Food Feb 2021

FEBRUARY 2021

Diageo Australia MD Angus McPherson on why competition is good for business PLUS: Ingredients | Nanotechnology | Water quality control

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I

ngredients are the backbone of the food and beverage industry. Without such a diverse set of flavour profiles, eating and drinking would be a boring affair.

This issue, we look at a few players in the market who are looking to up the ante in terms of new trends and where the industry is heading into the future. There is Langdons, which is still a family-owned business almost 170 years after it was founded by the family that bears its name.

The company is a big believer in product development, so much so it has opened a Product Development & Culinary Centre, which is designed to not only give staff members a place to test and develop new ingredients, but as a hub for industry where they can gather for events.

Then there is The Australian Superfoods Co that is really starting to make strides into the local market using Indigenous ingredients. The company is stepping up the plate in terms finding, sourcing and encouraging farmers to grow some of these superfoods. Managing director, Hayley, Blieden, believes that not only are these products underutilised, but they could also be a great source of export income as other food processors, manufacturers and chefs discover the tastes and properties of the superfoods.

Then there is Botanical Innovations. As the name suggests, innovation is in its nature as it takes commercial ingredients to a new level. It does so by creating non-alcoholic wine, essential oils, and apple cider vinegar powders that are designed to encourage manufacturers and processors to find easier ways to make their products.

Peripheral to ingredients is a piece on nano technology and its place in the food chain. We

once again hear from Dr Julian McClements who features in our December issue. Nano technology has been making waves in the medical industry for the best part of a decade, but McClements turns to its uses in food. It’s interesting to learn the effect nano particles can have on the food we consume, and McClements goes into some detail how manufacturers can do a lot of things with the technology, but it is important that they are cautious when doing so.

Finally, this month’s issue feature Manufacturer of the Month, we talk to the managing director of Diageo Australia, Angus McPherson.

McPherson is new to the spirits industry, but has been in beverages for the best part of 20 years. His initial plan for 2020 was to sight see around Australia with his young family and take in all the gracious bounty and landscape the country has to offer. COVID-19 put the kibosh on that. However, with adversity sometimes comes opportunity. And as he mentions in the piece, jobs like being in charge of one of the biggest spirts’ manufacturers/distributors in the country come around rarely, so he took the opportunity as soon as it was presented.

As you would expect, the year started out a lot different from what he thought it would, and as the months unfolded he and his team took on the challenges head on. We cover off on what COVID-19 was like, what current trends are happening in the market, as well as discuss why he is not worried about the number of new distilleries (almost 350) that have been set up in the past six years.

Have a great month.

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www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 3

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CONTENTS INSIDE

6 NEWS

24

20 MEET THE MANUFACTURER

Diageo’s Australian managing director Angus McPherson on his first year in the top job.

24 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

The uptake in digitisation and Industry 4.0 has been slow. That needs to change and here’s why.

26 PROFILE

30

A look at Heat and Control and how it helps the food and beverage sector.

28 INGREDIENTS

The latest trends, interviews with three ingredient innovators, plus nano technology and its role in the industry.

36 FOOD PROCESSING

How new efficiencies can be brought to bear in the factory.

38 AUTOMATION

Bürkert looks at how to optimise technology in the food and beverage sector.

34

38 40 BUSINESS PROCESS/AUTOMATION SOFTWARE

Order Management software makes life easy for food company.

42 LUBRICANTS

Delicacy go hand-in-hand with lubricants when harvesting olives.

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44 AIP 46 AFCCC 47 DAIRY REPORT 48 M ARKETWATCH 49 NEW PRODUCTS

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 5

NEWS

Montague and Arcella sign agreement M

ontague, one of Australia’s largest fruit growers, has signed an initial two-year lease agreement with Mareeba-based Arcella Bananas Company. The agreement will see Arcella use the Montague produce and packing facility in Brisbane to ripen its bananas.

Montague opened their stateof-the-art produce facility at the Brisbane Markets in Rocklea, Queensland in April 2019.

The 5,578sq m purpose-built facility is a fully automated, temperature-controlled environment, complete with a cold storage space monitored 24/7, and ripening rooms equipped with the latest European tarpless technology.

The specialised equipment introduced in the facility ensures the reduction of ethylene and airborne pathogens.

Arcella Bananas is a familyowned and operated business, founded in 1974 by Pat Arcella.

Arcella Bananas has now grown to consist of three banana plantations located in Mareeba, Innisfail and Upper Daradgee, along with an extended network of growers in Queensland.

Arcella Bananas was impressed by the tarpless technology in ripening rooms, which offers control over the banana ripening process to produce fruit that looks and tastes better, and stays fresh for longer.

“We are delighted to team-up with Montague to utilise their worldclass facilities, and access this new technology to ripen our bananas.

We think consumers will be very

pleased by the outstanding quality and flavour of the fruit ripened in Rocklea,” said Dom Arcella, business operations manager for Arcella Bananas.

Arcella Bananas are known for their Tropicana brand of bananas.

They are a key supplier to Coles, Aldi and premium Independent stores in Sydney, Melbourne, and now Brisbane.

“Supporting local growers and businesses like Arcella Bananas is of great importance to us here at Montague,” said Hamish Montague, general manager of Montague Queensland. “We will continue to innovate in fresh produce industries, delivering excellent produce for our consumers while striving to be energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.”

Arcella will use the facility to ripen its bananas.

MRG appoint CFO Akdogan as interim CEO T he board of Murray River Organics Group has announced the resignation of chief executive officer and managing director Valentina Tripp and the appointment of chief financial officer Birol Akdogan as interim CEO, both effective immediately.

The MRG board has accepted Tripp’s resignation and her request to end her employment with the company, having served almost three years as CEO during the turn around and restructuring phase of

MRG. Tripp will continue to be available for the next three months to assist with transition as required.

Chairman of MRG, Andrew Monk, said “The Board recognises the work Val has put towards building and developing a highly capable team of people. [She has overseen] the restructure, recapitalisation and strategic re-positioning of the company as a leading organic FMCG business enabling MRG to accelerate the benefits from its core assets and new MRO retail brand. Val is a top 30

6 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

shareholder and we are pleased that she has indicated she will continue to invest in MRG’s future.

“The company is now positioned as a diversified FMCG organic and ‘better-for-you’ food company.

Having significantly reduced its risk profile through its asset realisation program and resultant smaller farming operations, MRG has maintained its strengths as an agile, vertically integrated food producer. It has continued to strengthen its diverse global supply chains to enable it to accelerate its

future growth.”

Since joining the Group on in September 2020, Akdogan has provided strong financial leadership to the group and has demonstrated an excellent grasp of the complex requirements and operations of MRG. He will serve as interim CEO while a review is completed by the MRG Board.

MRG’s strategic positioning as vertically integrated organic supplier of premium organic and ‘better for you’ products will continue to be pursued by its well-established teams.

NEWS

usselton’s newest brewery, Shelter Brewing Co, started production canning three of its beers on site.

The India Pale Ale (IPA), Extra Pale Ale (XPA) and Summer Sour beers are the first brews to be canned, which will be available in 16-can cubes.

The new canning line produces a can of beer every two seconds or 32 cans per minute.

Earlier this year, Shelter Brewing Co received a $250,000 grant through the State Government’s Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants program for the purchase of the canning line.

The RED Grants funding was through the South West Development Commission, which has focus on driving economic growth and supporting jobs creation.

SWDC chief executive officer,

Photo: Stephen Norman

Shelter Brewing starts canning beer onsite B

Shelter Brewing received $250,000 in funding.

Mellisa Teede, congratulated the team at the Shelter Brewing Co. “Shelter Brewing Co is a great asset for the region and with the canning line, they are now well placed to

capitalise on export opportunities.

They are already discussing market entry strategies with our Austrade TradeStart team,” Teede said. “We are delighted that the South West’s brewing

Cheer is new name for Coon cheese S aputo Dairy Australia has announced Cheer Cheese as the new name for Coon cheese in Australia. The company said the name change follows Saputo’s review

to honour the brand-affinity felt by its consumers while aligning with current attitudes and perspectives when it comes to the brand name of the cheese.

“Treating people with respect and without discrimination is one of our basic principles and it is imperative that we continue to uphold this in everything we do,” said Lino A.

Saputo has rebranded Coon cheese to a more palatable name, Cheer.

8 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

community is growing and that our reputation for premium beverages continues to grow.”

Shelter Brewing Co head brewer and director, Jason Credaro, said that canning beer is seen as a real gamechanger for the Western Australianbased business.

“The canning line means we can start a retail arm and eventually start exporting Shelter Beer, sharing a taste of Busselton far and wide,” Credaro said. “Having our own canning line means that the beer is at its freshest when it’s canned, right here in the brewery where it’s made. It’s great that more people can try Shelter Beer – they don’t necessarily need to be in Busselton.”

The 16-can cubes of Shelter Beer are available at the brewery as well as in selected bottle shops in the South West and Perth.

Saputo, chair and chief executive officer at Saputo.

“Our decision to change the name of Australia’s much-loved cheese reinforces this commitment to build a culture of acceptance, inclusion and respect where everyone feels a sense of belonging.”

“Cheer Cheese is a cheese for everyone, and we trust our valued consumers and those who are new to our products will embrace this new name,” said Cam Bruce, commercial director, Saputo Dairy Australia.

“We want to stay true to the brand values. Cheer Cheese enriches everyday moments, with our signature taste that brightens your morning, noon or night.

“Cheer Cheese fits into every part of your day and brings that extra little bit of happiness. Whether it’s a sliced snack, a part of your family’s dinner time favourite, or a melty midnight toastie.”

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NEWS

Crop losses are due to insufficient labour C

rop losses across the country, as a result of ongoing labour shortages, have continued to mount over the festive season, and have now topped $38 million.

The National Lost Crop Register was launched in mid-December to capture the true cost to industry and the national economy from a lack of seasonal workers available to harvest fresh fruits and vegetables.

A total of 55 growers from five separate states and territories have anonymously reported their losses to date. A wide array of crops are represented on the Register, including berries, tomatoes, carrots, citrus,

bananas, pumpkins, chilli and leafy green vegetables.

Two individual reports, from one fruit and another vegetable grower, have exceeded $10 million.

“Our belief is that reports to the Register so far are just the tip of the iceberg. As awareness of the Register grows, and as labour supply remains tight, the recorded losses will likely only increase,” said Richard Shannon, manager of policy and advocacy at peak industry body Growcom.

“This is important evidence that will be used to inform decisionmaking and improve the ability of industry to collectively advocate for

greater government intervention.”

Pinnacle Hill Lychees, located outside Ingham, Queensland, has only been able to recruit two seasonal workers for part of its harvest where it would normally employ upwards of 20 backpackers and 12 contractors to help alleviate crop losses.

As a result, it has been unable to harvest more than half of its crop, conservatively worth $500,000 at farm gate.

Crop losses are also being felt along the supply chain. Carter and Spencer, agents for Pinnacle Hill Lychees in the Brisbane wholesale markets, have been left with far less

product than expected.

“Based on an inspection of the crop before harvest, we were anticipating between 20,000 to 30,000 boxes of fruit from Pinnacle Hill this season, but have received just over 6,000,” said Carter and Spencer sales manager Shane Rhea.

The horticulture industry has been calling for an expansion of the transTasman bubble to include Pacific Island Nations that are free from COVID-19 as a way for workers to enter Australia, which are outside of the current quarantine pathways and the international returned traveler’s cap.

Calabria Family Wines gets Dow’s port distribution

Calabria Family Wines is now distributing Dow’s Port.

C

alabria Family Wines is continuing to expand its distribution portfolio with the recent addition of Dow’s Port, owned by the Symington family. The deal sees Calabria Family Wines take on the distribution, sales and marketing of the port house in the Australian market, which was previously managed by Tyrrell’s Wines.

Dow’s joins the recent distributorship appointment of Calabria Family Wines to Italian Prosecco brand, Canti, which was announced in September.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming such a prestigious name in port to the Calabria family,” third-generation sales and marketing manager Andrew Calabria said.

10 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

“Dow’s is recognised around the world as one of the premier vintage port producers and continues to set the benchmark for quality port each year. We’re delighted to establish a partnership with the wellrespected Symington family in the Australian market.”

Dow’s was founded in 1798 by Portuguese business merchant Bruno

da Silva, who imported wine from his native country to London.

His business acumen and societal connections built a fine reputation for Dow’s Port within London society, even through the Napoleonic wars.

Today, Dow’s Port is available in more than 50 countries. Approximately 56 per cent of its sales are trending in the premium price point compared to what is the industry average of just under 20 per cent.

“We are thrilled to start working with the Calabria family in Australia, a family-owned and managed business just like our own, and therefore like-minded in the longterm view of the port market development,” Rupert Symington, fourth-generation CEO of Symington Family Estates said.

“Australia has a rich history of fortified wines and a great connection to port, and with the increased interest in our premium wines we’ve been witnessing, not just in Australia, but also around the world, we are confident this is the right time for this new partnership and that it will be fruitful for both companies.”

THE NATIVE INGREDIENT SPECIALISTS SEE THE COMPLETE RANGE AT WWW.AUSTSUPERFOODS.COM.AU

THE AUSTRALIAN SUPERFOOD CO. | NATIVE INGREDIENT SPECIALISTS www.austsuperfoods.com.au | Email: info@austsuperfoods.com.au

NEWS

CSIRO study shows low-carb diet puts diabetes into remission A

ustralia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has contributed to a new, international study that has found consuming less carbs can potentially put type 2 diabetes into remission.

Published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), scientists found that after six months, patients who followed a low-carb diet containing less than 26 per cent of daily calories from carbohydrates achieved greater rates of type 2 diabetes remission than those who followed other diets traditionally recommended for managing the disease.

Professor Grant Brinkworth, contributing author to the study and CSIRO research scientist, said the findings showed those who better adhered to the low-carb dietary approach had the greatest health improvements.

“Building on existing research, this study underscores that a

low-carb diet can achieve greater weight loss and is more effective in reducing diabetes medication and improving blood glucose control,” Brinkworth said.

“However, this study has gone one step further in showing the low-carb dietary approach to be effective in driving type 2 diabetes into remission.

“We know that lifestyle factors such as what we eat play a major part in determining our risk to type 2 diabetes. The good news is these lifestyle choices are within our control to change.”

Diabetes has become one of the greatest global health challenges of the 21st century. Worldwide it is estimated that one in 11 adults have diabetes and that it is responsible for approximately 11 per cent of deaths annually. Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, with 90-95 per cent of all cases.

Study co-lead, Dr Joshua

Goldenberg, National University of Natural Medicine, Helfgott Research Institute in Oregon, said the study was the first systematic review to examine the safety and efficacy of low-carb diets in adults and to assess remission rates of type 2 diabetes.

“We used the most robust scientific methods to examine the combined effects of 23 published clinical trials from across the world, involving 1,357 participants, including additional data from five of those clinical trials on markers of blood sugar status,” Goldenberg said.

“By examining the totality of evidence on the effects of low-carb diets against clinical targets, this study will help clinicians and patients to better understand how this dietary approach can be used to treat type 2 diabetes, which remains a significant and worsening problem worldwide, despite numerous

pharmaceutical developments.

“The results of this study suggest low-carb diets could be considered an effective alternative, while monitoring and adjusting diabetes medication as needed.”

Professor Brinkworth said the findings underlined the need for diet support tools.

“These results show low-carb diets can be a really effective dietary approach for type 2 diabetes management, however, the challenge is to provide patients with easy-touse support tools and convenient product solutions to help them adhere to it long-term to gain these greater health improvements,” Professor Brinkworth said.

“In the future, having clearer a definition of type 2 diabetes remission and more rigorous studies examining the long-term safety and satisfaction of low-carb diets will also help to confirm the strength of this therapeutic approach.”

Aussie company gets foothold in US supermarket chain M

eluka Australia, has been advised that its Organic Raw Native Honey, and its Organic Raw Native Honey infused with Tea Tree, have been accepted into the Whole Foods product catalogue. United Natural Foods is one of the largest and best-known food distributors in the United States will distribute the product to Whole Foods on behalf of Meluka.

Whole Foods is a large American supermarket chain with a focus on organic products and has over 500 stores across the US. Whole Foods is a wholly owned subsidiary of Amazon.

