Exploiting pulp potential: Nestlé Japan launches its Cacao Fruit Chocolate
This launch comes at a time when consumers are increasingly seeking clean label offerings that also fight food waste. Further products sweetened with cocoa pulp will follow in other countries next year through some of Nestlé’s most popular confectionery brands.
Traditionally discarded, cacao pulp surrounds the cacao beans and is soft, sweet and white in colour. It also has a distinct sour-sweet taste, which is used in Brazil and other cacao-producing countries in Latin America for making drinks and smoothies. It is also used as a raw ingredient for ice cream. Some companies have focused on its scarcity and export juice made from it, but its use has not spread widely beyond that.
UPM joins 4evergreen initiative to boost value chain collaboration
UPM joins 4evergreen which is a new initiative by Cepi, the European association representing the paper industry, to boost the contribution of fibre-based packaging in a circular and sustainable economy.
“We welcome this initiative as it brings together the whole value chain and has the potential to provide strong facts in support of fibre-based packaging”, says Mikko Rissanen, Director, Business Intelligence and Development, UPM Specialty Papers. “We believe that we can speed up the development of improved, sustainable products and recycling solutions when we increase information sharing and collaboration between the packaging value chain members”.
Along with UPM, 4evergreen members include Nestlé, Danone, Stora Enso, Metsä Board, Smurfit Kappa, Sappi, Mayr-Melnhof Group, Reno de Medici, Kotkamills, Ahlstrom Munksjö, International Paper, BillerudKorsnäs, Huhtamäki, SEDA, SIG Combibloc, Tetra Pak, Elopak, Walki, Schur Group, Cardbox Packaging, and Firstan. The alliance is welcoming more organisations to join the collaboration.
Barry Callebaut reduces its carbon foodprint
Barry Callebaut has succeeded in fiscal year 2018/19 to reduce its carbon footprint by - 6.7%, from 9.10 million tonnes to 8.49 million tonnes, whilst achieving + 5.1% volume growth.
The key driver of the carbon reduction was a more accurate calculation of the carbon liability from land cleared for cocoa agriculture (- 27%). In addition, the Group reduced the carbon intensity of its factories by - 6.7%, due to an increased use of renewable energy. Since dairy ingredients play a major role in Barry Callebaut’s carbon footprint, the Group increasingly purchases products from countries with lower carbon intensity and encourages dairy suppliers to measure and reduce the carbon emissions of their farms and processing facilities, which led to a reduction of - 5.7%.
Multivac cooperates with leading manufacturer of piezo inkjet solutions
With immediate effect, Multivac has the exclusive rights to market the InteliJet HD series of printing solutions from the US manufacturer Bell-Mark Sales Co.
The InteliJet HD series of printers are drop-on-demand digital printers, which can be configured for either one or two colours or even the full CMYK colour scale. In contrast to CIJ (Continuous Ink Jet) printers, which produce a continuous jet of ink, the nozzles of DoD printers only supply the ink drops that are actually required for the print. This is very efficient and therefore particularly cost-effective.
Thanks to its print resolution of up to 600 x 600 dpi and a printing speed of up to 150 m/min, the technology enables texts, logos, variable data and various codes to be printed precisely and cost-effectively on a wide range of materials such as paper, film or aluminium. The high-quality UV inks dry very quickly with state-of-the-art UV LED lights, and the ink spread remains very small, so that even small icons and texts can be reproduced perfectly.
Givaudan doubles flavour production capacity in China
Givaudan, the world’s leading flavour and fragrances company, officially inaugurated a new extension to its Nantong manufacturing facility aimed to support the capacity on liquid flavour production for beverages, dairy and sweet goods.
The new 16,000 m2 addition to the original site will enable the company to meet the growing demand from customers in the food and beverage segments in China. About 95 % of the total production capacity will support customers in China. The Nantong manufacturing facility will strengthen the company’s existing capabilities in savoury and culinary flavour blends, snack seasonings, spray dries and liquid flavours. About 150 people are currently employed on site of which a large majority have been recruited locally.
The foundation for the Nantong manufacturing facility was first laid in April 2013. The facility has since pushed out its first commercial production in April 2015. Commercial production at the extended site started in July this year.
LoeschPack mourns the loss of Managing Director Dr Thomas Cord
Dr Thomas Cord (54), Managing Director of Loesch Verpackungstechnik GmbHin Altendorf/Germany, died suddenly and unexpectedly on 29 October 2019.
Dr Thomas Cord began his career at the prestigious Research Center for Information Technology in Karlsruhe/Germany. After completing a degree in IT, he became head of the Research & Development Department there, working on projects relating to robotics and automation in machinery engineering. He went on to complete a PhD on the subject of “Absolute Localisation of Mobile Robots”. In 1998, Dr Cord joined Elau, a manufacturer of automation solutions for the packaging industry, where he was appointed Chief Executive Officer in 2005. From 2010, he was CEO of Lenze Automation GmbH.
