designs are frowned upon.

Straight lines, clear fonts, and a purist layout are now in vogue – if possible, on a white or even high white background.

For such cases, HERMA has extended its range of self-adhesive materials for wine bottles, adding two new white papers: HERMAfelt white (grade 313) and HERMAfelt high white (grade 314).

Both are wet-strength, uncoated, textured papers with an exciting tactile feel. On top of that, HERMAfelt high white provides excellent wet opacity: even after a long time in an ice bucket, labels made from this material show no unsightly wet stains, maintaining their clean appearance until 16

the last drop of the bottle. HERMAfelt high white requires no special barrier coating – this reduces costs for printers. Both materials offer great versatility in the choice of printing methods. Flexo and offset printing as well as digital printing cre-

ate excellent results, even though both papers are quite demanding due to their structure.

In both cases, the multi-layer adhesive 62W, which has been developed especially for wine labels, ensures excellent adhesion even under moist conditions – just like in all other materials from the HERMAexquisite portfolio. This has been confirmed by extensive ice bucket tests in HERMA’S in-house laboratory.

“The 62W, a dispersion adhesive, offers label printers a very good alternative to traditional hotmelt adhesives – with adhesive characteristics that are at least as good, if not far superior processing characteristics,” says HERMA sales director Ralf Drache. “Massive adhesive bleed or very dirty tools are therefore now a thing of the past.” Moreover, the adhesive is ISEGA-certified for direct contact with foodstuffs. J

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

I DAIRY

Sodiaal Adopts New Value Creation Strategy To support its newly launched strategy designed to add further value to its products, Sodiaal, the leading dairy co-operative in France and third ranked in Europe, will invest an additional €230 million across its businesses between 2017 and 2025, increasing annual expenditure to €80-100 million for the duration of the development plan. urrently collecting over 4.7 billion litres of milk annually from its 20,000 producers and operating 70 industrial sites, Sodiaal has played a key role in the recent consolidation of the French dairy industry through a series of mergers over the past seven years - particularly with Entremont in 2011 and 3A in 2014 – which have enabled the group to attain critical mass.

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of its preparations for the abolition of EU milk quotas, Sodiaal implemented a Eur41 million cost savings plan during 2016 while implementing its Eur100 million investment programme to increase competitiveness by modernising its sites.

Strategic Transformation Plan In December 2017, Sodiaal launched its new strategic transformation plan, aimed at accelerating growth and attaining the level of profitability achieved by the top five European dairy companies by 2025. By improving profitability through the production and sale of more added-value products, Sodiaal expects to generate organic growth of Eur500 million between 2017 and 2025. To support this value strategy, the French co-operative will, throughout the

Sodiaal has a presence in all sectors of the dairy industry.

Sodiaal has a presence in all sectors of the dairy industry - in cheeses with the Entremont, Monts&Terroirs, Fromageries Occitanes and CF&R brands; in drinking milk, cream and butter (Candia); in nutrition and dairy ingredients (Eurosérum, Nutribio, Bonilait and Régilait); and in fresh and frozen products, where it has the Yoplait, Yéo Frais and Boncolac brands. The CF&R and Régilait businesses are 50% partnerships with Savencia Fromage & Dairy and Laita respectively, while the Yoplait brand is 51% owned by General Mills of the US. In its 2016 financial year, Sodiaal generated EBITDA of Eur122 million, compared to Eur118 million in 2015, on a turnover of Eur4.8 billion, down from Eur5 billion in 2015. In a continuation Sodiaal’s Cheeses sector will focus on the development of value-added cheese (PDO and specialties) in France, Europe and major export markets.

Sodiaal expects to generate organic growth of Eur500 million between 2017 and 2025.

period, allocate an additional Eur230 million of investment, resulting in the budget rising each year to Eur80-100 million. As part of its value creation approach, Sodiaal will follow an opportunistic external growth strategy.

“Sodiaal operates in a complex and unstable environment with increasingly volatile markets. We must shift into high gear and gain the flexibility and agility required within our organisation to sustainably transform the co-operative,” says Jorge Boucas, who became chief executive of Sodiaal in February 2017 with the responsibility of leading the new strategy aimed at taking the dairy co-operative to the next level in its development. “To that end, Sodiaal is currently gearing up to go much further in terms of creating value and developing its product mix, both in France and internationally, to return higher earnings to our producers and to strengthen the co-operative's future.”

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

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Value Creation Focusing on cation. It will also enhance its product portSodiaal’s Four Business Sectors folio in order to meet the demand of the The new strategy, which focuses on the very dynamic infant nutrition and protein search for added value, will involve enhancpowder markets. ing the entire Sodiaal product mix across Sodiaal plans to strengthen its research the group’s four business sectors. and innovation structure, with a specific The Cheeses sector will focus on the focus on the nutritional value of milk comdevelopment of value-added cheese (PDO ponents, in order to support the further and specialties) in France, Europe and development of the four business sectors. major export markets. In particular, for PDOs/PGIs, Sodiaal will aim to significantJoint Ventures and Partnerships ly increase its market share in France, where The French co-operative’s joint ventures the group is already one of the leaders, and and partnership businesses, which are in to become number one in Germany, line with the new value strategy, will conBelgium, Italy and Spain. Sodiaal is also tinue to be developed independently. In the seeking to attain a 10% share in the French fresh products category, Sodiaal remains pre-cut market by 2025. The Cheese sector convinced of the international growth will continue the development work carried potential of Yoplait, the flagship brand held out since the acquisition of Entremont, in in partnership with General Mills, which order to improve the growth of its core cathas seen continuous international growth, egories in France and Europe by building especially in China where it successfully further on the Entremont brand. opened its first factory in 2016.

The Milk/Cream/Butter sector will focus The collaboration with Savencia in on meeting changing customer demands, in CF&R will continue to make a positive the context of decreasing milk consumpcontribution to the development of the tion, particularly in France. One of the Jorge Boucas, chief executive of Sodiaal. group’s cheese activity, particularly regardobjectives is to introduce more value back ing soft cheeses. Régilait, a brand held with into the core market through a specific the Laïta co-operative, will continue to purapproach based around creating a quality label, with criteria in sue the positive momentum it has maintained over the last few line with new customer concerns such as pasture-grazing, feeding years. cows non-GMO feed, animal welfare and the fair remuneration of farmers. In the area of special milks, a targeted innovation policy will be executed, with the objective of doubling the share of the best added-value segments in the overall mix.

Infant Nutrition, which is a market that is growing by 10% each year in Asia, now constitutes a separate business sector within Sodiaal. The dairy co-operative plans to take advantage of the quality and image of French milk in China and to concentrate primarily on premium markets. The goal is to increase the share of organic and special milks within the mix, and to target the main distribution channels of China’s middle and upper class.

Sodiaal’s Infant Nutrition sector aims to secure significant positioning for its brands in China, but also in other targeted geographical locations, with a significant proportion of organic products.

The dairy group’s Ingredients (whey) sector aims to aggressively strengthen its position as a world leader in demineralised Infant Nutrition, which is a market that is growing by 10% each year in Asia, whey, built on an innovation policy designed to improve the now constitutes a separate business sector within Sodiaal. characteristics of its products and to expand their scope of appli€150 Million Performance Plan To finance its new strategy, Sodiaal is launching a performance plan designed to generate Eur150 million in savings over four years, in areas such as purchasing optimisation, industrial performance and changes to support functions. The performance plan will involved a major restructuring of the co-operative in order to improve efficiency and will prioritise international sales development, which Sodiaal expects to represent 35% of revenue by 2025, compared to 29% in 2017.

Sodiaal’s Milk/Cream/Butter sector will focus on meeting changing customer demands.

Distribution of Earnings In line with its co-operative ethos, Sodiaal guarantees the return of value to its members. One-third of group profits will now be allocated to the producers as a rebate, one-third as a long-term investment in the co-operative and one-third put into a non-distributable reserve, in order to continue to invest for the future. A new calculation formula for the price of milk, currently being tested, will also be put to a vote by member producers at Sodiaal’s next AGM in June 2018. J

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I CASE STUDY

Au2mate Delivers a Fully Integrated MES System For a New Factory For Almarai in Al Kharj in KSA, Inclusive of SAP Integration and OEE Measurement

By Klaus Dam, Managing Director of Au2mate A/S

This article gives an overview of the design and implementation process for the highly advanced MES system at the Almarai Al Kharj factory opened in 2017. lmarai is one of the largest integrated A dairy food companies in the world with an unrivaled reputation, synonymous with delivering excellence and quality across its entire range of products.

Currently operating across the gulf region, Almarai employs over 45,000 employees, servicing more than 100,000 retail outlets.

Almarai began in 1977, based in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Almarai Company network extends throughout the Arabian Peninsula, leading and influencing the agricultural, dairy processing and food distribution industries.

In 2017 Almarai extended their production capacity with a new dairy production plant located in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. The product range includes milk,

laban & yoghurt in bottles & cups. The production plant is divided into two areas: The processing area & the filling and packaging area. The processing area handles receiving of milk and production of milk, laban & yoghurt. The packaging area includes 8 filling and packaging lines, cooling tunnels, incubations room, pallet & crate washing lines and a cold store.

Background Almarai has identified OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) measurement and ERP integration as a strategic focus area for increasing the productivity at the Almarai production sites.

Au2mate has in connection with a new Almarai production plant in Al Kharj supplied a complete MES solution for the Klaus Dam, Managing Director of Au2mate A/S.

filling & packaging area with integration to SAP and OEE measurement at 8 filling & packaging lines + various supporting processes.

