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LATEST ARTICLES
Caffѐ Culture 2023 – Announcing new partners, new features and many more fantastic brands!
With Caffѐ Culture 2023 now only four months away, show organiser Living Media Events is delighted to announce just some of the exciting new features and brands confirmed for the show, which continues to be the UK’s leading trade exhibition for the specialty coffee and café bar sector. Packed with 100s of cutting-edge equipment suppliers and specialist artisan products, Caffѐ Culture is shaping up to be the place where the trade comes for inspiration and advice to help grow their businesses.
The event will be taking place at London’s iconic Business Design Centre on 3rd & 4th October and will see over 3,500 coffee shop owners and buyers from the multiples and high street chains come together to source the latest innovative kit, but also be stimulated by the show’s unparalleled line-up of industry experts and leaders in its compelling feature programme.
Building on the success of last year’s event, a host of new features and partners have come on-board to elevate the show’s offering. United Baristas Founder Tim Ridley will be bringing together a range of industry leaders to deliver Total Coffee, an original new talks programme exploring four key themes across the supply chain from crop to cup – tasting and enjoying coffee, building viable coffee businesses, making a positive contribution, and empowering people. The Roasters Forum will also see some changes. Due to its growing popularity, the programme curated by the team at Sucafina Specialty has been extended to two days and will cover a whole raft of topics aimed at roasters with all levels of expertise.
Making up the largest contingent of specialty roasters at any UK trade show, the ever-popular Roasters Zone and Brew Bar will offer coffee connoisseurs an unmatched opportunity to appreciate the subtly and skill of twenty-four of the UK’s finest specialty roasters using Rocket Expresso’s contemporary compact Boxer espresso machines and Marco’s fully automated SP9 pour-over brewer and MIX hot tap.
For those businesses looking to improve the quality of their bakery and food offering, kitchen equipment partner UNOX will be serving delicious and nutritious food using the speed and precision of their brand-new SPEED.Pro range in their live kitchen, whilst another new fully immersive multi-sensory experience is Victoria Arduino’s beautifully designed coffee shop concept, whose team of experts will be on-hand to guide visitors through their revolutionary technology using taste, sound and sight.
The show will also see the launch of FoodBev’s inaugural Coffee Innovation Awards, which will shine a light on the technological advancements and excellence within the sector and the people driving the coffee industry forward. Whilst, for competition lovers, the show will be hosting three new championships. The Specialty Coffee Association’s (SCA) UK Brewers Cup final and the European Speciality Tea Association’s (ESTA) inaugural Tea Cupping and Matcha Tea Latte Art competitions, raising the intensity and decibel levels at the show!
More features, partners and premium brands will be announced in the coming weeks, adding to the compelling and must-attend nature of the event. To ensure you secure your complimentary trade pass and to be kept abreast of all show news, register your details at www.caffecultureshow.com
Patriot Pickle acquires First Place Foods
Patriot Pickle, a Swander Pace Capital (SPC) portfolio company that manufactures and distributes fresh pickles across the United States to restaurant chains, supermarkets and delis, has acquired First Place Foods.
First Place Foods, located in Garland, Texas, is a producer of fresh pickles, fermented pickles, relish, and other pickled vegetables primarily for the foodservice and institutional channels.
“The First Place Foods acquisition is a transformative opportunity allowing Patriot Pickle to expand geographically, capitalize on national sales opportunities, and provide our customers with dual source manufacturing. Fresh, refrigerated pickles are a key growth area for our foodservice and institutional partners and we are excited to be able to better serve them more directly with this acquisition,” said Bill McEntee, CEO of Patriot Pickle.
“For more than 15 years, First Place Foods has been a high-quality manufacturer and supplier of pickles and other pickled vegetables to our valued customers across the country. We are excited to partner with Patriot Pickle and Swander Pace for this next phase of growth,” said Pat Hunn, First Place Foods president.