Dr Thomas Cord was appointed Managing Director of Loesch Verpackungstechnik GmbH on 1 August 2017. His enthusiasm, expertise, and great personal dedication all contributed significantly to the company’s success. He was known and appreciated by business partners and customers for his pleasant and likeable manner, his sense of responsibility, and his determination to get things done. With Dr Cord, the recently launched advisory board of the trade magazine Sweets Processing loses a valued member.
Oliver Frese named Chief Operating Officer of Koelnmesse
At the beginning of the year 2020, Oliver Frese (52-year-old), former member of the Board of Deutsche Messe AG is to assume his new position of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Koelnmesse GmbH.
"With Oliver Frese, we have gained an extremely experienced trade fair manager and an authentic leader who we trust will be able to integrate new events as well as further develop Cologne's traditional trade fairs to meet the requirements of the modern trade fair business," said Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and Cologne's Mayor Henriette Reker following the committee's decision.
Gerald Böse, President and Chief Executive Officer of Koelnmesse, agrees: "With Oliver Frese, a dynamic and recognised trade fair professional is coming to Cologne, who has experienced all the facets of the rapidly transforming trade fair industry in his successful career to date. I am looking forward to working with him in the management team to continue our success story."
Frese can look back on 14 years of service with Deutsche Messe AG. Prior to his board position, he was responsible for the Hannover Messe, the world's most important industrial trade fair, until 2013. On the Management Board, he was responsible for Technology, Gastronomy and Services, as well as the ICT & Digital Business Events competence area and all public trade fairs at the Hanover site. "I am looking forward to working with a highly professional and experienced team to further develop Koelnmesse's strong position in the international trade fair market and to further expand Cologne as a hotspot for innovative trade fair and event concepts," says Oliver Frese of his new position.
Maximizing freshness: DSM expands bakery portfolio
Royal DSM has launched two new additions to its BakeZyme portfolio: BakeZyme Fresh XL and BakeZyme Master.
BakeZyme Master prevents staling while improving the foldability of products like tortilla wraps. Bread staling is a complex process involving a combination of physical, chemical and sensory changes, making the product less appealing to consumers. Crumb firmness is the most widely used indicator of staling. DSM’s BakeZyme portfolio, in addition to its CakeZyme portfolio (for use in cake production), is designed to help manufacturers delay the onset of crumb firmness, preventing staling and keeping products fresh for longer, even while refridgerated. These properties enable the production of more consistent baked goods.
Cocoa price makes significant gains
The cocoa price in New York has increased significantly and reached an 18-month high of USD 2,669/t.
“It is not clear why supply should be tight in the short-term,” Commerzbank said. Shipments from Ivory Coast are in full swing and totalled 446,000 t from the start of the harvest in early October up to and including 10 November. This puts them 5.7 percent above the corresponding period last year.
Commerzbank added: “What is more, weather conditions are favourable. It is possible that the high buying interest is also due to the additional price premium of USD 400 per ton that will have to be paid by buyers from next crop year.”
Ghana has already contracted 200,000 t of cocoa from the 2020/21 crop, including the USD 400 premium.
Hochdorf Group: Jürgen Brandt new CFO
The Board of Directors of the Hochdorf Group has appointed Jürgen Brandt as the new CFO and member of the Executive Board.
Jürgen Brandt is an experienced financial expert who has been CFO of Von Roll Inova, Austrian Energy & Environment Group and Sulzer for the past 15 years and has served as a temporary CFO for various medium-sized companies since 2015. He has also been a member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee of the listed company Bobst SA since 2013.
The current CFO Marcel Gavillet, who has worked for the Hochdorf Group since 2003, will remain with the company and take over special projects in the area of finance.
Galaxy launches vegan milk chocolate bars
The bars are available in three 100 g varieties: Caramelised Hazelnut – a blend of rich cocoa with smooth and creamy hazelnut paste, Smooth Orange – a combination of rich cocoa and orange oil blended with smooth and creamy hazelnut paste, and Caramel & Sea Salt – a combination of rich cocoa and crunchy salted caramel pieces blended with smooth and creamy hazelnut paste.
The bars are encased in a widely recyclable card sleeve and clear compostable film.
Bunge Loders Croklaan: next-gen shea margarine taps bakery sector
Bunge Loders Croklaan (BLC) introduces 100 % shea-based margarine improving puff, colour, crispiness, and workability in bakery goods.
The non-hydrogenated, clean-label margarine has no added colouring or preservatives and delivers high functionality and baking performance with superior handling and allows for better total nutritional value. BLC will introduce the new product at Fi Europe & Ni trade show in Paris (3 to 5 December 2019, booth 6E60).