The solution includes an advanced barcode scanner solution for pallet identification and data tracking & handling.

Please refer to Figure 1 for further information about the plant layout.

Almarai required a fully automated control & IT solution for the new production plant with SAP integration, OEE measurement and full traceability.

The following success criteria & focus points were identified in connection with MES solution for the filling & packaging

Almarai factory situated in Al Kharj in KSA.

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FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

area: • SAP integration (receiving released orders from SAP and giving production response back to SAP regarding filled/packed material/amounts and locations) • OEE package for monitoring and improvement of line performance.

• Plant/line performance reporting • Track & trace of produced products.

The goal for the project was to reduce line waste and downtime while improving performance, availability and quality.

This was to be demonstrated by a 5% improvement of the line OEE. Scope of Supply The scope of supply by Au2mate in connection with the MES solution includes among others: • Project management and coordination with filling line equipment suppliers • Design and development of Siemens Step 7 application for concentrator PLCs • Design and development of Wonderware MES & SCADA application • Design and development of reports in Microsoft reporting services • Design, supply and installation of control & IT equipment • Design, supply and installation of network equipment • End to end integration with R3P and EWM • Commissioning of MES solution • Training of Almarai personnel.

Project Facts • Complete MES & OEE solution for 8 lines + Incubation cooling tunnel & washers • Integration to SAP (process orders + feedback + maintenance hours/energy consumption)

4 quick facts about Au2mate A/S • Founded in 2001.

• 100 employees at offices in Silkeborg, Dubai, England, Norway and Sweden, holding more than 600 man years of experience in dairy automation.

• Project-oriented, has delivered more than 1800 projects; PLC, SCADA, MES and ERP integration to dairies throughout the world, including Nordic countries, Europe, Middle East and Africa, America and Asia.

• Supply solutions based on open standard platforms and internationally recognised methods for software development and project management.

• Integration to EWM (Finished good) • Integration to process area/cold store • Control and execution of work orders • Extensive reporting (OEE, KPIs, batch and energy etc.)

• Connection to 90 line PLCs • Barcode readers for track & trace/data storage.

Technical Solution The installed MES solution for the filling & packaging area is in general based upon: • MES and SCADA software from Wonderware • Control equipment from Siemens • Server equipment from HP • IT-network equipment from Cisco • Barcode equipment from Sick.

The supplied control and IT equipment includes: • 13 PLCs (Data concentrator) • 21 barcode scanners • 8 rack servers • Central network rack and 8 local switch cabinets for network backbone • 25 operator stations placed in the production area • 4 large 55” monitors for overview display of OEE data.

The MES functionality is based on the following packages from Wonderware: • System platform as system backbone • Intouch for user interface

Figure 1: Almarai Al Kharj KSA plant lay out & Packaging area.

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

• Performance package for OEE measurement • Operation package for order handling • Wonderware Enterprise Integrator package for integration to SAP & EWM. Implementation and Project Management of the MES Project The contract was signed in June 2016, commissioning started in February 2017 and full production planned for April 2017 and go-live with EWM system in August 2017.

The project was generally executed according to Au2mate QA manual complying with leading international standards and methodologies inclusive of development of test sheets for quality assurance. The project has been implemented in close cooperation with Almarai.

The plant is complex both in terms of processes and applied automation technology and at the same time the performance requirements are set very high; this includes user friendliness, process optimisation and plant uptime.

The plant automation solution is based upon the latest yet proven technologies and equipment from leading manufacturers, ensuring the investment and future development of the plant.

The software solution is designed according to S88/S95 which forms a robust platform supporting superior management of the dairy inclusive of fully integrated manufacturing order execution.

The solution designed and implemented at the Almarai factory is embedding the joint Au2mate expertise and good automation practice gained from conducting major MES projects for more than 15 years.

Training of the Almarai staff was done in dedicated training sessions as well as in parallel with the project execution, in order to develop the skills required to operate, run and execute maintenance of the plant independently of external support. J 21

I ANUGA FOODTEC 2018

Upcycling in the Production of Food – Optimal Added Value By Upgrading By-products ustainability and environmental management play an important role in the food industry. Nevertheless, regardless of how efficiently the machines work and how resource-friendly they produce, at the end of the day the manufacturers are still faced with the question - What to do with the waste materials that are left over?

Anuga FoodTec from 20 to 23 March in Cologne holds answers for visitors. Upcycling strategies and innovative methods for the recovery of materials from industrial by-products will be highlighted at the international industry event.

Added value gained from waste products holds enormous potential for food manufacturers. On the one hand, the upcycling of byproducts that arise in partly large volumes while processing vegetable and animal-based raw materials is resource-friendly and ecological. On the other hand, the biomass contains a multitude of substances that can be implemented as ingredients for new foodstuffs. Modern machinery and innovative methods for the recovery and upgrading of by-products are of particular interest here.

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From Waste Material to a Superfood The initial starting point of every upcycling strategy is always the homogeneous separation of the arising vegetable and animal-based secondary raw materials. Whey is a prime example of successful upcycling. The former waste product that arises in large volumes during the production of curd cheese and cheese is turned into coveted ‘superfoods’ that no longer just create added value in fitness studios. Thanks to its protein, vitamin and mineral content, the popular ingredient is now added to puddings, drinks and smoothies - and it is also used as a demineralised concentrate in baby food.

A number of exhibitors at Anuga FoodTec will be presenting a wide spectrum of established technologies for the isolation of whey components and for the further processing of the recovered ingredients into liquid and powder products.

Separating Methods Isolate the Valuable Component The membrane separation method plays a key role, especially ultrafiltration. It allows the whey protein to be concentrated by up to 35 percent. In protein isolates up to 90 percent, the whey is freed from the fat by means of microfiltration.

Lactose and minerals like calcium and phosphorus can be recovered from the permeate flow of the protein isolation by means of nanofiltration or reverse osmosis. In this way, by cleverly combining dynamic filtration methods enriched products can be produced that contain the high-quality compo-

nents in the desired concentration.

In addition to the membrane filtration method, the separator technology has also established itself as a further upcycling method.

Among others its strengths lie in lecithin, which occurs as a byproduct when soya beans, sunflower seeds and rape seeds are processed. The lipids are highly appreciated in the food industry as a natural alternative to synthetic emulsifiers and stabilisers. Highspeed separators that separate the lecithin and raw oil have to be implemented to recover lecithin. Exhibitors, who will be presenting these methods at Anuga FoodTec can be found on the website http://www.anugafoodtec.com/aft/exhibitor-search.

New Ingredients From Residues Thanks to upcycling the range of natural food additives is becoming more comprehensive, as one can see from the example of pectin. The by-product that is generated during the production of apple juice is used as a gelling agent, which has become indispensable within the food industry. Polyphenols that are found in the pressing residues will in future be used to add a further brown shade to the palette of natural colourants for food. The aim of a project supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is to develop a large-scale technical process that uses the waste products left over after making juices as an alternative for caramel colouring.

Focus on Resource Efficiency Anuga FoodTec will demonstrate that like recycling, upcycling the transformation of industrial by-products into important substances – has become firmly established in the industrial environment of food production. The machines presented at the Cologne fair grounds can already be integrated into all common processes.

Rising prices for raw materials and a worldwide growing ecological awareness demand the friendly and efficient handling of natural resources. The opening conference ‘Resource efficiency - challenges and opportunities’ which is taking place at the Cologne fair grounds on 20 March picks up on these aspects. An additional expert A number of exhibitors at Anuga FoodTec will be presenting a wide spectrum of forum on 22 March is dedicated established technologies for the isolation of whey components and for the further to the theme of upcycling and the use of by-products. J processing of the recovered ingredients into liquid and powder products.

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I ANUGA FOODTEC 2018

International FoodTec Award – 2018 Winners he DLG (German Agricultural Society) has announced the winT ners of the 2018 International FoodTec Award. This year, the renowned prize will be awarded to 17 innovations from the international food manufacturing and supply industry. Five innovations receive the International FoodTec Award in gold, while a further 12 receive the silver award.

The winners this year include companies from Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Russia, Switzerland and Germany. The award ceremony will take place on 20 March 2018 at Anuga FoodTec, the leading global trade fair for food and beverage technology, which takes place in Cologne.

The International FoodTec Awards are presented every three years. They are awarded by the DLG in co-operation with a number of trade and media partners.

Gold International FoodTec Award Winners • Albert Handtmann Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG (Biberach, Riss, Germany): "Formsystem" • Linde AG (Unterschleißheim, Germany): "ACCU-CHILL® Sauce Cooling" • TREIF Maschinenbau GmbH (Oberlahr, Germany): "AVITOS – Frozen meat cube cutter" • Danish Meat Research Institute (Taastrup, Denmark): "DynaCQ – multispectral visual surface inspection" • MULTIVAC (Wolfertschwenden, Germany): "MULTIVAC Xline".