The company has been advised that the products will initially be ranged in Northern California market across approximately 40

Whole Foods stores. The Northern California market has a population of approximately 15 million people and includes the cities of San Francisco, San Jose (Silicon Valley) and Oakland.

Meluka Australia has commenced the required processes to have its products included in the Whole Foods store’s planograms. An initial product order for the stores in the Northern California market is expected in the coming months, with product expected to be in stores by April 2021.

The order volumes are to be confirmed on an ongoing order basis, which is typical in the industry and the financial benefit cannot be determined in advance of received orders as volumes will be confirmed on an order-by-order basis.

12 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Meluka’s honey will be sold in Whole Foods supermarkets in the US.

NEWS

Murray River Organics sells Merbein property to Manta Farms M

urray River Organics Group (MRG) has sold its Fifth Street, Merbein property for $5.5 million to Manta Farms, managed by US-based RRG Capital Management. The proceeds from the sale will be used to reduce debt.

Former MRG managing director, Valentina Tripp said, “The sale of our conventional Table Grape property

at Fifth Street represents a further milestone in our turnaround strategy.

We are well progressed with our non-core farm asset divestments, which includes the recent sale of our conventional citrus and wine land parcel at Nangiloc to the Costa Group.”

“With today’s announcement we have now secured over $10m in

non-core asset sales, allowing us to focus on our core organic dried vine farming operations and growing our Murray River Organics branded food portfolio.

“We want to thank our farm management and operational teams at the site who have transformed the performance of the property, improving yield from approximately

460 tonnes in 2018 to over 1000 tonnes this season, a fantastic achievement.”

The sale concludes a lengthy transaction process that included Foreign Investment Review Board approval. The Fifth Street property was classified as “Held for Sale” as at 30 June 2020 with a carrying value of $5.5 million.

Naked Wines announces fund for wine makers impacted by China tariffs N aked Wines, a direct wineto-consumer business, has announced a $5 million rescue fund and a number of public commitments to help support quality Australian independent winemakers who are set to take the hardest hit from China’s sudden and hefty wine tariff hikes.

The company, which connects Australia’s best independent winemakers to more than 100,000 Australian wine drinkers, called on winemakers, retailers and consumers to unite to “Stop the Squeeze” on Australia’s independent winemaking community, and announced a new fund and commitments to support quality local independent winemakers and growers.

Managing director of Naked Wines Australia, Alicia Kennedy, said around 15 per cent of Naked Wines’ local independent winemakers – plus a much larger ecosystem of growers, bottlers, employees and community – would be affected by China’s tariff hikes, with Australia’s independent winemakers likely to be the most impacted, yet least resourced, to endure the struggles ahead.

“With the China tariffs story quickly developing, we are hearing first-hand

from Naked’s community – and other winemakers around Australia – about the potentially crippling challenges they are facing,” Kennedy said. “Australia’s independent winemakers have been caught between a rock and a hard place with the sudden tariff hikes of up to 212 per cent on top of an already tough year. The reality is that winemakers reliant on traditional channels are going to suffer the most over the next 12 to 18 months.

“For the smaller winemakers and grape growers, there’s a lot of fear and uncertainty around their future; they have committed to vintage and invested upfront, and they’re understandably very concerned they’ll be driven to the wall by retailers dropping or bartering down their contracts to take advantage of cheaper sources. Unfortunately for some, this is already happening.

“Unlike the bigger winemakers, many of Australia’s independent winemakers don’t have the balance sheets needed to pay the tariffs or to hold their wine in storage for future years when there will be less flowback supply into the market. This will place deflationary pressure on the prices of their grapes and wine – taking advantage of their vulnerability and leaving them holding wine and

14 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Many wine makers have been affected by Chinese tariffs according to Alicia Kennedy.

fruit from dropped contracts and commitments.

“There is a very real danger that many local winemakers will become collateral damage in this situation and be left without a leg to stand on. As an industry and as a nation, we need to band together now to “Stop the Squeeze” on Australia’s wonderful community of independent winemakers – a large portion of whom exist in heartland

regional Australia,” Kennedy said.

To apply to the fund and must meet the following criteria to be considered: 1. Be an independent wine producer or winemaker; 2. display a proven track record of quality; 3. show evidence of the impact China’s wine tariffs have had; and 4. clear any importer/agent exclusivity arrangements first.

NEWS

Applications open for PIDA Awards E

ntries are now open for the 2021 Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA) for Australia and New Zealand. The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) have designed the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards to recognise companies and individuals that are making a significant difference in their field in Australia and

New Zealand.

The PIDA Awards are the exclusive award program for all Australia and New Zealand entries into the prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards, which are coordinated by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO). The deadline is March 5.

2021 PIDA categories include: 1. Design Innovation of the

Year: Food 2. Design Innovation of the Year: Beverage 3. Design Innovation of the Year: Health, Beauty & Wellness 4. Design Innovation of the Year: Domestic & Household 5. Design Innovation of the Year: Labelling & Decoration 6. Design Innovation of the Year: Outside the Box

7. Sustainable Packaging Special Award 8. Save Food Packaging Design Special Award 9. Accessible Packaging Design Special Award 10. Marketing Special Award 11. Young Packaging Professional of the Year 12. Industry Packaging Professional of the Year

The PIDA Awards are open to those in the New Zealand and Australian packaging industry.

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www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 15

NEWS

Aussies confused when it comes to recyclable plastics

Soft plastics can be recycled into many things including planter boxes.

W

hile conscious living has continued to be an important factor in Australian’s lives, a quarter (26 per cent) of the nation has admitted to having limited knowledge on recycling and soft plastics recycling.

While most Australians are aware of recycling via kerbside i.e. the yellow top bins, when it comes to recycling soft plastics, research commissioned by Kellogg’s Australia revealed 85 per cent of the nation aren’t aware that soft plastics – like

cereal liners – can be recycled.

If recycled correctly, soft plastics, the kind that can be scrunched into a ball, can be turned into low-maintenance and durable products that are designed to last, a fact half the nation (53 per cent) is unaware of.

Ninety per cent of Aussies admit they would feel more comfortable recycling if they had a deeper understanding of where the plastics were going. To help raise awareness of the fact that soft plastics can be recycled, and inspire Aussies and kids alike on recycling soft plastics, Kellogg’s Australia has worked with REDCycle and Replas to create sustainable planter boxes, made with recycled soft plastics.

The sustainable planter boxes will be donated to refresh the community garden at New Lambton South Public School in Newcastle.

Maree Lowes, Australian

actress (best known as dirtgirl in dirtgirlworld) and changemaker for the planet said, “I’m all about writing a better story for the next generation.

Kellogg’s has been on the breakfast tables of Aussie families for decades, so I’m excited they’re leading the way on soft plastics recycling. We want everyone to know that there are really simple ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. And it all begins with understanding the how; how plastics can be recycled.”

Kellogg’s cereal liners, along with other soft plastics, can be recycled via the REDcycle recycling initiative where plastic packaging is collected from the REDcycle drop-off bins at Coles and Woolworths every week.

Through the REDcycle Program, Replas takes the soft plastic material and turns it into durable products designed for outdoor use within the community, like park benches and planter boxes.

APAC consumers drinking less alcohol T

eetotalism trends in the AsiaPacific region are becoming increasingly prevalent, with approximately three out of four (71 per cent) of consumers drinking less alcohol in August 2020, according to a survey by data and analytics company GlobalData. However, the adoption of alternative soft drinks remains low, at only one in five consumers.

The survey also showed that APAC customers are more attracted by health claims – specifically products noted to help support mental wellbeing – with such products purchased by nearly a third of consumers. Going forward, it will be crucial for drinks brands to blur the lines around traditional alcoholic products and offer “better for you” messaging.

“APAC consumers are turning away from alcohol driven by concerns around physical and mental health.

While general health concerns take precedence, backed by *almost half (49 per cent) of the region’s population, weight management, fitness, physical appearance and emotional wellbeing are all considerable factors driving low or no-alcohol innovations,” said Carmen Bryan, consumer analyst at GlobalData.

Recognising this trend, New Zealand-based companies Adashiko and Parker Beverages recently launched a collagen-infused bottled water, marketed as “premium” and “sophisticated”.

This launch leverages growing demand for alternatives to alcohol that incorporate functional properties, according to the analysts at GlobalData.

“By incorporating functional and beneficial ingredient formulations, companies such as Adashiko-Parker

16 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Beverages are able to align to personalised health trends and cater to an evolving consumer landscape,” said Bryan.

Looking at alcohol consumption trends more closely, GlobalData’s research reveals that, of the 71 per cent of consumers drinking less, a sizeable 20 per cent (one in five) have stopped drinking alcohol altogether.

“As pubs and bars closed their doors this year, and tensions regarding public health heightened, consumers were forced to reassess their priorities and lifestyles,” said Bryan. “Trends are shaping new home-bound leisure and social occasions where consumers seek the same taste and feel of mature drinks without the negative implications.”

Japanese FMCG company, Morinaga, is leveraging these trends with its amazake product range. Most

notably, the Morigana Collagen in the Haenuki flavour puts a healthy twist on the traditional sweet and low-alcohol Japanese drink by highlighting the high collagen and alcohol-free claims.

“GlobalData’s research highlights the importance of premium positioning and clear ‘better for you’ messaging.

By leveraging wellbeing factors such as natural, immunity-boosting or skin health, brands can create a premium product that blurs consumers’ perceptions around traditional alcoholic products,” said Bryan.

“It’s a rebranding mission, of sorts. Going forward, it will be crucial for brands to blur these lines further, emphasising the positive health credentials that will help reassure consumers, both mentally and physically, to tap into multiple consumption occasions and justify a potentially higher price mark up.”

Arnott’s announces upgrade of Campbell’s Soup plant in Victoria

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he Arnott’s Group has announced it will be manufacturing an extra 16.5 million kilograms of Campbell’s soups and stocks at its Shepparton plant in Victoria each year, due to an $8 million upgrade of the site.

The Arnott’s Group owns the licencing rights to produce Campbell’s products in Asia Pacific as part of its portfolio of consumer food brands, which includes Arnott’s Biscuits.

While domestic demand for canned soup products has been largely flat (and declining for some categories) in Australia, the Shepparton plant has been under-utilised. But demand from Asian countries is strong, and The Arnott’s Group will make the most of export opportunities in key markets.

The announced upgrade will uplift production at the Shepparton plant by 30 per cent and exports by 400 per cent. The local team will take over preparation of Campbell’s soups and stocks for export to new markets including Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, Korea, Taiwan, as well increase exports to existing markets in Hong Kong and Japan over the next 12 months. These products are currently manufactured overseas within The Arnott’s Group’s global sourcing network.

The three-phase project will help secure the financial future of the Shepparton plant and is expected to deliver up to 12 new, full-time jobs as part of planned increase in production.

The upgrade will also have flow-on benefits to Australian suppliers and partners. The Shepparton plant has more than 100 Victorian-based suppliers, many based in the Goulburn Valley. Local suppliers provide not only the fresh produce that goes into these soups, but also the cans that deliver it to homes, and services required to keep the plant operating safely.

Arnott’s has spent $8 million on the upgrade of its plant. www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 17

NEWS

SPC rebrands for the future A

ustralian food and beverage manufacturer SPC has launched its new corporate brand and vision, It’s Time For Better, in line with the company’s strategy to become a global business with bestin-class products.

In a strategic first for the company in its more than 100-year history, the business will position a corporate brand proposition that will house its family of brands including SPC consumer, Goulburn Valley, Ardmona, Kuisine, Provital

and Pomlife. The new corporate positioning aims to support SPC’s global growth strategy and the diversification of its portfolio of products and brands.

The new corporate logo represents a dynamic sun symbolising the hope for a better tomorrow. As the world’s most reliable natural resource, the sun represents the company’s global vision while retaining a strong link with nature and Australia.

“This is a really exciting time for all of us here at SPC as we build

a global company that will play a positive role in feeding the world.

Paying respect to our heritage, we will nurture our roots here in Australia; deepen them and branch out to ensure we reach the rest of the world,” SPC chair, Hussein Rifai said.

“Our goal is to inspire Australian businesses and governments to collaborate on the long-term security and viability of food manufacturing in Australia. We will also work alongside international governments and global businesses to distribute high-quality,

wholesome food around the world.”

SPC CEO, Robert Giles, said, “Over a long period, we have seen an increase in reliance on foods imported from overseas, which has resulted in losing the skill and expertise of agribusinesses in Australia. To safeguard Australia’s food security we need to protect our intellectual property in creative foods as well as foods of the future. We also have to create more valued-added food products so that we can stand on our own two feet and take our products to the world.”

Vow raises US$6 million in seed funding I

n another sign that global food markets are on the precipice of change, cultured meat company Vow has banked US$6 million (AU$7.7 million) of fresh funding.

In 2019, with a Kangaroo dumpling, Vow became the world’s first company to make a food product from the cells of an undomesticated animal, instead of the animal itself. Since then, Vow has grown its library to 11 different animals, both standard and exotic fare, and plated six of them in a world first product demonstration in partnership with Australian chef Neil Perry.

With the upcoming completion of its food design studio and laboratory in Sydney, Vow is positioning itself as the best company to work for in the cultured meat industry. New recruits from top universities, high-tech industries, and even other cultured meat start-ups, are jumping ship and moving countries to join Vow, which has grown its team from five to 22 people in less than a year.

“We’ve placed a deep focus on culture and individual personal development, and it’s been one of the best investments we’ve made,” said Dr. James Ryall, Vow’s chief scientific officer, With a team experienced in sectors that include autonomous vehicles to fintech, and with US$6 million (AU$7.7 million) in new funding, Vow is now setting its sights to outperforming traditional meat sources.

Funding is going to take cultured meat company, Vow, to the next level.

Vow makes meat from the cells of animals to create food products more delicious than anything seen on supermarket shelves. Instead of using animals, Vow can leverage not only

18 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

standard livestock cells such as pork and chicken, but also the cells of new and less conventional animals like kangaroo, alpaca, and water buffalo.

With the first cultured meat products

being approved for sale in Singapore in December, this latest raise cements the validity of the cultured meat industry and positions Vow as the team to watch in the race to feed billions of people sustainably.

“There’s no doubt that cultured meat is becoming available and will soon be mainstream, as evident earlier this month with the world’s first cultured meat product approved for sale in Singapore,” said George Peppou, co-founder and chief executive officer, Vow. “This is about so much more than an alternative to animal agriculture, it’s about a category of products totally distinct from, and better than, what animals are capable of producing.”

The Series Seed round is led by Square Peg Capital. Also joining the round are existing investors Blackbird Ventures and Grok Ventures (the investment office of Mike and Annie Cannon-Brookes), as well as new investors Tenacious Ventures. This round will also see the appointment of James Tynan from Square Peg to the Vow board of directors.

“In Vow, we found a team with the most audacious vision for the future of food. They’re tackling one of the biggest problems on the planet and have delivered results with less than one per cent of the resources of its competitors,” said James Tynan, Square Peg Capital.

“We’re thrilled to help them make this vision a reality.”

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MEET THE MANUFACTURER Diageo managing director Angus McPherson found 2020 challenging but rewarding.

Spirits on the rise Diageo managing director Angus McPherson speaks to Mike Wheeler about COVID-19, the trials and tribulations of supply chain, alcohol consumption and why competition is a good thing.

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aking a year’s sabbatical to drive around Australia with his young family to see a bit of the country was the plan for Angus McPherson at the end of 2019. By May 2020, those plans were on the backburner and he was sitting in the managing director’s chair at beverage multinational, Diageo, and dealing with a pandemic outbreak that changed the way the company had been doing business.

McPherson has a long history in the beverage business. He grew up in the wine industry with his parents owning a wine bottling business. After graduating from Sydney University with a degree in economics, he held several positions with alcohol-related enterprises including Brown Forman, Casella Family Brands, and then spent the past nine years at Treasury Wine Estates. And while he was looking forward to spending some time with his family, taking on the role at Diageo was a no brainer.

“I finished up at Treasury Wine 20 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Estates at the beginning of 2020 and was going to take the trip,” he said.

“COVID meant we couldn’t travel around Australia and then this job came up. Jobs like this don’t come up that often so it was one of those situations where it was too hard to say no.”

