< PreviousMineral water company raises a glass to itsnew imageSouthdowns Water Co. is aHampshire-based company with oneof the purest natural mineral watersources in the UK. In 2015, theyasked Ascender Design to rebrand their company and redesign their entire bottled water range.Managing director, Will Windsor, required a rebrand that would clearly reflect the product qualityand provenance. The new look celebrates the South Downs. A simple outline of the Downs forms thebasis of the logo and supporting graphical device, which features throughout product labels,corporate stationery, online and on Southdowns’ delivery vehicles. Christian Skelton, managingdirector of Ascender, believes the new design is sophisticated in its simplicity and confidence. The bottle labels incorporated the existing shade of blue for all the still waters and added a naturalgreen for sparkling water to aid differentiation. Translucency gave an evocative representation ofDowns’ geology, and transparency to highlight the colours and effects reflected by the natural mineral water. 10 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netIdeal for people on the go: 500 ml size ofcombidome combidome, the cartonbottle from SIG Combibloc, isnow available in a packagevolume of 500 ml – a perfectvolume for ‘on-the-go’ productsthat can be consumedanywhere. The company rihaWeserGold Getränke GmbH & Co.KG now offers Extaler-brand mineral waterin combidome 500 ml. combidome is ideal for drinking straight from the carton pack,because the 28 mm single-action screw cap is positioned centrally on the top of the pack –this creates the perfect angle to make drinking from the carton easy. A combidome filling machine can be used to fill carton packs with volumes of 1,000, 750and 500 ml. A volume change takes just a few minutes, offering manufacturers the option ofpositioning products in quantities that are tailored precisely to the intended target audience.Alongside this volume flexibility, the combidome filling machine - which can fill up to 12,000carton packs per hour - also offers design and product flexibility.Eat Natural launch newlow-calorie barLusciously light and brimming with wholesomeingredients, Eat Natural, the makers of Britain’s favouritefruit and nut bars, is launching ‘Light & Lovely’ - a lighterbar which is bursting with flavour and contains just 115calories per bar. The perfect low calorie snack at any time, ‘Light &Lovely’ is made with gorgeous ingredients such as juicyred apples, chia seeds, sultanas, brazil nuts andbuckwheat – all combined with cinnamon and honey. And like all Eat Natural products, the new ‘Light &Lovely’ bar is made pretty much by hand at its Makery inEssex. It also contains no artificial flavours, colours orpreservatives, is gluten free and suitable for vegetarians.Eat Natural ‘Light & Lovely’ single bars will be availablein 12 bar boxes for the multiple sector, independent,health and convenience stores, priced £4.30.PG tips custom printBenders PaperCups are partneringwith Unilever as asupplier of choice,developing andsupplying them withtheir new PG tips‘Keep it Tea’branded papercups. According to anindependent studyconducted by TheNPD Group, aBritish consumer market research company specialising in foodservice, teais the nation’s favourite hot drink at home, but when it comes to drinking outof the house, coffee outsells tea by over two cups to one. With the launch of its ‘Keep it tea’ campaign, PG tips was keen to driveawareness of this message and wanted to make sure consumers saw thebranded paper cups whilst drinking tea out of the home.Dominic Creamer, Unilever, said: “This is not the first time we have usedBenders to partner us in the development of a branded cup. After thesuccess of the PG tips Red Nose day cup we were confident that they wouldprovide us with an eye catching solution to promote our new campaign, theydid not disappoint us.”From glass jars to carton packs:Waitrose opts for retortablecombisafe Waitrose is changing thepackaging for its own labelPassata range, from glass jarsto SIG Combibloc’s heatresistant combisafe cartonpack. The food retailer willnow use SIG Combibloc’sflexible filling technology andthe retortable combisafecarton pack for its own labelPassata with Basil, and Passata with Garlic and Onion products, movingfrom 680g glass jar to a 500ml carton packs.Due to its rectangular shape, manufacturers and retailers will benefit frommaximised transportation and storage efficiency, and use of shelf space inthe supply chain. combisafe carton packs fill up the available space onsupermarket shelves around 30 per cent better than food metal cans, andalso have high visual impact.SIG Combibloc offers a complete perforation opening for combisafe,which means the top of the carton pack can simply and safely be torn off byconsumers, without the use of scissors. This allows easy pouring and evenspooning to remove all contents from the carton pack, reducing food waste.10_Layout 1 17/12/2015 12:33 Page 1INTERNATIONALFood&DrinkFood&DrinkWWW.FDIFORUM.NET MINIMUM COST…MAXIMUM IMPACT!Plan your campaign