“The broader pickled and fermented foods category has enjoyed strong topline growth as consumers continue to gravitate towards healthier snacks, and Patriot Pickle is well positioned to take advantage of this consumer tailwind. First Place Foods is the second acquisition for Patriot Pickle, and we believe there are additional opportunities to continue building out this exciting growth platform,” said Corby Reese and Tyler Matlock, Managing Directors at SPC.
Hillenbrand to acquire the Schenck Process Food and Performance Materials business
Global industrial company Hillenbrand has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Schenck Process Food and Performance Materials (FPM) business, a portfolio company of Blackstone, for an enterprise value of approximately $730 million.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, FPM has over 1,300 global employees and sells to customers in over 150 countries, with approximately 85% of revenues generated in North America.
FPM specializes in the design, manufacturing, and service of feeding, filtration, baking, and material handling technologies and systems that are highly complementary to the equipment and solutions currently offered in Hillenbrand’s Advanced Process Solutions segment.
FPM is expected to generate calendar year 2023 revenue of approximately $540 million and approximately $68 million of EBITDA. Upon closing, FPM will become part of the Advanced Process Solutions segment.
“With this acquisition, we further strengthen our leadership across the attractive, growing end markets of food, durable plastics and chemicals, through strong brands that enhance the breadth of our technology and service capabilities,” said Kim Ryan, president and CEO of Hillenbrand.
“By combining the applications and systems processing expertise of our Advanced Process Solutions segment with FPM, we will be positioned to offer greater value to our customers and drive scale benefits across manufacturing, engineering, and procurement.
“Over the last twelve months, we’ve divested our legacy death care segment, and acquired high-quality industrial businesses that serve large, attractive end markets that are underpinned by long-term, secular growth trends.
“These actions have significantly transformed Hillenbrand into a global leader in highly-engineered, mission-critical industrial processing solutions. I am confident this transaction further positions us to deliver compelling long-term shareholder value.”
Arthur Beale launches Sea Salted Spiced Rum
Arthur Beale, the renowned 500 year old UK purveyor of nautical supplies and provisions, is proud to announce the launch of its latest offering – Sea Salted Spiced Rum.
Crafted with care and precision, Arthur Beale’s Sea Salted Spiced Rum is a truly unique spirit that captures the essence of the sea. Infused with a special blend of spices and a touch of sea salt, this rum has a velvety smooth coffee and caramel complexity that is wonderfully warming.
“We’re excited to introduce this rum said Hugh Taylor, Arthur Beale’s Managing Director (previously co-owner and Managing Director of Slurp Wine). “Our Sea Salted Spiced Rum is a perfect complement to our Seaweed and Samphire Gin and reflects our commitment to quality and innovation.”
The Sea Salted Spiced Rum is perfect for sipping on its own or mixed into a delicious cocktail. The rum’s distinct flavour pairs perfectly with ginger beer and grapefruit juice to make Arthur Beale’s version of a Dark & Stormy Cocktail.
Arthur Beale’s Sea Salted Spiced Rum is available to purchase online (Masterofmalt.com and arthurbeale.co.uk) (https://arthurbeale.co.uk/products/arthur-beale-rum) and in select retail locations. Priced at £35.00 and comes in a stylish, nautical-themed packaging.
For more information on Arthur Beale’s Sea Salted Spiced Rum, please contact Hugh Taylor – hugh@arthurbeale.co.uk
Confectionery manufacturer continues acquisition drive
Zubrance Ltd, the holding company of the Serious Sweet Confectionery Group, has acquired the entire share capital of John Bull Wholesale Limited and the wholesale/private label business of John Bull (Confectioners) Ltd, based in Bridlington.
The new company will trade under the name of The Real Candy Co Limited. All employees remain employed and have been transferred to the new company.
The Serious Sweet Confectionery Group (SSC) now covers a wide range of Private Label and Branded product capabilities together with a significant confectionery manufacturing footprint.
The Serious Sweet Company based in Harrogate specialises in the manufacture and supply of own-label & white-label premium crafted sugar confectionery to all key UK retailers together with a number of international retailers on several continents, supported by a dedicated innovation team.
