FrieslandCampina to relocate Netherlands butter production

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FrieslandCampina has revealed its intentions to optimise its butter production network in the Netherlands and make it more sustainable by moving all butter production to Lochem, seeing the loss of 90 jobs and the creation of 27 new jobs. In connection with this, the production location in ‘s-Hertogenbosch will eventually be closed and the Lochem production location will be expanded. The company says the decision is a direct consequence of the rising demand for cream products for the foodservice market. As a result of this, less cream is available for butter, which creates a structural overcapacity in the butter production. In light of this, the decision has now been made to merge all butter production in the Lochem location and so allow better utilisation of the butter production network. Combining the butter oil and powder production with the butter production in Lochem will lead to more efficient production, according to FrieslandCampina. In addition, a new, sustainable butter plant will be built in Lochem, which will reduce CO2 emissions. Roel van Neerbos, president of FrieslandCampina Food & Beverage, said: “We realise that this intended decision marks the end of our decades-long presence in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in a couple of years and that this farewell will be an emotional moment for many employees. Of course, we will support them in finding new jobs within or outside FrieslandCampina.” The rebuilding of the production location in Lochem will take about two years. The expansion here is expected to create 27 new jobs. The facility in ‘s-Hertogenbosch will be closed mid-2025, resulting in the loss of almost 90 jobs that will partly be absorbed by natural turnover.

Ice cream manufacturer makes further six-figure investment

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North Yorkshire’s Brymor Ice Cream has made a further six-figure investment in its production plant, installing a new pasteuriser to further boost its efficiency, which comes just months after investing to double its annual manufacturing capacity to over 1million litres. The £100,000 self-funded investment sees the installation of plant which is up to 50 per cent more efficient than the outgoing model, saving working hours and energy, which is further complemented by a solar panel installation last year. These investments will help Brymor to significantly reduce its carbon footprint as it works towards net zero. Sales manager, Heather Wilson said: “Our commitment to continuous innovation and ongoing investment enables us to remain at the forefront of ice cream manufacturing, while also staying true to our heritage. “This is the latest stage in significant investment across the business, both in production and in the parlour – including the recent addition of a dog exercise area, bringing the cows back for visitors to see, and we have some exciting plans for the coming months.” Brymor achieved a three-star accolade in the 2022 Great Taste Awards for its Amarena Black Cherry Whim Wham, and invested £100,000 in a solar panel installation on its roof to reduce its impact on the environment. Producing potentially up to 1million litres of ice cream each year, Brymor has earned an enviable reputation and in addition to its parlour which welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, is also stocked in Booths, Waitrose and by many independent retailers, pubs and restaurants.

Stilton producer gets share in £12m from UK Government to cut emissions and energy costs

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Long Clawson Dairy is to get a share in £12m funding from the UK Government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund to help cut carbon emissions and energy costs. It’s one of 22 winning projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland which will be able to clean up their industrial processes and improve their energy efficiency – benefiting industries including pharmaceuticals, steel, paper, and food and drink. Long Clawson has been making cheese for over a century, running over 31 farms in the Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire areas. The production of cheese is an energy intensive process involving both heating and cooling activities. Through IETF funding, the company has created a new thermal storage system, using revolutionary high temperature heat pumps to reduce overall energy by 27% and saving 34% carbon emissions, with the ambition of moving to a purely electrically powered in the long term. Iain Grant, operations director, Long Clawson Dairy, said: “The production of our Stilton cheese is an energy-intensive process involving both heating and cooling activities. With the investment in this project, it has enabled the dairy to take a more cost-effective approach to energy consumption, alongside a clear carbon emission reduction. This is a substantial investment for a business of our size, and would not have been possible without the support of the IETF grant funding.” It is estimated that industry is currently responsible for producing 16% of the UK’s emissions and will need to cut emissions by two thirds by 2035 in order for the UK to achieve its net zero target. This funding will play a crucial role in helping to clean up big-emitting industries as part of the UK’s green industrial revolution – decarbonising their industrial processes and reducing their reliance on expensive fossil fuels, such as gas, says Energy Minister Graham Stuart, the MP for Beverley and Holderness. He said: “Boosting the energy efficiency of industrial processes is a critical step not only in our transition to a lower-carbon economy, but also by helping businesses to cut their energy costs and protect valuable British jobs.

“That’s why the government has stepped in once again to support energy intensive industries, with a fresh funding round to unleash the next generation of green innovators who are re-shaping the way technology can reduce carbon emissions.”

So far, £34.8 million of funding has been awarded through the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, which was first launched in June 2020.

Flagship Food Group acquires Yucatan Foods

Flagship Food Group has acquired Yucatan Foods, adding guacamole and dips to its growing portfolio of Southwestern foods. Yucatan manufactures and markets fresh guacamole and salsa under the Yucatan and Cabo Fresh brands. Sold nationwide and throughout Canada, Yucatan has long been a pioneer in the retail, pre-made guacamole category and is one of the largest brands in the set. “We have been building Flagship to be a scaled, multicategory food company with a focus on premium and Hispanic food products,” said Rob Holland, executive chairman of Flagship. “Our current product portfolio is very complementary to that of Yucatan,” added Matt Finnerty with Flagship. “We are excited to plan some impactful cross-promoting of our world-famous Hatch Valley green chile and salsa, chips, tortillas, and now fresh guacamole.” Yucatan joins a family of brands that includes 505 Southwestern, La Tortilla Factory, and Lilly B’s, to name a few of the company’s most recognized brands in the Southwestern category. The acquisition not only adds to the better-for-you offerings within Flagship, but also emphasizes a focus on vertical integration with the addition of 97,000 sq ft of manufacturing space in Silao, Mexico. “This is great for the future of this legendary brand in the guacamole category,” said Stephen Hillion, VP of sales and marketing for Yucatan. “Being part of this broad family of complementary Hispanic and Southwestern food products will allow us to offer more value to our retail partners and to consumers. We are going into immediate action to collaborate with our partners to realize these synergies.” Flagship operates manufacturing and distribution facilities in Colorado, Kansas, California, New Mexico, and Mexico. The company believes that it is the largest flame roaster of Hatch Valley green chiles in the world. “We’re really excited about expanding our consumer reach into the refrigerated Dairy, Deli and Produce categories, and Yucatan is the perfect brand partner. We’ll be integrating Yucatan’s sales and marketing efforts into our salsa, green chile and dips business,” said Sam Carson, brand president for 505 Southwestern. “We’re wasting no time in merging this brand into our 505SW portfolio and innovating on products, marketing, quality, and packaging. This will be fun!” “This acquisition will definitely result in some innovative product development,” added Holland. “I expect we’ll see some exciting ‘Hatch Valley’ guacamole products coming out very soon.”

Pilot study shows how zero waste in food supply chain could be achieved through smart IoT technology

Initial results from pilot studies have shown how food waste in the supply chain could be significantly reduced through the use of smart technology including Internet of Things (IoT).

The REAMIT project (Improving Resource Efficiency of Agribusiness supply chains by Minimizing waste using big data and IoT sensors) aims to save 1.8Mt of food waste or €3B per year in North-West Europe and prevent 5.5Mt/yr of CO2 emissions. It involves a consortium of food and technology organisations and universities, including Nottingham Trent University (NTU).

The project is led by Professor Ramakrishnan Ramanathan, University of Essex, UK, with the University of Bedfordshire as the lead partner. The project is funded by Interreg North-West Europe. It has so far worked with a range of businesses in the UK and North-West Europe to adapt IoT and Big Data technologies to best fit the needs of the food supply chain management system. The supply chain includes farms, packaging sites, food processors, distribution, logistics, wholesalers, and retailers. By using technology to continuously monitor and record food quality in real time, the REAMIT pilot companies are aiming to achieve zero food waste and assure product quality.
One such organisation involved in the REAMIT pilot test is the Human Milk Foundation (HMF), a charity organisation which delivers donor breast milk to babies in need – often in life-saving circumstances. Its cold chain supply transports milk between houses, hospitals, and its storage hubs. The charity must adhere to strict guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to ensure the quality and safety of the human milk.

Through REAMIT technology partners, sensors were placed in the insulated transport boxes – the temperature and humidity of the milk were collected every 30 minutes, while the GPS locator sent data every two minutes. Alerts were sent if the milk temperature rose above a specified threshold. This has allowed the charity to minimise potential wastage of an already limited stock and reduce carbon emissions by saving energy through the optimisation of cooling during transportation. This is the first-time data has been collected on the transportation of donor human milk and is helping the charity to plan the location of future hubs.

Dr Natalie Shenker from the HMF said: “The REAMIT team have provided everything from proof of concept to the innovative sensors that we’re using, that not only track temperature but are able to track humidity, acceleration, they can tell when the boxes will be actively moving—so we can really understand where the milk is, what conditions the milk is transported in and when it’s arrived.”

Yumchop Foods in Northamptonshire create authentic African meals that are free from any added preservatives, colouring or flavourings with responsibly sourced fresh ingredients, natural spices, and herbs. The business model is based on its frozen meals being transported and stored in public vending machines where hot food is delivered to customers using built-in microwave ovens.

Sensors have been placed in the freezers in the production facility of Yumchop Foods to ensure that the required legal temperature thresholds are adhered to, as well as preserving the high quality of the food in preparation for transport. The organisation has benefited from alerts which notify them of any temperature increase and allow staff to investigate and take immediate action – preventing any food waste and subsequent loss of revenue. Following the initial success, Abi Adefisan, co-founder of Yumchop Foods, hopes to expand their use of the sensors. She said: “It would be great to have the sensors in the vending kiosks to continue to monitor the quality of the products. We want to save our staff from manually going to the sites and taking the records, instead we could get the data in real time like we now do at the production facility.” Musgrave, Northern Ireland’s leading food retail, wholesale, and foodservice company, was looking to reduce the volume of food waste, increase product shelf life and reduce the cost of losses. Working with REAMIT partner Ulster University, sensors were placed in its vans used for local deliveries where integrity is lost through doors opening and closing frequently. The sensors have allowed the company to monitor live temperatures in the vehicles and respond quickly to text alerts if sustained temperature abuse is recorded. Robert Gallagher, Warehouse and Transport Operations Manager at Musgrave, said: “We have monthly sessions with our food service customers where we ask them for feedback on quality and part of that is shelf life. This is where the integrity of the chill chain comes as we do have customers who come in with food they couldn’t use before its use by date. Through this project I’m hoping to see the full life span of our products being utilised.”

Usha Ramanathan, REAMIT communications lead and Professor of Sustainability and Supply Chains at Nottingham Business School, part of NTU, said: “The EU has committed to halving food waste by 2030 by focusing on all stages in the supply chain. Though technologies exist to reduce food waste, they have not been applied to food supply chains.

“The pilot REAMIT projects have shown a range of prominent benefits to using IoT devices and alert systems – not just for food waste reduction but for quality assurance and food standards regulations, improved food availability, reduced cost, and improved sustainability.” The trial has led to a variety of policy recommendations for food producers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers regarding the use of IoT devices and alert systems. These include introducing data analytics and algorithm-based alerts for ordering stock on demand rather than estimation; using stock inventory collected via IoT devices/smart sensors and analysed with Big Data techniques for enhanced planning and identification of emerging trends and improved reactions to stock fluctuations; and utilising real-time tracking and traceability to reduce lost consignments, financial costs, and greenhouse gas emissions of lost shipments. It is also suggested that food producers and manufacturers work with local authorities on initiatives like food banks and social eating spaces and sign up to redistribution schemes and consumer mobile applications such as FareShare and Too Good To Go. Non-consumable waste should be sent for other manufacturing processes, anaerobic digestion, composting or animal feed, with incentives for food manufacturers to collect food waste data and develop targeted waste minimisation plans. A focus among distributors and retailers on short supply chains, local food networks and seasonal eating is also recommended, including increased partnerships with local (within 150 miles) and national producers; improving local food production and promoting seasonal produce rather than importing goods such as fresh meat, dairy, fruit, and vegetables. Whole crop purchases by retailers such as supermarkets is also encouraged, alongside a deeper involvement with farm crop planning. Professor Ramakrishnan Ramanathan, REAMIT project lead, University of Essex, said: “Food waste results in several adverse economic, environmental, and social impacts. Saving food from becoming waste will help avoid these impacts. The REAMIT project has demonstrated that food waste can be saved very cost effectively using technology. Further, the REAMIT project showcased that the power of big data and analytics need not only be applied to support private companies but can also be applied for social causes too.”

Ground-breaking English whisky producer appoints Mark Harvey as Managing Director

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The Oxford Artisan Distillery, the English Whisky producer leading the way on sustainable farming and production, has appointed Mark Harvey as Managing Director, Sales & Marketing. This is an exciting move for the company, which recently announced investment from Diageo accelerator Distill Ventures. Mark brings a wealth of experience and success across a number of leading premium drinks brands, most recently Chapel Down, England’s leading winemaker. Harvey says: “I’m delighted to have joined Dave Smith and the team at The Oxford Artisan Distillery. Working with heritage grains, not only are we producing uniquely delicious whiskies but also leading the revolution in tackling sustainable farming and grain production. Like when I started at Chapel Down, there’s great excitement around the journey and growth to come!” The recent investment will support the next stage of the company’s growth by enabling the upgrade and expansion of its Oxford site, tripling production capacity whilst radically reducing water usage by 90%. Grain handling will also take place on site to reduce vehicle movements. And developing further off site production capacity, with a partner equally committed to sustainable practices, will allow the company to scale to be one of England’s largest whisky producers. Further investment will be made in an enhanced visitor experience at the Distillery, welcoming up to 15,000 people per year and opening the site to the general public walking through Oxford’s South Park; as well as in the continued development of The Oxford Artisan Distillery brand. David Smith, CEO, says: “We are thrilled Mark has joined us on this exciting journey. He brings with him a wealth of success within both established and challenger premium brand businesses. This is great news for our business partners and our consumers as we seek to play our part in the rise of the English whisky movement.”

Cadman Capital Group acquires Quoddy Savour Seafood

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Cadman Capital Group, the family office and alternative asset investment firm, has acquired Quoddy Savour Seafood, a land-based seafood farming and processing facility, in Pennfield, New Brunswick, Eastern Canada. The acquisition follows the announcement that Cadman has acquired a strategic equity stake in Urchinomics, the pioneering aquaculture venture that turns ecologically destructive sea urchins into highly valued seafood, which in turn helps restore and establish the world’s dwindling kelp forests, who have been running trials for Urchin ranching at the facility. Urchinomics recently secured the world’s first kelp restoration blue carbon credit, issued after a successful research project in Kunisaki and Nagato, Japan. Cadman’s involvement will allow kelp restoration to start across the Bay of Fundy and the East Coast. It is situated on a 33 acre, permitted site next to the Bay of Fundy, part of the golden triangle of the seafood industry in North East Canada. The facility provides access to the key seafood markets of New York, Boston, Montreal and the wider North American East Coast. The site has the capacity to raise and hold lobsters and urchins, as well as other key local fish species. James Dinsdale, Chief Executive Officer of Cadman, said: “Quoddy Savour Seafood joins the Group at an exciting time for the business. The acquisition reiterates our continued commitment to developing restorative aquaculture solutions to support the sustainable improvement of marine ecosystems. We look forward to working with the existing team, and local community and fisheries to bring income and jobs to the region.”

Kite Packaging to attend Spring Fair

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Kite Packaging, the employee share-owned packaging company, is attending the Spring Fair at the NEC, Birmingham from 5th to 8th February. They will be situated at stand 3K44 in hall 3 where they will be showcasing an array of packaging products and solutions, sharing their industry expertise and insights with attendees. Kite, a company which has been rooted in providing affordable yet effective packaging to businesses throughout the UK whilst being kind to the environment, will be displaying a variety of ecofriendly products. This includes in-the-box protective packaging, such as hivewrap and the automated Paperjet Fit and Mini Air Classic systems, as well as their shipping boxes, including their cost-effective large letter postal boxes and postal boxes range. Following acquisition of their subsidiary Shredhouse last year, they are also exhibiting a collection of gift packaging products, including a range of tissue and shredded papers. To discover more about Kite Packaging and the products and services they offer, please visit www.kitepackaging.co.uk.

Dole to sell Fresh Vegetables Division to Fresh Express

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A definitive agreement to sell Dole’s Fresh Vegetables Division to an affiliate of Fresh Express Incorporated, a wholly owned subsidiary of Chiquita Holdings Limited, has been entered into, for gross proceeds of approximately $293 million in cash. The Fresh Vegetables Division comprises operations related to the processing and sale of whole produce such as iceberg, romaine, leaf lettuces, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, asparagus, artichokes, green onions, sprouts, radishes, and cabbage, as well as salads and meal kits. In the financial year ended December 31, 2021, the Fresh Vegetables Division reported revenue of $1.28 billion. The business has agricultural operations and four processing plants across the United States and employs more than 3,000 people. Carl McCann, executive chairman of Dole plc, said: “We are pleased to announce the sale of our Fresh Vegetables Division. Combining with Fresh Express will improve the offering and service to customers and consumers through increased investments in innovation, efficiencies, and food safety. “We would like to thank the dedicated employees of this business for their valuable contributions over the years. We believe the sale of this division will strengthen our financial position and increase the Group’s focus on and investments in our core activities.” Jose Luis Cutrale Jr., Chiquita Holdings’ chairman, said: “We are excited about the combination with Dole’s Fresh Vegetables Division. “With this transaction, we want to combine our best practises across food safety, freshness of produce, mechanisation, automation, and innovation to offer rapidly expanding choices of safer and healthier produce products to the consumer. This combination will ultimately help drive growth in the entire produce industry and support higher demand for our valued produce grower base in California, Arizona, Colorado, Florida and across the entire USA. “The combination of both businesses, when consummated, will allow us to continue to create the best products under the Fresh Express umbrella. The anticipated cost savings from this combination will help partially mitigate the recent period of inflationary pressures experienced throughout the produce, food and beverage sectors of the economy. “We aim to bring an improved value proposition to the consumer while allowing us to better manage the shortage of agricultural and manufacturing labor, supply chain challenges and water issues. At the same time, we are striving to constantly reduce the carbon footprint of our products. “I want to especially thank the Dole plc management team for their professional collaboration in this process. “We are very much looking forward to welcoming the dedicated Dole Fresh Vegetables Division team to the Chiquita Holdings family.”

Finsbury Food Group swoops for Lees Foods

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Finsbury Food Group, a UK speciality bakery manufacturer of cake, bread and morning goods for both the retail and foodservice channels, has acquired 100% of the share capital of Lees Foods Limited, a manufacturer of meringues, teacakes and snowballs. Established in 1931, Lees employs more than 200 staff at its site in Coatbridge, Scotland. Lees has a UK market-leading position in the manufacture of meringues and has significant capability in the sweet treats category, adjacent to Finsbury’s existing markets. The acquisition is in line with Finsbury’s strategy to diversify its product capability into areas with high growth potential. Lees has a broad customer base and holds strong supply relationships with the leading UK supermarkets in addition to foodservice and export customers. The Finsbury Board believes that it will be able to leverage the scale and breadth of the Finsbury commercial team and licensed brand portfolio to drive incremental growth for Lees. In addition, there will be scale cost synergies over time. The consideration for the acquisition payable by Finsbury is a cash amount of £5.7 million, on the basis that Lees is acquired cash and debt-free and with an agreed level of working capital. The consideration is being funded entirely from the Group’s existing debt facilities. John Duffy, Chief Executive of Finsbury Food Group Plc, said: “We are delighted to announce the strategic acquisition of Lees Foods Limited, as we consolidate our position in the sweet treats sector and grow our manufacturing presence in Scotland. “Lees currently has a well-established position in the UK meringue category and strong relationships across a high quality and diverse customer base. This provides Finsbury with the opportunity to build upon both businesses’ existing retail relationships and unlock further commercial opportunities, including out of home. We look forward to welcoming Lees to the wider Group.”