Pernod Ricard deepens partnership with Sovereign Brands

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Pernod Ricard is to significantly increase its minority stake in Sovereign Brands’ portfolio of super premium wine and spirits brands, strengthening the long-term partnership initiated in September 2021.
Sovereign Brands is a family company founded by brothers Brett and Brian Berish. It is currently one of the fastest-growing companies in the beverage alcohol industry.
Over the last 12 months, and in the frame of their long term partnership, Pernod Ricard and Sovereign Brands have significantly accelerated the growth of Sovereign’s brand portfolio including French super-premium sparkling wine Luc Belaire (circa 1 million 9L cases in 2021), a range of Caribbean rums sold under the Bumbu brand (circa 300K 9L cases in 2021), the Brazilian gin McQueen and the Violet Fog and the French liqueur Villon. Both companies have also initiated a number of joint incubation projects, with an initial brand planned for a full scale launch in the coming months.
Pernod Ricard says this additional investment is in line with its strategic plan Transform & Accelerate and reflects its ambition to further enhance its consumer-centric portfolio development and invest in anticipated growth categories.
Closing, which is expected to occur in November 2022, remains subject to fullfilment of customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances.
“Our partnership with Sovereign Brands has already proven to be very successful, with brands such as Bumbu and Luc Belaire now reaching an ever growing number of consumers in the US and abroad. I believe we are perfectly matched as two consumer-centric companies with a shared commitment of creativity, innovation and brand building,” says Alexandre Ricard, chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard. Brett Berish, CEO of Sovereign Brands, says: “In the year since we first announced our partnership with Pernod Ricard, everything that we could have hoped for from the relationship has come to pass. With the upcoming launch of our innovative first joint brands together, it’s the perfect time to deepen our partnership.”

PepsiCo invests in new sustainable food packaging innovations for Walkers crisps

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PepsiCo has announced a £14 million investment in new sustainable food packaging innovations that will remove 250 tonnes of virgin plastic from its supply chain annually. As part of the move, the outer plastic packaging on millions of Walkers 22- and 24- bag multipacks will be replaced with a new cardboard design which reduces the amount of virgin plastic used. After a successful trial with Tesco, the new and improved multipack outer packaging will be on-shelves in all major supermarkets in the UK in the coming weeks. Alongside the new packaging design, PepsiCo have also invested in a new stretch film to wrap around pallets before these are distributed to retailers. This new film is produced using nanotechnology which puts tiny air bubbles into the film to reduce the amount of plastic used, while retaining the same strength and stretch needed to protect crisps as they travel to stores across the country. The use of this new technology will lead to a 40% reduction in virgin plastic year on year, compared to the previous film. Reducing the amount of fossil-fuel based virgin plastic in the shrink wrap will also reduce the company’s annual carbon emissions by 465 tonnes. The investment marks a major step towards PepsiCo’s goal of eliminating virgin fossil-based plastic from its crisp and snack bags across Europe by 2030. In the UK, the company are also planning to trial new solutions, including packaging made from recycled plastic for  snacks bags. Simon Devaney, sustainable packaging director, PepsiCo UK & Ireland, said: “We are constantly exploring new scalable solutions and this investment marks an important step forward, delivering a huge reduction in virgin plastic across some of our best-selling ranges, while also helping to tackle our carbon footprint. “Reducing virgin plastic across our supply chain is a key part of our commitment to creating a world where packaging never becomes waste.”

£400k fine for Bernard Matthews after health and safety breaches left worker paralysed

Bernard Matthews Food Ltd has been fined £400,000 following two separate incidents where employees were seriously injured. Colin Frewin was left permanently paralysed and spent six months in hospital following an incident at the company’s Suffolk manufacturing plant. Mr Frewin suffered multiple serious injuries, including a pierced left lung, several broken ribs, four fractured vertebrae and a spinal bleed. He was put in an induced coma for three weeks and is now classed as a T6 paraplegic and has been diagnosed with autonomic dysreflexia (AD). Chelmsford Crown Court heard how 54-year-old Mr Frewin suffered the injuries on 28 January 2020. He’d been tasked with cleaning a large screw conveyor used to move poultry turkeys along and chill them. While working on the gantry between the spin chillers he noticed a turkey stuck at the bottom of it. As he attempted to dislodge the turkey using a squeegee, Mr Frewin was drawn into the machine. It was only when a colleague noticed Mr Frewin was missing from the gantry and heard his cries for help, the emergency stop was pulled. The HSE investigation found an unsafe system of work meant the chillers remained running as Mr Frewin went to dislodge the turkey. In a victim personal statement, Mr Frewin described how his horrific injuries left him feeling “isolated” and in need of daily care. “I will never walk again and so I will be in a wheelchair permanently,” he said. “I now have a suprapubic catheter, which was inserted via an operation. The district nurse has to give me bowel care every day and visits me daily at home. I also suffer from AD – a condition which is life threatening, as my body doesn’t register if I’m ill. “I have moved from my flat overlooking the sea, to a bungalow. However, I miss seeing the sea and being close to the seafront and all the amenities. I feel isolated as I cannot go out when I want as I need people to assist me.” Mr Frewin, who lives on his own, is visited by carers at least three times a day and can’t even shower on his own. “I can’t socialise with my friends and family as much as I used to, as I can’t fit my wheelchair into their homes,” he added. “Physical relationships are very hard as I can’t get out much. The accident has affected my life and my family’s lives. When I talk about the incident, I sometimes find this upsetting and then have restless nights.” There was another incident at the same plant five months earlier, on 12 August 2019, when a turkey deboning line had to be shut down after developing a fault. As a result, 34-year-old Mr Adriano Gama, along with the rest of the employees, were moved to a surplus production line to continue the process. Whilst working on the surplus production line, one of the wings became stuck in the belt under the machine. Mr Gama attempted to push it out of the way, but as he did do, his gloved hand became caught in the exposed sprocket of the conveyer and was drawn into the machine. He was eventually freed and taken to hospital having suffered a broken arm and severe damage to the muscles in his forearm. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that on the day of the incident pre-start checks were only completed on the production lines that were regularly used. Therefore, when workers were asked to move to the surplus deboning line there was no system in place to ensure that it was checked prior to it being put into operation. The investigation uncovered that two safety guards had been removed and a team leader responsible for the production lines had verbally reported this issue to the engineering team, but it was not followed up by either party. Bernard Matthews Food Ltd of Sparrowhawk Road, Halesworth in Suffolk pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £400,000 and ordered to pay costs of £15,000. After the sentencing, HSE Principal Inspector Adam Hills said: “Both incidents could have been avoided – the consequences were devastating for Mr Frewin in particular. “If Bernard Matthews had acted to identify and manage the risks involved and put a safe system of work in place they could have easily been prevented. “Fundamentally, you should not clean a machine while it is running. “Companies need to ensure that risk assessments cover activities including cleaning and blockages, and that where appropriate, robust isolation and lock off mechanisms are in place for these activities. “Prior to use you can put in place some pre-start checks and if faults such as missing guards are identified they need to be formally reported, tracked, rectified and closed out.”
  • Bernard Matthews pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in relation to Colin Frewin and was fined £300,000.
  • Bernard Matthews pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in relation to Adriano Gama and was fined £100,000.