with Food & Drink International…...your competitors are!As marketing is the vital ingredient for the success and growth of any business, we can offer advice and packages to suit all budgets. Speak to one of our experienced account executives to find a package to suit your needs. Join some of the biggest names in the industry and give your brand the best chance of being seen by your target market.Can you afford not to? Our 2016 editorial schedule is now available, please ask for details.Call today on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email: s.trott@blmgroup.co.uk 11_Layout 1 17/12/2015 12:33 Page 1Food and drink are more often than not the mosttelling and emblematic touchstones of any nation.This is true of many countries with strong exportcultures, particularly when it comes to Scotland.Famed for its exports of whisky, shortbread, salmon,haggis and more, Scotland enjoys an enviableposition. Driving the spike of exporting action inrecent months has been an emphasis on Scottishproduce from both Government and producers alike. Whiskey may very well be the most ubiquitousScottish export, certainly one that is enjoyed theworld over and one that is also on the cusp of growth.Currently, Scotch whisky is shipped to almost 200markets worldwide, accounting for £4 billion perannum, while the industry supports over 40,000 jobs.The Scotch Whisky Association’s new London office–its largest permanently staffed presence outside ofEdinburgh - will help to grow these figures, whilstalso boosting jobs right across the UK. Theassociation says: “The new office in the financialcapital of Europe marks growing investment inScotland’s booming Scotch trade, helping generatemore jobs across the UK.”Elizabeth Truss, environment secretary has praisedthe new office, claiming it was a significant step forone of the UK’s most successful industries andexporters. She says: “Whisky is at the forefront ofSecuringSCOTTISH exportsScotland has long been recognisedas a top exporter of both whiskeyand salmon, but these two goodsconceal the depth of one of Europe’smost vibrant exporting powerhouses. IMPORT AND EXPORTNADIR KEKLIK / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM12 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.net12-15_Layout 1 17/12/2015 14:46 Page 1Food & Drink International 13www.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTBritain’s food and drink revolution,helping to drive the UK’s globalreputation for world-beating quality andauthenticity. It is the powerhouse behindour £100 billion food and drink industryand is a global export success with 38bottles leaving our shore every second.”Ms Truss adds that the Governmenthas promised to work closely with theScotch Whisky Association and industry,ensuring it gets the support, skill andopportunities needed in order to take risksand gain access to emerging markets whilecontinuing to service established ones.The industry is enjoying a period oftremendous expansion, with sevendistilleries opening in the last year alone.40 new distilleries are either beingplanned or built, further strengtheningthe industry and securing future growth. If there’s one food product that is moresynonymous with Scotland that whisky,then it’s haggis. But one of the key exportmarkets has been inaccessible for decades,as the US has maintained a ban of haggisimports since 1971. However, recent tradetalks have opened up the possibility ofexporting Scottish lamb and haggis to theUS. Richard Lochhead, member ofScottish Parliament and the cabinetsecretary of Rural Affairs, accompanied byNFU Scotland vice president Rob Livesey,James Macsween of Macsween ofEdinburgh and George Milne from theNational Sheep Association, met withrepresentatives from the US Departmentof Agriculture and the US Animal andPlant Health Inspection Service, whoconfirmed draft rules – due to bepublished in 2016 – which could allow USconsumers to enjoy Scottish lamb andhaggis by 2017, unlocking millions ofpounds worth of business for Scottishproducers. Mr Livesey says: “The opening of thismarket will be a real shot in the arm forour primary producers, who need everymarket opportunity available to givemuch-needed confidence to make positivebreeding decisions now in anticipation ofan upturn demand for our top qualityproduct. We have had an exceptionallypositive response from all those we havemet and believe there is no meaningfulreason why we should not expect ScotchBeef and Lamb to be flowing into thismarket within the next 18 months.”The analysis of the latest official ONSdata by Santander Corporate &Commercial found that the UK food anddrink manufacturing sector grew 6 percent in 2014 to a total of 8,225 companies.It comes as little surprise, given thefigures, that the sector is one of the UK’smost successful industries. A portion ofthis growth is due to exports to the USmarket. Scotland is helping to drive thesePHOTO: ZRYZNER / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM14 Á12-15_Layout 1 17/12/2015 14:46 Page 214 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTfigures forward, and as it further positionsitself within the US market, the country isentering a sea change of export. Of course,this won’t happen in isolation, as Scotlandis proving vital to the UK’s presence as apremier exporter, one that is working intandem with England, Wales andNorthern Ireland.Mark Collings, head of international,Santander SME Banking, says: “The UKfood and drink manufacturing sector hasbecome a major UK success story on aninternational scale. British people areproud of their local produce and certainlymiss their favourite tea, chocolate, meatand cheese when travelling abroad, yetmany do not realise quite how popularthese items have become beyond ourshores. Over the years the ‘Made inBritain’ brand has become synonymouswith good quality products and services.”Rapeseed oil might not be one of theexports as readily associated withScotland, but it’s none the less a thrivingmarket. Indeed, producers of Scottishpremium rapeseed oil are looking towardsthe Middle East for exportgrowth, enjoying growthbolstered by a new exportcollaboration and the rising costs of oliveoil. Mackintosh, for example, has madeadvancements into the Middle East,selling to the food service sector. Thecompany found that the hospitality sectorhad been receptive to its range of oils, butretail was an altogether tougher market.Mackintosh managing director GregorMackintosh says: “We have the view thatthis is a very new product to market. It’svery easy to sell to chefs, because if theylike it, they’ll use it and tell others in theindustry – whereas in retail it’s down tocustomer perception. We’ve managed toestablish the market exceptionally well inthe UK, thanks to fantastic PR, but it’sgoing to be a lot harder to establish thatin Dubai.”He adds: “We’re in a very competitiveposition. Over there there’s hugepotential so the price has got to be right.”2017 represents a significant year forScotland. Not only does it carry with itthe possibility of export growth in the US,but also the referendum on Europeanmembership, the latter of which couldmean serious repercussions. But atpresent, Scotland is continuing to grow itsposition as a premier exporter and gaininga foothold in new markets whileimproving old. PHOTO: KAY ROXBY / SHUTTERSTOCK.COMPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/JOPICS12-15_Layout 1 17/12/2015 14:46 Page 3Food and drinkmanufacturers pledge togrow exports President of the Food and DrinkFederation (FDF) and CEO andchairman of Nestlé UK and Ireland,Dame Fiona Kendrick, pictured, hasannounced a pledge to trebleapprenticeships in the food anddrink industry and grow value-addedfood and drink exports by a third by2020.Announced at FDF’s President’sReception, the new pledge will seethe total apprenticeship workforce inthe sector increase from 1 to 3 percent against a 2013/14 baseline. Thetarget builds on an existing pledge toincrease the number of higher-levelapprenticeships by 20 per cent by2017 and other sector-wide initiativesto address a looming skills shortage.The export target to grow value-added food and drink exports by a third wouldachieve a total value of £6 billion by 2020. The event was attended by food and drink manufacturers, MPs and otherstakeholders, as well as guests of honour, Liz Truss, Secretary of State for theEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs and Sajid Javid, Secretary of State forBusiness, Innovation and Skills.Russia sets sight on becoming worldleader and major exporter in organic food In response to US and EUsanctions following the Ukrainecrisis, Russia retaliated by imposing anembargo on the majority of Western foodimports. While the ban has been in effect forsome time now, Russian President Vladimir Putin hasopenly said that Russia could very well become the world’s largest supplier of organic foods. In as little as ten years, when Russia imported most of its food, the country has nowbecome a major exporter, according to Putin. He said: “Not only can we eat it ourselves, butalso taking into account our land and water – which is particularly important – Russia couldbecome the world’s largest supplier of health, ecologically clean, high-quality food. 2015 marked a sea change for the country, with the Russian government announcing awhole new approach to food production and labelling. For example, In January 2015, Putinsigned the Russian federation Code of Administrative Offenses into law, including a newarticle establishing liability for the violation of mandatory requirements for the labelling of food products that contain GMs. Food & Drink International 15www.fdiforum.netIMPORT AND EXPORTExport boom for iconic Britishbiscuits United Biscuits has announced a 50 per cent jump in its total exports from the UK overthe past three years and anticipates a further 50 per cent rise by 2020. Britain is the central export hub for the United Biscuits business globally, with some60,000 tonnes of product to be shipped from the UK across 2015, worth a total £250 millionin retail sales for the year. Two thirds of this comprised the company’s McVitie’s Digestivesrange, with the brand experiencing a worldwide boom in popularity. Exports for the originalMcVitie’s Digestive alone have increased by 20 per cent year-on-year in 2015.United Biscuits has invested significantly in its UK operations over the past two years.This includes investment in its Harlesden facility in West London, which currently producesabout a sixth of its output specifically for export; a further £15 million of planned investmentin 2016 which will improve the site’s capacity and boost its export potential further.PHOTO: JOINTSTAR / SHUTTERSTOCK.COMPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/AFRICA STUDIOPrice rooibos imports set tosurge following South Africandrought Products made from the rooibos plant, from red bush tea to skin careproducts, are forecast to increase significantly following a widespreaddrought in the South African scrubland region where the plant is grown.According to The South African Rooibos Council, the affected harvestmay cause up to a 90 per cent price increase. The drought wascaused by little to no rainfall throughout the traditional plantingmonths of July and August which has contributed to the worstharvest in years. Farmers, however, will only be able to feel thefull extent of the losses in the first half of 2016 where, at whichtime, the full size of the harvest is known. As South Africa is the only region where the rooibosplants occur naturally, the price is set to increasesubstantially. The industry, which also produceshousehold products, earns somewhere in theregion of £35 million and exports globally tothe US and across Europe. PHOTO: FREDERIC LEGRAND - COMEO /SHUTTERSTOCK.COM12-15_Layout 1 17/12/2015 14:46 Page 416 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netLOADING BAYS AND DOORSLifting the curtain onloading bays and doorsNo matter how advanced or sophisticated the distribution process, businesses will lose valuabletime and money if their products are loaded and unloaded inefficiently. Therefore, it is vital that anyloading bays and doors they install are in tip-top shape.Lifting the curtain onloading bays and doorsNo matter how advanced or sophisticated the distribution process, businesses will lose valuabletime and money if their products are loaded and unloaded inefficiently. Therefore, it is vital that anyloading bays and doors they install are in tip-top shape.16-19_Layout 1 17/12/2015 15:33 Page 1Food & Drink International 17www.fdiforum.netLOADING BAYS AND DOORSThis month we examine the latestinnovations in these areas, and take aspecific look at the issue of security. Afterall, there is no point investing in the latestloading bays and doors if unauthorisedindividuals are able to access yourpremises, or if products are routinelycompromised by poor hygiene andinadequate temperature controls. Here wetake a look at the latest innovations thatare designed to ensure the safety of bothproducts and staff. The hallmark of an effective loading bayis its flexibility. Whether a hugecorporation or an SME, businesses needto invest in loading technology that cancarry out a variety of tasks quickly andefficiently. Today, companies are starting to realisethe potential of integrating virtual 3Dtechnology into their existing loading anddistribution systems. 3D modellingsoftware can be harnessed to map out thespecific parameters of a loading bay. Whatthis means in practice is that multiplevariables – the size or unwieldiness of aparticular load, the distance between eachbay, and so on – can be addressed inadvance. Thinking ahead like this makesthe distribution process more efficient,and it is also a great a way to ensure sitesafety. Injuries can be prevented ifworkers have a clear picture of the spacesin which they are required to operate.There are now a host of innovativesolutions available that make the processof loading and unloading smoother andmore efficient. Modular loading docks andmobile platforms are being used withgreater frequency, for the simple reasonthat they are more flexible and practicalthan fixed raised loading docks. The latestdesigns are made from hard-wearing steeland feature anti-skid floor coatings andbumper supports that provide extradurability and help to ensure thatoperations are carried out safely.Furthermore, because they are not fixeddown, modular docks can be put to awider variety of uses than traditionalstationary docks.Another piece of equipment popularwith food manufacturers is the dockleveller. These deceptively simplecylinder-powered platforms can be used tobridge the gap between loading bays anddistribution vehicles regardless of distancePHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/TTSTUDIO18 Á16-19_Layout 1 17/12/2015 15:33 Page 2PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/BALONCICI18 Food & Drink Internationalwww.fdiforum.netLOADING BAYS AND DOORSor height, preventing costly spillages andaccidents.But what about doors? Where securityis concerned, the doors that businessesinstall at their premises are – needless tosay – hugely important. From heavy dutysteel warehouse security and exit doors toelectronic