< PreviousDemand for online sales leads to e-commerce investment for iconic Yorkshire brand, Wensleydale Creamery The Wensleydale Creamery, based at Hawes in Wensleydale, in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, is investing in its e-commerce operation to optimise its business for increased direct-to-consumer demand. The new e-commerce operation will see the brand launch a new website with plans to expand the operations team to facilitate the projected increased demand from UK consumers. The new website, which showcases the Creamery’s rich cheesemaking heritage and provenance, aims to enhance and streamline the customer experience of buying online, direct from the artisan cheesemaker. The investment follows recent increased online sales, which accelerated during the pandemic. Capitalising on the online food- buying trend, the Creamery is perfectly positioned to deliver direct to the increased number of consumers searching online for authentic food and all year-round gifting options. European biotech experts partner to advance production of animal-free milk proteins BRAIN Biotech and Formo Bio are launching a strategic collaboration to further advance the production of animal-free milk proteins. BRAIN Biotech is an industrial biotechnology company, Formo is a pioneering food-tech startup in the space of alternative milk protein. As experts in their field, the two biotech companies are powering European innovation. Formo will scale up their bioidentical milk protein production with a genome editing technology, leveraging BRAIN Biotech’s expertise and its proprietary BEC platform. The strategic alliance aims to optimize the microorganisms to further expand novel and sustainable protein production for commercial use through precision fermentation. “We are proud to be partnering with BRAIN; such a renowned company with which we share our passion for biotechnology and the mission to foster sustainability: using precision fermentation, we can remove the cow from the dairy supply chain, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 91 to 97 percent,” said Dr. Britta Winterberg, co-founder and chief scientific officer at Formo. 10 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net on line Patak’s launches new ‘Patak’s Makes Perfect’ TV advert Worth more than £60m in value sales and boasting a 27.4% value share of the Ambient Indian Category, Patak’s believes the new ‘Patak’s Makes Perfect’ campaign will build on the previous, well-loved and recalled advert featuring a depiction of family member, Kirit Pathak. The new Patak’s advert celebrates the brand’s heritage and the Pathak family, showing how they have continually strived over multiple generations to perfect recipes that give consumers the confidence to make delicious Indian Food at home. Chris Heyn, Director of UK World Foods Marketing at AB World Foods, comments: “Patak’s has been the staple of Indian cooking at home for millions of UK households for generations. We want to remind viewers that if they’re creating Indian food at home, Patak’s is the only choice as there are generations of Pathak family experience, knowledge and care in every jar, ready to help them give their family and friends delicious, authentic dishes every time.” RMGroup’s new state-of- the-art website delivers a first-rate user experience Robotics and automation specialists, RMGroup, has recently launched an impressive new website, showcasing its knowledge, innovation and automation expertise. The company designs, manufactures and supplies a wide range of manual and automatic packaging machinery, packaging systems and robotic automation to an expansive customer base spanning food and beverage, horticultural, aggregates, chemicals and agricultural industries. The modern and engaging site incorporates the very latest web development technologies and boasts a whole host of features, including a fresh layout that means that visitors can access every page with ease, regardless of whether they are browsing from a desktop computer, tablet or smartphone. “Developing the new website was something we were eager to do last year, so that we could present our innovative solutions and expertise in an even more user-friendly and engaging way,” said RMGroup’s Rosie Davies. “The new platform is easy to navigate and intuitive, so whether you are looking for our bulk bagging solutions, automatic bag filling, robot palletising, or the very latest in AGV technology, everything can be found quickly and easily on the new site,” she added. Kraft Heinz and TheNotCompany create partnership to accelerate AI-driven plant-based innovation The Kraft Heinz Company and food tech start-up TheNotCompany (NotCo) have established a joint venture designed to reimagine global food production and advance toward a more sustainable future. Kraft Heinz and NotCo believe that working together they can accelerate adoption of plant-based foods. While interest for plant-based foods is surging, barriers in taste, variety, and availability remain. Utilizing technology and an agile approach to innovation, NotCo has made significant progress in addressing these consumer needs, developing plant-based replacements for animal products with simpler ingredients that don’t sacrifice taste, functionality, or consumption experience. “The joint venture with TheNotCompany is a critical step in the transformation of our product portfolio and a tremendous addition to our brand design-to-value capabilities,” said Miguel Patricio, CEO of Kraft Heinz. “It helps deliver on our vision to offer more clean, green, and delicious products for consumers. We believe the technology that NotCo brings is revolutionizing the creation of delicious plant-based foods with simpler ingredients.” © Business Wire © Formo 04-11.