Keymac Packaging Systems design, manufacture and service a full line of primary packaging machines aimed at the food and non-food industries worldwide.
Top load carton and tray formers
Top load carton closers
Fully and semi automatic
End load cartoners
Automatic Pre-glued sleevers
Special product handling systems
Manufactured in UK and USA
in UK and USA for worldwide markets
Keymac Packaging Systems Ltd
28b Burnett Business Park, Gypsy Lane, Keynsham, Bristol BS31 2ED, UK +44 (0) 1179 865417 | sales@keymac.co.uk | www.keymac.co.uk
Kimberley Read at: kimberley@foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk or Joanne Murphy at: joanne@foodanddrinknetwork-uk.co.uk
foodanddrinknetwork.co.uk
Colton Packaging think inside the box with social enterprise Half the Story
Loughborough’s Colton Packaging is pleased to be working with a Nottingham-based charitable organisation to provide packaging for their latest products.
Family-run business Colton Packaging provide eco-conscious packaging solutions for a variety of businesses, and have recently partnered with Half the Story on their latest initiative.
Half the Story - a Nottingham-based organisation, part of Grace Enterprisesproduce packaged biscuits for a variety of national transport clients including LNER. In the process, the organisation create work opportunities for individuals who may have barriers to employment; in particular, homelessness. Their commitment to plastic-free packaging for their products saw eco-focussed Colton Packaging offer the perfect solution for their packaged products with carefully designed, bespoke boxes.
Every 100 biscuits sold creates one hour of Living Wage work for a baker at Half the Story, who also have access to in-work support and mentoring.
Laura Colton-Smith, Managing Director at Colton Packaging, talks about the
Key Technology (Key), a member of Duravant’s Food Sorting and Handling Group, introduces its COMPASS® belt-fed optical sorter at Pack Expo Las Vegas booth W-1040.
Like the chute-fed COMPASS introduced in 2023, the belt-fed system delivers exceptional foreign material and defect removal while setting new standards for ease of use with simplified controls, sanitation and maintenance. Designed for wet, sticky and delicate products, the belt-fed COMPASS helps processors ensure food safety, achieve precise product quality and maximize yield while delivering a compelling ROI.
“We launched our COMPASS family of optical sorters two years ago with the chute-fed system, which is achieving great results in production facilities worldwide. Now, after extensive development and testing, we’re launching the belt-fed COMPASS to serve additional markets,” said Jack Lee, Duravant Group President - Food Sorting and Handling. “This new system requires minimal training and delivers exceptional value to more types of food processors.”
The new belt-fed COMPASS is ideal for a variety of produce, snack foods and other products that cannot be handled by chute-fed sorters. The belt configuration provides gentle handling for delicate applications, reducing product breakage while maintaining high throughput. Unlike chute-fed systems, which require significant elevation changes, belt-fed sorters are installed horizontally, minimizing facility modifications and reducing installation costs.
COMPASS finds and rejects plastic, glass, paper, wood and other organic and inorganic foreign material, as well as processor-specified product defects. It’s available in a range of configurations and sizes to meet individual customer application and capacity requirements.
Recipe-driven operation ensures consistent sorting performance on every product run. The user interface mimics smartphone app navigation, allowing workers without technical skills to learn to operate COMPASS in under 30 minutes. Processors can create new recipes in under 10 minutes and switch between products in less than a minute. Key designed COMPASS for maximum sanitation with open architecture, sloped surfaces and minimal moving parts. Sensor and light windows are positioned away from product splatter, so accurate inspection is sustained throughout long production cycles without operator intervention.
Key supports its customers worldwide through an extensive sales network and its global service team. For more information on Key’s optical sorters, visit www.key.net/en/our-products/sorting/.
partnership -
“As a business, we’ve always been committed to supporting worthwhile initiatives. Half the Story’s work makes a huge impact on the lives of those who may otherwise struggle to gain full-time employment in society.
“By creating the opportunities they do through the creation of products like the biscuit packs, they quite literally change lives: so to be a par t of that effort is something we are immensely proud of.”
This partnership is set to continue - and grow - with a variety of upcoming projects on the horizon for Half the Story, and a continued dedication to supporting this organisation by Colton Packaging.
Moody Direct to Feature Wideranging Process Equipment Solutions at PPMA Show 2025
Moody Direct, a leading provider of process solutions for the food, dairy, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries, today announced its participation as an exhibitor at the highly anticipated PPMA Show 2025.
The event, set to take place from 23rd to 25th September, at the NEC Birmingham, will provide Moody Direct with a platform to demonstrate its comprehensive range of products and services.
The PPMA Show is the UK’s premier processing and packaging machinery exhibition, attracting key decision-makers and professionals from across various sectors. It serves as an essential hub for discovering new technologies, networking, and gaining insights into industry trends.
On stand E90, Moody Direct will highlight its commitment to enhancing operational efficiency, sustainability, and product quality for its customers. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore their diverse portfolio, including process pumps, valves, heat exchangers, homogenisers, spare parts, and bespoke engineering solutions.
This portfolio includes products from a range of world-renowned manufacturers, including Alfa Laval, GEA and SPX FLOW. This extensive network ensures that customers have access to the highest quality components and technologies, backed by Moody Direct’s expert installation and maintenance services.
Experts will be on hand to discuss specific challenges, offer tailored advice, and showcase how their solutions can optimise production lines and reduce downtime.
“We are incredibly excited to be returning to the PPMA Show in 2025,” said David Tomlinson, Director at Moody Direct. “This exhibition is a cornerstone event for our industry, and it provides an invaluable opportunity to connect with our customers, partners, and prospects. We look forward to demonstrating how our innovative solutions can help businesses navigate the evolving landscape of processing and packaging, driving efficiency and sustainable growth.”
Attendees are invited to visit Moody Direct at stand E90 to engage with specialists and learn more about how Moody Direct can support their operational goals.
Visit Moody Direct: www.moodydirect.com
Tetra Pak achieves EcoVadis Platinum medal rating for sustainability
Tetra Pak has joined the top 1% of companies achieving the highest possible rating in latest EcoVadis assessment
Lausanne, Switzerland, 29 July 2025 – Tetra Pak has achieved the highest EcoVadis sustainability rating, earning the prestigious Platinum medal in the globally recognised assessment. This demonstrates the quality of its sustainability management system and commitment to transparency throughout the value chain, placing Tetra Pak among the top 1% of over 130,000 companies assessed1 and representing a major milestone in its sustainability journey.
The rating underscores Tetra Pak’s efforts to integrate sustainability into the core of its business across all four EcoVadis assessment categories: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.
This success illustrates Tetra Pak’s purpose: to make food safe and available, everywhere, and to protect what’s good – food, people and the planet. This purpose forms the basis of their sustainability agenda, which focuses on five interconnected areas - food systems, climate, nature, circularity and social sustainability - the company takes a whole value chain approach to sustainability, working closely with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders to embed it into every part of its business. In 2024, this included the formation of a dedicated Sustainability Excellence team, building capabilities in processes, systems, data and people, and integrating sustainability more fully into daily operations.