Silver International FoodTec Award Winners • Absolut-Soft OOO (Moscow, Russia): "1C:MESbyMEAT – Software industry solution for the meat industry" • BEHN + BATES Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG (Münster, Germany): "ROTO-PACKER ADAMS CARE-LINE EDITION" • Brabender GmbH & Co. KG (Duisburg, Germany): "Rapid Flour Check" • CSB-Automation AG (Kestenholz, Switzerland): "ProMessa 2020" • DIL e.V. (Quakenbrück, Germany): "SmoothCut ONE" • KRONES AG (Neutraubling, Germany): "Express Pasteurization Beer" • Minerva Omega Group (Bologna, Italy): "NeMoSy® (Nexus Monitoring System)" • Pfeffer Filtertechnik, Inh. Ulrich Pfeffer (Gingen, Germany): "System for cleaning frying fat in deep fryer" • Stephan Machinery GmbH (Hamelin, Germany): "SAM® – Stephan Aseptic Multitherm" • TOMRA Sorting Solutions Food (Leuven, Belgium): "TOMRA ACT" • ViscoTec pump- u. Dosiertechnik GmbH (Töging, Germany): "Hygienic Dispenser" • Zeppelin Systems GmbH (Rödermark, Germany): "DymoMix".

Short descriptions of these outstanding innovations can be found at: www.foodtecaward.com. J 24

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

I ANUGA FOODTEC 2018 PREVIEWS

Grote Company Exhibiting Equipment in Key Applications – Pizza Topping, Sandwich Assembly and Slicing Equipment rote Company, a manufacturer of automated food slicing and G assembly equipment, will be showcasing their equipment in two stands at Anuga FoodTec, 20-23 March in Cologne, Germany.

Grote’s pizza topping line will be running with product: depositing sauce, applying cheese, and slicing and applying pepperoni with a vision quality system in Hall 06.1, Stand F101.

“Our pizza topping equipment offers greater throughput per footprint and ease of maintenance, while improving quality with accurate portioning and targeting,” says CEO Bob Grote.

“Combining our unmatched years of pizza equipment experience with partners like a vision system provider has allowed us to drive our solutions even further.”

A sandwich assembly line and Log End Slicer will be shown across the aisle in Stand F108. The sandwich line includes a Bread Denester with optional Butter Applicator, Volumetric Depositor, Sandwich Cutter and Conveyor. The Log End Slicer is specifically designed to recover usable slices from every product log end – increasing yield, and eliminating rework and manual slicing – ideal for large volume, premium deli meat slicing operations.

Visit Grote Company’s application specialists to discuss your pizza topping, sandwich assembly and food slicing needs at Anuga FoodTec or visit www.grotecompany.com for more information. J

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I ANUGA FOODTEC 2018 PREVIEWS

Unique Heat Exchanger Increases Resource Efficiency by Cutting Process Waste ith resource efficiency topping the W agenda at this year’s Anuga FoodTec show, HRS Heat Exchangers is shining a light on a forgotten area of wastage in food processing – food lost during cleaning cycles and production changes. The HRS R Series of scraped surface heat exchangers removes food residue, meaning that food factories can now recover valuable product from the exchanger when heating, cooling or pasteurising viscous/sticky foods.

HRS International Sales & Marketing Director Matt Hale explains: “Normally, when processing viscous food products such as honey, syrups and purées, a certain amount will adhere to surfaces, such as the inside of pipe work, or become left in equipment after processing. The value of these lost products soon adds up. For example, this issue is estimated to account for 3% of product losses in the US dairy industry.”

Globally some 5% of food loses occur during processing, although this varies according to region. In European countries

The right heat exchanger choice can save £s when processing high value viscous products such as tomato soup.

the average figure is around 5% but this rises to 9% in North America.

Traditionally flushing or so-called ‘pigging systems’ have been used to push product through key parts of the production system, like heat exchangers. However, both add complexity to the system and can result in high levels of product wastage.

However, running a suitable scraped-surface heat exchanger, such as the HRS R

Series, in reverse, enables the recovery of material without the need for such additional equipment.

The HRS R Series scraped surface heat exchanger is capable of removing much of the product before the cleaning or changeover cycle commences. This is made possible thanks to a scraper bar within each inner tube which enhances product flow; prevents fouling during operation and minimises the pressure drop. The scraper bar features a helical screw which rotates at high speed. When configured correctly, this screw can be run in reverse, removing product from the heat exchanger tubes without damaging it or changing its characteristics.

The R-Series can be configured for both horizontal and vertical operation, so that gravity can also be used to help recover product from the tubes. Each unit can be supplied with one, three or six tubes and multiple units can be combined for larger installations.

Learn about the benefits of the HRS R Series on Stand D069 in Hall 10.2. J

How to Use Sophisticated Technologies to Accelerate On-trend Products t Anuga FoodTec (Hall 04.2, Stand A068) A plant manufacturer Glatt Ingenieurtechnik will present established processes that help manufacturers to rapidly develop marketable products. From delicious instant drinks to essential oils or vitamins for sports nutrition or dietary supplements, Glatt works closely with its customers to engineer bespoke solutions to produce product samples, scale-up processes and construct economically designed, energy efficient production facilities.

Sophisticated processes such as fluidized

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bed and spouted bed technologies from Glatt Ingenieurtechnik enable ingredient manufacturers to quickly implement modern thinking into sought-after products that meet the expectations of both the food industry and everyday consumers.

For example, high-quality powders or mixtures can be transformed into homogenous and highly soluble, porous granules for instant products using spray agglomeration.

Frequently, the improved product structure results in better product properties. As such, no additives are required. Furthermore, spray granulation and subsequent microencapsulation also offer a wide range of particle design options to simultaneously dry or solidify liquid raw materials such as solutions, suspensions, emulsions or melts to form compact granules in a single step. With no need for additional substances, the ingredient list stays short! Healthy and sensitive ingredients - such as minerals, phytochemicals, aromatic compounds, essential oils or oxidation-sensitive vitamins - usually require a protective shell or FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

structural modification to be incorporated into new formulations. Homogenously embedded in granules or protected in microcapsules, or processed with other substances into easily soluble agglomerates - possibly with a functional coating - they easily provide added value in convenience or dairy products, snacks or lozenges.

Interested parties can register to test their products and processes at the company’s Technology Center. Facilies of all sizes are available, including the flexible mobile laboratory plant, Glatt ProCell LabSystem. Of course, equipment can also be rented or purchased. In Glatt’s Technology Center, product samples ranging from a few grams to hundreds of kilograms can be developed and produced. Company engineers provide pilot capacities for scale-up and contract manufacturing, either as a long-term or interim solution. As such, ingredient producers can profitably fill the production gap during the commissioning stage and provide an uninterrupted supply. J

I ANUGA FOODTEC 2018 PREVIEW

GEA Introduces Unique Continuous Control System to its S-Tec Spiral Freezer Range yield and keeping power usage to a minimum.

EA has announced the addition of G its unique control technology CALLIFREEZE™ to its S-Tec range of spi-

ral freezers for the food industry. The Hygienic Design new system ensures that all products The S-Tec uses a fully-welded conare frozen precisely to the users’ struction for the whole of the productrequirements. CALLIFREEZE™ takes contact belt area. This eliminates any its name from its ability to calibrate the dirt traps that would be created by a freezer having controlled the level of bolted structure and creates a perfect frozenness of the products. This surface for cleaning. The S-Tec is also reduces power consumption, improves available with a fully-welded modular efficiency and helps manufacturers profloor that does not require floor heatduce the finest quality frozen food. ing. Again, this removes dirt traps with The S-Tec was first introduced to the structure elevated on pins welded to market in 2016 for poultry, meat, fish, The S-Tec spiral freezer, with CALLIFREEZE™, uniquely the floor for easy cleaning. ready meals, bakery and dairy applica- provides continuous control of the frozenness of food Flexible Configuration tions that require capacities of up to products. (Photo GEA).

The S-Tec can be configured to meet 6,000 kg/hr. It was originally designed primarily for the European market and and control technology to measure the each user’s needs with a choice of encloconforms to CE and PED regulations. It level of frozenness of every product in the sure and floor types, single- or twin-drum has now been selected by GEA for sale in spiral,” he says. “It then adjusts the configurations, and a selection of Asia. The S-Tec has always been unique for machine to achieve perfect freezing in line infeed/outfeed options – straight through, 90° turn, 180° turn, 270° turn and topits highly efficient airflow characteristics with the customer’s requirements.”

Mathieu also explains that for several down or bottom-up operation. There is and hygienic design; the addition of CALLIFREEZE™, however, once again sets the applications, 80 percent level of frozenness also a range of CIP (Cleaning in Place) at freezer discharge is acceptable with the options including the ultimate 6-Zone S-Tec apart from its competition. product being ‘finish off’ in the cold store Recirculating CIP with full zone coverage CALLIFREEZE™ - A Unique System of for energy savings purpose. “The S-Tec, and a recirculating system that captures Freezer Control with CALLIFREEZE™, can do this too,” and recycles water and cleaning agents CALLIFREEZE™ is a new freezer control he says. Results from one plant operating after filtration, heating and new chemical system that’s exclusive to GEA spiral freez- seven GEA freezers has showed a 10-15 dosing. ers. It is able to calibrate the freezer para- percent production capacity increase with meters through the continuous measure- a reduction in energy consumption.

GEA Servicing For the Lowest Total ment of the level of frozenness of the Even before the introduction of CAL- Cost of Ownership (TCO) product at the freezer exit. GEA has LIFREEZE™ the S-Tec was already a GEA local service personnel are closely enhanced its control system to continuous- market leader in the areas of hygienic involved at the commissioning stage of all ly monitor the level of crystalized water in design and operating efficiency: spiral freezers. This allows them to build a the products and adjust the retention time, relationship with each customer and proair temperature and fan speed to achieve Pure Horizontal Airflow For Highly vide maintenance, spare parts and operathe precise level of freezing required, with Efficient Freezing tional advice throughout the lifetime of the minimum of energy consumption.

