< Previous10 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Chocolate maker invests £850k in automating manufacturing process A Cumbria-based chocolate maker is set to enhance its productivity by automating its manufacturing process with a £850,000 investment. Friars started making its own brand of premium chocolates by hand last year, after nearly 100 years of retailing confectionary products. Now, to meet increasing demand and to accelerate growth, the third-generation family business is adopting a process solution which will automate the labour-intensive element of its production line while retaining key handcrafted elements. The £100,000 investment will enable Friars to increase its output from 30kg per day to 250kg – an increase of 733% – with significant scope to scale up production. Automation will make it almost three times cheaper to produce the same amount and maintain a consistent quality. The business also plans to invest £750,000 in a new factory and distribution centre near to the motorway in Penrith. Friars has been supported by the Made Smarter North West Adoption programme which for the last two years has worked with 1,200 makers in every corner of the region providing advice, expertise and financial support to help them grow their business, increase competitiveness and reduce inefficiencies through digital tools and technology. Managing Director Michael Webster, who runs the business with his brother Richard, said: “Our ambition is to become one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of quality chocolates, but in order to do this we need to look to technology to enable us to scale up our operation while producing the highest quality possible. “Made Smarter’s support and advice has accelerated and de-risked our investment in process automation technology which will take the brakes off our growth plans and transform our business.” Wetherspoon to invest £145m in pubs old and new J D Wetherspoon is to invest £145 million to develop new pubs and upgrading existing pubs. The pub chain operator has a pipeline of 75 projects. Of these, 18 are new pubs and 67 are “significant” extensions and upgrades to its existing footprint of 871 pubs. The first tranche of new pubs and extensions will be located in towns and cities including Leeds, Birmingham, Dublin and Glasgow. Once the 75 projects in the pipeline are completed, Wetherspoon said it anticipates investing £750 million to open 15 new pubs and enlarging 50 existing pubs each year for ten years. The operator said that the ten-year pub project will result in 20,000 new jobs. “Our immediate investment will provide work for architects, contractors and builders as well as result in 2,000 new jobs for staff in our pubs,” said Wetherspoon founder and Chairman Tim Martin. “We are geared up to start on the first projects within a few months.” Beverages with flexitarian and health focus top trends for this summer Plant-based concepts and teas with health benefits are among the top beverage trends for this summer, according Kerry, the taste and nutrition company. Research into consumer trends shows that consumers will seek beverages that deliver flexitarian indulgence, fruity refreshment, or teas with a healthy twist. With the naturality trends continuing to gather pace, Kerry’s insights show that tea still plays an important part on menus. Consumers are moving away from sugary drinks and perceive flavoured teas as good alternative. This trend has potential to attract new consumers to the tea and coffee category, with consumers seeking concepts that offer novelty but also familiarity. Meanwhile, the preference for plant-based is on the rise, with the number of consumers seeking oat bases on the rise. However, there is a gap in the market for indulgent plant-based beverages. In response, DaVinci Gourmet, Kerry’s foodservice brand, has launched a new range of beverage concepts for spring/summer 2021. © Shutterstock/CK Travels © Kerry 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:05 Page 7Online supermarket boss wants of supply chain shortages A “serious disruption” in the supply chain, driven by Brexit, COVID-19 and increased shipping and packaging issues, could lead to shortages, Approved Food has warned. Andy Needham, MD of the Yorkshire-based online sustainable supermarket, said that changes to export documentation requirements introduced after Brexit had already forced the company to stop taking orders from customers based outside the UK. Under the latest regulations, paperwork must include individual product commodity or harmonisation codes, weights and country of origin details for every item in a parcel – with most Approved Food orders containing dozens of items. An additional issue is that most third-party couriers will not allow parcels containing liquids – including drinks, shampoo and perfume – as they are concerned about spillages. By not allowing commodity codes for such products to be entered into the system, Mr Needham said it was virtually impossible to service international