key-cards, iris recognition andkeyless entry devices, there are a plethoraof items on the market designed to ensuretotal site security.And yet, for manufacturers of food anddrink, site security is not simply aquestion of protecting against theft: it isPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/TTSTUDIO16-19_Layout 1 17/12/2015 15:33 Page 3Tilbury logistics centre set for New YearopeningThe logistics centre from the Port ofTilbury and distributor NFT is set to befully operational by February 2016. Thisfollows a previous announcement at theofficial opening, which took place earlierthis year, where it was claimed that thecentre would be operational by late2015. The £25 million centre marks a jointventure between Port of Tilbury and NFT,a port and chilled food distributor, withthe aim of providing a single point ofcontact between port, warehousing,distribution and retailer. The centre islocated east of London at the mouth of the Thames, serving any inbound services from the south east of thecountry. The planned logistics centre is one in a series of major port expansions, with plans already in place forsimilar developments across the country, including Dover, Felixstowe and DP World London Gateway.Food logistics specialist warns of challengingmarket conditions for UK food suppliersMalcolm Johnstone, managing director of UK-based food logistics services firm ACS&T, hasclaimed that the market conditions over the lastyear have been the most challenging to date forUK food suppliers.Mr Johnstone said: “The reduction ofcommitments in forecasts and the fulfilment oforders, and the compression of timeline orders tofurnish sustained planned and assured solutions,all compounded to create a difficult serviceenvironment.”He added that there had been a shortage ofequipment and space at times of peak seasonaldemand within the temperature controlled sector.“Christmas seasonal bookings have moved tobeing confirm earlier in the spring, and this year,we have turned away producers that planned too late.”He also spoke on how distribution conditions were also challenging, particularly the increased chance oftraffic congestion affecting deliveries following multiple drops. “ACS&T has mitigated this through the dispersalof fleet through wider satellite geography and we have saved stem mileage to night operation. The key is toensure maximum service availability is possible in the delivery window in geographic area.”Food & Drink International 19www.fdiforum.netLOADING BAYS AND DOORSDock houses – are you ignoring a goodthing?Dock houses - complete pods comprising a dockleveller and dock shelter - are used to maximisewarehouse space by providing an additional areawhere vehicles can be loaded/unloaded. Situated onthe outside of warehouses, they ensure maximum useof internal space. It’s also possible to build ‘portable’dock houses for greatly improved operationalflexibility. In short, they can be invaluable additions towarehouses or distribution centres.Stertil Dock Products believes that dock housesare an underrated option that more logisticsoperations should consider. Dock houses can berelatively light in structure but still strong enough to cope with heavy loads. The company can build dockhouses in virtually any shape or size incorporating a variety of cladding finishes. Visit www.stertil.co.uk for more information on the benefits of dock houses.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/DONVICTORIOPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/STOCKTRIBUTORalso a matter of protecting theirproducts from accidentalcontamination and tampering. Riskanalysis and auditing can only go sofar, so it is imperative to invest indoors that have been designed withsecurity concerns in mind.Good thermal transmittance is amust for any door, and water andairproofing measures are similarlyimportant. In recent years, specialistdoor manufacturers have been usingwood fibreboard (such as MDF)treated with polyurethane-basedinsulators as a waterproofingsolution. The doors are thenarmoured with heavy duty metalssuch as stainless steel, with thecombination of materials resulting inan efficient air and watertightproduct. However, hermetically sealedfactory and warehouse doors will notsolve the problem of food safety ontheir own. In refrigeratedenvironments, for instance, it is alsonecessary to maintain the desiredtemperature so as to prevent thecontamination and degradation offood products. Hygienic sliding doorsare one solution, as the latest designsusually come equipped with visionpanels that allow operatives tosecurely observe a product withouthaving to enter the chiller or freezer,an action that could cause anunwanted change in temperature.Doors like this often feature theubiquitous stainless steel as well asfoodsafe laminates that provide anadditional layer of security.In the food and drink industry it isvital that the loading anddistribution process is carried out asefficiently as possible. Fortunately,there are now a wealth of solutionsavailable to help businesses realisethis goal.16-19_Layout 1 17/12/2015 15:33 Page 4Next >