Can fish grow on trees? Nutreco names it’s 2022 Young Researchers’ Prize winner

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Agboola Jeleel Opeyemi has been crowned the winner of this year’s Young Researchers’ Prize, securing the top €12,000 cash prize to help further his research. The prize-winning project ‘Can fish grow on trees? Yeast as future feed ingredient’, presented by Agboola Jeleel, a graduate from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NBMU) caught the judges’ eye because of its exploration into the nutritional and functional potential of yeasts produced from wood sugars as sustainable fish feeds. Agboola Jeleel said: “I’m extremely honoured and excited to be named this year’s Young Researchers’ Prize winner. Having my research recognised in such a way reassures me that I’m making a proactive and meaningful contribution towards feeding our growing population more sustainably. I’m looking forward to using the prize money to further my aquaculture research as well as dedicating some time to my own personal and professional development. “My advice to every young scientist is to always cultivate a curious mindset and I’d thoroughly encourage anyone considering applying to next year’s prize to do so. Having also applied in 2019, I’m a prime example of no matter the challenge, you can achieve anything you put your mind to if you work hard and strongly believe in yourself. Thank you again to all the judges and Nutreco for their ongoing support of young researchers like myself. Also, I would like to appreciate all my mentors, this couldn’t have been possible without the incredible support I received from every one of them over these years.” The second-place cash prize of €8,000 goes to Chiara Guidi from the University of Ghent, Belgium, whose research explores a means of tackling antimicrobial resistance through the production and use of Chitooligosaccharides that target pathogens in the guts of weaning piglets, improving their immunity and growth, whilst preventing illness and reducing the need for antibiotics. On being awarded the second-place prize, Chiara said: “I was delighted to be named one of Nutreco’s Young Researchers’ Prize finalists, so to be awarded the second place is a huge accolade. I’m looking to further my research idea through an independent company so I’m excited to put the prize money towards kicking off our first financial and business plans. A special thank you to all the jury members and judges for taking the time to consider all our applications – seeing big corporations like Nutreco not only championing young researchers’ work but also being so invested in more sustainable farming is extremely encouraging.” Finally, the third winner of the Nutreco Young Researchers Prize is Giulio Giagnoni from Aarhus University, Denmark. Giulio received a cash prize of €5,000 for his research project, which aims to identify climate-efficient phenotypes of dairy cows and reduce methane emissions by amending their diets. On coming third, Giulio said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this year’s Young Researchers’ Prize. It’s been so inspiring to be here in Amsterdam with all the judges and my fellow finalists. The prize itself is great for stretching researchers to think about their research within a global context and how it’s solving a real-life challenge to sustainable food production. Thank you to Nutreco and all the judges for recognising the value and contribution our research could make toward feeding the future more sustainably.” The first, second and third place winners were announced in Amsterdam, as part of an award’s ceremony which was also live streamed online. Nutreco’s Young Researchers’ Prize challenged PhD students and first- and second-year post-doctorate researchers to put forward innovative ideas that could contribute to Nutreco’s overarching purpose of Feeding the Future. A total of 37 applications from young academics from across the world showcased innovative solutions towards sustainable and environmentally conscious farming practices.  Leo Den Hartog, head judge, and Nutreco N.V board member and former R&D Director, said: “Many congratulations to all three finalists on their fantastic, innovative, and thoughtful research projects. Agboola Jeleel, Chiara and Giulio and their respective Universities should be incredibly proud of themselves. “Special congratulations must go to Agboola Jeleel for his research that examines the nutritional and functional potential of yeasts produced from wood sugars as sustainable fish feeds – a truly innovative solution to sustainable fish farming. “Thank you to all who applied. My fellow judges and I have thoroughly enjoyed judging this year’s fantastic pool of applicants. It’s been immensely encouraging to see the diverse and creative solutions the next generation of thinkers have to some of the most urgent issues facing our industry. “Everyone at Nutreco is excited to see how Agboola Jeleel, Chiara and Giulio will make use of the prize money to further their brilliant ideas.” Nutreco’s Young Researchers’ Prize will be back in 2024.

Print directly onto donuts and large confections with new Eddie Platform Kit

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Eddie Edible Ink Printer prints full-colour photos, logos, designs and text directly onto the surface of baked goods and confectionery. As announced by DTM Print, international OEM and solution provider for specialty printing systems, this FDA and EU approved food printer is now capable of printing on even taller items including donuts, jumbo marshmallows, bars, bagels and mini cakes up to 50.8 mm tall using its new Eddie Platform Kit. Using the included carousel, Eddie prints a dozen 89 mm cookies or other similar-sized items in just two minutes and therefore making the process of printing onto cookies, candy, white chocolate, biscuits, macarons fast and easy. The carousel rotates the cookies to the print position, then the printer pulls in cookies or sweets one at a time, prints and sends them back to the carousel – all automatically and hands-free. To print on taller confections such as donuts, the carousel needs to be removed and instead the Platform Kit is installed. Each food item is then manually fed onto the platform. Printed cookies or other sweet treats will be dry and ready for sale after printing. Printed images are bright and vibrant. For these reasons and more, Eddie is a professional, edible ink printer that provides bakers and chefs alike with a fast and efficient way to enhance food. Food Height and Width Specifications Using the included carousel, Eddie holds up to twelve items from 63.5 mm to 110 mm in diameter with a maximum thickness of 19 mm. To print on taller, special shaped confections or multiple items in one run Eddie’s manual feeding option combined with DTM Trays extends the width to 120 mm and allows thicker items with a maximum height of 27 mm. A wide selection of acrylic food trays including custom-shaped trays are designed especially for Eddie by DTM Print. And now the third option is to use the Eddie Platform Kit for items up to 50.8 mm high and up to 114 mm wide. Once installed the kit replaces the standard platform. Food Industry Certifications Due to direct printing, there is no strange film or aftertaste, which would decrease the quality of the food. The edible ink meets all EU and FDA standards for use as a food additive, while the ink cartridge itself meets cGMP standards and the entire manufacturing and cartridge filling processes are FDA-compliant and cGMP certified. In addition, the edible ink is Kosher and Halal certified and suitable for vegans. Eddie turns sweet treats into highlights and opens up new profits by offering branded and bespoke products. The printer was designed for professional and semi-professional users and keen hobbyists, who want to take their creativity to the next level. It helps to increase production and profit margins and offers greater customisation and personalisation options. The Eddie Platform Kit sells for € 89.95 (MSRP) and is available now from DTM Print or through authorised DTM Print partners in Europe, Middle East and Africa. Product information about Eddie, the Platform Kit and the DTM Trays is available at dtm-print.eu. Follow DTM Print on Facebook at facebook.com/dtm.print.1986 and on Twitter at twitter.com/DTM_Print_.

Packaging Innovations & Empack strengthen focus on packaging journey as dates revealed for 2023 event

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Packaging Innovations & Empack, featuring Contract Pack & Fulfilment, a key event in the packaging industry calendar, has revealed the dates of its hotly anticipated 2023 show. Alongside new features, the event will return to its traditional February dates and bring a strengthened focus on driving business and innovation at every stage of the packaging journey, from design and development through to packing, filling and fulfilment. The triple-header expo will be held on 15 & 16 February 2023, with all three events running concurrently at the Birmingham NEC. In addition to hosting its popular networking areas, agenda-setting talks theatres, and hundreds of exhibitors on the show floor, 2023’s showcase includes a new Foodservice packaging zone, developed in collaboration with the Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA). The event has already attracted a huge influx of interest from leading packaging and technology suppliers with its return to its regular February dates. More than 300 suppliers will be present to exhibit their innovations to an expected audience of over 6,000 visitors, providing packaging solutions for a range of industries including food and beverage, foodservice, FMCG, beauty and personal care, and pharmaceuticals. Renan Joel, Managing Director, Packaging at multi-format event organiser Easyfairs, said: “We’re thrilled to invite everyone in the UK packaging community to save the dates – February 15 & 16, 2023. Every year, we hear from attendees who created their latest and greatest projects after being inspired by the people and innovative ideas they’ve discovered at this event, and this year promises to be our best event yet. “Whether you have visited us before or never had the opportunity, the triple-header nature of the 2023 event means there’s something for everyone in packaging, whether they are a designer, a technologist or responsible for production and processing,” said Joel. “Packaging Innovations is an invaluable forum for brands and creatives looking to discover new ideas and inspiration, whether in the form of a new format, process or cutting-edge material. With its focus on future technologies, Empack is a must-attend for anyone looking for the ‘next big thing’ in packing and filling equipment to help squeeze every drop of performance from their production lines. And the Contract Pack & Fulfilment showcase is all about outsourcing services, from packing to logistics – it’s a bustling hub that matches brand owners, retailers, and manufacturers to their ideal contracted service. “We are very excited too about the launch of the Foodservice Zone, which will bring a sharp focus on the growing market for on-the-go food and drink in the UK and the many opportunities it brings both to packaging suppliers and operators.” The annual event is known for providing essential first-quarter inspiration to professionals from across the packaging industry. The 2023 event is expected to draw particular interest given the unprecedented challenges and supply chain issues faced by the industry over the past year, which means innovative solutions and collaboration are more important than ever. With almost all of its exhibitor slots filled already, Joel is excited to see the event take shape in the run-up to 2023. “As we have three distinct shows, each focused on a particular aspect of the packaging journey, we can support and inspire attendees on each step of that journey from concept to consumer,” said Joel. “This approach provides a truly unique platform in our industry – bringing together focused events on packaging design and development, outsourcing and production in one place to create a true vision of the future of packaging across its life. It is not to be missed, and we can’t wait to welcome the thousands of attendees to the NEC in February and to see the amazing packaging projects and investments their visit inspires throughout 2023.” Attendees and exhibitors can register to attend the events now by visiting www.packagingbirmingham.com. The event website also contains information about travel to and from the show, as well as accommodation.