customers. In addition, the cost of hiring containers for products being shipped in from the Far East had more than trebled since January 1st. Whereas the cost to import a container was typically around $3,500, this had now gone up to as much as $12,000. With some companies delaying or missing orders for goods, the end result was that fewer plastic household items such as kitchen utensils, pan scrubs and even garden furniture were reaching UK shops from the Far East. The situation, said Mr Needham, was being compounded by the effect of thousands of containers of goods being delayed when a 220,000-tonne container vessel became wedged in the Suez Canal, the world’s busiest shipping lane. The ship, the Ever Given, is carrying 20,000 containers but other boats stuck behind the stricken vessel are estimated to be carrying over 300,000 containers between them, some but not all, destined for the UK. “Brexit, COVID-19, the ship stuck in the Suez Canal – it’s a perfect storm. We might not feel the full effect for weeks but if the movement of ships is delayed then there will be shortages,2 said Mr Needham. “We have also seen ships having to wait to dock as ports are busy with the added paperwork burden and some ports are still suffering with a hangover of substandard PPE deliveries from last year.” He added that the availability of cardboard was a further issue. As businesses have upped their digital offerings during the pandemic, the demand for packaging has risen dramatically. With shutdowns of commercial premises, the flow of cardboard for recycling had decreased. Despite two price increases this year, availability remained an issue. Mr Needham said it was possible that the courier industry could offer a solution to the cardboard shortage by handling returnable transit boxes or offering a premier service, but added: “There’s no easy solution. Unless you can run your own delivery fleet and transport exactly what you need to, in a way that suits you and your customers, there will be an impact as businesses go about their day-to- day operations.” Food & Drink International 11 www.fdiforum.net news Andy Needham Project launched to optimise production process of next-gen sustainable fish feed Tech innovation centre, CPI, has launched the SUSFEED 2 project to optimise scalable processes for the manufacture of next-generation, sustainable fish feed for the aquaculture industry. The outcomes of this project have the potential to help the UK’s aquaculture industry meet net zero targets, the centre said. At present, the aquaculture industry relies heavily on feed containing fish meal or soy protein, which pose sustainability, land and water use, and digestibility issues. An affordable and high-quality alternative is Single Cell Protein (SCP), derived from microbial fermentation, utilising sugars as well as agricultural and food wastes as feedstocks. Although the current fermentation process for SCP is promising, it emits significant amounts of carbon dioxide and lacks carbon efficiency. Following the successful SUSFEED feasibility study completed last year, SUSFEED 2 aims to optimise an environmentally friendly and economically viable SCP production process. This will allow for enough SCP product to be generated for fish feed digestibility trials. The UK Seafood Innovation Fund, administered by Cefas (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science), has awarded SUSFEED 2 with £250,000 to support the research and development of novel technology that reduces and reuses carbon dioxide in SCP fish feed production. CPI led the feasibility study and will continue to play a critical role in SUSFEED 2 to develop the technology needed to produce SCP fish feed with a much lower environmental impact than currently possible. The project will be carried out at CPI’s C1 Gas Fermentation facility within the National Industrial Biotechnology Facility. CPI’s expertise and facilities will be crucial in ensuring the success of the project. Qiang Li, Senior Research Engineer at CPI, said: “At our state-of-art industrial biotechnology facility, our dedicated teams of in-house experts will make it possible to bring high-quality, carbon-efficient fish feed closer to commercialisation.” 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:05 Page 8on the shelf 12 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net Molson Coors removes plastic rings from all major brands in the UK Molson Coors Beverage Company is removing plastic rings on all its major brands in the U, including Carling and Coors. To replace plastic rings, the brewery is introducing sustainable cardboard sleeve for can multipacks. The move sees Molson hit its target to remove all single-use plastic from Carling and Coors packaging by the end of April 2021 Coors’ in the UK, following the introduction of recyclable cardboard large-format multipacks in 2020. Produced by paper-based solutions supplier, Graphic Packaging International, the one-piece cartonboard wrap features a shaped interior design that securely