< Previous40 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net CLEAN AIR SOLUTIONS Association in the US, food recalls cost companies an average of $10 million in direct costs alone. There are many ways for food makers to minimise contaminated air flows, safeguarding their ingredients, end products and consumers. Careful planning is required for both plant layout as a whole and on the production line in order to maximise clean air solutions. Chief among them are air filters which, as one can deduce, filter toxins and contaminates from the air. But it’s far from a one-size-fits-all approach, with industry specific needs and regulations to take into consideration. For food-processing purposes and to safeguard an environment dedicated to food production needs, barrier type air filters are most commonly used. These filters capture and retain most microbes and dust particles. As these contaminates are trapped inside, it’s critical that the filters are replaced and cleaned regularly. Dust can be one of the biggest dangers facing food makers and a reason to ensure a robust and capable clean air strategy is in place. There are a variety of filters used across the production line to manage and maintain dust contamination. These include – but are not limited to – bagged filters, which behave in a similar way to a vacuum cleaner, albeit on an industrial level; there’s also air cleaners which suck in potentially contaminated air, remove particles, and send the cleaned air back out again on a constant cycle. Then there are specific dust extraction systems, which are aimed at companies dealing with powdered or granulated foods – such as sugar, flour or infant formula – or production processes which result in the regular dispersion of dust. These systems can be fitted to specific processing machines on the production line, concentrating their capabilities on the likeliest source of contamination, such as the pouring and packing of powdered foods. Coupled with appropriate PPE solutions for workers and this offers a robust defence © Shutterstock /notsuperstar 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:31 Page 3Food & Drink International 41 www.fdiforum.net CLEAN AIR SOLUTIONS against the dangers of dust. But air is also used in the production and packaging of food products themselves and ensuring that this air is up to standard is critical for compliance. Pneumatic air processes are one of the most popular options for food manufacturers, but food quality and safety is becoming an increasingly important issue as consumers and regulators call for greater transparency. Manufacturers depend on high-quality compressed air to ensure operational efficiency without compromising product integrity, safety or quality. There’s been a greater emphasis on clean air across the UK. In regards to emissions and air pollution in cities, yes, but also in agriculture industry. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) Agriculture Act 2020 – which gained royal assent in November last year – aims to provide a boost for the industry. The legislation sets out how farmers and land managers across England will be rewarded with public money for public goods such as clean air, among others. According to Defra, the Bill champions British food by improving transparency and fairness throughout the supply chain by investing in new technology and research. The aim is to ensure that the UK’s food producers remain competitive and innovative, especially now that the nation is set to officially depart the European Union. It will see investment in the key pillars of food production including clean air in a move that will safeguard food security. Clean air, then, isn’t only part of production or a means of ensuring regulatory compliance when it comes to hygiene, but a mandate from Government and should be treated with all the attention and severity that implies. Investing in clean air solutions should remain a top priority for food businesses, whatever their function in the supply chain. It might be an invisible issue, but it’s not one that should be ignored. That goes double during a pandemic. © Shutterstock /FOT OGRIN 38-41.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:32 Page 4© Shutterstock /Daniyar Aibekov is still king Convenience 42 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS Convenience 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:34 Page 1Food & Drink International 43 www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS Clean eating trends one time appeared faddish, driven by Silicon Valley types and celebrities. Now, it has gone mainstream. If trends for avocado, spiralized vegetables and fresh purple foods show anything, it’s that there is a profound hunger for fresh and healthy foods. This presents a unique opportunity for ready meal manufacturers looking to provide convenience but in a way that appeals to the health conscious – especially at a time when people are taking their health more seriously than ever. Where five years before, market change was being largely led by the millennial demographic, manufacturers are increasingly following the changing trends and tastes set by Generation Z. Like Millennials before them, this age bracket not only desires customisability in their food and beverage products but expects it. To that end, ready meal makers are offering products which contain an assortment of pre-packaged parts. Take bought salads, for example, which would have separate leaves, protein and then seeds or croutons for topping. Rather than coming ready mixed, which