When he began in the new position, the pandemic was starting to take off and it was not just affecting the way the beverage industry worked, but every industry.

There were concerns around how it would pan out. Almost immediately the on-premise side of Diageo’s business was hit as state governments put in restrictions on movement and the ability for bars and restaurants to trade. Did McPherson have a sense of dread when new procedures and protocols came into play?

“When the pandemic hit I knew it was going to be a wild ride and we weren’t too sure what would happen, but I was confident that we would navigate our way through it and we had opportunities come

up that we may normally have not pursued so that was exciting,” he said. “Traditionally, when you start in a new role, you get into a good operating rhythm and you get a few variances throughout the year, but you understand what is going to happen and you can plan for it. No one knew what was going to happen. It was a rollercoaster.

Thankfully, it’s been a relatively good rollercoaster for us, but it’s been particularly tough on our onpremise partners.

“There were significant shifts in where consumption was happening.

On-premise consumption shut down almost overnight, and in places like Victoria it shut for five or six months. There was a shift in terms of where the consumption was happening. Traditionally, we have built most of our brands on the on-premise market. We had to shift how we were communicating to consumers and how we were branding our products – from something that was going to the on-premise to the off-premise.”

MEET THE MANUFACTURER

The retail wholesale market took off as consumers started to change their drinking habits and Diageo’s marketing plan changed as it went with consumers.

“It took a while for the market to balance itself out, but then we found some really creative ways to inspire consumers on how to make great cocktails at home,” said McPherson.

“And once we switched on our marketing efforts around informing and inspiring consumers to make great drinks at home, we started to pick up the sales we lost from the on-premise.”

Manufacturing Diageo Australia makes about 70 per cent of the products it sells in Australia, which meant it was important to keep its bottling plant in Huntingwood running at its best capacity while putting in place rules and regulations to keep its people safe and that would make sure supplies were coming through. It meant having shift changes where there was no physical changeover.

One shift would end, everybody would leave the factory, and then the next shift came in. There were no informative chats between the different shift workers about where the process was at in terms of production – it was a case of making sure runs were well planned so they ended at one shift, and then a new batch would be run as the new team refired up the plant.

“I’m proud of the whole organisation and how it’s handled COVID, but the ones working at our bottling factory are the ones I am most proud of because those that were in other areas were allowed to work from home,” said McPherson.

“Those in the supply side of the business continued to go to work every day throughout the whole period. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to keep the business going. You saw that in retail; you saw that in several different industries, where whole portions of the population was at home, but there was another portion out there continually keeping the economies going, keeping the wheels turning in businesses. I’m incredibly proud of them.”

When it came to the supply chain, there were worrying signs that shortages might occur, but it had nothing to do with the pandemic. It

Keeping the production lines going was crucial during COVID-19. was industrial action at Port Botany that caused most concern – and not so much the docks being quiet, but the impact on playing catch-up after the issues were resolved.

“The backlog that the industrial action caused in getting products into Australia, continued through the Christmas period and its affected other parts of the business, too,” said McPherson. “Sourcing within Australia has been fine but getting ingredients that could only be sourced internationally – that was the issue. The industrial action didn’t affect just us, it was across multiple companies. We had to airfreight products in which was expensive.

If you’re in the business of selling a product, no matter what happens, the number one thing you need to do is make sure it stays available and people can find it on shelf.”

As with a lot of fast-moving goods operations, it’s all in the planning, and while there has been

"If you think about manufacturing, what we do in Australia is relatively seamless," the odd hiccup along the way, McPherson has been pleased with how the company has come through the past 12 months.

“If you think about manufacturing, what we do in Australia is relatively seamless,” he said. “As mentioned, importing ingredients has been a challenge, but we also built up inventory because we were concerned that COVID-19 might have an impact in other parts of the market, and potentially shut down some of our supply partners around the world. We’ve been holding incremental stock. We’ve also been planning for Brexit just in case that had any impact on getting products out.”

But not all products have come through the pandemic unscathed.

One of the company’s favourite

tipples that is now in short supply is canned Guinness. While Diageo’s Australian operations partner Lion brew Guinness kegs, the canned variety is made in Ireland, and due to pubs and bars being closed in the UK, supplies making their way down under have been non-existent.

“Sales of Guinness in a can have gone through the roof around the world. Those that drink Guinness, want Guinness,” he said. “The demand for Guinness in a can has been exceptional.”

Competition However, it should not be forgotten that at its heart, Diageo is a spirits business. With worldwide, household names like Smirnoff vodka, Gordon’s gin, Australia’s own Bundaberg Rum, and it’s Diageo has some of the most recognisable spirit brands in the world.

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 21

MEET THE MANUFACTURER

Diageo makes 70 per cent of its product in Australia.

crowning glory the Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky range, on its books, the company has a profile that would be the envy of any beverage manufacturer.

In saying that, how does McPherson feel about the plethora of distilleries that have popped up over the past 10 years? By his own reckoning, six years ago there were about 50 distilleries, now there are more than 400. All that competition must have an effect

on the bottom line, no? Not really, according to McPherson. In what may seem a strange opinion to some, he welcomes the new players in the market. Why? “I think that the spirits industry in Australia can be the next wine industry in terms of exporting,” he said. “If you go back to 1985 there were 500 Australian wineries.

Today there are 2,500. In 1985, the Australian wine industry exported about seven per cent of their product.

McPherson is proud of how the team has handled the pandemic.

22 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Today, they export more than 70 per cent. With spirits, I see a lot of similarities where the industry is today and where the wine industry was 35 years ago. I think it is an exciting time.

“There are a couple of barriers to the challenge. Australia is the third highest taxed nation in the world when it comes to spirits, which is a real roadblock for allowing the Australian spirits industry to really get up and go and invest properly.

Staff have been key in keeping the production lines running.

If you look at the current number of spirits we export versus countries like Ireland, the US and even New Zealand, it’s insignificant and there is a huge global market out there for Australian spirits. Australia can easily do it with spirits. Even to places like China.”

McPherson is adamant that more players in the market benefit the whole industry. It’s not only the potential added value these companies can bring in terms of

MEET THE MANUFACTURER

Sustainability Finally, there is sustainability. As with most manufacturers in this space, Diageo has taken on the mantle of trying to make its business more environmentally friendly, and therefore sustainable into the future in terms of how it can lessen its impact on the environment. It has done this by setting clear targets with regards to reducing emissions, having less wastewater, cutting down energy use, and more importantly

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One trend that McPherson has noted – and this was before he got the top job at Diageo – is that while Australians are drinking less, they are going for premium brands. In May 2020, a Roy Morgan/Australian Bureau of Statistics poll showed that Australian’s alcohol consumption had hit a 50-year low.

“Across most categories we are drinking less than we have ever done before, but value is growing because Australian drinkers are drinking better,” said McPherson.

“People are being more discerning about what they drink. There is a trend of drinking more premium brands. We think this has happened because demographics in Australia are changing, lifestyle habits are changing, and I think people are more conscious and aware of living a balanced lifestyle. Alcohol can play a part in a balanced lifestyle, and people are more aware. There is less irresponsible consumption and that’s a good thing for our community and our business. All the metrics are positive.”

The same poll showed that the

for a company in the beverage sector, increasing the amount of recycled glass it uses.

“We have very clear targets around the recycling of all the materials we use to manufacture our products,” said McPherson.

“Even in the past few years, in our Huntingwood and Bundaberg

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Trends

consumption of spirits was slightly up compared to wine and beer, whose market share had decreased.

“During COVID-19, RTDs had a little bit of a resurgence mainly because the on-premise was shut and consumers were instead having a cocktail at home. A premix/ RTD was a simple way for them to continue enjoying that experience,” he said.

Another trend that has been noticed is the increase in e-commerce. While Diageo doesn’t have a retail platform, its clients do, and although the trend is a positive in terms of consumption, that brings with it other issues that need addressing.

“We collaborate with creative content with our partners, and it has been fascinating to watch the growth of that,” he said. “However, there are huge supply chain implications for everyone on how to keep up with that, and to make that model as efficient as possible.”

AUSTRALI

export dollars, but he believes they make the category more vibrant and interesting.

“The more interesting and exciting you make the category, the more people you bring into the category,” he said. “As one of the leading producers and sellers of gin in Australia for example, if the category gets bigger, then we will get bigger. It’s the same as what makes wine work – all the great small wine producers in Australia make the category more interesting compared to if you only have a few big brands in market.”

How shift changeovers were handled was crucial in keeping the plant running.

6

"During COVID-19, RTDs had a little bit of a resurgence mainly because the on-premise was shut and consumers were instead having a cocktail at home. A premix/RTD was a simple way for them to continue enjoying that experience."

bottling sites, we’ve reduced the amount of cardboard going through by 460 tonnes. The one thing we have seen in the past 12 months is that industry and retailers are leading the way in sustainability and having clear visions, when we haven’t necessarily been getting that from government.

“When you look at the developing markets around things like the use of water, use of plastics – trying to get to 100 per cent recyclable plastics in our business – they are very ambitious targets. If governments aren’t going to lead the way, industry needs to. And industry is. Visy’s purchase of OI Glass is an example of a company trying to take their recycled content from 30 per cent to 60 per cent. There’re some companies out there really leading the charge on this front.”

And his overall feeling about the industry as a whole?

“It’s hard not to be passionate in this industry,” he said. “It’s hard not to pick up one of these products – whether it be a whisky, a rum, a vodka, or a gin – and not get excited about the history, the story, and the heritage. It’s an exciting industry to work in.” F

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www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 23

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

Strategy before technology key to improving competitiveness with Industry 4.0 technology A recent survey has shown that companies investing in Industry 4.0 technology is low within the food and beverage industry. That needs to change, explains Beca’s Rhys Davies.

Beca designed all civil and buildings works at the Wolf Blass Winery in South Australia’s Barossa Valley using cloud-based BIM 360 software.

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ndustry 4.0 and the Internet of Things have been buzzwords in the food and beverage industry for the past few years. Yet, as highlighted in a recent survey, uptake is still stagnant, with only 20 per cent of companies having implemented solutions that could help them become more efficient, productive and competitive using the technology.

Even more worrying is another 40 per cent know that they would benefit from such initiatives but have yet to do anything about it. That leaves a huge 40 per cent who aren’t even thinking about doing anything at the present time.

The survey, titled Industry 4.0 Maturity, Industry Survey Insights, was commissioned by New Zealandbased Callaghan Innovation with the help of engineering consultancy

firm Beca and the Employers and Manufacturers Association (EMA).

While highlighting the lack of uptake by industry, it also showed that most companies needed help finding solutions. This is no different in the competitive food and beverage sector, where smart solutions are now readily available to solve new and age-old problems – ultimately helping to increase efficiencies, but more importantly, save money on the bottom line.

Rhys Davies is the business director, industrial for Beca Australia, and is all too familiar with the challenges faced by the industry.

“Change in the sector is happening quickly. And what we’re seeing is that people who have been clear about the challenges they are facing – clear about the problems

24 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

– are getting ahead in leaps and bounds by integrating appropriately matched technology solutions. But 20 per cent is just too low in terms of up take.

“It can be overwhelming,

especially for SMEs. You must respond to the market, generate your brands, be responsive to community and society demands and needs – from packaging to sugar content.

Change is unrelenting.”

Beca fused 360˚ photography and intermediate photogrammetry to provide plant layouts of 4 Pines Brewery’s existing facility.

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

And maybe that’s why some companies struggle to try and develop strategies to make a start in the arena – too many things happening at once. The study underlined a few of the reasons the uptake is slow – from obtaining funds from those that hold a company’s purse strings, through to not knowing enough about the technology to make a discerning decision. A few in the survey were also concerned about the ability of the company and its people to be able to use the technology.

It was also noted that when given a choice of which business function an entity would hope to improve on by implementing Industry 4.0, engineering functions such as worker health and safety, equipment efficiency, as well as manufacturing and production capabilities were at the top of the to-do list. Davies said it is all about priorities, too – making sure you don’t get distracted; focus on business issues that need solving and don’t get caught up in shiny new technologies.

“People concentrate far too much on digital implementation, when they would be better conducting a current needs assessment and starting off with something basic to solve an issue they might have,” he said.

“One of our strengths is that we work with a variety of sectors within the food and beverage industry – from dairy enterprises through to breweries – and that means we can bring the perspectives from multiple food sectors to help our clients on their digital journey.

And it’s not a journey that a company must go through on its own. Not only can Beca help, but the state and federal governments also realise the importance of food and beverage manufacturers becoming more efficient. They have opened their wallets offering funding for SMEs. Davies said it is important for manufacturers and processors in this sector to use these financial incentives to improve their overall competitiveness through smarter manufacturing.

“SMEs are a target for funding from the government at the moment,” he said. “This includes generous tax concessions. It is much smarter and easier to invest when there are funds available to do so, rather than waiting until your competitors’ efficiencies force you to act. Playing

Some companies know that one of the road blocks in moving ahead is staff understanding new technologies.

Companies don’t have to go on the Industry 4.0 journey on their own. catch up is not a great game.

“We recognise SMEs tend to run lean, and therefor often need a little more help to develop an internal strategy and capability to get started, which is why these incentives are important.”

Beca works with SMEs in the food industry, including the Australian Distillers Association (ADA).

“There are many new start-up distilleries in Australia, and we regularly see how process safety is an issue for them,” said Davies. “We have been working with the ADA to help their members appreciate the regulatory environment and develop checklists to promote safety.

“In terms of digital, our message is, ‘We have seen that the uptake of digital architecture is sub optimal –

it’s just not coming through,” he said.

“And this is a great time to start, because there is government money available in the form of the grants and investment tax concessions.

If people want or need to increase productivity and are unsure how to start, talk to us. Talk to us about the issues that are holding you back and let us guide you on what tools will make you more competitive, safer and smarter in your market.”

On a more macro level, Beca can help with innovating, collaborating, finding efficiencies and making sure a company is making the most of its assets in terms of plant and people. This includes making sure that customer satisfaction is high – in such a competitive business with so many players, the Beca team realise that although price is an important

consideration for clients, providing value is the big difference between getting repeat business or a oneoff project.

“I’m sure everybody says that, but I have been with Beca for 35 years and I can tell you we understand that our business does well when we help our clients be successful. We stay with our clients and see projects through to the end, no matter what challenges are thrown up along the way. Might sound trite, but it is absolute fact.”

Beca has been in Australia for more than 50 years, so is well versed in the wants and needs of industries, especially the food and beverage arena. The company thrives on challenges. A final take away from the survey was that when implementing new technologies, most people preferred face-toface involvement with vendors and consultants.

“We live on solving our clients’ problems. We live on helping businesses,” said Davies. “While our roots are in engineering, we are so much more than that now, from engineering, project management to advisory. But at our core, we are problem solvers. We have a long history of extended partnerships with our clients, watching them change, grow and succeed. We recognise the value of delivering better together, of partnership, and we look forward to seeing the Australian food and beverage sector flourish in this postCOVID world.” F

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 25

PROFILE

Equipment manufacturer pioneers solutions in food processing and beyond Heat and Control is a global organisation and prides itself on its expertise and finding solutions for a company’s needs. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

H

eat and Control is an engineering and manufacturing-focused company that has a large global customer base, which entails it having long-standing relationships with a plethora of large-scale consumer and end-product manufacturers.

The Australian-based, global manufacturing-focused company exports for international operations outside US, Canada and South America proudly from its regional headquarters in Brisbane, where its

The TruLaser 2040 fiber laser easily shifts between 2D and 3D pipe processing.

6170m2 manufacturing facility and headquarters is located.

With access to one of the largest pool of engineers, trade persons and service teams in the Australian food manufacturing industry, Heat and Control combines expertise with resources to develop machinery solutions for new products and processes with a focus on exacting quality, yield, efficiency, and safety design principles.

From a single piece of equipment through to a complete, fully integrated system with full engineering, design and food technologist input, the scope of its manufacturing facilities allows the company to service a range of customers from small startups, to large multi-nationals across industries and applications.

Heat and Control celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2020, which is not only a testament to its longevity, but also gives it a depth of experience that continues to set high standards within the industry by providing clear benchmarking for improvements in manufacturing capacity and workmanship.

