iba announce changes to floor allocation for 2021
iba, the trade fair for the baking and confectionery industry, will open the gates to the meeting of the baking industry at Fairground Munich from 24 to 28 October 2021.
Due to changes in the Fairground Munich portfolio, the 2021 hall layout at the trade fairgrounds will change.
The content of the trade fair and the added value of the new hall concept for both exhibitors and visitors remain unchanged.
The hall layout plan communicated in February 2020 had to be changed due to shifts in the event portfolio of the site operator.
The background to this is that Fairground Munich will be hosting the IAA Motor Show for the first time in September 2021, which will result in the postponement of other event dates as well: drinktec, the world’s leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry, will take place at Fairground Munich three weeks later than planned and therefore just before iba.
For iba, this means a new floor allocation, but with the same quality of trade fair services – and with a better layout and shorter routes for everyone involved.
The new iba 2021 halls
Halls A3 to A6, B3 to B6 and C3 to C6 will accommodate the world´s leading trade fair for the baking and confectionery industry. As in previous years, iba presents the complete range and innovations from the entire baking industry in a total of twelve halls.
Innovations in production technology can be found in Halls A3, A4, A5, B4, B5 and B6 specifically; packaging technology are displayed in Hall A6. Artisan bakeries are presented in Halls B3 and C3. Neighbouring Halls B4 and C4 constitute the platform for raw materials and ingredients.
Within this arrangement, the range of products is guaranteed to remain diverse, and the basic structure of the halls in terms of content similar.
“At the moment, the trade fair world is experiencing a significant upheaval. Therefore we appreciate all the more being able to launch iba 2021 as a constant in the global industry, not only at a proven site but also at the planned time. The vindication of the iba date point to our position at Fairground Munich, especially in times where event dates require a lot of flexibility,” said Cathleen Kabashi, Exhibition director iba.
“In addition to all iba-specific topics, we are naturally also keeping current developments in general Corona-related regulations for trade fairs in view at all times and will adjust our planning in line with the situation.
“The Fairground Munich offers the best conditions for designing the perfect trade fair platform, even under the recently amended framework.”
Two entrances, a direct underground connection and parking facilities in the immediate vicinity of the entrances provide very convenient access to iba 2021.
With the new segmentation of the range of trade fair products, aimed at specific target groups, visitors can find the right products and service providers quickly and easily.
While the production and packaging technology department can be found in the immediate vicinity of Entrance East, the artisan bakeries, raw materials and baking ingredients sectors can be reached via the Entrance North. This ensures easier navigation and shorter routes for everyone involved in the trade fair.
TRS Foods and East End Foods form ethnic foods platform
TRS Foods and East End Foods are joining Vibrant Foods, a newly created ethnic foods platform. The launch of Vibrant Foods follows the acquisition of TRS and East End by Exponent in November 2019.
Both companies produce a range of pulses, spices, flours and Indian food ingredients and snacks which are sold through supermarkets, independent stores and wholesale channels.
TRS and East End are both market-leading brands, enjoying strong customer loyalty and a reputation for consistently high-quality ingredients and authentic flavours.
Joined together under the Vibrant Foods umbrella, they are the leading producer and distributor of South Asian ethnic foods in the UK and across continental Europe.
The new platform builds a business of scale, from which both brands can continue to invest in their product range and customer service.
Rationale for creating Vibrant Foods
The combination of TRS and East End under the Vibrant Foods umbrella will unlock significant growth potential within the expanding ethnic foods market. The broader South Asian foods market is estimated to be worth between £2.5-3 billion and growing at c. 5% p.a. in the UK, thanks to immigration and relatively higher birth rates of ethnic communities as well as increasing demand for ethnic foods from mainstream consumers.
Given the strong customer identity and brand equity inherent in both TRS and East End, each will continue to operate under their respective brand names.
Vibrant Foods will benefit from the attractive distribution networks that both businesses have developed through decades of providing high-quality products to independent ethnic stores as well as strong ties into the supermarket World Foods channel.
As a combined entity, Vibrant Foods will leverage the complementary manufacturing and distribution channels of both businesses to focus on delivering high-quality products and customer service.
Vibrant Foods strategy
Vibrant Foods will invest in its core range of products to cater to both traditional South Asian consumers cooking from scratch as well as the growing demand for convenience-based products from a younger and more mainstream customer base.
It will work closely with independent shops and increasingly with supermarkets to provide best in class service, focusing on delivery options and dedicated category management.
To take advantage of wider consumer trends, Vibrant Foods will also broaden its reach beyond traditional customers towards health-conscious consumers seeking to consume more plant-based protein including chickpeas, lentils and other pulses.
To that effect, Kevin Brennan, former CEO of Quorn Foods, will be joining the board as a Non-Executive Director, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the vegan foods industry.