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:20 Page 7Chobani adds two new dairy platforms Chobani announced two new dairy platforms, expanding its footprint in the refrigerated aisle: Chobani Ultra-Filtered Milk, a lactose-free, protein-packed ultrafiltered milk, and Chobani Half & Half. These new items are made from locally sourced milk and like many of the company’s newest products, they come in paperbased packaging that is widely recyclable across the U.S. The announcement builds on Chobani’s mission of making good food for all. The company turned its sights to upgrading the refrigerated aisle in 2019 with the launch of non-dairy Chobani Oatmilk, which was its first foray outside of yogurt. Chobani has continued to innovate, launching products including coffee creamers, ready-to-drink coffee and probiotic drinks. Now, consumers have even more options in the refrigerated aisle from a brand they know and trust. “With our lactose-free, reduced sugar and protein-packed Chobani Ultra-Filtered Milk, we’re making dairy accessible to more people and giving consumers a great option to trade up to a more advanced, functional and delicious product,” said Peter McGuinness, Chobani President & Chief Operating Officer. on the shelf The Wensleydale Creamery launches new heart shaped truckle for all-year-round gift The Wensleydale Creamery has launched a new limited-edition 100g heart shaped truckle of its popular Yorkshire Wensleydale & Cranberries cheese. Creamy, crumbly, and full of flavour, Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese has been carefully combined with the delicate fruity succulence of sweet cranberries, and wrapped up in an eye- catching red wax heart shaped truckle. The Wensleydale Creamery was the first to launch Yorkshire Wensleydale & Cranberries back in 1996, and since then it has firmly established itself as a beloved household staple, becoming one of the Creamery’s best sellers. The special-edition cheese is available at £2.25 RRP for 100g and can be bought direct from the Wensleydale Creamery’s Online Deli and select independents and farm shops. PEPSICo launches NITRO PEPSI Pepsi is taking on its most ambitious feat yet, reimagining the cola experience with a massive innovation - Nitro Pepsi. Nitro Pepsi is the first-ever nitrogen-infused cola that’s actually softer than a soft drink – it’s creamy, smooth and has a mesmerizing cascade of tiny bubbles topped off by a frothy foam head. Nitro Pepsi will have you reconsider what you know about cola. Smaller bubbles, also infused with nitrogen, create an unbelievably smooth, creamy texture made possible by a unique widget placed at the bottom of every can. This is the first time this type of widget technology, often seen in beer and coffee products, is being applied to the cola category and creates the frothy, foamy, smooth texture unique to Nitro Pepsi. Todd Kaplan, VP of Marketing – Pepsi said: “Nitro Pepsi is a first- of-its-kind innovation that creates a smooth, creamy, delicious taste experience for fans everywhere. Much like how nitrogen has transformed the beer and coffee categories, we believe Nitro Pepsi is a huge leap forward for the cola category and will redefine cola for years to come.” Buzzed unveils world’s first energy tonic water New drinks brand, Buzzed, has unveiled the world’s first energy tonic water. Tapping into the elevated consumer interest in health and wellness, Buzzed provides a refreshing new take on the traditional tonic. Unique to the market, in contrast to most leading energy drinks which use synthetic caffeine, Buzzed’s caffeine source is 100% naturally retrieved, extracted from natural plant sources, but still boasts more caffeine per 100ml than the UK’s leading energy brand. British made, with 100% recyclable packaging and all ingredients ethically produced in the UK, Buzzed is sweetened with the finest pure Blossom Honey and plant-based Stevia, creating the perfect delicate flavour experience, avoiding the overwhelming sugary taste often associated with energy drinks. Buzzed founder, Louise Lloyd, says: “There is a well-established consumer occasion for spirits and an energy drink, but there is no premium brand in this space offering a clean, natural solution which doesn’t compromise on flavour. Buzzed was created to quite simply lift your spirit – not overpower it.” Food & Drink International 11 www.fdiforum.net Theakston announces permanent relaunch of ‘Masham’s best kept secret’ Iconic Yorkshire brewery T&R Theakston has announced plans for the permanent return of its much-loved Theakston XB beer after a two-year absence. The 4.5% ale will be available to stock in pubs and bars across the nation from March 