Eclipse Foods debuts ice cream that feels and functions like conventional dairy
Plant-based dairy brand Eclipse Foods is debuting in the US with an ice cream partnership with OddFellows in New York City and Humphry Slocombe in San Francisco.
“We founded Eclipse Foods because we want to make it easy for consumers to make sustainable, healthy and humane choices,” says Co-Founder Aylon Steinhart. “Plant-based foods that actually appeal to all types of eaters can and will change the world”.
Eclipse’s process of creating plant-based dairy involves common and sustainable ingredients like corn and cassava. With its first product, the company is using its milk to create a liquid ice cream base that spins in any type of ice cream machine and makes everything from soft serve to gelato.
PureCircle: new stevia leaf variety provides significant advantages
Sweetener specialist PureCircle has developed and is now expanding the use of a new stevia leaf variety, which the company says will provide significant advantages compared to previous generations of stevia plants.
This breakthrough – increasing the effective yield of the company’s stevia plants – enhances the company’s production efficiency and even further improves its ability to deliver a sustainable supply of these next-generation stevia leaf ingredients to food and beverage companies. With that higher yield, this new stevia variety – the result of the company’s expertise in stevia innovation and agronomy – provides further cost-effectiveness as more significant quantities of ingredients can be sourced from each leaf.
The PureCircle’s innovation strength has led to its securing 200 patents globally related to stevia. This year, 20 % of the company’s stevia plants were comprised of this new variety, and the company plans to switch 90 % of its stevia crop to this variety in 2020.
Packaging Valley with new leadership
As of 1 December 2019, Martin Buchwitz will follow in the footsteps of Kurt Engel as the new Managing Director of the South German packaging cluster Packaging Valley Germany e. V.
Engineer Martin Buchwitz has been on board since 1 October 2019 and will take over the helm at the end of the year. He knows mechanical engineering from many sides. As a trained electronics engineer, he worked in automation technology. Sales, marketing and press and public relations work in this area were also stations in his career.
Nestlé has entered into a partnership with Corbion to develop the next generation of microalgae-based ingredients, enabling the company to deliver sustainable, tasty and nutritious plant-based products.
By combining Corbion’s microalgae and fermentation capabilities with Nestlé’s expertise in the development of plant-based products, the two companies aim to produce and commercialize microalgae-based ingredients rich in protein and micronutrients. They will collaborate to improve the functionality, taste and nutritional profile for usage in different types of products.
Stefan Palzer, Nestlé Chief Technology Officer said: “We are actively exploring the use of microalgae as an alternative protein and micronutrient source for exciting plant-based products. Through the partnership with Corbion, we will be able to use great-tasting, nutritious microalgae-based ingredients to innovate across our different product categories.”
Symrise and Unilever unveil new creative centre
Located in the “Food Valley” of Wageningen/the Netherlands, Symrise is pioneering a new approach to food innovation by installing an innovation lab at the Unilever Foods Innovation Centre on the Wageningen University & Research (WUR) campus.
“This approach will enable the companies to optimally integrate and develop new products together in a creative and efficient manner,” explains Heinrich Schaper, President of the Flavour Division at Symrise. “The site will make it possible for us to leverage the expertise of the best Agri-Agro researchers from around the world.”
Previously, Symrise taste experts developed finished product ideas at their own facilities, which were then presented to customers from the food industry. The German flavour house’s new creative centre, developed with Unilever, comprises a flavour creation lab, an application kitchen and collaboration rooms that cover 120 m2.
Symrise aims at working together with Unilever on many different levels. In addition to taste, sustainability ranks high on the agenda of both companies. This new, on-site approach to integrated product development allows for more scientific collaboration on the field of sustainability.
Cargill makes USD 35 m move into soluble fibres
Cargill is investing USD 35 m in Europe to add soluble fibres to its current portfolio of starches, sweeteners and texturizers.
The investment marks Cargill’s first move into soluble fibres in Europe. The products are expected to be launched in 2021 – expanding quickly into other categories and adding more market innovations.
“This is a crucial investment to complement the broad portfolio of starches, including label-friendly functional and native starches, texturizers and sweeteners, ranging from full- to no-calorie, Cargill makes available to our manufacturing customers,” said Alain Dufait, Managing Director Cargill Starches, Sweeteners and Texturizers Europe. “Our expanded offerings support the wide range of product formulations our customers need, while helping them meet changing consumer preferences”.
In terms of market activity, Innova notes an average increase in European product launches with fibre claims of 23 % and a 16 % increase in products with sugar-reduced claims over the past five years. Especially low sugar claims showing the strongest growth.
Schumacher Packaging takes over British packaging manufacturer Jaffabox
The Schumacher Packaging Group, Ebersdorf near Coburg, took over packaging manufacturer Jaffabox Ltd based in Birmingham, England.