holds the cans, as well as a locking mechanism so that adhesive isn’t required to keep the box closed. This proven paperboard solution will ensure the package meets the needs of today’s supply chains and consumers. Since 2019, the company has removed more than 700 tonnes of single-use plastic from its operations. Brewery launches Peanut Butter on a Jaffa Cake beer to mark anniversary Salford brewery Seven Bro7hers Brewing Co is launching a limited-edition ‘Peanut Butter on a Jaffa Cake’ Stout to kick of its seventh birthday celebrations. Introducing the ‘7 Series’, a host of special craft beers designed and created by each brother to celebrate seven years in business together. The series, which will be launching throughout the year to mark the July anniversary, will include a variety of unique and original beers. Each beer will explore the interests, personalities, and quirks of the seven McAvoy brothers as they toast this landmark birthday. Kicking off the series is brother number six, Kit. Collaborating with the brewing team, Kit has crafted a nuttily sweet stout inspired by his favourite childhood snack – Peanut Butter on a Jaffa Cake. While the beer is rich in peanut flavour it contains no nuts. The brewers carefully selected the perfect combination of hops and malts to bring out the nutty, zesty flavours. Snacking never tasted so good: say hello to the new Grab It Say goodbye to Grabits® and hello to Grab It® - the UK’s favourite protein snack brand has a new name, new look, new recipe but same big flavours. The product’s rebranding has everything to do with believing that great taste should always be in reach; snacking should be healthy, convenient, and fun. Grab It is now palm-oil free and stays fresher for longer with its extended shelf-life, and that’s without adding artificial ingredients. The ready-to-eat snacks are available in the same five exciting flavours, made with 100% chicken breast pieces with fewer than 68 calories per stick, packed with 10g of protein and less than 1.3g of fat. “We believe this is the best tasting meat snack in the market today,” said Felipe Castillo, director of marketing and innovation for the Grab It brand. “Consumers want a snack that’s not only nutrient-rich and high in protein but one that also tastes great. Grab It has it all with adventurous and international flavours, while meeting the nutritional values consumers are looking for.” European demand for meat snacks continues to grow and is anticipated to reach a value of USD 1.41 billion by 2023, up from USD 1.01 billion in 2018. This increase in demand can be contributed to consumers wanting more on-the-go, healthy snacks. Grab It can be found in retail and convenience stores across the UK, including Budgens, Londis, Nisa, One Stop, The Range and Spar. Rebranded products will be available beginning April 2021. Danish craft brewery taps Leeds agency to launch Game of Thrones beer Danish craft brewery, Mikkeller, has appointed Leeds-based ilk Agency to handle the UK launch of its new Game of Thrones inspired beer. The project will see ilk handle UK media relations for the launch of its ‘Iron Anniversary IPA’ – the first of a series of craft beers to be launched by Mikkeller following its agreement of a new, multi-year partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products. Launched to mark the 10th anniversary of Game of Thrones’ HBO premiere, ‘Iron Anniversary IPA’ is a New England IPA (NEIPA ) described as “hazy or juicy… expressive without being too extreme” and will be followed by two further beers in 2021, plus several more over the next few years. The first release, ‘Iron Anniversary’, will be available in limited quantities in Denmark, Sweden, the UK, and the United States. © Jon Super Photo 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:05 Page 9Heineken pledges to carbon neutrality across value chain by 2040 Heineken is aiming to decarbonise its own production by 2030 and its full value chain by 2040. This is the first in a series of refreshed ‘Brew a Better World’ ambitions, which form an important part of the company’s new ‘EverGreen’ balanced growth strategy. “We aim to be carbon neutral in our production sites by 2030 in order to meet the 1.5°C goal set by the Paris Agreement,” said Dolf van den Brink, Chairman and CEO of Heineken. “We will further reduce our emissions through energy efficiency and speed up the transition towards renewable energy. “A large part of our overall carbon footprint beyond production comes from agriculture, packaging, distribution and cooling. “This means we will work in close partnership with our suppliers and partners to reach our ambitious goal of a carbon neutral value chain by 2040. We know that Heineken can only thrive if our planet and our communities thrive.” on line Food & Drink International 13 www.fdiforum.net SICK goes flat out for performance with mini smart sensors SICK has launched the versatile W4F family of miniature smart sensors, developed to achieve next-generation detection performance