A key driver of the result was the identification of opportunities to deepen transparency and a strong cross-functional collaboration. For example, in 2024 Tetra Pak’s supplier engagement programme, Join Us in Protecting the Planet, supported 29 suppliers to set validated science-based climate targets. Emissions from purchased materials were reduced by 15% compared to the 2019 baseline, driven by improved volume allocation and close collaboration with suppliers through the Join Us in Protecting the Planet initiative.[1]
Beyond the Supplier engagement programme, Tetra Pak launched a new Supplier Code of Conduct, built on 15 fundamental principles and designed to enhance human rights and environmental due diligence efforts in the supply chain.
Lars Holmquist, Executive Vice President, Tetra Pak, comments: “This achievement reflects the determination of everyone at Tetra Pak to drive our sustainability transformation, together with stakeholders across the value chain. The resulting Platinum EcoVadis rating demonstrates our shared passion for continuous improvement and commitment to embedding long-term sustainability across every part of our operations and value chain.”
Find out more about Tetra Pak’s EcoVadis rating at this link. https://recognition.ecovadis.com/ LC4ZQ85vzE-k___n4KxzKA
[1] Tetra Pak Sustainability Report FY24 https:// www.tetrapak.com/content/dam/tetrapak/ publicweb/gb/en/sustainability/reporting-andperformance-data/TetraPak_Sustainability_ Report_FY24a.pdf
ProAmpac Releases 2025 Sustainability Impact Report: A
Decade of Flexibility. A Future of Possibilities
ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, announces the release of its 2025 Sustainability Impact Report. This year’s theme, A Decade of Flexibility. A Future of Possibilities. celebrates the company’s decade-long journey of sustainable innovation and sets the foundation for its forward-looking climate and packaging goals.
Key highlights from the 2025 Impact Report include:
• Expanded Environmental Reporting: Environmental data has been updated to reflect historical usages from sites acquired in 2024.
• Net Zero Commitment: Formal pledge to the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) under the Net Zero Standard. Progression of scope 3 quantification and scope 1 & 2 third-party verification.
• Offering a sustainable attribute for 100% of our product portfolio: Continuing to advance its leadership in sustainable packaging through our ProActive Sustainability® platform.
• Scaling Fiberization of Packaging®: Advancing fiber-based alternatives for non-recyclable packaging to accelerate circularity.
Tailored Handling Solutions from B&B Attachments take Centre Stage at IMHX
IMHX 2025, the UK’s premier event for logistics and supply chain professionals, is set to return to the NEC Birmingham from 9th–11th September and B&B Attachments is ready to showcase the very latest in forklift attachment innovation on Stand E10.
“Preparations are nearly complete, and we’re excited to reveal what we’ve been working on,” says Mike Barton, Managing Director at B&B Attachments. “This year, visitors to our stand will see the most advanced handling solutions from B&B, alongside cutting-edge developments from our partner KAUP, all under one roof.”
A standout product this year is the Open Centre LayerMaster, specifically engineered for the produce, retail and distribution sectors. This versatile attachment not only maintains the exceptional layer picking and depalletising performance of the original LayerMaster, but also supports full pallet swaps, pallet rebuilding, and mixed-load construction, providing unmatched flexibility for dynamic warehouse operations.
New for 2025, B&B will feature the KAUP T266C Fork Positioner integrated with VETTER SmartFork®. Together, they are a powerful combination for precision handling. The T266C offers excellent visibility, durability, and fast fork positioning. When paired with SmartFork®, it delivers a safer and more efficient operation. “This pairing enhances accuracy, reduces risk, and empowers operators with feedback in real-time,” adds Mike.
This year’s exhibition promises to be the most engaging yet, giving attendees the opportunity to see live demonstrations, ask questions, and consult directly with the experienced B&B team about their specific handling needs.
Visitors to Stand E10 can also explore tailored handling solutions for paper rolls, kegs and casks, and palletised loads. Book a meeting with the B&B team today by calling 01670 737373, and experience firsthand how innovation is shaping the future of material handling.
• Enhanced Safety & Community Engagement: Over 4,600 risk assessments completed in 2024; deepened community impact through global volunteer initiatives.
• Employee Support Through PEAF: Over $1.75 million in assistance provided to employees and families since 2017.
To view the full 2025 Sustainability Impact Report and learn more about ProAmpac’s initiatives, contact Sustaibability@ProAmpac.com or visit ProAmpac.com.
Celebrating 30 Years of Engineering Excellence: The Mayor of Bolton Visits S and A Engineering
As part of their 30th anniversary celebrations, S and A Engineering Services was delighted to welcome The Mayor of Bolton for an official visit to their premises, highlighting the close ties they have with the Bolton community. The Mayor’s visit provided an opportunity to showcase not only their in-house blower repair workshop and engineering expertise, but also the team that has driven the continued success, many of whom are local to the Bolton area.
The Mayor also took time to meet the team, and acknowledged their contribution to the local business ecosystem. Everyone at S and A Engineering is grateful for The Mayor’s support and recognition of their role in Bolton’s thriving business community.
Andrew announced shortly before the visit from The Mayor that Rebecca Cornthwaite would be promoted to Managing Director.
From Garage start-up to UK Repair Centre
Andrew had left his previous employ at Dresser Holmes: a UK based blower manufacturer, where he had begun as an apprentice and advanced to service manager. S and A Engineering was started at the request of rather unexpected client: the Trafford Park factory of The Kellogg’s Co of Great Britain, stating that they would like Andrew to continue to repair their blowers on the condition that he opened a company so that they would be able to trade with him.
Over the past two years, S and A Engineering has experienced its most successful period to date, a testament to the company’s resilience after the pandemic.
From a single request by a cereal giant to an internationally recognised engineering service provider, S and A Engineering Services has come a long way.
How SPC and AI Helped a Choc-ice Factory Reduce Giveaway and Save
Choc
An article
By Roy Green, Harford Control Ltd. August 2025
So many products are produced with a layer of chocolate, sometimes containing nuts or other tasty ingredients. To the manufacturer, it is vitally important that the layer of chocolate is thick enough to guarantee a high quality and highly reproducible treat, whilst not being unnecessarily thick causing higher and possibly uncompetitive manufacturing costs. The optimum between taste and cost is usually achieved through trial and error during pilot production runs, prior to full scale production.
Once the optimum thickness has been determined, it must then be controlled during large scale manufacturing by statistical sampling. Sampling involves the taking of sample packs from the production line both before and after the chocolate is applied (known as chocolate enrobing).
Over-sampling costs money, due to wasted product, whilst under-sampling possibly leads to inadequate control, resulting in held or quarantined product.
Case Study
We installed a system in an ice cream manufacturing plant a few years ago to begin their transformation from paper recording to full digitisation. Apart from the obvious benefits of paper elimination, this transition was necessary to increase visibility and encourage real time actions to improve performance, sustain consistently high quality and reduce manufacturing costs.
When installing such a system we will always begin with one critical aspect of control rather than trying to improve everything at once. We chose one of the choc ice lines on which to run a weight control improvement programme. Concerns had already been raised due to the ever-increasing cost of chocolate. Though there was no concern about the quality of the finished product, the team wondered to what extent it would be possible to reduce the chocolate enrobing, whilst still producing a consistently highquality product.
The Chocolate Reduction Process
We created a Statistical Process Control quality profile within the Harford system for the choc ice production on line one. For the first day, we simply monitored, to measure the weights of samples, both before and after chocolate enrobing. We found 5 samples taken every half hour throughout the day gave us quite consistent results. This statistical data gave the team the confidence they needed to try reducing the thickness of the chocolate coating. This was necessarily a gradual process so as to ensure the quality was not compromised during the systematic trials of reduced chocolate enrobing. Once the optimum was found, production line set-up changes were standardised for all shifts.