Vibrant Foods will also seek to bolster the organic growth opportunity with further acquisitions, using its platform to further cement its leading position within the South Asian foods market and expand into parallel ethnic food sectors of the market across the UK and Continental Europe.
Vibrant Foods will be led by a new management team brought in by Exponent to oversee the integration of TRS and East End and drive the strategy.
The team has extensive experience in both ethnic and mainstream food manufacturing and distribution. Rohit Samani and Umesh Parmar, both former CEOs of Tilda Rice, have been appointed Chairman and CEO respectively. The pair has a strong track record of working together.
Eastern Heritage – Global Outlook
Other key management positions include:
As a combined entity, Vibrant Foods will leverage the complementary manufacturing and distribution channels of both businesses to focus on delivering high-quality products and customer service.
Vibrant Foods strategy
Vibrant Foods will invest in its core range of products to cater to both traditional South Asian consumers cooking from scratch as well as the growing demand for convenience-based products from a younger and more mainstream customer base.
It will work closely with independent shops and increasingly with supermarkets to provide best in class service, focusing on delivery options and dedicated category management.
To take advantage of wider consumer trends, Vibrant Foods will also broaden its reach beyond traditional customers towards health-conscious consumers seeking to consume more plant-based protein including chickpeas, lentils and other pulses.
To that effect, Kevin Brennan, former CEO of Quorn Foods, will be joining the board as a Non-Executive Director, bringing with him a wealth of experience in the vegan foods industry.
Vibrant Foods will also seek to bolster the organic growth opportunity with further acquisitions, using its platform to further cement its leading position within the South Asian foods market and expand into parallel ethnic food sectors of the market across the UK and Continental Europe.
Vibrant Foods will be led by a new management team brought in by Exponent to oversee the integration of TRS and East End and drive the strategy.
The team has extensive experience in both ethnic and mainstream food manufacturing and distribution. Rohit Samani and Umesh Parmar, both former CEOs of Tilda Rice, have been appointed Chairman and CEO respectively. The pair has a strong track record of working together.
Eastern Heritage – Global Outlook
Other key management positions include:
- Mark Stott, Chief Financial Officer, former CFO of Adelie Foods Group
- Jeremy Hudson, Chief Operating Officer, former Finance Director and later CEO of Hain Daniels Group and former Managing Director at 2 Sisters Foods Group
- Vijay Vaidyanathan, Chief Commercial Officer, previously Head of Global Business Units at Tesco and Chief Marketing Officer at Tilda
Land-based salmon farm begins commercial harvest
A land-based salmon farming business has commenced the commercial-scale harvest of conventional Atlantic salmon raised at its first farm in the US.
AquaBounty Technologies said this first harvest at its Indiana farm validates AquaBounty’s land-based Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) model as an efficient and sustainable way to raise Atlantic salmon.
AquaBounty strategically located its first US farm within easy reach of key US markets to accelerate delivery of fresh, nutritious Atlantic salmon to US consumers.
As part of this effort, the company has established the necessary supply chain connections to these key markets and is formalizing commercial customer agreements.
“As the global population increases, we are seeking better ways to efficiently feed a hungry world with a sustainable source of nutritious food,” said AquaBounty’s CEO Sylvia Wulf.
“Land-based aquaculture is a reliable method for supplying fresh and healthy salmon. This harvest is the result of AquaBounty’s almost 30 years of experience in aquaculture and demonstrates our expertise in raising Atlantic salmon.”
The Indiana-based farm will ramp up monthly harvest of conventional salmon throughout the summer and plans to reach 100 metric tons per month by early 2021. The annual capacity of the farm is approximately 1,200 metric tons.
With this harvest of conventional Atlantic salmon underway, AquaBounty will prepare for the first commercial harvest of its proprietary, genetically engineered AquAdvantage Salmon in the fourth quarter of 2020 at the Indiana Farm.
This will be followed by the first harvest of AquAdvantage salmon at its Canada-based, Prince Edward Island Farm in the first quarter of 2021.
AquaBounty is currently the first and only provider of genetically engineered Atlantic salmon approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada.
Dairy launches UK’s first goats’ milk powder
Delamere Dairy has launched a dairy goats’ milk powder, the first available in the UK.
Responding to market demand, the cupboard staple is now available in Waitrose.
Delamere Dairy Goats’ Milk Powder provides those following a goats’ milk diet with the option to make up milk on demand as a drink or to be used in recipes.
The 400g box of powder, makes up to 3.8 Litres of goats’ milk and once opened, has a shelf life of up to four weeks, the company said.
The powder is stirred into warm water and like goats’ milk is a great source of protein and is a source of calcium and vitamin D for healthy teeth and bones.