and incorporating powerful new optical technologies, each purpose-designed to master common sensing challenges in food processing and packaging with complete reliability. The SICK W4F family of photoelectric smart sensors packs a choice of class-leading detection technologies and application-specific optics into the same, rugged, 16mm x 40mm x 12mm housing. Each features SICK’s trademark BluePilot push-turn pinpoint alignment and on-sensor status display. Impressing with their resilience to bright ambient light, the versatile W4F smart sensors multiply intelligent machine integration options for almost any application, no matter how tight the available mounting space. “The SICK W4F is really a team of tiny superstar performers, and each is destined to be a future workhorse of the SICK smart sensor range,” explains David Hannaby, SICK’s UK Product Manager for Presence Detection. Ÿnsect accelerates international expansion with Protifarm acquisition Parisian insect protein specialist, Ÿnsect, has accelerated its international expansion with the acquisition of Protifarm, a Dutch producer of mealworm ingredients for human food applications. The joint offering will accelerate manufacturing capabilities with a third production site, as the company move to deliver on its long-term strategy to offer a healthy, sustainable solution to the accelerating consumption of protein. Following the European Food Safety Authority deeming mealworms safe for human consumption this January, Ÿnsect is expanding into the market of food ingredients derived from insect ingredients for humans. In addition to its sites in France, Ÿnsect now expands internationally with the integration of Protifarm, a Dutch production site based in Ermelo, one hour east of Amsterdam. This solidifies the company’s position as the world’s largest insect food and feed player. “Protifarm is a compelling fit for Ÿnsect, perfectly matching our long- term goals and sustainability values,” said Antoine Hubert, Co-Founder and CEO of Ÿnsect. New feature maxes tray sealer performance Tray sealing specialist Proseal has launched a new feature to enable customers to achieve increased sealing capacity within their existing equipment. The new GT-Max system, which can be retrofitted to all Proseal GT0, GT1 and GT2 s and e models, has been seen to increase production speed by up to 25%. The enhancement is incorporated within the machine’s existing footprint, retaining each tray sealing machine’s already compact dimensions, while allowing companies to further boost speeds and throughput without altering or extending the existing line layout. The Max system is compatible with all seal cycle types including Skin Deep. Customers are able to utilise all their existing tool formats as well as a range of new Max formats developed for the system. “Increasingly competitive markets are putting even greater pressure on production time and targets,” commented Tony Burgess, Sales Director, Proseal. “Maximising capacity is therefore all the more essential, but for many companies the challenge is to deliver this within their existing factory footprint.” © David Parry/PA Wire © Shutterstock/wasanajai Richardson International boosts Bedford oat mill capacity Richardson International, the Canadian agricultural and food industry company, has significantly invested in its oat mill in Bedford, England, increasing capacity by 35%. This latest investment will improve upon all operational aspects of the plant, from intake and warehousing capabilities to logistics and distribution. A full overhaul of the site footprint will result in greater operational efficiencies, modernization, and enhanced storage capacity. When completed, the Bedford mill will boast a high-speed receiving system, providing a fast and effective means for inbound oats delivery. Extensive modernisation of the plant will significantly increase storage capacity and ensure efficiencies in production and processing capabilities. In addition, the site will include a new expanded warehouse to allow for improved transportation and logistical functions. Construction will begin later this spring with no anticipated disruption to current operations and is expected to be completed in 2025. 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:05 Page 1014 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT With many new markets expected to start recovering after the pandemic and people wanting to escape lockdown and experience new things, it may well be a new opportunity for companies who are looking towards exporting into new markets. Food and drink products remain a premier import and export material, and their profitability in many markets in the Middle east, as well as Africa, Asia and the US is continuing to rise. While it’s never good to look at a crisis like COVID-19 in anything but a negative light, it’s a known factor that crisis breeds opportunity. Business boomed after WW2 and this could well be an opportune time for many looking for the same boost. Making the decision to