Processing, control and automation Sustainable packaging www.fdiforum.netJUNE 2021 £3.50 STERLING News Evolving industry Evolving industry INTERNATIONAL Food &DrinkFood &Drink01.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:33 Page 1Diverse bagging with the smallest footprint! The NEW GEA SmartPacker D-Zip Vertical Packer Smart in Every Way • Up to 15% reduction in zip material • • • • * gea.com/uk Contact us as info@gea.com * Food & Drink_GEA Half page LS_March 21.indd 116/03/2021 17:32:00 02.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:33 Page 1Contents June 2021 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 & export14 Before one can even think about exporting to another country, it’s important to look at the measures taken to ensure the security of food. Temperature control spotlight18 Temperature control is intrinsically linked to food safety, quality, and waste. Utilising a strong monitoring system is therefore crucial to the success of food and drink businesses. Process, control & automation23 Whether boosting production speeds, reducing downtime, or plugging gaps, automation is the future for the food industry. Sustainable packaging28 With environmental impact becoming more and more important, especially with coronavirus hopefully being on the way out, now is perhaps the best time to invest in new initiatives. Sustainable packaging is simpler than it has been in years past. Health, safety & hygiene 38 Health, safety, and hygiene are of the utmost importance in the food and drink industry, ensuring food is safe for consumption - thus preventing illnesses and reputation damage - and the working environment is secure for employees. Warehousing & distribution42 Though the manufacture of food and drink products typically occurs in fixed locations, the supply chain is one of constant motion. Linking these chains together is warehousing and distribution which, one could argue, acts as the industry’s lifeblood. 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: Vicky Hunt (v.hunt@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/682A IA • TOP: PROSEAL • MIDDLE: PROPER • BOTT OM: SHUTTERST OCK/DEDMITY AY Flow measurement & control 46 Food and Drink International explores the importance of flow measurement, explores the various types of flow meters available, and explores some of the other challenges facing manufacturers. Snack foods & ready meals49 Consumers have turned away from traditional snack foods in favour of healthier, more exotic foods that have a strong visual profile intended for sharing on social media. Now more than ever, products have become inseparable from lifestyle – something food and drink producers have adapted to with aplomb. The UK Food & Drink Shows52 The UK Food & Drink Shows return to the NEC this July (5th – 7th) with over 800 exhibitors set to revitalise the hospitality industry. Events54 Your chance to keep abreast of forthcoming exhibitions and food fairs from around the world Classified 56 Food and Drink Diary 58 03.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:45 Page 14 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Oxford Uni spin-out aims to become UK’s first commercial cultured meat producer Ivy Farm Technologies, an Oxford University spin-out, is planning to become the first commercial producer of sustainable, cultured meat in the UK. Co-founder Russ Tucker said Ivy Farm planned to put Britain on the map in the emerging global industry by producing cultured meat products – beginning with a slaughter-free sausage – for supermarkets and the restaurant trade from 2023. The company has launched a £16 million fund-raising to build a pilot R&D facility in the first step towards producing 12,000 tonnes of cultured pork a year by 2025 – equivalent to saving the lives of 170,000 pigs. And Dr Tucker urged the Government to get behind the sector given the opportunity for the UK to be at the forefront of an industry that can help to save the planet. “If you look at the world around us, the way we currently produce and consume food is unsustainable,” he said. “Already nearly half the worldwide harvest is required to feed livestock and that’s only going to go up. Cultured meat is the silver bullet – through cutting edge technology we can provide real, high-quality meat while saving the planet. “Ivy Farm will be great for the environment, great for meat lovers and great for animals as there’s no slaughter.” Ivy Farm’s non-GMO production process uses technology developed at Oxford University, in the same building that developed the COVID-19 vaccine. A small number of cells are taken from an animal and placed in a bioreactor. The cells are exposed to a perfect mix of vitamins and nutrients so they replicate and produce meat in as little as three-to-four weeks. The system is continuous – so muscle and fat can be harvested without disturbing cells growing underneath. Ivy Farm believes its technology is a game changer because of a unique ‘scaffold’ system where the cells grow. RMGroup’s robotic palletisers create production efficiencies at Radnor Hills Robotics and automation specialists, RMGroup, has installed three of its end-of-line robotic palletisers for award-winning soft drinks business, Radnor Hills. The move has enabled the manufacturer to benefit