Pure horizontal airflow is a unique feature the equipment. GEA service contracts are Mathieu Nouhin, GEA’s Product of GEA spiral freezers. This provides a available allowing the GEA service team to Manager Freezing, says that there is no consistent airflow and temperature distrib- offer optimized, year-round service to keep point in continuing to cool a product ution across all products wherever they are equipment in perfect condition for the beyond 100 percent frozen but, until now, in the spiral. This consistency, throughout lowest possible TCO. there has been no way of checking the the full height of the spiral, ensures that GEA will be in Hall 10.2 Stand A-090level of frozenness of products as a contin- there is a very small temperature differen- C-119 at Anuga FoodTec. uous part of the process. “CAL- tial within the machine, reducing product For more information visit LIFREEZE™ uses GEA’s unique sensing dehydration, significantly improving the www.gea.com. J FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

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I CONVEYORS & END OF LINE TECHNOLOGY

Rexnord Introduces The New 1005 XLBP-Series MatTop® Chain he trend for packages in the food and beverage industry T towards the use of lighter and more delicate packaging materials is ongoing. This drives the need for new conveying solutions that ensure optimal pack handling with the lowest risk of damage to the packs. At the same time these new conveying solutions need to contribute to important sustainability goals, such as conveyor safety improvement and energy saving.

The Rexnord 1005 XLBP - Series MatTop ® accumulation chain for packs to address these needs.

Safety Conveyors equipped with traditional “LBP” (Low Backline Pressure) chains, can create a potential safety hazard at the transfers between conveyors, where the chain opens and closes, due to gaps that form between the rollers on the chain links. This forces OEM’s and end-users to install safety precautions in the packaging area, to ensure no workers can get their fingers or clothes trapped between the chain and conveyor at any time. The Rexnord 1005 XLBP - Series Chain has been designed to optimize the safety of the conveyor system, by reducing the gaps between the rollers by 50% at the transfers. The rollers are made in a bright lime-green colour, to increase the visibility of the moving parts on the conveyor.

Protection of the Packs A complaint often heard at end-users, is that many plastic rollers on LBP conveyor chains do not rotate easily or even get stuck over time, which can cause a dramatic increase of backline pressure on the packs during accumulation. As a result, packs get damaged and the energy consumption of the drive motors will go up, as will the Total Cost of Ownership of the conveyor line. The Rexnord 1005 XLBP - Series Chain offers a solution to these issues: the rollers combine a 30% lighter rotation on the shaft, with less chance for contamination to end up in the rollers or between the rollers and the chain module. This ensures the lowest backline pres-

The Rexnord 1005 XLBP - Series Chain has been designed to optimize the safety of the conveyor m, by reducing the gaps between the rollers system by 50% at the transfers. The rollers are made in a brightt lime-green colour, to increase the visibility of the moving parts on the conveyor.

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The Rexnord 1005 XLBP - Series MatTop Chain is the new standard for LBP (“Low Backline Pressure”) conveyor chains for the coming years.

sure on the packs and minimal energy consumption of the conveyor over time.

Lower Energy Consumption Most end-users have a sustainability target to reduce energy consumption in all areas in their plants. In the packaging area it is not uncommon to have a great number of conveyor drives, since the packs have to travel a long distance from the packers to the palletizers. The power consumed by each conveyor is determined by the total weight of the chain plus the packs, multiplied by the friction factors and the speed. Since the weight of the packs and the speed is a given, Rexnord 1005 XLBP - Series Chain has a reduced chain weight of 40% compared to traditional modular LBP chains. In combination with the 30% lower friction between the packs and the chain during accumulation, this will translate into direct energy savings on each drive motor. In case line control permits, it is even possible to reduce the total number of drives required, since the conveyor lengths can be extended.

Innovative Leader Rexnord holds an unmatched track record of innovative conveying solutions for the food and beverage industry that have defined the new industry standards since 1938. Starting with the first metal TableTop® chains to engineered plastics to magnetic corner tracks (Magnetflex®). The Rexnord 1005 XLBP Series MatTop Chain is the latest addition to the Rexnord portfolio and has all the features to set the new standard for LBP (“Low Backline Pressure”) conveyor chains for the coming years.

For more information, please contact Rexnord at +31 174 445 111 or visit www.rexnordflattop.com. J

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

I FRESH PRODUCE HANDLING & PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

Key Technology Introduces New Precision Size Grader for Green Beans ey Technology has expanded K its family of rotary sizing and grading systems for green beans, which includes their popular Sliver Sizer Remover (SSR), Precision Size Grader (PSG) and Rotary Size Grader (RSG). With the introduction of a new 14roller PSG, Key enables processors to replace drum graders with minimal impact to surrounding equipment. The 14-roller PSG provides four rollers more than previous systems to improve grading performance. The PSG separates beans by diameter, maintaining accuracy over time to help processors make grade while maximizing yield.

Ideal for grading snipped and unsnipped whole and cut green beans for fresh pack, frozen and canned product applications, Key’s rotary sizing and grading systems are available in widths of 2, 3, 4 or 5 feet (0.6 to 1.5 meters). All are 100 percent metric, with metric fasteners, bearings, shafts and sprockets. Achieving capacities of less than 4,000 and up to 13,000 lb. per hour (1.8 to 5.9 metric tons), processors rely on Key’s rotary sizing and grading systems at multiple points along their production lines.

For frozen and canned green beans, SSRs are often found outside the factory at receiving where they grade a digital sorter’s reject stream to reclaim good product from field debris. After snippers, RSGs remove stems and small pieces prior to digital sorting to maximize the performance of the sorter by reducing its load. The main grading area usually follows digital sorting where one or more PSGs are used to separate green beans into two or more grades by diameter.

Fresh Pack For fresh pack green beans, a typical production line layout has a PSG feeding an RSG upstream of a digital sorter. Utilizing this sequence of mechanical separation systems and optical sorting helps customers achieve the highest possible product quality

desirable, the new 14-roller system is ideal.

The PSG separates green beans by diameter. Featuring a series of rollers with gaps in between, thin and curled beans fall through as thicker beans are conveyed across the top. The rollers spin at progressive speeds, e.g., the second spins faster than the first to spread product and optional deflectors turn beans, ensuring every bean has the chance to fall through. Rollers are faceted and textured to create gentle agitation so product is lively across the top to either find a gap or roll along.

and production efficiencies.

“Our SSRs and RSGs have been used by frozen and canned green bean processors for many years. Now, these customers are increasingly using our Precision Size Graders too. The combination of PSGs and our other rotary sizing and grading systems are becoming the new industry standard,” says Jim Ruff, General Manager of the Integrated Solutions Group at Key Technology. “Fresh pack processors are also starting to adopt this technology.”

Simple and Robust Compared to drum graders, which are complicated machines with many moving parts, Key’s new 14-roller PSGs are simple and robust. PSGs offer a much smaller footprint than drum graders with the same throughput, while achieving gentle handling and reducing maintenance. They hold the grade over time, which improves final product quality and increases yield. With an open design, fully welded frame and one-piece block pan, they enhance sanitation.

When replacing a drum roller on an existing line and matching the footprint is

Versatile Processors around the world rely on the versatile PSG to achieve their grade, regardless of regional differences. For example, a US processor that considers thicker beans to be of premium quality configures their line so product that is conveyed across the top of a PSG is further processed. A European processor that regards thinner beans to be premium takes the product that falls through the PSG and conveys that to the next step in the processing line.

The gaps between the rollers of the PSG are easily adjusted to change the diameter threshold to modify the grade or process different green bean varietals or other products such as potatoes or carrots. Simply rotating the single handle quickly and accurately adjusts all the gaps consistently throughout the machine to grade by a new size cross section. The PSG can be adjusted and cleaned to handle a new grade or product in less than 10 minutes. Key can equip the PSG and RSG with an optional variable frequency drive to enable adjustments in motor speed to handle changes in throughput, product condition or the aggressiveness of the grade.

For more information on Key’s rotary sizing and grading systems, visit www.key.net/products/rotary-sizing-andgrading-systems. J

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

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I FRESH PRODUCE HANDLING & PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

Proseal Tray Sealer Enables Outstanding Throughput tray sealing machine from leading speA cialist Proseal is enabling faster-thanever line speeds at fruit packer ASFSalford Priors Packhouse. As well as helping the company to reach an impressively high speed of 260 berry packs per minute, the Proseal GT6sXTwin with a mega infeed system also provides many other excellent benefits.

An extremely fast tray sealing machine is essential for ASF- Salford Priors Packhouse to meet its demanding production requirements, and to ensure that the quality and freshness of the berries can be maintained for as long as possible.

Before they are sorted into punnets and seamlessly fed into the Proseal GT6sXTwin tray sealer, the berries are sorted and filled by weight into punnets by the latest equipment from BBC Technologies – which then sends a continuous high-volume stream of product through for filling into the punnets.

Once the punnets are filled and weighed, they travel down a ‘soft-touch’

buffering conveyor that helps to slow them down as they approach the tray collation station. At the same time, the packs are cascaded, allowing for a smoother switch from single-lane to the two-lane format of the Proseal machine.

Proseal GT6sXTwin The GT6sXTwin is the latest addition to Proseal’s ‘S’ range of tray sealers, which combine precise sealing with high speeds.