export your products to another country is difficult enough, with research into which new markets a company wants to target, as well as understanding the consumer trends in that country. There are also legal matters to take into account, from ingredients used, to what information needs to be displayed on packaging – all the way through to any tax involved in exporting there in the first place. One of the biggest problems faced by companies seeking to export however – other than the pandemic itself obviously - is finding a way into Opportunity after crisis With the pandemic slowly coming to an end and countries opening back up, there will be more desire for new tastes and experiences than ever before. Is now the time to look at exporting food products to new and developing countries? It may well be. Opportunity after crisis 14-17.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:08 Page 1Food & Drink International 15 www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT what is already an established market. There are no new civilisations popping up that have no established markets, and it’s idealistic to believe a new product, which might have been popular in the UK for the last fifty years, will suddenly hit it off in a different country. To attract customers in a new market, there needs to be key research undertaken, not only into what consumers want in that country, but also what other products are already on the market – and what they are actively doing to keep their share. In many cases there are a different set of groups to consider, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. Many of these will come hand-in-hand, for instance if a company is able to access consumers, perhaps through an advertising campaign on the local television. Then these same consumers might ask for the product at their local retail outlets, leading those businesses to consider stocking the product. In many cases however, it is not so simple. Even should a company advertise on local media platforms, they might find that the entrenched competitors are doing the same and have been doing so for some time. Considering the culture and ideals of the people there might be different from a company’s home country, it’s also worth keeping in mind that research into that culture, or how advertisements are run in the country can be worthwhile. There are no shortages of marketing campaigns that have flopped in different countries due to mistranslated names or misunderstood cultural differences. In many cases these are not even small companies who don’t have necessary funds. This includes American brewery Coors, for whom a mistranslation to Spanish saw their slogan advertising its properties as a laxative rather than an alcohol. And even Schweppes, for whom a poor translation to Italian, saw their product 16 Á 14-17.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:08 Page 216 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT labelled on packaging as Schweppes Toilet, rather than tonic, Water. There are also concerns to be had with culture, and how it might affect demand for a product. In the food and drink industry this can be a common factor with meats and how they are prepared, with the most obvious example being the preparation of Halal meat. There are of course more subtle examples however, such as a toothpaste manufacturer who promoted their whitening cleaner, to a country whose locals chew nuts to blacken their teeth, as this is considered attractive. For those whomever, who are confident in a product’s potential in a market, the task is focused more towards attracting the attention of buyers in that country, most often wholesalers, or supermarkets. The most common ways to target these people are trade fairs, market visits, trade missions or advertisements. Trade fairs are perhaps the most common method used by businesses today and are expected to make a big return with the pandemic ending. Interested buyers in the country are likely to visit the event in efforts to find the `next big thing` for their market and can sample products at the show. There is also a chance to sell directly to these people, should they show interest in a stand. An added benefit of these events is that many organisations, such as the UKTI operate shared stands, where companies can display themselves to investors, without needing to spend huge amounts on display space. The downside to trade fairs however is often that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of other competitors at the show, and it can often be difficult to attract the attention of the correct people. Even assuming investors are actively searching for new products, they are not going to be able to sample over a thousand different foodstuffs in a day. Market visits therefore remain an option for those wishing to take a more proactive approach. These often involve 14-17.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:08 Page 3Food & Drink International 17 www.fdiforum.net IMPORT AND EXPORT a team of experienced salespeople, or representatives from a company visiting a country in efforts to secure deals personally. This is certainly a high-risk, high- reward scenario. Allowing the company to sell directly to the individuals that are best suited to purchase their products on a one-to-one basis. Often this method depends on the skills of the people that sent to visit the market in the first place, and the research put into place in finding and arranging meetings with the customers. Once again there is support available to companies considering this route, often by the UKTI ITA, who will be able to put a company in touch with embassies in the region who might have more detailed information. In some cases, the organisations might even offer to fund a company’s trip. Trade missions are similar in nature to market visits but are normally undertaken – and sometimes funded – by organisations such as the UKTI or other associated trade bodies. These will often involve a number of different companies being taken to visit and meet with associated buyers in the target country, with a view to creating new business ties between the two nations. Again, success or failure will depend not only on the skills and negotiation prowess of those a company sends to acquire such deals, but also on the research and effort that has been put into the product, to make it conform with what would be desirable in that country. The most important thing to keep in mind is that when a company is looking to export to a new country, they have to treat the process like they are creating a brand-new start-up product. Including conducting extensive market research and looking into a dedicated marketing strategy to ensure they become a well-known and respected name. For companies who are able to balance these factors, the future of the food and drink export market is looking bright indeed. © Shutterstock /T inxi © Shutterstock /Adriano Castelli 14-17.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:08 Page 418 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SUPPLY CHAIN SPOTLIGHT The COVID-19 pandemic and its associated panic buying last year showcased the importance of the complex food supply chain, and its weaknesses, to consumers, bringing it into the public eye in a way that it never has been before as empty shelves shocked customers. Supply chains were disrupted from field to fork, while goods set for use in foodservice had nowhere to go as restaurants closed. A year later a new challenge is on the cards for food and drink businesses, in From COVID-19 to Brexit, the past year has seen fresh challenges for food and drink supply chains. At the same time traceability continues to be clamoured for by consumers as well as sustainability, both of which if enhanced can benefit businesses themselves. the UK and EU specifically, thanks to the end of the Brexit transition period, which has meant supply chains need to be re-engineered. Certainly, it has been a rocky start, with repeated stories on paperwork issues and health certificates halting supply chains, adding extra costs and hours to shipments, and conversations about reshoring have arisen. At the same time food producers are constantly looking to boost efficiency of supply chains for profitability - one underperforming or malfunctioning link in the supply chain Tech to enhance the supply chain Tech to enhance the supply chain 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:11 Page 1Food & Drink International 19 www.fdiforum.net SUPPLY CHAIN SPOTLIGHT and traceability with a comprehensive log of products through the chain and devices like barcode labels, mobile scanners, and RFID tags. For well-managed supply chains, technology enabling and automating the collection of robust data has become essential as food and drink firms recognise the value in data. The wealth of data from multiple sources in the supply chain is now available in many instances in real-time for more informed decisions, better management of product flows, improved visibility, and speed. This up to date, accurate data - whether it relates to temperature, location, or how well machinery is running, i.e. all processes and situations related to a product - can be provided at all times by Internet of Things (IoT) devices/sensors on goods, equipment, in facilities and in transport as well as with the latest tech in inventory systems, including automated inventory counts and order tracking, to give inventory numbers and stats quickly at sees the rest of the chain impacted. Meanwhile consumer demand for heightened supply chain traceability and transparency to bolster safety and trust, as well as for better sustainability, are pushing the adoption of newer technology. Technology is being utilised to uncover gaps in supply chain monitoring, pinpoint areas for improvement, highlight requirements and measures needed to meet regulations, increase visibility and transparency with in-depth information, 20 Á © Shutterstock /Simone Hogan 18-21.qxp_Layout 1 26/04/2021 10:12 Page 2Next >