Lucas Bols and De Kuyper to sell alcoholic beverage manufacturer Avandis to Refresco

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Lucas Bols and De Kuyper Royal Distillers, two global cocktail spirits companies, have agreed to sell alcoholic beverage manufacturer Avandis to Refresco. As part of the agreement, Lucas Bols and De Kuyper have entered into a long-term manufacturing contract with Refresco. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and to a Works’ Council consultation process. Avandis, a 50/50 joint venture of Lucas Bols and De Kuyper, is a beverage manufacturer based in Zoetermeer, the Netherlands. They have one of Europe’s most advanced bottling facilities for distilled beverages. Avandis provides a wide range of contract manufacturing solutions to brand owners in the alcohol category. Huub van Doorne, CEO, Lucas Bols, said: “We are confident that Refresco offers the best environment for Avandis to thrive. At the same time the transaction allows us to fully focus on our core activity: creating great cocktail experiences around the globe. We will benefit from Refresco’s, size, scale, and expertise in manufacturing beverages as our brands will continue to be manufactured by Avandis under the new ownership. We look forward to a close collaboration with them for many years to come.” Mark de Witte, CEO, De Kuyper Royal Distillers, adds: “In Refresco, we have found an excellent partner to continue the manufacturing of our products with the highest quality. This transaction is a strategic step forward for us, as we will be able to focus on building and marketing our premium cocktail liqueur brands according to our vision to ‘Own the Cocktail’ while leveraging Refresco’s platform and capabilities.” CEO of Refresco, Hans Roelofs, says: “This acquisition is a step change in expanding our offering to customers in the alcohol category and complements our existing hard liquor capabilities in Europe. As part of our Buy&Build strategy, we aim to expand in beverage categories that offer significant growth potential. As alcohol is one of those categories, this acquisition will make for a great fit and perfectly suits our company vision of ‘Our drinks on every table’. I look forward to welcoming the Avandis team to Refresco.”

Orkla invests in US ice cream ingredients business

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Orkla Food Ingredients (OFI) has entered into an agreement to purchase 84% of the shares in Denali Ingredients, which is a leading ice cream ingredients business in the USA. Denali Ingredients has seen strong organic growth of more than 10% p.a. over the past 15 years. The company is headquartered in Wisconsin, where it carries out manufacturing at two facilities and has 160 employees in total. “The acquisition of Denali Ingredients is a significant and natural step for OFI into the market for ingredient solutions for the US ice cream industry. The food ingredients sector is fragmented with significant potential for further consolidation and growth. Based on these opportunities we will now initiate a process to seek a long-term partner for OFI to accelerate growth and value creation,” says Nils K. Selte, president and CEO of Orkla. Denali Ingredients develops and manufactures ingredient solutions for the US ice cream industry, complementary with OFI’s strong position in the European market for ice cream and confectionery ingredients. The new business will be part of OFI’s Sweet Ingredients vertical. “With this acquisition, OFI is strengthening its position as a leading ingredients supplier to the bakery, ice-cream and confectionery industries. We have a stated strategy of increasing our exposure to markets and categories with higher growth and margins. Denali Ingredients, with its leading position in the attractive US market, fits well in this picture. With the addition of Denali Ingredients to our group, OFI will increase the size of its Sweet Ingredients area by 45%,” says Johan Clarin, Orkla EVP and CEO of OFI. The seller is Denali Companies LLC, owned and operated by the founding family of Wally and June Blume. Denali Ingredients encompasses the entities Denali Ingredients LLC, Denali Staffing LLC, Denali Investment Properties LLC and Denali Equipment LLC. The seller and Denali Ingredients CEO Neal Glaeser will as part of the transaction invest in Denali Ingredients with a combined stake of 16%. Mr Glaeser will continue in his role as CEO. “We are very pleased to become part of OFI, which is already a major player in Denali’s categories in Europe and with a deep understanding of our industry. I am convinced that together we will continue Denali’s journey of growth and value creation. As a team we look forward to a fruitful partnership and cooperation,” says Neal Glaeser, CEO of Denali Ingredients. The transaction values Denali Ingredients at $200 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Westland Milk Products acquires Canary Foods

