On the shelf Temperature control www.fdiforum.netJUNE 2020 £3.50 STERLING Sustainable packaging Changing Tastes Changing Tastes INTERNATIONAL Food &DrinkFood &Drink01.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2020 12:26 Page 1 •Stainless steel conveyor systems •Standalone units or fully integrated •Robotic and end of line equipment •Bespoke engineering capabilities •Turnkey and standalone solutions •Integration and project management •Service support and upgrades •Partnered with Lita Palletising Systems for over 30 years Kensal Handling Systems www.kensal.com | sales@kensal.com | tel: +44 (0) 1 582 425 777 Kensal Handling Systems Ltd, Kensal House, President Way, Luton, LU2 9NR Available on iPad & iPhone Visit our website to start viewing today... www.fdiforum.net Ideal for those who spend time away from their office Digital Editions Never miss an issue Read on the go! 02.qxp_Layout 1 01/06/2020 10:37 Page 1Contents June 2020 This magazine is now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines, you can help reduce waste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Before you recycle your magazine, please ensure you remove all plastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. FoodandDrinkInternational @fdiforumwww.fdiforum.net company/fdiforum News 4 • General news • On line - production news • On the shelf - new products and initiatives Import and export10 The coronavirus crisis is compounding pre-existing issues affecting the UK’s food and drink export market, but as the latest figures show, the market is enduring. Temperature control spotlight14 Temperature control is vital in food production, to keep food safe and adhere to regulation. Monitoring temperature throughout the supply chain has never been easier, with Internet of Things solutions and cloud powering real-time alerts and data availability. Sustainable packaging18 In the food and drink industry, sustainable packaging is no longer just a nice addition to product lines, it is obligatory; customers expect and demand it. • WoolCool Flow measurement and control28 Food and Drink International explores the importance of flow measurement, highlights the various types of flow meters available, as well as some of the other challenges facing manufacturers. Group Editor: Steve Fisher (s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor: Michael Fisher (m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk) Editor’s PA: Angela Sharman (a.sharman@blmgroup.co.uk) Assistant Editor: Dominic Cuthbert (d.cuthbert@blmgroup.co.uk) Journalist: Tess Egginton (t.egginton@blmgroup.co.uk) Sales Director: Teri Cooper (t.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk) Sales Manager: Sam Trott (s.trott@blmgroup.co.uk) Sales: Vicky Hunt (v.hunt@blmgroup.co.uk) Ruth Feather (r.feather@blmgroup.co.uk) Tel: +44 (0) 1472 310302 Accounts & Subscriptions: John Downes (j.downes@blmgroup.co.uk) Design & Production: Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson (studio@blmgroup.co.uk) Editorial: Tel: +44 (0) 1472 310305, Email: fdi@blmgroup.co.uk Part of the Business Link Magazine Group: Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE England All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. MAIN: SHUTTERST OCK/DRONG • TOP: BREWDOG • MIDDLE: SEALED AIR • BOTT OM: SHUTTERST OCK/VLADIMIR NENEZIC Warehousing and distribution 32 COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of a streamlined warehouse and distribution centre, but how does one go about identifying flashpoints? Processing36 Process equipment can be complicated at the best of times, not only from the sheer amount available but also just how much of a factory it can cover. Snack foods42 Snack foods have long been an important part of the consumer experience, both in the home and, of increasing importance and profitability, on-the-go. Traditionally, this market was made up of crisps, biscuits and other beige coloured fare. But this market is rarely if ever static, evolving as it does to meet the changing wants and needs of today’s shoppers. Events 46 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world Classified 49 Food & Drink Diary 50 03.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2020 12:27 Page 1Booths welcomes Mackenzies Smokehouse to its stores It has been a bitter-sweet first half of the year Mackenzies Smokehouse as it very recently took over Mackenzies Farm Shop at the foot of Nidderdale in North Yorkshire. Whilst the company has been busy adjusting its business model for our farm shop to cater online food deliveries, it has also been working hard to get its artisan smoked produce in to the well-loved and known Booths Supermarket amongst other retailers in the North. Known for its smoked produce, it is driving a new strategy to get in to more supermarkets with a developed range of smoked meats, fish and pates. Booths has welcomed Mackenzies Smokehouse’s range from ’The Yorkshire Smokehouse’ into their 30 stores including Ripon and Settle. These delicious smoked culinary delights include Smoked Ham, Roast Ham, Smoked Chicken, Smoked Duck, Smoked and dry cured bacon, Black treacle bacon. To find out more, visit www.yorkshiresmokehouse.co.uk. 4 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Stricken seafood