from process efficiencies throughout their production. Radnor Hills first approached RMGroup in 2018 to investigate automating an end- of-line palletising operation with a robot arm. On the line, packs of bottles needed to be palletised at a rate of 14 packs per minute. Given the throughput and pallet stack formats, RMGroup needed to ensure that the robotic solution could multi pick packs up to four at any one time, and then place them onto a pallet in one’s, two’s, three’s or four’s, to keep up with the production line throughput. By using ABB robot studio, RMGroup’s mechanical design and technical department recommended the use of a bespoke gripper, thereby enabling the robot to stack the packs onto pallets at the desired rate. LOMA SYSTEMS® launches CW3 RUN-WET® Combo and Checkweigher systems for harsh washdown environments LOMA SYSTEMS® recently launched its new groundbreaking CW3 RUN-WET® Combo and CW3 RUN-WET® Checkweigher systems. The move follows increased demands from food manufacturers for improved hygiene and cleaning efficiency for inspection equipment, as well as reduced machinery downtime due to frequent, harsh washdown regimes. With both being fully IP69 rated and designed to follow the latest industry leading principles for optimum hygiene standards, Loma’s CW3 RUN-WET® Combo provides a combined checkweigher and metal detector in one, whereas the CW3 RUN-WET® Checkweigher is a standalone checkweigher system. Loma’s RUN-WET® systems were developed in combination with feedback from many customers. By producing a far more sanitary design that is both quicker and easier to clean, the risk of bacterial contamination can be minimized, thereby increasing food safety and satisfying the strictest Codes of Practice and Food Safety Standards. Created to withstand harsh, high-pressure and high- temperature deep cleaning regimes, the systems are suitable for high-care food environments. New flexible finance launches to ease dairy farm cashflow Dairy farmers can now access flexible finance to ease cashflow at challenging times of year, following the launch of Oxbury’s Flexi-Credit Milk Cheque. Operating in a similar way to an overdraft, but easier to set up and on more competitive terms, Flexi- Credit allows farmers to borrow up to 70% of their average quarterly milk payments per year. They can then pay in or withdraw money according to cashflow, with a minimum repayment of 5% per month plus interest. Borrowers can simply pay the money into their current account – which can be with any bank – and then repay when they want. Block calving herds may need to borrow at different times of year, for example to cover low milk sales over the winter. Producers can manage their accounts online, and speak to agricultural specialists within the bank if they have any queries. © Shutterstock/Syda Productions 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:48 Page 1Perfect solutions for reliable food production With intelligent and robust sensors, ifm offers solutions for the most demanding production environments found in the food industry. The intelligent MVQ valve sensor continuously monitors valve position and has diagnostic outputs for valve seat and stroke time errors. This prevents unpredictable, costly producti- on downtime whilst maintaining product quality. The O6 Wet Line optical sensor and full-metal inductive sensors performance is uncompromised in high humidity environments. They are also resistant to high pressure water and chemical washdown. In combination with matching ecolink connectors, a guaranteed watertight connection, up to IP69K, makes sudden sensor failures due to moisture ingress a thing of the past! All of these sensors transmit their process and diagnostic data, digitally and without any conversion losses via IO-Link: avoiding any unwanted surprises. ifm – close to you! Everything, without surprises ifm.com/ukifm.com/uk Go ifmonline Go ifmonline years W AR RANTY on ifm pro du ct s 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:48 Page 2Coca-Cola European Partners bolsters sustainable production Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has unveiled an expanded renewable energy initiative which will save almost 1,800 tonnes of CO2 per year. CCEP, Europe’s largest soft drinks plant, will support the expansion of the Wakefield solar farm from 5 to 8.1 megawatts, meaning it will now deliver almost 20% of the site’s total electricity. Since 2017, CCEP has been using 100% renewable electricity at its sites. As signatories to the RE100 and EV100 programmes, it is further investing in solar generation to support the broader, long-term transition of its manufacturing processes and transport to clean renewable electricity. It is one of the first major projects launched since the announcement of CCEP’s 250 million investment programme to support its Science Based Targets to be net zero by 2040, launched last year. The expanded solar farm will also help with the long-term restoration of low- quality agricultural land on the site of a former open cast mine, which cannot otherwise be developed as it forms an important part of local flood defences. It will include wildlife corridors to safeguard and encourage site biodiversity. The solar farm expansion has been developed in collaboration with local landowner, Stephen Butterfield, and is managed by solar PV specialists Innova Energy. The solar farm utilises the next generation of two-sided solar panels, maximising the capture and conversion of solar irradiation as it is reflected off the ground. In addition, CCEP also invested £27 million into the site in 2020, to support a new state-of-the art canning line, elevating the site’s production capabilities and supporting the production of sustainable packaging for CCEP’s well-known brands, including Coca-Cola Classic, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Diet Coke, Fanta and Schweppes. 6 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news Shear-ly good wrapper for Black Sheep Brewery! Yorkshire Packaging Systems (YPS) has installed a turntable pallet wrapping machine at the world-famous Black Sheep Brewery. Black Sheep Brewery craft the finest independent beers, bitters and IPAs from Masham, North Yorkshire. Founder Paul Theakston hails from a long generation of family brewers but is not afraid to be innovative under the Black Sheep label. Themed ales, fruity beers and chocolate stouts are all popular Black Sheep beverages. In this pioneering and successful brewery’s own words, “quality and consistency are top of the agenda”. Quality and consistency are where YPS and The Black Sheep Brewery align perfectly. When the firm needed to complete its new turnkey packaging operation, it turned to YPS for a high-quality solution that would deliver consistent wrapping results, and YPS were ready to assist. With a new bottling line already in place, including tray erector loaders, shrink wrapping machinery and a palletiser, the Brewery needed to finish the project with a pallet wrapping unit for their trayed bottles, cans and casks. YPS supplied a robust and reliable turntable stretch wrapper, which more than met the speed requirements of 5 pallets an hour. It boasted a power pre-stretch film carriage to maximise the yield from each roll of film and improve the load containment force. A pump truck ramp ensured easy and safe loading of product onto the turntable. “YPS were prompt, efficient and professional from the outset, understanding our time-sensitive requirement. We have significantly reduced damage to our bottles during transportation, much to the appreciation of our customers across the UK and around the globe,” Robert Theakston, Managing Director, Black Sheep Brewery. SIG announces launch of tethered caps for carton packs three years ahead of EU regulatory requirements SIG will launch tethered caps for its beverage cartons in Europe in the second half of 2021, well ahead of the July 2024 deadline set by EU regulations. The redesigned caps do not compromise on convenience and will be compatible with existing filling machines and closure applicators so customers can be confident investing in a long-term partnership with SIG to deliver food and beverages to consumers in a safe, sustainable and affordable way. Customers choosing the company’s SIGNATURE packaging solutions will also get the additional environmental benefit of tethered caps made from polymers linked to 100% renewable, forest-based materials. “Our new tethered cap solutions build on SIG’s strong track record on sustainable innovation as we go Way Beyond Good for people and the planet,” said Ali Kaylan, SVP Innovation and VP Global Marketing at SIG. “By announcing the launch three years ahead of regulatory requirements, we are providing reassurance for customers as they prepare to comply with forthcoming EU regulations.” © Shutterstock/urbanbuzz 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:48 Page 304-13.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:48 Page 4Valio to spin-off Valio Oddlygood business operations Finnish dairy company, Valio, is spinning off the business operations of its plant-based Valio Oddlygood products to Oddlygood Global Ltd. The company aims to accelerate growth by creating a network of partners. These partners could be distributors in markets where Valio doesn’t have its own network. This would give Valio Oddlygood products a faster track to various target markets. The spin-off also enables the core team to have the best possible focus on business development. Valio’s Tuomas Salusjärvi, Executive Vice President, Growth Businesses and R&D, said: “We see a lot of opportunities for Valio in the strongly growing market for plant-based products in Finland and abroad. “Oddlygood Global Ltd is a launch that aligns with our new strategy aiming to expand Valio’s international business. “We will now pursue this growth increasingly stronger with Oddlygood Global Ltd and international partners.” Oddlygood Global will be led by CEO Niko Vuorenmaa, previously SVP, Valio Food business unit. 8 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net news First commercial launch for SIG’s Paper U-straw for aseptic cartons SIG’s pioneering Paper U-straw made its commercial debut this month. CAPSA Food is the first to take advantage of this innovation for its ‘Central Lechera Asturiana’ whole milk, Spain’s number one dairy brand. Sustainable alternatives continue to gain momentum because of the EU Waste Legislation and growing concerns about the environmental impact of plastic straws. According to the