R&D and innovation Heat and Control regularly invests to

26 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Investment in technology is key to the company’s success. improve the quality and performance of its equipment and technology in order to become more responsive to the unique needs of its customers. The scope of their manufacturing is further boosted by use of the latest engineering design practice, software and computer aided manufacturing that its design and engineering teams use to test concepts and turn them into reality.

3D engineering models and drawings are created using Autodesk Inventor software, which are in turn used in the creation of flat patterns, nesting of flat patterns and programming. Ultilising a 3D scanner, the company can also offer customers the ability to see how a piece of equipment will integrate into their existing plant.

Capital investments to expand capabilities Heat and Control prioritises capital equipment investments that expand capabilities. Most recent additions including a LVD press, NC lathe and Trumpf laser machine. The company uses Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) to automate a manufacturing process. The software tells a machine how to make a product by generating toolpaths, which will then make the parts that are required.

Because tubes and pipes are used throughout the company’s many designs (from distributing oil, water, or steam, to structural supports, to headers on heat exchangers), they were drawn to Trumpf, one of the

PROFILE

People play an important role in the Heat and Control story. only manufacturers offering fiber lasers with a tube feature.

With the investment of the Trumpf TruLaser 3040 fiber laser with RotoLas, Heat and Control was able to switch between 2D sheet and 3D pipe processing with relative ease, especially when compared to its previous CO2 laser. This reduced switchover time by about 67 per cent, allowing a greater level of flexibility for most manufacturers.

A thick stainless-steel plate can be cut with little interruption and up to four times the rate of the previous CO2 laser. Also worth noting, is that the fiber laser improves the process by including several automated features, such as auto focusing, auto nozzle changer, and auto lens detect. All these features

help increase manufacturing capabilities and operational efficiencies.

Heat and Control continually searches for suppliers who want a partner that will operate at the highest levels while drawing upon more than seven decades of expertise. With Lean Manufacturing in mind, it aims to invest strategically in precise technology while striving constantly for improvement and carrying a legacy of innovation.

With hundreds of applications and complete testing centres here in Australia and around the world to support individual requirements, Heat and Control bring its knowledge, experience, and technology to any project.

Heat and Control has more than 30 offices worldwide.

Solutions and understanding of challenges faced As the company works across the spectrum of the food industry, the numerous challenges faced by customers are witnessed. Some are product specific and others are universal amongst processors;

profitability, safety, adaptability, legislative, and most recently, the COVID 19 pandemic. With almost 1,600 employees worldwide in more than 30 offices, the company is bringing science, imagination and commitment to Australian customers each and every day. F

Leader in Low Flow Fluidics Handling Technology Flow ranges for gases from 0 - 0,7 mln/min up to 0 - 11000 m3n/h Flow ranges for liquids from 0 - 100 mg/h up to 0-600 kg/h Pressure ranges from 0 - 100 mbar up to 0 - 400 bar Laboratory, industrial (IP65), Class I Div. 2 or ATEX approved design Analog, RS232, FLOW-BUS, PROFIBUS DP, PROFINET, DeviceNet™, Modbus, EtherCAT®

www.bronkhorst.com - www.ams-ic.com.au www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 27

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Where does nanotechnology fit in the ingredients equation?

Dr Julian McClements talks about how nanotechnology can help reduce obesity, extend shelf life, and enhance food supply.

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p until 20 years ago, not much was happening in the field of nano technology as it related to food and beverages.

However, in the past 15 to 20 years there have been a number of academic papers published, as well as references made, with regard to the technology and how it can be applied to this industry.

In the December issue of Food & Beverage Industry News, Dr Julian McClements – distinguished professor at Department of Food Science at the University of Massachusetts, adjunct professor, School of Food Science and Bioengineering at Zhejaing Gongshang Uni, China, and visiting professor, Harvard University, talked about the future of food. And part of that future included nanotechnology.

While the idea of nanotechnology in food is exciting, there are many facets that have yet to be discovered and it is important that when delving into nano technology in this arena that proper research and development is carried out.

Nanoparticles are a key ingredient to nanotechnology, but what are they?

“If you look at something like a pumpkin, and you were standing on the moon and looking at the Earth and I held the pumpkin up in my garden, you wouldn’t see it because the pumpkin is very tiny compared to the Earth,” said McClements. “It is about 10 million times smaller.

Now, if you compare a nanoparticle to the pumpkin, it is 10 million times smaller than a pumpkin. That gives you an idea of just how tiny nano particles are. But what is incredible is that even though they are that small, we can still fabricate them, characterise them and still use them for different functional purposes.”

There are several types of nanoparticles that are available in food. Organic nanoparticles can be made out of fats of lipids, or surfactant micelles that are found in milk. They can be made out of proteins, like casein micelles., or they can be made out of carbohydrates like nano starch. They can be found in nature or they can be made and can be used for different functional purposes to change the texture or bioviability of ingredients.

According to McClements, often when the idea of nanotechnology in foods is brought up, some people think they will have a negative impact on the food chain. However, nature has been putting nanoparticles in food for millions of years.

“If you look at breast milk from a mother or milk from cows, they have casein micelles in them and those casein micelles are 50 to 500nm,” said McClements. “And they are micelles that nature has created to incorporate proteins, phosphates and calcium in a form that can get digested in your body quickly and release all these nutrients and feed

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Nanotechnology can be used to reduce the calorie count in sauces. the growing infant. Just because something is a growing nanoparticle doesn’t mean it’s dangerous. You can also get other kinds of nanoparticles like oil bodies in oil seeds. Things like soy beans. If you look inside soy beans they have tiny nanoparticles in there that are like parts surrounded by proteins and these can be in the nano range as well.”

Alternatively, it is possible to engineer nanoparticles. McClements gives the example of where he grew up in Northern England where there is a titanium dioxide factory near the house where he lived. They made tiny titanium dioxide particles, which were about the same size as a wavelength of light so they scatter the light strongly and they had a very high refracted index that made them good light gatherers.

“If you look at the paint on my wall, the white paint has got a lot of titanium dioxide in it to make it look bright,” he said. “We put the same

particles in foods. A lot of foods, like chewing gum, or bakery products, or the dust you get on doughnuts, has got titanium dioxide in it to make it look white and bright. If you are a food manufacturer you might potentially make these nanoparticles, or they might just occur in the product unintentionally. You didn’t mean to make them, but the process you use means they end up in your food. When you are making engineered nanoparticles, are trying to do in the food industry is to create some novel effects in our foods, or we are trying to improve food quality, or safety or the nutritional properties of food?”

Why use nanoparticles?

An important attribute of nanoparticles if that they are of a very small size. It is possible to take a regular food ingredient and shrink it down to the nano size where it will behave very differently to a normal

INGREDIENTS

food ingredient. For example, if a manufacturer is trying to deliver a bioactive component to the human body. If its small enough, it can penetrate through the mucus layer and through epithelial cells and be absorbed into the body, whereas a larger particle would be incapable of achieving such a feat.

“This is because the pores in the mucus layer that enclose our intestinal tract are about 400nm. If the particle is small enough it will get through,” said McClements. “The same with things like microbial cells.

They are covered by a coating and if you can get them small enough they can get through. That is one reason you might use nanoparticles in food.”

Another characteristic of nanoparticles is the high surface area. If there is a given mass of a material and a manufacturer makes it smaller and smaller, then the surface area increases. That can change the behaviour of the food.

“In foods there are a lot of things that happen at the interfaces,” said McClements. “For example, lipid oxidation in a lot of food products happens at the water/oil interface, or lipid digestion happens there. As you increase the interface, you increase the lipid oxidation, or lipid digestion.

In some cases that is good, in other cases it can be detrimental.

“If you look at the molecular interaction of a molecule – the surface of a material – they’re different from the interactions with a normal material. For example, the melting point or the boiling point or the density and chemical reality of the molecule changes as the surface does. If we make things smaller and smaller, we can change the surface chemistry and the way these particles behave.”

Or you would use a conventional homogenisation technology and you would use something that is a few hundred nanometres and it would scatter light very strongly and would look something like milk. It would look very creamy. However, if you use special fabrication methods, you can make a system that has got fat in it but it looks transparent. And the way you do that is make the particles very small. Much smaller than the wavelength of light and they scatter light very weakly and therefore they look clear. When the particle size is about the same size as the wavelength of light, they scatter strongly. This is one application that the beverage industry is already using to put soluble flavours and colours and vitamins into beverage products.”

Enhancing food supply

nanotechnology you can try and improve the shelf life of these products and improve the stability of these products by making particles very small. There are two ways you can do this. One is to help prevent particle aggregation and the second helps stop creaming and sedimentation,” he said. “With creaming and sedimentation, if you have a particle in some kind of food product you want it to stay stable so that the particle looks homogenous.

Any particle that has two different forces acting on it. One of them is gravity and that will tend to make the

Now that nanoparticles are used in food, how can a food manufacturer employ them into their production line and what are some of the benefits.

“One of the ways is to make food ingredients invisible, which sounds weird,” said McClements. “Say you wanted to make a transparent beverage. You want a clear beverage but you want to have an oil-soluble component in it. Normally when you put an oil soluble component in it, it wouldn’t mix with water and you would get a layer of oil on top.

Shelf life It is also possible to use nanotechnology to increase shelf life. Around the world there are currently a lot of microbreweries opening so people are trying to make new types of beers, with all sorts of weird and interesting ingredients, according to McClements.

There are often precipitates of sediments in these products., which are also found in dressings and plant-based milks and similar products.

“Using

particles move upwards. The other is Brownian motion, which is like the random collisions of the molecules revolving around it. This wants to randomise the system. Brownian wants to make it homogenous and gravity wants all the particles to go to the top or bottom depending on the density distance. What you will find is that gravity increases as the particle size increases. This means things tend to separate more quickly as the particles get bigger. Whereas Brownian motion tends to increase as the particles get smaller. When the particles are small enough, the gravity forces are very weak and the Brownian motion is very strong and you can prevent creaming or sedimentation from occurring.”

Then there is the ability to change the stability of particles to aggregation.

When the particles aggregate they often make the creaming and aggregation faster. McClements did an experiment a few years ago where he made protein stabilised emulsion droplets and made them large and small

and his team calculated the colloidal actions between them. What they found was that if there are very small particles, the colloidal interactions forces between the particles were very small.

“These are so small – the attracted sources – that the emulsion stays stable and the product can a have a long shelf life. If the particles are bigger, the attractive forces are much stronger and then you tend to get aggregation and creaming

of droplets. This experiment was an example of that by making the droplets very small, you can improve the shelf life of a product. That is the physical stability of foods,” said McClements.

Reducing calorie count Finally, McClements’ team also did another experiment by trying to make food healthier by trying to reduce its calorie count.

“What we wanted to do was make things like sauces and salad dressings, or mayonnaise, which have nice, creamy textures, but with a much lower fat content,” he said. “What we did in this experiment was we made up two types of protein stabilised emulsions at pH7. One of them was stabilised by lactoferrin which was positive pH7, while the other was stabilised by ß-lactoglobulin, which is negative at pH7.

“We either used the pure proteins or we used a mixture of these different emulsions. If you have pure ß-lactoglobulins then the particles are negative, and have a very low viscosity like in milk – so you could just pour it. If you had pure lactoferrin it was positive, and again you have a very low viscosity and you could just pour it. This is because the droplets have a high charge and they all repel each other and therefore you won’t get any aggregation in the system. If you mix these two oppositely charged particles together, they aggregate with each other because of the attraction. They form a 3D network that extends over the whole product, and you get a paste-like, creamy product. You have a very low fat content but you have a high viscosity.

“Typically to get this type of viscosity you would have to get 40 to 50 per cent fat in there. This is a potential strategy to get reduced fat in foods to address things like obesity and diabetes.” F

Nanotechnology can be used to increase shelf life of food.

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The spice of life – why ingredients are set to take off in 2021 Being the CEO of a family business that is almost 170 years old means that Chris Langdon has a legacy to uphold. And nothing speaks legacy like making your own mark on one of the industry’s main planks – ingredients. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

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ext year will be a watershed year for Australia’s oldest and largest ingredients’ supplier, Langdon, as it marks its 170th birthday. As with any successful business, passion for the product and constant innovation are keys to keeping a brand relevant and at the cutting edge of its industry.

That is why Langdon has unveiled a new look featuring a refreshed brand mark, strapline and vision to deliver “A World of Taste”.

Started in 1852 by current CEO, Chris Langdon’s great-great grandfather, Henry Joseph Langdon, the business is 5th generation family-owned and operated and has a reputation for supplying a large range of BRC-accredited ingredients to Australasia’s food manufacturers.

Under Chris Langdon’s watch, the company has expanded to the UK and Ireland, New Zealand, as well as Thailand and Singapore.

“Our modest global footprint brings us closer to emerging food trends and flavour profiles, and gives our customers access to the same pantry of ingredients and flavour profiles, regardless of where their operations are located,” said Langdon. “Our brief was to pay

Langdon has launched its Product Development & Culinary Centre. respect to the brand’s long heritage and reputation for ‘safe hands’, balanced with a timeless, global outlook as a food leader.”

As the company approaches 170 years, it wants to show its employees, customers and suppliers that it is continuing to invest in the brand – and the business, according to Langdon. Initiatives such as the launch of the new Product Development & Culinary Centre and the addition of new high-speed sachet packing lines, demonstrates the company’s confidence that it is continuing to grow and engage customers.

“From the start, we’ve scoured the world for the finest quality ingredients, and today that trusted, global supply network strategy provides year-round surety, and choice of localised flavour profiles,” Langdon said. “Even though COVID has been challenging, 2021 opens the door on an exciting new chapter for the company.”

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Product Development (PD) has been at the heart of Langdon for over a decade, but the decision to invest in building one of Australia’s largest culinary centres, marks out its commitment to continuously challenging the way not on the company, but consumers, think about food. PD is especially important to Langdon because of its partnerships with a range of high-end suppliers for functional ingredients such as starches, yeasts, flavours, pre- and probiotics and plant-based substitutes. These functional ingredients are the building blocks for flavour, texture and cooking performance, but need a deep level of application knowledge and collaborative mindset to help customers bring food ideas to life.

The new space will also allow Langdon to host “PD-in-Residence” programs with visiting suppliers, chefs and members of Langdon’s overseas PD teams who will spend time working in Melbourne.

As part of its talent and leadership program, the company makes available one sought-after graduate position for food science, nutrition and business graduates annually. It believes the new centre will further strengthen the company’s ability to attract the brightest food science minds and future leaders to Langdon.

In addition to fully formed, retailready solutions, the company is also a specialist in global market insights; food and ingredient trends; recipe development; testing and technical implementation; process and product improvements to deliver clean-label and/or cost benefits; competitor product analysis; and commercial blending and packaging to bring a product to market “Our aim is to help customers bring their food ideas to life, so whether that’s working with multinationals on process improvements, or providing one-person start-ups with end-to-end assistance from concept development,

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right through to on-shelf commercialisation. We are here to help,” said Langdon.

The new centre will not only be a new home for Langdon’s PD team, but will be a hub for industry to gather for events where customers and staff can explore ingredient trends, applications and create together.

When travel restrictions allow, Langdon is looking forward to hosting PD-in-Residence programs with some of its exclusive suppliers to improve local food manufacturers’ understanding of functional ingredients.

Designed by a leading architectural firm, who are also responsible for the transformation of sister-business Langdon Coffee Merchants’ Melbourne Sensory Laboratory, the new culinary centre represents a departure from the previous laboratory design.

Spacious and warm with timber and natural materials, Langdon has created a hybrid space that will give the company room to grow and links the PD lab directly to the warehouse and customer service teams.

Equipped with the latest food science technology, the Culinary Centre has an inviting home kitchen-like feel that encourages chance encounters between the team and customers to spark innovation and improve knowledge sharing.

Officially opening in February 2021, the Langdon PD team started moving into the new space in December 2020.

And what does Langdon see as the main trends over the next few years?

Unsurprisingly, plant-based products are at the top of the list.

“With one third of Australian consumers cutting their meat consumption and embracing flexitarian or vegan diets, plant-based foods have undoubtedly been one of the hottest trends of the past 12 months and looks set to continue,” said Langdon.

Over summer, the Aussie BBQ underwent a makeover with meat alternative sausages and plantbased burgers taking over the grill.