sector calls on supermarkets during pandemic The crisis-stricken seafood sector has urged major supermarket retailers to unlock UK markets to help navigate the current pandemic. Writing to the chief executives of the main UK supermarket, Seafood Scotland has urged fresh fish counters be reopened on behalf of the Scottish seafood sector. With international markets closed off, and the UK restaurant/catering sector largely shut down, the entire sector is relying on retail for survival, but most of the fresh fish counters in major multiple retailers have been closed for weeks. As of writing, only Morrisons has reopened its fresh counters in recent days, in a welcome move to support the meat and fish sectors. In the letter, sent to the leaders of ASDA, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, Donna Fordyce, Head of Seafood Scotland, says: “It is imperative that fish counters are reopened to allow consumers access to fresh, locally caught seafood from the domestic market as part of their essential shop.” Tesco offers lifeline for potato farmers Tesco is offering a lifeline to potato farmers who have been left with surplus stock after restaurants and fast food outlets were closed to combat the coronavirus crisis. The closure of restaurants, pubs and many fast food outlets has left a major surplus of particular varieties that are made into chips, which potato growers cannot now easily sell on. Now Tesco has teamed up with potato supplier Branston to take these potatoes that were previously destined for the catering trade to meet soaring consumer demand. These ‘chipping varieties’ may have skin blemishes and will be sold as part of Tesco’s ‘Perfectly Imperfect’ range. The bags will carry a sticker stating “I’m not looking my normal gorgeous self but I still taste great, buy me and support British farmers”. Since March Tesco has seen increased demand for potatoes, with an average rise of 30% across UK stores. Guidelines launched for including recycled content in plastic packaging New guidelines have been launched on the use of recycled content in plastic packaging. ‘Recycled Content Used In Plastic Packaging Applications’ has been launched by the British Plastics Federation (BPF) in conjunction with the Cosmetic, toiletry and Perfumes Association and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). The new guidelines provides answers to questions about measuring recycled content and highlights important regulatory and technical considerations. It is aimed at companies wishing to include recycled content in food, drink, cosmetics and pharmaceutical packaging; it is also designed to help policymakers better understand the sector-specific issues. Under current regulations and technical constraints, it is not possible at this time to incorporate recycled materials in many types of plastic packaging used by these sectors owing to the rigorous safety requirements currently in place to protect human health. This industry-led collaboration is intended to provide guidance on the regulatory requirements, and key technical considerations. The document presents detailed guidance in the form of simple FAQs, answering questions like “what is a functional barrier?” or “what is a challenge test?”. It also highlights important factors to consider when incorporating recycled content into plastic packaging, such as the potential to generate extra waste or to render products unrecyclable by conventional means. “The inclusion of recycled materials in packaging can have environmental benefits of resource efficiency and carbon savings,” said Barry Turner, Director of The BPF’s Plastics and Flexible Packaging Group. “Therefore, we are extremely happy to be working alongside the FDF and CTPA to help ensure recycled content is maximized where it delivers the most benefit to the environment, and to help bring us closer to the circular economy.” © Shutterstock/Kanittha Boon © Shutterstock/stockfour 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 01/06/2020 10:08 Page 1news Food & Drink International 5 www.fdiforum.net Alternative options for safer bandsaws There are essentially two approaches to keeping meat processing operators safe: the first is to restrict access to the cutting area, while the second is to ensure that the cutting area itself is as safe as possible. Interfood Technology offers solutions for both. The first option available from Interfood’s dedicated Butchery Division is manufactured by Astech. The PW (precision weight) saw is a continuous bandsaw which is an automatic and fully enclosed machine so requires no manual intervention in the blade area. Offering integrated weight control, it features a scanning system through which precise slices are produced to pre-determined weights/thicknesses. Continuous operation is available for frozen meat and fish or fresh bone-in products. The second option is BladeStop, a system designed, developed and manufactured by Scott Automation & Robotics, in association with Meat & Livestock Australia. Unlike the Astech bandsaw, this system is specifically for those applications in which sections of the moving bandsaw blade are totally exposed. NGOs urge EU to publish ‘farm to fork’ strategy with meat reduction targets An ambitious ‘Farm to Fork’ strategy