We have no wish to bore readers with the percentage reductions which led to optimisation, but we could work with any teams on any products to ensure similar outcomes. Whilst the products and factory locations may change, our system of SPC control delivers similar results. One reason Harford Statistical Process Control is so effective is that it also calculates the process capability in each case. This reduces the risk of overdoing it or over adjusting on too
small an amount of data. Consequently, we can say with total confidence that we can optimise enrobing, whatever the product and whatever the extent of variation, without compromising the product quality.
SPC/AI
Our Statistical Process Control SPC, in conjunction with Process Capability, also invariably means fewer process adjustments and, therefore, less work for the operators. In fact, as the Harford Statistical Process Control weight/volume control programme, now over 30 years old, is one of the earliest examples of Artificial or Automated Intelligence. In modern parlance, it could more accurately be called Harford SPC/AI.
Dramatic Results
Back to the choc ice line, when we started working with the team to reduce the excess chocolate enrobing, the results were quite dramatic and within another week we had achieved the optimum…an acceptable level of chocolate take up with no loss of quality and fewer process adjustments.
The detail is irrelevant as it will be different for every factory and every product. Even another choc ice line would have different parameters sufficient to vary the process
capability and control limits.
What’s important is to know how successful it was. The team, after our initial training and coaching, saved more than £800,000 in the value of chocolate no longer overpacked for the first year of operation, repaying their investment several times over.
But, we still had to add in the benefits from the use of paperless quality, label verification and OEE, plus the weight control benefits expected across a further 10 lines.
More about these other potential savings in future articles. For more details contact Harford Control at sales@harfordcontrol.com or give us a call +44 (0)1225 764461.
Cut the Waste Keep the Taste
Smarter Control with Harford Statistical Process Control
Tired of endless tweaks on the line? Struggling with giveaway that’s eating into your margins?
Harford’s Statistical Process Control (SPC) helps food and drink manufacturers like you stay one step ahead. With fewer adjustments and tighter control, you’ll reduce giveaway, improve consistency, and save serious money — without sacrificing quality.
With visual representations of process data, control charts, root cause and trend analysis tools, Harford provides real-time insights that drive proactive quality management. Instant alerts and notifications ensure that manufacturers can maintain process stability, prevent defects and continuously improve efficiency.
Set Target Value
Establish precise target values for each product/production line based upon process capability.
Automated Control Limits
No Guesswork. Actionable control limits calculated automatically by the natural variation in your own processes.
Why Choose Harford?
Greater Quality Consistency
Operators achieve more by making fewer adjustments, leading to greater quality consistency. Lower Costs, Greater Efficiency
We have more than 55 years' experience gained through helping companies achieve optimal control, reduce wastage, ensure consistent quality compliance and improve efficiency. Our on-site service support is provided 24/7, by our global network of Field Service Engineers.
Wherever there is reduced variation, improved quality and efficiency follow naturally.
Get In Touch
(0)1225 764461
+44 (0)1225 764461 info@harfordcontrol.com
Explore Harford SPC and request a
Explore Harford SPC and book a discovery call
UK Packaging Expo
Why the North needs its own packaging Expo
By UKPackaging Expo
The UK’s packaging industry is facing a pivotal moment, one shaped by rising costs, sustainability imperatives, labour shortages, and a sharp focus on automation and resilience. But while these issues are being tackled across the country, the ability to access the latest thinking, suppliers, and innovation often depends on one thing: geography.
The North of England - home to some of the UK’s most dynamic manufacturing, processing, and logistics sectors - has long lacked a dedicated packaging event tailored to its needs. The launch of UKPackaging Expo, taking place at Manchester Central on 3rd – 4th September 2025, seeks to change that.
A Northern powerhouse of packaging
From packaging converters in Yorkshire and Lancashire to logistics hubs in the North-West and advanced manufacturing sites in Cheshire and the North-East, the North boasts a packaging supply chain that is as broad as it is specialised. Major brands in food, drink, personal care, pharmaceuticals, and industrial sectors all call this region home.
And yet, the packaging industry’s biggest trade shows have typically been located in the Midlands or South-East, putting the latest technologies, services, and suppliers out of convenient reach for thousands of northern-based businesses.
This disconnect has real consequences. Businesses unable to justify the time or cost of attending events elsewhere are missing valuable opportunities to meet suppliers, source innovation, and benchmark progress in areas like recyclability, compliance, digitalisation, and automation.
A smarter approach to trade events
UKPackaging Expo was created with this imbalance in mind. It is designed to be an accessible, highly targeted event that caters specifically to professionals and businesses operating across the North’s packaging ecosystem.
Exhibitors will span primary and secondary packaging, machinery, automation, materials, software, labelling, design, and sustainability services. Visitors will include packaging technologists, operations managers, procurement leads, brand owners, engineers, and product developers from sectors such as FMCG, retail, manufacturing, and logistics.
Most importantly, the event is regionally relevant. It will allow northern-based teams to attend without significant travel or downtime - and create opportunities for businesses to connect with both local suppliers and national players.
Supporting the Levelling Up Agenda
While the Government’s Levelling Up strategy is often debated in political circles, the business case for decentralising opportunity is clear. Regional trade shows play an important role in economic stimulation - driving local innovation, supporting SME growth, and enabling knowledge exchange without barriers.
UKPackaging Expo supports this vision, aligning with wider goals to make the North an engine of sustainable, high-value manufacturing. With the packaging industry a key enabler of economic activity - from protecting goods to enhancing supply chain efficiency - investing in regional infrastructure like trade events is a step in the right direction.
What to expect in 2025
Held in Manchester, the heart of the North West’s business and transport network, the event will feature:
• Over 70 exhibitors showcasing the latest in packaging materials, technologies, and equipment
• A free-to-attend seminar programme focused on sustainability, smart packaging, automation, and legislation
• Live demonstrations and new product launches
• Networking lounges and innovation zones to encourage peer-to-peer connection
Backed by leading industry voices and supported by a growing number of trade associations, the UKPackaging Expo is already gaining traction with suppliers and buyers alike.
In summary
The packaging industry is evolving rapidly - but to meet future challenges, innovation must be made accessible across the UK, not just in traditional event hotspots. UKPackaging Expo aims to bridge this gap by offering a regionally focused, nationally significant event that brings packaging professionals together, closer to home.
Register free to attend the show here https://registration.ukpackagingexpo.co.uk/Manchester
Registration is now open for Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025, the UK’s leading showcase of artisanal food and drink, returning to Olympia London on 9-10 September 2025.
Set across two packed days, the Fair brings together cutting-edge products, innovative new brands and expert insight under one roof, offering an unrivalled opportunity for buyers, chefs, retailers and hospitality professionals to explore the future of fine food and drink.
Visitors can expect to discover the most exciting emerging producers from across the UK and beyond, with international stands from the United States, South Korea, Turkey, Germany, Spain, Belgium and more. With curated content, tastings and demonstrations throughout the venue, the Fair provides a vibrant, hands-on experience tailored to uncovering standout products and game-changing trends.
At the heart of the show, the Food for Thought stage will return with a dynamic programme of panel discussions, thought leadership and trend forecasting from top names in the industry.