Jackfruit sliders, TVP-sausages and plant protein patties derived from pulses such as soy, rice and pea isolates, are not only delivering vegan friendly meat-alternatives, but have compelling nutritional and functional characteristics.

And the trend for plant based doesn’t stop at meat replacers – savvy manufacturers are ramping up their vegan credentials across all categories. Those brands that can combine clean-label, plant-based claims – with superior taste and texture and cooking performance, will thrive.

“But it’s important to remember that it’s rarely as simple as swapping out one ingredient for another,” said Langdon. “Changes to product formulation can have significant impact on the way that flavour is perceived. Our product development team often needs to do a lot of work to rebuild mouthfeel, colour or texture back into the final product once animal-derived products are removed.”

Another trend is Australians heading towards health and wellnesswith consumers’ preoccupation with wellness continuing into 2021. Herbs and

The new Culinary Centre is equipped with the latest technology.

spices associated with natural therapeutic benefits, such as cinnamon, cayenne pepper, turmeric, beetroot powder, garlic and ginger, feature in a myriad of applications.

All add flavour, but perhaps more importantly, address consumers’ health agenda.

Trends towards good gut health have created a shift towards natural flavourings and a strong preference for clean-label, vegan-friendly ingredients more broadly. Consumers no longer want to look at a nutritional panel full of e-numbers they don’t recognise as being ‘real food’.

“Our PD team has been diving into fermented ingredients such as miso and soy powders to create rich, savoury umami notes, as well as promoting good gut health, whilst turmeric, ginger and manuka honey help marketers to push immunity boosting messages,” said Langdon.

Nowhere is the impact of the health agenda more evident than in

the breakfast, beverages and snacking categories, where competition is fierce among products claiming sugar-free or low-sugar formulations.

To achieve these claims, while still pleasing consumers’ palettes, manufacturers are reliant either on artificial sweeteners, or increasingly on natural sweeteners such as dates, fruit pastes/concentrates, honey, maple syrup or sugar alcohol compounds.

“Savoury categories also have had manufacturers scrambling to offer clean-label nutritional panels. Naturally-derived, plantbased flavours, like those in our Japanese manufactured range are proving particularly popular with our customers here and in the UK and New Zealand, to retain full bodied, yet subtle, savoury flavours, while maintaining – and extending shelf stability and reduced food preparation,” said Langdon. “I’d also expect to see ‘calming’ botanicals creeping into beverages that promise to soothe.”

Another trend is spicy hot food.

Whether it’s Mexican habanero chillies, Middle Eastern Harissa paste, or numbing Sichuan peppers, spicy, savoury flavours are set to boom. Unexpected ingredient combinations, often with fruits, chocolate, or botanicals, create contemporary, innovative and spicy flavours that have versatile applications in marinades, rubs, seasonings and coatings.

With access to Australia’s largest plant based pantry, Langdon’s Product Development team is adept at using unexpected ingredient combinations to create specific flavour profiles. Cinnamon and vanilla, for example, can be a great clean label alternative for enhancing sweetness, without increasing sugar content. Likewise, nutritional yeast can be used to provide a nutty, almost parmesan-like flavour – all the while remaining vegan friendly. Then there are herbs and spices.

“While herbs and spices have always been core to the Langdon business, demand is surging as manufacturers respond to cuisine-led trends for spicy, savoury flavours and home cooks look to add flavour, without excess sodium, fat or MSG,” said Langdon. “We expect staple herbs and spices such as oregano, lemongrass and basil to experience steady demand, while previously

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 31

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underutilised herbs and spices will star. For example, innovative uses of hot and numbing ingredients, such as Sichuan pepper or habanero chilli, or innovative pairings of harissa with rose petals, sumac and sesame, lend authentic, sophisticated flavour notes to Asian, Mexican and Moroccaninspired meals.”

Savvy manufacturers are also rethinking how they access this category with strong growth expected in the Individual Quick Freezing (IQF) culinary herb and infused oils category. Extended shelf life, improved functionality, low wastage and price stability are compelling operational reasons why food manufacturers are making the switch to IQF. Added at the end of the cooking process or sprinkled over ready-made-meals, their bright, natural colour and recognisable texture conveys freshness to the consumer.

Langdon also sees the trend of Australia’s artisanal spirits market continuing to grow, so too is the use of botanicals such as Macedonian juniper berries, rose petals, coriander seeds, liquorice root and dried citrus peels.

“With distillers competing to add

Underutilised herbs and spices will star at the new Centre. distinctive flavour and aromas to their creations, especially in the fastgrowing non-alcoholic category, and the fast growth of the supplements and nutraceuticals category, I expect to see some of the lesser-known botanicals popularised too. We are currently sourcing everything from sloe berries to Siberian Ginseng

Functional ingredients are the building blocks for flavour.

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root,” he said.

And there are other trends that will need looking into over the next few years as the population ages.

“People over the age of 65 will increase globally from 962 million in 2017 to 2.1 billion by 2050 and Australia is not exempt,” he said.

“An ageing population brings new challenges for economics and health care, but also creates new opportunities for the food industry, but innovation has been limited to date: less than one per cent of all new product launches in the category have been directed towards the over 65 market over the past five years.

It’s time we pay attention to what we are feeding our ageing population.”

Healthy ageing starts with wholesome nutrition and good gut health, he said. As we age, the gut microbiome becomes less diverse, contributing to inflammation and infections such as urinary tract infections and respiratory conditions.

Also, as we age, senses including sight, taste and smell diminish. To ensure our elderly family members get the nutrition they need, taste, appearance and texture of food should become more important, not less.

“An appetite to live life to the fullest, concern for health and wellbeing, plus a willingness to spend money makes this generation a food marketer’s dream,” said Langdon.

Also, consumers’ love of sourdough, soy, kombucha and other fermented flavours will only continue to grow in 2021 as consumers gain appreciation for their ability to add

a sophisticated tanginess to food and beverages, but also seek out functional gut-health benefits.

Japanese home-style cooking driven by fermented miso flavours, bright yuzu citrus and matcha will increase in popularity in 2021, likely joined by contemporary takes on Middle-Eastern and Northern African favourites. Expect tart barberry, tangy sumac, rose harissa and za’atar to become new pantry staples.

“Don’t just expect your miso to stay in the ramen – expect to see more fermented flavours in just about every category next year, including miso-based desserts,” he said.

Finally, another trend are botanicals that denote hyper-local flavours are also on the upswing as food provenance trends. Think flavours like elderflower, rhubarb and nettle that conjure up an English garden, or Sicilian blood orange peels and lavender add sunny, Mediterranean characteristics, and wattle seed, lemon myrtle and Tasmania pepperleaf flakes straight from the Australian bush.

“The success of Australian gins on the global stage has led the resurgence of interest in Australian natives, but we’re also seeing them used in teas, baked goods, syrups, BBQ rubs, dressings, essential oils and kombuchas.

“Once only available via wild harvest, we have been working with a sustainable enterprise who are farming natives to ensure consistency of quality and surety of supply,” said Langdon. F

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Essential oils make easy work for food manufacturers Botanical Innovations’ Kerry Ferguson tells Food and Beverage Industry News why the powder form of essential oils and apple cider vinegar are becoming an important part of food and beverage manufacturing.

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otanical Innovations is small company going places. Founder and managing director, Kerry Ferguson, is passionate about her products, which are powder-based commodities such as apple cider vinegar, zero alcohol wine, as well as essential oils, which are ideal for the food, nutraceutical, and health and wellness industries.

The company’s apple cider vinegar product is made from Australian Granny Smith apples and won the Food and Beverage Industry Awards’ Innovative Ingredient in 2018.

The powder is naturally fermented and has two main uses – flavouring, and as a natural preservative. Because it has a neutral taste, it doesn’t affect the flavour profile of the products where it is used, making it ideal for a large range of foods.

“As well as being easy to handle, powders have a much better shelf life than the liquid versions of the product,” said Ferguson. “The apple cider vinegar is going really well.

We are exporting it to Europe, to the US, to Korea – it’s branded as its own product. We also have a lot of domestic customers. Because we use Australian apples everybody knows it is a clean and natural product. It is a versatile ingredient for supplements, foods, drinks and for all sorts of things.”

Another reason for using apple cider vinegar in the food manufacturing process is that there are potential health benefits including weight loss, lowering cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. It can also help in preventing and treating diabetes and alleviating asthma symptoms.

However, the one powder that is turning out to be popular is the company’s essential oil range, which offers a series of benefits to those who want to use them in their products.

“The market has reacted well to our oil powder,” said Ferguson. “It is good for the cosmetic market, as well as the food ingredients and health supplements markets. It’s pretty new

Essential oils come from a range of herbs. and we are only just beginning to market it. It has taken us a couple of years to develop, so it’s not just a case of ‘hey I’ve got a great idea and we’ll just put it out there’.

“We have seen that the market is really receptive to it because, for them, it’s a lot easier to handle. With the liquid version of such oils, you have to put protective clothing on and things like that. The powder form makes handling a lot easier. Powdered oils give you all the advantages of an essential oil without the complexity. It

helps that you don’t have to deal with added complications. It has taken quite a few years to get it right, but we are very pleased with the outcome.”

To make up a batch of the powder it takes about one tonne of oil to make 150 kilos of powder, so it is a ratio of about 10-15 per cent.

“We found that any higher than that it becomes problematic in terms of quality,” said Ferguson. “You don’t rehydrate the powder, you want to use it as a dry blend. If you are making a sauce, it still mixes in as a powder and Australian Granny Smith apples are used in the making of the apple cider vinegar powder.

you blend it accordingly.”

Botanical Innovations has done well over the past 12 months despite the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of companies have had supply chain issues, especially when it comes to getting ingredients from overseas. Most of Botanical Innovations’ raw products come from within Australia, however it also helps that there was a lot of forethought at the beginning of 2020 before the pandemic hit.

“Our supply chain has been good when it comes to the apple cider vinegar. We have either fresh apples, juice or juice concentrate. We have plenty of options,” said Ferguson.

“In terms of supply for the essential oils, we’ve got good continuity in that regard. Some of the oils we make ourselves, and the others we buy in.

Overall, we haven’t had a huge issue with supply. I know that there has been problems with some of the shipping for some of our suppliers, but having said that they’ve still managed to fill all our orders.

“We also purchased quite a bit at the beginning of last year, which has lasted us for quite some time. We had plenty of stock available.”

Botanical Innovation’s success hasn’t come by accident or luck, just hard work and an investment in ideas.

“We spend quite a bit of time on research and development because there are lots of really interesting things you can do, and there are new products to make,” said Ferguson.

“We are focused on building the markets with the products that are really selling well. Then we have a pipeline of new innovations that we are always looking at.

“There are also some really good tax incentive when it comes to research and development, which includes getting a good tax rebate. As a small company we have to be innovative and different, otherwise we would just go and buy ingredients from overseas and become a distributor. That is not what we are all about.” F

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The bountiful harvest at our doorstep Australia produces a huge number of superfoods. Hayley Blieden from the Australian Superfood Co believes it’s about time we started taking advantage of them.

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ood and beverage manufacturers – whether they are an SME or multinational – are always looking for new ideas, new recipes – the next big thing in terms of trends within the industry. Every part of the world has its own speciality that is associated with its region – the spices of the Indian subcontinent, the processed meats of northern Europe, the chilli sauces of central and South America, and the rice-based dishes of southeast Asia are just a few.

Australian companies have been good at adapting these foods into our production runs. There are the readyto-eat meals that have become popular in the last five years, plant-based proteins have taken off in the past 18 months, and all sorts of wonderful combinations are coming to fruition as food technologists and inventors start to mix and match products to tantalise consumers’ ever-expanding palettes. Anybody born over the past 20 to 30 years certainly has a lot more cosmopolitan tastes than those of us that are little older in the tooth.

Yet, here in Australia, there is one group of ingredients that have yet to reach their potential, and have taken a back seat to more exotic imports – our locally grown superfoods.

Lemon myrtle, Kakadu Plum, Davidson Plum and a plethora of other ingredients have made peripheral splashes within the industry of late, but nothing mainstream. And if Hayley Blieden has her way, that will change over the next five to 10 years.

Just over 10 years ago, Blieden – a nutritionist – was plying her trade with the North Melbourne AFL side. And it was while she was there and working with some of the club’s Indigenous players that she first got an inkling of what native produce was capable of in terms of health.

“I was talking to the players about the food they eat during the preseason – some players were Indigenous, some were not Indigenous, and some had put on weight, some had not put on weight”

she said. “I started hearing about ingredients like lemon myrtle and Kakadu Plum and other foods from the Indigenous players. As a food expert I’d never heard of them. What surprised me was that we were importing superfoods from all over the world, yet there were these foods in Australia that were of superfood status that food experts and dietitians had never heard of and were not recommending them to people.

“It was both a ‘A-ha!’ moment but also a shameful moment – how do we not know about these foods? What else have we missed out on? What else don’t we know about our history of Indigenous Australians?”

It was then that Blieden saw an opening not only in terms of creating a commercial enterprise but also an avenue to create employment for Indigenous Australians and give non-indigenous farmers another series of crops to grow – ones that were suited

The Australian Super Food’s extract range uses native ingredients.

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to Australian conditions.

“It became a mission of mine to engage with Indigenous communities, to engage Indigenous and non-Indigenous farmers and native producers and start working with them to bring native produce and foods to the forefront and to start the conversation about native produce. This was five years ago,” she said.

One key to making sure native ingredients are in the mix when food and beverage processors and manufacturers start thinking about using them, to ensure that there is plenty of supply. And currently that is an issue – one that Blieden is addressing – using a three-pronged approach.

“First, we need to work with Indigenous communities to wild harvest more produce but to also start cultivating produce if they are interested in doing that,” said Blieden.

“Second, we have to work with farmers

that are currently cultivating native produce to plant more. This gives them more confidence that the market is there and that we will be a customer at the end. Thirdly, we are working with farmers of non-native produce to diversify or repurpose their crops.”

Persuading farmers to take up the option of diversifying was initially met with some resistance. What Blieden and her team did do is equip them with the resources to be able to make the transition as simple and easy as possible. With current farmers, some are already growing ingredients. One of the Australian Superfood Co’s Davidson Plum farmers has already planted an extra 1,000 trees this year.

“We’ve got agronimars and propagators that can go out and do farm assessments, recommend what produce they should be planting, and can then supply the cultivars,” said Blieden. “The agronimars can help the farmers right from the beginning and

INGREDIENTS

Davidson Plums are just one of the native ingredients that is starting to become popular.

go to their farms and give them things like the environmental impacts, water, sun – also market demands so they will recommend what should be grown.

“Furthermore, we help with things like pest prevention. We try to make it as easy as possible for farmers and other growers, but also to make sure that they know that they want the guarantee that we will be the customer at the end and we’ll take the crop.

Some farmers want to give us the right of first refusal but they also want the ability to supply to other food services.

It is a conversation between us and the farmer as to how that works out.

As long as it is getting produce from farmers that is all that really matters.”

Then there is the type of product that is being produced. It takes time to grow some foods, with fruit generally taking longer to grow. Any fruit, if it is native or non-native, will take longer

One way to popularise these ingredients is to tell their story.

than a herb.

“Herbs you can plant and you can have it ready in a few months,” said Blieden. “Then there are some trees like lemon myrtle, and they may take 12 months, while the Davidson Plum might take two years. So it is a matter of having that conversation and working out what the grower’s priorities are. If they want the return immediately, then they should be going for one of those crops that grows faster.

If they are interested in the fruits then it might take a little longer. We can also recommend mixed plantations. A quandong might grow really well with a muntrie and they might have a small return in year, one but are happy to wait for larger returns in year three.”

She wants to get the story out there about the viability and taste attributes of native fruit and vegetables and to hopefully – from a business perspective

– be the one supplying those food and beverage manufacturers with the ingredients.

“Within the next 5-10 years I would like to see the industry be part of Australia embracing the country’s native bounty,” she said. “I want to challenge food and beverage manufacturers to sample Australia’s native produce. To taste the flavours, to figure out ways to incorporate native produce into their product ranges.”

One area Blieden thinks will lead the way is the ability to tell the story of native ingredients. She believes food and beverage manufacturers understand how important the story is.