The Real Candy Co based in Bridlington, focuses on the manufacture of a wide variety of predominantly own label & white label sugar confectionery to many sales channels in the UK along with a wide variety of trade customers, thanks to its flexible manufacturing footprint
SSC Brands, also based in Harrogate, now comprises a number of fast-growing premium challenger confectionery Brands acquired between 2022 – 2023 with an RSV in excess of £10m including: Mallow & Marsh, Mighty Fine, Mr Stanleys, Real Candy Co, and Ultimate English.
The addition of The Real Candy Co significantly grows SSC’s manufacturing capacity and enrobing capabilities together with the ability to support both new and existing customers with a range of products, formats and solutions.
In today’s market the demand for truly premium, worth-it treats has never been stronger as consumers become ever more discerning with their confectionery choices. It will also allow SSC to develop a more sustainable manufacturing footprint in the years to come.
Rob Whitehead, director of SSC, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the team at John Bull into the Serious Sweets family. Completing this acquisition changes the game for Serious Sweets, significantly enhancing the products and formats we can offer customers, and growing our capacity.
“We have a strong investment programme to build on the great work done by James and Jo-Anne and we’re very excited about what the future holds. Our management team has strengthened significantly including our broader innovation and marketing skills – key to keeping customers happy and meeting their every need.”
James Hodgson, owner of John Bull, said: “We’re very pleased to have passed on our wholesale/private label business to a team who will invest and develop the site here in Bridlington. We will now be focussing on our Retail, Leisure and John Bull-branded confectionery business. The opportunity for both companies to really focus and capitalise on future consumer demand looks strong.”
Good Food Wines sold to Kiril Mischeff
UK-based specialist ingredient business, Good Food Wines Limited (GFW), has been sold to Kiril Mischeff Limited, a UK food and ingredient importer and supplier to the food and beverage industry.
GFW is a supplier of alcohol, vinegars, and condiments to the food and beverage manufacturing industries in the UK. Its customer base comprises numerous ‘blue-chip’ manufacturers and reputable names in the food and beverage industry.
The acquisition of GFW will enable Kiril Mischeff to capitalise on significant revenue synergies, thanks to the complementary product portfolio of GFW. The current management team comprising Mike Yates and Stuart Medcalf will continue to lead the business and all current staff will remain at the firm following the acquisition. The business will continue to trade as Good Food Wines Limited.
Oghma Partners acted as the exclusive financial advisor to the shareholders of GFW.
Mark Lynch, partner at Oghma Partners, said: “It was a real joy to work with the GFW and Kiril Mischeff teams and to have reached a successful conclusion to the discussions. This is our third completed food & beverage transaction in 2023 and marks our twenty second deal in the food ingredients sub-sector in Europe which makes Oghma Partners the most active M&A advisor in this sub-sector of the food industry.”
Maersk and Barry Callebaut enter into long-term partnership with new cocoa bean warehouse in Malaysia
Maersk and Barry Callebaut Group, the manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa products, have entered into a long-term partnership to build and operate a new Built-To-Suit cocoa bean warehousing and dispatching facility in Malaysia.
This warehouse supports Barry Callebaut’s strategic growth to continuously provide high quality cocoa and chocolate products and services to their customers in Malaysia and Asia Pacific region. It is also a testament of Maersk’s ambition to expand current ocean and landside logistics services into an integrated end-to-end logistics solution for its customer.
Located in the Johor Bahru district, the main industrial zone in the city of Pasir Gudang close to the Johor port, this new multi-storey facility is one of the largest cocoa bean warehouses in Southeast Asia. It spans across more than half a million square feet and has a fit-for-purpose design with operational efficiency as a priority. It is also at a 1-kilometre distance from Barry Callebaut’s cocoa processing factory in Pasir Gudang, Malaysia.
Elie Fouché, vice-president Cocoa for Region Asia Pacific at Barry Callebaut, said: “Barry Callebaut has operated in Asia Pacific since 1997 and we continue to invest in this region. We are excited to evolve our long-term partnership with Maersk to enhance the resilience of our supply chain. The new warehouse allows us to have better control over our cocoa bean qualities and this ultimately supports our ambitious growth plans in the region.”