had often been the norm, manufacturers are giving consumers the option to mix things in a way that suits them. It’s something makers need to pursue in order to stay ahead of the competition, which includes food vans and other eateries. One of the biggest competitors is also one of the newest. Though deliveries of vegetables boxes are by no means a new phenomenon, the notion of meal kits is. At the turn of the century, these kits were usually reserved for diet plans and weight loss programmes, but with the proliferation of home broadband and the rise of smartphones, start-ups are now catering for everyday consumers. Meal kit delivery companies are now prevalent, with more popping up every week. The idea is a simple one; provide consumers with the component parts for a meal along with a recipe, giving them everything they need to make a meal. It speaks to the convenience factor consumers crave, but also provides nutrition as well as giving the illusion of being entirely homemade. Some of these kits will be more hands on than others, but they all give pause for ready meal makers. Rather than try and compete outright, a number of manufacturers have instead followed the crowd and offered their own meal kits. Following popular tastes comes with its own drawbacks. A case in point is the huge market growth of free-from foods, specifically gluten-free. For years, celiacs (and those with varying degrees of gluten intolerance) where faced with lacklustre alternatives. Now, the gluten-free section of any supermarket is a bounty of delights. Though the number of celiacs has remained much the same, the number of those adopting a gluten-free diet has exploded. Manufacturers can of course be forgiven for chasing this growing market, but the latest research has found that for non-celiacs, eating a gluten-free diet can have an adverse effect, even leading to weight gain rather than curtailing it. The market will need time to level out, though doubtless this surprising find will see some consumers turn away from gluten-free foods. Though manufacturers need to appeal to consumers with what’s inside a product, the packaging itself is almost With the pandemic forcing more people than ever to remain in their homes, sales of ready meals have spiked as consumers prioritise cheapness, comfort and convenience. 44 Á 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:35 Page 244 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS as important. With the evolution of healthier ready meals, packaging has itself needed a facelift. In terms of aesthetics, this has meant instilling consumers with a sense of health, wellbeing and nutritional value. Soft pastel shades and natural images are now a familiar sight on ready meals for this reason. Likewise, manufacturers have moved away from the ubiquitous rectangular box that once housed bland and gloopy microwavable dinners. They’ve been replaced with sleeves, which have the double effect of minimising packaging and allowing consumers a glimpse of the product – certainly an act of confidence on a food maker’s part. Yet ready meals cover more than simply food-to-go, covering everything from tinned to dried. In the wake of the pandemic, one of the areas to enjoy the biggest gains is frozen foods. Frozen food has long garnered the reputation of being economic and, ultimately, unhealthy food brought for convenience and affordability and not for nutrition. This was despite the numerous producers working within the frozen foods arena offering a variety of healthy frozen food options. There’s also the persisting notion that freezing negatively affects product integrity. In reality, the freezer aisle has undergone a radical change over the last decade, and is now a cornucopia of healthy and vibrant food products alongside more traditional fare. Statistics from Kantar and the British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) show that sales increased by £285 million between March to June 2020. During this period, which included the first national lockdown, sales increased in value by 19.4 per cent and volume was up 17.5 per cent – double the value growth and volume of 9.7 per cent and 9.3 per cent respectively for the previous twelve-month period. What’s interesting to note is that the data shows that frozen outperformed the total grocery market as well as fresh and chilled food sales in both value and volume. The surge in sales follows a trend first reported by BFFF in April of that year, when data revealed that in the four weeks from 23 February to 22 March, British shoppers spent an extra £131 million on everything, from ice cream to frozen meat and poultry, as they filled up their freezers before the lockdown began on 23 March. The Kantar figures show six out of nine categories of frozen food have seen a sales and volume increase over the last year, with frozen vegetables alone up 9.4 per cent in volume. One of the persisting misconceptions regarding frozen foods is the high levels of preservatives. Although budget ready meals still contain high levels of © Shutterstock /abd 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:36 Page 3Food & Drink International 45 www.fdiforum.net READY MEALS sugar, salt, saturated fat and preservatives, that’s not to say that products need preservatives in order to be frozen. The freezing process itself often bypasses the need for such additives altogether. In the case of fresh produce, quick freezing often occurs shortly after picking, preserving the integrity and texture of the fruits and vegetables but also locking in