Kateline Porritt, Head of Trends at Egg Soldiers, is among the confirmed speakers and comments:
“Very excited to be talking at Speciality & Fine Food Fair this year as we continue in this run of unprecedented tough years for our food businesses. I’m offering a lighthouse of insight to guide visitors through the changing scene of GLP-1s, geopolitical news, and Gen Z social shifters.”
“Our forecasted trends are researched and defined to have real impact and action to solve the challenges facing our partners in food service, hospitality, producers and retailers.”
This year sees a number of exciting new features introduced. At the heart of the show floor, The Village Square will provide a lively hub for tastings, informal networking and meaningful conversations. It will also play host to sessions led by key partners including Cotswold Fayre, Diverse Fine Food and Invest NI.
Following the success of its 2024 edition, Pitch Live in partnership with IND!E returns even bigger and better for this year’s event, showcasing innovative suppliers and emerging startups. Producers will present their innovations directly to a panel of influential buyers from Ocado, Selfridges, Booths and independent retailers such as Macknade and Laura’s Larder. Pitch Live will run alongside the brand-new IND!E Pavilion, showcasing the very best in emerging food and drink talent.
Another show favourite making a bigger return is the Start-Up Village, which has expanded for 2025 to meet growing demand from early-stage producers. Confirmed exhibitors include HOTBUBU, offering condiments inspired by Korean flavours; RamTang’ Cello, with its unique twist on traditional limoncello; Oh Raw!, known for raw, flavour-packed fruit snacks; and Honey Hills, bringing awardwinning honeys from the Carpathian Mountains in Romania.
The show floor will also bring together leading wholesalers and
distributors, with buyers able to explore the latest ranges from names including Cotswold Fayre, Diverse Fine Foods, Lituanica, Rowcliffe, Alsop & Walker and Quality Confectionery Wholesale. From ethical sourcing to heritage recipes, these suppliers represent the full spectrum of premium food and drink.
Other key areas of the Fair include the Drinks Quarter, which will present a broad selection of beverages including craft spirits, nootropics, coffees and teas. The Wine Cellar will guide visitors through an expertly selected range of wines, while the Great Taste Deli will showcase award-winning products recognised by the Great Taste Awards. For producers seeking guidance, the Producer Advice Hub offers free one-to-one sessions with industry experts on topics ranging from marketing and branding to certification and allergens.
The Speciality & Fine Food Fair Awards return on day one of the Fair to recognise excellence across the industry. Categories include New Product of the Year (UK and International), Small and Large Independent Retailer of the Year in partnership with BIRA, DEI Champion, Not Yet on the Shelf, Outstanding Industry Champion and, new for 2025, Outstanding Regional Star.
Nicola Woods, Event Manager for Speciality & Fine Food Fair, says: “This year’s Fair is packed with inspiration, innovation and opportunity. Whether you’re sourcing new suppliers, discovering the next big trend or reconnecting with peers, there’s never been a better time to register and be part of the conversation shaping the future of food & drink.”
Paul Donoughue, Owner of Green & Lovely, comments: “Speciality & Fine Food Fair has become a firm date for our diaries, and it is considered essential to the success of our business. It’s here we get to scope out exciting new products and the producers behind them, to catch up with existing suppliers to see what they are up to and to see what new plans we can hatch.”
Daniel Smith, Managing Director at Barbury Hill, adds: “We enjoyed every moment, engaged in meaningful conversations, and found ourselves truly inspired. Speciality & Fine Food Fair plays a crucial role in shaping our winter and Christmas collections.”
With more content, more innovation and more opportunities than ever before, Speciality & Fine Food Fair 2025 is set to be the must-attend event for anyone serious about the future of food and drink.
Speciality & Fine Food Fair takes place at Olympia London on 9-10 September. Find out more about everything happening at this year’s event, and register to attend, at specialityfinefoodfairs.co.uk.
drinktec 2025: Global meeting place for the beverage and liquid food industry
drinktec 2025 will bring together experts from the beverage and liquid food industry in Munich from 15 to 19 September 2025! drinktec aims to be the premiere platform for world firsts, where exhibitors from all over the world present the entire value chain with their innovative solutions for beverage and liquid food production. With the key topics of ‘Circularity & Resource Management’ and ‘Data2Value’, drinktec focuses intensively on the sustainable development of the industry. According to statistical data from the VDMA – based on Euromonitor data –visitors and exhibitors can expect global market growth worldwide.
Continuous growth and a strong future-oriented focus in the beverage and liquid food industry: With this claim, drinktec 2025 will once again be the top event in the beverage and liquid food industry scheduled from 15 to 19 September 2025 in Munich. Around eleven months before the event, the trade fair team is already working flat out for the optimal presentation of all stakeholders in the value chain as well as for a strong supporting programme to provide an comprehensive view of all aspects that are relevant to the industry now and in the future. ‘For this event, once again we have the complete programme for beverage and liquid food manufacturers,’ says Markus Kosak, Executive Director drinktec Cluster. ‘This is one of our most important unique selling points in the entire industry. Anyone who produces beverages or liquid foods cannot avoid drinktec. ’This is also reflected in the high approval ratings drinktec received for the previous events in the visitor survey: Consistently, more than 94% of visitors state that they come to the trade fair to find out about innovations and gain inspiration for their own processes.
“Anyone who produces beverages or liquid foods cannot avoid drinktec.”
Markus Kosak, Executive Director, drinktec Cluster
The fact that the trade fair appearance is meeting with a positive market development in many regions of the world is illustrated by the data published by the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association of the VDMA e.V. at the start of drink technology India on 23 October 2024 in Mumbai. According to these figures, global sales of soft drinks will increase by 18% to 920 billion litres by 2028. The association is based on this data from the British market research institute Euromonitor International. Global sales of alcoholic beverages will grow by around 9% to just under 276 billion litres in 2028.
Impulses for future development
Once again, drinktec is positioning key topics for the year 2025. ‘It is important to us that our trade fair concept always provides answers to the questions that have the highest priority in the
2025.’ Beatrix Fraese, Deputy Managing Director of the Food Processing and Packaging Machinery Association of the VDMA e.V., continues: ‘We can of course see which topics are on the industry’s agenda and it is precisely these areas that we are focussing on at the trade fair’.
With ‘Circularity & Resource Management’, drinktec 2025 is once again delving deep into the topic of efficient resource utilisationand this explicitly includes every step in the value chain. ‘Anyone who only thinks about packaging when it comes to this topic is clearly missing the point,’ emphasises Fraese. The industry’s potential ranges from the use of raw materials from biological sources to circular solutions in all process steps in the beverage and liquid food industry and also includes the reuse of residual materials from the manufacturing process or other sources.
The team has announced a similar claim with the second key topic ‘Data2Value’, which will shed light on the future of data utilisation throughout the industry. ‘All data sources must be brought together here and offer useful perspectives for the beverage context. This also includes the use of tools that are bundled under the keyword ‘AI’ and can be used to solve a variety of tasks in the value chain of the beverage and liquid food industry in a coherent and efficient manner. ’drinktec will demonstrate in various formats and for different subject areas that this is not just something that can be utilised by large manufacturers worldwide, but is also suitable as a problem-
London Packaging Week reports unprecedented demand as industry leaders gear up for landmark event
London Packaging Week 2025 returns to Excel London this October with record demand, uniting over 5,000 packaging professionals, brand teams, suppliers, and innovators.