With the takeover of Jaffabox, Schumacher Packaging is further expanding its presence on the European market. Particularly internationally active customers of the packaging expert with headquarters in Ebersdorf, Germany, will reap the benefits in terms oflogistics. A fair few of them have sites in the UK themselves. For these customers, Schumacher Packaging can now offer a reliable partner in the country – particularly in times of Brexit. In addition, they can rely on another strong partner in the group of companies who is set apart by high standards of technology and a marked focus on service.
Björn Schumacher, Managing Director of the Schumacher Packaging Group, emphasises: "Jaffabox offers immense potential which we will be able to perfectly fulfil together in our group of companies – to the benefit of all our customers." Customers of the English packaging manufacturer will also benefit from the merger. They now have access to the comprehensive product range and the full service offer of the international Schumacher Packaging Group. In all other regards, business will continue on a familiar path for Jaffabox customers, as the company will still be managed by the Amyes family.
Fraunhofer IVV: Prof. Dr Andrea Büttner appointed new Director
Prof. Dr Andrea Büttner has been appointed Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising as of 1 November 2019.
Fraunhofer IVV is a leading research organization in the field of food, packaging, processing machinery, product performance, recycling and the environment. Since 1 November 2019, the institute is jointly headed by Prof. Dr Andrea Büttner and Prof. Dr Horst-Christian Langowski, the present Director of the Institute, who emphasizes: “With her renown in science and research, Prof. Büttner is the ideal person to lead the institute. Her multidisciplinary network will further enhance the transfer of R&D results to industry”.
Anuga FoodTec 2021: intralogistics as a new segment
In recognition of the hugely important role it plays in food production and processing, the subject of intralogistics has been given a new, high-profile platform at the leading international supplier fair for the food and drink industry:
The range of exhibitors will be supported by a target-group-specific programme of talks and specialist forums, offering additional information on the topic of intralogistics. Potential exhibitors can still take advantage of an early-booking discount until 14 February 2021 and thus benefit from even more attractive conditions.
Barry Callebaut: mid-term guidance delivered
The Barry Callebaut Group increased its sales volume by 5.1% to 2.140 m tonnes in fiscal year 2018/19 (ended August 31, 2019), with, as expected, a stronger contribution in the second half of the year.
Gross profit developed in line with the growth in sales volume and amounted to CHF 1.188 bn, up 5.1% in local currencies (+ 2.7% in CHF). The positive effect from volume growth and product mix was offset by costs for structural improvements of operations. Operating profit (EBIT) increased by 11.9% in local currencies (+ 8.5% in CHF) to CHF 601.2 m, affected by a strong headwind from currencies (CHF - 19 m). The Group’s EBIT per tonne continued to improve to CHF 281, an increase of 6.5% in local currencies (+ 3.3% in CHF). Net profit for the year – excluding one-off costs for early bond repayment of CHF 33 m, partly offset by the tax effect of CHF 7 m – grew by 14.2% in local currencies (+ 10.4% in CHF) to CHF 394.7 m. Reported net profit amounted to CHF 368.7 m, up 6.9% in local currencies (+ 3.2% in CHF).
CEO Antoine de Saint-Affrique said: “I am delighted to announce another set of strong results, with profitable growth and good cash generation. We are also proud to have successfully delivered on our mid-term guidance, which was on average 4-6% volume growth and EBIT above volume growth in local currencies for the 4-year period 2015/16 to 2018/19. On average, we have achieved above-market volume growth of 4.5% and EBIT growth in local currencies of 13.9% per year. These achievements confirm the strength of our long-term ‘smart growth’ strategy.”
ADM Q3 results: robust growth in nutrition segment
Amid constrained North American grain export volumes and weak ethanol industry margins, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) reports strong growth in its nutrition segment for the third quarter of 2019, ended September 30.
ADM reports substantially higher Nutrition segment year-on-year results this quarter. Wild Flavors & Specialty Commodities Inc (WFSI) results were significantly higher than the prior-year quarter, with growth across the portfolio. In Specialty Ingredients, the protein business continued to expand amid the growing consumer market for alternative proteins. Continued contributions from growth investments in bioactives and fibers benefited the Health & Wellness business.
Sappi and Constantia Flexibles collaborate for sustainable packaging solutions
With the increased global push for environmentally friendly and sustainable paper-based packaging solutions, Sappi has made great strides in developing breakthrough proprietary barrier technology to offer new opportunities to satisfy this need.
Susanne Oste, Vice President of Innovations and Sustainability at Sappi Europe comments: “Sappi has been working with leading consumer brand owners to develop and supply renewable paper-based packaging solutions understanding and supporting the goals of making their packaging recyclable without compromising on food protection and shelf life. One example of this is the new Sappi Guard range of products providing brand owners with a paper confectionery wrapper to meet the market demand for more sustainable products.”
Stefan Grote, Executive Vice President Consumer at Constantia Flexibles commented on the partnership with Sappi: “With our new innovation we have strongly underlined our competencies in paper-based packaging solutions that ensure high product quality and freshness over the entire shelf life. This is an important step towards more sustainable products that may innovate the confectionery packaging.”
The winners of the yummex ME Innovation Awards 2019
The yummex ME Innovation Awards for especially innovative, newly-launched sweets and snacks products were awarded for the sixth time in four categories.
Russia’s United Confectioners Ltd. claimed the honours for the ‘Best Chocolate Product’ for its new Dark chocolate Eco botanica with lemon and peppermint extract , which promotes health and wellness. The dark chocolate is flavoured with lemon and peppermint extract and is free of sugar, gluten and palm oil. “It is an honour for us to win the ‘Best Chocolate Product’ award in an exhibition of this standing, which is very important for the entire confectionery industry,” said Alla Orlova, United Confectioners Ltd. spokesperson. “This award will serve as the catalyst to continue innovating with all of our products.”
The honours for ‘Best Hard & Soft Candy‘ went to the UK’s Valeo Confectionery for its vegan-friendly, Frulo Very Cherry Fizzies. The new “less guilt” candy fits well into current consumer trends, as they are made with a splash of fruit juice and have no artificial colours or flavours. “It’s a winning combination. There’s the health approach and the fact that they are incredibly juicy and mouth-wateringly moreish,” said Valeo spokesperson Pauline Ollivier.
The award for ‘Best Bakery Product’ was given to Italy’s Fiore di Puglia Srl for its new 100 percent organic taralli cracker, which is a promising alternative to conventional taralli or crackers in general. The vegan cracker uses only organic farm-to-table ingredients and comes in sustainable, recyclable packaging. “It’s our first time participating at yummex Middle East, so to win this award is extra special. We hope this recognition will serve as the launch pad for our factory in this market as we continue our evolution in the region,” said Fiore di Puglia Srl spokesperson Salvatore Lizzio.
And Germany’s PookSpaFoods GmbH snapped up the ‘Best Snack Product’ honour for its POOK Sticky Rice Chips, which is a novel alternative to potato chips. The chips are made of sticky Thai rice, which is soaked in watermelon juice to act as a natural binder and include a touch of sweetness. “I am really very happy to be the winner of the award, something that I actually did not expect. This gives me a good feeling, that my products meet the need of the market. After all the work and energy, I invest, this gives me the power for the next steps,” said Kanokporn Holtsch, founder and CEO of PookSpaFoods.
yummex Middle East back on successful course
With the conceptual adjustments, yummex ME 2019 has returned to its roots of success and impressively underscored its position as the central business platform for confectionery and snacks for the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).
252 exhibitors from 40 countries presented the latest innovative products and trends. They again benefited from numerous direct business contacts and local sales opportunities. More than 9,000 trade visitors came to the trend and innovation platform to find out about the service portfolio of suppliers for the growth market.
Sugar reduction: Layn launches new “game-changing” monk fruit strain
Sweeteners player Layn has launched a new proprietary variety of monk fruit that the company says can naturally produce 20 % more mogrosides.
The increase in mogrosides significantly decreases the land, water and resources required to produce monk fruit, benefiting farmers and offering a stamp of sustainability approval. Coined Super V Fruit, the new launch represents a major step in improving and securing the end-to-end monk fruit supply chain, naturally and without the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Chocolaty discoveries: Bösch Boden Spies at the International Confectioneries Congress in Berlin
Tracking down relevant trends, exchanges with experts and thrilling insights into future technologies – the International Confectioneries Congress, which takes place from 20 to 22 November 2019 in Berlin, shall offer the sector important added values.
On its booth in the foyer of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, the company will present to interested visitors two chocolaty innovations created by its ideas and concepts think tank: the snack concepts Ruby Domino and Crunchy Cluster. Moreover, the chocolates expert Dr Silja Mörker will highlight developments and opportunities for the industry in this segment in a specialist technical dialog.
In addition to revealing facts, Bösch Boden Spies also wants to offer something for the palate: therefore, the company will bring the two chocolate innovations to the capital city for tasting test. The Ruby Domino concept combines plums from Sunsweet with very fine chocolate, and does it all using as little sugar as possible. The Crunchy Cluster creation – as the name says – plays with crisp textures and Crunchy Cranberries from Ocean Spray.
Hershey third-quarter sales and profit up
The Hershey Company announced net sales and earnings for the third quarter ended September 29, 2019. Consolidated net sales were USD 2.134 bn in the third quarter of 2019 versus USD 2.080 bn in the year ago period, an increase of 2.6%.
Third-quarter 2019 reported operating profit of USD 460.8 m increased 13.4% versus the third quarter of 2018, resulting in an operating margin of 21.6%, an increase of 210 basis points driven primarily by gross margin gains. Adjusted operating profit of USD 477.0 m increased 1.3% versus the third quarter of 2018. This resulted in an adjusted operating margin of 22.3%, a decrease of 30 basis points.
Symrise with continued sales growth
Following a dynamic first half of the year, Symrise AG stayed on its growth course in the third quarter. All segments benefited from good demand.
"We successfully continued our growth course in the third quarter. Also, with weaker economic conditions in some countries, we were able to make very good use of business opportunities and to grow in all segments. We also implemented investment projects according to plan and created additional production and research capacities. This ensures that we will continue to be well positioned in the future to deliver optimal performance in meeting our customers' needs and expectations. For the remaining weeks of this year, we believe that we are in a good position and are confident that we will achieve our growth and profitability targets for 2019," said Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, CEO of Symrise AG.
Cargill to invest in Europe to produce soluble fibers
Cargill is investing € 32 m in Europe to add soluble fibers to its current broad portfolio of starches, sweeteners & texturizers.
Cargill’s new soluble fibers will enable sugar reduction up to 30% as well as calorie reduction and fiber enrichment in confectionery, bakery goods, fillings, cereals, ice cream and dairy, whilst maintaining the desired appearance, taste and texture. The investment is part of Cargill’s continued efforts to offer on-trend solutions and marks its first move into soluble fibers in Europe.
“Calorie and sugar reduction remains a key priority for many manufacturers amid growing interest from health-conscious consumers,” says Jan-Peter Scheurwater, Cargill global strategy and business development director, sweetness. ‘’As a holistic provider of sweetness solutions, Cargill is addressing this need by developing fiber ingredients which enable improvement of the nutritional profile, including sugar and calorie reduction, in consumer products.”
Macadamias ready to disrupt the chocolate category
Australian Macadamias has released findings from independent research agency, GalKal, revealing macadamias are an underutilized ingredient in the traditional chocolate and nuts pairing.
While chocolate and nuts are an established pairing, the space is dominated by nut varieties such as peanuts, hazelnuts and almonds. Over 13,000 chocolate products were launched globally in the past year; more than 1,400 (11 %) featured hazelnuts and a further 485 (4 %) featured peanuts, while only 75 (0.5 %) products launched featured macadamias.
Be it to unwind, distress, uplift or re-energize, consumers around the world crave chocolate confectionery to bring a sense of indulgence and escape from the everyday. There is a global demand for new flavour and texture combinations that inject luxury and surprise into the everyday chocolate experience.
“While consumers are very familiar and comfortable with the idea of nuts in chocolate, the current pairings have become quite commonplace and expected,” said Lynne Ziehlke, General Manager Marketing for the Australian macadamia industry. “The research showed that macadamias are the ideal ingredient to disrupt the tried and trusted nut-chocolate relationship and help create more exciting, novel and unique expressions of chocolate. The distinct, rich and creamy taste and texture of macadamias means they are the ideal ingredient to inspire chocolate innovation and bring excitement to a category in need of disruption. Macadamias also have a unique ability to balance out very sweet or very savoury flavours and create a harmonious overall taste profile. This opens up a wide range of opportunities for new product formulations.”
Cocoa demand: mixed picture for third quarter of 2019
Cocoa grinding data for the third quarter of 2019 paints a picture of mixed demand. In recent years, grinding always increased in the third quarter in North America, the strongest quarter, with the Christmas season approaching.
In absolute terms, the fourth-highest quarterly grinding figure ever was achieved. That said, the trend towards grinding outside traditional consumer regions continues. In Asia for example, 14.7 % more cocoa was ground than a year ago, at 225,000 t. “The year-on-year change rates have always been positive since the end of 2015, with the year-on-year growth rate often being in double digits,” Commerzbank said.
Grinding is now shifting increasingly to the producer countries themselves, of which the largest are to be found in West Africa. According to the International Cocoa Organization, they accounted for 47 % of global grinding in the now ended 2018/19 season – the highest proportion ever.
ProFood Tech 2021 brings processing solutions to key decision makers
Exhibit sales are open for the return of ProFood Tech (13 to 15 April 2021, McCormick Place, Chicago).
Produced by three of the world’s trade show leaders – Pack Expo, KoelnMesse (organizer of Anuga and Anuga Food Tec) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), ProFood Tech 2021 will display the future of food and beverage processing, drawing 6,000 professionals. The three-day event provides the unique opportunity for suppliers from across the globe to display their latest technologies in action for food and beverage manufacturers. More than just a trade show, ProFood Tech expands invaluable industry knowledge and connections through world-class education on the latest industry trends, engaging receptions and award ceremonies.
“ProFood Tech has quickly become the place to see all that is new and innovative in food and beverage processing,” says Jim Pittas, president and CEO, PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies and the organizer of the Pack Expo portfolio of trade shows. “The show continues to attract senior-level decision-makers who find value in an event where they can find all the solutions they are looking for under one roof. Our partnership with Koelnmesse and IDFA has resulted in an event that meets the needs of the processing community and brings the industry together to address its most critical issues and challenges.”
Kind to acquire U.S. company Creative Snacks
Kind, the US-based snack company minority owned by Mars, has announced the acquisition of Creative Snacks, a family-owned snack company based in North Carolina, to further strengthen its presence in ‘better-for-you’ snacks.
Commenting on the acquisition, Daniel Lubetzky, founder and executive chairman of Kind, said: “The Creative Snacks team has demonstrated a clear commitment to quality and a unique ability to craft snacks that are both healthy and delicious. We look forward to partnering with Marius and his team to make their award-winning snacks available to more people.” Kind added that the acquisition – its first – signalled the company’s ongoing commitment to becoming the foremost global leader in health and wellness.
Rousselot and By-Health renew strategic agreement
Rousselot, a Darling Ingredients global business and the leading producer of collagen-based solutions for the food, health and nutrition, biomedical and pharmaceutical sectors, has signed a new five-year strategic agreement with By-Health, the leading brand in China’s dietary supplements market.
An extension of a first strategic agreement signed in 2014, the new deal not only relates to Rousselot’s supply of gelatins and collagen peptides for China’s nutraceutical market, especially the rapidly-growing “beauty from within” segment, but also strengthens the cooperation between Rousselot and By-Health when it comes to ingredient research and development, production, marketing communications, regulation and clinical studies.
Commerzbank Research says the cocoa price remains volatile although another large crop is expected in Ivory Coast.
“The fact that political protests have come to an end in Ecuador, the third-largest growing country, and apparently not disrupted production of cocoa, is also reassuring,” said Commerzbank. It noted that Ecuador is expected to export a record amount of cocoa in 2019/20, as it also did last year.
“Excessive rainfall in Ivory Coast of late has led to uncertainty about global supply,” said Commerzbank. “If the rains cause widespread disease and hamper harvesting for a prolonged period, sentiment could turn.”
Dirafrost launches cacao fruit puree for sugar-free sweetness and sustainability
Positioned as both a natural sweetener and a flavouring, Dirafrost’s new cacao fruit puree is made from the white pulp surrounding cacao beans – which are typically destined for chocolate production.
As the demand for cacao products rises, methods that utilize the whole of the cacao fruit are also growing. These are increasingly highlighted as the sustainable way forward.
After centrifuging the total content of the cacao fruit pod, the cacao beans are distracted from the white pulp surrounding them. The beans are destined for chocolate production, and the white pulp becomes the cacao fruit puree. The mashing (pulp) process consists of a specific and controlled heat treatment that provides the necessary microbiological guarantees without affecting the taste, nor the natural colour of the puree. This process ensures the puree’s purity, meaning it is free of additives, preservatives and added sugar.
The method also utilizes a part of the cacao fruit that is normally destined to become waste. In the normal chocolate creating process, about 70 percent of the fruit is typically discarded.
Caldic acquires food ingredients distributor Arlès Agroalimentaire
Caldic B. V. is acquiring Arlès Agroalimentaire SAS, a distributor of quality food ingredients and functional additives in France. T
Arlès Agroalimentaire is a family business that has been engaged in the distribution of food ingredients since 1914. Throughout the years, it has grown to become a key distributor in the French food ingredients market, serving more than 900 customers with a broad product portfolio. With Arlès’ wide range of food ingredients and functional additives, including starches, emulsifiers, flavours, colours, proteins and sweeteners, Caldic has become one of the top players in the French food ingredients market.
Algaia and Herbstreith & Fox to cooperate for baking applications
Algaia S. A. announces its cooperation with Herbstreith & Fox KG Germany. The companies are joining forces to provide a sustainable combination of pectin and alginates for multiple baking applications, to be marketed as both single ingredients or as a blend.
Algaia is a privately owned, established global player in the field of specialty seaweed extracts. The company works with local fishermen to harvest brown algae just a few kilometres from its plant in Brittany, France, to ensure a constant fresh local and renewable supply of seaweed biomass. It is committed to control its supply and ensure its customers receive sustainable, high-quality plant-based products.
Herbstreith & Fox, also privately owned, is one of the top four global players in the field of pectin both citrus and apple based. The company also pioneered multi-functional fibres extracted from traditionally edible apple and citrus raw material.
The combination of pectin and alginate works in synergy to provide better functionality and high stability, in specific bakery applications. It can be applied to bakery filling, bakery topping, pies, or cookies that use fruit preparations.
Givaudan reports boosted nine-month sales following price hikes
Givaudan has released its nine-month financials report, outlining a 6.4 % rise in sales this year on a like-for-like basis.