User-friendly and efficient, models in the ‘S’ range are specifically designed for products for which atmospheric sealing, or simple but accurate gas flushing, is required.

The machine is capable of sealing up to 260 atmospheric packs per minute with a 16-impression tool. In addition to fresh fruit applications, this also makes the GT6sXTwin system ideal for a many other sectors such meat and poultry, and ready meals.

The tray sealer features a number of Proseal-developed features that maximise

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

performance, reliability, and efficiency.

For example, ProMotion increases throughput with following motion and intelligent buffering technology that enables trays to feed continuously into the sealer without stopping. This can improve speeds by up to 30%.

Rugged and Hygienic Like all Proseal machines, the GT6sXTwin offers a rugged and hygienic food industry-approved construction, with washdown protection. A user-friendly menu driven control panel with stepby-step prompts, error and status displays and batch pack counter ensures easy setup. Furthermore, Proseal’s established ‘Auto Tool’ connection system enables tool changes to be carried out in around five minutes, while downtime is further minimised by the use of quick-change conveyor belts and an auto-lock film reel holder.

“We have been very pleased with the high-quality seal that the Proseal machine produces, and also with the machine’s many other features that make it perform so well,” comments Ionut Tirziu at ASF- Salford Priors Packhouse. “As well as this, it’s very easy to use and maintain, which is a big bonus.”

Ionut Tirziu adds: “Above all, speed is the key feature we look for in a tray sealer, both because it enables us to meet our production targets and ensures the berries are as fresh as possible when they reach the shelf. For this reason, we are obviously very happy with the GT6sXTwin, which has allowed us to reach line speeds we had never reached before.”

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Proseal is now established as the UK market leader in the design and manufacture of tray sealing solutions, with a strong reputation for the quality and technical innovation of its equipment. The company has an in-depth understanding of the stringent production requirements of the food sector, and is also known for the high level of after-sales service it provides. J 31

I FRESH PRODUCE HANDLING & PACKAGING TECHNOLOGY

Brillopak Puts Packhouses in Control of Efficiency pplying robotics to a case packing process may well make a A sound business case, but it might not always be the optimum solution when there are multiple SKUs and numerous packs of different shapes and sizes to factor in, cautions Brillopak director David Jahn.

This may sound like an oxymoron statement for an automation specialist to make. Yet, the company, which this year alone has built and installed eight C130 Semi Automated packing stations, has observed a number of instances in packhouse environments where leaping into full automation might actually be detrimental to efficiency.

“Most packhouses today have to improve efficiency to survive, yet many are also contracted to pack for multiple retailers and have to contend with frequent product changeovers,” highlights David.

“Line efficiency is predicated on the ability to run production lines at the highest speed possible with minimal downtime. And it is the machine downtime that trashes efficiency.”

While cranking up an automated machine can boost line throughput during a shift, increasing line speed from 35 to 60 packs a minute is pointless if 10 minutes or more every hour is lost through stoppages because people or machines further up the process cannot keep up. As a result something breaks, a bottleneck occurs and the line stops. At the same time presentation quality suffers.

“Although the impact of a two minute machine stoppage may go unnoticed, repeated eight times over the course of an hour results in over 160 minutes of lost productivity over a typical 10 hour shift,” claims David.

C130 Semi-Automated Packer Brillopak’s ergonomic C130 Semi-Automated packer is designed specifically to maximise the efficiency of manual packing operations where full automation is not an option, either by way of affordability or practicality.

David explains: “Many contract packers have one or more packing lines dedicated to loading multiple SKUs into trays and containers during the course of every shift, and many of these products

Packhouses dealing with multiple SKUs and packing tray seal, flow wrap and VFFS packs into crates contend with frequent product changeovers with stoppages impacting line efficiency.

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Brillopak’s C130 packstation is ergonomically designed to feed product at the right height in the right orientation enabling operatives to pack at optimum speed.

come in different shapes and sizes.” The number of product changeovers and the variation in shape and size of product can mean that automation with consistency is not an option.

Challenging Packing Proficiency Whilst we are taught that accumulation is a good thing, and of course generally it is, there are times when it can actually have a negative impact on efficiency and ultimate throughput. David argues that rotary tables are a perfect example of this, where packing speed is typically dictated by the operative rather than the packhouse. This is because an operator can decide how quickly they pick and place products into a container.

For packhouses using ‘Lazy Susan’ round tables, frequent line stoppages due to people getting distracted by product accumulations, is a constant challenge. Product damage also increases the more it bumps around conveyors and turntables, report Brillopak customers.

To counteract this, Brillopak’s C130 packstation is ergonomically designed to feed an operator product at the right height in the right orientation for them to pack at the optimum speed. This means that they can load products into cases at a consistent pace and comfortably keep up. “We found that by removing the potential of distracting product accumulations, operatives pack at the fastest consistent speed, regardless of the number of product changeovers per shift,” says David.

With one operator focused on packing, a second operator is meanwhile tasked with delivering crates to the line. This is done at the rear of the machine to minimise clutter and maximise efficiency.

Because the crates are accumulated, this second operative can potentially load crates and two lines concurrently.

The empty crates are presented to the packing operative in the same orientation as the product, mitigating repetitive strain caused by twisting and turning. Each system features its own control panel

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

- a colour touchscreen HMI - enabling the operative to control the speed in which product is presented for packing.

packing station is usually 15 months or less.

The result, more products can be packed consistently by fewer people, while increasing overall packing speed by 15% per line.

“We’ve learned from our customers that it is not how fast you pack, but how consis-

Payback Payback for the C130 Semi-Automated

tently you pack over a given period of time,” emphasises David. “Typically, the more consistently you pack at a lower speed, the more products you actually pack onto a pallet at the end of a shift.” This, says David, is the true measure of packhouse efficiency. J

I DEPOSITORS & FILLERS

Riggs Autopack – British Manufacturer of Depositors & Filling Machines For Food Production iggs Autopack is a British manufacturer of high quality R depositors and filling machines, transfer pumps and automatic conveyor filling lines. They are a UK market leader with an excellent reputation and supply their equipment to the food production industry.

Their Model 1000 volumetric depositors and filling machines are one of the most precise and hygienic on the market with exceptional performance, reliability and build quality.

They effectively dispense hot or cold liquid, semi-liquid and suspended solid food products, and accurately fill most types or size of container.

They are available as a semi-automatic unit with foot pedal operation for artisan producers and other small scale manufacturers utilising short batch runs, or fully automatic for large scale food producers using conveyor lines.

Typical goods manufactured using Riggs Autopack’s depositors and filling machines include jam, honey, preserves, condiments, sauces, dips, dressings, marinades, soup, ready meals, coleslaw, quiche, sandwiches and pies, pate, pasta salad, dairy goods, seafood products, desserts, cakes and puddings.

If you're a small, medium or large scale food manufacturer seeking a high quality system to accurately fill jars, bottles, pots, tubs, ready meal trays, cake tins, buckets, jerry cans, pouches or bags, then Riggs Autopack could have the solution.

For further information contact Riggs Autopack on Tel +44 (0)1282 440040; Email info@riggsautopack.co.uk or visit www.riggsautopack.co.uk. J FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

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£500,000 Investment Doubles Advanced Dynamics’ Capacity dvanced Dynamics Ltd, one of the A UK’s leading packaging and labelling equipment suppliers, has

Advanced Dynamics’ MD Malcolm Little explains: “It’s been a great couple of years for our business, with crowned a highly successful trading record sales of some of our Pack year with a significant investment Leader solutions, and the time has totalling £500,000 in expanded come to ramp up operations. We premises, extended stock, additional already respond rapidly to customer jobs and a sophisticated new ERP syscrises, sometimes within 24 hours, tem. and this expansion will give us the The company started with the ability to increase our stock levels even acquisition of a neighbouring unit further, as well as develop more that doubles its engineering capacity bespoke solutions for specific custo around 10,000 sq ft. The new unit tomer requirements. will be developed as a dedicated high“The improved sales and demo tech engineering centre with product facility will also provide our customers Managing Director Malcolm Little (left) and Sales Manager development and servicing capabiliwith a much more integrated and Tom Smith inspecting freshly-delivered machinery in Advanced ties, whilst the existing space will be informative experience, and staff – Dynamics’ new Engineering Centre. refurbished as a sales and admin faciliboth new and existing - with a more ty with extended demonstration area pleasant working environment. Last and meeting rooms. The developments will more Pack Leader machines for rapid turn- but not least, our new ERP management result in a number of new jobs across sever- around and delivery to customers. As exclu- system will provide us with streamlined al disciplines, with the demo area available sive UK distributor of Pack Leader’s cut- control of all our business operations. We by spring 2018 and the entire project com- ting edge solutions, including fillers, cap- can’t wait to get the new facilities up and pleted by early summer. pers, labellers and sleevers amongst others, running to give our business a further boost All in all, the expansion will not only Advanced Dynamics can meet the needs of and customers easy access to every possible improve the customer experience but also packaging companies of all sizes and sec- packaging solution they might need, all enable Advanced Dynamics to stock even tors. under one roof.” J

ULMA Packaging’s Flexible Solution Helps Make Dairy’s Day airy Day, a Watford-based specialist in D artisan cheeses, has reported a significant increase in production since replacing a manual packing machine with ULMA Packaging’s TFS 200 Thermoformer - providing the family-run business with the extra capacity it needed to meet the increasing demand from retailers and foodservice customers for its handmade halloumi cheese.