2022, following a return of licensee confidence in cask ale after the uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Often referred to as ‘Masham’s best kept secret’, Theakston XB is a premium strength ruby ale brewed with Bramling Cross and Fuggle hops, boasting subtle rhubarb and apple fruit flavours. First brewed in the 1970s, XB is brewed in Masham and was designed in tribute to the classic English and Scottish ‘border’ style of beer and has quietly established itself as a firm favourite of cask ale enthusiasts. Simon Theakston, managing director at T&R Theakston, said: “We are certainly raising a glass to the permanent return of Theakston XB as we witness renewed confidence in the future of the hospitality sector from customers and licensees alike. As a beer that is strong in gravity with a low but complex hop character, Theakston XB was and remains an instant success.” 04-11.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:20 Page 812 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT records 2021 saw the USA set new records for agricultural exports. Now the country continues to expand its opportunities, seeking access to new markets for many products. Setting new 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:25 Page 1Food & Drink International 13 www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT The USA is maintaining its resilience as an exporter of food and drink to customers across the world. Indeed recently announced figures showed American agricultural exports smashed records in 2021, with the industry posting its highest annual export levels ever recorded. Trade data published by the Department of Commerce indicates that exports of US farm and food products to the world totalled $177 billion, surpassing the 2020 total by 18% and the previous record, set in 2014, by 14.6%. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, said of the figures: “These record- breaking trade numbers demonstrate that U.S. agriculture is incredibly resilient as it continues to provide high-quality, cost-competitive farm and food products to customers around the globe and that the Biden- Harris Administration’s agenda is working for American farmers and producers. This is a major boost for the economy as a whole, and particularly for our rural communities, with agricultural exports stimulating local economic activity, helping maintain our competitive edge globally, supporting producers’ bottom lines, and supporting more than 1.3 million jobs on the farm and in related industries such as food processing and transportation.” Worldwide exports of a number of US products managed to reach new highs, including soybeans, corn, beef, pork, dairy, distillers grains and pet food. Beef for instance well exceeded previous volume and value records in 2021, passing $10 billion (reaching $10.58 billion) for the first time, as noted in year-end data released by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF president and CEO, Dan Halstrom, called the results “truly remarkable,” particularly in light of COVID-19- related obstacles in the foodservice sector, supply chains and logistics. Halstrom highlighted that the USA’s major Asian markets accounted for much of the growth, adding however that “it really takes broad-based global demand to reach these impressive levels.” He continued: “This success story is not just about Korea, Japan and China – but also a strong performance in Taiwan, excellent growth in Central and South America and a rebound in Mexico and Southeast Asia.” All of the USA’s top ten agricultural export markets witnessed gains in 2021, with Canada, China, Colombia, Mexico, the Philippines, and South Korea setting new records. China has kept the spot as the country’s top export destination, with $33 billion in purchases, up 25% from 2020, and Mexico pushed past Canada to take second position with $25.5 billion, up 39% from the previous year. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, continued: “It’s clear that our international trading 13 Á © st ock. adobe .com/R awf8 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:25 Page 214 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT partners are responding favorably to a return to certainty from the United States. We’re strengthening relationships with our trading partners and holding those partners accountable for their commitments. We’re addressing transportation and infrastructure challenges through the work of the Administration’s Supply Chain Task Force and calling out ocean carriers that are putting profits above their responsibility to serve both importers and exporters. And we’re expanding opportunities for agricultural exports by knocking down trade barriers and partnering with industry on marketing and promotion efforts worldwide.” As Vilsack notes, it has not been all smooth sailing through recent times. In terms of the transport required to bolster exports from the country, port congestion and costly shipping delays have been an issue. Thus though agricultural exports have reached new highs, they could have been even bigger without port delays. To help combat this, USDA announced at the end of January plans to increase capacity at the Port of Oakland in Oakland, California