London Packaging Week 2025 is already shaping up to be the mustattend event in the global packaging calendar this Autumn, with organisers reporting unprecedented demand for complimentary visitor passes ahead of its eagerly anticipated return to Excel London this October.
Celebrating its 15th anniversary, London Packaging Week returns on 15 & 16 October with its most exciting edition yet. Attracting over 5,000 professionals from luxury, beauty, drinks, and FMCG, the event is already drawing strong interest. Leading brands like Harrods, Hennessy, Burberry, Innocent, Jo Malone, LUSH, Fortnum & Mason, The Macallan, Mondelez, Sainsbury’s, and The Glenlivet are sending sizable teams to this premier packaging showcase. Rooted in London’s reputation as a global design and innovation hub, the event features more than 190 exhibitors - half UK-basedand a 92% British visitor base. It’s where creativity meets practicality, bringing together designers, brand teams, and suppliers to source
materials, explore new formats, and tackle packaging challenges.
Supported by key industry bodies such as Pack UK, Walpole, The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) and the British Beauty Council, and strengthened by partnerships with Pentawards and the Museum of Brands, the event drives innovation, education, and meaningful debate. This is where designers and packaging technologists collaborate closely with brands to push boundaries, guided by insights from the Easyfairs Packaging Council and empowered by a community that values inclusivity, creativity, and sustainability. Whether through inspiring talks or immersive networking moments over prosecco bars, London Packaging Week delivers a sense of belonging and a festival atmosphere that fuels the future of packaging.
“We’ve never seen momentum like this,” said Josh Brooks, Divisional Director, Packaging at Easyfairs. “Within days of
registration going live, we saw a significant spike in pass requests from brand owners, procurement managers, designers, and packaging technologists across the UK and beyond. It confirms what we already knew – that the packaging community sees London Packaging Week not just as a trade show, but as the beating heart of industry innovation and connection.”
The 2025 programme features over 70 speakers across three live stages, tackling the most urgent topics facing the industry today. These include sustainability and the circular economy, smart and connected packaging, regulatory change and compliance, artificial intelligence and automation, along with design innovation, branding strategies, and evolving consumer behaviour. Notable names include legendary automotive designer Frank Stephenson, Kevin Marshall of Microsoft, and senior packaging leaders from Nestlé, Marks & Spencer, Reckitt, Bentley Motors, and Boots. Industry body Walpole will also explore how Extended Producer Responsibility is reshaping the luxury market, while other sessions will address the challenge of balancing sustainability with premium consumer experiences.
Innovation remains at the heart of London Packaging Week, with the return of the Innovation Awards shining a spotlight on the most groundbreaking designs and technologies in packaging today. Finalists include heritage icons and disruptive newcomers from sectors spanning confectionery to cosmetics. The show floor will also present the Best of British Design Gallery, curated with Pentawards, showcasing 50 standout UK packaging designs, alongside an exclusive archive from the Museum of Brands that brings packaging’s past and future vividly to life. The Supplier Gallery will highlight the top sustainable innovations, while the
new PackUK Clinic offers one-on-one consultations on compliance and material guidance. The inaugural EasyFairs Packaging Council continues to provide strategic direction, ensuring the event continues to set the agenda for innovation, sustainability, and technology in packaging.
Exhibitors include some of the world’s most respected packaging specialists, including Eurostampa, Croxons, All4Labels, Sun Branding, AllPack, EP Group, GMUND, Favini, Kurz, Holmen, DAPY, and Fedrigoni, each bringing bold ideas, new materials, and cutting-edge capabilities to the show floor.
London Packaging Week is a unique platform connecting the industry’s most influential brands, suppliers, designers, and innovators. With exhibitors ranging from leading packaging converters and material specialists to creative studios, the event attracts those who define global consumer culture. Confirmed brands include teams from Selfridges & Co, Charlotte Tilbury, William Grant & Sons, No7 Beauty Company, The White Company, Cartier, and COTY. This milestone edition promises more live product launches, immersive installations, and networking opportunities than ever before, making it the destination for anyone serious about packaging.
“This isn’t just another event – it’s a statement,” added Brooks. “It’s where business gets done, ideas are born, and the future of packaging is written.”
With demand at an all-time high, organisers encourage early registration to avoid missing out. Register now to secure your place at London Packaging Week 2025 on 15 & 16 October.
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Registration open for Dairy Industries Expo 2025
The Dairy Industries Expo 2025, the UK’s leading event dedicated to dairy processing, packaging, and food safety solutions, is set to return to NAEC Stoneleigh on 29-30 October 2025. This essential two-day trade exhibition brings together key players from across the dairy supply chain, offering unparalleled access to cutting-edge technologies, expert insights, and networking opportunities.
As the only event of its kind in the UK focused exclusively on the dairy sector, Dairy Industries Expo 2025 will welcome exhibitors showcasing the latest advancements in processing equipment, automation, packaging innovation, quality control, hygiene, and food safety technologies all under one roof.
The show is proudly organised by Dairy Industries International, the industry’s longest-running and most trusted media brand, providing deep sector knowledge and unmatched industry connections. With editorial and digital coverage before, during, and after the event, this year’s expo is set to deliver even greater value to both exhibitors and visitors.
“Participating in the Dairy Industries Expo was a rewarding experience for CEM Corporation. As innovators in moisture, fat, and protein analysis, the event provided the perfect platform to engage with decision-makers across the dairy industry. The Expo was well-organised, with strong footfall and high-quality attendees who were genuinely interested in technology that improves product quality and processing efficiency. We’ve already seen new business opportunities emerge from the connections made.
“We’re proud to have been part of such an innovative event and look forward to returning in 2025.”
– CEM Corporation, Innovators in Dairy Analysis
The 2025 edition will feature:
• Live equipment demonstrations across the show floor
• A free seminar programme covering topics like sustainability, smart processing, hygiene innovations, and regulatory changes
• Opportunities to connect with industry peers, suppliers, and decision-makers
Whether you’re a processor, supplier, or brand looking to stay ahead, Dairy Industries Expo is where the conversations and the connections begin. Start now!
Visitor registration is free and now open to secure your place, visit: https://forms.reg.buzz/dairy-industries-2025 www.dairyindustriesexpo.com
Registration opens for the PPMA Total Show® 2025
The UK’s biggest processing and packaging machinery, robotics and industrial vision event, the PPMA Total Show®, is set to return to the NEC, Birmingham in September, with the show offering a host of opportunities and brand-new features for attendees.
The PPMA Total Show® 2025 will take place from 23-25 September, bringing together industry professionals from across the entire manufacturing spectrum offering networking opportunities, live equipment demonstrations, and valuable insight into innovative technologies.
The PPMA Show 2024 has been shortlisted as a finalist in the Best UK Trade Show category at The AEO Excellence Awards 2025. Organisers Automate UK have pledged to deliver a show that exceeds expectations this year, with an itinerary of expert speakers, a networking reception and a series of live demos to showcase the latest technology solutions.
The PPMA Show® 2024 was a resounding success, with more than 80% of visitors reporting that they discovered new solutions to enhance and support their businesses as a direct result of their attendance.
The 2025 show is now set to be bigger and better, with more than 350 exhibitors and 1,500 brands in attendance.
Scott McKenna, Chief Operating Officer, said: “The PPMA Show® 2024 was a great success, and this year’s show will build on that, giving attendees access to cutting-edge technology and solutions to optimise performance, reduce costs, and future-proof their businesses.
“This year, we’re offering visitors to chance to benefit and learn from expert-led seminars with relevant topics including sustainability, smart manufacturing, and operational efficiency, as well as dedicated networking opportunities throughout the course of the show.
“One of the standout successes of The PPMA Show® 2024 was Innovations Eleven – a brand-new Live Demonstration Theatre, in which 11 selected exhibitors launched new technology directly to attendees, and we’re enhancing that experience this year.
“The PPMA Total Show® 2025 Live Demonstration Theatre will be broadcast in real-time via PPMA Show TV, whilst expert-led daily innovation tours will be hosted for visitors to expand on the technology being showcased and its suitability for their business needs,” he added.
Attendance for The PPMA Total Show® 2025 is free, with registration now open. To register, visit: https://www.ppmashow.co.uk.
The Compact S01 –Preglued Sleever Innovation & Design
We are proud to bring you the T Freemantle Compact S01 Preglued Sleever, the
21st century sleeving solution guaranteeing you the smallest footprint of
sleeving machine on the market.
30 years of sleeving experience means we can now proudly share this ‘patent protected’ design, that simply removes common pain points for our customers surrounding space limiting site layouts, offering them a compact upgraded solution that solves all their problems. .
Our market leading edge and the focus we give our customer’s needs for maximized efficiency, quicker changeovers, easy access and of course reduced footprint has never been more pivotal to the machine design & innovation we aspire to bring to the market.
In addition to these features, the Compact S01 is not shy when it comes to speed, capable of running at 120 ppm with a single lane feed & with its increased sleeve magazine for extended running times & fewer moving parts, it’s going to bring you everything you need in terms of flexibility and efficiency.
This compact design is super practical and has proven performance reliability with a full watchstrap, band and 5 panel sleeves all on the same machine. It’s easy access acrylic doors ensures full visibility and access to all moving parts, delivering the most hygienic and easy maintenance machine on the market.
There is also the advantage of reduced changeover times with 100% accurate repeatable setup. When the machine is in operation the product pusher allows for maximum flexibility and there is also the incorporated option of finished pack collation for easy outer packing. A further notable improvement to the design is that it even minimises air usage when idle with its improved vacuum system.
There’s no way around it this S01 Preglued sleever does everything you would want it to do and more and is designed to incorporate a date coder, barcode reader with inbuilt inspection and reject system within the machine.
We hope you are as excited as we are here at T Freemantle. Watch this space as we build up to the launch of our new machine at The PPMA 2025 at Birmingham’s NEC.
Silverson Machines at PPMA 2025
This year Silverson Machines will be on stand G60 at the PPMA show, demonstrating their world-leading range of high shear mixing equipment. For mixing at Laboratory scale, the L5M-A Laboratory mixer and the Verso benchtop In-Line mixer will be on the stand.
For small-scale mixing, Silverson will be exhibiting the FMX10. This mixer has been developed to bridge the gap between the laboratory scale FMX5 and the larger, production-scale Flashmix product range.
The FMX10 provides a simple, effective and hygienic means of powder/liquid mixing on a small scale, with a batch size of up to 50 litres, depending on viscosity. Featuring the same pumping rotor design as the HV model, the FMX10 is able to process higher viscosity mixes, and the option of a high speed motor, capable of 9,000rpm, and Flameproof specification makes this model even more versatile.
The full-scale production equivalent of the FMX10, the Silverson Flashmix, will
also be present on the stand. As well as the Flashmix, this year visitors will be able to see working examples of other production-scale equipment such as the Silverson Batch and Bottom Entry units.
Silverson High Shear in-tank Batch mixers are able to emulsify, homogenise, solubilise, suspend, disperse, and disintegrate solids with unparalleled precision. Each mixer features a precisionengineered Silverson rotor/stator workhead. These workheads generate extremely high shear rates, creating a powerful suction effect that continuously draws materials into the high shear zone.
This method of mixing is able to far outperform conventional mixers, cutting processing times by up to 90% while enhancing product quality, consistency, and process efficiency.
To discuss your mixing application, or to arrange a trial, visit the Silverson mixing experts on stand G60.
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UK Food Inflation to Peak at 5.1% in 2025, Warns IGD
• Food price rises are the number one concern for consumers, IGD finds.
• IGD data reveals 83% of shoppers now expect escalating retail food prices.
• IGD forecasts retail food inflation is expected to outpace general inflation, averaging 4.0% in 2025, up from previous forecast of 3.4%.
• Food inflation is forecast by IGD to decline to 1.6%-2.6% in 2026 and to 1.8% in the first half of 2027.
IGD’s latest Viewpoint report, UK Food Inflation Forecasts 2025–2027, warns that retail food inflation is set to peak at 5.1% in late summer 2025, significantly outpacing general inflation. This rise is expected to place further pressure on both households and businesses, as the UK economy continues to grapple with sluggish growth and persistent price pressures. The report also outlines that food prices are now the top concern for UK shoppers, overtaking worries about energy costs, as they brace themselves for higher food bills in 2025.
Looking ahead to 2027, the report offers cautious optimism, forecasting a gradual decline in food inflation to 1.8% by mid2027. However, the near-term outlook remains challenging, with inflationary pressures fuelled by a potent mix of regulatory costs, extreme weather events, and global commodity volatility.
According to IGD’s latest data, 83% of shoppers now expect escalating retail food prices, while 81% are similarly concerned about Away From Home costs. This mounting unease is reflected in the IGD Shopper Confidence Index, which dipped to +1 in June, down two points from May, with three-quarters of consumers anticipating tax hikes. As the busy Christmas season approaches, consumer sentiment remains fragile amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and persistent pricing pressures.
Michael Freedman, Head of Economic and Consumer Insight at IGD, comments:
“Amid economic uncertainty, shoppers are cautious with their finances, increasing private label purchases while reducing impulse and indulgence buys. We identified only 29% of consumers plan to cut back on grocery spending, suggesting
many have already tightened their budgets and have little room to cut back further.
“Instead, shoppers are more likely to look for savings on discretionary purchases like clothing and eating out, underscoring a clear prioritisation of food shopping over other categories. Businesses should adapt to shifting customer behaviours by offering value, convenience, and memorable experiences to attract customers and drive growth.”
As these patterns emerge, a deeper polarisation is becoming evident among shoppers. One in four (25%) expect their financial situation to worsen in the year ahead, with this figure rising sharply to 41% among lower-income households - a tenpoint increase since May 2024. In contrast, only 11% of higher earners now expect to be worse off, a decrease of five points.
While financially secure consumers remain open to treating themselves through premium dine-in experiences and impulse buys, innovation is increasingly being driven by Gen Z, whose curiosity for new cuisines and novel formats is opening up fresh opportunities for businesses to engage and develop new offerings within the food sector.
IGD’s report calls on retailers, manufacturers, and policymakers to stay closely attuned to shifting consumer behaviours, particularly around value, convenience, and experience, as they navigate the road ahead.
For more detail on these insights, download the latest IGD Economic Viewpoint Report here https://www.igd.com/ social-impact/economics/reports/viewpoint-uk-foodinflation-forecasts-2025-27/71446
Brewing up success with smarter packaging
As breweries navigate rising costs, tightening margins, labour shortages and ever-growing customer expectations, attention is increasingly turning to packaging as a lever for operational improvement. Once considered an unavoidable cost, secondary packaging should now be utilised as a strategic asset.
In beverage supply chains, corrugated packaging plays a pivotal role. Whether it’s collation for transporting cans, glass bottles, or multipacks, the right combination of material, design, and functionality can make the difference between a smooth operation and a costly headache.
Machine-erect formats accelerate production
One of the most visible shifts in the drinks sector is the move towards automated packaging. Traditionally, many
breweries relied on manually erected wraparound boxes or trays. While this approach offers flexibility, it comes with well-known drawbacks, including slower packing speeds, inconsistent pack quality, and increased physical strain for operators.
Machine-erect formats are engineered to work seamlessly with automated packing machines. These packs arrive flat and are formed within seconds into perfectly shaped cases ready to receive product. The benefits are immediate - for example, higher throughput, fewer manual handling risks, and improved line efficiency. For producers scaling up to meet demand, automating case erection is often one of the first steps toward more efficient, repeatable processes.
Optimised packaging that performs
Optimising material combinations has long been a focus in the beverage industry, where transport costs and sustainability commitments are under constant scrutiny. Structural designs that distribute performance demands evenly across the pack help prevent corner crushing or collapsing during stacking. These developments are particularly valuable for co-packers handling a range of product weights and formats on the same line.
Bespoke packaging solutions can deliver tangible benefits, from lower CO2 emissions per shipment, easier manual handling, to less material consumption overall. For brands with public commitments on sustainability, this contributes meaningfully to annual reduction targets and legislation impacts
Shelf-ready solutions reduce time in store
Another area where corrugated packaging is adding value is at the retail end of the supply chain. Shelf-ready packaging, designed to be quickly converted from a protective shipping case into a pointof-sale display, they help retailers save time on stock replenishment, improve product visibility back of store, increasing availability on shelf, whilst aiding product navigation for shoppers.
Typically, these packs feature perforated tear strips or pre-cut openings that enable store staff to remove the top or front panel in one movement. Because the structural integrity is built into the design, the remaining tray holds products securely while communicating branding alongside key product messages to shoppers.
This approach has become especially important for drinks categories with high promotional turnover, busy fixtures and seasonal peaks. Efficient replenishment is not just about labour cost. Brands that are visible on shelf have a stronger chance of capturing impulse purchases.
Reducing SKU complexity
SKU proliferation is a challenge that continues to escalate across beverage categories. Different formats, customer-specific artwork, and promotional variants all drive complexity and create potential for errors in packing and fulfilment.
To tackle this, some producers are turning to modular or multipurpose pack designs. These allow a single case format to serve different configurations of cans or bottles, reducing the total number of SKUs in inventory. Fewer SKUs mean simpler procurement, streamlined warehouse management, and less chance of line disruption caused by stockouts or changeovers.
In practice, rationalising SKUs requires collaboration across functions, including packaging, operations, sales, and logistics, to ensure that every requirement is met without unnecessary duplication.
Protecting product integrity
Product damage remains a costly and frustrating issue for drinks producers. Crushed cases, burst seals, and broken glass create waste and delay, and can harm brand reputation if problems are visible at the point of purchase.
To reduce damage, packaging designers are increasingly relying on simulation tools that model how packs behave under dynamic loads. Compression, vibration, and impact testing pinpoints weak spots in the pack structure before production begins.
Reinforcing specific areas or adjusting flute orientation or perforation profiles can significantly improve performance without
adding excessive material. Over time, this data-driven approach helps build a more resilient supply chain and reduces returns and complaints.
Collaboration across the supply chain
Implementing smarter packaging solutions rarely happens in isolation. It requires input from multiple stakeholders, from line operators and maintenance teams to logistics managers and retailers. The most successful projects tend to be those where packaging is viewed as an integral part of operational planning, not just an afterthought.
Frameworks such as the Eight-Step Solutions Cycle developed by VPK Packaging are designed to guide this process step by step. Beginning with discovery, mapping current challenges and opportunities, and progressing through design, prototyping, implementation, and optimisation, this collaborative approach helps ensure that every packaging decision is grounded in real operational needs.
The pressures on breweries show no signs of easing. Cost volatility, labour shortages, and sustainability commitments will continue to drive change across the drinks industry. For many producers, revisiting packaging strategy offers a practical way to unlock efficiencies and build resilience.
Machine-erect formats, sustainable materials, and shelf-ready designs are no longer niche innovations, they’re standard tools for companies seeking to do more with less. As retailer demands evolve and consumers demand greater transparency, the role of packaging in shaping operational performance will only grow.
For drinks businesses ready to embrace smarter corrugated solutions, the potential rewards are significant, faster processes, stronger customer relationships, and a more sustainable future.
Article supplied
by
Adam Platts, Sales and Marketing Director, VPK Packaging UK
& Ireland
Used Cooking Oil and The Circular Economy – Powering the Food Industry on its Own Waste
By Suzanne McKenzie, Sales Director at Lifecycle Oils
Across the UK, food manufacturers are looking to reduce waste, lower emissions and improve their sustainability credentials. One solution that can help with all three of these goals lies in a waste product that many food factories produce in huge volumes every day – used cooking oil. From Waste Oil to Sustainable Energy
For food manufacturers, UCO (used cooking oil) isn’t just a waste product – it can be a valuable source of sustainable energy. When this waste stream is transformed into sustainable biofuel, it can be used to power operations as part of a circular model.
For an industry focused on cutting costs and emissions, the ability to transform waste into an income stream while reducing Scope 1 emissions is a very attractive idea!
Circular Models in the Food Industry
At Lifecycle Oils, our entire model is built on circular principleswe provide a fully closed-loop cooking oils service for customers across the food industry.
This starts with supplying sustainably sourced cooking oils. Once the oil has arrived at a commercial kitchen or manufacturing facility, we provide comprehensive fat oil and grease (FOG) management services, helping businesses prevent costly drain blockages and stay compliant with environmental regulations.
We then collect the UCO and transport it to our state-of-theart biofuels processing plant, where it is converted into LF100, a high-quality, sustainable biofuel suitable for direct power generation applications.
To close the loop, we then supply this LF100 back to those same food manufacturers to power their generators. To make it even more sustainable, we use this same LF100 fuel to power our biofuels processing plant!
Biofuel Sustainability and the Food Industry
One of the biggest concerns surrounding the use of biofuels in the food industry is their sustainability credentials, and finding the right balance between food and fuel.
Biofuel created from virgin feedstocks, like palm oil, soya oil or rapeseed come with some significant environmental compromises. They compete with land that could be used for food production, which can drive up prices, while contributing to agricultural expansion that leads to deforestation and biodiversity loss. They also need substantial water resources. These downsides have rightly led to a demand for more sustainable alternatives.
Second-generation biofuels, made from waste products like UCO, avoid all these downsides. By repurposing a waste stream,
we’re sidestepping the significant carbon emissions associated with additional agricultural production and land-use changes.
The carbon savings are substantial when compared to conventional diesel; biodiesel produced from UCO can cut lifecycle carbon footprints by an estimated 80-90%. Even when compared to first-generation biofuels, UCO-derived alternatives offer significant benefits, with research indicating typical carbon savings of around 40%. This makes them an ideal solution for food manufacturers seeking a sustainable power source for their operations.
The Bigger Picture
Beyond individual factory operations, UCO-derived biofuels can also support the wider UK decarbonisation efforts.
At Lifecycle, some of the UCO we collect is further refined into biodiesel and Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which can be used to help decarbonise transport, energy and industrial power systems across the country and beyond. It can even be used in SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel). With UK SAF mandates requiring an increasing blend of SAF in jet fuel – starting at 2% in 2025 and rising to 10% by 2030 – our efforts are enabling the aviation sector to meet these crucial targets and significantly drive down emissions.
The journey of UCO from the fryer to fuel is a blueprint for how waste can and is fuelling a more sustainable, lower waste and circular tomorrow for the UK food industry.
Carbery Group launches Horizon 10 to explore the Future of Food, Markets and Technology
Carbery, a global leader in dairy, nutrition and taste has announced the launch of Horizon 10a foresight programme of research, data analysis and thought leadership that will identify emerging opportunities and challenges that shape the future of food, markets and technology. Through Horizon 10, Carbery aims to build stronger partnerships with customers by exploring future-focused opportunities together and enable its next phase of growth as a leader in food innovation and production.
Recognising the importance of long-term thinking, Carbery initiated Horizon 10 to explore how shifting market dynamics and trends will shape the future.
Commenting on the initiative, Carbery Group CEO Jason Hawkins said:
“Horizon 10 reflects our commitment to thinking long term—about what we make, how we make it, and where we focus. It’s about working differently and supporting our customers as they navigate change. We want this to be a shared journey, grounded in insight, innovation, and collaboration.”
Hawkins added “This exploration of the longer-term future under Horizon 10 sits alongside a more immediate focus by the business on potential new areas of innovation and opportunity. Through partnerships with organisations like European food innovators EIT Food and leading venture capital firm SOSV and others, we are taking new approaches to deepen our innovation and capitalise on future growth opportunities.”
Sarah O’Neill, Global Strategy Director and Horizon 10 programme lead at Carbery Group, explained the intent behind the initiative:
“One question that kept coming up during our strategy work was, ‘How do you prepare for the future when so much is uncertain?’. While no one can predict exactly what’s ahead,
we recognised the need to start thinking beyond the short term. Horizon 10 was developed as a way to help position Carbery—and our customers—for long-term success. It’s about building a deeper understanding of the trends shaping our industry and using that insight to guide thoughtful innovation and support our partners as they navigate what’s next.”
Horizon 10 is guided by three core focus areas that will help shape Carbery’s direction over the next decade:
The Future of Food – understanding how consumer priorities around health, taste, and consumption patterns are evolving, and what this means for ingredients and product development.
Geographical Markets – identifying where future growth may come from by examining rising middle classes, shifting consumption patterns, and the impact of geopolitics and trade dynamics on supply chains and market access.
Technology – understanding how emerging technologies—from digital tools and data-driven decision-making to new production models and sustainability-led innovation—can support a more efficient, adaptive food system.
To date, Carbery has released two comprehensive reports under the Horizon 10 framework:
The Future of Food: Health & Wellness Edition, featuring macro trend analysis, consumer insights, supply-chain dynamics and topranking functional ingredients with high growth potential Horizon 10 – The Future of Dairy, exploring evolutionary, transformative and revolutionary scenarios—from increased transparency to precision-fermentation—shaping the dairy industry over the next decade.
Both reports are now available for download from Carbery’s website: https://www.carbery.com/horizon10/
Central Hygiene BESPOKE ENGINEERING AT ITS FINEST
We have utilised over 30 years experience in the industrial cleaning sector to design and manufacture high performing cleaning equipment. Combine this with ease of use and British manufacturing and our cleaning apparatus is among the best available.
We believe in building products that find solutions to existing cleaning problems, improve ease of use and longevity of product life. Our commitment to quality has lead us to create the CHESS range of equipment which is fully interchangeable and is designed with you in mind. Parts can be integrated together to create a solution that is unique to your requirements.
Why Central Hygiene?
• Established for over 30 years
• Our expert engineers design all products in-house and fully test them before adding our seal of approval for sale.
• The highest quality British manufacturing means your products have a much longer life than inferior imported equivalents.
• We continually evaluate, add, and develop our products so you can be totally satisfied that by using Central Hygiene, you are buying the best on the market.
Innovative Bluetooth water activity meter from Rotronic sets new standards
Rotronic, part of Process Sensing Technology (PST) and the specialised manufacturer of humidity and temperature instrumentation, has launched a combined Bluetooth Water Activity meter with smartphone and tablet app.
Called the AwEasy, the new stand-alone instrument is advanced, lightweight and compact, and is designed to produce extremely accurate reading simply and quickly – up to ten times faster than traditional devices. This makes it ideal for use by laboratory analysts, quality control teams and production staff who need to take spotwater activity measurements in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and chemical industries.
The new AwEasy is the most recent addition to Rotronic’s existing range of water activity analysers, meters and probes. The company believes that it is the first of its type to offer both Bluetooth connectivity with the ability to use a smartphone or tablet app, to store and analyze data and then automatically output reports as pdf documents, for use in quality control and traceability regimes.
The AwEasy features a robust stainless steel and aluminum housing, measuring just 65mm tall and 68mm in diameter, with a topmounted color LCD display, indicator ring and single control button. The instrument also incorporates Rotronic’s latest humidity and temperature sensing technologies. These are capable of providing levels of accuracy to within plus or minus 0.008aw, which is far better than competing devices in the same price range, while ensuring exceptional repeatability and stability.
Set-up and operation is carried out via the iOS or Android compatible app, with measurement simply requiring a test name and batch number. Analysis is automatic and can be displayed in detail, as raw data or on a choice of charts, with reports being exportable as pdf or csv files.
The AwEasy has also been designed to minimize the time required for water activity measurements. These normally take up to 50 minutes, but with the AwEasy in Quick Function mode this time can be significantly reduced to around 5 minutes. Combined with the in-depth analysis reports, this enables the new AwEasy to offer considerable improvements in productivity, quality control and traceability.
In areas such as factory environments, where connectivity may be an issue, or where the use of Smartphones is prohibited, the new AwEasy can be used on its own. Control of each analysis can be carried out directly from the front panel, with data being displayed on the LCD control panel and then automatically uploaded once the smartphone is back within range.
As part of the PST group, Rotronic is able to provide a comprehensive range of technical and sales support services, including training, sensor calibration and repairs.
Rotronic AwEasy – Standalone Bluetooth Water Activity Monitor
Compact, lightweight and mobile
• AW Quick for results in 4 – 5 min.
• Easy to use with display
• Also measures humidity and temperature
• Free smartphone app
• Auto-report nction
The new AwEasy complements our range of water activity measurement devices perfectly. Measurement probes, penetration probes, laboratory benchtop and handheld devices can be combined flexibly according to your requirements. Bene t from the highest accuracy, e ciency, and easy calibration to optimize processes and ensure product quality. ProcessSensing.com
Premium Pouch packaging machines for snacks and confectionery
Economical, flexible, and safe
Who doesn’t know them – the little treats we enjoy between meals or as evening snacks? Sweets come in all forms: fruity or salty gums, chocolate with cookies or fruit, and countless flavour combinations. But to keep these popular snacks consistently available in shops, reliable primary packaging – ideally pouches – is essential.
This packaging must combine low costs with strong product protection. For cookies, breakage during filling must be min-
imised, while soft items like fruit gums need dosing systems that prevent sticking.
We aim to produce perfect pouches at the lowest unit costs and reliably over the entire service lifetime of the machine.
Contact us for more information on 01473 893990 or email@penn-packaging.co.uk