nutrients. Studies have shown that food frozen immediately after it was picked and processed boasted more nutrients then their fresher counterparts as little as three days after picking. For this reason, many producers use this promised freshness and nutritional profile as unique selling points. Quick freezing also helps to sidestep freezer burns, a boon when it comes to specific textures and visual properties of, say, meat and fish. Aesthetics will assist in facilitating the market shift, as consumers begin their relationship with food and beverage products at a visual level – either with an advertisement of the packaging itself. In all honestly, frozen foods don’t look particularly appealing, meaning they are reliant on packaging and design. Though fruits and vegetables are still packed and sold in PET bags – as is also commonplace for ice cubes and fried potato products – it is becoming more commonplace for fruit pieces to be packaged in plastic or even paperboard boxes. The best canvas for producers to convey nutritional information and appealing graphics, however, is through cartoning and sleeving applications – namely a plastic tray, topped with a film and sleeved in card. The difficulty lies in packaging and sleeving these products quickly so that the nutritional benefit of the foods inside is preserved. The frozen food industry is also a fertile ground for new product innovation. Given the freezer is twinned with the history of consumer convenience, it makes sense that convenience itself is still a major selling point. Convenience, however, isn’t synonymous with high salt and fat fare, and can instead be applied to healthier options. Supermarkets in the UK, for example, have started selling pre- peeled and –sliced avocados to tap into the persistent trend, while bags of frozen pomegranate seeds are now commonplace, meaning consumers can take advantage of the fruit’s nutritional profile without needing to peel and de- seed it themselves. The coronavirus crisis is the latest in a long ling of challenges that the ready meals market has had to contend with. However, as with previous issues such as the need for healthier, more nutritious food offerings, the market will likely emerge stronger. Food focused technology every step of the way JBT has built its reputation on globally-proven integrated processing solutions that deliver consistent performance in yield and uptime, whilst ensuring the highest level of food safety for frozen food producers at every stage of production. Individual quick freezing JBT’s Frigoscandia FLoFREEZE® IQF freezers is a pioneering technology in the field of individual freezing for vegetables, soft fruits, fish and other high-value IQF products, which remains at the forefront of the industry, thanks to its versatility and ability to deliver true fluidization. Imagine running IQF production, non-stop for six days, with consistent output quality and efficiency. Spiral freezing technology The Frigoscandia GYRoCOMPACT® range of spiral freezers, chillers and proofers is the industry’s benchmark for food safety, performance and space optimisation. With the launch of the new Frigoscandia GYRoCOMPACT® 70 Spiral Freezer, JBT is set to take food-focused freezing to the next level. The new freezer has a belt width of 700 mm and is more compact than any of its predecessors yet offers up to 20% increased capacity. Multi-phase cooking systems With the Formcook® Contact Cooker, the convection Stein Twindrum™ Spiral Oven or the Double D Revoband impingement cooker, food producers are setup with a perfect combination to deliver maximum product yield and profit for their processing line, a recipe for success. Infrared, searing and bar-marking options are also available to add flavour and value to products. Integrated solutions Providing processors with complete and cost-effective in-line solutions has always been at the core of JBT‘s philosophy. Combined with JBT brands, such as DSI waterjet portioners, Stein coating and frying systems, Double D cooking systems, Formcook contact cookers, XVision X-ray Inspection Systems for food contaminant detection and, most recently Proseal high quality tray sealing machinery, JBT can offer value in every step of the food processing chain. To find out more, visit www.jbtc.com/foodtech. 42-45.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:36 Page 4as a digital bioreactor – bringing together West Coast innovators, global food brands, ingredient providers and investors to grow ideas from concept to reality. New formats, from interactive mentoring to Ask Me Anything sessions, will be coupled with fireside chats, panel discussions and 1-1 networking opportunities to address the biggest opportunities in the food-tech sector. For more information, visit www.fdiforum.net/mag/event/future- food-tech/. UK Water Drinks Conference 23 March Online Hear from Chief Executives, experts and innovators on current initiatives and gain access to exclusive market insights at this event. Conference sessions will include live questions and discussion. Breaks will provide plenty of networking opportunities to meet other producers, suppliers, retailers, and industry advisers. For more information, visit www.zenithglobal.com/events/ukwd2021. Food Matters Live 9-10 March Online Attend this event to connect with ingredient experts, accelerate your business with competitive insights, discover challenger brands to watch via the Future Brands competition, and more. Highlights of the event include educational masterclasses; webcasts on nutrition and health science, global health and wellbeing retail trends, innovative ingredients and sustainable food futures; 1-2-1 private meetings; NPD solution interactive tastings. For more information, visit www.foodmatterslive.com/2021- march . Future Food-Tech 11-12 March Online Our food system is undergoing a revolution. Covid-19 and the threat of climate change are driving unprecedented demand for more efficient, nutritious, and sustainable solutions. Future Food-Tech’s flagship San Francisco summit, hosted virtually, will act 46 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net Events Food & Drink © Shutterstock /successo images © Shutterstock / WR.lili ANUFOOD China 21 – 23 April Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Centre, Shenzhen, China ANUFOOD China will celebrate its debut at Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center in Shenzhen, China from 21 – 23 April 2021. The exhibition is poised to establish a comprehensive platform covering the food and beverage market in Southern China. Over 700 exhibitors and more than 15,000 visitors are expected within 20,000 square meters for this grand industrial event. To find out more, visit www.anufoodchina.com. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, readers should be aware that events may have been cancelled or postponed. All dates correct as of publishing, but please check beforehand. Plant Based World Conference & Expo Europe 8-9 April Business Design Centre, London, UK A 100% plant-based event for foodservice, retail, and healthcare 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:43 Page 1professionals, distributors, investors, manufacturers, and the plant-based influencer community, attend this expo to network with professionals who have embarked on both personal and professional plant-based journeys, many creating some of the world’s most revolutionary plant-based products and foods. Plant Based World Europe’s mission is to get the latest plant-based products in front of decision makers, educating them on how these foods will improve the wealth of their business and the health of the people they serve. For more information, visit www.plantbasedworldeurope.com. Alimentaria 17-20 May Online As a leading trade show, Alimentaria anticipates trends and predicts business opportunities. For this reason, this edition of Alimentaria presents a new concept which multiplies its offer to boost the business of each sector and facilitates transversal synergies. In addition to a commercial platform, Alimentaria shows its close relationship with the tourism sector and the food industry, putting value on gastronomy, innovation and trends through a wide range of activities. To find out more, visit www.alimentaria.com/en. UK Soft Drinks Conference 11 May Online Zenith Global’s UK Soft Drinks Conference is the industry’s main annual forum to hear about the latest market developments, debate key issues and network with other business leaders. The 2021 event will be hosted virtually, featuring a full day of presentations, interactive panels, interviews and discussions, alongside extensive networking opportunities. For more information, visit www.zenithglobal.com/events/uksd2021. Food & Drink International 47 www.fdiforum.net Food & Drink Expo 5-7 July NEC Birmingham The UK Food & Drink Shows offer a full portfolio of events covering food development, grocery, manufacturing, specialist retail, wholesale and foodservice. Food & Drink Expo will run alongside The Ingredients Show, Foodex, National Convenience Show, Farm Shop & Deli Show and The Forecourt Show. To find out more, visit www.foodanddrinkexpo.co.uk. © Shutterstock / Monkey Business Images 46-47.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:44 Page 2FEATURES Software Spotlight Labelling, Coding & Marking Sieves, Separators & Detection Flavouring & Colouring Water Treatment Meat, Poultry & Seafood Import & Export Next month in March 2021 - Deadline 17th February INTERNATIONAL Food &Drink Food &Drink Visit us at www.fdiforum.net where you’ll find the latest news as it breaks – and why not subscribe to our newsletters so you can have the latest news emailed to your inbox, in between printed issues? 48.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:46 Page 1Classified Often imitated… …never equalled You can feature your company in our hugely popular Online Directory with a description, contact details and a hyperlink If you would like further information please contact Sam Trott on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk or visit www.fdiforum.net/directory From field to fork, Food & Drink International is the voice of the industry. Food & Drink International 49 www.fdiforum.net Depositors Tel: 01282 440040 enquiries@riggsautopack.co.uk www.riggsautopack.co.uk Manufacturers of depositors & filling machines for the food production industry Labels Tel: 01482 506560 sales@datamarkuk.com www.datamarkuk.com • Self adhesive Labels • Lasersheets • Fanfolded Labels • Thermal Transfer Ribbons • Barcode Labels INDEX Online Directory Depositors Labels To Let w w w . fd if o ru m .n et • Superb Location - Close to the ports of Grimsby & Immingham - Great motorway links - Close to the town centre • Secure off street parking • High speed internet availability • Easy in/out terms • A range of affordable office sizes Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk Ground floor offices to let - prime location in Grimsby To Let Online Directory To advertise your services on the Classified pages contact us on 01472 310302 49.qxp_Layout 1 03/02/2021 13:46 Page 1Next >