and improve service for shippers of US-grown agricultural commodities. Partnering with the Port of Oakland, the USDA is setting up a new 25-acre “pop-up” site to make it easier for agricultural companies to fill empty shipping containers with commodities. The USDA says that less containers have been made available for US agricultural commodities, as ocean carriers have circumvented traditional marketing channels and rushed containers back to be exported empty instead of waiting to fill ships with US goods, and many carriers have suspended service to the Port of Oakland. USDA is now taking action to reduce the shipping disruptions that have prevented US agricultural products from reaching their markets. “This creative partnership with USDA and the Port of Oakland will help American farmers and agricultural producers move their product to market while also making better use of empty containers that are causing congestion at the ports,” said US Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg. This follows the set up of inland pop-up ports at the Port of Savannah, which saw improvements in the flow of goods. California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary, Karen Ross, noted that the move would “improve access to overseas markets for California agriculture producers at a critical time of year for exports of high-value specialty crops.” The site will present space to prepare empty containers beginning in March. Agricultural companies will have easier access to these containers, to fill with commodities, restoring shipping services to agricultural products and relieving congestion. The new site will 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:25 Page 3Food & Drink International 15 www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT D Davies Turner Celebrating 150 years of pioneering service Your worldwide freight and logistics partner T: 01709 529709 W: www.daviesturner.com E: RotherhamSales@daviesturner.co.uk YEARS additionally have a dedicated gate with the ability to pre-cool refrigerated shipping containers for perishable commodities, while avoiding bottlenecks that would have occurred when entering the main area of the Port. As it tackles factors stunting exports, the USA continues to expand and reinvigorate its horizons and export opportunities. USDA trade missions have returned, with Dubai targeted in February by a delegation of representatives from US agribusinesses, farm organisations, and state departments of agriculture interested in exporting to the Middle East. Meanwhile progress can be seen with key milestones, like US pork and pork products becoming eligible for export to India, as announced in January this year after lengthy negotiations and nearly two decades of work to gain market access. USMEF president and CEO, Dan Halstrom, said: “While the volumes of imported pork currently entering India are quite small, USMEF sees long-term potential in the retail, processing and foodservice sectors, as well as emerging opportunities in e- commerce.” This comes after important developments in 2021 such as Vietnam lowering tariffs on US corn, wheat, and frozen pork, giving greater access to the Vietnamese market, in line with competitors from countries that have free trade agreements with Vietnam. Other efforts to break down trade barriers and generate export opportunities for US agriculture in 2021 resulted in new market access for poultry to Venezuela, and apples and pears to Argentina, among others, while preserving access to the Mexican market for $3.6 billion in processed food products, reopening the $46 million market for seafood in Indonesia, protecting the $62 million market for beef to Egypt, and preserving access to Brazil’s market for $35 million of US milk products, $7 million of beef and $9 million of seafood. © st ock. adobe .com/MichaelV i © st ock. adobe .com/ V it alii 12-15.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:25 Page 416 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT Cyberattacks seem like a problem that involves governments and big corporations only, because they have the juicy secrets and important businesses’ information that represent a good target, but cybersecurity is an issue that involves several industries and the food industry has lately become an interesting and easy target for the cybercriminals. Criminal organisations have been showing interest in food manufacturers and suppliers as they are a fairly easy target, companies tend to invest the bare minimum on cybersecurity as they don’t consider hackers and cyberattacks a threat; to be fair, the idea of criminals attacking food suppliers seems fairly farfetched, however there is a wide range of products organisations can move across the food industry, and they tend to hack into the systems in order to place within the food chain adulterated, counterfeits, fraudulent, stolen or smuggled products. The amount of cybercrime registered by not just the food industry, but across several sectors has increased significantly over the last couple of years; hacking has become pretty easy and also very accessible, and cybercriminals and authors of malware have found that offering their services to criminal organisations to hack companies for them is a very lucrative business. This phenomenon has led to an increase of reports of cyberattacks that unfortunately are not taken too seriously, especially by the food industry. There are a series of reasons why the food industry has become an easy target; several companies in the industry underestimate the importance of cybersecurity and tend to believe IT and The importance of being cybersafe Cybersecurity often gets overlooked, especially by the food industry, as it doesn’t consider itself to be a feasible target of hackers. Unfortunately, criminal organisations have recently started to show interest in food manufacturers and suppliers, so it is fundamental the industry starts investing in their cybersafety. 