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New Zealand’s dairy products are set to take further flight following the acquisition of dairy manufacturer Canary Foods by Westland Milk Products. Westland CEO Richard Wyeth said the purchase of Canary Foods would merge New Zealand’s rich West Coast dairy heritage with an innovative business that has already spread its wings to international markets. “Canary is a fantastic fit for our business because it is so obviously based on a strong understanding of what our customers want and need,” Mr Wyeth said. “Their commitment to innovation, sustainability and quality in pursuit of consumer demands are values we very much admire and uphold. “After our $40 million investment in doubling our consumer butter manufacturing capacity at Hokitika, this extends our long-term commitment to add value to Westland’s butter portfolio by playing a greater role in the expanding global consumer butter and spread market. “Westland continues to go from strength to strength under our parent company Yili. Yili’s investment has helped us turn our performance across the entire company around and we’re now in a very strong position to capitalise on that.” Canary has developed a world-first compostable, individually sized butter squeeze pack in response to consumer demands for ethically responsible packaging and global calls for an end to single-use plastics. “This is a great example of a New Zealand company leading the world in research and development and we look forward to getting behind this culture of innovation even further,” Mr Wyeth said. “We are very excited about the opportunity of joining with Canary and providing more jobs and opportunities for our sector.” Canary Foods executive director and shareholder James Gray said the acquisition by Westland would give the Waikato-based dairy manufacturer more opportunities for expansion and access to global markets. “Canary grew off the back of taking outstanding New Zealand dairy products to the world by catering for the airline and hospitality industries,” Mr Gray said. “We used the Covid pandemic as an opportunity to reassess our strategy and now, after record sales last year and with international travel and the hospitality sector set to take off, we are already in a strong position as these markets continue to bounce back.” Canary chairman and shareholder Jeremy Curragh said the relationship with Westland parent company Yili would give the company even greater access to international markets. “Being part of a wider group that shares our commitment to sustainability and innovation is incredibly exciting,” Mr Curragh said. “We’re extremely proud of the extensive international distribution networks we have managed to establish over the past 21 years. We have long and loyal customers and a highly skilled and dedicated workforce who we know will continue to thrive under Westland’s ownership. Their hard work and dedication has been key to much of Canary’s success.” Canary Foods exports 75 per cent of the dairy products it manufactures for a range of applications. Established in 2001, Canary Foods is a manufacturer, producing reworked premium butter and cheese-based products such as butter sheets and medallions. Canary’s 100 per cent New Zealand dairy products are supplied to a diverse range of businesses in the retail and food service sectors, including supermarkets, airlines, restaurants and bakery outlets. Under the deal, Canary Foods will become a subsidiary of Westland Milk Products, retaining its own brands and third-party manufacturing agreements.

Solina continues North American expansion with Saratoga Food Specialties acquisition

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Ingredient solutions firm, Solina has signed an agreement to acquire Saratoga Food Specialties to continue its expansion in North America. The regulatory approval process is underway and the transaction is expected to close at the end of October 2022. With operations in California, Illinois, and Nevada, and annual sales of $280m, Saratoga supplies Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) and food manufacturers with custom dry seasoning blends and liquid solutions such as sauces, dressings, and glazes. Upon closing, the Saratoga leadership team and its 500 employees will join Solina. Like Solina, Saratoga combines market and consumer insights with culinary expertise, R&D infrastructure, and advanced procurement capabilities to support and guide its customers with extensive value-added services. Acquiring Saratoga accelerates Solina’s footprint into North America, notably by adding liquid solutions to its existing dry seasoning capabilities, doubling its number of facilities in the region, and providing the North American organization with significant expertise in B2B (industry), foodservice (QSR) and retail. “With Saratoga joining Solina, we will create a leading one-stop-shop for ingredient solutions in North America,” Anthony Francheterre, CEO of Solina, said. “We look forward to leveraging the opportunities and value this acquisition will bring to our people and to our collective food industry customers across the globe.” “I’m excited to work with the Solina team in the future to continue our commitment to driving innovation for our customers as well as new opportunities for our talented people,” said Michael Marks, president of Saratoga. “Solina has become a market leader in Europe by providing integrated solutions that address the diverse needs of each project, which complements the way we focus on our customers’ needs. This acquisition is good for our business, our customers, and our people.”