“During the pandemic we have seen an increased demand for our milk and customers enquiring about store cupboard alternatives,” said Ed Salt, Managing Director of Delamere Dairy.
“Many people rely on the milk for their diets and the powder now gives them another option to avoid running short and make their lives a little easier.”
Waitrose reduces nitrites across own-label bacon & gammon range
Waitrose has introduced lower nitrite levels across its entire own-label bacon and gammon range.
The move, which Waitrose says is a supermarket-first, significantly lowers levels of the preservative “without compromising on taste or quality”.
Examples include nitrite being reduced by 60% in essential Waitrose bacon and gammon, and by 10% in its dry cure bacon and gammon in all other ranges.
The move comes in response to growing public awareness surrounding nitrites after a World Health Organisation (WHO) report recommended limiting these in the diet.
Nitrites are a preservative, responsible for producing bacon and gammon’s characteristic flavour, texture, taste and colour, but removing it completely would mean it’s simply defined as salty pork.
Waitrose has seen a 44% surge in bacon sales in the last three months, as data from Kantar shows that the number of cooked breakfasts served in UK households has almost doubled during lockdown, with an estimated 20 million eaten during the four weeks to 19 April.
Lactalis invests in Seriously brand
Lactalis UK & Ireland is investing in its ‘Seriously’ cheese brand with a new product launch and packaging refresh.
New Seriously Nuggets is the brand’s latest launch into the hot cheese category and will be available in Waitrose and Ocado from 7 July¸ with further launches planned in other retailers later in the year.
In a separate move, the brand is also unveiling a new unified packaging design that will be applied across the entire range beginning in June.
“With Seriously performing well in the market with double-digit value sales growth YOY, we wanted to continue to build on this success by introducing yet another exciting hot cheese product,” said Heloise Le Norcy-Trott, Group Marketing & Category Director for Lactalis UK & Ireland.
“With its Scottish heritage, provoking backstory and a proven track record for bringing successful new products to market, we believe that Seriously Nuggets will be a big hit with both consumers and retailers.
“In addition to the launch of Seriously Nuggets, we are also relaunching Seriously’s packaging design.
“The new look will not only unify the range, but also emphasize the great taste of our products by highlighting that they are all made with the same rich, characterful and tangy award-winning Seriously Cheddar.
“Both of these developments are part of a wider investment in the Seriously brand and we look forward to sharing more exciting news later in the year.”
Rainforest Alliance launches enhanced certification programme and standard
The Rainforest Alliance has unveiled its enhanced certification programme and standard sporting a more robust criteria, measurement and impact.
The new programme will replace existing Rainforest Alliance and UTZ certification programs from mid-2021.
The international non-profit organisation expects at least two million farmers around the world to use the new certification program to produce better crops, adapt to climate change, increase their productivity, and reduce costs.
Major brands and businesses along the supply chain will rely on the program to source a steady supply of certified ingredients, meet their commitment to responsible business, and address the rising consumer expectations for more sustainable products.
The new program consists of the Sustainable Agriculture Standard with requirements for farms and supply chains, along with a new assurance system and a suite of tools to measure progress towards sustainability objectives.
The two years of work to reach this critical point build on the organization’s combined 45 years of certification experience following the merger of the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ in 2018.
The development of the new certification program included public consultations that received input from more than 1,000 people in nearly 50 countries, representing more than 200 organizations.
“The new certification program incorporates new tools to support farmers and companies to set clear sustainability targets and focus investments to improve positive impacts for people and nature,” said Ruth Rennie, Director of Standards and Assurance at the Rainforest Alliance.
“These tools and innovations will support more resilient agriculture and help make responsible business the new normal. This is increasingly urgent in our age of climate change, biodiversity loss, and global inequality,” she added.
“This ambitious and innovative certification program is part of the Rainforest Alliance’s strategy of collaboration with farmers, companies, implementing partners, and third-party auditors, as well as other NGOs, governments, and consumers,” said Alex Morgan, Chief Markets Officer at the Rainforest Alliance.
“Only together can we restore the balance between people and nature and create a world where we thrive together.”
The two years of work to reach this critical point build on the organization’s combined 45 years of certification experience following the merger of the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ in 2018.
The development of the new certification program included public consultations that received input from more than 1,000 people in nearly 50 countries, representing more than 200 organizations.
“The new certification program incorporates new tools to support farmers and companies to set clear sustainability targets and focus investments to improve positive impacts for people and nature,” said Ruth Rennie, Director of Standards and Assurance at the Rainforest Alliance.
“These tools and innovations will support more resilient agriculture and help make responsible business the new normal. This is increasingly urgent in our age of climate change, biodiversity loss, and global inequality,” she added.