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:28 Page 1Food & Drink International 17 www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT cybersecurity fall into the same category. Unfortunately, this is a common misconception and companies tend to entrust cybersecurity issues their IT personnel. The two things however are not the same things, and require different types of experts, with very specific abilities and skills; leaving security issues in the hands of IT specialists is a big mistake, they probably know the basics but are not able to provide the best quality performances when it comes to cybersafety and this could mean putting the entire business in danger. Another common misconception about cyberattacks is that they only involve big companies, which means small and medium businesses tend to underestimate or completely ignore the danger of hacking and so have no security measures in place against it. Several reports have showed that small and medium businesses have registered 18 Á © st ock. adobe .com/ Gor odenk of f 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:28 Page 218 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT cyberattacks and hacking attempts with the same frequency of bigger businesses; criminal organisations don’t really care about the size of the business, they only care about moving their products and placing them on the supply chain which puts smaller companies at risk just as much as big ones are. The food industry tends not to invest much on their cybersecurity; most companies are still using very obsolete systems and software platforms to handle their cybersecurity, systems that are not only old but also impossible to update. The use of obsolete technology means that it is fairly easy to hack into the systems and tamper with the supply chain or steal client information. Often food manufacturers and suppliers hire third companies to handle their cybersecurity, in order to avoid dealing with the issue entirely and, in a way, forget all about it. Many businesses think that if experts are handling their cybersecurity they don’t have to worry about it, and this behaviour is unfortunately extremely dangerous; cybersecurity expert companies are the first and most disputed targets of hacking as they are in charge of the security of several companies and are in possession of delicate and sensitive data that, if in the wrong hands, could cause significant damage to many businesses. Additionally, the relationship between companies that use obsolete technology and third cybersecurity experts represents another risk; expert companies use highly advanced and modern technology and unfortunately modern and obsolete do not make a good match. The relationship between the two makes for a very easy opportunity to attack and security is not just easy to attack and breach, but they are also more likely to spread. Unfortunately, the food industry is lacking the culture of cybersecurity and has not fully understood what kind of danger this type of incident can be for their businesses. Companies that lack awareness are companies that are not going to invest any money and resources on the issue and on their cybersecurity; they are not going to invest in new, more advanced technology, and they are not going to invest in expert staff or training their current one. Until the problem will be clear and evident to companies, it will keep being a problem. Cybersecurity is not just a danger to sensitive data, but it is fundamental to reach and maintain food safety and good manufacturing standards. 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:28 Page 3Food & Drink International 19 www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT Cybersecurity helps with labelling, tracking, storing and supplying of food products and ingredients; all the data and information is vital for companies to have total control over their products from manufacturing to the shelves. It is extremely important businesses start to invest not just on better technologies and more experienced and knowledgeable staff, but they also need to invest in understanding the importance of their cybersecurity and the level of danger they put their products in when this culture and understanding are lacking. © st ock. adobe .com/jo y fot oliakid The use of obsolete technology means that it is fairly easy to hack into the systems and tamper with the supply chain or steal client information. 16-19.qxp_Layout 1 28/02/2022 10:28 Page 4Next >