Since January 2022, Maersk has connected Barry Callebaut’s supply chain from cocoa growing origins in Africa to the factories in Asia Pacific through ocean and landside logistics services.
Elaine Low, Area Managing Director, Maersk Southeast Asia, said: “We are pleased that Barry Callebaut has chosen us as their long-term logistics partner, and the enhanced warehousing and dispatching facility is essential to help them rapidly respond to the changing market conditions.
“As Maersk is becoming a global integrator of container logistics, our strength of integrated service offerings will continue to help Barry Callebaut achieve greater efficiency within their supply chain.”
The Built-To-Suit warehousing and dispatching facility is expected to be completed by the end of second quarter in 2024. It will be equipped with cutting-edge technology and sustainable solutions like solar panel roofs, LED lights and natural ventilation, which improve the environmental footprint.
Kite Packaging expands enviro-box range
The leading UK online supplier of packaging has expanded its bestselling range of enviro-boxes to include five new sizes following growing demand.
Kite’s enviro-boxes are a premium single wall box with a heavy-duty flute which combine superior strength and durability with efficient material design. The end result is robust and reliable whilst being cheap enough to be affordable.
These boxes are an eco-friendly alternative to larger double wall boxes thanks to their manufacturing process which expends 30% less CO₂ emissions by comparison. They also contain between 60-90% recycled content and are made from lighter materials. This means more units can be fitted onto a pallet, leading to lower shipping costs and a reduced carbon footprint.
Available in an array of sizes, these boxes are ideal for businesses with a large product file thanks to being versatile in what they can package. Some sizes come multi-scored and can be adjusted to better suit the dimensions of the goods packaged within, helping to keep postage costs to a minimum.
They are supplied flat-packed for easy storage and can be purchased from Kite Packaging at market-beating prices with further discounts available when buying wholesale quantities.
To learn more about the products and services available at Kite Packaging, please visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk.
Celebrate the experience: Informa Markets toasts success of Vitafoods Europe 2023
Informa Markets has announced the success of the biggest edition of Vitafoods Europe 2023 in its 26-year history.
Covering an impressive 25,000 square meters of exhibition space, the event welcomed 18,854 nutraceutical professionals from 162 countries to Geneva’s Palexpo (9-11 May) and online (1-12 May), to experience a host of inspiring, expert-led content diving into the latest ingredient innovations, consumer trends and key market insights.
Supported by a new event app and online platform, the tech-enhanced event facilitated successful networking through its unique data-driven matchmaking service and dedicated in-person networking receptions.
Vitafoods Europe 2023 saw over 1,060 global exhibitors from across the industry converge. Companies exhibiting for the first time included NaturaYuva, Nomi Biotech, Chr. Olesen and Bee Health, while returning exhibitors included Lonza, Gnosis by Lesaffre, IMCD Group, Zuccari, Intermed, DSM and Arla.
Exclusive premium insights
This year’s event also offered brand new premium content, with many sessions at maximum capacity. The Vitafoods Europe debut of the Future of Nutrition Summit (8 May) brought together C-suite nutrition leaders to discuss the future of the industry and network. Highlights included Unilever presenting the evolving science behind personalised supplementation and Danone on translating trends into business strategies.
Meanwhile the Vitafoods Europe Conference (9-10 May) returned in a new format and location on the show floor, spotlighting innovation opportunities and ways to overcome common industry challenges. Speakers included Nestlé exploring nutritional recommendations for preventive health and ways to optimise maternal health.
Delegates reported sessions sparking inspiring conversations and highlighted the value of face-to-face connection over crucial issues. Guru Ramanathan, Managing Director of Dutch Medical Food, said of the Summit: “To have a session dedicated to the future of nutrition is phenomenal. I wish more of my colleagues were here – this is the place to be!”