including meat-reduction targets is needed for the EU food and agriculture industries more than ever, according to NGOs ProVeg International and the European Vegetarian Union. The ‘Farm To Fork’ strategy, which provides a sustainable food-policy roadmap for the European Commission, was initially scheduled to be published at the end of March 2020. Due to the current COVID-19 crisis, however, it has been postponed to an undecided date later in the year, prompting calls for greater urgency from MEPs. Animal farming is one of the top three causes of environmental problems, and is responsible for about 14.5% of global greenhouse-gas emissions, according to the FAO. Both the recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change special report and the Eat Lancet Commission’s Planetary Health Diet report recommend plant-based diets as a major opportunity for mitigating and adapting to the climate crisis. This shift is not only urgently needed for environmental reasons – it can also serve as a mitigation strategy for future zoonotic pandemics, protecting public health and the stability of life as we know it. The link between animal farming and an increased risk of pandemics is already well- established scientifically, particularly in the case of intensive farming, where conditions are conducive to the emergence and rapid spread of diseases, such as COVID-19. “The global coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak poses a health and economic crisis of unprecedented proportions. The EU must do everything in its power to lower the risk of future pandemics and protect its citizens’ health and freedoms,” said Jasmijn de Boo, International Director of ProVeg International. “A ‘Farm To Fork’ strategy, with ambitious meat reduction targets and policies around the promotion of plant-based diets as a mitigation strategy for future zoonotic pandemics, is essential to preserving the health of people and the planet as well as the stability of economies.” Airbus partners with Agrimetrics to address ag challenges using AI Aerospace giant Airbus has partnered with Agrimetrics, the food and farming sector’s data marketplace, to try and address agronomic challenges using artificial intelligence and satellite data. AI was trained to analyse satellite imagery and return 15 attributes. These include Leaf Area Index (LAI), which can be combined with other Agrimetrics data to calculate water soil balance and plant water stress. Matthew Smith, Agrimetrics Chief Product Officer, said: “This data will enable users to develop more accurate estimations of a field’s water balance in near-to-real-time. This will help growers decide when and where to irrigate.” Agrimetrics are pitching their solution at researchers and agri- tech, as well as the rapidly growing digital agronomy sector. They hope to catalyse the development of tools and insights that deliver value to growers in a sustainable way. Satellite data has been used to improve farm irrigation before. A 2015 paper published in Frontiers in Natural Sciences evidenced a 10% water and energy saving on farms in Austria. More recently, The European Space Agency reported savings of up to 30%. Agrimetrics claim they make the data needed to realise these benefits more easily accessible and affordable. ‘wHen2gO’ is an example of this model in operation. The project saw BASF partner with Agrimetrics to develop an application that provided growers with guidance on when to spray. Their goal was to reduce chemical run-off into nearby waterways, whilst increasing product efficacy. To provide this guidance, wHen2gO analyses data from a variety of sources, including satellite data, the UK Met Office and The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH). Louis Wells, Solutions Manager at BASF, emphasises the role of Agrimetrics in accelerating the project by pre-linking the data and providing it in an easily usable format. © Shutterstock/Foodio © Shutterstock/nd3000 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 01/06/2020 10:08 Page 26 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Grass Fed Standard launched for Irish dairy processors Irish dairy processors will now be able to provide verifiable proof that the milk used in their products and ingredients has come from grass fed cows with the launch of a ‘Grass Fed Standard’. The scientifically supported standard has been launched by Bord Bia, the Irish Food Bord. Believed to be the world’s first such standard on a national scale, which allows it to track and verify the percentage of grass consumed in the diet of Irish dairy herds. The Bord Bia Grass Fed Standard is a processor scheme which sets out the Grass Fed rules that must be adhered to for milk from individual farms, and for milk pooled for primary processing, to be classified as Grass Fed. The minimum acceptable Grass Fed figure for an individual herd to qualify as Grass Fed is 90% on a fresh weight basis. This figure is achieved through the use of a scientific Grass Fed Dairy Model (which quantifies the volume of grass consumed by dairy cows) and Bord Bia web-based software to assess the Grass Fed status of the milk from individual farms for processing against the Grass Fed rules. The model has been developed by Teagasc, the Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority – at its Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, the leading research centre on milk production in Ireland – and will use data collected during the government-approved Sustainable Dairy Assurance Scheme (SDAS) on-farm audits to determine it meets the Grass Fed rules. To meet the standard, Irish dairy herds need to enjoy a diet that is a minimum of 90% grass. Milk that is pooled from various dairy processors for processing must achieve a Grass Fed average of 95%. In Ireland, dairy cows spend on average 240 full days a year out on pasture. It is expected that 99% of Irish dairy farms will meet the Grass Fed threshold due to the nature of Irish production systems. Meat industry stresses importance of domestic supply and key workers The coronavirus pandemic has emphasised the vital role played by domestic supply and the contribution made by key workers in food production, according to the latest market commentary by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). In response to the coronavirus, some meat businesses have moved towards on-line or phone ordering with either home delivery or collection services. Many food service businesses are also looking at ways they can perhaps re-open as takeaway businesses offering home delivery to generate some income. “These innovations and adaptations will, over time, broaden the demand for meat,” said Stuart Ashworth, Director of Economics Services with QMS. “Nevertheless, it is likely to be some time before restaurants and bars return to normal and when they do, it will be some time before consumers feel confident enough to eat out.” In the public sector meat demand is also compromised. While demand from care homes, prisons and military establishments remains normal, there are fewer hospital patients, and without schools, colleges or pubic buildings, like sports halls and museums, demand is reduced. Similarly contract caterers serving large offices and business or sport and recreational events are trading less. “Until such time as these businesses and activities return to normal, the balance and volume of meat cuts will remain compromised,” said Mr Ashworth. The current pandemic has demonstrated how quickly a market can turn. In the UK, this was apparent through the disruption to export activity that contributed to a sharp fall in sheep prices. “In the UK, we have not seen processing plants close, although many have slowed down, but the comparison with the United States illustrates how important those working in food processing establishments are and emphasises why they are key workers as much as medical workers,” said Mr Ashworth. © Shutterstock/El Nariz © Shutterstock/Creatus Mondel ēz highlights sustainability and wellbeing progress Mondel ēz International has highlighted its progress in meeting its sustainability and wellbeing goals in a new report. The report outlines the confectionery giant’s ongoing commitment to lead the future of snacking by leveraging its global scale to deliver positive change. The ‘Snacking Made Right’ report includes Mondel ēz International’s signature sus tainable sourcing programmes and approaches driven by the company’s purpose – to empower people to snack right by providing the right snack, for the right moment, made the right way. “As we collectively manage the global impact of COVID-19, now more than ever is the time for companies to do what’s right and drive sustainable business growth at scale,” said Dirk Van de Put, Chairman and CEO of Mondel ēz International. He added: “I’m proud of the significant progress we’ve made in 2019 and believe our 2025 Snacking Made Right goals are the right goals to focus on for the future.” 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 01/06/2020 10:08 Page 3www.fdiforum.net 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. CAN YOU AFFORD NOT TO? • Print • Online • E-Newsletters • Regular News • Topical Features The perfect medium to give your brand the best chance of being seen! Contact us below for our 2020 editorial schedule Call today on +44 [0] 1472 310310 or email: s.trott@blmgroup.co.uk INTERNATIONAL Food &Drink Food &Drink 2019 AUGUST I N T E R N Food Food &&& Food Food & £3.50 .fdiforum.netwww N A T I O N &&Drin Drin Drin &&Drin 0 STERLING A L nk nk nkk thi Fre i ki h ND EXPORT NEWS IMPORT AND E G SPOTLIGHT PROCESSING S SEPTEMBER 2019 I N T E R N Food Food &&& Food Food & £3.50 .fdiforum.net www N A T I O N &&Drin Drink Drin &&Drink 0 STERLING A L nk nk nkk tota The t l GY TOTAL SHOW pac cka PPMA TOTAL MICROBIOLOGY MHX 2019 IMHX 2019 ge 54) V N preview on pag otal Sh OBER 2019 OCT I N T E R N Food Food &&& Food Food & £3.50 .fdiforum.netwww N A T I O N &&Drin Drin Drin &&Drin 0 STERLING A L nk nk nkk cho The i t t l mental c ws Environmen Spotlight Spotlight auBeBrra evvial ale NOVEMBER 2019 I N T E R N Food Food &&& Food Food & £3.50 .fdiforum.net www N A T I O N &&Drink Drink Drin &&Drink 0 STERLING A L nk nk nkk Packaging ging Packaging spotlight for s Ingredie Fi Europe ent rs and epositors llers MINIMUM COST…MAXIMUM IMPACT! www.fdiforum.net 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 01/06/2020 10:09 Page 4JUST partners with plant-based manufacturer to boost capacity JUST is partnering with Emsland Group, a German manufacturer of raw materials from vegetables, to expand its protein processing capacity. The partnership will provide the scale needed to meet increasing global demand for the company’s plant-based egg product in the US. Partnering with JUST to process mung bean protein – the key ingredient in JUST Egg – is a first for Emsland Group. This is the latest step JUST has taken to boost its capacity to meet demand. In December, it acquired a 30,000-square-foot factory in Appleton, Minnesota that specialises in patented protein extraction methods for JUST Egg. In March, it announced a host of global strategic partnerships to manufacture and distribute JUST Egg across North America, Europe, Latin America and East Asia. Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of JUST, said the partnership will “ultimately help us make JUST Egg more accessible and affordable to customers and consumers around the globe.” on line 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net Givaudan divests processed and grated cheese business Givaudan, the flavour and fragrances company, is divesting its processed and grated cheese business to strengthen its focus on its core business. The business has been divested to St. Paul Group, a cheese specialist with premises in Belgium and the Netherlands for an undisclosed amount. Givaudan will retain the majority of the legacy Vika BV business acquired in 2017 and continue to offer cheese powder solutions, vegetable and meat fonds and stocks as part of its natural dairy and savoury product portfolio. “With the sale of our processed and grated cheese business we aim to strengthen the focus on our core business and continue to drive long-term shareholder value,” said Louie D’Amico, President Flavour Division, Givaudan. “We truly appreciate the contributions of our processed and grated cheese business employees and look forward to working with the St. Paul team to ensure a successful handover.” Industry calls for Nutri-Score to be mandatory in Europe The nutrition label Nutri-Score should become mandatory on all foods in the EU, a group of food and drink stakeholders including Danone and Nestlé has said. In a joint letter, almost 40 stakeholders – made up of consumer groups, policy makers, academics, food companies and retailers – have asked for a legislative proposal to introduce the Nutri-Score EU-wide. This colour-coded front-of-pack nutritional label is instrumental to support consumers in making healthier food choices, the stakeholders say. “No system is perfect, but we see Nutri-Score as the best scheme today for people to compare products’ nutritional quality at a glance, also within a category,” said Thomas Gauthier-Lafaye, Europe Public Affairs Director at Danone. “We therefore support the call to make this colour-coded and front-of pack nutritional label mandatory across the EU.” Bart Vandewaetere, Head of Corporate Communications and Government Relations for Nestlé Zone EMENA, said: “Our ambition is that more than 50% of our breakfast cereals in France are ‘A’ or ‘B’ by end of 2021.” © Shutterstock/Gamzova Olga Hershey sells artisanal jerky brand to private equity investor Artisanal jerky brand Krave has been acquired from The Hershey Company for an undisclosed amount by emerging brands private equity investor, Sonoma Brands. Krave was formed in 2009 at the forefront of the so-called “jerky renaissance”, rising in popularity until it was acquired by The Hershey Company in 2015. As well as boasting the typical meat cuts and pork rind varieties, the company’s most recent launch is plant-based jerky. Sonoma Brands was founded by Jon Sebastiani, who is also the founder and creative force behind Krave. Now that the brand is back under his control, a higher degree of innovation is expected in the future. “I have always had a great relationship with The Hershey Company and watched them grow Krave,” said Mr Sebastiani. “From expanding KRAVE’s product offerings to dipping into the plant-based category and increasing worldwide distribution, Krave is in a great spot to come back home to Sonoma where we can continue the brand’s fantastic momentum as a category leader.” Furmano Foods has deep roots with Key Technology Over the last 20 years, Furmano Foods has turned to Key Technology time and time again for the most reliable vibratory conveyors with superior sanitation. They run Key’s Iso-Flo® shakers on processing lines throughout their facility and added a lengthy Marathon® shaker in 2019 to distribute green beans to cutters. “We have been buying equipment from Key for decades. There’s a reason we keep going to them – they make the best vibratory conveyors out there,” explained Jeff Bradigan, Facilities and Maintenance at Furmano Foods. “We have a few older shakers from other suppliers, and we’re slowly replacing them with Key to improve our efficiency. For example, our old green bean distribution shaker didn’t work well. The chutes would plug up and operators constantly needed to adjust them. We wanted a new system they didn’t need to fight with, so we went to Key because they really know what they’re doing.” 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 01/06/2020 10:09 Page 5Naked Glory launches meat-free and ready-to-eat Deli Readybites Naked Glory, part of Kerry Foods, has launched its brand-new Deli Readybites – the first ready-to-eat range for the brand. The new flame-grilled range is launching in Asda in three flavours: Tikka, Roast and Smoky BBQ. This is the first ready-to-eat range created by Naked Glory, which first launched in September last year to shake up the meat-free category and provide consumers with a range of meat-free alternatives that don’t compromise on high quality, meaty taste and succulent texture. “Providing variety and convenience is key for retailers, so we’re really excited to see our brand-new Deli Readybites hitting shelves up and down the country this month, helping to liven up the nation’s lunchtime,” said Alison Lees, Marketing Manager of Naked Glory. “They don’t require any cooking at all, so are perfect for dishing up quick and convenient lunches and snacks – whether that’s on their own, tossed through a salad or used to recreate a classic coronation ‘chicken’ for jackets and sarnies.” Morrisons launch food box to support British farmers during pandemic Morrisons has launched a seasonal food box containing meat, vegetables, milk and cheeses to help support British farmers during the pandemic. Created to support vulnerable and self- isolating customers – and those limiting trips outside of the home – the British Farmers Food Box will also support UK farmers who have been struggling since the outbreak of COVID-19. Many farmers have been unable to sell produce that might have been destined for the restaurant trade. So, one pound from every British Farmers Food Box will be donated to The Prince’s Countryside Fund which is coordinating donations on behalf of Farming Help charities. Additionally, the box will contain milk and cheese from the Morrisons For Farmers range which return more money directly into the pockets of farmers. David Potts, Chief Executive of Morrisons, said: “Our farmers produce some of the world’s finest meats, vegetables and cheeses which we want to offer to our customers.” on the shelf Ingredion launches first polyol sweetener Meeting the increasing demands of ever more health- conscious consumers, Ingredion EMEA has launched its first polyol sweetener. ERYSTA Erythritol supports functional build back and sweetness when sugar is removed in products including ice cream, desserts and chocolate confectionery, while providing consumers with the mouthfeel and texture that they expect in their favourite products, Ingredion said. Other applications include baked goods, beverages and fruit preparations. Working with culinology and technical experts at Ingredion’s Idea Labs innovation centres across the region, manufacturers can collaborate on recipe formulation to develop new and on-trend products with a focus on getting to market quickly. From a decadent low-calorie chocolate brownie ice cream with reduced sugar, to a sumptuous no added sugar rhubarb and rose cordial, food and beverage producers can create products that tap into the consumer demand for healthier alternatives that still deliver on taste, texture and an indulgent eating experience. Arla launches clean-label ambient yogurt concept in China To meet the growing demand for ambient yoghurt in China, Arla Food Ingredients has launched a first-of-its- kind clean-label ambient yogurt concept. The new solution uses Nutrilac YO-4575, a natural whey protein, to give unrefrigerated yogurts a premium positioning with all-natural ingredients. It is available in three varieties: vanilla, peach and green tea. According to Arla, Nutrilac YO-4575 is unique due to its heat-stability and texturising properties. It keeps ambient products smooth and stable throughout shelf life without the need for additives or preservatives. Yogurt sales are growing faster in China than anywhere else in the world, with ambient yogurt the fastest growing segment in the country’s liquid dairy market. There is therefore clear potential for unrefrigerated yogurts with clean labels. To help manufacturers meet this need, Arla Foods Ingredients has created an ambient stirred yogurt concept containing just five all- natural ingredients. Food & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net BrewDog launch limited edition pack to raise funds for NHS Scottish craft brewer, BrewDog, has launched limited edition 12 packs of Punk IPA, with all profits donated to the Help NHS Heroes campaign. The partnership is part of a wider initiative by the brewer that began with its Punk Sanitiser, with 80% alcohol strength, at the beginning of the coronavirus crisis. To date the brewer has donated over 250,000 units to charities and NHS services across the country, with plans to continue as long as it is required. The Help NHS Heroes project was launched by volunteers to provide NHS workers with on-site access to enough food for two days of nutritious family meals in response to the pandemic. Its mission is to help all NHS hospital workers to have the opportunity to pick up a box to feed a family of four on the hospital’s doorstep. The donations will go towards funding their ability to deliver services to as many hospitals as possible, at minimal cost to the NHS Trusts. © Shutterstock/Tatiana Frank © Shutterstock/uladzimir zgurski 04-09.qxp_Layout 1 01/06/2020 10:09 Page 6Next >