In the first nine months of 2019, Givaudan recorded sales of CHF 4.7 bn, an increase of 6.4 % on a like-for-like basis and 14.5 % in CHF. Flavour Division sales were CHF 2.6 bn, an increase of 4.6 % on a like-for-like basis and an increase of 17.4 % in CHF. Fragrance Division sales were CHF 2.1 bn, an increase of 8.5 % on a like-for-like basis and an increase of 11.2 % in CHF.
As part of the company’s 2020 strategy, Givaudan is seeking to create value through targeted acquisitions, which complement its existing capabilities. Since 2014, Givaudan has completed thirteen acquisitions.
Chr. Hansen reaches 7 % organic growth in 2018/19
Despite more challenging growth conditions, Chr. Hansen delivers a strong EBIT margin and a healthy cash flow, while also making significant progress on key strategic priorities.
For the full year, Food Cultures & Enzymes delivered solid organic growth of 8 %, while Health & Nutrition delivered 9 % and Natural Colours delivered 3 %. In Q4, organic growth came down as expected for all three business areas, as the company continued to see macroeconomic challenges in emerging markets, primarily impacting Food Cultures & Enzymes and Natural Colours.
Südzucker confirms full-year 2019/2020 forecast
In the first half of the current 2019/2020 fiscal year (1 March to 31 August 2019), Südzucker AG achieved group consolidated revenues of € 3.314 (previous year: 3.475) bn.
The consolidated group operating result dropped as expected significantly to € 74 (previous year: 139) m, driven mainly by the sugar segment losses: revenues fell sharply to € 1.121 (previous year: 1.389) bn. According to the company, the decline was driven by low sales revenues and significantly lower volumes due to the reduced 2018 harvest. The sugar segment's operating loss of € - 93 (previous year: 3) m had been predicted. The main causes were the EU sugar market price level, which did not cover costs, and sharply lower sales volumes due to the drought-driven weaker 2018 harvest.
The decline reported by the fruit segment was more than offset by improved results reported by the special products and CropEnergies segments.
ProSweets Cologne 2020: focus on innovative packaging
What demands does the packaging of sweets and snacks have to satisfy in the year 2020 and beyond? How can snacks and sweets do justice to the manifold demands of packaging?
Less plastic, more renewable raw materials, lower packing weight and recyclability are the focus of the presented solutions. Due to digitization, the topic of product information is also taking on a new standing, which is playing an increasingly bigger role at the point of sale.
Sweets and snacks manufacturers who want to be a step ahead of their competitors have realized that the sustainability of packaging more and more has a decisive influence on the success at the point of sale. Especially brand manufacturers are consistently pursuing a goal which is being reflected by many of the innovations at ProSweets Cologne: as little packing as possible, as much as necessary!
The trade show in Cologne will present the entire supplier spectrum of the sweets and snacks industry: from manifold ingredients to innovative packaging machines and materials through to optimized production technologies that do justice to the highest demands in quality and efficiency. Important industry topics will also be discussed at the Speakers Corner, the central lecture stage of ProSweets Cologne. Furthermore, the ISM Packaging Award powered by ProSweets Cologne will once again be conferred for the most innovative packaging. The B2B trade fair is staged parallel to ISM, the world’s leading trade fair for sweets and snacks, and covers the entire value chain of the sweets industry.
Pack Expo Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging Expo 2019 break multiple records
Pack Expo Las Vegas and Healthcare Packaging Expo hit an unprecedented trifecta this year, breaking records for number of exhibitors, total exhibit space and total attendees, according to show owner and producer PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies.
The next event in the Pack Expo portfolio is Pack Expo East (3 to 5 March 2020, Philadelphia). Now in its fourth edition, the three-day event will feature 400 exhibiting companies and span 100,000 net square feet, providing the opportunity for attendees to exchange ideas with 7,000 peers.
www.packexpo.com www.packexpolasvegas.com www.packexpoeast.com
Large main cocoa crop expected in Ivory Coast
The main cocoa crop in Ivory Coast, the season for which runs from October to March, is expected to be as large as last year’s crop, making the overall crop a record-breaking one.
Together with the mid-crop that has been underway since April, Ivorian cocoa production is set to reach a new record of 2.22 m t in 2018/19, according to the International Cocoa Organization (ICCO). This would equate to almost half of global production.
Bell Flavors & Fragrances EMEA opens culinary centre and office in UK
Nielsen confectionery monitor: salty snacks remain guarantee for growth
Nielsen market researchers have calculated a solid boost for confectionery sales on the German market through week 35 of 2019. According to the latest confectionery monitor, revenues rose by 2.6% up to € 8.953 bn with sales volume growth of 1.1% up to 1.089 m tonnes (basis: food retailers + drug stores + impulse channels + gas station shops + department stores).