Then there is the employment aspect that helps those within the Indigenous community to have jobs.

“When Woolworths launched a range recently they put our company at the front of the campaign and

said, ‘This is who is supplying our ingredients’. Then that led to us having an article in the Herald Sun,” she said. “Even before we launched the business I wanted supplies to be from Indigenous people. I wanted supplies from them because Indigenous people and native produce go hand in hand and you can’t separate them and you wouldn’t want to separate them.

“It has given over a 1,000 women seasonal employment, and in addition to that we also work very closely with our not-for profit partner Red Dust Role Models. Red Dust have been around for over 20 years. They send role models – be it sporting stars or comedians – into communities, and helps promote initiatives that focus on individual segments for the development of children, women and men.”

A final point that Blieden wants to make – and it could possibly be the most important – is that the products produced from Australian native soil are good for you. They are called superfoods for a reason. Blieden’s whole raison d’etre is to get products out in the market. It is the company’s goal to increase awareness and acceptability of Australian native ingredients.

“Native produce is highly nutritious, delicious and unique to Australia,” she said. “The nutritional profiles are exemplary, which is why I first entered this market. I was passionate about being a dietitian. We import Camu Camu from overseas, yet in Australia Kakadu Plum has the highest vitamin C content – almost three times that of Camu Camu, and is growing in our own back yard.

“Over the next five to 10 years, where I see us moving forward is that in order to get to that point, we need to expand the supply chain and that is where the Native Harvest Initiative plays a really important part. That is for us both as a company and the industry as whole.” F

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 35

FOOD PROCESSING

Process optimisation though applied process photometry Al Worley, team leader for brewing, beverage, food and dairy at optek-Danulat, speaks about the efficiencies that can be brought to the production process when implementing new systems.

P

rocess automation is, and has been, the direction taken as food and beverage processors look to improve the efficiencies of their operation and reduce production costs.

This involves moving away from a labour-intensive and timeconsuming batch-process approach, towards a hard-piped system of process equipment, tanks, valves, pumps and all they entail. A hardpiped system allows automation of the various production steps, and incorporates systematic Clean-InPlace (CIP) procedures.

Often these hard-piped systems include mix-proof valve technology to allow multiple, simultaneous process operations, which enhance production capacity and efficiency.

Overall, the gains made by this type of automated system are tremendous, but leave many processors to think that there is little more that can be done to improve on the efficiency of these systems.

On the contrary, the application of advanced process scale instrumentation, strategically placed throughout a production process, can have a dramatic impact on production efficiencies and product consistencies while reducing waste, and optimising sanitation cycles.

By providing real-time process information, process steps can be efficiently initiated, systems can be adjusted on the fly, and problems can be detected and dealt with before they create larger problems.

Today’s typical process scale, inline analyser is more precise and repeatable than most laboratorybased sample measurements, yet many processors rely on lab results for product quality control and product release. Here too is an opportunity to allow a real time quality and release decisions to be made automatically, eliminating the labour of routine sampling

Filtration processes benefit from proper monitoring. and preventing any out of spec or re-work of a product altogether.

Photometric (light-based) instrumentation offers several advantages to more traditional electro–mechanical sensors.

Here’s why.

wetted elements (other than process seals) and as such have low service requirements. Typical service cycles are 3-5 years, with only a lamp module and process seals being normal service parts.

Advanced photometric systems are stable, so no calibration is required. System validation tools are also available to minimise AIM (Annual Instrument Maintenance) requirements. Precise and repeatable measurement results are essential to precise and repeatable process control. Most importantly, the response of a light-based sensor is virtually immediate, without the lag time often found in other sensing systems. Lag times of even a few seconds, can quickly add up to minutes, hours, litres or kilograms over multiple process cycles, over the course of the production year.

Advantages of photometricProcess interface detection based over electro-mechanical Losses begin from the minute raw materials are received into a -based sensors Photometric sensors are solid state, with no moving parts or renewable

plant through container transfers; in pipelines due to the transfer of

Photometric sensors are solid state, with no moving parts or renewable wetted elements and as such have very low service requirements.

36 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

products from area to another; through various pieces of equipment; and inherently due to the nature specific process operations.

Monitoring process transitions in pipelines allows the analysis and reduction of the mixed phase, while precise and immediate detection of product transitions and push-outs reduce the loss of both product and push-out media. Recovering more product and reducing water usage while lowering wastewater and BOD loads, is a great first step in any process system.

Separation process control Many different separation processes exist in food and beverage processing, but the more efficient machines in use today are decanters and centrifugal separators/clarifiers.

These machines can be set up to run with preset process conditions, but are more efficient when process variables are adjusted on the fly, based on changing process conditions.

Photometric solids concentration analysers on the feed line can provide load information allowing the flow rate, or machine speeds, to be adjusted, allowing maximum separation/clarification performance at maximum throughput levels.

Outlet analysers continuously monitor performance to control downstream load levels, improving downstream process efficiencies as well. Detecting carry over of solids can then initiate de-slugging, based on actual need rather than a timer, or internal system.

Less frequent and more efficient de-sludge cycles mean less product loss, longer machine maintenance cycles, and less effluent loads.

Concentrate streams are often a product as well. Direct measurement of the solids concentrate can ensure uniform consistency for drying operations or direct sales.

FOOD PROCESSING Blending process control Blending, injection, and standardisation processes can be easily monitored using a differential photometric technique where the primary stream is base lined with one analyser and the combined stream is measured with a second, similar analyser. The differential result between the two measurements is the concentration of added material and provides the PID (proportional–integral– derivative) loop signal for control.

This technique can be used for colour, solids/fat injection and standardisation, yeast addition, flavour additives and hazing agents to name a few.

Filtration process control Many different types of filtration processes also exist in food and beverage processing, but all benefit from proper monitoring. Pressure leaf filters, for example, can be set up to run with preset process conditions, but are more efficient when process variables are adjusted on the fly, based on changing process conditions.

Photometric solids concentration analysers on the feed line can provide load information allowing the body feed rate to be adjusted, maintaining maximum filtration performance at maximum throughput levels.

Filtrate turbidity analysers continuously monitor filtration performance, as well as detect break-through events to respond to the problem before any out-ofspec product is sent downstream.

Directly monitoring of feed and filtrate turbidities can increase filtration cycle duration and product throughput, minimise down cycles, which directly increases capacity, reduces filter media consumption, which in turn directly reduces filtration cost and improves product quality, consistency and stability.

systems can be in the form of Simulated-Moving Beds (SMB), single column and parallel static columns.

Technically, a chromatography method of measurement, these systems are used for separation, purification, polishing and decontamination processes. Many of the constituents being removed have negative effects on product quality, stability, or with the interaction with other dissolved constituents present in the product.

Monitoring the concentration

finished product and release by instrumentation is state-of-the-art in food processing. By eliminating the need for routine sample measurements, the variability of laboratory sample methods is eliminated. Real-time results means out-of-spec product is caught before it heads downstream, eliminating rework, production disruption, or worse, the dumping of product.

In addition, all measurement results can be continuously logged for documentation purposes. QA/QC personnel can make the most of their time focusing on real production or product development issues rather that routine sampling procedures.

"Today’s typical process scale, inline analyser is more precise and repeatable Process CIP and sanitation than most laboratory-based sample The safeguards and assurances that measurements, yet many processors rely on comes with automated CIP and lab results for product quality control and sanitation systems also comes with the realisation that they consume product release."

Catalysis/ION exchange system monitoring From Monitoring Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) concentration and other impurities in HFCS, to bitterness in fruit juices, to malt flavour carry-over in flavoured malt beverages, many of today’s beverage raw materials and finished products rely on an ion exchange process for removal of undesirable or unwanted constituents. These

of these constituents through UV absorbance – in-line and in real time – maximises product throughput, and recovery, minimises down time and regeneration costs, while insuring product consistency with documented production results.

Process clarity and colour/ quality control Here we look at in-line, realtime process quality control of

large amounts of chemicals, treated water and energy, while contributing to effluent levels.

Today’s environmental awareness makes this a concern on two fronts, cost and good corporate stewardship. Monitoring the CIP cycles for cleaning effectiveness can reduce cycle time and water usage. Directly monitoring chemical solution make-up systems ensures and validates proper concentration for effective sanitation and legal protection, while ensuring efficient use of the chemical itself.

Wastewater/BOD

Having the right instrumentation makes life easy on the production line.

Most often wastewater and BOD reduction efforts start at the waste treatment facility, or municipality, due to the high costs of treatment, over limit charges and fines. They will target the obvious sources but often ignore the process system itself, thinking that the system needs to run as originally designed.

Optimisation of the process to reduce or eliminate process liquids to the floor is vital to this effort.

Monitoring effluent streams is one way to address the problem, then being able to take action when high loads are present. In addition, all of the application scenarios described help to reduce product and water to the floor drains, and as such, will have an impact on the quantities of effluent generated. This is a “green” side benefit that reduces bottom-line costs and is would otherwise be over looked. F www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 37

AUTOMATION

Monitoring system for pure water important in manufacturing process Automation specialist Bürkert takes food and beverage manufacturers through the process of optimising their food and beverage production with technology, automation and water quality monitoring.

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hroughout food and beverage manufacturing, pure water is required for many processes and end products. Both OEMs of production skids, as well as end users, appreciate the importance of maintaining the water quality standards in the production loop.

Using a proven and flexible monitoring system to collect sensor data, calculate differentials and communicate with a PLC can reduce the time for the initial build, as well as installation costs and increase the speed of operation. Purified water is used in numerous processes in food and beverage manufacturing for products such as soft drinks and beer, to compensate for variations in water quality to ensure the same consistent taste. It is created using methods such as nano-filtration (NF) or reverse osmosis (RO) to meet the required specifications.

“There was an international brewery that was recreating a particular brand of beer locally in Australia and their requirements were reliant on the purity levels of

the water to ensure the same taste and quality, regardless of where it was produced,” said John Kennedy, Bürkert’s field segment manager for Water. “Bürkert provided a holistic solution that helped achieved their desired results by providing them with the right equipment to monitor their water purity across their production facility.”

The process: how water purity is achieved Process water is held in a storage tank that feeds the ring line where tapping points – either manual or automated – deliver the water to the production process. Unused water continues back to the storage tank. It is essential that all the water quality specifications are upheld throughout this process.

Careful monitoring of water quality is crucial to ensuring process reliability, allowing any variations to be quickly identified and resolved.

The parameters being monitored can include pH, conductivity, oxidation reduction potential (ORP) and chlorine content, as well as

Bürkert offers a complete control system for water purification needs.

38 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

temperature and flow rate.

Any divergence from the pre-set limit values can result in production to be halted while cleaning and disinfection procedures are carried out. This downtime can have an impact, especially on high-value production lines. Furthermore, if there is any doubt over the exact timing of the drop in water quality, product batches may have to be rejected and put to waste, adding to the losses from ineffective water quality monitoring.

Manual process difficulties vs controlled process automation Typically, the manual process of monitoring and documentation is less efficient. Individual sensors with their own displays are installed at various stations in the process. Readings must be taken by monitoring staff from each sensor and the values are then entered into a control system. The additional displays make the sensors more costly, both for initial purchase and future replacements. Not to mention the human error factor that could be a risk to results in data accuracy.

Food and beverage manufacturing facilities will often operate multiple production loops, all of which use purified water. Continuous water quality monitoring offers advantages from the production floor through to the boardroom: • 24/7 system automation: continuously monitoring each step of the process providing live feedback and alerts.

• Maintenance scheduling: using trend analysis of the system, you can schedule these activities with a touch of a button.

• Accuracy: any variation to the preset parameters, the shut-off alerts are raised and actioned by the system,

providing faster reaction times, less waste of spoiled product and overall peace of mind for consistency in product output.

• Simple integration: digital connectivity and flexible network capabilities. With the right equipment, new technologies offer faster and more cost-effective upgrades or new installs.

The right solution for food and beverage manufacturing needs As no two brands are the same, there isn’t one solution to fit all customers’ needs. Bürkert provide customers the opportunity to share their wish list – create a blueprint of requirements that are aimed at achieving their KPIs and strategic goals. Once the consultation period is complete, Bürkert’s offering will fill in the gaps to provide the right equipment to achieve these results.

How B rkert assists food and beverage manufacturers?

“What’s different with Bürkert is we offer the complete control system, from our fit-for-purpose valves through to automation equipment, having them all talk to one connected system. We offer you a window to your process, but we also close the loop by offering the complete control package,” said Kennedy.

To deliver a solution that can improve manufacturing reliability and meet the future needs of the facility, food and beverage manufacturers have a number of solutions on offer from Bürkert.

Process monitoring The collection of all relevant process parameters and the intelligent networking of field devices make processes not only more transparent, but are also necessary for creating

AUTOMATION

additional potential for optimisation.

Processes can therefore be adapted and improved in real time during the production flow. Bürkert’s range of sensors, from analytical to fieldbus devices, offer customers assistance with measuring and monitoring with reliable field devices.

Transmitters and controllers The multiCELL Type 8619 collects and logs data from up to 12 sensors.

For example, it is possible to check the water temperature, the pH value, the conductivity, the ORP value, the chlorine content, or any analogue Processes can be improved in real time during the production process.

parameter at a glance. If required, the multi-channel transmitter can also perform a range of dosing and control functions all with a simple, intuitive user interface with large adjustable backlit graphics display.

This guarantees the necessary process reliability of a company’s water treatment plant and the flawless quality of its products.

Analytical sensors and cubes Then there is the miniaturisation and modularisation with Bürkert Sensor Cubes Types MSXX. Each cube is equipped with micro-electro-

mechanical systems (MEMS) technology that are miniaturised components that combine logic elements or micromechanical structures in a single microchip.

Sensor chips are integrated into the analysis cubes. There are seven measuring parameters as separate analysis cubes: pH, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), conductivity, free chlorine, chlorine dioxide, turbidity and iron. These cubes can be positioned inside their own unit, Type 8905 or in a customised formation or cabinet in Type 8906. This unit is equipped to be standalone, maintenance-free and requires less calibration due to reduced drift. It is also fully automatic with its own cleaning process, and is compact and efficient for the right requirement.

B rkert are solution providers For the personnel working in the

process rooms, both operational and maintenance, it is important to have a clear indication of the actual water quality parameters.

Bürkert’s equipment offers intuitive functions, clear visual displays, fully automated monitoring with latest technology, and reliability at the forefront. Flexibility and customisable solutions provide live feedback and data so that the most pertinent information is always available.

“To be able to offer a whole solution, you need to be confident in the equipment. Our multiCELL controller became the missing piece of the puzzle in providing the whole package. There are three key points of a control system: measuring with our sensor range; control with multiCELL and Type 8905; and the final element, industry recognised quality valves regulating the process,” said Kennedy. F

A good filtration system is key to making sure water quality is up to standard.

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 39

BUSINESS PROCESS/AUTOMATION SOFTWARE

Speed and accuracy vital in supply chain Agiliity and flexibility are key to Esker’s Order Management solution.

Streamlining processes using an easy-to-use software solution has made life much easier for food supplier Paulig.

Here’s how.

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rocessing orders is an essential component of doing business, but for companies in the food industry like Paulig, which manufactures and distributes perishable goods, speed and accuracy in the supply chain is critical. Additionally, the food industry is experiencing continuous growth, and companies within the industry are facing the challenge of handling increasing order volumes without adding new staff and maintaining employee satisfaction.

As part of its strategy to continuously improve business processes, Paulig’s Belgium-based branch and Tex-Mex-brand, Poco Loco sought a global automation solution that could automate non-EDI order entry, handle increasing order volumes and integrate with its Microsoft Dynamics ERP system. Esker’s Order Management automation solution provided Paulig with a strong digital foundation, which has improved the speed and efficiency of its order management process.

Agility and flexibility With many customers sending orders via fax and email, Paulig needed a flexible solution to address its needs and ordering form templates. The customer service department wanted to handle the orders themselves without input from customers, or having to ask customers to adapt their templates.

“We were looking for a flexible solution for our customers with order volumes too low to switch to EDI, or who were not interested in moving to EDI,” said Pieter Vandecaveye, project manager at Paulig.

Orders received from multiple countries (including Belgium, France and the U.K.) are now automatically

processed, managed and archived, streamlining the entire order cycle for all stakeholders.

Increasing volume and managing growth “The goal was to be able to deal with new and increasing orders in the future and to reduce processing time,” said Nathalie Vandeburie, customer service manager at Paulig. “After six months of using the Esker solution, Paulig is on track to reach its goal of processing 17,000 annual fax and email orders through Esker. And with Esker AI-driven technology, orders are processed faster. The average time to manually key in an order into our ERP system has been significantly reduced.

Some orders are even processed in less than one minute. It took a lot longer with our manual process.”

Improving user and customer experience Esker’s user-friendly Order Management solution and interface were well received by the customer service department and user adoption was almost immediate.

“Esker’s Train-the Trainer sessions were very well prepared and delivered. And after just two training sessions from our super

40 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

users, the whole team was ready to get started,” said Vandeburie. “There were very few hiccups when we started going live, and we received positive feedback from the onset. If they encounter a problem, it can be solved by our super users. We haven’t had to call Esker Support much in the past few months. It’s a nice feeling to know that we can handle it ourselves.”

Today, thanks to automation, staff have more time to manage customer relationships, including addressing customer inquiries, answering customer calls and providing quotations.

“We wanted an automated digital system where we could easily find all information to facilitate the way we worked. Thanks to electronic archiving, we no longer need paper archiving, and we don’t have to upload the orders in our ERP system,” said Vandeburie “The cabinets used to be full of paper orders; now they’re empty.”

Facilitating business continuity Being able to easily manage the ordering process during staff holidays, or while working remotely has been a great asset to Paulig’s customer service team.

“Esker is a great help when staff are on holiday. With all orders in the

system, everyone can see what needs to be processed and who needs help, and staff can easily cover for those out of the office,” said Vandeburie.

Paulig has maintained business continuity during the pandemic while transitioning to a remote workforce.

They continue to be operational and process orders with confidence knowing that every order makes it into Esker’s solution and no orders are lost.

Project implementation was very smooth.

“The support we received really made it feel like we had a partner. The Esker consultant was very competent and knowledgeable. He made sure that any issues were solved and that everything was working fine before our official go-live. He was 100 per cent invested and really did an amazing job,” said Vandecaveye.

The few times Paulig has had to call Esker Support, answers and solutions were provided quickly.

“It’s nice that we can rely on the support provided by Esker,” Vandeburie added.

Following the successful project in Belgium, Paulig plans to expand Esker’s Order Management solution to Santa Maria, a Paulig brand in Sweden. F

FEBRUARY 2021

Diageo Australia MD Angus McPherson on why competition is a good thing for his business PLUS: Ingredients | Nanotechnology | Water quality control

FOOD & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY NEWS

COLD CHAIN PROMO FEATURE APRIL

OUR BRAND PROMISES We offer you the best exposure to decision makers

With such a vast continent as Australia, and a sparse population, the cold chain is playing an increasingly important part in Australia’s food and beverage story.

It is a vital cog in an industry where keeping food fresh raises a myriad of challenges to food processors and manufacturers.

We provide the best platform to showcase your product

In the April issue of Food & Beverage Industry News we look at the latest technologies, and talk to some of the movers and shakers in the industry about where the industry is at, how cold supply chains can be improved, and what services are products are needed to take it to the next level.

We will be the best external marketing partner you’ll ever have

If you are supplier of machinery, plant or services to the cold chain industry, then you need to be in the April issue of Food & Beverage Industry News.

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8 MARCH 2021

To secure your place, or for more information contact Luke Ronca on 0402 718 081 For editorial enquiries please contact Mike Wheeler on (02) 9439 7227

LUBRICANTS

Oiling the wheel for Boundary Bend’s olive harvesters Delicacy is key to making sure the olive oil harvest at Cobram Estate runs smoothly. Lubricants play a major role in making sure that happens. Food & Beverage Industry News explains.

A

ustralia’s award-winning extra virgin olive oil, Cobram Estate, is advertised as “the only oil you need”, and while that message pertains to the delicate process of cooking, the less delicate process of harvesting the olives relies on other types of lubricants,

as Bryden Coote, branch manager at BSC’s Swan Hill explains.

“When you have a chain worth thousands of dollars installed on a harvesting machine, it can become quite expensive if the chains do not last through the harvest season, not to mention the downtime from

42 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

having to replace the chain in the middle of harvesting,” said Coote.

Cobram Estate is the flagship brand of Boundary Bend Limited (BBL) – Australia’s largest olive farmer and producer of extra virgin olive oil. Across its multiple olive groves in the Murray Valley region

of Victoria, BBL owns over 2.5 million olive trees on more than 6,000 hectares of farmland.

To efficiently harvest olives from these groves, BBL has been involved in developing its own unique olive harvester machines that enable continuous harvesting rather than

LUBRICANTS

"The CRC TAC2 is a dual-viscosity lubricant, which means it can be sprayed onto the chain as an oil but it firms up into a grease-like consistency as it sets, enabling it to remain in place without flinging off."

BBL owns more than 2.5 million olive trees on over 6,000 acres.

the discontinuous system used in most other olive growing countries.

During the harvest season, these machines work 24 hours a day to pick the olives when they are at their best.

Over the past couple of years and as recommended by Coote, Sam Griffiths, maintenance manager at the Boundary Bend Estate has been using CRC TAC2 chain lubricants for the maintenance of the Boundary Bend harvester machines – with more than satisfactory results.

“Every day, as part of our routine maintenance, we spray the CRC TAC2 on the harvester chains and this has helped us extend the service life of the chains considerably,” said Griffiths. “We only use the harvester

machines during the harvest season but by keeping the chains lubricated throughout the year, we have almost halved our chain breakdowns.

Now we only replace the chains once or twice a year as part of our routine maintenance.”

Iain Faber, national channel manager at CRC Industries explains why TAC2 is a suitable choice for lubricating high-speed chains, such as the ones in Boundary Bend’s harvesters.

“The CRC TAC2 is a dualviscosity lubricant, which means it can be sprayed onto the chain as an oil but it firms up into a grease-like consistency as it sets, enabling it to remain in place without flinging off.

Because of this unique formulation, TAC2 can penetrate into the pins and the seals in the chain to effectively protect the chain against wear.

“Also, the TAC2 lubricant is resistant to water wash downs, so it can be safely used in areas where water is present. It has a wide operating temperature range, so you can use TAC2 in both hot and cold temperatures.”

But TAC2 is not the only chain lubricant CRC has on offer. The CRC GEL TAC is another chain lubricant with similar properties as TAC2 but suited to different applications, according to Faber.

“I always use the example of a motorbike and a forklift,” said Faber. “Whereas the TAC2 is best suited for high-speed applications like motorbike chains, GEL TAC is designed to stay in place in low speed, high-pressure applications such as the chains used in general leaf and pin chains and overhead forklifts.

“The CRC GEL TAC has the similar benefits as the TAC2 in terms of dual-viscosity and water resistance, in addition to having a higher temperature performance. The GEL TAC can withstand temperatures up to 300˚C compared to the 165˚C in TAC2. Both products are waterinsoluble, meaning that they both

perform very well in high water environments and resist water wash off.

Additionally, CRC also offers the Food Grade range of chain lubricants for applications where risk of incidental contact with food is present.

“The CRC Food Grade chain lubricants use a special blend of mineral oil and synthetic additives.

The formulation for these lubricants is such that after you spray the oil, it forms bubbles and this foaming action gives the oil better penetration rate into the chain,” he said.

“CRC’s Food Grade range are all NSF-H1 certified and tested for a list of 25 allergens, making them safe to use across all food processing applications. CRC also has all of the certifications required for audit purposes, enabling food processors to easily produce these when required.”

Back to the context of the BBL application, Bryden says in addition to recommending the best lubrication product for each application, BSC experts can also advise on the best maintenance regime to help extend the chain longevity for customers.

“Our customers invest heavily on chains and sprockets for their equipment and it’s important that these chains are maintained as best as possible. When BSC staff visit any site, they often check the equipment and make maintenance recommendations depending on the site conditions and the equipment available on the plant,” said Coote.

As for Griffiths, he said he is pleased with the services he receives from the BSC Swan Hill branch, particularly Coote, with whom he has been engaging regularly for the past four years.

“BSC is a very good supplier and the team are genuinely helpful, always going out of their way to supply us the required parts and products when we need them urgently. It’s a relationship built on trust and grown over time.” F

The CRC range of lubricants are resistant to water wash downs.

The CRC TAC2 is a dual-viscosity lubricant, enabling it to penetrate through the pins and the seals in the chain effectively.

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 43

Let’s get smart about packaging Author

Nerida Kelton MAIP, Executive Director, Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP)

Packaging terms sometimes need clarifying. Executive director of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) and vice president (Sustainability & Save Food) – World Packaging Organisation (WPO), Nerida Kelton, gives examples of active and intelligent packaging.

Y

ou may have heard the terms active and intelligent packaging but not really understood the role that these solutions can play in extending shelf life, monitoring freshness, displaying information on quality, improving safety, and enhancing consumer convenience.

Smart packaging systems do not only monitor food quality and safety, but also work as a digital footprint to track and trace food all the way from pack house to households. Active and intelligent packaging systems can also ensure that food waste is minimised all the way across the supply chain.

Traceability is becoming a key component that is being included in packaging.

44 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Active packaging This provides functionality to extend shelf life and actively changes the condition of the packed food when additives are incorporated into the substrates, or inside of the packaging. Depending on the required outcome, the additives release, or absorb, into the packed

food, or surrounding environment, to not only improve shelf life but also quality, safety and sensory traits of the food. Active packaging can be designed to retain or eliminate oxygen, carbon, humidity and odours and can release compounds to the food such as CO2, antimicrobials, antioxidants, aromas and more.

Good packaging can eliminate odours and unwanted oxygen.

Active packaging includes numerous solutions, including Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), Equilibrium Modified Atmosphere Packaging (EMAP), spoilage/pathogen indicators, moisture absorbers, oxygen/ethylene scavengers, carbon dioxide emitters and scavengers, flavour/odour absorbers, preservative releasers, ultraviolet barriers and antimicrobial packaging and more.

Intelligent packaging This communicates product changes and monitors the condition of the packed food to provide information about the quality of the food from farm to plate. Intelligent Packaging include Time Temperature Indicators (TTI’s), shelf-life sensors, colourchanging thermochromic inks and labels and more.

Intelligent packaging can contain either an external, or internal, indicator for the sole purpose of sensing, detecting and recording determined information about the food, all the way across the supply chain. This information can identify whether any environmental changes have occurred to the product during the materials handling, logistics and transportation of the goods to the consumer. Intelligent Packaging systems can also be used for tamper evidence, product protection, as an anti-counterfeiting device, all the while providing real-time data for track and trace. These systems are an innovative digital information tool that can view the product across all sectors of the supply chain, and ultimately, communicate the full lifecycle of a product direct to consumers.

The active and intelligent packaging industry globally continues to develop innovative

systems that can improve quality control, extend shelf life, optimise freshness, control shipping and transportation routes, access food that has spoiled at any point within the supply chain and communicate with consumers. Consumers can also reap the benefits of being informed about everything from the freshness of the product, whether the food has been stored at the right temperature, through to whether it is fit to eat or about to turn.

Here are some examples of innovative active and intelligent packaging solutions.

Grape N' Go EMAP punnet The Grape N’ Go punnet developed

by Result Group and Navi Co Global in Australia was designed to minimise food waste and to enable consumer convenience. It is packed with EMAP-controlled atmosphere technology in the punnet allowing product respiration and extension of shelf life. The structure of the lidding film has two laminated layers with perforated laser holes on the surface of the lid to allow for optimal O2 permeability. These non-visible to the eye holes allow product respiration and support an extended shelf life. Grape N Go’s reclosable lidding employs a special, uncured adhesive layer that is exposed when the consumer first opens the multilayered reclosable lid.

Once exposed, the layer maintains its adhesive properties for up to 20 uses, even under challenging cold conditions of refrigerated storage.

Longer lasting avocados Mission Produce, an advanced avocado network, partnered with Hazel Technologies to launch AvoLast by Hazel, a new shelf-life

extension program that enables avocados three extra days of optimal ripeness on average.

The AvoLast program uses a quarter-sized biodegradable and food-safe packaging insert that temporarily blocks an avocado’s ethylene receptors and slows the ripening process. By increasing the shelf-life of both hard and ripe Hass avocados, it aims to reduce retail throwaways, in turn increasing profit, while creating more positive consumer experiences that drives category growth.

Materials and sensors are combined for interactive food expiry label Innoscentia have developed expiration date labels that offer real-time monitoring of food quality to help reduce waste and alert consumers to spoiled food. The technology works by measuring the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which are emitted as gases inside the packaged meat. As the gases begin to signal that the meat is degrading, sensors in the labelling can connect to a consumer’s smartphone or digital system to advise them that their food is about to spoil. The technology can estimate when an expiry date is likely to occur.

Mowi's end-to-end traceability platform for salmon Mowi, the world’s largest producer of Atlantic salmon, worked with EVRYTHNG to help launch its brand with 100 per cent transparency, powering food traceability and provenance for its product lines. Using a smartphone, consumers can scan the package to understand the full lifecycle of the salmon. On each item’s packaging, there is a consumer-scannable QR code that uses the global standard, GS1 Digital Link, which connects to the item’s digital identity in the EVRYTHNG platform revealing batch-level information on the salmon.

Realtime shelf-life indicator for meat, poultry and fish Blakbear has developed a paperbased electrical gas sensor that indicates how much shelf life is left for packaged meats, poultry and fish in real time. Consumers can access the shelf-life data in real time when they scan the RFID tags with

their smartphones notifying them of how much shelf life is remaining.

It will also provide the consumer with information on whether the product is still safe to eat or should be discarded.

100 million connected packs rolled out for UK dairy brand Food brand Yeo Valley Organic, in partnership with connected consumer agency SharpEnd, has rolled out connected packaging across all products as part of the new ‘Put Nature First’ brand platform.

Working with SharpEnd, Yeo Valley Organic can now engage directly with consumers through its most scalable media asset.

Consumers will be able to use their smartphones to scan the Moo-R QR codes, which can be found on over 100 million products. Yeo Valley wanted to inspire others about the benefits of organic and how it is one crucial factor in addressing the climate crisis. The content will encourage everyone to put nature first in their own small way, whether its reducing food waste, or encouraging wildlife into their garden.

Anti-counterfeiting and serialisation for premium watermelons Kezzler’s track-and-trace technology includes high-value locally produced watermelons and rice being produced at the government-sponsored National Model Agricultural Industrial Park located in Hanting, Shandong, China. Kezzler’s technology includes the attachment of a unique ID to every product, for every watermelon to protect the premium product from counterfeiting. The system uses a patented algorithm, called a DME (digital massive encryption) to produce many IDs in a short time, to be used for serialisation via QR codes, RFID, to name a few. Consumers can use WeChat to scan the packaging, from their smartphone via a user interface.

This will also give them access to information about how the product was grown, when it was harvested.

It is evident when looking at all of the latest innovations in active and intelligent packaging that this technology is advancing rapidly and can provide benefits to everyone along the value chain. F

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 45

FOOD COLD CHAIN

Trust in the cold chain begins with shared temperatures The Australian Food Cold Chain Council chair, Mark Mitchell, gives a current example of why the food cold chain is an integral part of Australia’s food landscape.

T

he globe’s cold chain has been put under the microscope as a result of the demands being placed on it by the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. The logistics of moving millions of doses of vaccine under strict temperature control have highlighted the traditional challenges faced by the food cold chain every day.

It’s the same old story – the technology is available, the means and the knowledge are there – all of which have succumbed to other commercial considerations that have taken priority over quality and compliance.

The worst of these is the transparent and practical exchange of temperatures between stakeholders at critical control points (CCPs), which occurs when food changes custody or is cross-docked. All too often this temperature exchange doesn’t happen.

Even more problematic is that there are too many operators relying on inaccurate air temperatures, or fancy telematics that are never looked at unless there is a load rejection at some random point in the cold chain – usually not at the CCP where the issue occurs in the first place. The result of these serious

oversights is that temperature-abused food passes thorough CCPs without anyone ever knowing.

This is the elephant in the room for the COVID-19 cold chain.