Stepping up on sustainability
As the leading media company in the global Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, Informa Markets is committed to making its events more sustainable. In addition to powering the event with renewable energy and facilitating the use of recycled materials through its Better Stands Initiative, Vitafoods Europe 2023 featured the new Sustainability Resource Centre, a zone dedicated to driving sustainable change in nutrition.
Visitors benefitted from expert presentations and educational content on the full spectrum of sustainability issues across the supply chain, as well as lively networking events held by Women in Nutraceuticals and The Naturally Proud Network, showing vital support for these two important industry areas.
Plus, as part of Informa Markets’ ongoing commitment to sustainability, Vitafoods Europe 2023 saw the launch of its new partnership with leading international civil society organisation Solidaridad.
The partnership aims to raise awareness of Solidaridad’s work in creating sustainable supply chains, facilitate knowledge-sharing and collaboration across nutrition and food, and help brands source ingredients ethically while meeting calls for enhanced transparency. To mark the launch of the collaboration, Solidaridad hosted a presentation and panel discussion, and exhibited at the inaugural Sustainability Resource Centre.
The world’s nutraceutical event
Andy Mather, Brand Director of Vitafoods Europe at Informa Markets, said: “As the world’s leading nutraceutical event, Vitafoods Europe has a vital role in driving the industry forward. With the addition of the new Future of Nutrition Summit and the return of the Vitafoods Europe Conference for 2023, we successfully brought some of the brightest minds our industry has to offer together to inspire the innovation that will shape both today and tomorrow.
“We also take our responsibility to the planet very seriously. So, by spotlighting sustainability at our newest resource centre, we’re helping pave the way to a greener future. The response to these event evolutions and additions has already been phenomenal, and we hope that attendees have left us feeling inspired and filled with ideas for their business’s – and the industry’s – next step.”
Mather adds: “As Brand Director for Vitafoods Europe, it’s clear to me how beloved this event is. It’s been fantastic to see Palexpo come to life with a vibrant atmosphere as the nutraceutical community, both new and well-established, comes together to learn, network, and do business – there’s no place quite like it.
“A massive thank you to our visitors, speakers, exhibitors, on-site team and all of the people who make Vitafoods Europe what it is – we look forward to seeing everyone again at our upcoming 2023 events at Vitafoods Asia or Vitafoods Insights online!”
With a range of online and in person events, Vitafoods Insights is a 365 platform for the nutraceutical community. Vitafoods Europe will return in 2024 online (6-17 May) and in Geneva (14-16 May). Visit: www.vitafoods.eu.com/
Kite Packaging donates £26,000 to local charities
Employee share-owned packaging company Kite Packaging recently made sizeable donations to charities across the UK.
Each of the company’s thirteen divisions votes on a charity to support every year. This year, the donation value increased to £26,000 from £22,000 in 2022, reflecting Kite’s continued growth and desire to give back to areas of our communities which may be struggling.
The Midlands Regional Distribution Centre (RDC), Kite Online (KOL), Kite Environmental Solutions (KES) and National Distribution Centre (NDC) along with the company’s Central Administration, Warehouse, and Specialist Divisions made Coventry based donations. They supported Coventry Haven Women’s Aid, The Trussell Trust and WNDLR Air Ambulance Service.
Outside of Coventry, Kite has RDCs in the North East, Rotherham, Sittingbourne, Letchworth, Rochdale, Portsmouth, Swindon and Shredhouse in Wiltshire. These bases donated to CHUF (Children’s Heart Unit Foundation), People’s Kitchen, MND Association, Making Miracles, Demelza, Garden’s House Hospice, Jubilee House, Rochdale Children’s Moorland Home, and Wiltshire Air Ambulance respectively.
Many of the charities expressed challenges they have faced in recent years due to limited funding, staff loss and the cost-of-living crisis which is leaving more people in need of their services, making Kite’s contributions all the more important.
Kite employees are delighted to have the opportunity to effect meaningful change within aspects of their localities which may be struggling and Kite is honoured to empower this.
To learn more about Kite Packaging, please visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk.