Cargill acquires Owensboro Grain Company
Cargill and Owensboro Grain Company, a fifth-generation family-owned soybean processing facility and refinery located in Owensboro, Ky., have entered into a definitive agreement where Cargill will add Owensboro Grain Company (OGC) to its North American agricultural supply chain business.
Owensboro Grain Company was founded in 1906 as a small grain merchant and today operates a fully integrated soy processing facility, producing soy products, including protein meal and hull pellets for animal feeds, crude and degummed oil, lecithin, various blends of refined vegetable oil for human consumption, biodiesel, glycerin and industrial waxes.
The addition of Owensboro Grain Company enhances Cargill’s efforts to modernize and increase capacity across its North American oilseeds network to support growing demand for oilseeds driven by food, feed and renewable fuel markets.
“We are pleased to welcome Owensboro Grain Company into our Cargill family,” said Leonardo Aguiar, president of Cargill’s North American agricultural supply chain. “Our two companies have tremendous operational histories, similar heritages as grain merchants, and values, including an unwavering commitment to prioritizing people ― making this a tremendous fit. Additionally, this is a significant milestone in Cargill’s journey to create a connected and modernized grain experience for our customers,” said Aguiar.
“We are excited for this new chapter in the life of Owensboro Grain Company and believe an acquisition by Cargill will ensure the long-term success of the company,” said Helen Cornell, president and CEO of the fifth-generation, family-owned soy processor. “Cargill has the ability to capitalize on growing opportunities in the industry, such as renewable energy. The acquisition will ensure that Owensboro Grain Company, its employees, farmers, customers and the community are best positioned for the future.
“We are excited to transfer ownership to another multi-generational family held enterprise with global access to markets and capabilities to ensure the future growth of our business. Cargill has the global resources necessary to support Owensboro Grain Company’s growth goals and operations.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of Cargill and Owensboro Grain Company, is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close in early 2023.
Troy Foods sold to the Fylde Fresh and Fabulous Group
Troy Foods Limited, one of the UK’s leading vegetable processing manufacturers, has been bought by the Fylde, Fresh & Fabulous Group (FFF).
Fylde Fresh and Fabulous Ltd, established in 2005, is one of the UK’s leading potato growing and processing businesses, supplying ready meal manufacturers, the food service sector and over 500 fish and chip shops with a range of peeled potato products. It also supplies heat and electricity to over 600 homes through its Biogas plant near Preston.
Based in Leeds, Troy Foods Limited is a fourth-generation family business which has grown to become one of the UK’s leading processors of vegetables.
A total of 104 employees have transferred to the Fylde Fresh and Fabulous Group as part of the transaction, which was led by a team from Interpath Advisory and Addleshaw Goddard. FFF was advised by Napthens LLP.
Neil Morley, director at Interpath Advisory, said: “We are pleased to have concluded this transaction which secures the future of the business by providing a new platform upon which it can move forward.”
Colin Bradley, director at Fylde Fresh and Fabulous, said: “We have known and respected Troy Foods for many years. It is a natural fit for our already established business.”
Troy Foods (Salads) Limited (a related entity) is not part of the transaction and continues to trade under its existing management and ownership.
Introducing Citizen Spritz: Innovative new entrant to the low and no alcohol market
A disruptive new entrant to the market, Citizen Spritz is reimagining adult drinks with its range of innovative concentrated spritz mixes.
Sophisticated and deeply complex in flavour, when combined with sparkling or soda water, the carefully crafted but simple-to-serve drinks, create a refreshing aperitif style beverage, designed to be enjoyed either at home or served via the on-trade.
The brainchild of successful food industry entrepreneurs, Mark Gould and Mike Bagshaw, Citizen Spritz was born from the desire to moderate their own alcohol intake.
According to a 2021 Mintel Report, more people reduced their alcohol intake in 2021 compared to 2019 – 21% of adults report not drinking alcohol at all and over a third say they’ve reduced or limited their intake in the past year.
Over the last two years and through dozens of concepts, the Citizen Spritz team developed a flavour almost indistinguishable from authentic Italian Prosecco. This flavour became the base notes for the whole spritz range.
For more information visit www.citizenspritz.com
National Skills Academy for Food & Drink lays bare double whammy of staff shortages and rising costs facing UK food manufacturing
UK food and drink manufacturing and processing businesses are facing unprecedented challenges in keeping affordable food on the nation’s table according to new in-depth research by the National Skills Academy for Food & Drink (NSAFD), the sector’s industry-led skills experts.
Rising costs and labour shortages are accelerating transition to greater use of automation and digitally-controlled production. But according to the NSAFD’s keynote report, economic and political uncertainty are undermining business confidence and ability to invest — both in new plant and necessary workforce training for its effective use.
Insight highlights:
- Rising energy and transportation costs are hitting Food & Drink Manufacturing and Processing harder than other sectors.
- Over three quarters (77%) of businesses are suffering from staff shortages in jobs without high skill hurdles with 45% of those surveyed describing the situation as chronic. Some 60% of food and beverage businesses have experienced low applications for advertised jobs, resulting in higher labour costs.
- In the face of labour shortages, demand for increased productivity is leading to more widespread uptake of smart technology manufacturing processes. But economic and labour market challenges, coupled with threats of recession, are liable to affect the ability and willingness of firms to invest in transformational plant and associated training.
- The industry is likely to require an increasing range of multi-disciplinary business skills in future, not just those typically associated with food production. These include digital skills, procurement, supply chain management, environmental management, sustainability and data analysis and management.
- Over 80% of businesses are ‘strongly in favour/in favour’ of the Apprenticeship Levy but most want greater flexibility in its use to support other programmes, traineeships and employees. Apprentices represented 1% of the workforce in over half of responding businesses, 1-2% in 20% of firms and 2-3% in over a quarter of companies surveyed.
Future Food-Tech and Kraft Heinz announce innovation challenge to unleash the power of tomatoes from seed to shelf
Future Food-Tech has announced an exclusive innovation challenge with The Kraft Heinz Company, culminating at the flagship Future Food-Tech San Francisco summit on March 16-17. The challenge seeks innovative solutions to unleash the power of tomatoes, delivering on taste, sustainability, nutrition, convenience and/or affordability.
The Innovation Challenge
Kraft Heinz is interested in a wide range of solutions including ingredients, processing, and packaging technologies, as well as finished products, and companies are encouraged to have proof of principle and prototypes. Start-ups are invited to apply before Friday January 20, 2023, and can find additional information on the challenge at https://futurefoodtechsf.com/innovation-challenge/.
Three finalists will be selected to pitch their innovative solutions to Kraft Heinz judges in front of a global audience of food brands, corporations and investors at the Future Food-Tech San Francisco summit on March 16-17, 2023, and the winning start-up will be revealed by Kraft Heinz live on stage. The finalists will also be invited to attend both days of networking and insights at the summit and will benefit from considerable brand visibility to Future Food-Tech’s global network.
The innovation challenge winner will receive extensive development opportunities, including coaching and expertise from Kraft Heinz North America that may encompass technical, regulatory, innovation, marketing, scale-up and distribution guidance, as well as access to Kraft Heinz facilities for on-site support.
Commenting on the challenge, Maxine Roman, New Ventures & Disruptive R&D Lead at Kraft Heinz, said: “At Kraft Heinz, we have the ambition to lead the future of food, and we can’t do it alone. We’re accelerating innovation and growth by bringing in outside expertise to augment what we can do. Kraft Heinz has deep roots in cultivating high quality tomatoes for our iconic brands, and in this challenge, we’re asking food-tech innovators to help us inspire the future of this critical ingredient. What else can we do to make tomatoes better for consumers and our planet?”
The Insights Webinar
On Tuesday, December 13 at 8 AM PST, Maxine Roman and Erin Wahal, Head of Research and Development – Taste, Meals, and Away from Home at Kraft Heinz, will sit down with the Future Food-Tech team to provide additional information about the Innovation Challenge. The free and interactive webinar will explain the drivers behind the challenge, the organization’s approach to partnerships, and tips for start-ups to differentiate their applications. Webinar registration is open at www.crowdcast.io/c/kraft-heinz-innovation-challenge.