Investing in a packaging system is a major financial commitment for any SME, however, choosing the right automation partner and equipment can transform a production line, as the rapidly growing producer of artisan dairy products discovered.

ULMA’s TFS 200 Thermoformer is meeting Dairy Day’s requirements for flexibility, the opportunity to quickly launch new products, such as a planned expansion into sliced and shredded cheeses, plus enhanced branding presentation.

Renowned for excellent build quali34

ty, equipment performance and service, ULMA is supporting the customer’s current needs and growth aspirations for its cheeses with an automated solution creating flexible packaging with printed top film. The machine has been pre-configured to allow additional formats to be easily added to the production portfolio.

Improved productivity – the TFS 200’s throughput capability, hygienic design and

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

easy operation reduces the need for manual intervention – as well as prolonged shelf life, are other benefits for Dairy Day. Trust is a key element of any deal and ULMA’s open and flexible approach from the outset, along with its company structure and ethics as part of a co-operative, impressed Dairy Day Director, Chadi Kassem, who runs the business with his two brothers. He says: “We have a family ethos stretching back generations, to us trust is very important. ULMA listened to our requirements, gave advice and practical support during and after the purchase process. I am very happy with the machine and give ULMA 10 out of 10 for service. We would certainly use them again.”

The machine’s reliability also enables Dairy Day to operate without a dedicated engineering resource, as it knows ULMA can service and support the machine with a local technician from their UK wide team. J

Global Brands Take Centre Stage at UK’s Largest Packaging Show esco, Coca Cola, M&S, Co-op, Innocent, TerraCycle, and T Thorntons are just some of the major names taking to the stage as part of Packaging Innovations, Label&Print and Empack 2018’s extensive two-day seminar programme.

The UK’s largest annual event for the whole packaging supply chain, which returns to Birmingham’s NEC on 28 February & 1 March 2018, will host over 20 hours of CPD accredited content. The free-to-attend educational seminar programme will take place across five theatres and will also feature experts from ASDA, Nestle and Floral Street.

Education Programme James Drake-Brockman, Divisional Director of Easyfairs’ Packaging Portfolio, comments: “As the UK’s largest packaging show, our education programme is a key part of the value we offer to our attendees. We are thrilled to have so many fantastic speakers on board, from major retailers to small independent brands. The programme promises a unique insight into the cutting-edge trends, current issues and latest opportunities within the industry, and guarantees inspiration for any industry professional in attendance.”

When snack giant Graze challenged CS Labels to produce a flexible pouch, it embarked on a project which yielded ground breaking results. Technical Director of CS Labels, Andrew Mansfield will discuss his work with Graze and take visitors through the flexible digital packaging process, outlining both the benefits and the pitfalls of the method.

Ron Cregan, Founder of Endangered Species, will analyse the effects plain packaging regulations could have if they were extended to industries such as alcohol, confectionary and snacks. Cregan will examine the multibillion dollar hit that the regulations could have on some of the world’s biggest brands, including Coca-Cola and Kraft.

Elsewhere, ASDA will form part of the FlexoTech Debate panel to discuss whether advances in technology have done enough to help flexo adapt to changing trends in the market today and in the future.

Future of the Label Finally, Kevin Vyse, Senior Packaging Technologist at M&S Food Group will join The Big Print Debate panel to discuss the future of the label sector and consider whether a label is defined by its size, its scope or the purpose it serves.

Drake-Brockman concludes: “In the current climate packaging is heavily under the spotlight, with our event at the end February perfectly placed to help the packaging industry address the challenges it faces. With more than 300 exhibitors and over 20 hours of CPD accredited educational content, the event is poised to be the biggest and busiest to date.”

For further information visit www.easyfairs.com/PIUK, www.easyfairs.com/EmpackUK and www.easyfairs.com/Label&PrintUK or via the show team on Tel +44 (0)20 8843 8800 orPackagingUK@easyfairs.com. J

Sustainability Whether it is reducing waste through smarter packaging, finding more energy efficient solutions or sourcing more recyclable materials, sustainability is the hot industry topic at the moment and will form the basis of the Ecopack Theatre.

Simon Reid, Sustainability Manager at Innocent Drinks, will take to the stage to address the plastic bottle dilemma as he explores Innocent’s unique take on the circular economy, as well as what it is doing to get the circle turning.

Tesco will be joining The Recycling Panel, led by Prismm Environmental, to discuss the challenges, opportunities and innovations facing the packaging market as it moves to become better at recycling.

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

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I SEAFOOD

Changing Demographics Shaping European Seafood Market eafood suppliers will need to adjust their product offerings and marketing strategies to take account of changing consumer demographics if value growth is to be sustained in the European seafood market.

Average seafood per capita consumption in the EU is high at about 25.8 kg, according to the EU Consumer Habits report (2017). However, this level remains relatively static across the region except for Greece, which exhibited a 4.5% decline in consumption as a consequence of the country’s economic problems, and Croatia, which experienced a 9.2% increase fuelled by a developing economy. Germany saw a slight increase in consumption of 1.1% while the UK declined by 0.8%.

The report reveals a strong correlation between both age and social position and consumption frequency. Consumers above the age of 44 display a high frequency of seafood purchase and a lower level of non-consumption, compared to the younger demographic (15-24 years of age) which has the highest percentage of non-consumers. Similarly, the lower class demographic (unemployed, manual workers, students) shows lower consumption rates than more affluent social classes.

Furthermore, buyer frequency is linked to the type of seafood products being purchased. Regular purchasers of seafood choose a higher percentage of tinned, frozen and fresh products, whereas non regular purchasers opt for a higher percentage (30% more than regular purchasers) of processed fish such as breaded and smoked products.

The European seafood industry is becoming increasing consolidated in nature as merger and acquisition activity accelerates, resulting in the emergence of a number of large, international processing groups, such as Nomad Foods, the market leader. Other leading players include Young’s Seafood, Marine Harvest, Icelandic Group and Agama Group of Russia. The top ten processors currently control over 20% of the European seafood market, which is worth over Eur91 billion.

S

Recovery in Aquaculture Following more than a decade of stagnation, the EU aquaculture sector is now showing signs of recovery, exhibiting 4% growth in volume and 8% in value between 2014 and 2015. With profits exceeding Eur400 million, aquaculture is generating more value than ever before, according to the European Commission, which

has been co-operating with national authorities to remove barriers to growth, such as cutting red tape.

“Aquaculture can deliver local food and local jobs in an environment-friendly way,” says Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. “The planning, authorisation, and ultimately the success of aquaculture in the EU lie in the hands of our regions and Member States.” €1 Billion Development Fund The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund provides Eur1.2 billion exclusively for aquaculture. This money is there to help farms invest, grow, become more innovative and efficient, and also to help attract more private investment. If investments gather pace and the conditions continue to be supportive of the sector, the aquaculture sector could achieve the 25% growth by 2020 that Member States had aimed for when developing their aquaculture plans in 2014.

With global population expected to reach 10 billion people by 2050, aquaculture is a key pillar of global and European food security. “We need to plan ahead now to provide more fish, shellfish and algae in a sustainable, responsible way,” says Commissioner Vella. “Of course we must continue our work on sustainable wild fisheries, but if we are to get more seafood, it has to come from farming. Having many small, well-planned farming actions at regional scale, and helping consumers to make informed, responsible choices is the key to success.” J

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

37

I MIXING & BLENDING

Customers Rely on Admix for Process ‘Insurance’ t’s easy to become immersed in common Iprocessors routine. Even the world’s premiere fall into a “we’re getting by”

lizers, gums, whey and plant proteins, sweeteners, milk powders, and cocoa.

mindset because it’s easier than changing an entire process. Admix Inc., a manufacturer of advanced mixing technologies, consistently receives feedback from its customers that the DynaShear in-line high shear mixer is akin to an insurance policy that keeps paying off. That’s because the DynaShear has a track record of finishing what conventional tank mixers cannot and guarantees instantly smooth product every time.

Designed With Ease-of-Use and Energy Savings in Mind

The DynaShear is in the Details

Why is this dual stage sanitary inline highspeed emulsifier and disperser such a sure bet? Its tandem head design combines the benefits of both an axial and a radial stage dispersion, creating optimal emulsifying and flow capability. A single pass through the DynaShear results in product quality typical of multiple passes with conventional mixers. It quickly and easily eliminates all agglomerates left behind after hours of mixing with an inadequate conventional intank mixer. Gone are all traces of “fish eyes”, lumps or undissolved ingredients, clogged strainers, wasted ingredients and long batch times. Admix is well known in the industry as the equipment manufacturer that specializes in mixing powders into liquids, and the DynaShear does not disappoint, as it’s especially adept with certain “difficult to mix” ingredients such as stabi-

Constructed of 316 stainless steel with a clean-in-place 3-A compliant design, this low maintenance machine minimizes downtime since there are no bushings, wear sleeves, shims or bearing supports to wear out. Not only is it easy to install, but processors can quickly disassemble and reassemble the DynaShear for inspection in less than 5 minutes, improving overall productivity. The intense dual rotor/stator action of the Dynashear is so effective that a low kilowatt motor is all that is necessary to emulsify and disperse even the toughest ingredients in a single pass.

The DynaShear has a track record of finishing what conventional tank mixers cannot and guarantees instantly smooth product every time.

Quickship Option

Building on their long tradition of responsive customer service, Admix now offers a Quickship option, shipping select Dynashear configurations within two weeks of order receipt.