Research at AFCCC tells us that proper temperature exchange for conventional vaccines delivered to pharmacies in Australia does not always occur either. On a global scale, the World Health Organisation (WHO) calculates that more than half of all vaccines are wasted because of temperature-control logistics and other shipmentrelated issues.

If the intention is to do things by the book for the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, there is some work to do.

The COVID-19 cold chain should take note that Australia wouldn’t have +30 per cent food loss and wastage, or 25 per cent current vaccine loss rates from temperature abuse, if total compliance to proper cold chain practices occurred at all CCPs in the existing chains.

Then there is the question of scale. Once again, in food supply, there is not enough compliant cold chain globally, especially in developing nations.

This situation will be acutely

46 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

Research at AFCCC tells us that proper temperature exchange for conventional vaccines delivered to pharmacies in Australia does not always occur either. highlighted in the COVID 19 cold chain as the world scrambles to find the means to distribute vaccine, some of which needs to be kept at up to -70˚C. The vaccines have to be able to reach far-flung and isolated communities in a variety of climates, not just capital city hospitals and vaccine units.

But those acting responsibly in refrigeration, and in food and pharmaceutical shipments, understand the important role of the cold chain, and the specialised people who run it. There’s hardly a fresh food item or pharmaceutical product that does not depend on a refrigerated transport and cold room storage on a daily basis.

Our international associates at the Global Food Cold Chain Council (GFCCC) have launched a global vaccine distribution initiative, having acknowledged that insufficient attention has been paid to refrigeration logistics, scale and speed of vaccine deployment.

The GFCCC and the AFCCC believe that the world focus on the vaccine distribution mission could jump start cold chain improvement and expansion for longer-term food loss and waste reduction.

It is fortuitous that COVID-19 has exposed these important points that have to be applied to the entire cold chain and global food system.

It is no longer good enough for cold chain temperature data to be treated as commercial-in-confidence at control points or during journeys.

Stakeholders must come to grips with the fundamental principles of quality control, and realise that data disclosure leads to compliance. Any industry that hides its data, hides its quality.

The AFCCC has offered its support and expertise to the pharmaceutical industry and the Federal Government during the critical rollout of vaccines, at whatever temperature stipulated by the vaccine manufacturers. F

DAIRY

Global Dairy Commodity Update December 2020

Reference: Fresh Agenda

A

part from the inevitable heavy correction in US cheese markets, global dairy markets remained relatively calm, as increased growth in milk supplies was matched by higher consumer demand and trade.

Commodity fundamentals remain mixed across major producers, and regional factors continue to influence value directions.

Combined milk growth across major exporters will slow in the coming quarters, helped by dry conditions in the southern hemisphere and firmer feed costs.

Restrictions to limit the spread of COVID cases continues to support growth in retail demand while food service trade will remain weak. The risk of increased butterfat supplies through the northern winter with subdued festivities remains a risk – dependent on the extent of milk growth.

The adequacy of retail demand, kept markets balanced in Q2 and Q3, will be tested with dilution in income support for households driving more cautious discretionary spending in the dairy category. The absence of US government buying, rising milk supplies and a weak US$ will aid price-competitiveness of US protein and cheese, and limit gains in export markets for the EU and NZ. Export markets for commodities will remain patchy. The market will be supported by sustained Chinese demand for ingredients but there will be increased price-sensitivity with prospects of a slow recovery in SE Asia and MENA at firmer prices.

The spread of COVID-19 is out

of the control of governments in most of the world and hope rests on the availability of vaccines, which are projected to be in distribution in Q1-2021. While this (and prospects of more stimulus spending in the US and EU) has buoyed financial markets, the realistic scenarios and timelines for widespread availability and effectiveness vary widely – which see expectations of “controlling” COVID and returning to relatively normal patterns of life anywhere between late 2021 and well into 2023.

Skim milk powder SMP prices in the US and EU have been in “sideways” mode for several weeks, despite the relatively tight balance sheets in those regions – compared to prior years.

Whole milk powder WMP prices have stayed within a tight band for several months with persistent Chinese demand and higher NZ availability.

Cheese After climbing through October, an expected major correction in US cheese values saw a drop in CME spot values in November as the availability of product improved and the influence of government programs evaporated.

European cheddar values steadied in November, while NZ product values declined, but still trading at a (lesser) premium.

Butter Butterfat trade may have finally gained some traction at lower prices,

as it steadied and edged higher after a couple of months of big declines, as average shipped prices continued to fall.

Prices have lifted in the past couple of GDT events with the latest C2 pricing reaching US$4,000/t for the first time since April. Slower food service sales in developing markets is hampering expansion in demand, but in China where restrictions are gradually lifting, demand is surging.

Whey Whey prices remain steady through November with NZ product trading at a premium, while the gap between US origin and the EU is narrowing. F

By Dustin Boughton, procurement director, Maxum Foods.

www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 47

MARKETPLACE

Deal activity picks up C

orporate activity in the fourth quarter of 2020 picked up after experiencing a downturn since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Nine transactions were reported over the 10-week period to 11 December 2020.

Fonterra sold its China Farms business in Ying and Yutian, China, for NZ$514 million to Inner Mongolia Natural Dairy Co. Fonterra will use the proceeds from the disposal to pay down debt and focus on domestic producers.

Coca Cola European Partners has offered to acquire 69.3 per cent of Coca Cola Amatil for a cash consideration of $12.75 a share. The offer is valued at $9.3 billion, is structured as a Scheme of Arrangement, and is subject to shareholder and court approval.

Dairyworks Limited, a subsidiary of Synlait Milk, sold the Deep South brand and associated ice cream operations to Talley’s for an undisclosed sum, effective 12 November 2020. Synlait does not consider ice cream part of its core business.

Quadrant Private Equity acquired a 50 per cent shareholding in ready meal manufacturer, My Muscle Chef, for $100 million. My Muscle Chef was

formed in 2013 by brothers Tushar and Nishant Menon. The business sells approximately 400,000 meals a week directly to health-conscious consumers and through independent and corporate retailers.

Heineken acquired the Strongbow, Little Green and Bonamy’s cider brands and the perpetual licences for Stella Artois and Beck’s in Australia from Asahi Beverages. The transaction forms part of obligations Asahi has to fulfill under the ACCC’s approval of the acquisition of Carlton & United Breweries.

Dymocks sold the Patons Macadamia business to Ray Rust, the managing director of the business.

Dymocks acquired the Patons business in 2010 and added the Gourmet Nut Company to the portfolio in 2015. The Patons business includes the Suncoast Gold retail brand.

Atlantic Growth Capital acquired Mexex. Mexex is an Adelaide-based producer of cheese sauces, salsas, marinades, baby foods and fruit and vegetable puree, servicing the industrial, foodservice, QSR, retail and export channels. Mexex is the second acquisition made by Atlantic Growth Capital as part of its food

and beverage platform.

Bega Cheese acquired Lion’s Dairy and Drinks business for $560 million. After IT separation costs of $26 million, the net purchase price paid by Bega Cheese is $534 million.

The deal will lift Bega Cheese’s milk

intake to 1.7 billion litres annually, from 955 million litres and will add milk, juice and yoghurt brands, which include Big M and Yoplait, to its stable.

The transaction implies a 10x EBITDA multiple and 0.35x revenue multiple for the Lion Dairy and Drinks business. F

Date

Target Name

Acquirer

Sector

5 Oct 2020

China Farms (Fonterra)

Inner Mongolia Dairy Co

Dairy

19 Oct 2020

Deep South ice cream

Talley’s

Processed dairy

26 Oct 2020

My Muscle Chef

Quadrant Private Equity

Prepared meals

26 Oct 2020

Coca Cola Amatil

Coca Cola European Partners

Beverages

27 Oct 2020

Global Therapeutics

McPherson’s

Vitamins & supplements

28 Oct 2020

Strongbow, Little Green & Bonamy’s

Heineken

Alcoholic beverages

5 Nov 2020

Patons Macadamia

Ray Rust

Confectionery

13 Nov 2020

Mexex

Atlantic Growth Capital

Wet manufacturing

15 Nov 2020

Lion Dairy & Drinks

Bega Cheese

Dairy

Ben van der Westhuizen and David Baveystock are directors of Comet Line Consulting, an advisory business that specialises in acquisitions and divestments within the Australian food and beverage industry. For more information, visit www.cometlineconsulting.com.au.

Commodity Outlook WHEAT – World wheat prices to rise, reflecting higher global demand and decreased supply from some major exporters.

COARSE GRAINS – World barley prices to rise because of increasing Chinese demand.

BEEF, VEAL AND SHEEP MEAT – Australian cattle prices average higher in 2020-21 due to restocking demand. Sheep meat saleyard prices to fall due to impacts of COVID-19 and dissipating demand resulting from African swine fever.

DAIRY – Milk prices to fall due to global production increases and demand shocks.

OILSEEDS – Oilseed prices supported as global demand outstrips supply.

Source: Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (ABARES), Agricultural commodities, December 2020.

48 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

NEW PRODUCTS

Optimised convection cooling delivers long service life Three new PS power supply series from Beckhoff comprise a total of 18 devices.

The 1- and 3-phase DIN-rail mountable power supply units are compact and supply output currents from 2.5 to 40 A. With a temperature-optimised device design, these power supplies ensure excellent convection cooling, long service life, maximum reliability and up to 96.3 per cent efficiency. The PS series features a wide range input and comes with a number of different technical approvals, making it suitable for worldwide and universal use in 24 V and 48 V DC applications. Beckhoff offers power supplies for most applications in both the 24 V and 48 V DC range, including motion control applications with stringent requirements for handling back EMF (electromagnetic force).

Excellent convection, minimised power loss and high efficiency of up to 96.3 per cent optimise the service life and reliability of the devices. The peak power capability of up to 150 per cent makes it possible to provide up to 1.44 kW output power for short periods of time. In addition, the power supplies can switch off circuit breakers quickly and accurately through a precise tripping function to avoid unnecessary machine downtime.

The power supply portfolio includes the following device series: • PS1000 with six 1-phase power supply units for smaller and cost-sensitive applications (24 V DC, 2.5/3.8/5/10/20 A, efficiency up to 95.2 per cent) • PS2000 with five 1- and 3-phase power supply units for standard applications (24/48 V DC, 5/10/20 A; efficiency up to 96.3 per cent, 120 per cent permanent output power) • PS3000 with seven 1- and 3-phase power supply units for demanding applications (24/48 V DC, 10/20/40 A, efficiency up to 95.4 per cent, 150 per cent output power for 4s).

The UL-approved power supplies can also be used in highly specialised industries, e.g., with approvals according to SEMI 47 (semiconductor industry) or DNV GL (shipbuilding). They can also be used in hazardous areas requiring explosion protection (Class I Division 2, IECEx and ATEX).

Beckhoff Australia 1300 765 469 www.beckhoff.com/en-au/

Neousys’ SEMIL-1700 series half-rack IP67 waterproof computer Backplane Systems Technology presents Neousys’ SEMIL-1700 series half-rack IP67 waterproof computer supporting Intel Xeon E or 9th/ 8th-Gen core processor with all M12 connectors. SEMIL-1700 series is a rugged device with an IP67-rated waterproof and dustproof design. Powered by Intel Xeon E or 9th/ 8th-Gen Core CPU and coupled with workstation-grade Intel C246 chipset, it can support up to 64GB ECC/ non-ECC DDR4 memory. The 2U half-rack form-factor SEMIL-1700 incorporates Neousys’ best-in-class thermal design and offers mounting flexibility where you can wall or rack-mount up to two SEMILs side by side.

SEMIL-1700 series adopts a corrosion-proof chassis made of stainless steel and aluminium to counteract against moisture and salinity. Offering a variety of I/O connectivity’s that utilise M12 connectors to guarantee extremely rugged connections in shock and vibration environments, it has up to eight 802.3at PoE+ ports to supply 25W of power to connected devices. Internal expansion wise, it has an M.2 M-key socket to support NVMe SSD and mini-PCIe sockets for extending feature sets. Additionally, SEMIL-1700 series features two 2.5-inch SATA SDD/ HDD accommodation, 8-48V wide-range DC input with ignition power control and complies with MIL-STD-810G and EN 50155.

To top it off, SEMIL-1710J in this series is equipped with Neousys’ innovative SuperCAP-based UPS containing 2500 watt-second stored energy to sustain or safely shut down the system during unforeseen power outages. Protected against water, dust, high/low temperature, shock/vibration, and power interruption, Neousys’ SEMIL-1700 series is set to redefine edge application computing, where ruggedness matter.

• M.2 B Key for 4G/ 5G module, M.2 E key for WiFi module; • Patented supercapacitor-based uninterruptible power backup (SEMIL-1311J); • 8-48V wide-range DC input with built-In ignition power control; and • CE, FCC, and EN50155 certified.

Backplane Systems Technology (02) 9457 6400 www.backplane.com.au

Key Features: • 2U half-rack fanless system, -40°C to 70°C Operation; • 4x 802.3at Gigabit PoE+, VGA, 2x USB 2.0, 2x COM via M12 connectors; www.foodmag.com.au | February 2021 | Food&Beverage Industry News 49

NEW PRODUCTS

iEi’s S24A-QM87 24-inch fanless marine panel PC ICP Australia has introduced the release of iEi’s S24A-QM87 24-inch fanless marine panel PC with 4th Generation Intel Core i5 dual-core processor and Intel QM87 Express Chipset.

The S24A-QM87 is preinstalled with 4 GB of DDR3 SO-DIMM and can accommodate up to 16 GB of DDR3 memory. Storage in the system is handled by two 2.5-inch SATA 6Gb/s SSD bays and the CFast card slot.

The S24A-QM87 also features Intelligent Platform Management Interface 2.0 (IPMI 2.0) that helps lower the overall costs of server management by enabling users to maximise IT resources, save time, and manage multiple systems. The S24A-QM87 supports IPMI 2.0 through the optional iRIS-2400 module.

The S24A-QM87 has five serial ports, including four isolated RS-232/422/485 serial ports on the front panel and one RS-232 serial port on the rear panel. The HDMI, DVI-D, and VGA connectors allow the S24AQM87 to support various display devices. Other slots and connectors include half-size and full-size PCIe Mini Card slots, isolated CAN bus 2.0B, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 ports, USB 3.0 ports, and audio jacks (line-in, line-out, and mic-in).

Key features are: • -15°C-+55°C wide temperature and IP66 protection with flat-bezel projected capacitive touchscreen; • Excellent visual performance:

- three independent displays

- full OSD function configuration

- 0 per cent -100 per cent full range dimming

- 178°/178° wide viewing angles

- optical bonding improves visibility under bright light (optional); • Isolation protections

- RS-232/422/485 isolated serial ports

- isolated 18V-36V DC Input

- 2 x Isolated CAN-Bus 2.0B; and • iRIS remote management module.

Digital switches ensure constant monitoring Due to increasing demand, SMC recently launched two new IO-link compatible products: The PF2M7-L and the modular PF3A-L. PF2M7-L is used to measure small air flows of down to 0.1LPM while the PF3A*H-L can be connected directly to SMC’s FRL unit for larger flows up to 12000LPM. This unit is easy to retrofit into existing lines as IO-link sensors can be connected using simple 3-wire M12 cables and eliminates the need for expensive analogue I/O cards and shielded cables, allowing more flow control into branch lines.

The Z/ISE20B-L digital pressure switch range features 3-screen display, 3-step setting mode and selectable delay time function to simplify the setting process for operators with fewer push button operations to perform.

This new series matches the terms of enclosure, output type and media of the legacy series Z/ISE40A. It is designed with lightweight and compactness in mind.

The ISE7/7 G-L pressure switch broadens the operational pressure range offered for pressure and vacuum in air and general fluids to 1.6 and 10MPa respectively. Together with an angled display and rotation mechanism ensures good visibility. This IO-link solution comes with an M12 connector and is IP67 certified, so is robust and can withstand hazardous environments.

The PF3W7-L digital flow switch for water (0.5 to 250LPM) provides centralised control and monitoring of the flow and temperature and is IO-link compatible.

SMC (02) 9354 8222 www.smcanz.com 50 Food&Beverage Industry News | February 2021 | www.foodmag.com.au

ICP Electronics (02) 9457 6011 www.icp-australia.com.au

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