“This ambitious and innovative certification program is part of the Rainforest Alliance’s strategy of collaboration with farmers, companies, implementing partners, and third-party auditors, as well as other NGOs, governments, and consumers,” said Alex Morgan, Chief Markets Officer at the Rainforest Alliance.
“Only together can we restore the balance between people and nature and create a world where we thrive together.” Marine ingredients maker appoints co-founder as CEO accelerate sustainability
One of the eco-founders of French biomarine company, Algaia, has been appointed as its new CEO to step-up its environmental ambitions.
As CEO, Frédéric Faure will accelerate and expand the marine ingredient maker’s sustainability plan toward achieving a minimal carbon footprint by 2025.
Algaia is committed to “dramatically advance” its co-extraction strategy of fresh seaweeds in house and optimise the use of raw materials to reduce its environmental impact.
The traditional manufacturing process for seaweed extracts utilizes only a relatively small portion of the biomass while generating significant solid and liquid waste.
Depending on the technologies and the types of extracted compounds, only 15% to 35% of the raw material is actually used. Algaia has set a goal of using its multiple-extraction process to valuize 80 to 90% of the fresh seaweed biomass that it harvests by 2025.
Traditional methods of seaweed compound extraction do not allow for the isolation of some of the more sensitive compounds due to heat treatment and certain ion-exchange reactions.
Some of the components also require fresh seaweeds due to their sensitivity to drying conditions as well as degradation from UV exposure.
These are just some of the technical challenges producers encounter at extraction facilities that rely on dry imported seaweeds.
“Our know-how in extraction, marine biotechnologies, and our innovative multiple stage extraction processes can allow us to generate new byproducts, meeting the needs for more sustainable and naturally sourced solutions,” said Mr Faure.
“We set an ambitious goal to address one of the biggest environmental challenges in producing algae-based products today: keeping up with the fast-growing demand.”
Before helping to found Algaia in 2016, Mr Faure worked in both France and China in managerial positions and portfolio development for global companies such as Cargill, Evonik, and Lucas-Meyer.
He first took on the role at Algaia of Business Development and Commercial Director while leading the setup of the R&D center in Saint Lô, Normandy.
Faure replaces Fabrice Bohin, who remains a shareholder and member of the Board of Directors, while becoming the new president of Diana Naturals SAS within Symrise Nutrition.
Emulsifier maker invests to expand production capacity
Palsgaard, a manufacturer of emulsifiers for the food and beverage industry, is investing €100 million to more than double production capacity at its Danish facility.
A new spray cooling tower will add a minimum additional 30,000 tonnes to the company’s spray capacity and will be fully operational by first quarter 2023.
This facility will be supported by the construction of multiple new reaction, distillation, and esterification plants.
The expansion adds to the recently installed emulsifier pellet line with a capacity of 10,000 tonnes which is currently being commissioned.
“This project is another major milestone in our development,” said CEO Jakob Thøisen.
“By 2024 we will be able to double our current production capacity – something which took over a century to reach. It is the result of a decade of significant global growth for our business.”
He added: “We have a number of new initiatives, including establishing a solar park and a biogas facility, which will provide the necessary power and waste management infrastructure to enable the new production capacity to also be carbon neutral.
“This aspect was a very important consideration in the planning process for the new investment.”
The expansion programme is expected to be finished by 2024.
Diageo launches $100m recovery fund for pubs & bars
British beverage maker, Diageo, has launched a new $100 million recovery fund to support pubs and bar post-pandemic.
The ‘Raising the Bar’ programme will run for two years and will be available for hospitality sector to access from July.
It will see the Guinness maker provide $100 million to support the recovery of major hospitality centres, including: New York, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Belfast, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Sydney and beyond.
This programme includes the $20 million Community Fund which the company announced for the US earlier this month.
Diageo designed the programme following a global survey of bar owners to identify what they need to reopen after lockdown. Their top priorities include hygiene measures, digital support and practical equipment to transform how their outlets will work.
The programme will provide targeted support to help pay for the physical equipment needed for outlets to re-open.
For example, in the UK, Diageo will provide initial funding for: ‘hygiene kits’ with high-quality permanent sanitiser dispense units, medical grade hand sanitiser and a range of personal protection equipment (such as masks and gloves); help to pubs and bars to establish partnerships with online reservations and cashless systems; mobile bars and outdoor equipment.
“Pubs and bars sit at the heart of every community. We have launched “Raising the Bar” as so many outlets have been impacted by this crisis and badly need help to open their doors again,” said Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive of Diageo.
‘We are calling on governments around the world to provide long-term recovery packages to help the hospitality sector.
“These businesses play an essential role in bringing people together to socialise and celebrate – something that we have all missed so much during this terrible crisis – and sustain hundreds of millions of jobs, which provide a first foot on the employment ladder for young people.”