European Union’s SUP (Single Use Plastic) directive, plastic straws in Europe must be replaced by July 2021. CAPSA Food has launched its Central Lechera Asturiana whole milk with the new SIG Paper U-straw on SIG’s combiblocSmall 200ml carton packs. The innovative Paper U-straw supports SIG’s ongoing efforts to use more renewable materials. The paper used to produce SIG paper straws, including straight and U-shaped in 4 and 6mm diameter, is FSCTM-certified. The wrapper for the straw has also been redesigned to remain attached to the packaging to prevent littering and can also be disposed with the carton pack. Biocatalysts Ltd launch new protease for casein hydrolysis Enzyme specialists, Biocatalysts Ltd, has launched its new enzyme, Promod™ 517MDP (P517MDP) extending its range of Kosher and Halal certified enzymes targeting the dairy protein market. P517MDP is a highly efficient exopeptidase that achieves >40% degree of hydrolysis in casein protein. Hydrolysing casein with P517MDP breaks it down into its smaller component parts: peptides and amino acids which increases its solubility and improves its digestibility making it a more versatile ingredient that can be used in the production of foods for special medical purposes (FSMP) including specialist infant and follow-on formulas. Casein is a complete protein containing all the essential amino acids required to support healthy growth. The slower rate at which its amino acids are absorbed means that it can satiate hunger over a longer period and reduce the effects of natural muscle wastage in elderly individuals. Casein’s amino acid composition makes it important for maintaining muscle strength, bolstering the immune system, and promoting a healthy weight and metabolism. Commercial Director Daren Bryce said: “Biocatalysts Ltd are dedicated to providing a range of microbial enzymes across the food sectors and developing specific enzymes that help our customers increase the value and functionality of their products. In this instance we are proud to help our customers more easily access casein hydrolysates.” © Shutterstock/MaraZe Heura becomes first ever plant-based meat brand to get B Corp certification Heura Foods has become the first ever plant- based meat brand to receive certification as a registered B Corporation. B Corporations (or B Corps) are a growing group of companies who are reinventing business, by pursuing purpose as well as profit. Heura, a Spanish plant-based meat producer, has been certified by B Lab as having met rigorous social and environmental standards which represent its commitment to goals outside of shareholder profit. The B Corp Certification is for the whole of your business and covers five key impact areas of Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. Heura is now part of a community of over 3,800+ businesses globally who have certified as B Corps. © Heura Foods 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:48 Page 5Food & Drink International 9 www.fdiforum.net news Stora Enso & Diageo’s R&D venture partner for production of eco-friendly drinks packaging Stora Enso and packaging tech company Pulpex have joined forces to industrialise the production of eco-friendly paper bottles and containers made from wood fibre pulp. These renewable products will offer an alternative to PET plastics and glass. The exclusive partnership leverages Stora Enso’s formed fibre technologies and ability to convert end-products at an industrial scale. The joint development agreement is formed exclusively between Stora Enso and Pulpex, a sustainable packaging technology company established by Diageo and Pilot Lite (a venture management company). The partnership aims for large-scale industrial production of renewable and recyclable paper bottles and containers that degrade readily in the natural environment. Produced with sustainably sourced formed fiber pulp, the bottles and containers would enable a significantly lower carbon footprint compared with glass or PET. “We see great potential in combining development skills of Pulpex with our industrial capabilities, says Sohrab Kazemahvazi, SVP Formed Fiber at Stora Enso. © Shutterstock/vodograj US plant-based food retail sales reach $7bn in 2020 New data from the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) and The Good Food Institute (GFI) shows US retail sales of plant-based foods continued to increase by double digits in 2020, growing 27% and bringing the total plant-based market value to $7 billion. The plant-based food market grew almost twice as fast as the total US retail food market, which increased 15% in 2020 as COVID-19 shuttered restaurants and consumers stocked up on food amid lockdowns. PBFA Senior Director of Retail Partnerships Julie Emmett said: “The data tells us unequivocally that we are experiencing a fundamental shift as an ever-growing number of consumers are choosing foods that taste good and boost their health by incorporating plant- based foods into their diet. “As this industry surpasses the $7B threshold, PBFA is excited to continue our work to help build a sustainable infrastructure, including domestic ingredients sourcing, for this growing demand to expand access to plant- based foods.” © Shutterstock/Nina Firsova 04-13.qxp_Layout 1 28/05/2021 09:48 Page 6Next >