Full details of the Future Food-Tech summit in San Francisco, with program, speaking faculty and registration can be found at: www.futurefoodtechsf.com
Tesco announces close to £14m of additional support for British egg industry
Tesco has announced further support for its British egg suppliers and producers, as the sector continues to experience challenging market conditions brought on by price increases in key inputs such as feed and energy and the avian flu outbreak.
The support package includes £13.6m of support already provided to Tesco’s suppliers and producers since March this year, as well as a commitment to provide a further £13.9m of additional support until March 2023, with the support continuing after that date.
Earlier this year, Tesco announced five-year contracts with its five main British shell egg suppliers – Anglia Free Range Eggs, Glenrath Farms, Griffiths Family Farms, Noble Foods and Skea Eggs. The long-term contracts, which began in October, mean Tesco will continue to stock 100% British shell eggs in its stores, while helping to provide UK egg farmers with the confidence to invest and plan for the future.
Tesco has also confirmed the continuation of its industry-leading poultry feed model. Poultry feed represents up to 70% of the cost of production on egg and poultry farms. The model adjusts to price changes in the market, providing producers with the cost protection and security they need when buying feed.
The support package will be paid to suppliers to cover the cost of handling, processing and egg production, including any increases in feed for farmers. Tesco will continue to work with its suppliers to ensure the additional investment gets passed to farmers as quickly as possible.
Dominic Morrey, Tesco commercial director for Fresh, said: “We know the British egg sector continues to face acute market conditions with input costs continuing to increase, and avian flu causing disruption and adding complexities to farming conditions and the supply chain. We’re pleased to continue our support for UK suppliers and producers, as well as provide reassurance to our customers that we will remain 100% British on all our shell eggs.
“With five-year contracts with our suppliers now underway, and our well-established feed model in place, we hope the support we’re providing alleviates some of the pressure being felt and provides the industry with confidence and protection during these uncertain times.”
Tesco says it and its suppliers are committed to high welfare standards and together are working towards the retailer’s aim of 100% cage free eggs by 2025. It is hoped the new long-term contracts will help achieve the commitment.
Mark Williams, Chief Executive of the British Egg Industry Council, said: “We are delighted that Tesco is investing in its supply chain to support British egg producers. We know that consumers want and expect the eggs on retailers’ shelves to be British and it is great to see Tesco publicly reinforcing its commitment to stock British Lion eggs.
“The Lion is not only recognised by consumers as a sign of quality, but it also shows that the eggs are approved by the Food Standards Agency to be eaten runny by everyone, including vulnerable groups.”
Boost for UK fishing industry with funding for new infrastructure projects
Funding to expand processing facilities for popular British fish like Scottish salmon, mackerel and herring are some of the projects which will modernise infrastructure across the UK seafood sector following a £20 million Government investment.
Part of the £100 million UK Seafood Fund, the announcement comes as a further £30 million is being made available for infrastructure projects as the latest round of funding opens for bidding.
The UK Seafood Fund is a landmark government investment supporting the long-term future and sustainability of the UK fishing and seafood industry, with the infrastructure strand of the Fund helping to pay for upgrades to ports, processing and aquaculture facilities so they can meet future demand whilst also boosting jobs and economic growth.
The infrastructure scheme also supports businesses to become more environmentally sustainable, with successful bidders in Round 1 investing in greener technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to more reusable materials.
Successful bidders from the first round of infrastructure funding include:
- Denholm Seafoods who with almost £3 million funding will install new equipment to increase production of mackerel and herring landed at Peterhead.
- In the West Highlands, Mowi Scotland – an aquaculture processing facility for salmon – has been awarded £2 million funding to invest in new, modern equipment that will vastly speed up both the processing and despatch of their products.
ERP in food manufacturing: benefits and applications
ERP, which stands for Enterprise Resource Planning, is a software system for business management. It enables managers to think about how to improve their business, implement the strategies, document and test changes applied, and integrate the process of manufacturing food products.
Nowadays, people are looking for ways their companies can become competitive and efficient, and make more profits. One such promising way to achieve that is by embracing technological systems like ERP. The software combines several functions of a company or organization into one network with organized processes. Various sources are available to help in getting a technological solution for your business, like https://www.inecta.com/food-manufacturing-software.