In-Plant Trial Program

An in-plant trial is the ultimate opportunity for processors to fully experience the many process and operational benefits the Dynashear has to offer. Admix’s comprehensive trial program enables full on-site use and testing with your own products and operators. Admix reports that most processors who “try” the Dynashear, “buy” the Dynashear due to significant improvements in final product quality and batch time reductions.

Process Assurance Warranty

When getting by isn’t cutting it, the DynaShear from Admix insures the job gets done.

sive warranty entails a thorough analysis of the finished product and a performance evaluation (inquire with Admix for details).

The company believes that utilizing the DynaShear will improve product quality while reducing manufacturing costs, thus directly impacting a processor’s bottom line.

So confident with their precise workmanship, ingredient and applications expertise, it’s no surprise that Admix stands behind all that they do, including backing their equipment sales with a process assurance warranty. The exclu-

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

Employee Owned, Customer Focused

Admix is proud to be 100% owned by its employees. Built on a foundation of product innovation and superior engineering, there is a strong culture at Admix that promotes teamwork, accountability and always providing world class service to its growing base of loyal customers. The employee owners are committed to ensuring every experience with Admix is positive and truly beyond expectations.

For further information contact Admix, Inc. – Europe - Hejrevang 21A, 3450 Allerod, Denmark, Tel +45 3213 8743, Email bbuchert@admix.com or visit www.admix.com. J

QUICKSHIP available on select models. Inquire with Admix for details..

39

I FLAVOURS

GEA Optimises Flavour Manufacturing he technology group GEA has speciT fied its process solution for flavour manufacturing and developed a new machine design as well as control and cleaning elements for the production facilities from the handling of raw materials right through to final packaging. With this, GEA helps flavour manufacturers to ensure the taste, consistency and repeatability of their products.

The goal is to create a flavour that mimics, as closely as possible, the real thing. But it’s not just the combination of raw materials that contributes to the taste result - the manufacturing process is equally crucial. Any variation in method can cause variations in a product that, for all companies, are unacceptable. GEA uses its 50 years of experience in the production of mixing, pumping, homogenization, drying and handling equipment to bring them together, to develop them and provide a consistent quality of the flavours.

match the capabilities of the mixer and the size of the mixer must be scaled precisely with the size of the dryer to ensure compatibility.

Technology Know-how Ensures Consistency

Cleaning Removes Residues and Odours

When producing flavours there is much opportunity for something to go wrong.

An ingredient added too quickly into a mixing vessel, inconsistent temperature, insufficient mixing or incomplete homogenization can all have an effect further downstream that affects the outcome.

Similarly, variations in oil droplet size, shearing or drying parameters can all have an effect that in some subtle way alters the product. All these parameters are critical to producing a consistent product.

The process becomes more complex when 300 to 400 different flavours are produced on the same machinery. The control and automation should rule out deviations.

The new GEA integrated line controls all the individual unit operations precisely and, by doing so, controls the output.

But repeatability is not just a question of adjusting a computerized control system.

Achieving a consistent product also requires very precise engineering to allow the component parts of the line to work together in harmony. For example, feed systems must be calibrated specifically to

In order to comply with the hygiene regulations, every production plant must be cleaned effectively. But, as every flavour manufacturer knows, that’s not the whole story. Flavours and aromas can linger in equipment even after they have been cleaned to the most scrupulous hygiene standards. Any residue of the previous flavour can easily taint the next product, destroying the all-important consistency.

To prevent this, GEA has done much more than provide an efficient rotatingball cleaning system.

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Getting the Design Right

With the overall concept, GEA has eliminated sharp edges or dead zones in the machines, pipework and valve systems, which even the smallest quantity of product could become trapped. Special materials have been carefully chosen to provide smooth internal surfaces to which product cannot adhere. The size of cleaning fluid tanks has been calculated to ensure that they hold precisely the right volume of medium to clean the whole system efficiently in less than four hours.

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

Even gasket materials have been chosen to ensure that they do not harbour traces of product. These elements combine to ensure the efficiency of the CIP (Cleaning In Place) system making it efficient and enabling fast product changeover, reduced downtime, minimal waste and low use of water and detergents.

Sequenced Production

There is also another key factor in maintaining repeatability. When producing multiple products on the same line it is critical that products are processed in the correct sequence to help prevent any tainting from one to the next. Purer flavours such as melon or strawberry, that are instantly recognized by consumers and are often consumed on their own, take precedence. Stronger flavours such as orange, garlic, chilli, curry, etc., that are usually mixed with dishes, come later.

The control system on the GEA line is capable of not only managing the recipe for each product, but sequencing the production for maximum efficiency ensuring that after each operation the line is cleaned sufficiently. Deep cleaning can be performed at the end of the sequence before the program begins again. This also helps to minimize the use of chemicals and water and reduces plant downtime. J

I PROTEINS

KRÖNER-STÄRKE’s New Proteins Boost Meat Alternatives RÖNER-STÄRKE, K leading European clean-label starch and flour producer, has introduced its new range of clean label wheat proteins to the German and European market. The range enables food processors to respond to the increasingly popular trend of substituting traditional meat-based dishes, like sausages and burgers with vegan alternatives.

According to research agency Mintel, in 2016 Germany launched more vegan food products than any other country; however many consumers are unwilling to give up meat completely. Products that provide the texture and appearance of meat but do not actually contain animal products can be enjoyed by everyone and therefore have wide appeal across the population.

GLUTEX B KRÖNER-STÄRKE’s GLUTEX B, produced from vital wheat gluten, fits the bill perfectly. It is a texturised, firm wheat protein that gives a meat-like bite to vegetarian products. Combining structure and texture control with protein enrichment, excellent consistency and binding properties, it is suitable for use in products ranging from, meatballs, burgers and vegetarian Bolognaise Sauce to ready meals.

Alongside boosting opportunities for the meat-free product market,

We have developed a wide variety of wheat protein products that lend themselves perfectly to being incorporated in healthy, high-protein food ranges adhering to cleanlabel and vegan standards.

Vital Wheat Gluten can be a useful ingredient in meat products where a healthy version is required. When added to minced meat, for example, it helps to lower the fat content and hence reduce overall cholesterol levels. As Vital Wheat Gluten boasts a good level of protein content, the minced meat product still provides the consumer with an excellent source of protein.

Sausages are another product area, popular across Europe, in which wheat proteins can be used as a functional and nutritional ingredient. For this market, KRÖNER-STÄRKE has created PROPLEX – a product, rich in protein which is based on wheat. It is ideal for use in a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian sausages. It comes with excellent moulding properties and a superior capacity for fat and water binding, thus acting as a replacement for other vegetable binding agents and proteins too.

Sports Nutrition/Protein Enriched Products As well as replacing meat protein, wheat proteins are a fantastic additive to sports nutrition/protein enriched products. Ideal for fitness-conscious customers who are looking to natural ingredients to improve their performance and stamina whilst also reducing dairy, fat and calorie content.

The wheat proteins are suited to low carb protein foods like breads, where they can be used to boost the protein content.

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

Manufacturers of enriched protein products know the problem of product workability when high amounts of proteins are added. To increase the handling properties of vital wheat gluten it can be mixed with GLUSTAR or GLUSOL from KRÖNER-STÄRKE. This combination would offer good solubility and dispersion properties, be easy to use, and is totally produced without any chemical additives.

KRÖNER-STÄRKE´s product development technician, Maren Wiese, comments: “We have developed a wide variety of wheat protein products that lend themselves perfectly to being incorporated in healthy, high-protein food ranges adhering to clean-label and vegan standards.

Germany is leading the way with meat substitutes in Europe and is witnessing a steady rise in vegetarianism. Our wheat proteins are developed specifically to enable food manufacturers to diversify into high quality meat substitutes and bring added functionality and nutritional value to traditional favourites across the country and in Europe.”

For more information contact: Henrik de Vries on Tel +49 (0)54519447-0 or visit www.kroener-staerke.de. J

Our wheat proteins are developed specifically to enable food manufacturers to diversify into high quuality meat substitutes and bring added functionality and nutritional value to traditional favouritess.

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I BEVERAGES

New All-in Compounds Address Growing Beverage Market With New Ideas he market for refreshing beverages is growing around the world.

T The main drivers in the category are fruit juices and fruit juice drinks, which are seeing disproportionate growth. Hydrosol’s new allin compounds let beverage manufacturers as well as dairies benefit from this growing demand. Its Stabifruit functional systems contain all the important components for making refreshing fruity drinks, and offer many advantages over concentrates.

Fruit juice manufacturers must meet increasing consumer demands while at the same time addressing various production challenges, from growing cost pressure to requirements placed on storage of concentrations, to guaranteeing the optimum product quality. There are also regulations concerning enrichment with vitamins and minerals, as well as the increasingly frequent calls to reduce sugar content, which negatively impacts the mouth feel and viscosity of drinks.

With its Stabifruit line of all-in compounds, Hydrosol offers an attractive solution. Since these functional systems are in powder form, they have high storage stability along with optimum logistics.

Unlike with fruit juice concentrates, there are no expiration date issues. Water-free formulations are microbiologically safer than juices or concentrates. In addition, with no water there is less weight to transport. These are measurable cost benefits for users. In addition, these powdered products can be used by manufacturers who were previously not part of the fruit juice industry, and so do not have the specific machinery park.