As an all-in-one system, ERP helps perform several functions, including purchasing food products, accounting for what is spent, controlling finances, and managing human relations. This article will explore the benefits and applications of ERP in food manufacturing. Read on to learn.
- Enables Management From Top To Bottom
- Helps Food Manufacturers Adhere To The Set Rules And Regulations
- Tracking Quality Of Food Products
- Management Of Data
- Improve Production
- Gives You The Ability To Predict Your Achievements
- Improves The Efficiency Of The Supply Chain
- Boost Customer Relations
- Giving Offers For The Promotion Of Business
The Greener Manufacturing Show and Plastic Waste Free World affirm the circular economy is almost here
The Greener Manufacturing Show held alongside Plastic Waste Free World Europe (9-10 Nov, Cologne, Germany) welcomed almost 3,000 unique visitors from 50+ countries, spanning six continents with its 175 innovative exhibitors and 150 industry-renowned speakers, demonstrating that a circular economy is right around the corner.
The audience represented more than 2,000 leading manufacturing companies and suppliers from a wide variety of industries including, automotive, fashion & textiles, packaging, consumer goods products, chemicals, raw materials, electronics, and cosmetics – just to name a few. Exhibitors including Bio NRW, Qwarzo, Speira, South Pole and Mondi showcased a range of industrialised solutions to help manufacturers enhance the sustainability of their products and help reduce the environmental impact of their operations.
Trans-Global Events CEO, Mike Robinson, remarked: “This year’s event took a giant leap forward in terms of attendees and companies participating as exhibitors. Sustainability has become a major focus for companies and organisations across the world with manufacturers facing some of the biggest challenges due to the very nature of their business operations.
“The Greener Manufacturing Show is totally unique in that you can find new technologies and solutions that cover a wide range of environmental challenges and various industries all in one place, whilst placing the emphasis on balancing production and making positive changes for the future. Following the excellent feedback of our exhibitors and attendees we are looking forward to taking the next step in 2023 and bringing even more exciting solutions to the event.”
Exhibitors were impressed with the calibre of attendees and the wealth of networking opportunities, out-of-the-box ideas, and practical solutions presented. They were also delighted to be attending an in-person event with a key focus on sustainability and to mobilise the manufacturing industries towards a green economy from this ostensibly popular European business-hub.
The plethora of innovations showcased at the Koelnmesse provided ample choice for buyers and potential opportunities for exhibitors to forge off-take agreements and partnerships.
Natural Materials Unlimited Founder & Interim CEO, Michael Klepacz, said: “The Greener Manufacturing Show brought us a wide variety of guests from many industries, including sports, hotels, shipping, fashion, packaging, dyes and waxes, paper and more. We were excited to see the reactions they had to our offers. I hope many partnerships will grow as a result of this show.”
There were 20% more delegates at the conference this year, accounting for the 500+ participants projected pre-show. With 40% more visitors and exhibitors than the previous edition, the show is growing rapidly into becoming a pioneering event for a holistic approach to greener manufacturing and new ways for businesses to reduce their plastic footprint.
The Greener Manufacturing Show and Plastic Waste Free World Europe will return to Cologne on 8-9 November 2023. To find out more about next year’s event visit: www.greener-manufacturing.com.
The second edition of the US show will take place in Atlanta, Georgia on 11-12 October 2023. Find out more here www.greener-manufacturing.com/usa.
How to achieve sustainable packaging in your food production
Packaging is one of the crucial aspects of food production. It keeps the products safe from the outside elements so they can arrive at stores and customers without damage or spoilage. However, irresponsible fabrication and disposal of food packaging is also a primary cause of the world’s waste problem. As a solution, businesses are moving towards sustainable options.
Sustainable packaging reduces the environmental impact of the supply chain. It involves using recyclable, reusable, and biodegradable materials and minimizing or eradicating plastics. Although switching to green options is the best for your business, it can also be challenging. Here are some practical steps to achieve sustainable packaging in your food production.
- Prioritize Durability
- Consider Cost-Effectiveness
- Pick Compostable Materials
- Select Recyclable Packaging
- Source Materials Ethically
- Minimize Packaging
- Go For Versatility