Naturally the compounds are free of preservatives. They are easy to use, and with just small dosages give refreshing fruity drinks with appealing mouth feel, colour, flavour and viscosity. Individual com-

ponents can be used flexibly depending on customer wishes. The fruit content is variable. Sugar content can also be reduced without impacting the quality of the beverage. Cloudiness stability is also important, i.e. keeping particles suspended in cloudy drinks. The unusual cloudiness stability of Hydrosol’s formulations has been demonstrated in scientific testing. Hydrosol’s close collaboration with its sister company SternVitamin is an advantage for customers, since it makes it possible to enrich the all-in compounds individually with vitamins and minerals. This gives manufacturers a custom beverage concept from a single source.

A wide portfolio of fruit flavours is available, including favourites like orange, peach and mango as well as special flavours like raspberry, banana and currant. J

Taiyo's New Tea Extract Range unphenon® Instant Teas, offered by ingredients specialist S Taiyo, allow manufacturers to create tea-based products with valuable health benefits and a full tea flavour. Available in specially selected Black, Green and White Tea, Oolong, Matcha and PuErh variants, the instant teas contain all of the beneficial tea ingredients in their natural ratios. Being free from pesticides, heavy metals, BaP/PHA and other potentially harmful residues, the fine powders are perfect for safe and high quality products.

Tea is the most popular drink in the world – and products with tea ingredients are on the increase worldwide. But the preparation

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of tea can be challenging, since it requires a careful balance of tea dosage, water temperature and brewing time. With Taiyo’s Sunphenon® Instant Teas, however, manufacturers can offer true instant tea drinks which are convenient to prepare and still contain all of the beneficial ingredients of tea.

Using a solvent-free, double water infusing brewing process with 1 kilogramme of tea leaves to every 20 litres of water, the Taiyo instant tea extracts contain far higher levels of amino acids and polyphenols than could be achieved by traditional tea brewing at home. The result is a highly soluble powder suitable for hot, cold and ice-cold water which always delivers the perfect concentration for a round, full-flavoured tea taste without any bitterness.

The tea extracts can be readily combined with sweeteners and different flavourings and packed in sticks or jars. Alternatively, they can be used for the manufacture of tea-based RTD beverages or added as ingredients in a wide range of other applications, ranging from dairy products and desserts to confectionery and many more items with premium positionings. Especially interesting is their potential for use in dietary supplements and sports or wellness drinks: Instant teas deliver the perfect base as well as added health benefits. Special concepts with effervescents also show how it is possible to turn daily vitamin, mineral or Q10 supplementation into a delicious drink that’s a treat rather than a chore. J

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

I SUGAR & CALORIE REDUCTION

How Appealing are Heart Health Claims to Consumers, and What Place does Oat Fibre Have in the Health Reformulation ‘Toolbox’?

By Nancy Gaul, Global Marketing Director at Tate & Lyle or consumers across the globe, reducing F consumption of sugars and total calorie intake remains a top priority. In fact, an average of 55% of consumers say they’re trying to consume less sugar, whereas an average of 42% say they’re trying to consume fewer calories[1]. As a result, the total number of no-/low-calorie and no-/lowsugar claims on food and beverage products has risen 87% since 2010.[2] However, despite being committed to reducing calories and sugars, consumers are not willing to sacrifice great taste. The challenge remains finding the right mix of solutions in order to reduce sugar content without compromising taste or texture. Because high-potency sweeteners are significantly sweeter than sucrose, they are used at very low levels in formulations and only provide sweetness without the other functional attributes of sucrose. Manufacturers look-

PromOat® Beta Glucan reduces calories by replacing fat and sugars. It is also highly soluble, which makes it uniquely well suited for beverages such as smoothies, nectars, and dairy alternative drinks.

ing to effectively reduce sugar and calories in their formulations use other ingredients alongside the high-potency sweeteners to deliver the bulk and mouthfeel that sugar provides.

As a result of these challenges, more and more manufacturers are turning to select fibres in their formulations. Fibre compensates for the lack of bulk and texture and allows for a satisfying sensory experience in reduced-sugar and reduced-calorie products. Some fibres may also enable popular claims related to health and nutrition benefits such as ‘source of fibre’ and digestive health.

America and Latin America revealed that 63% of global consumers prefer oats as their source of fibre[5].

Oat Fibre One fibre of particular interest to manufacturers across numerous categories is oat fibre. This is due to a strong consumer appeal for oats, specifically, with two thirds of consumers ranking oat fibre as their most preferred fibre to see on a label[3]. As a result of this, innovation with oats and oat products is increasing, with product launches containing oats or oat products nearly doubling between 2012 and 2016.[4] The snacks category in particular is leading this trend with many product launches including a cholesterol-related claim.

Brands choosing not to make a cholesterol-related claim may still be able to benefit from the ‘oats healthy halo’. Depending upon local regulations and fibre content, a claim such as “contains oat fibre” which would resonate positively with consumers, may be possible. Indeed, in today’s dynamic global food market the basic information displayed on the packaging is as likely to appeal to the consumer as the scientific explanation about the food inside. The mention of ‘oats’ on the front of a product can be powerful and persuasive. Research conducted by Qualtrics among 8,800 adults in Europe, Middle-East, Asia, North

Diverse Portfolio Tate & Lyle provides manufacturers with a diverse portfolio of fibre solutions that can help achieve specific health-benefit claims and appeal to consumer sentiment without sacrificing taste or texture. Our formulation experts work closely with customers to identify the appropriate fibre solution to meet the needs of their consumers.

For example, PromOat® Beta Glucan, one of the fibre ingredients in Tate & Lyle’s fibre portfolio, is a natural soluble fibre made from non-GM Swedish oats which yields multiple benefits, including reduced blood cholesterol. PromOat® Beta Glucan reduces calories by replacing fat and sugars. It is also highly soluble, which makes it uniquely well suited for beverages such as smoothies, nectars, and dairy alternative drinks.

[1] Online research conducted by Tate & Lyle in July 2015; 7,200 respondents from USA, Mexico, Brazil, UK, France, Germany, Russia, China and Japan.

[2] Innova, [3] Qualtrics Fibre A&U,11 countries, 8800 respondents, 2015-2016 [4] Innova (August 2016)..

[5] Qualtrics Fibre A&U, 11 countries, 8800 respondents, 2015-2016. J

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

Nancy Gaul, Global Marketing Director at Tate & Lyle.

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I POULTRY

Avara Foods is the New Force in UK Poultry Avara Foods, a joint venture between Cargill’s fresh chicken operations in the UK and Faccenda Foods’ fresh chicken, turkey and duck business, has been unveiled as the latest major player in the UK poultry sector. he new joint venture, which is equally owned by Cargill and Faccenda Foods, was approved by the UK Competition and Markets Authority in December after receiving earlier clearance from the European Commission. The combined business will employ approximately 6,000 people in the UK, with employees coming from both parent companies. It will operate across multiple agriculture and operational centres, with broad capabilities that span the supply chain focused on operational excellence and customer focused partnerships.

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Complementary “We believe the two organisations are complementary. Combining into one entity allows us to build on our strengths, grow in the market and better serve our customers.

The venture will facilitate greater opportunities to innovate and deliver new and exciting poultry products for consumers,” explains Chris Langholz, president of Cargill Poultry.

Cargill’s UK fresh chicken business consists of laying farms, breeder farms, hatcheries, a feed mill, growout facilities and three poultry processing facilities at Hereford, Wolverhampton and Newent.

Cargill sources birds from a network of farms, primarily independently 44

owned, and processes approximately 2.1 million birds per week.

Faccenda Foods is a vertically integrated food business delivering fresh and convenience food solutions for the UK retail and food service sectors. It is one of the UK’s largest food businesses and employs 3,600 people across its UK chicken, turkey and duck operations.

Faccenda’s poultry business encompasses laying farms, breeder farms, hatcheries, two feed mills, grow-out facilities and six poultry processing facilities. Faccenda sources birds from both independently owned and company owned farms and processes just over 2 million chickens per week and 4.5 million turkeys and 5.5 million ducks per year. The company’s production facilities are located at Brackley, Telford, Dudley, Abergavenny, Caistor and Burton. Wholly owned by the Faccenda family, the business has been successfully supplying UK consumers for six decades.

For its 2017 financial year, Faccenda Foods reported broadly flat top line growth with turnover slipping from £523 million to £520 million but operating profit rose from £7.7 million to £11.7 million.

Despite the challenging market, Faccenda Foods’ continued investment throughout its supply chain, together with a continued focus on greater efficiency and productivity, contributed to the improved overall financial performance.

Launching Avara Foods Andy Dawkins, who is the new chief executive of Avara Foods, comments:

FOOD & DRINK BUSINESS EUROPE, FEBRUARY 2018

Andy Dawkins, chief executive of Avara Foods.

“Launching Avara Foods brings together two successful businesses with high standards, shared values and strong reputations for building sustainable partnerships with customers, growers and suppliers. Now the opportunity is to take the best from both and provide our customers with great service and innovation from a trusted leader in fresh foods.”

“We believe that it is our strong values and talented people that make the difference and will be key to the success of our business now and in the future,” Andy Dawkins elaborates. “Our first step is to make sure that there is a smooth transition as we bring together the two businesses as Avara Foods, and establish a solid platform for growth.”

Separate to the Avara Foods joint venture, in the UK Cargill will continue to process and sell cooked poultry products in Balliol, Wolverhampton, as well as operate its poultry import, trading and distribution business. Cargill will also continue to operate its European poultry businesses in France, Russia and the Netherlands. Faccenda Foods will retain its shareholding in Dartmouth Foods. J